MEMORIALS for CARNATIC MUSIC GIANTS in Mysore

Veena Seshanna Bhavana Special 1991

A Pictorial Essay Inspired by R. Sachi

Introduction

We have often written of the quiet grace of the city of Mysore. We have often drawn on its cultural milieu in terms of a glorious past. A past that came with the benevolence of its rulers and many patrons, who made vast contributions to the care of a citizenry through a good deal of attention to humanities, arts, architecture, education, charity and ecology.

We also attempted to capture a world of refinements in Mysore through particular connection with Music, and through a home called “Parvathi” that patronized the growth of Carnatic Music in a singular way.

Now, through a sudden global connectivity and in terms of the prestigious breath of of its Yoga teachers T. Krishnamachariar, B.K.S. Iyengar , Pattibhi Jois, latter's daughter Saraswati Amma and now through grandson Sharath Jois, Mysore seems to have suddenly garnered a spot for itself in the eyes of a world media.

To an international media, the value of Yoga lies more with commerce and statistics and in the increase of adherents towards body ‘Asanas’ (postures). It has seemingly less to do with any value that Yoga might have brought through its roots in having developed through millenniums in particular attention to an ‘Atma’ and Spirituality. The prestigious New York Times even thought fit to recommend in 2010 that Mysore might as well have been the fifth most desirable destination for a world inhabited by a travelling population.

While ‘economy’ is definitely a desirable thought in anyone’s mind at any time, for any given place, the advent of an economic ‘boom’ due to hordes of 'unconnected' people suddenly descending on a quaint Mysore does make us cringe a little; the cringe is on a distinctive past which is likely to be all washed away through the advent of frenzied ‘gazers' only, conditioned and pressing upon that which is only ‘ politically correct’ from their corner of the world.

With this in mind and before time ebbs away, we wish to savor a share of identity and history from the house of “Parvathi”, on how dreams were once built in Mysore with an adoration towards its musically accomplished.

Digging through saved archives, we came upon a copy of a contribution to a souvenir, the 1991 – Veena Seshanna Bhavana Special, with a narrative by Mr. K. Srikantiah.

We are reproducing Mr. Srikantiah’s text in font for more readability ( the printed copy of the article is also shown). We have also adapted the text with some external images.

Ganabharathi Editorial to the Article

“ With the gradual glide of State power from the kings to the people, the center for bestowing patronage on fine arts shifted to voluntary public organizations and individual philanthropists. Sri K. Puttu Rao of yester years and his illustrious sons Sri. K. Srikantiah and Sri K.K. Murthy, to mention only two of them of present times, have been rendering pioneering service to the cause of fine arts in Karnataka. Ganabharathi (R) remembers with gratitude the guidance and assistance Sri K. Srikantiah has given to it in the past thirteen odd years of its existence. “

The Article by K. Srikantiah

“ The construction of an auditorium in memory of Mysore Veene Seshanna in Mysore by Ganabharathi is my dream realized. After the death of Sangeeta Ratna T. Chowdiah it was my great ambition to see with my eyes auditoria coming up in Mysore and Bangalore in memory of the illustrious Musical Trinity of Mysore: Seshanna, Vasudevacharya and Chowdiah. “

“ In the year 1976, I suggested to my younger brother, K.K. Murthy to take up the heavy task of constructing a suitable hall in Bangalore in memory of our family friend T. Chowdiah. Against heavy odds and with tremendous skill he did achieve it and now the violin-shaped Chowdiah Memorial Hall in Bangalore is acclaimed the best auditorium in Asia. “

K.K. Murthy (right) seen with Commissioner M.S. Swaminathan I.A.S. and famed dancers Padmini and Ragini at the first fund raiser for the T. Chowdiah Memorial in Chikmagalur.

1970s – K.K. Murthy attempts a Hollywood in Bengaluru
with legendary V.Shantaram, owner of Rajkamal Kalamandir (RK) Studios

“Again when K.K. Murthy, in his capacity as Chairman of Bangalore Development Authority came to Mysore, to preside over the sila nyasa function of the auditorium to be constructed by Sri Nadabrahma Sangeeta Sabha, I told him to suggest to the organizers that the Bhavana could be named after Mysore Vasudevacharya, which he did.”

