TAMIZHISAI MANADU

[arasi]

The following is from Pasupathy's Musical Morsels (Sangeetha Sangathigal) Post# 685


TAMIZHISAI MANADU (Thamizhisai Conference)
By
CHINNA ANNAMALAI

It was when the tamizhisai movement had just started. The conference at Chidambaram got a lot of press coverage. It generated much excitement in us. Already a tamizh lover, this news item stirred me no end. I yearned to organize a grand meet at my home town of Devakottai. The one who encouraged me in this was my dear friend sri. T.S Arunachalam. We clung together and at our own expense printed notices and spread the word. There were signs that some of the locals would support our venture. We sent word to vidwans and to the literati. Their responses were encouraging. We started collecting funds for the event.

When we went from door to door, it occurred to us that many did not have a clue about tamizhisai and here was a town which hosted many concerts at weddings. Why sing in tamizh? Why a conference for this? Is it possible to sing concerts in tamizh? Where do you get the songs from? Why bring this idea into music? These were the questions thrown at us and we chose to ignore them.

Grand plans were made but we had no clue about securing funds. Some advised us to give up the idea. We decided to carry on, no matter. Ten thousand rupees would have enabled us to mount a grand event. Where would we find the money?
An enthusiastic volunteer among us who worked tirelessly with us over the effort suggested that we could approach Raja. Sir Muthiah Chettiar. T.R. Arunachalam and I were deeply involved in the Congress movement. We had often condemned Raja Sir in our speeches. Knocking at his door for help was unthinkable.

Our friend persisted: this has nothing to do with Congress or politics. We could approach him for the sake of tamizh.
He took us to Sir. Annamalai Chettiar.

Raja welcomed us warmly and putting his hands around our shoulders asked us about the details of our plans. We were dazed and didn't even get round to asking him for the donation. After drinking the coffee offered to us, we took leave of him. He then handed us an envelope saying: here is my gift. Conduct the conference in a grand manner.

We came out and opened the envelope. We couldn't believe it. We had ten thousand rupees in our hands!


THOUSAND RUPEE PRIZE

Tamizhisai movement was at its peak. At a wedding in Devakottai, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar was singing. He went on singing in telugu. I was then the secretary of the tamizhisai movement. I gave him a chit which read: please sing in tamizh.
Ariyakudi looked at it , smiled and he signaled to me that he would. Victoriously I was waiting for him to open his mouth. He started singing, that too looking at me: yAraDA nI kurangE, ingE vanda yAraDA? Yes, Arunachala kavi's kIrtanai. I stared at him. "Here's a tamizh pATTu", he said. When he finished he song, he asked me to come to the dais.

"Don't get angry. I was just kidding around. From now on, it's going to be a tamizh cachEri" .

For about two hours, he sang tamizhisai which made the listeners forget themselves.
After the concert I thanked him.
He asked me: is language vital to music? I said, 'yes.' He asked, "In what way?"
"Our ancestors have given importance to language, haven't they?"
"How?" he asked.
"if not, why would they place the vocalist in the center of the stage? Even when a not well-known singer performs, why would Kumbakonam Rajamanickam Pillai and Palghat Mani Iyer sit on either side of him? Supposing language weren't that important, Rajamanickam Pillai would have taken center stage!"

From then on, I heard Ariyakudi sing many tamizh songs in concerts. Ariyakudi himself had related this incident to Raja Sir that when he saw me next, he was pleased no end and he gifted me with a thousand rupees!

(Thanks to DINAMANI).


My own notes on this: Chinna Annamalai's TAMIZHP PANNAI (book store, publishers) was next door to the original NALLI Store. Chinna Annamalai was really a periya Annamalai in physique and personality. I would stop by often to browse through books on the way back from school. His big smile and welcoming face (he was also a family friend ) was always a joy. Chatting with him too. A writer himself, he was also an active organizer. He was popular among leaders and the public. He had a presence and his admirable qualities which included humor, endeared him to many. Dr. Pasupathy would agree with me, I think.

[thanjavooran]

Many thanks for the share. Old memories recollected.
Thanjavooran
11 03 2022

[arasi]

Thank you, Thanjavooran. Feels good to say a warm hello to you
Did you grow up in the vicinity too?

