A tribute to Sri Palghat Suresh

dvmk · Post by **dvmk** » 18 Aug 2007, 17:06

Yet another black day for the music world.

Mridanga Vidwan Paghat Suresh passed away yesterday the 17th of August after

prolonged illness. He was the disciple and grand-nephew of Palghat Sri Mani Iyer.

rasaali · Post by **rasaali** » 18 Aug 2007, 21:04

This is quite shocking. Just a couple of hours ago I was hearing a concert recording with his accompaniment. May his soul rest in peace.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 18 Aug 2007, 21:58

Quite disturbing. I understand he was a promising mrudangist, having accompanied many senior artists and also a very disciplined person. My heartfelt condolences.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 18 Aug 2007, 22:18

Heartfelt sympathy to the family of a young artiste who was taken away in his prime.

arulguna · Post by **arulguna** » 19 Aug 2007, 14:04

I was fortunate enough to recieve several classes from him while he was in Australia several years ago and to this day, I can't seem to forget the Moras and Korvais he taught me.

I was attending the Arangetram of a student who had stayed and learned with him for two and a half months when i heard the news. It is just very unfortunate to have lost such a great musician and person.

I still have a mridangam I purchased from him last year and I was intending on taking it back to Suresh Uncle to get it redone. I guess now it will be cherished as a special instrument.

tomdickharry · Post by **tomdickharry** » 21 Aug 2007, 00:58

The demise of Palghat Suresh is unanimously mourned among percussion lovers. A mridangist with a very keen sense of aesthetics and a pair of hands capable of producing extremely intricate patterns, particularly, in Suresh, one could find a bank of rare phrases akin to the Tanjore Vaidyanatha Iyer School. Suresh was an extremely disciplined mridangist, his playing was represented by a delicate sense of efficiency, the listener was always left wanting more.

One of the unique facets of Suresh's mridangam style, when observed closely, which set him apart from many of his peers and contemporaries was his ability to improvise in the pharans before a mohara. Instead of the usual rolling patterns most of us are subjected to these days, Suresh had a fantastic knack of changing in and out of these patterns. Many of these paadams would be reminiscient of beginner excercises, however, when applied by Suresh in certain moments, the weight of these phrases in his hands provided a wonderful foundation or bed of rhythms upon which he built the conclusion of his tani avartanams. This was a very unique ability not shared by many other mridangists.

mridhangam · Post by **mridhangam** » 21 Aug 2007, 10:19

It is indeed a great loss to the Carnatic World. He was my very good friend and very soft spoken and of course doesnt speak much too. An observer to the core Suresh's playing has been of very great interest to me for the above reasons given by tom and also for one more reason. I still vividly remember one radio solo concert of Madurai Balasubramaniam wherein Suresh accompanied. The resounding thoppi sound is still ringing in my ears. In fact i called Suresh and told him about the nature of his playing and a special mention about his thoppi. Among those who really take care to see that the mridangam instrument is of high quality in the present quick-buck days, Suresh was a keen person to prepare every detail about the instrument as well as his Patterns. I deeply mourn the death of my very good friend and also convey my condolences to the bereaved.

As it was mentioned in another thread about the untimely deaths 2007, indeed this year has really been very harsh on Carnatic Music.

May his soul rest in peace. His thoppi will be lingering in my ears for long.

Mannarkoil J Balaji

Suryaprakash · Post by **Suryaprakash** » 21 Aug 2007, 15:53

Dear all,

I cannot bring myself much, to write about this great loss to the music fraternity, the passing away of the great vidwan and human being and my close friend Shri.Palghat Suresh. I join his grieving parents and other close well-wishers in acknowledging your tributes. I shall myself pen a detailed one as soon as I gain the mental strength to do so.

May his soul rest in peace.

