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Home , Ayamkudy, Chembai, Guruvayur Dorai, Muthiah Bhagavatar, Niraval, Vechoor

MUSICIANS OF A series on some unsung musicians

VECHOOR HARIHARASUBRAMANIA IYER (1925-1994) True representative of the Semmangudi bani C. Ramakrishnan

he establishment of the Sri Teaching stint Swati Tirunal College of Hariharasubramania Iyer joined the Music in Tiruvananthapuram T faculty of the RLV (Radha Lakshmi in 1939 was a milestone in the Vilasam) College of Music and Fine history of in Kerala. Arts, Tripunithura, in 1947. Later It was the result of the vision of he got transferred to his alma mater, three outstanding individuals— the Swati Tirunal College of Music, Maharani Sethu Parvati Bayi (mother Trivandrum, and retired from service of Sree Chithira Tirunal Maharaja), in 1980. Post retirement, he served Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer (Dewan as Visiting Professor in the RLV of ) and Semmangudi College of Music in Tripunithura, and Srinivasa Iyer. The academy was the Memorial Government established with the primary objective Music College in Palghat, besides of propagating the compositions holding the post of Principal of the of Swati Tirunal. Harikesanallur Sree Chithira Tirunal College of Muthiah Bhagavatar was roped in as Music run under the aegis of the its first Principal and he painstakingly Sree Swati Tirunal Sangeeta Sabha, collated the manuscripts of the Trivandrum. While heading this of Swati Tirunal from various sources, institution, he undertook a project of tuned them and popularised them. publishing notations for all the songs Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer took over covered in the syllabus for the various from Muthiah Bhagavatar as Principal, courses, but breathed his last before to be succeeded by such illustrious completing the task. musicians as G.N. Balasubramaniam enrolled in the Swati Tirunal During his long career as a teacher, he and K.S. Narayanaswamy. This Music Academy of Trivandrum trained thousands of students, some of institution can really be proud in 1943 and passed the Gana whom have blossomed into musicians of producing a bunch of talented Bhushanam course in First Class of substance and present pure musicians among whom Vechoor in 1947. As a student, he acquired classical music, seamlessly passing Hariharasubramania Iyer occupies a a wealth of compositions of the it on to succeeding generations. He prominent position. likes of Swati Tirunal, the music imbibed the positive aspects of his Trinity, Purandaradasa, Papanasam Early years Semmangudi, and was clever Sivan, and Arunagirinathar, from the enough to avoid the negative aspects Hariharasubramania Iyer was born faculty which included great masters such as nasal voice, taking snuff, and in Vechoor, a quiet village in like Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, facial contortions. Vechoor sang with district, to Neelakanta Iyer C.S. Krishna Iyer, M.A. Kalyanakrishna a stoic face, devoid of any expression and Janaki Ammal on 11 November Bhagavatar, K.R. Kumaraswamy or mannerisms. When Sethu Parvati 1925 as their second child among Iyer, , and Bayi wanted to identify a guru to four sons. Noticing his taste for G.N. Balasubramaniam (visiting teach music to her great-grandson Carnatic music from an early age, faculty)—and the subtle nuances of Prince Aswati Tirunal Rama Varma, his parents engaged nagaswara Carnatic music. He also underwent she interviewed all the available vidwan Chertala Kuttappa Panicker gurukulavasam under Semmangudi in Trivandrum and selected Vechoor for preliminary lessons. After his Srinivasa Iyer for five years to further for his unswerving adherence to matriculation, Hariharasubramaniam hone his skills. classicism.