Padma Bhushan and famed CM Composer
Mysore Vasudevacharya [1865-1961]
[Courtesy: Heritage objects of Mysore ]

“With thunderous applause the suggestion was approved at the big assembly and now the Mysore Vasudevacharya Bhavana is a reality in the city."

Mysore Vasudevacharya Bhavana

" Sometime later, the organizers of Ganabharathi approached me for benefit concerts by my daughter, Mysore Prabha, for raising funds for their auditorium."

" I hinted to them to name their proposed auditorium after Veena Seshanna. They welcomed my suggestion wholeheartedly and now Veene Seshanna Bhavana is very much there. Is it not yet one more of my dreams coming true? ”

The Ganabharathi Building as dedicated to Veena Seshanna

“ Being myself a patron of art and an organizer of music festivals in Mysore for the past several decades, I am fully aware of the difficult task of raising funds from the public in this City for cultural activities and for building auditoria for such purposes. But, Ganabharathi within a short span of time, with oneness of feeling, dedication and marathon efforts, has made the Seshanna Bhavan a reality. The men behind Ganabharathi deserve praise from the Mysore public. May Ganabharathi deserve all praise from the Mysore public. May Ganabharathi and Seshanna Bhavan preserve and develop the rich classical heritage of Karnatak Music! “

“Once Mysore had occupied an important place in the map of Karnatak music. The noble rulers of the State were not only great administrators but also great patrons of art, notably music. Wherever talent was found, they encouraged it and many distinguished artists served as Asthana Vidwans of Mysore State and kept the torch of music burning brightly "

His Highness Sir Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV [ 1894–1940 ]

Great connoisseur of Carnatic and Hindustani music.

Played eight musical instruments himself

Mahatma Gandhi - The Maharajah was a Rajarshi
Lord Samuel - The Maharajah was comparable to the Emperor Ashoka
Paul Brunton – The Maharajah lived the ideal expressed in Plato's Republic.

[ Click for Patronage ]

“Seshanna, Bidaram Krishnappa and Vasudevacharya formed the Music Trinity of Mysore. They enriched the musical tradition in the State by their concerts and also by the schools they built around them. Mysore became very famous for veena, mainly due to two luminaries in the field, Seshanna and Subbanna. “

Veena Seshanna [1852-1926] - Veena Subbanna [1861 – 1939 ]
[ Courtesy: The South Indian 'Saraswati' Veena Web Site ]

" I had the privilege of knowing the biographical details and the musical attainments of these musical giants from the conversations I used to have with Vasudevacharya, Chowdiah and Chennakesaviah.”

" What Bradman was to cricket, Seshanna was to veena. Veena and Seshanna were synonymous. Seshanna was a 'Nadayogi' who lived like a colossus in the veena field."

Veena Seshanna (1852-1926)
[ Courtesy: The Hindu ]

"Seshanna had a hard life in his younger days. He used to say
“There was a time when I used to roam about in the streets of Mysore carrying veena on my shoulders, looking for homes where festoons were tied outside on the off chance of being invited to play veena. I have given many concerts for as low a fee as Rs 5!” "

Veena is a very difficult instrument to master. The belief in the music world is that at least a strenuous twelve-year practice is needed before an attempt is made to give a concert. With hard work, dedication and by combating all odds that came on his way and also by mastering all the intricacies in veena playing, Seshanna became a glittering star in the firmament of classical music. According to Vasudevacharya, whenever Seshanna commenced playing on the veena one would get a feeling that he was in communion with Goddess Saraswati.

Sankabharana, Kalyani, Kamach, Jenjooti, Begada and Kedaragowla were his favorite ragas. Seshanna had a perfect laya sense and fond of datu swaras. He could render an alapana for hours and also render sixty, hundred, one hundred twenty avartas without putting tala. That was the tremendous practice and knowledge he had in music. He would render certain ragas and kritis on the heart strings of the rasikas and tears would roll down the eyes of the assembled music lovers. The concert would continue even beyond four to five hours. Seshanna used to think of Veena all the 24 hours and was never bothered about his food or dress.