Surya R

erode14 · Post by **erode14** » 21 Aug 2007, 17:40

i pray for his soul. he really played very well.

erode14 · Post by **erode14** » 21 Aug 2007, 19:09

he is a very good artiste. i pray for his soul.

manakkalsriram · Post by **manakkalsriram** » 21 Aug 2007, 22:30

Shocking and unbelievable. A great artist, a good old friend and a perfect gentleman, he was. I knew him from the good old days I had learnt from my Guru Palghat Mani Iyer. I used to meet him frequently there. Then, later he also learnt from Mani Iyer and also from Mani Iyer's son Sri T.R. Rajamani. Mani Iyer had a very high opinion of Suresh . Mani Iyer used to say about Suresh to me, 'Chinna payan Appadi oru vasippu vasikkiraan. Pramaadama varuvan.' These are the words from the greatest Mridangam artist ever born. What more need to be said about Suresh's Vidwat. Whenever we met each other we would go back to the olden evergreen days we learnt from our master and start discussing about it, forgetting the time also.
Impossible to believe it that he is no more. It is an irepperable loss to the music world. He was also a soft spoken person with a heart soaked with goodness.
May god give the strength to his parents to bear this great loss.
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE.

ozshiva · Post by **ozshiva** » 22 Aug 2007, 14:19

SURESH - A legend who left me in estranged

I knew Suresh as a 'person' more than an Artist. He was never that 'seeking an opportunity' type of an Artist, I guess he lived his life on principles, so dedicated and devoted to his profession. I hate to disagree with anyone that he literally wanted remain in the principles of his guru (Sri. Mani Iyer), this is right from his dressing style to the simplicity he carried in his character. He obviously believed in Quality both in rendering as well as hearing. He used to be my guide for choosing the right concert, a concert which will have enthralling Vocalist, soul stirring violonist and a brilliant mridangam accompaniment. He had highest regards for Sri KVN, Nedanuri, TNS, OST and Abhishek. Suresh's simplicity was unbelievable when he accompnies artists in almost unknown sabhas and halls.

Having known his family very closely, I just cannot imagine the vaccum he created now. I cried on 18/08/07 and thought God was very unkind in this situation. A family rich in its musical sense, a father who was so devoted to listening quality music, a mother who would always make an effort to accompany his son on every kutchery. I am pretty sure the music world in his circle is going to miss him to a large extent.

Suresh blindly believed that Music rendering should not be made commercial, he stuck to it largely despite his innumerous contacts he had, the contacts which would have made him 'big commercially' if he had 'wanted to'. I envied Suresh's abilities of this kind and wondered is it ever possible to be like this? cos. its winning over material things of this world which most of us get beaten on average.

Suresh had mentioned with me that he would like create a knowledge base of his learnings through a medium that is reproducable. He always wanted to mentor someone who was keen to live 'mridangam' as the only destiny in life. I have had my best moments with him, driving him for few kutcheries and carrying his mridangam for few. I have had lighter moments and thoroughly enjoyed them as well.

I always wondered what it takes to be a brother of Suresh, to have grown along with him, to have listened his practice, to have shared his meal. I wish it would happen to me in my next birth.....but Suresh, if you are watching this from heaven - please know that
- I wish I was your brother
- I wish I grew up with you and learnt mridangam from you
- I wish I carried your mridangam to every kutchery of yours
- I wish I lived long years with you

Although it brings a great amount of pride when I think of you. I just can't imagine going back to your apartment and not meet you. I will miss you always until the end of my life. May your soul rest in peace.....please keep blessing us all.

With heavy heart and tears
Shiva.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 24 Aug 2007, 16:27

Shiva, that was a very moving tribute. When I heard the news, I thought of you. My condolences to you as well.

rubhini · Post by **rubhini** » 25 Aug 2007, 19:44

It was very hard to believe he is not here any more but God has given me very short time with my brother. Just 12 wonderful years of learning and caringâ€¦.

Everyone who have known Shri Palghat S Suresh either it was just days or months or years would agree that he has taken with him part of our hearts. I thought to tell about those 12 years and howYoganâ€™s teacher Shri Palghat S Suresh became Suresh â€“ wonderful friend, caring and affectionate brother and a guide to me.

In 1994 I had my first conversation with Shri Suresh regarding some info on courses for his brother. From our conversation, he thought I was an australianised lady and I was very respectful because he was my husbandâ€™s teacher.

In August 1995, when I went to India to study music and dance, Yogan talked to Shri Palghat Suresh and requested him to arrange my teachers. He took me to my respective teachers and Music and dance took hold of my life again.

