Coimbatore Thayi

She was born in 1872 to a celebrated devadasi singer Vengamaal and named Palanikunjaram. The child, affectionately called Thayi, was introduced to sadir (as Bharatanatyam used to be called) and music. In 1908, she was among the most popular singers in Madras. The Gramaphone Company even allotted two weeks for the “Coimbatore Thayi Recording Sessions”. Thayi’s was a natural talent. She learnt Kannada songs after a chance meeting with singer Mysore Kempe Gowda. By the 1890s, in her prime, she moved to Madras, and set up residence in George Town, where most devadasis lived. Veena Dhanammal was her friend and teacher. Eventually, Thayi gave up dance and focussed on music. Thayi was also a prolific recording artiste; she cut about 300 discs in her lifetime. Thayi died early (in her 40s), but she left behind a rich repertoire of songs, including the compositions of Tyagaraja, Shyama Sastri and Dikshithar, padams, javalis, the Thirupugazh. Coimbatore Thayi sings a devotional Carnatic song, ‘Naan Pattu paattu’ set in Tamil language.