The giant Vainika passed away in the year 1926, leaving his name immortal in the field of Karnatak music. He was a prince among musicians and left fragrant memories about him which posterity will cherish. May Veene Seshanna Bhavana keep aloft for ever the classical grandeur the great vainika brought into Karnataka music ! “

15-8-1991
Chamarajapura
Mysore 570 004

Photocopy of K. Srikantiah’s original 1991 Article

POST-SCRIPT

The great musical composer of Mysore Sri Vasudevacharya had a personal and favorite Tambura with him, for many decades.

When Sri Vasudevacharya left for Kalakshetra, he blessed Sri K. Srikantiah and presented him with the instrument. Mr. Srikantiah, in turn, gifted the Tambura to the Bhavana. We show the photograph of the Tambura that Mr. Srikantiah presented.

MY DAYS WITH MYSORE VASUDEVACHARYA
by
K.SRIKANTIAH

" Right from day one to the time he passed away when I was in my thirties, he called me 'Magu' , which means 'child' in Kannada.

Whenever he came to our house, my father would send me to the close-by "Annapurneshwari Lodge" to get him his favorite "Jilebis"

Sri Vasudevacharya's informal performances in our home "Parvathi' would be frequent.

The accompanists would usually be T.Chowdiah on the violin and T.Puttaswamiah on the Mridangam.

My father would send me immediately on my cycle to extend invitations to rasikas like Vice Chancellor N.S.Subba Rao, Rallapalli Ananthakrishna Sharma, Titte Krishna Iyengar, Yoganarasimha (father of H.Y. Sharada Prasad -media adviser to former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi), Venkatesha Iyengar (father of Veena Doreswamy Iyengar), and other music stalwarts of Mysore.

After the concert, my father, a good host,would invite the entire gathering to have dinner, sometimes without the knowledge of the lady of the house ! But the lady, my mother, as always would rise up to the occasion, and get dinner ready in no time.

Vasudevacharya was unique in his 'Tana' rendition in 'Trikala'. It used to be extraordinary in terms of it's depth, development and expanse. He would without fail take it to Himalayan heights.

During my later years, I remember GNB profusely agreeing with me while we were discussing Vasudevacharya's 'tana'.

Saraswati Sangeeta Sabha had arranged it's maiden concert at the Rangacharlu Hall in Mysore by GNB-Chowdiah-Palghat Mani. I was seated next to Vasudevacharya in the audience. Sri GNB sang Kamach raga and Vasudevacharya's composition 'Brochevarevarura' with great aplomb. After listening to it, Vasudevacharya whispered in my ears-"Till date, I had never realized that my composition had so much grandeur in it". Soon after the concert, I went on stage and told GNB what Vasudevacharya said. The great GNB immediately came down from stage, tied his 'angavastram' round his waist, and prostrated before the great composer! "

K.Srikantiah lighting the lamp
Dedication to Mysore Vasudevacharya at Nadabrahma Sabha, Mysore
L to R : K.V.Murthy, Bhadragiri Sant Achuta Das, R.Guru, K.Srikantiah

Sant Bhadragiri Achuta Das unveiling the bust of Mysore Vasudevacharya

Music's Bylanes IX: Shri Tattva Nidhi

What sets Mysore Maharajas so distinguishably apart?

We show you the cover of the first Volume of a Nine volume set.

This is a magnum opus of one of the Wodeyar Kings of great esteem, H.H. Sri Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar (1794-1868). It is an encyclopedic work in “Samskruta” (Sanskrit), of an immense study on the ancient Hindu Texts that talk of all the subscribed “Nidhis”. It is one of the rarest books in the annals of Indian Literature and speaks of fundamental aspects of traditional knowledge, which were unique to India in terms of its towering civilization.

His Highness showed a remarkable memory and capacity for education and dealt with many a subject of his heritage, in his attempts to be a great King and to govern as such. His range of interests included Philosophy, Astrology, Medical Science, mathematics, dance, music, puzzles and even game theories.

The compilation of his remarkable work comes from The Oriental Research Institute, Mysore, a stone’s throw from where “Parvathi” held its music performances. This was an Institute that his adopted son and successor H.H. Sri Chamaraja Wodeyar bequeathed to the nation of India in 1891. This is the same Institute that published the renowned work “ArthaSaastra of Kautilya” by Dr. R. Shyamashastry which drew international attention on some of the great thought processes that once existed in India. The Institute now boasts of a collection of 80,000 of the rarest manuscripts in India.

