Music Article - Sri TN Krishnan

Trippunithura Narayanan Krishnan (TN Krishnan)

Dear Friends,I am happy to share this article which depicts two interesting incidents involving my father with the great Carnatic music violinist Sri TN Krishnan. The below narration shows the humble nature of TN Krishnan. Let me allow my father to narrate the incident in his own words as below.

I wish to tell how simple Sri TN Krishnan is with whom I happened to spend some wonderful times at Mangalore and Chennai [Madras]. He came to Mangalore 30 year’s back where I was working to perform with his daughter for Sangeetham Sammelan conducted by All India Radio. The AIR conducted this concert every December month at various places by inviting prominent Hindustani and Carnatic artists. The concert was broadcasted every Saturday night on all the AIR stations. On one of the memorable December evenings before the concert, Sri TN Krishnan asked me to suggest songs I wished him to play. I was excited, surprised and never expected that such a great artist would ask me to suggest songs for the concert. Seeing my shocked expression with silence, he said, ok we would commence the concert with the song of your name (my name is vathabi varanan) Again I was speechless and as he urged me to wish for other songs, slowly I suggested "Saamaja Vara Gamana" based on the raga ‘Hindolam’ and told him that the famous film ‘Sangaraparanam’ helped this song to reach all parts of the country. Immediately he appreciated my selection and told that the song's raga in Hindustani version is called  'malkauns' famous in North India.

After some years, I had an opportunity again to enjoy his unforgettable Violin concert in Chennai in a temple with my family. There were around 5000 people in the concert as audience. Sri TN Krishnan played the last song for the evening say around 9:30 pm. After the song and the claps of hands, from nowhere a young boy with his high pitched tone requested TN Krishnan to play the Mohanam varnam.  Immediately Sri TN Krishnan obliged to the kid’s request and played the Mohanam varnam for the next 15 min. everybody applauded TN Krishnan for his simplicity. We came back home with heart full of happiness and fulfillment. The young boy is none other than my elder son Nataraj Sriguru.