Erode nAgaraj

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 28 Jul 2009, 22:14

Taking a fresh leaf of thread for Erode nAgaraj. In the below inspirational video there is quite an inspiring video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26rHd9vXk9s

Erode Nagaraj wrote in response:
thank you all.. thanks to make us aware that such a video is available in youtube and for all your concern and care...this shooting happened last year or before at thathvalOkA, eldams road, a video made for ability foundation or ability awards...every soul is an able soul only... in what way it has scored or what it lacks only differ.after reading an introduction to the audince, after main and thani, one sabha - mama adviced me to avoid stating 'orthopaedically handicapped' in my resume. but, i continue to state as it will be some sort of encouragement for people like me or people who lack enthusiasm.
(also, it prevents many other things like (some)people pulling me while doing a hand shake, which i avoid smile )

Semmu86/Rams/Sankirnam,
Perhaps you can write more about nagaraj mridangam technicalities .

Erode
While I have no clue as to why few or many people walk out for every thaniavarthanam , this thread is yours, I am sure you will have no exodus here. As cml mentioned in other thread you can always write about your experiences ,certainly you would have more hurdles to cross. You and mridangam (mannarkoil balaji )are very very special in this forum . Infact We will have another thread for balAji soon. I am just having a strong gut feel that your posts would be fireworks as your guru UKS.

Rams has already posted a beautiful writeup about Erode nagaraj in http://ramsabode.wordpress.com/2006/10/ ... e-nagaraj/

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 28 Jul 2009, 22:47

Rajesh - perfect! Sri Nagaraj is indeed an inspiration to one and all. In fact, until I saw the video on youtube, I was not aware that he was differently abled - so wonderful that he is defined solely on the basis of his music!

Ram - nice write up!

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 29 Jul 2009, 00:00

Apart from being an accomplished top-class mridangist Nagaraj is a great Poet. His Prose/Poetic writings are captivating and inspiring. We perhaps saw only the humourous side of it in the Hilarity thread. He does a lot of serious writings too which are soul-stirring. He should share more of his writings with us at this Forum (perhaps at the Lounge

so that 'strictly CM' folks can avoid that arena! I did wonder why he did not become a full-time writer. Perhaps since his first love is mridangam which takes up full time and resents a 'chakkaLathi'. Let me just say
I am more than willing to be disabled if only the Lord will bless me with the fund of talents this youngster has!

semmu86 · Post by **semmu86** » 29 Jul 2009, 12:07

Thanks very much Rajesh for starting a thread on nAgrAj sir (Hence NS for simplicity) . My association with NS goes back to 1996 when he joined as a lecturer at "The Thanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer School for Percussion " in Music Academy where i was one of those few fortunate students from 95-2001 .

I still remember the first class of his at the academy , when we were all asked to put misra chApu thAlam individually. One student (NS do you remember Dirdhimon ??

) started putting wrongly and i was the one to put it last. Even though i knew how to put the thAlam correctly , i still got confused and faltered

... From that time , he has seen me grown from being a cassete boy , to a CD guy and to a DVD man

..

For me NS has always been an inspiration in each and everywalk of life . Actually i would call him a treasure house of UKS sir's korvais and specialities . For all students like us , he serves as a golden link between the present and the golden past of UKS sir , regaling us with what UKS sir played for yesteryear masters , which in itself serves as a priceless piece of information and knowledge.. I have had countless number of classes with NS ( with and without accompanying for vocal music ) all these years , and all those finer points which he used to make and correct before i used to take up those in front of UKS sir , was simply unbelieveable . He used to play so many intricate patterns during accompaniment and allso during thani during classes , he plays hardly a fraction of them in concerts , which i am yet to get the guts to ask him the reason.

I used to wonder whether there is so much of stuff involved in playing for a varnam alone !! One great quality is the spontaenity with which he plays and he used to compose lot of intricate korvais on the spot , which i have observed many a time from close quarters..

Arvind..

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 29 Jul 2009, 13:41

I am really honoured that our Nagaraj Sir has consented to accompany me on the mrudangam for a concert in Chennai on Saraswati Puja day. Looking forward to experiencing [from close quarters

] the awesomeness and the knowledge that Arvind has talked about! Hoping to hear a lot more from Nagaraj Sir on this thread, especially about his training under Sri UKS.

sankirnam · Post by **sankirnam** » 29 Jul 2009, 19:45

The highest praise is in the DVD's of mrudanga chintamanih. After demonstrating a thani in one thalam (unfortunately I don't remember which at the moment), UKS sir says "congrats, you played very very well, my blessings".

That says it all... getting that kind of praise from one's own guru, esp. when that guru is UKS sir, is not an ordinary thing.

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 30 Jul 2009, 09:01

sankirnam wrote: That says it all... getting that kind of praise from one's own guru, esp. when that guru is UKS sir, is not an ordinary thing.

And to receive it at a time when it is recorded for posterity... wow, that is some achievement!

erode14 · Post by **erode14** » 30 Jul 2009, 14:17

Dear Rajesh, rshankar, cml, semmu, prshanth, sankirnam and members...

I don't have words to express myself when I saw my name here.

