Carnatic eclipse

Damal Krishnaswamy Pattammal, carnatic music exponent and a film playback singer in many Indian languages, passed away yesterday in Chennai. She was 90. D.K. Pattammal was popularly referred as one of the “female trinity of Carnatic music”, the other two being M.S. Subbulakshmi and M.L.Vasanthakumari.

She is the first woman to have performed carnatic music publicly, both on stage and on air.

She is the first woman to have performed Ragam, Thanam and Pallavi in concerts

The first film Pattammal sang in was Thyaga Bhoomi. Later, she sang in other films including Naam Iruvar. She has popularised several patriotic compositionsof Subramania Bharathiyar.

Pattammal has performed in all major states, sabhas and venues throughout India as well as numerous destinations around the world, including the United states, Canada, France, Germany, Sweitzerland, including Sri Lanka and other countries.

The title “Gana Saraswathi” was bestowed on her by the musician Tiger Varadhachariar, the Sangeetha Sagara Ratna title, the Sangeet Natak Academi Award , the Sangeetha Kalanidhi (considered the highest accolade in Carnatic music) in 1970, the Padma Bhushan in 1971, and the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honor, in 1998. Pattammal was also elected Fellow of Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1992.