38 l SRUTI May 2018 His uncompromising music was a marked discipline in whatever Nijadasavarada which he rendered he presented. His alapana of a main in that concert had a unique sheen— The music of Vechoor Sir, as he was like or Todi would be for his quintessential music brimming respectfully addressed in the concert 10-12 minutes and he never indulged with raga bhava—the lakshya never circuit, was unadulterated, pristine in stretching the raga to exhibit trespassing the lakshana. In 1990, he music which was greatly gamaka his vidwat or manodharma. At the presented three concerts in Mumbai oriented. His initial training under same time, in classes or impromptu and the NCPA chairperson wanted his the nagaswaram vidwan perfected sessions, he could sing a major raga concert to be recorded for its archives. his gamakas which were reflected like for an hour After much persuasion, Vechoor in his alapana. He had an endearing without repetition of any sangati. The relented and agreed to a recording voice and he sang in 1-kattai with seasoned rasika found his exposition for 90 minutes which included sruti suddham, akara suddham, laya of rakti like Saveri, , Sree Mahaganapati, Brovabharama, suddham, kalapramana suddham, and Anandabhairavi, Varali, and Sarasijanabhamurare. It will be a sahitya suddham. He was also inspired haunting. He generally followed the blessing for music lovers if NCPA by the expansive alapana style of madhyama kala rendering of kritis makes the recording available to the GNB and his flashing brigas. He very which would appeal to the majority public. The Gayaka Ratnam concert much appreciated the music of MLV of listeners and the kritis would be at the Swati Tirunal Sangeeta Sabha, and liked her judicious application presented with well defined sangatis. Trivandrum, in 1994 is still cherished of brigas. The vilamba kala music He followed his guru’s path of for his Smaramanasa (Darbar), of M.D. Ramanathan and the bass presenting mind boggling sarvalaghu Samodam paripalaya (Ramapriya) voice of Puducode Krishnamurthy swara patterns and eschewed pre- and the ragam-tanam-pallavi in also had their influence on Vechoor’s rehearsed korvais. He created many Mukhari.” music. The influence of GNB could pallavis in the sapta talas and was Senior accompanying vidwans held be seen in his presentation of songs adept in presenting 4-kalai pallavis him in high regard, and besides like Sudhamayee, Himagiri tanaye, in a highly enjoyable manner, never the native musicians, vidwans Evarikai avataramey, and Kalayami sacrificing aesthetics for arithmetic. Raghuramam. There was raga bhava like Dorai, Umayal- in every phrase of his raga alapana, Vocalist Trivandrum Sekar, who puram Sivaraman, T.K. Murthy, tanam, niraval and kalpana swara. accompanied Vechoor for many V.V. Ravi, M.A. Sundareswaran, His well structured alapana was years recalls: “His concerts normally M. Chandrasekaran, and Tiruparkadal presented in a delectable format, attracted a sizeable crowd of Veeraraghavan accompanied him strengthened with the characteristic rasikas who were keen to savour in many concerts. Vechoor believed nagaswara pidis spanning three octaves unadulterated music. In 1989, there that the concert was a team effort and ornamented with vadi samvadi was a devastating flood in Madurai and he ensured that accompanists touches, equally appealing to novices and the next day was his concert. were in their comfort zone. He sang and connoisseurs. It was characteristic Though the city was reeling under the in the Navaratri Mandapam for of him to plumb the depths of each raga impact of the floods, his concert had many years when Semmangudi never and present it in its grandeur. There a full house. Kritis like Evarikai and missed a concert of his favourite student and always expressed (L to R): T.K. Murthy (), Ayamkudi Mani (vocal support), his appreciation of his scholarly Vechoor Hariharasubramania Iyer (vocal), V.V. Ravi (violin) presentation. Once after hearing the concert of Vechoor at the Navaratri Mandapam, T.N. Krishnan (who was to accompany Semmangudi the next day) assured that next year he would accompany Vechoor and he kept his word. A graded artist of Travancore Broadcasting Corporation (later named as AIR) since 1950, Vechoor was elevated to the level of A Grade. He gave concerts throughout Kerala

39 l SRUTI May 2018 weakness, so he encouraged them to develop their own styles and not become his carbon copies. His disciples who have made a mark in the concert arena are many and include K.J. Yesudass, P.R. Kumarakerala Varma, (the late) Neyyatinkara Vasudevan, Vasudevan Namboothiri, Tiruvizha Jayasankar, Varkala C.S. , Prince Rama Varma, Ayamkudy Mani, Trivandrum Sekar, Guruvayur Venkiteswaran,