Music's Bylanes IX: Shri Tattva Nidhi (....continued)

In many places we have alluded to the Mysore Maharajahs as great benefactors of art, culture and of people. We have particularly mentioned his Highness Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar in many contexts.

We have also talked of Durbar Bakshi’s (Palace Secretaries) with whom our host Sri. K. Srikantiah would facilitate many a help from the Palace for some of the great music doyens.

We turn our minds to the great composer Muthiah Bhagavatar in such a context.

As our very many of our Rasikas know, Muthiah Bhagavatar, is one of Carnatic Classical music's most famous twentieth-century composer. He is credited with a mammoth 400 musical compositions and about 20 ragas. He was also known to be a Harikata Vidwan and adept at playing many an instrument. At times, some of the great Carnatic Vidwans including Madurai Mani Iyer, T. Chowdiah, Veena Chitti Babu would play a rare tune to an encore called “English Note”. This too was one of the creations of this great composer.

The rare photograph (above) shows him as a Mysore court musician. During his tenure at the Mysore Palace he was known to have composed 115 kritis in Kannada all in praise of Chamundeshwari Devi, the Ishta Devi of the Maharajas and the protective Mother of the city called Mahishasura-uru (Mysuru as rendered in the native).

[ We are very obliged to Heritage Objects of Mysore for preserving and publishing such photos. Heritage Objects of Mysore can be found on Facebook, with permission. It is to their credit that they have created a virtual museum on the life and times of the great Mysore Kings with some very rare photographic displays and narratives. ]

Ah, is it just Coimbatore ?

The city of Coimbatore in Tamilnadu is also connected in more ways than one with the family of “Parvathi”. As a musical center, it would often find Sri. K. Srikantiah making many a sojourn there for the cause of music along with T. Chowdiah or many an eminent other (things that we have mentioned before).

It was also a city recognized as a home for some cherished sweets, thanks to Messrs. “Krishna Sweets”, whose very fine creations would bring many a famous Carnatic Musician such as an MMI or GNB craving for the same while thinking of a simultaneous performance there.

Somewhere, in the passage of time, it also became a city of “Sambandhi”, as “Parvathi’s” extended family found itself with “in-laws” there.

We show you a rare photograph (below) of Parvathi “Sambandhi”, the late Shri. S.R.Nanjundan of Coimbatore as seen with his late Highness Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar. Throughout his life Mr. Nanjundan would have cause to remember his very close and honorable friendship with H.H. and their families.

Mysore’s famed Parliamentary building, the Vidhana Soudha, even as of today, carries many a tile installed from the Coimbatore factory of Shri S.R. Nanjundan.

Continuing with our Wodeyar Kings, we show you His Highness JCW, greeting a young Mr. M.V. Krishnaswamy of Documentary fame (we’ve spoken of him elsewhere in our pages).

Now, how many do we know that can show us such a photo (below) for their Bio data?

" This Mysore-born film maker assisted Roberto Rossellini on the sets of Viaggio in Italia starring Ingrid Bergman and once "made" Satyajit Ray stand in a queue for a cinema ticket...But he makes such facts appear like that serene illumination in the verandah which does not blind your eyes...."

- Sugata Srinivasaraju on M.V. Krishnaswamy

Finally, as we went into print, we heard the heart warming news of a person who made the distinguished PADMA BHUSHAN rolls for 2014.

As all the B&W photographs on this blog reveal, in a rare collection of his much younger days, we are provided with the glimpses of a genius who provided magnificent accompaniment for the greatest of the Carnatic vocalists of those times. This was much earlier to his departure onto a world platform, with the group “Shakti” or with the Grammy.

How do we best like to remember our famous Ghatam Vidwan artist T.H. “Vikku” Vinaykram?

Just as he is shown below.

[ Courtesy: Experience with Mahaperiava ]

"Where is your abode?" - Vidwan Maharajapuram Santhanam

Imagine that you ask someone, “Sir, where are you from?” And he replies: “I was born in the land of kings.'' A great start to a conversation about credentials!

