28 January 2003

Dear Muktamma,

Namaskarams. Attending your concert at Musiri Subramania Iyer's residence on the 19th of January was an ecstatic experience that cannot be described. 28 January 2003 Knowing fully well the huge numbers that nowadays come for your concerts, I had arrived at the venue by 3 pm itself and was hence able to secure a vantage point for myself. Your concert with accompaniment by S. Sowmya (vocal), R.K. Shriramkumar (violin) and Umayalpuram Mali (mridanga) took me to an era of which I had only read and imagined to have existed. As the shades of the evening closed in, I was not in Mylapore, but in a narrow street in George Town, treading the steps of a modest dwelling where the empress of music sat, regally caressing her veena. All around me were men like T.T. Krishnamachari, Keertana-charya C.R. Srinivasa Iyengar, Tiger Varadachariar and Jalatarangam Ramanaiah Chetty.