Addeddate 2016-05-14 02:31:29 Identifier K.A.NilakantaSastriBooks Identifier-ark ark:/13960/t9q28kv55 Ocr ABBYY FineReader 11.0 Ppi 600 Scanner Internet Archive HTML5 Uploader 1.6.3. Mahendra varma I (600–630 CE) was a Pallava king who ruled the Southern portion of present day Andhra region and Northern regions of what forms present-day Tamil Nadu in India in the early 7th century.
His legacy continued in the long list of great Violinists who came under his tutelage. To name a few – R. K. Venkatarama Sastry, V. Sethuram, Palghat S. R. Mani, V. Ramaratnam, K. S. Alagiriswamy, H. R. Seetaram Sastry and H. S. Anasuya. Chowdaiah is credited with at least seventeen keerthanas and five tillana compositions. He was a regular musician at the Akashvani Studios in Mysore. Along with Veena Doreswamy Iyengar, he had the rare distinction of playing music at Chief Minister S. Nijalingappa’s family wedding function! Chowdaiah founded the Ayyanar School of Music in Mysore at the Prasanna Seeta Rama Mandira. He is popularly remembered as ‘Pitulu (fiddle) Chowdaiah’ to this day. The concert hall in Malleswaram, Bengaluru is named in his memory. He passed away on 19 January, 1972 at the age of 72. His affable, endearing persona still lingers on. His music remains timeless.
References:
1.‘Sangeetha Samaya’
2.‘Sangeetha Saritha’
3.‘Sangeetha Sampradhaya’ by T. Chowdaiah
4.‘Vidwan T. Chowdaiah’ by S. Krishnamurthy
Kansas Tribune
In 1903, a nine year old boy stood on the banks of river Kapila with a frown on his face, waiting for his daily boat to arrive. His school was on the other side of the river. A passing scholar by name of Vidyakantha Acharya (of Sosale Mutt) was intrigued by the boy’s sad countenance and enquired him the reason for it. He learned that, having learnt Amara and Raghuvamsha, the boy had no further inclination to learn anything further in the Sanskrit school! He further learnt that the boy’s endearing passion was to learn only one thing – Music! The learned scholar read the boy’s palm and immediately took the boy home and convinced his parents not to coerce him into attending the formal school, but instead allow him to pursue music. This boy would be known later as Pitilu Chowdaiah – the Violin maestro from Mysore.
Kansas Trips
Chowdaiah was born on 1 January, 1894 to Agastye Gowda and Sundaramma at Tirumalakudalu - eighteen miles from Mysore. The town is at the confluence of rivers Kaveri and Kapila and the greenery that abounds is truly breath taking. The ancient temple of Agasthyeshwara figures in various Puranas. The large fig tree that stands in front of the temple is called the ‘Brahma-Aswatha’. On the banks of Kaveri is the Sosale Mutt. By the banks of Kapila is Tirumalakudalu Narasipura town. These were the environs in which our Violin Maestro had his early childhood. T. Chowdaiah’s mother, convinced by Vidyakantha Acharya decided to put Chowdaiah through Violin classes under his step brother Pakkanna. These didn’t go well and Chowdaiah did not want anything more to do with Pakkanna! Distraught, Sundaramma turned to her brother for help. He decided to take Chowdaiah to Mysore and entrust him in the care of Bidaram Krishnappa for further training in music in 1910. Chowdaiah was sixteen years of age.
For the next few years, Chowdaiah was put through a rigorous training regimen. He used to get up by four in the morning and exercise (Kusti) till eight. From nine in the morning till noon, he would practice the Violin. There was a brief period of rest after lunch. Again from three in the afternoon till five, he had to devote himself to Violin practice. His master used to encourage walks in fresh air till seven in the evening, where after it was again practice till ten in the night! He had to stick to the same single Raga for one full week. Chowdaiah considered Mysuru Vasudevacharya also as his Guru. He accompanied Bidaram Krishnappa on many concerts.