Pugazhendhi-1
 A small obit in the daily papers dismissed the death of a man who was a colossus in the field of music. But even in death he was true to form -- no fuss -- no attempt to draw attention to himself. Pugazhendhi, who people still remember as the assistant of music director K V Mahadevan (KVM) - died one fine morning - February 27 - leaving behind a loving family and a rich musical legacy.
THE MAN
Born a Velappan Nair -- that’s right! He was a Malayalee with a beautiful Tamil name -- on September 27, 1929, he joined one of the sabhas in Salem at the age of 10 to act in dramas as he was fond of theatre. He is said to have acted along with Sivaji Ganesan in plays during their younger days. But when his voice broke as he grew up, he had to quit the drama troupe a he could no longer sing.
 Pugazhendhi then came to Madras from Salem and joined the school run by Dhanraj Master to learn music. Though known as the master’s best student, he worked in his house as he could not afford to pay him any fees.
His first break in the field of music came when music director Kothandapani called him to play the harmonium. Then it was Dakshinamurthy who gave him a chance.
The turning point in his life came when he was asked by KVM to play the harmonium when he was about 17-18. Taken up with the talent of the young lad, KVM made him stay on as his assistant -- the partnership lasted till KVM died.
There were times when Pugazhendhi had gone hungry for three days together, filling his empty stomach with just tap water. "But after I joined KVM, I never went hungry," was how he put it. But this was the mantra by which he lived.
The first thing that anybody remembers about Pugazhendhi is his unswerving devotion to KVM. Being an assistant for 50-odd years is no joke in a dog-eat-dog industry. This was the most remarkable quality of the musician.
 Since it was KVM who had chosen to give him a vital break in life, Pugazhendhi decided that he owed everything in life to him -- his time, energy and unstinting devotion. What a remarkable man! Even when others egged him on to break out on his own, he shunned the idea.
It is said many producers and directors would turn up at Pugazhendhi's residence asking him to compose music for their films. Pugazhendhi would turn them down. If they insisted, he would ask them to meet KVM and take his okay. He knew KVM couldn't spare him as he had plenty of films on hand. He would tell his wife Sethulakshmi -- who would wonder why he was not striking out on his own -- that the 'pugazh' and 'panam' he was getting as an assistant was enough. Once in a way, KVM would permit him to compose music on his own, for a few Tamil and Telugu films.
He was so devoted to KVM that every morning he would pick him up from home -- act as 'sarathy' -- and drop him in his house even if it was late at night. He did the composing, arranging the orchestra and conducting the music because he could almost read what was on KVM’s mind. In spite of his stature in the industry, he never ventured to make a name for himself. He was so self-effasive that he would avoid going to functions to receive awards and mementoes -- somebody else would pick them up for him.
It was only after KVM fell sick and could not move about freely that Pugazhendhi started attending functions and receiving KVM’s awards for him.
When his oldest son, Thirumeni, as a youngster, wondered why Daddy was doing all the hard work and somebody else was walking away with the name and fame, he got a tight slap.
"It was the only time my father hit me. He said, ‘Do you have a house to live in? Do you have clothes to wear? Do you have enough to eat? These are all because of K V Mahadevan. Don’t ever talk like this again’," he warned the boy. Thirumeni now understands what his father meant, and what he stood for.
Pugazhendhi was also a man with a great sense of humour. He had worked closely for Devar Films and the proprietor, Devar, would always urge him to finish his work fast, promising to find him a "good girl" to marry not knowing that he was married. One day, Pugazhendhi sneaked in his wife to the recording theatre and asked her to merely sit there and watch the fun.
As usual, Devar came in and humoured him, "Raja, Seekiram Velaya Mudicha Onakku Nalla Ponnaa Pathu Kalyanam Panni Vaikkaren." Pugazhendi played along but pointed at his wife sitting there and said, "If she gives me permission I am willing to marry again." Devar was aghast!
There was another incident regarding Devar that showed how Pugazhendhi was an easy man to work with. Devar would often say, "If you do good work, I will give you whatever you want." Pugazhendhi had heard this often and said Devar did not seem to be doing anything about it. "What do you want," he asked. "Get me some nice clothes for Deepavali or Pongal," laughed Pugazhendhi. That afternoon, while he returned to the recording studio after lunch, he found a beautiful dhoti and angavastram sitting near the harmonium box! It was Devar’s gift.
