A journey in to Musicscape -2

9/14/2017

“Brahmmasri ‘Vaiyai’ Vaidyanatha Sivan, who later came to be popularly known and revered as “MAHAA” Vaidyanatha Iyer, was indeed an ‘Avathara Purushaa’.. truly destined to enrich he world of Carnatic Music, and born with a mission to accomplish several most astonishing, and unprecedented array of musical achievements”

So begins, S.Balachader’s foreward to this priceless book by Veena Vidwan and a lecturer in Annamalai University V.S Gomathi Sankara Iyer, who had printed this in two volumes with notes compiled by his own legendary father and disciple of “Mahaa” – Vasudevanallur Pallavi Subbiah Bagavathar!

Balachander thanks the author of the book for giving the privilege of writing the forward for this book, which particularly abounds in wonderous “Pallavi” wealth. Considering mere words to thank the author for this honor, to be literally uselee, he offers his ‘silent’ gratitude with utter humility… He further goes on to give a grand introduction to “Mahaa” in the next two paragraphs

“MAHAA” Vaidyanatha Iyer has been a ‘wonder of wonders’ and nothing short of this! At even a very early incredible tender age (when he was literally a teeny-weeny ‘tiny-tot’, this child proved himself to be a God gifted performer of Carnatic Music, with profound authoritative knowledge of the same.

At that tender small age, was this medium of art his sole accomplishment? Certainly, “NO”, kindly note! He was a versatile genius. He also had by then itself, studied and mastered the ‘Shastras’. Epics from ‘Siva puranas’ and devotional works of the ‘Nayanmars’ were part of his body and soul. He daily offered worship (in his home town temple and in several other shrines during his various concert tours) and also performed the daily pooja rituals in his place of residence in an immaculate detailed manner as such rituals verily demand. All these, to us, seem almost next to impossible! For, living in this kind of an age and living kind of life NOW, we feel do not ‘find’ the TIME to do this, to do that and to do what not!!!????!!!. We always ( I repeat, successfully ‘forever’) complain about ‘WANT OF TIME’. Now.. The only question that shall always remain is :- “What have we really done and accomplished within the time that all of us ‘Do’ have, how ever short or insufficient that time may be?” Reflecting on such ground, I wonder and even fear if ‘WE’ (including myself) are worthy enough to serve the MUSIC WORLD, which has been sanctified and made sacred by ‘selfless – fulltime – dedication’ of Saint composers like Thyagabrahmam and Savant singers like ‘Mahaa Vaidyanatha Iyer’.

All the above are in Balachader’s words.. If not anything, it gives a view of his style and manner of speaking! Very introspective, expressed in a tone of frustration on state of affairs, observed in 1970s’, when this book was published!

As we further move, I will skip a couple of paragraphs and move directly in to his talking about various PALLAVIS and his lament about how diminished and decayed that art form had become. Though, some 40+ years later, the state pretty much continues, maintains the status quo except a few attempts here and there by some enthusiastic musicians!

The 108 talas and 72 taals and even majority of 35 talas with their gathi bedhas have become ‘just’ a theoretical interest to most. I am sure, the career and concert tour concerned musical fraternity has no time for this..

NO I am not going to join revered Balachader Band in the lament, but am going to express my views as to what can be done.. But that can wait another day, later.

….More to come..