[RSR]

@arasi Madam,
Nice translation with a clear message. Thank you.,
But where are the 'musical ' compositions of the standard of classical composers...like those of the Trinity?
---
Sri.Raa.Ganapathy , has written a very fine article , on the popular Thyagaraja Kruthi, ' sarasa saama dhaana ' from the angle of the theme of the song.
Brilliant.
----
May I request you to translate it ?
ஐயன் சங்கடமும் ஐயாவாள் சங்கீதமும்
ரா.கணபதி
https://rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.ph ... 96#p374796
https://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2022/01/2011-299.html

[shankarank]

When is the tanglish isai maanAdu next? Even the hot bed tamizh zealots are fearful of the loss of the language! Many friends ( not the CM listener types - if you know what I mean ) are asking what to do since Children are not speaking tamizh?

I told them use the Sanskrit formula and teach sacred verses to the kids - it will live as sound body!

The literarization ( beyond just literacy) of a generation has damaged the psyche of people.

And literacy or education as they call it, empowered people to sign their checques to fend for themselves and the documents, only to be digitized back to kai nATTu (finger print) with samsung pay, Apple pay and docusign! Even, with ability to sign, now biometrics are still required when selling property.

That is the only fleeting achievement of education after causing the deracination!

K Balachandar lied in Sindhu bhairavi movie! EDariyAr EzhutariyAr AnAl PADarivOR nam munnOR!

[Pasupathy]

The following is from Pasupathy's Musical Morsels (Sangeetha Sangathigal) Post# 685

TAMIZHISAI MANADU (Thamizhisai Conference)
By
CHINNA ANNAMALAI
). . . . // . . .

My own notes on this: Chinna Annamalai's TAMIZHP PANNAI (book store, publishers) was next door to the original NALLI Store. Chinna Annamalai was really a periya Annamalai in physique and personality. I would stop by often to browse through books on the way back from school. His big smile and welcoming face (he was also a family friend ) was always a joy. Chatting with him too. A writer himself, he was also an active organizer. He was popular among leaders and the public. He had a presence and his admirable qualities which included humor, endeared him to many. Dr. Pasupathy would agree with me, I think.

Thanks, Arasi. Here's the link to the original Tamil article:
2021. சின்ன அண்ணாமலை - 9
தமிழிசை மாநாடு
சின்ன அண்ணாமலை
https://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2022/02/2021-9.html

Arasi, I agree with your recollection about CA. Here's a link to his article about Tamizhp PaNNai.
http://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com/2017/06/746-4.html

[shankarank]

The grandson , really the grand son of the family guides us : https://youtu.be/6Fsp8o_u43k?t=17.

That's hot off the press , sorry , sorry , hot off the sound and video (err... nobody reads!) , some 80 years later!!

And then the final run down: https://youtu.be/6Fsp8o_u43k?t=113

"There is a prayer room in every airport" he opines , "but no reading room!" Subtext: ""Don't just pray!! , read and enlighten yourself !" Sub Text: "Your tamizh ancestors never prayed as there is no archaeological evidence , instead they wrote". In a huff, he might have touched a wrong nerve there as well!

naMMa EDariyA ezhuttariyA pATTimAr tAngalE vAnUrdi irukaiyileYE muNumuNuttukkuvAngaLE ( Our grand mamas who didn't know to read or write, would mumble some mumbo-jumbo - that is a liberal translation not a literal one - sitting in their seats on the plane!!) - Dellikku rAjAnAlum pATTi sollai taTTAtE!!

And then the grand declaration: https://youtu.be/6Fsp8o_u43k?t=39 "Tamizh will never die!!"

The grand son used to wait for Kalki and Anandavikatan on Thursdays and Fridays. Would he enlighten us first in whose hands these magazines are headed? At least one of them now?

Will his son speak so chaste like him? Or in the next nATya kala conference would his daughter in-law explain in chaste tamizh how BharatanAtyam is not all that Shaastra, but something else?

