Published on: Friday, June 08, 2007 |
Penang: The mother of "Alleycat" Loganathan Arumugam who was cremated following his bout with cancer on Wednesday, said she was fully supportive of their children's choice of music as a career.
A. Meenambal, 82, recalled that whenever she used to practise singing her classical Indian songs, Loganathan and his brother, David, would hit empty milk tins, pretending they were drums to make music and accompany her singing.
Meenambal, who did not look her age and spoke in faultless English, said she encourage both the brothers to be active in music although her late husband was not for it.
Loga, 54, died at the Mount Miriam Hospital on Monday after battling with lung cancer for eight months. He breathed his last at 10.50am with all his close family members by his bedside.
Meenambal shared how she used to make excuses for the brothers so they could pursue their love for music.
The mother of eight boys and three girls said all her children had an ear for music, and family functions would see all 11 of them performing.
Now, even her granddaughter, Loga's 19-year-old daughter Priyadashini has started singing and Loga was very proud of her, Meenambal added.
Loga also leaves a son, Vegneswaran, 24.
"My husband used to be very angry with me and often accused me that I was spoiling the boys and their future.
"I used to argue with him that this was also a form of art and we should let them do what they loved best.
"I would even tell my husband they had finished their homework whenever they were out practising or singing, and wake them up early the next morning to do their homework.
"He used to always say that they would be better off with a good education instead of a career in singing, but today, I'm proud of my boys.
"Till today and over the past 30 years their music and songs are still well received by Malaysians of all races," she added, with tears streaming down her face.
Meenambal said she used to sing classical Tamil songs over Radio Malaysia in the 1950s and took both Loga and David with her when she went for the performance once a week.
"Then on Sundays, I sent them to a Buddhist temple where they would learn to meditate and also chant."
Meenambal described Loga as a jovial person who would call her "Meenu" when she came for a visit.
She said till the very end, Loga did not want her to know that he was very ill and even when she last saw him on Saturday evening at the hospital, he gave her the thumbs up when she told him to be strong.
Among those who paid their last respects was Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu who has known Meenambal since her active days in the MIC decades ago.
Meenambal, who is still an active MIC member, was the first woman to be in the national MIC working committee and was also once the national wanita MIC chief during the Tan Sri Manickavasagam era.