"I bought you these because I don’t want you to think I have not done anything for you. What more do you want," he asked. "Now that I know you will give me anything I ask for, I am not going to ask you for anything," was Pugazhendhi’s reply.
THE MUSICIAN
 People had begun to notice that in every movie that KVM made music for, the assistant was Pugazhendhi. But in real terms it was Pugazhendhi who did the ground work. Industry folks saw him set the music, conduct the orchestra and coach the singers.
Many singers like P Susheela, S Janaki, Vani Jairam, L R Easwari and S P Balasubramaniam owe a lot to Pugazhendhi for his guidance. He played a crucial role in the music compositions that helped KVM win national awards, including for the Telugu film, ‘Sankarabaranam’.
 SPB is willing to recall at any platform that it was Pugazhendhi who was instrumental in his singing for ‘Sankarabaranam’ and winning a national award.
While big names in classical music were being considered for the movie, it was Pugazhendhi who suggested SPB’s name. Everyone thought it was a daft idea, including SPB. But Pugazhendhi sought a month’s time to train SPB and made him outdo himself. For one month, Pugazhenthi and SPB worked, sometimes in the former's house and sometimes in the latter's house, phrase by phrase. SPB gave his best and the rest is history.
As if to express his gratitude, SPB acted as one of the pallbearers when Pugazhendhi’s body was being carried to the crematorium!
All singers acknowledge that he coached them like a teacher. "If we were to forget a phrase or word, Pugazhendhi would gesticulate to us from outside and we, inside the glass cabin, would immediately remember it and pick it up," recalled Vani Jairam and SPB to the family. This was echoed by all the singers.
KVM and Pugazhendhi were insistent that music be set to the lyrics. Every word in their songs had rich meaning. The lyrics come first and only then the tune, they would insist. From the story of the film and the particular situation of the song, and the flow of the lyrics, the outline of a tune would emerge. The germ of the raga would then be expanded and take the shape of the pallavi and later the anupallavi.
Pugazhendhi had to master Tamil literature when he acted in the drama troupe as a young boy. His grasp of Tamil language was as remarkable as his grasp of the Telugu language. He could write poetry in both languages. In later years, he wrote the lyrics for the Tamil devotional cassettes that he worked on.
 With his rich knowledge of Tamil, Pugazhendhi was given to supplying words to lyricists, including the greatest among them, Kannadasan. This used to irk Kannadasan and at one point of time he jokingly said, "Nee Enna Tamil Pulavan Pugazhendhiya? I am going to call you Pugazhendhi hereafter."
Instead of considering it an abuse, Velappan Nair -- who had been rechristened Appu by KVM and known by that name to everyone -- adopted it as his name. He officially changed his name to ‘Pugazhendhi’ says his son Thirumeni!
At another time, Kannadasan openly acknowledged that it was Pugazhendhi who had supplied the unforgettable line "Kadavulai Thandikka Enna Vazhi" in the song ‘Yirendu Manam Vendum’ for the film ‘Vasantha Maligai’. In fact, two songs of Kannadasan in the film were based on a collection of his poems and which were selected by Pugazhenthi. One was 'Oru Kinnathai Yenthugiren' and 'Yirandu Manam Vendum'.
Pugazhendhi was also adept at shaping the singers and making them sing the way he wanted them to. When ‘Adimai Penn’ was made, KVM, he and M G Ramachandran gave SPB the chance of a life time to sing the song ‘Aayiram Nilave Vaa’, which became a super-duper hit.
 Another interesting anecdote was that he trained the present Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, the heroine of the film, sing the number, ‘Amma Endral Anbu’ in the same film. MGR is believed to have been present at the recording and was pleased with the song. MGR and Jayalalithaa immediately gave Pugazhendhi a cover (Rs 500 inside) as a gift. Jayalalithaa insisted that he accept it. That was big money then.
But there was a time when he ‘clashed’ with MGR for the same film. When the actor wanted a certain musical interlude changed, KVM refused. This was at a time when MGR's word was law and no one dared disobey him. When MGR wanted to how the soft-spoken KVM could disobey him, KVM said Pugazhendhi insisted that it remain, and remain it shall. MGR shouted at KVM asking him whether Pugazhendhi meant more to him than MGR himself. KVM said when it came to music, what Pugazhendhi said was the last word and he would not alter it, come what may. KVM told MGR, "If he says it has to stay, it cannot be changed." MGR blinked and Pugazhendhi had his way. Though angry at that time, MGR later congratulated him for his musical sense!
To be continued....
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