Vasu

I have been supressing the urge to mention my dear brother Vasu's premature exit - may be because of the dark twilight zone in the recent past, waiting for cyclone Jal to cross the shores of Chennai. I feel like sharing the anguish of losing somebody, who was almost my alter ego! I raised him from day one till he started going to school at the age of 3. I taught him to play (seating him on my lap) technically perfect mrdangam, with correct fingering techniques, and he was ready to perform when he was 7. We played double mrdangam with my Guru, and Dr. Balamuralikrishna, when Vasu was only 12 or 13 years old. A successful dual mrdangam accompaniment was thus initiated and followed by many in later years.

Vasu, as all of us in the family circle call him, had a phenomenal memory for korvais, anecdotes and different styles of vocalists. He could reel off any of the above at any given time! On one occasion in 2002, he detailed a korvai and told the listeners about how Anna composed it in the car, as we were driving to Yesudas' concert in Bangalore in 1968 - and we all played it! On another occasion, all of a sudden, he squatted on the floor and demonstrated a Kokilapriya raga tala pallavi, which I performed at the Academy in 1969, and did trikalam, etc, etc, and meticulously demonstrated the guru and plutam.

He was the best socializer in the family at all functions like upanayanams, weddings, including inauspicious ones. They were all conceived, scripted and executed with perfection - with accounts for every rupee and paise provided upon completion! He was a friend to all the kids and a terror as well! He would not brook indiscipline at any level!

For my first ever vocal concert with the all-time legend, Palghat Mani Iyer, at the Ragapriya sabha, in Tiruchirapalli, Vasu was my vocal support, along with Sikkil Bhaskaran on the violin - from the Bhairavi Ata Tala varnam to 4-kalai pallavi in Bhairavi! Sri Mani Iyer was pleasantly surprised and blessed him to become an elite musician accompanist.

During the concert this year at the Trivandram Navarathri Mandapam, I sang Paramapurusha in Ragam Vasantha. When I was sitting with Varadu, I did sruthi bhedam on madhyamam, and it gave an interesting scale. We could not find its equivalent in the books - it is Amritavarshini with suddha daivatham added on the Avarohanam. Varadu wanted me to compose something ASAP, and I did it. We named it Vasupriya in memory of Vasan!

I could go on.... his intimate family, Geeta, his wife, Son Girish - a highly talented mrdangist, and daughter Vibha, the computer whiz kid - all were just a part of the broad canvas of Vasu's global family. We share our grief ad nauseum - what else?

Now I am left only with memories.

Some Memories of Deepavali

Diwali - a different celebration for each of the multicultural milieu in our Bharath and other Asian cultures. My blessings, best wishes and fervent hopes all for you, for Diwali - Deepavali.

I am not one to celebrate such occasions only because of the hype they have generated in the minds of all sections of our society - the must do, must give, must take, etc. Anyway, if such occasions ultimately provide a great solace or a diversion from the day to day pit falls, so be it. Let us celebrate with great music and less noise!

Deepavali reminds me about the times with my Guru, the doyen of Carnatic music, Chembai mama. He used to perform for Mani Swamigal in Appu Mudali street, Mylapore, after Deepavali every year, just for the latter's blessings and prasadam. He would take just 10 Rupees and give us, his accompanists - violinist V.V. Subramaniam and myself on the mridangam, 2 Rupees each! These concerts always had the stature of a full-fledged sabha cutcheri, jam-packed with rasikas!!!

I am also very nostalgic on Deepavali day about Dikshitar's Meenakshi me mudam dehi. The day brings me a bitter-sweet sensation for this was Dikshitar's swan song and one of the most beautiful compositions in Poorvikalyani. For over 30 years, I did not sing this song in kutcheris. Recently, I have begun teaching it to my disciples, and in my most recent concert on Vijaydasami day, I sang this song at Varadu's (violinist S. Varadarajan) request. The neraval, at madhu mada moditha, was highly emotive and brought great involvement and joy to both the singer and listeners!

I have lots of good news to share with you, so you will hear from me soon.

Until then,
TVG

Greetings on Vijaydasami Day

I have been ruminating on Vijaydasami these last few days, its importance, impact and intensity. For me, Vijayadasami has been very important. My earliest forays into the concert scene always coincided with Navarathri celebrations in Kerala. We had almost daily concerts, and on Vijaydasami Day, my father (the late Vishwanatha Bhagavathar, the Palace Musician in Cochin State) used to take me with him to sing before the royalty in the Navarathri Mandapam, Darbar Hall, Cochin. I always felt embarrassed when they treated me like a child - I was just 7 years old then! - rather than a musician, of which I was quite proud!

The memories of spending Navarathri along with my Guru Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar are quite exceptional - full of inspiration, energy, thapas, saadhana and soulabhya. In Chennai, in the late sixties, he would wait for me on Vijayadasami, and only after making me sing, he would have lunch, mostly along with me.

In the last few years, Vijayadasami has become highly personalized for all of us at AIMA - our Vidyapeetam. From early morning, the bustling activities with disciples old and new, voices and instruments, and concluding with a special evening in my eminent disciple, Ilayaraja's house, when I sing exclusively for God and him.

Until next time. With blessings,
TVG