[RSR]

The topic is about classical music compositions in Thamizh. The controversy had relevance in 1940-1950 decade only. A compromise has been arrived long back...Even today, all the CM vocalists render fine compositions in Telugu, Sanskrit, Tamizh, Kaannada, and even Marathi and Hindi , in good proportion ,in concerts. ..focusing more on music. Welcome trend.
.
That said, what TKC said about singing more compositions in Thamizh to Thamizh audience, is still true.
.
CM base cannot do without the Trinity and though, music does not really need understanding the language of the lyrics, it does add to the value, for both the vocalist as well as the listener.
.
Let us at least, arrange for basic teaching of Telugu and Sanskrit, in all CM classes.

[shankarank]

No the topic is about a particular politically motivated conference with communal overtones! The tamizh compositions you have a separate thread!

When @arasi avargal enters into nostalgia, it deserves a philosophical dissection slowly and surely! Now you are still hung up on learning the languages etc, bringing your literary western colonized eyes into it.

SrI Ariyakudi phrased the question wrongly in the retort to cinna Annamalai, but he had the right answer in mind! Was he a telugu speaker at home - no right?. He may know the language! But then , we need to realize : The descendents of sanskritists already ditched Sanskrit, but took the philosophy of it, the sacredness of sound into singing Telugu vARNams faithfully , true to "their" pATam etc. They themselves don't know it, but they have done it. Same philosophy exists in tamizh tradition for long even before tEvAram and "bhakti" literature!

Language can be learnt, but the sound has to be cherished first!!

P:S - I used @arasi avargal with a suffix which she protests. pinnA? Sankara Sivam SishyALnA summAva? tagunta mariyAdai vENAmA? Can I just address her by first name like an American son-in-law would? vayadukkum mariyAdai vENAma? I wish she thinks more about the SrI Sankara Sivam episode and process her literary flair through that a bit!!

[arasi]

Shankarank,
'avargaL'ukkingu iDamillai (I have no such merit). Even with the greats we use shortened forms of their names--Ari for instance. So, age or antiquity I don't think should have anything to do with it. The same with madam...

Let me start with your statement. I had the fortune to learn from Sri Sankarasivam--not for long though. His grace fell on me and when I was in India for a short spell again, he taught me some more. Let alone the kindness with which he offered to teach me, I am moved that I got to know such a dignified mahA vidwAn.

AvargaL should be quite knowledgeable. I am not. Plus, I am ignorant about politics. So, I can't come up with anything to respond in that regard. I also cannot imagine varNams having anything to do with sacredness except in a few instances, unless you were jesting.


I was wondering if I should post this translation in ARI's thread. Then I posted here because this piece is more about Chinna Annamalai and the Tamizhisai movement than Ari.

[shankarank]

I was not jesting. I think you again become too literary and quickly delve into the content. I was referring to how the music of it was preserved, treating it as sacred, even with words mutilated.

People should listen from that angle and not get into "this is somebody else's language".

[arasi]

shankarank,
Do I get your point? That it's fine if musically a varNam is of high quality, words don't matter there? If yes, I agree--the same with jAvaLis and padams. However, at times one wishes the words weren't that 'kochai' (raw). As for me, I am conscious of it more when It's a dance item.

Now, if you are not yet satisfied with my answer or think I am barking up the wrong tree, well, I am afraid I still remain an old scatter-brained, barely educated rasikA, but I am not a few of the things you take me to be too ??

[RSR]

if musically a varNam is of high quality, words don't matter there? If yes, I agree--the same with jAvaLis and padams. However, at times one wishes the words weren't that 'kochai' (raw). As for me, I am conscious of it more when It's a dance item.

-
Absolutely.

[shankarank]

The words/meaning issue is one for introspection by artistes with their Gurus / community and the "dharma" of the sadas where that is enacted. I will not tread there. We should not let self appointed social reformers into it, unless if it has wide social upheaval/ impact. That might have been the case early 1900(s).

But a musical composition, once a vidvAn ascends the stage and performs needs to be viewed as sacred!

When I read the accounts, this conference called for tamizh to be the language in every concert. That is totally unacceptable and disrespect to the Guru-Sishya parampara of vidvans and insults their lineage.

Now tamizh-isai as a happening is reduced to inviting the same sabha vidvans who will render just tamizh compositions. What is different there? They are following Ariyakudi-paddhati!!

