Madurai T. Srinivasan

Madurai.T.Srinivasan was a well-known figure in the field of music be it Carnatic or Cine music. The lithe movements of his fingers on the Mridangam is a sight to behold. For the past 40 years, he has accompanied renowned musicians in concerts and has played the Mridangam in many South Indian movies.

Son of Madurai Thiruvengada Iyengar and Alarmelu Ammal, Srinivasan alias Seenukutty mama was interested in music right from his younger years. Madurai Balakrishna Iyengar, who was his father's friend was a frequent visitor to his house. He along with his friends used to hold discussions about the worldly affairs in his father's house. While the discussions were going on, Srinivasan used to tap his fingers on Mr. Balakrishna Iyengar's head as though he was playing a Mridangam. Noticing this habit of Srinivasan, Balakrishna Iyengar recommended him to a music school. Thus started his journey into the world of Music. In the beginning he learnt music in the Gurukul of Chozhavandhan Sesha Iyengar. He was under Sesha Iyengar for seven years. He gained experience in both vocal music and Mridangam. After school hours, he used to learn music from 4 pm till 8 pm. It is worth mentioning that T.R.Mahalingam,a very popular movie star was also a disciple of Chozhavandhan Sesha Iyengar,Well he accomplished his Arangetram at the age of 14

Apart from Srinivasan, his elder brother T.Venkatesan was an expert in vocal Music and another of his brother Madurai.T.Sethuraman was a connoisseur of Dance music. Thus his family was a musically inclined one. He was 11 years old when he had his first concert. He played accompaniment to his elder brother Madurai.Venkatesan. Then he came to Chennai with his father and started his life in Vanamamalai- which was opposite to the Triplicane Parthasarathy temple.

It was here that his life took a Turn, when he gained a friend Vaidhyanadhan, a popular lyricist. Meanwhile, he was accompanying Alarmelu Akka, the latter's daughter. This was the time when he was given the chance to play for a film called 'Edhirparadhadhu', starring the thespian Shivaji and Padmini. Pandurangan was the music director of the film. Srinivasan became friendly with E E K Menon, father of the popular singer P.Leela and was incorporated into the world of Cinema. His entry into the Cineworld and his touch with the music directors is still going strong with the present younger generation.

Srinivasan performed in many countries, like Rangoon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Sri Lanka Singapore, London & France to name a few. He was Invited to accompany in Rashtrapathi Bhavan New Delhi 1989 Srinivasan has been bestowed with many titles and awards.

In the famous film Mridanga Chakravarthy, where the title role was played by the veteran Shivaji Ganesan, Srinivasan was the one who actually played on the Mridangam for Prabhu, who played the role of Shivaji's son. As per the rules, those in Government Service should not perform in public functions or otherwise without prior permission from AIR. A few days after the film was released, he was sent for by the Station Director. Srinivasan was quite perturbed, but to his surprise, the Director praised his work in the film and told him that fortunately in the title his name was shown as Madurai Srinivasan and so he can defend himself by saying the same.

  • Mridangam in Dance Ballet Recording Jungle Book in(USA)
  • Mridangam in Miss World Beauty Contest composed by Maestro Sri Ilayaraja 1996
  • Mridangam in How to Name it composed by Music Maestro Sri Ilayaraja
  • Mridangam and Jathi in River Rhythm composed by Maestro John Keizan (Japan)

He played in over 100 movies for the Music maestro Ilayaraja, whom he felt, was a boon to the Tamil music Industry.

Srinivasan was also a composer and writerin Tamil, for Vocal music, Bharathanatyam, and Mridangam which is being rendered by leading artists in their concerts even now.

He wrote songs in

  • 9 types of Ragas, Varnas in 9 different Thalas
  • Navaragamaligai varnams,
  • Keerthanais,(Including the World Famous Karunai Deivame Karpagame)-[1]
  • Sri Ragavendra Dasagana songs, Songs for Light music and
  • 'Sama Edai' thillanas for Vocal music.
  • In Bharatha natyam he has created Alarippu in 35 Thalams,
  • He has also created Ragamaligai Jatiswaram, Sapthams, Padhavarnams and Thillanas
  • In Mridangam he has created 35 Jathis, 35 Thala Moharas, 35 Thala Korvaigal, and 35 Thala Aridhis.

Awards:

  • Mozhikalai Arasu
  • Laya Chuudaroli
  • Nadhakanal
  • Kalaimamani by Govt of Tamil Nadu in 2003
  • and also awarded the "Vaggeyakaarar" ( For Lyrics) by The Music Academy 2004

In His family his eldest son M.S.Kannan is an expert Violinist in Cine and Dance Music and his second son S.Seshadri plays the Mridangam too where he has his grandson Sundararam alias S.N.Rajiv and Sai Prassana who plays Mridangam He also Proudly mentioned about his disciples as well, D.A.Srinivas who is a versatile Mridangam Artiste and Kalpana Raghavendar an endowed Play Backsinger to mention a few. His grandson S.N.Rajiv has played the Mridangam for one of his famous composition, Karunai Deivame.[2][3]<ref name="samudra">"Madurai T Srinivasan". samudhra.org. Retrieved 8 September 2011.

References
  1. "Karunai Deivame Karpagame".
  2. "Karunai Deivame Karpagame".
  3. "Madurai T Srinivasan". chennaionline.com. Retrieved 5 December 2010.
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