It so happens that one can translate the name Maharajapuram Santhanam to mean 'one born in the land of kings'. Once you have a name like that, its a big task to live up to. With Vidwan Santhanam's music, you feel his music reflects the regality in his name. Vidwan Santhanam was the son and disciple of Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer, a monarch in the world of Carnatic music. Hailed in his time as first among equals, he ruled supreme on the concert stage. People to this day recollect his incomparable renderings of ragas like Mohana and Mukhari, and his explosive creativity.

[ Courtesy Carnaticdurbar.com ]

Vidwan Santhanam, whose scintillating concert at Parvathi we have already featured several months ago, is our artiste again this time.

Vidwan Santhanam came into his own in the '70s, after his father's demise. He rose in popularity for his resonant and sweet voice, his great stamina, and the ability to please audiences with engaging, happy music. He put his trade-mark on songs such as “Srichakraraja Simhasaneshwari”and “Narayana”. He was conferred the Sangeetha Kalanidhi title in 1989. The music world lost him prematurely - he died in a car accident in 1992.

In this concert, in the company of the ever-excellent Lalgudi G. Jayaraman, Santhanam presents E Tavunnara in Kalyani. This song is popular for a long time and makes an instant connection with the listener. Like so many other songs of Saint Thyagaraja, this song also has several layers of meaning.

The meaning given in the Spiritual Heritage of Tyagaraja is this: “Which is your place of abode? You are not easily to be found, however closely you are searched for.

Is it in the feminine forms of the deity like Sita, Gouri and Saraswati or is it in the five elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether or in the innumerable worlds or among the Trinity?”

To this writer, the song unveils three layers of God's presence in one's spiritual discovery. The first layer, encountered through the stirrings of bhakti, is that of grace. The mother goddess personifies grace through benign protection (Durga), the gift of intelligence (Saraswati) and prosperity (Lakshmi). After passing this phase of basking in God's grace, the aspirant starts to experience God's immanence: His all-pervading presence in this world, finally composed of the five elements. As Krishna says in the seventh chapter of the Gita, prakriti personifies Him. But the bhakta's journey finally takes him to the point when God is pure transcendence- all this and more. The ultimate conceptualisation of God in Hinduism is that of Trinity- the Creator Brahma, the Protector Vishnu, and the Destroyer Shiva. This song is just one way of saying that for a true bhakta like Thyagaraja, Lord Rama is grace, immanence and transcendence all combined.

Come, let us now enjoy the feast of music from Vidwan Santhanam, in the Ramanavami festival of Parvathi 1979.

The Concert

Maharajapuram Santhanam ------Vocal
Lalgudi Jayaraman ------------ Violin
Vellore Ramabhadran -------- Mridangam
M.A. Krishnamurthy ----------- Ghatam
on April 5, 1979 at Parvathi during Ramanavami.

Song List
01. Orajoopu – Kannadagowla – Thyagaraja *** 02. E tavunara – Kalyani – Thyagaraja *** 03. Haridasulu – Yamuna Kalyani – Thyagaraja *** 04. Ragam- Tanam – Pallavi – raga Kharaharapriya *** 05. Narayana - Shuddha Dhanyasi – Purandara Dasa ***

This Yamuna Kalyani is the version other than the version employed in the famous Krishna Nee Begane).

Red Flag: Embedded audio player not picking correct song names

BENEVOLENCES FROM MYSORE

The mere roll of names like Maharajapuram Santhanam, Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer, The Bidarama Krishnappa Rama Mandiram, Mysore Vasudevachar, HH Jayachamrajendra Wodeyar, and "Parvathi", and all of it in one breath, stands to create a huge welter of emotions. For, it presents a world of great charms once beheld, of a world of kings and courts and composers and gentle Musical strains, not just Carnatic, mind you, but a far flung one with inroads, too, into a European culture.

Through a few collections, some ours and some from the other great souls of erstwhile Mysuru (as found on the Internet), we connect you to a grand era, which with each day's passing seems to roll away from our eyes into an indistinguishable distance.

From 1970 we show you (below), the very popular Chief Minister of Karnataka D. Devaraj Urs, alongside Mr. K. Srikantiah, unveiling the photograph of Mysore Vasudevachar in "Parvathi".