Suresh and his family opened their homes and hearts to me and made sure I didnâ€™t miss home. Suresh took me to watch my first dance, music, veenai concerts and arranged my program schedules so that I only watched the top artists. Suresh and his parents introduced me to many great musical maestros such as Shri Umaiyalpuram Shivaraman, Shri T.V.Sankaranarayanan as their adopted daughter.

Suresh also took me shopping even selected all yoganâ€™s clothes, waited patiently for hours at the dance jewellery shops, took me to concerts every weekends and other Chennaiâ€™s attractions.

He tried so hard to make up for the missed growing up years and Uncle and Mami pampered me like a treasured child. I felt so much humbled by Godâ€™s gift of this wonderful family. Throughout the years this love and affection multiplied in leaps and bounds and whenever there is a special occasion such as wedding anniversary, Deepawali and pongal Suresh would have new clothes ready and would tell his mother to call the Ponnu and Maappillai to receive the gifs. Suresh always liked to tease Yogan by calling him Maappillai.

In 1996 he took some time see us in Australia on his way back from NZ tour. He helped us a lot with both, chelviâ€™s and my dance arangetrams and even got few valuable song recordings from kalakshetra.

In 2000 he toured Australia and performed many memorable concerts and was guest of honour for Ashokâ€™s and Priyanâ€™s Mridanga arangetrams. That year Indian arts Academy inaugurated the 2 days music and dance festival.

Amidst all this busy schedule he took time and effort to be part of the Boomi pooja and laying of the foundation stone for our new house.

Later on in 2002 and 2004 he toured Australia again and imparted his valuable knowledge thru workshops and classes.

All of our visits to India were spent in Sureshâ€™s house and we even went around on temple tour in 2005. Suresh was very proud of Indiaâ€™s spiritual and musical heritage.

Over the years I have admired his mridangam playing and was privileged to learn lots jathis from him. We have also argued over silly issues and the ongoing issue about his marriage as any brother and sister would.

After watching his concerts I always felt honoured to know such a great maestro and felt that I should treat him differently not like a brother and Suresh would say who ever I am, Rubi Kutti, I am always just your brother.

Even when I talked to him, the day before he passed away, he wanted the best for me and asked me to finish the concert and come to see him.

I have realized that even though his loss cannot be replaced but the memories would always stay in my heart. I would take his time and efforts towards my career in Music and dance in my heart and would strive to achieve higher results.

He has touched so many lives and specially those who have learned from him. He always taught with whole heart and never expected anything in return. He had high aspirations and dreams for Indian Arts academy and Yogan.

All of us who have learnt from him should take his dream in our heart and devote our time and energy towards it and dedicate our achievements to his name. That is the only thing we can do in return for his dedication to this art, devotion to his guru Shri Palghat Mani Iyer and his selfless service to Indian Arts Academy.

--- Sivarubhini Yogaraja
Australia

trichur c narendran · Post by **trichur c narendran** » 25 Aug 2007, 22:38

Palghat Suresh was a close friend of mine.We used to discuss hours together over the phone about music. He wanted to live like his Guru Sri Palghat mani iyer.He never prefered to acompany lady artistes and he could succeed in that.He wore white dress only while performing. After learning from a giant he never compromised on the platform to play sarvalaghu. He didn't even attempt to play any style other than Mani iyer's.He used to hate artistes who encoureged him to play differently. He deserved more encouragement from the musicians and sabhas. His fingering techniqeue was amazing.For the past few months he could not perfom due to illness and now he is gone for ever.He had a few Indian and foreign students who would have missed him as I do..

apadgood · Post by **apadgood** » 26 Aug 2007, 09:41

I am thoroughly shaken by the very very sad news. I am totally sad and not able to react to the situation. I knew Suresh from 1990. Very simple person with no great attractions to the material world. We became very good friends and I found in him real great qualities. I renewed my midrange interest and started learning from him when I started working in Chennai. I could treat Suresh equally as a guru and a friend and that is his greatness. I have introduced many of my music circle friends to him and all of them enjoyed the conversation with him.
We had gone to many concerts and his selections of concerts were based on lots of analysis. I still remember after one of the Austalia tours his description about the trip etc. In my sisterâ€™s house, when we started having regular bhajani, Suresh used to perform when he is not on tour. It was an amazing experience listening and playing along with him. His choice of cholu and ending is something very very good. He is instrumental in me learning from Umayalpuram Sivaraman sir. Sureshs appa and amma are also known to me, and i am sure how terrible they will be felling with this tragedy.

