History and Art and Culture
Context: One of the first women to enter the male-dominated world of Carnatic percussion
Thirukokarnam Ranganayaki Ammal
- Born on May 28, 1910 she was the second of seven siblings.
- Her father Thirukokarnam Sivaraman was a renowned natuvanar, who was also known for his avadhana pallavis — an art of playing different talas by using both hands, legs and the head.
- Ranganayaki took to the mridangam and went under the guidance of the legendary Pudukottai Dakshinamurthi Pillai
- She was also well trained in Bharatanatyam
- She blazed a trail by playing complex mathematical combinations with ease.
- In the All India music conference held in 1927 in Madras Ranganayaki Ammal was the only woman among the 23 mridangam artistes who performed at the event.
- In the 1940s, she performed with several leading artistes such as Brinda and Muktha and Flute Mali.
- In 1966, she joined the Padmavati College in Tirupati as faculty, and later worked at the Sadguru Sangita Samajam in Madurai.
Source: The Hindu
