Karaikudi Mani as a young boy accompanying Pithikuli Murugadoss on the mridangam. file | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Karaikudi R ManiThe mridangam maestro, who dominated the world of Carnatic music for over half a century, died in Chennai on Thursday. He was 77 years old.
A bachelor, Mani had trained scores of students, from old stalwarts of Carnatic music including MS Subbulakshmi, DK Pattamal, ML Vasanthakumari, Madurai Somu, TM Thiagarajan, DK Jayaraman and Lalgudi Jayaraman, as well as current stars including Sanjay Subramaniam had played. TM Krishna.
Kariyakudi Mani with MS Subbulakshmi. file | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The artists said that Mani’s game decorated the entire concert. Mani’s accompaniment to the devotional songs of Pithukuli Murugadoss, bears testimony to his prodigious talent. He was also well versed in ragas and kirtans.
Mani learned music first from Karaikudi Ranga Ayyanagara and later from Harihara Sharma, father of Vikku Vinayagaram, and he and Mani collaborated with many western percussionists. He also did further studies from KM Vaidyanathan.