Mannargudi A Easwaran

[Nick H]

Me too!

[easwaranmridangam]

When I was three years old my father found out that there are rays of music in my horoscope and this was also supported by a reading of my palm. When my father re-checked this fact with a scholar in astrology he was confirmed that the horoscope indicated that I will become a great artist in the field of layam that too in an instrument with has animal skin. Then my father started the process of finding a suitable Guru for what has turned out to be my blessed profession. I am not very clear as to how my Guru Sri Kuneseri Krishnamani Iyer came to be that, but my mother used to tell me that my father consulted a lot of people prior to deciding on him. Once again, astrology and jathakam came into focus and only when mine and my Guru’s jathakam matched, did my classes began at my early age of 4 years!

A word about my Guru. When he started teaching me, he was about 35 age and residing in Kollam { QUILON }.He and his Elder brother Kunniseri Mani Iyer were disciple of Saththapuram Subbhaiyer My Guru Kunniseri Krishnamani Iyer and his brother Kuniseri Mani Iyer and Palghat T . S . Mani are the disciple of this great mridangam teacher Saththapuram Subhaiyer.So My guru started my mridangam classes at KollamMy father Appayya Dikshidar was a superntentant.in Burmha shell.He got the transver to kollam to enable me to take mridangam classes.After 6 months classes my guru went to Bangalore and settelled there.Then my father again got the transver from Kollam to Katpadi.His idea was that he can bring my guru from Bangalore to Katpadi for my sake.So my father fixed a house for rent for my guru at Vellore Furnish it with all important things including provisions. His regular trips from there to Katpadi where we were living must have been tiring, to put it mildly. But I do not remember at any time my Guru expressing his tiredness or any of this problems that would have besetted him in his life. He was a great man with only one thing in his mind, his welfare of his sishya. If I am what I am to-day, I owe my entire life to him. I will be eternally grateful to him for his benevolence.

[rajeshnat]

When my father re-checked this fact with a scholar in astrology he was confirmed that the horoscope indicated that I will become a great artist in the field of layam that too in an instrument with has animal skin.

Me Sir
Just one suggestion , just always include year timelines in your post . I do know astrology can tell if you can become musician or a doctor , but did not know to this level of granular precision as you will go into layam with animal skin. BTW did the astrologer only say that you will become an artist in layam only or did he say anything else like neenga indian railways la vela pArthu kai naraya sambhAthipingE (you will work in railways and earn lot of money)

My father Appayya Dikshidar was a superntentant.in Burmha shell.

Your father appaya dikshidhar is different from the appaya diskhitar who set verses of slokham like maulAv gangA popularized by mahavidwan semmangudi srinivasa iyer right. Could you also trace chidambaram roots of appaya dikshitar , I am curious on that as I belong to a place very close to yours .

Perhaps in short we can slowdown a bit in your history first finish your roots and joshiyam . I have few questions about kunniseri guru of yours little later.

On a side note what all you type keep it in your machine in a notepad file , so as such this dialogue can go back to your website later.
BTW I went last week to mannargudi rajagOpalaswami temple, I was thinking about you and your brother because I was (speechless)dont know anyone in mannargudi

[easwaranmridangam]

Dear Rasaikas,

The singer for my arengatram was Sri. D pasupathi. Violin artist was Sri. Thiruvannamali Ramamurthy Iyer.
I belong to the illustrious family of Great sanskrit scholarSrimath. Appaya Dikshathar of Addayapalam, near Arani North Arcort District.(17th Century). This is nothing to do with Chitambaram Dikshidhars.

[rajeshnat]

Dear Rasaikas,
I belong to the illustrious family of Great sanskrit scholarSrimath. Appaya Dikshathar of Addayapalam, near Arani North Arcort District.(17th Century). This is nothing to do with Chitambaram Dikshidhars.

I was assuming appaya dikshitar was always associated with chidambaram dikshitars. There is a good write up about appiah dikshitar in karnatik.com .So as such semmangudi mama's maulav ganga and vara veena geetham in mOhanam were all creations of your ancestor.

[raghavt]

Hi All,

I'm very exicted that we all are getting a chance to interact with a Sr.Vidwan like Easwaran Sir. Easwaran Sir... hats off to you, you are very generous in interacting and sharing your experiences with all of us. Thanks a lot for da same.

Thanks.

[devan_l]

Namaskarum everyone,

Please join Easwaran sir's facebook fanpage at http://tinyurl.com/yg46xwx. I have uploaded more pictures and youtube video links to the page.

Loges

[devan_l]

Always young at heart - Easwaran Mama is a regular participant in YACMs annual Cricket Kutchery

[rajeshnat]

devan_l
Lovely photo. I can only identify bharath sundar, ME , TVM balAji and I think one who is squatting and looking at the captain is Trichy Pradeep kumar . Cant identify the rest

[Sam Swaminathan]

A very old picture of Sri Kuniseri Krishna Mani Iyer accompanying in a concert in Bangalore in eary 60s. He was the Guru of Sri Mannargudi Easwaran.

[Pratyaksham Bala]

Sam Swaminathan:
Your brother Sri Mannargudi A. Easwaran at the age of eleven!
(Photo published in Ananda Vikatan Deepavali Malar of 1958.)

[mohan]

Happy Birthday to Easwaran Mama today! I have the pleasure of hosting him in Sydney tonight!

[Sam Swaminathan]

PB....great stuff...thank you

[rajeshnat]

Roughly a week back I saw in the paper that Mannargudi Shri Easwaran has got this year's prestigious sangeetha choodamani award from sree krishna gana sabha - Congratulations to easwaran sir.

[rshankar]

Congratulations to Sri Easwaran! I am sure Sam is so proud and rejoicing, wherever he is!!!

[arasi]

Congratulations, MAE! So happy for you. Your Cleveland presence and participation are still fresh in my memory

As Ravi put it, wherever Sam is, he would be proud of his Anna.
Our best wishes to your family...

[rajeshnat]

Well what all is mentioned in The Hindu is already written in the forum especially when shri easwaran participated few years back. In today's Hindu friday review there is a writeup of Mannargudi Easwaran on his choodamani award.

http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday ... 267855.ece

[mahavishnu]

Thanks, Rajesh. There is even a brief mention of our beloved Sam in this article.

[hnbhagavan]

Dear Rasikas,

Vidwan Mannargudi easwaran definitely is a great Mridangam artist.He plays in a very soft and effective way.However I cannot appreciate how astrology and astrologers played a big role.Perhaps In olden days this was the case.
However one must point out that undue importance should not be attached to Astrological predictions.Astrology definitely is not a Science and My thinking is Mannargudi A Easwaran became a great Vidwan thru his hard work.

[mahavishnu]

Sri Hnbhagavan: I don't think the article is endorsing astrology in any way, nor does it suggest that astrology had anything to do with Sri Easwaran's successes. It merely highlights how seriously Easwaran's father considered his choice of guru. I found the story quite fascinating, actually.

[Nick H]

"An astrologer told me..."

I don't think that, when we here this as part of a person's story, our own belief in it matters at all. It just is a part of the story.

[rajeshnat]

Vidwan Mannargudi easwaran is having a felicitation function this weekend. A nice writeup on him that was published in Aug 10th,2018- The Hindu
https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/ ... cky_footer