Padmanabhan and PP Govindan

Carnatic Musicians
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rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Padmanabhan and PP Govindan

Post by rajeshnat »

Padmanabhan And PP Govindan
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The above names Padmanabhan and PP Govindan were vidwans who were known to me as teachers of Carnatic Music. Starting Way back in 1982-83 till 1986-87 ,i learnt carnatic music from primarily Padmanabhan - my paatu class sir . The other musician bit junior in age for sure was PP Govindan . Govindan was more a vainika who also taught occassional vocal and full time veena. As we were keeeping some books on the occassion of navarathri , i saw a bound book of varnams and krithis that was given to me around 1980's

I never knew Padmanabhan sir name way back when i was taught music by him. It was a gumbalOda govinda class on Mon-wed-fri . Only after 2000 I came to know the name of my paatu vaadiyar. Incidentally PP Govindan the vainika house was the house in Nungambakkam where i learnt .PP Govindan's wife is Mrs Anusaya who is living and she is atleast 80 now i met her few months back . She told few things about me and my paatu class.

Incidentally there is a rubber stamp marking in my notebook . It says the institution i learnt with its two branches
Sri Sadguru Sangeetha Vidhyalayam
Thambiah Reddy Street, Westmambalam, madras-600 033 and
Ramanujam Chetty Street , Nungambakkam , madras -600 034.

The pattu class that i attended was in nungambakkam . My teacher Padmanabhan Sir used to come in white shirt and dhoti teach for 2 hours and leave for two batches . All i recollect was there were more girls than boys . I had one senior student Vijay from trimurthy nagar in nungambakkam and one more elderly girl who sang very well . Around 3rd to 4th year i got frustrated with my progress in my paatu class i was not taught or may be i did not make progress after i was taught well. Vijayadasmi the 4th year was quite frustrating as more youngsters younger to me joined with fluctuating sruthi .Since it was a gumbOlOda govinda class i felt the time for few students like me was limited and it was more lamboDara lakhumikara for the unwashed masses .

Incidentally there was another vijay sharma the guy who wrote lovely reviews till say 2008 or so with the id vijay is my junior . He learnt more from PP GOvindan and he was my junior by 5 to 10 years. He does not know my primary teacher Padmanabhan.

Mrs Anusaya mami(wife of PP Govindan) told me that Padmanabhan picked up from Tiger Varadachari and both padmanabhan and PP Govindan also had some stint in music college with musiri in madras

My primary teacher Padmanabhan sir had a strong voice and on days where he was absent my paatu class would be conducted along with a veena class where PP Govindan plays veena and sings . I was finding it very difficult to hear songs when veena was played by PP Govindan sir .I was quite eagerly looking then only to learn from Padmanabhan sir . Once when my acquaintance friend left music class around 86 to 87 , my half hearted music class moved to a wholehearted quit.

On a side note anusaya (wife of Govindan) who always puts sruthi pEtti told me the names of the teachers. i am slightly confused if my primary paatu vaadyar was padmanabhan or was that Krishnamurthy

I recollect the krithis that were taught to me
1. sara sara samarE - kuntalavarali -T
2. raminchu varevarurA - suphoshini -T

Then possibly bit more serious songs.

3. sujana jeevana - kamas -T
4. shree saraswati namostuthe - arabi - MD

Back then when he taught i neither knew the raga or tala or even the composer name. My fees was 10 RS per month for varnams and when i moved to keerthanas the fees was Rs 15 for this group singing class.

Quick questions
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1.May i know if any forumite or vidwan vidushis by any chance has learnt from Sadguru Sangeetha Vidhyalayam in either Westmambalam or Nungambakkam branches?? .

2. I only wish there is some sparkling performing student from this school. If there are please do come and just say hello in the forum.

3.Any recollections about my teacher is welcome. Has he ever sung concerts or did he tag with tiger or musiri in few concerts as support artist or was he flask/tambura support to support artist???

Tiger Varadachari/Musiri ---> Padmanabhan ----> Rajesh
Musiri/Tiger varadachari -----> PP Govindan ---> Vijay sharma . For both of us(Rajesh & Vijay) Only the Tiger growl remains long term.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Padmanabhan and PP Govindan

Post by rajeshnat »

Please read the above post #1 it is a gentle reminder , just in case if any one missed it. I hope there is some one in the globe and more importantly any singers who learnt from Sadguru Sangeetha Vidhyalayam. Awaiting some one some where from the globe to respond.

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