It encourages me a lot and reminds me my responsibility to learn many things, really play well and share well (teaching)... more and more...

many years ago, UKS sir told me, "nAgarAjA... nee kachEreela ellAm nannA vAsichiNdu irukkEnnu, kAdhula vizhaRadhu... appadi oru abiprAyathula pala pEr irukkaRa pOdhe, nee nannA vAsikka Arambichudu"

to look at it's top skinny layer, it might sound kiddy(is such a word exist?), but it conveys an intensive definition of a conversation between the guru and sishya who stay together for decades, rather births. you name any activity involved in the process of realisation, that can very well be related to what he said.

i try to live a life towards truth concerned with quality of living than standard of living... pray that i stay in that line forever...

thank you for your love and affection...

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 30 Jul 2009, 15:21

erode14 wrote: i try to live a life towards truth concerned with quality of living than standard of living... pray that i stay in that line forever...

That is a seriously beautiful thought...

ram · Post by **ram** » 30 Jul 2009, 22:10

This is what I had written about Sri Erode Nagraj more than a year back on his Orkut page:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"One of the most knowledgeable percussionists I have ever met. One of the very few people who freely share their knowledge without thinking of returns.

His heart is as clean and pure as his art .. and I just can't tell you how rare it is to find both with the same person. His dedication to mrudangam, passion for carnatic music and love/respect for UKS sir and Periyavaa are boundless. I am a big fan of his amazing sense of humor, brilliant memory and great talent (be it music, mimicry or sketching)!

Will pray God to grant you a long life devoid of worries and filled with all the happiness that this world can offer"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Certainly one of the most inspiring and noble souls I have met in the years I have spent on this planet so far!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 30 Jul 2009, 22:55

Not forgetting the unforgettable blessings of the mahA periyavA when his eyes fell on a eleven year (?) old boy: Ivanukku mrudangam nannA varum. Nagaraj, I cannot find that piece you wrote. Please share it with others.
As CML said, his poetic prowess as well as his prose writing are his added assets.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 30 Jul 2009, 23:58

ram wrote:This is what I had written about Sri Erode Nagraj more than a year back on his Orkut page:

Certainly one of the most inspiring and noble souls I have met in the years I have spent on this planet so far!

Very inspiring!

Ram - welcome to land of mere mortals!

erode14 · Post by **erode14** » 13 Aug 2009, 00:54

arasi wrote:Not forgetting the unforgettable blessings of the mahA periyavA when his eyes fell on a eleven year (?) old boy: Ivanukku mrudangam nannA varum.

that was in 17-1-1989, when i was doing +2. HE said,"indha payyan mirudhangam adippAn" to the crowd (50,60 people)

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 13 Aug 2009, 03:02

Actually He was bestowing a blessing on the Mridangam !

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 02 Mar 2013, 00:34

A wonderful interview with our Erode Nagaraj.
http://lotusbeats.wordpress.com/2013/02 ... garaj-sir/

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 02 Mar 2013, 01:17

Great... really great. Thank you cienu.

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 02 Mar 2013, 17:44

cienu avl,
Thanks for the link.
with wishes,
Thanjavooran,
02 03 2013

erode14 · Post by **erode14** » 15 Mar 2013, 11:23

thank you cienu aNNaa, nick and sri thanjavooran

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 17 Mar 2013, 07:03

Erode nAgaraj,
Lovely interview , your personality really comes thru in the interview

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 17 Mar 2013, 07:19

Yes, excellent interview.

When asked about his likes and dislikes, EN says "Well, they are just likes and dislikes. They keep changing. Amidst all the changes that occur I wish to be in the path towards truth and concerned about the quality of living than being particular about the standard of living."

I love this sentiment. Inspiring.

erode14 · Post by **erode14** » 17 Mar 2013, 23:45

Thank you Rajesh and Mahavishnu.

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 19 Mar 2013, 12:09

All will be happy to know that he gets Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer award for youth excellence 2012...

wishing him many more such awards...God will bless the kindhearted..

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 19 Mar 2013, 17:37

Congratulatons Nagaraj!more power to your hands!! Just to tickle your memory-Gayathri V's concert @Venus Colony in Feb.

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 20 Mar 2013, 01:00

Erode Nagarajan Avl,
Congratulations! Wishing you very many more such laurels.
with blessings,
Thanjavooran
19 03 2013

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 20 Mar 2013, 10:09

Congrats Erode. We are all very proud of you!

erode14 · Post by **erode14** » 20 Mar 2013, 11:56

I sincerely pay my praNaams to mahA peiryavA, my revered gurus Palladam Sri V.Ramachandran Sir and Padmavibhushan Umayalpuram Sri Sivaraman Sir, parents and thanks to all my friends, well wishers and sishyAs. So happy to be there when shrI SRJ mAmA is to be honoured with a Gold Medal. Special thanks to Maharajapuram Sreenivasan aNNa.

Thank you shrI venkatakailasam, shrI venkatakailasam, shrI thanjavooran and shrI vasanthakokilam (remembered you when I saw the leaves thuLirthuNdu vaRadhu in guava tree).

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 21 Mar 2013, 12:02

Congratulations, and best wishes for many, many more!

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 21 Mar 2013, 14:24

Erode nagaraj Congrats , I hope in the award they dont put as nagarajan and only put as nagaraj

erode14 · Post by **erode14** » 21 Mar 2013, 15:39

thank you rshankar and rajeshnat.

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 21 Mar 2013, 16:06

Congratulations Shri Erode Nagaraj. May more laurels and awards come your way. Our best wishes and blessings.

erode14 · Post by **erode14** » 24 Dec 2014, 00:22

thank you sri punarvasu

Rsachi · Post by **Rsachi** » 24 Dec 2014, 08:41

Richly deserved! Congrats Vid. Nagarajan!

rasikas.org

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