PRESENTATION OF MAHARAJAPURAM SANTHANAM AWARDS

[CRama]

Maharajapuram Santhanam Rasikas Trust spearheaded by Dr.Ganesh, the disciple of Sri Santhanam organised the 24th remembrance day of Sri Santhanam, who was snatched away by the cruel hands of fate on 24 June 1992. The function was held in Infosys Hall, Bazulla Road, Chennai. Dr. Ganesh who was with Santhanam on the previous day of his death shared his memoirs of that fateful day which was indeed most touching. Sri Santhanam, had been honouring senior vidwans with cash awards every year and this trust is treading on the path shown by the great musician. This year, the trust presented the Maharajapuram Santhanam Award to noted Carnatic Music Tutor Madurai M.Balasubramaniam and Noted Sampradaya Bhajanai Singer Srivanchiyam Murali Bhagavatar and also issued free Mediclaim policies to deserving musicians. The award consisted of citation, a picture of Kanchi Maha Periyavaa and cash award. Sri.Y.Prabhu, Secretary, Krishna Gana Sabha who was the Chief Guest presented the awards and remembered the long association KGS and his family had with the Maharajapuram family. Sri Viswanatha Iyer used to visit their house very frequently and used to have long discussions with Sri. Yajnaraman on various matters regarding music. MVI was one of the founders of the KGS. Sri Santhanam adorned the role of the Secretary of KGS for a brief period before proceeding to Sri Lanka. About Santhanam, Y.Prabhu mentioned that he was the greatest crowd puller of his period. His music attracted connoisseurs and layman alike. Now we are discussing how to bring youngsters to the auditorium. But when Santhanam performed, lot of college students flocked to attend his concert. He understood the pulse of the rasikas and offered the music that will be enjoyed by the entire audience. He also mentioned that Santhanam had a husky voice while talking and you will be surprised how that voice had produced magical music once on the stage. He had nice taste about everything including recipes. He mentioned one incident. Once Prabhu and Santhanam were going by train for a concert in Bangalore. Somebody was selling small brinjals in the train. Santhanam went to explain how the brinjal should be cut and cooked and how it will taste better when taken along with the rice. He also added that Santhanam music got further refinement after performing with Lalgudi Jayaraman. While travelling for concert, both will discuss only matters regarding music and discuss how to make the music richer. Sri Prabhu immensely appreciated the Guru bhakthi of Dr.Ganesh. It was through the timely and focussed efforts of Dr. Ganesh that the erstwhile Girifith Road where KGS is situated has been renamed as Maharajapuram Santhanam Road. Now about the awardees.
Madurai M.Balasubramaniam
Madurai M.Balasubramaniam performed Gurukulavasam with Dr.Balamuralikrishna for twenty years. He was working as a teacher in P.S High School and he learned lot of rare kritis, vivadi raga kritis, BMK compositions etc from BMK. In his speech he mentioned that todays young musicians are very intelligent. But they should learn and sing rare kritis of trinity and other vaggeyakaras.The same set of kritis should not be sung in every concert. They should take it as a mission to bring out the rare kritis and vivadi raga kritis out of the text books. He himself is teaching such kritis to many musicians even at this age. He is eighty five now. He sang Mahaneeya (Sumukham- Dr.BMK), a song of MD in Kanakambari and showed how the raga gets a different colour by shifting the madhyamam.

Sreevanchiyam Murali Bhagavatar
Murali Bhagavatar is an exponent of Namasankeertanam and very active in Sampradaya Bhajanai. He has since retired from A.G’s Office, Chennai. He is teaching hundreds of students (Not sure whether Carnatic music or bhajana paddhati songs.) He belongs to a musical family of Sreevanchiyam. Sree Vanchiyam Ramachandra Bhagavatar and Sreevanchiyam Mani iyer were his cousins. It should be mentioned here that he never takes any money for the bhajanais or for tutions. Further he is helping lot of deserving musicians financially and otherwise. He is giving monthly an amount of Rs 15000 to the family of one musician continuously for many years.

Sri Madurai S. Balasubramaniam, violinist and Sri S.Janakirama Bhagavatar fecilitated the awardees. Sri Janakirama Bhagavatar made a mini Pravachanam on the importance of Namasankeertanam quoting the compositions of various saint composers. The function was largely attended by the students of the awardees, their family and fans of Maharajapuram Santhanam. But the family members of Santhanam were conspicuously absent. I think they are having a different trust in the name of Santhanam. This was followed by the concert of T.M.Krishna.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Thanks CRama for the nice report. It is indeed heartening to know that a lot of welfare measures have been rightly initiated for Namasankirthana vidwans who are propagating the remedy for tiding over the perils of Kaliyuga.

I think Srivanchiyam Ramachandra bhagavatar is not the same vidwan as Srivanchiyam Ramachandra Iyer who was among the senior most disciples of Mudikondaan Venkatramana Iyer and an Aasthaana vidwan of Kanchi Mutt. He also served as Principal of Tiruvaiyaru Music college.He was one among the early exponents of the Simhanandana (taala) pallavi.

May be because of the presence of several traditional namasankirthana artists, T M Krishna has presented a Kutcheri (that followed the event ) "without much deviations' from the popular concert paddhati.