Sulochana Mami remembered

uthrabalaji · Post by **uthrabalaji** » 27 Nov 2008, 17:53

Today is Sulochana Mami's birthday and she is not there to respond warmly to our wishes. It is exactly 9 months since Sulochana Mami departed to join the Lotus feet of Lord Krishna in pursuit of liberation from this worldly life, yet tears rolling down our cheeks are just not drying. I cannot thank God enough for having bestowed me in this Janma to be associated with Carnatic Music because it is that divine music which brought me to Mami. On a Mahalaya Amavasya in 1995, I walked into her Eldams Road residence with my brother with anxiety and increased heart beat rate when an elderly woman came and welcomed us warmly. I was such an ignorant girl that I didnt even realize that it was none other than Smt. Sulochana Pattabhiraman, one of the greatest personalities in the Carnatic Music fraternity until she introduced herself. But it did not take much time for me to understand that she would be embracing me with her love, affection and music for the rest of my life.

Music was her soul. She would teach us a song in an evening class. The next day morning when we would sing it again, a chittaswaram would slowly creep in. We would ask her in wonder, "When did you do this mami?"

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 27 Nov 2008, 18:42

What a moving eulogy to a special woman, Uthra! Thanks for sharing this with us. I am sure you are echoing the sentiments of all her students...

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 27 Nov 2008, 18:43

Great Tribute Uthra .

Sulochana Mami was a gem.
We miss her truly.

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 27 Nov 2008, 19:16

Uthra,
that came from the heart. What a great guru and what gurubhakti.
Our pranams to the great guru.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 27 Nov 2008, 21:03

A very powerful and moving eulogy indeed! Thank you sharing your thoughts with us.

shrieji · Post by **shrieji** » 28 Nov 2008, 02:35

Today (Nov 27) is Thanksgiving day in USA - the day for giving thanks. What a wonderful gift of gratitude Uthra for our Guru Sulochana mami. Dearest Sulochana mami aided with my intellectual knowledge of music answering the simplest to complex questions, and also helped shape the style on being a fine arts critic. We miss her dearly. Sulochana mami was instrumental with the foundation of Swaralayam Arts Forum (Houston, Texas) in June 1996 when she sent Smt. Prema Hariharan to teach Carnatic Music. Music education through children and adults alike was very near and dear to her, in addition to preserving the legacy of carnatic music and being a music critic. Swaralayam Arts Forum, today on Sulochana mami's birthday and Thanksgiving day has unvieled, the "Sulochana Pattabhiraman Music Award" to be given to the winners at Science Fairs in Houston annually for projects in science on music. This is one of Swaralayam Arts Forum's way of giving and honouring Guru Sulochana mami for all she stood for. Thanks Sulochana mami - your legacy will live for eternity through children, music, musical science and critic in fine arts.

uthrabalaji · Post by **uthrabalaji** » 28 Nov 2008, 09:00

Thanks all for the response. If it was fitting, it is because of Mami's greatness, as I have not exaggerated anything.

Shruthi, it is a pleasant surprise that I found you on this board. I am really happy that Mami is remembered and honoured at Houston. I express my deep sense of gratitude to Swaralayam Arts Forum. You may please consider sending a report of the same to The Hindu. I wish more such efforts were taken here as well as a dedication to Mami.