Madurai-based nagaswarak artist MPN Ponnusamy of ‘Dhillana Mohanampal’ fame has passed away. He is 91 years old.
‘Dillana Mohanampal’ was a hit in 1968 starring Sivajiganesan. It was Nagaswara artists Sethuraman-Ponnusamy brothers who explained to Sivajiganesan the techniques of playing nagaswaram. They are also the ones who played Nagaswaram for the film.
Director A.P. Nagarajan, who enjoyed listening to them perform nagaswaram at a wedding in Karaikudi, gave him an opportunity to film ‘Dillana Mohanampal’. After that film, he acted as a music artist in the film ‘Kovil Poora’.
They also performed in foreign countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Maldives. Ponnusamy began his musical journey at the age of 9 at Madurai’s Meenakshi Amman Temple. Sethuraman passed away in 2000. In this case, Ponnuchami passed away at her son’s house in Vilangudi last night. His body was cremated at Dattaneri Main Cemetery yesterday afternoon.
Late Ponnusamy is survived by his wife Rukmani, sons Nataraja Sundaram, Mariyappan, Umamakeswaran and daughters Ponnarasi and Sampurnam. Many are mourning Ponnuchami’s demise.
He received various awards including Kalaimamani Award of Tamil Nadu Government, Sangeetha Soodamani Award of Krishna Kana Sabha and recited Nagaswaram till he was 87 years old.