We are so wedded to forms and we think there is beauty in forms!

However, what was done in the University by inviting vidvans to head it and teaching students or upgrading existing vidvans and tuning kritis is laudable and correct way. An endeavor to bring in a new language needs to go through guru-Sishya samvada and then sadhana.

Interfering with existing traditions is unacceptable.

The fact that vidvans also then took a stand against tamizh publicly was also wrong. They could have stopped with "this is the tradition we are trained on and this is what we know!".

[shankarank]

A speaker ( also apparently a writer) of TN political arena, in book exhibition event, admitted that the most selling books are on astrology and cooking! And he, is reader of Hagel and Kant - very much enlightened or claims to be! Still they find themselves ruling a population that still is tied to it's sacred roots, even in reading!

[shankarank]

Jeyamohan's writing on the politics of tamizh isai:

https://www.jeyamohan.in/8968/

But then tomorrow if the population speaks tanglish - they will have to reinvent tanglish isai??

The argument cannot be about humans and their language, instead about heritage, sacredness of sounds, their beauty and why this should be carried forward, even if you don't understand the language.

What will the diaspora who are heavily engaged in the propagation of the music tell their children? Beyond a point?

[sam]

Thank you for the jayamohan article link. The history was informative.
As I undertand, carnatic music took strong roots in kavery delta among the brahmins who were relocated from vijayanagar capital in karnataka in naik rule. They were already proficient in musicology. I am just curious. How is that vedic scholars took to music? Samaveda and sanskrit knowledge?
Jayamohan has not touched on that.
Were musicologists, bhakthi oriented?
Or just writing about the art and science of music?

[shankarank]

I am reposting something from the Lounge section:

Here is one scholar about music :

https://youtu.be/Agc3iCpOLtM?t=462

He used to do discourses in my childhood @ local temple. Was a Sanskrit Professor. Talking about his Grand Father who lived in Tiruvaiyaru and also a Sanskrit scholar in Govt college.

People who have learnt mantra-SAStra, or music or Astrology will keep dwelling only on it - hence his Grand father did not learn it - did not ever go to the utsavam.

So even in recent times, not all Sanskrit scholars had good disposition towards Music.

Interesting that Sri tyAgaraja also dismissed two of them (manasu svAdhIna), astrology ( graha balamEmi), but extolled the qualities of sangIta.

Incidentally Madurai Mani Iyer did not sing GrahabalamEmi , I am told, because of his afflictions and he instead sang Navagraha Kritis.

Also heard did not sing nidhi cAla sukhamA , since he did accept remuneration for concerts.

mch...mch.. Not a true art musician.

[shankarank]

As regards Brahmins of that time, why they took to music, one can only speculate. May be loss of wealth, necessitated by migration etc.

Saama Veda is cited only as an early evolutionary source if at all , by musical historians. Don't think 17th, 18th century musicians were goaded into music by it.

Only Sri tyAgarAja cites SamavEda in his nAda tanumaniSam and this is also mentioned as a reason he created Karaharapriya as a rAgam from the scale. With his Rhythmic approach , he could make it work by having emphatical sangatIs.

Otherwise it is a bland scale. With techniques changing and voice getting a Mic. it has evolved into a major exposition.

Isai tamizh also developed with HarikAmbodhi based on Flute's default notes , per information from Sri TNS. That is also not a very bright scale as a full scale.

Not sure what is being rendered something like in Senchuritti here is a representative of the old one: https://youtu.be/Zj5PSwuz53M?t=883

Nothing like the rAgA music of Bhairavi, and Kambodhi.

RAgA music likely developed based on vINa and observation of vAdi/samvAdi relationship on the Strings.

[sam]

even in recent times, not all Sanskrit scholars had good disposition towards Music.

Interesting that Sri tyAgaraja also dismissed two of them (manasu svAdhIna), astrology ( graha balamEmi), but extolled the qualities of sangIta

Thank you Sir.
Can we surmise that the pre vijayanagar brahmins began to learn and excel in classical music, as a way to get court favours and livelihood ?
An imitation of royal court performers and communities from past centuries?
What is the cause and effect of Bharatj muni tretise on Naatya Sastra?

..