Kunnakudi takes the final bow

Tue, 09 Sep, 2008,03:42 PM . An ample forehead smeared with sacred ash and scarlet Kumkum right at the centre. Amongst a sea of musicians it was hard to miss Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan. The man and his music were familiar to the scholars of Carnatic music and the laymen alike. . Kunnakudi (he was readily identified with the name of his native rather than the name given to him to by his parents) did what most musicians of his generations considered almost blasphemous. It was his efforts that took Carnatic music within the reach of the layman. He was a craftsman who simplified Classical music for the common listener and made him appreciate it. The term janaranjagam found true meaning in his music. Born in 1935 at Kunnakudi to Ramaswamy Sastri and Meenakshi, Vaidyanathan evinced keen interest in Carnatic music since his young age. He mastered his music under the tutelage of his father who was a scholar in Sanskrit besides being proficient in Classical music . Even at a young age, he accompanied stalwarts like Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyer and Maharajapuram Santhanam on the violin. He also performed with nagaswara vidwans like T N Rajarathinam Pillai and Thiruvenkadu Subramania Pillai. Known for his dexterity and subtlety in handling the violin, he catered not only to a scholar of music but also to a layman. His music reflected his own different moods and the demands of his audience with whom he established and enjoyed a good rapport. He dwelt with ease and competence in the high as well as the low octaves. A man of many talents, he ventured into the film industry with Vaa Raja Vaa. In the film Deivam, his composition Marudamalai mamaniyae murugaiyya became an evergreen hit. He had composed music for several films including Agathiyar and Raja Raja Chozhan. He even produced a Tamil musical titled Thodi Ragam featuring Carnatic vocalist T N Seshagopalan. Vaidyanathan made a special appearance in the Tamil blockbuster movie Anniyan directed by Shankar. He appeared for a scene on the Thiruvaiyaar music festival which preluded the song Iyengaaru Veetu in the film. Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan stopped accompanying vocal artistes in 1976 so as to concentrate on his solo concerts. He is well known for his experiments on the violin, which he referred as fingering techniques. He was conferred the Padma Shri by the Indian government. He received several honours including Kalaimamani, Sangita Mamani etc. He served as the president of Raaga Research Centre. Kunnakudi had contributed to the cause of theatres too. During his tenure as the president of Tamilnadu Iyal, Isai, Nataka Manram, he encouraged several new talents. The Carnatic music fraternity has expressed its deep shock at the sudden demise of Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan on Monday. Kunnakudi, breathed his last at his residence in Mylapore following a cardiac arrest. Expressing shock at his death, violinists duo Ganesh and Kumaresh said, ‘it is a big loss to Carntic music world. He was a guide for many aspiring musicians. He took up intense research in raagas and took Classical music to the common man.’ ‘The annual music festival in Thiruvaiyaru will lose its charm without the presence of Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan. His loss is irrevocable’, they added. According to Carnatic vocalist O S Thyagarajan, ‘Vaidyanathan was a popular name, who rendered yeoman service to Carnatic music. His demise is an irrevocable loss’. Says dramatist Raadhu, ‘I shared a good raport with Kunnakudi since 1954. He had a zeal to excel in his chosen field. A great scholar and a philosopher, Kunnakudi encouraged everyone and was generous with his praise for real talents.’ He took music close to the layman and always played to the gallery, he added. ‘Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan was a great violinist and had no equal in the field. He brought a status to the violin. His achievements cannot be numbered. He had a helping tendency and was responsible for helping many artistes obtain the recognition they deserved. His research on the healing effects of various ragas, was a great contribution to the medical world. He was a close associate of mine and his demise is a personal loss and a great loss to the music world’, said violinist M S Anantharaman. ‘He was a perfect gentleman, a capable administrator and great violinist. He produced melodious music that could entertain and appeal to all sections of people. He made the violin his very own and gave it a special status. His demise is a great loss to the music world’, said violinist M S Gopalakrishnan.