I have always admired my father's shrewd acumen: Maharajapuram S Srinivasan

Can you share with us an unforgettable incident with your legendary father Maharajapuram Santhanam during a concert?

It was way back in 1989. We had landed in the US and to our utter dismay and shock, we realised that my father Maharajapuram Santhanam had developed a sore throat. We had to give a concert in Pittsburgh temple. A huge crowd of rasikas had thronged the hall, trying to get near my father and make requests for several songs. My father was all smiles and looked cheerful.

I was a little tensed as to how we would do the concert. My father called me five minutes before the concert and asked me to prepare a list of songs I knew best. I soon realized my father's professional acumen and shrewdness and his unfailing attempts to please his audience.

The concert started briskly and my father began singing. He gave his voice a little polish song by song and gently removed the signs of sore throat. I had selected such songs that would explore the lower octaves, ease the voice and then climb the middle octaves to reach the upper sadjam. The audience never felt any strain or unpleasant sound in the concert and the experience was exhilarating. After the concert was over, my father complimented me for the excellent vocal support and for the understanding I displayed, by neither over performing nor not rising to the occasion.

This experience gave me a clear insight into the knack of concert craft and has

been guiding me to take recourse to plan B, when the situation demands.

–B.Vijayalakshmi