May God give all the strength to the family to surmount this difficult time.

Anand

rubhini · Post by **rubhini** » 26 Aug 2007, 14:39

Yogaraja Kandasamy (Indian Arts Acadmy) and his students along with visiting Indian musicians and friends performed a musical tribute to Shri Palghat S Suresh on 26th of august. He was the mentor of the academy and have taught many students on their visits to India. Australia mourns the loss of such a legend and a great human being.

Sivarubhini Yogaraja

srkris · Post by **srkris** » 28 Aug 2007, 12:08

Condolences, may his soul rest in peace.

vidyaarthi · Post by **vidyaarthi** » 29 Aug 2007, 11:59

Palghat Suresh had been one of my good friends for almost twenty years;He was a gentleman to the core,As an artiste ,he was a perfectionist and after every concert that he had accompanied me,he used to talk over phone about the concert and its impact on him and also he would discuss about how his accompaniment was and how better it could have been.
God has taken him in His arms so early .We don't know why but we ,with all our good heart and sincerity pray Him to bestow on that soul the purpose of Nadopasana,the Akandaananda Anubhava.
Neyveli Santhanagopalan.

Ashok · Post by **Ashok** » 30 Aug 2007, 07:29

I am one of many students from the Indian Arts Academy in Australia, who had the esteemed privilege of receiving tutelage from the great Palghat Suresh, or as we fondly refer to him as, â€˜Suresh Uncleâ€™. For everyone who had ever seen or heard Suresh uncle play will know that he is indeed a Maestro, and sadly an under-rated one at that. As a young student I would often question how a man of such greatness was so humble and how we would bother to spend so much time teaching us and expect nothing in return? This is Suresh uncle, this is the way he lived his life, and this is the way we will remember him. We weâ€™re all young kids at the time we received training from him, but it is only now as adults that we fully come to appreciate all he had done for us. On Sunday we all gathered and paid our respects to him, and one of my friendsâ€™ actually referred to Suresh Uncle as a Saint. And in all honestly I could not agree more with this sentiment. The concept of sainthood comes from the belief that the more â€œin-lineâ€

shadjam · Post by **shadjam** » 04 Sep 2007, 05:48

A photo from kutcheri buzz:

giridharan · Post by **giridharan** » 04 Sep 2007, 20:47

Shadjam

Thanks for presenting the Photo of this great Mrudangist.
He has performed in AIR,chennai on many a occasions .
A real treat to listen to this.Excellent pharans/patterns.

Shri Suresh's demise is a great loss to the Music lovers worldover.

May his soul rest in peace

-giri

Suryaprakash · Post by **Suryaprakash** » 06 Sep 2007, 21:04

A Tribute to a Great Genius
_______________________

With a heavy heart, still not reconciled to the fact that my good friend and mahavidwan Palghat Shri. Suresh is not there with us anymore, I write this one:

Palghat Shri. Suresh was a complete artiste, a torch bearer to the PMI school of mridangam. His vidwat was extensive, his taste for Classical music impeccably Victorian and his ideals as a professional, lofty. He was a Master in the handling of the mridangam, as advocated by his Guru. The fire-brand chollus, the resonant thoppi and the playing which spoke the word "gauravam" from the start to finish, in any concert. He seldom changed the patterns and korvais of his tradition for the sake of changing them. He never succumbed to the new-fangled ideas in the clothing of novelty. Yet his playing was fresh and interesting, every time. How could it be possible? Music ran in his blood and so he was able to freely explore avenues of innovation within the bounds of tradition, much like a sure-footed tiger in its own jungle.

I have had the privilege of being accompanied by this great artiste in many concerts as also his pleasant and elevating company during the travel times. His conversations, especially on music, were always to the point and underlined with firm conviction. He had a romantic ideology about even mundane things like a train journey, good food, etc. I remember, once during a train journey to Chennai after our concert at Mumbai, he waited till 5.00 PM to have lunch at Guntakal station. He was telling me " You can get fresh and hot food here, well worth the wait..."