(L to R): Trivandrum R. Vaidyanathan (mridangam), Hariharasubramania Iyer, Parvatipuram Padmanabha Iyer, Trivandrum Sekar (vocal support), K. Venkitachalam (violin) Bhama Krishnan, Trikkariyur Rajalakshmi, M.N. Savithri, K.N. and in temple festivals A typical class would start with the Sreekumar (Secretary, Swati Tirunal and sabhas and also in Mumbai. He singing of varisais, alankarams, and Sangeeta Sabha, Trivandrum), and never planned his concerts, choosing , thereby ensuring that a Jayalakshmi Ramesh. his songs instantaneously, judging strong foundation for music was by the venue and the audience. He laid. Hence, even decades after A strong willed person performed at the Madras Music learning them, his students are able For a contented person, never Academy in 1977. His concert was a to render the songs with precision aspiring for riches or positions, permanent fixture on Vaikkathashtami without referring to notebooks Vechoor was strong willed. In his day in the Vaikkom Mahadevar or the iPad in a concert. Aswati twenties, he once went to present temple as also in many temples Tirunal Rama Varma learnt from a concert at the in the Nagercoil- belt, Vechoor for twelve years and where, year after year he presented after his demise, learnt to play the during the Ekadasi festival. He new kritis and pallavis. He retained from R. Venkatraman and was already seated on stage with the timbre of his voice till the very K.S. Narayanaswamy, and vocal his accompanists and was about to end. His last concert in Soorya, music from the maestro Mangalampalli begin the concert when a famous Trivandrum, held a few days before Balamuralikrishna. Rama Varma violinist walked in and the authorities his death, received rave reviews asserts that the solid foundation asked young Vechoor to yield the from critics and connoisseurs. It is laid by Vechoor Sir enabled him to stage to the senior violinist. The young unfortunate that Vechoor was strictly adapt to the diverse styles of his four musician left feeling humiliated. against recording of his concert, Vechoor returned at night after causing a great loss to musicians, gurus and successfully carry forward everybody was gone and the mike music students and rasikas. Very the legacy of Balamuralikrishna. set was still there. He went on few songs from his concerts are Vechoor regarded his students as his stage and started singing to the available in the public domain and family members. Although he hailed with private collectors of music. from an orthodox family, he never accompaniment of the tambura. The (Sarasijanabha murarey in Todi at worried about the caste or religion famous violin vidwan rushed to the http://y2u.be/Aoeo4VBGqog). of his students and many times venue upon hearing the heavenly paid the college fees and offered music, and came forward to take Guru non pareil food to poor students, despite his Vechoor under his wing and even own financial constraints. One of promised an exalted position in Vechoor belonged to a century his students, belonging to another Carnatic music. But young Vechoor when masters desired that their community, did gurukulavasam and rejected the offer; this of course disciples should internalise the songs was more than a son to him. All turned out to be a blessing for and any type of recording was not this he did quietly without any thousands of music aspirants in permitted. There was an instance of publicity. Kerala. a student recording the lessons being suspended from class on detection. Vechoor believed that every student When the TV station started Vechoor would not even permit the had his individuality with regard functioning in Trivandrum, many students to note down the lyrics. to voice felicity, strength and vidwans applied for performance

40 l SRUTI May 2018 Receiving the Gayaka Ratnam award from Princess Kartika Tirunal Receiving the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academi award Gowri Lakshmi Bayi as T.K. Murthy looks on slots. When Rama Varma asked many of his disciples going on concert The next generation in the Vechoor Vechoor to give an application, he tours abroad. And as a real guru, it family is taking the legacy forward. replied: “So far I have never submitted was the success of his disciples that Vechoor has one son and two an application for any post; I have gave him more pleasure than his own daughters. The elder daughter Radha accepted whatever came to me”. In success. Sharma, who learnt music from him, course of time, Vechoor was offered lives in his house in Valiachalai Street, a performance opportunity. As he Awards and recognitions Trivandrum, and conducts music was not used to lights and make-up, classes, while his son Neelakantan Like many of his peers in Malabar Vechoor felt very diffident on the day, and younger daughter Geetha (a land, Vechoor too did not receive but the spontaneity and confidence music graduate and teacher) are the recognition and awards he richly with which he sang reflected his settled in Delhi. His grand-daughter deserved. The Kerala Sangeetha lifelong sadhana. Rathnaprabha is an up-and-coming Nataka Akademi award was Carnatic musician in . Her Though outwardly reserved and self bestowed on him in 1987, duly concert in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan effacing, Vechoor had a keen sense followed by Sangeeta Ratnam from Mini Hall during the music season was of humour, and loved action movies, the Irinjalakuda Sangeeta Sabha in well received. Vechoor Sankar, a noted especially the films of Bruce Lee, the same year. The Swati Tirunal musician in Kerala, is his brother’s which he watched with his friend, Sangeeta Sabha, Trivandrum, son and young vocalist N.J. Nandini, violinist Chalakudy Narayanaswamy. honoured him with the coveted title disciple of Parassala Ponnammal, In May 1994, some of his students made of Gayaka Ratnam in 1994. The is his brother’s granddaughter. arrangements for a US concert tour Chembai Music Trust, Trivandrum Vechoor Hariharasubramania Iyer which however, had to be cancelled organised a remembrance day for passed away on 16 November 1994 as Vechoor suffered a heart attack. Vechoor Hariharasubramania Iyer on following a massive cardiac attack. A staunch believer in destiny, he did 16 December 2017 in which many of His wife Mahalakshmi passed away n not show the slightest disappointment, his disciples shared memories of their last year. but he did have the pleasure of seeing revered guru. Inputs and photos from Rathnaprabha

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