T N Rajarathinam Pillai's 127th Birth Anniversary: 100 Nadaswaram Artistes Rehearse For Grand Musical Tribute In Matunga

Mumbai: Nearly 100 artistes played the nadaswaram at the Sankaralayam temple, Chembur, on Saturday morning, as part of a rehearsal for Sunday morning's grand Carnatic music event in Matunga.

The artistes will walk from Sri Sankara Mattham, Matunga, to Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts Sabha auditorium, Sion, playing the nadaswaram on Sunday, August 31, morning to commemorate the 127th birth anniversary of the celebrated Nadaswara Vidhwan late T N Rajarathinam Pillai. 

About T N Rajarathinam Pillai

Pillai was born on August 27, 1898, in Thiruvavaduthurai, Tamil Nadu. He received his early musical training under Tirukodikaval Krishnaiyer and nadaswaram from Amma Chatram Kannuswami Pillai. The sound and the melody that emanated from his instrument captivated listeners, with the raga darbaar being one of his favourites.

His imagery virtually created a royal court with the structure of raga. For his fans, there was no one to surpass him in rendering the todi and the Shanmukapriya, said the Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts Sabha in its release. He was called 'Nadaswara Chakravarty' or the emperor of the nadaswaram for the heritage that he created.

Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts Sabha said that Pillai's presentation of ragas covered the entire gamut, nuances, and technical musical intricacies, and all the shades and subtleties. Begada, useni, poorvi kalyani, behag, mandu, peelu, he was comfortable exploring them and coming up with something original. A puritan among puritans, he earned his fame without pandering to popular tastes. 

Pillai was awarded the Padma Shri in the year 1952. The Department of Posts released a stamp in his honour in December 2020. He was conferred the title 'Sangeetha Ratnakara' by Jagadguru Sankaracharya Pujyasri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. 

On Sunday, noted Nadaswara Vidhwan Thiruvizha Jayasankar from Alappuzha, Kerala, will be conferred with the T N Rajarathinam Pillai Lifetime Achievement award. For over 75 years, Jayashankar has been the torchbearer of the nadaswaram tradition in Kerala and beyond. The lifetime achievement award carries a cash prize of Rs 2.5 lakhs, a lamp, a shawl, among other mementoes. The fellowship, which is given to 50 promising young nadaswara musicians from all over the country, carries a grant of Rs 1 lakh each for three years, said Dr V Shankar, president of the Sabha. The nadaswaram, an important accompaniment in Carnatic music, is similar to the Hindustani shehnai, but has distinct features and structure.

On the evening of Saturday, August 30, there will be a nadaswaram concert at the Sabha by noted Nadaswara vidhwans P  S Balamurugan and P S B Sarangan.