He was instrumental in organising my maiden tour to Australia in year 2000 and what a memorable trip it turned out to be! I discovered with amazement that an extremely talented artiste is silently doing noble service to the cause of Carnatic Music in Australian soil through a School of Percussion, Music and Dance, namely Indian Arts Academy- Shri.Yogaraja Kandasamy, the prime disciple of Palghat Shri. Suresh. Shri. Yogaraja was the organiser of that tour and all of my tours to Australia which followed. The organising skill, the hospitality and the selfless service of Shri.Yogaraja and his wife Smt.Sivarubhini who is an accomplished Bharathanatyam artiste literally drenched us - a truly blessed disciple of an ideal Guru.

Shri.Suresh has done yoeman service to the Indian Arts Academy by imparting advanced training at Chennai, to all the students who were to attain arangetram-grade. To say that while doing so,he looked after each one them as his own son, is an understatement. His parents, the whole family was with Shri.Suresh in his endeavour, extending full support. I have sung for many such arangetrams and everytime, the mridangam-graduate-to-be has played like a seasoned vidwan - all the typical sollus, korvais of PMI school with elan, due to the monumental efforts of Palghat Shri.Suresh and his prime disciple.

During that tour of 2000, he travelled to Australia and Malaysia-Singapore with me and violinist Shri.Shertalai Sivakumar and those pleasant times cannot be erased from memory even during the next birth, if there is one. I have uploaded a photo in my website, www.rsuryaprakash.com where Shri.Suresh and myself share a child-like excitement, while fondling a kangaroo.

I cannot forget the accompaniment for the songs and the thaniavarthanam of Shri.Suresh at the packed hall in Melbourne after my main item. He played like a man possessed, it was nadam and sowkhyam for the kritis and fire and brimstone for the thani. I remember, there were more than two/three ovations, for the thani alone. Shri.Suresh's brilliant accompaniment contributed to the overwhelming successes of the rest of the concerts at Sydney, Malaysia and Singapore. I remember his deft incorporation of the misra-nadai while playing for the kriti set in 2-kalai chowka, Adi Talam. His makutams will always have thadinginathoms clothed in interesting pharans, difficult to replicate. As an artiste who has always had a penchant for improvising in sarvalaghu swaras, I used to find singing swarams to the accompaniment of Shri.Suresh always delightful, even though he rarely played sarvalaghu. This was because, his patterns had sound logic and azhuttam and were always complimentary to the patterns of the singer. Also such a combination of the vocalist's saravalaghu swaras and his rarely-sarvalaghu playing inspired extremely rare and innovative manodharma patterns in swaraprastara. His playing had incredible azhuttam and resonance to enthuse any full-throated singer to give his best, without any inhibition.

Volumes could be written on this extra-ordinary artiste who remained self-effacing till his last breath, but more than our words our prayers for the "Sakshathkara" of the departed soul, do matter. The loss we have suffered is irreparable, but the golden tradition of Palghat Shri.Suresh will forever shine through his disciple Shri.Yogaraja Kandasamy and his students.

- Suryaprakash R

shadjam · Post by **shadjam** » 06 Sep 2007, 21:40

Was he a staff artist at AIR, Chennai?

Suryaprakash · Post by **Suryaprakash** » 07 Sep 2007, 10:39

No sir, he was an "A" graded artist by AIR, Chennai, who regularly performed.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 07 Sep 2007, 11:16

Suryaprakash Sir, that was very nicely written - a fitting tribute to the vidwan

shadjam · Post by **shadjam** » 07 Sep 2007, 11:59

Suryaprakash Sir, thank you the information. Please address me as shadjam. I have not been knighted so far

Suryaprakash · Post by **Suryaprakash** » 07 Sep 2007, 14:39

It was me paying respects to the swara sthanam (especially tara sthayi) which commands it ( and sometimes even fear ) from a vocalist!!! Anyway since shadjam has been kind and approachable, I shall do sancharas freely from now on!

Thanks shadjam!! Pl. address me as Surya too