The early death of Sannakka and his father’s transfer to poets such as Kuvempu, Bhendre, Masti Venkatesa Iyengar, D. V. Mysore necessitated moving out of Rudrapatna. But his musical Gundappa, etc. One of his singular contribution has been the education never stopped. For professional reasons, his brother production of a series for AIR called Sri Krishna Vaibhavam, in which Venkararama Shastry moved to Chennai. One could trace a part of he has set to tune the lyrics in Hindustani ragas. Rudrapatna K Srikantan Srikantan’s music to the direct lineage of disciples of Thyagaraja. As a teacher, Srikantan belongs to the school that would He sipped from the river Kaveri and eventually himself But that is only part of his musical life. Trips to Chennai to visit his like to keep elements of the earlier gurukula system. He prefers the became an ocean of music brother and also the parade of musicians that came to visit their one-to-one guru/shishya arrangement. His ‘school’ has produced home in Mysore exposed young Srikantan to the music of the Ram K. Ramaprasad many worthy musicians. Notable among his Sishya Parampara are stalwarts of his time. This direct personal interaction with them his own son, Vidwan Ramakanth, a noted vocalist in his own right, played a big role in his musical development. He listened to their his daughter Rathnamala Prakash, who has carved a niche for music, made notes and notations, practiced them and sang them herself in Sugam Sangeeth, Vidhushi M. S. Sheela, Flute Vidwan S when he met them again. So, his music is his own, developed Shashank. And the list continues to include such music personages through years of constant practice and contact with senior as T. S. Sathyavathi, R.A.Ramamani, Suma Sudhindra, Shanti musicians. His path appears to be that which is mentioned by the Rao, Vidyabhushana, Amit Nadig, Charulatha Ramanujam, and 13th century poet Puligere Somanath in his Someshwara Shataka. Nalina Mohan. He is also known for his very lucid lec-dems which One stanza there begins with the words Kelavam Ballavarindha are eagerly listened to. Kalithu, Kelavam Shastrangalam Kelutham……(loosely translated, Such a distinguished life naturally is punctuated with you learn some from the learned, some by listening to the many awards. The first award he received was in 1947, with the title Shastras….). It is no exaggeration to say that Srikantan is a self- Ganabhaskara. For history buffs, it is to be noted here that Tiger made musician, and his bani is his own, chiseled through formal Varadachar was also present on this occasion. Many more awards tutelage and his own deeply personal meditations on music. Among have followed regularly over the years, too many to list here. More his interactions with people like Ariakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, importantly, the Sangeetha Kalanidhi award was given in 1996 and Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer, Musiri Subramania Iyer and the Padma Bhushan award in 2011. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, it appears that he was more profoundly influenced by Musiri. When asked about it, his reply was that Musri’s And then, there is Srikantan the man. In an article he auchityam (or appropriateness of a particular musical usage) was wrote last year for the Kannada magazine Mayura (August 2011), he impressive. refers to his wife Maitreyi as his life’s fundamental note (Aadhaara Shruthi). Now in his nineties, his affection for and appreciation of At Mysore, with the passage of years, Srikantan obtained her role in his life has all the fragrance of a young man in love with his his B. A. from the Maharajah’s College, but he opted for music for his young bride. He acknowledges that his musical successes have life’s work. Through the patronage of the Mysore Maharajahs, been possible only because of her unstinting support of his efforts, musicians flocked to the court in Mysore and it was a great learning wherein she looked after all the needs of the household so he can opportunity for all seekers of nada. But, to make a living out of music devote his time to music. She has been his fan and his critic. Quite Scholars and students of music alike would have was difficult for the local artists since, in those days, the public was knowledgeable herself in music, she kept watch over their growing observed that two towns on the banks of Kaveri have distinguished reluctant to pay for a concert. Fortunately for Srikantan, he found a children as they advanced through their musical pursuits as also themselves as the birthplace of some famous musicians in Carnatic job with the then Mysore State Radio, and after All India Radio was their other educational pursuits. music. Though Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu is more frequently formed, he moved to Bangalore and was on its staff for more than referenced in discussions of music, it is to be noted that the small thirty years. A great being, on whom the accolades and adulations sit town of Rudrapatna, near Hassan in Karnataka, is caressed by lightly, Srikantan, through his long and dedicated life, has shown all As noted by critics and connoisseurs, Srikantan’s music is Kaveri long before she meanders into the delta of Thanjavur. One of us what a consistent creative life is. His insistence on adhering to characterized by its uncompromising adherence to tradition, with line of Sankethis, in their migration from Tamil Nadu to Karnataka in tradition, demanding excellence in execution of creativity and emphasis on a full throated articulation of the sahitya grounded in years past, settled down in the hamlet of Rudrapatna, and the rest seeking new frontiers all the time as an antidote for stale thinking will shruthi and laya shudham. His concept of a concert is a well planned has been musical history. be the guiding star for all of us. It can be stated that he is likely the program that has a balance of composers, kritis and ragas. And oldest living exponent of Carnatic music, still active as a teacher, a Driving down Seshadripuram Main Road in Bangalore, through the years, as his music has grown within him, so has his performer, and a globe trotter in spreading this ancient tradition that one might pay more attention to the erratic autos than to music transformed from emphasis on understandable youthful he is heir to. He belongs to that rare collection of artists among us Puttaranganna Lay Out, a road off the main bustle. But there virtuosity to one of great artistic sensitivity, with a voice to match and who have carried on their shoulders the pure and priceless heritage resides one of the enduring traditions of our musical heritage in the a reservoir of knowledge to draw on. His concerts are noted for their that we fondly and respectfully call our Carnatic music heritage. The person of Sangeetha Kalanidhi R. K. Srikantan. The traveler might broad choice of compositions, including rare ragas and kritis, the future is richer because people like Srikantan received, nourished also not realize that the roots go back more than nine decades to result of his intense practice over the years with an avidity to learn and passed it on to others. Rudrapatna. more of new compositions. Even after the passage of time, his voice has not lost its musical quality, nor his zest to render a kriti. The youngest son of Rudrapatna Krishna Shastry and We are standing next to this ocean, and its churning has given us, over the years, the nectar of music. May it last for a long Sannakka, the child was born on Makara Sankranthi day in the year His long stint at AIR, Bangalore was a great opportunity for time! 1920, if one is looking for events with symbolism – promises of him to use his musical talent in the promotion of music. He has longer day light time or abundant new harvest. It was a family produced programs there, during the course of which, he has to tune [Author’s note: It is difficult to acknowledge in this short space all the seethed in Sanskrit, Vedas and music. Krishna Shastry was a great many of the compositions. In Mysore, he had collaborated with sources I have consulted. Whereas I am thankful for these, the scholar in Sanskrit and Kannada, an artist and a Harikatha vidwan. Vidwan T. S. Tatachar in tuning many Kannada compositions. In errors here are my own] Sannakka was a fine singer too. Proclivity to music by Srikantan Bangalore this work continued. He has tuned many devaranamas was noticed very early. Mentoring under his father was followed later of Purandhara, keeping in mind their classic nature. He has done The author, a past trustee of CMANA, is a scientist and an by tutelage under his elder brother, the renowned violinist R. K. the same for songs of Narayana Theertha’s Krishna Leela ardent rasika of music. He occasionally indulges in writing on books Venkatarama Shastry.. Tarangini. He has set to music many works of eminent Kannada and music