About my writing a few verses in Tamil
I was born and bought up in Kerala. I moved out of my village only after completing my 14th year. Being a Tamil speaking Brahmin, I was initiated in education (Vidyaarambham) in my third year. A lady whom we used to call Ezhutthammu was running an Ezhutthupalli ( akin to the nursery of today). I was put in that in my fourth year.. Though Ezhutthammu’s mother tongue was Malayalam, she knew Tamil and a little bit of Sanskrit also . She gave me the initial lessons in all the three languages and simple arithmetic. We had no note -books or copy-books. We had to sit on the floor on small mats known as Thadukku and write on sand spread on the floor. We had to learn a lot of lessons by-heart. Arithmetical tables, language lessons as well as simple slokas in praise of our deities plus general information like the names of the English and Malayalam months, the twenty seven stars and the 12 lunar signs (with the 2 ¼ stars grouped into each of these), Thitthhi, Vaara (days of the week) and a lot more general information was given to us. Only Amavasya, Ashtami and days of religious significance were observed as holidays. When I was about six, I was taken in the third standard in Sri Balakrishnan Nair’s Elementary School in our village. Thereafter I had no occasion to have lessons in Tamil language.
Though Tamil was not in the school curriculum, what was taught in the Ezhutthupalli, was good enough to enable me to read the tit-bits, jokes etc which were printed in Tamil magazines. That was all that I knew of Tamil till I went to Madras for higher studies in my fifteenth year. I was staying in the hostel and one of our classmates was an active member of the Tamil Sangham of the college. He used to take me to attend the periodical lectures on various topics arranged under the auspices of the Sangham especially if the audience was thin. Initially i was a little uncomfortable at these sessions as the chaste Tamil spoken by the lecturers was vastly different from our Palakkad Tamil dialect. Within two or three months, i started enjoying them. However, I had never read the classics like Kamba Raamaayanam, Silappathikaaram and I knew nothing of the great Tamil Ilakkanam or even the popular Thirukkural, thiruppukazh, and other compositions.
I joined Reserve Bank of India in September 1954. In January 1958, I was allotted a flat in the newly constructed staff quarters . A residents’ Welfare Association was formed, with annual subscription of Rs.2/, to attend to the common problems of the residents. There were a number of children below the age of five, but here were no schools near about for these children. So each member of staff occupying the quarters contributed Rs.10/ and with this as capital, we started a school with junior K.G., Senior K.G. and first standard. The community hall and one or two of the sheds meant for parking bicycles were used as class rooms. Children were provided with small mats for sitting and small desks kept on floor for keeping their books. I was the Honorary Auditor in the first year and when I pointed out some errors and suggested method of preparing the accounts, I was asked to take over as Honorary Treasurer next year and design a system. After about three years, new members took over and Mr.Gopalakrishnan Nair became the Secretary. He was very dynamic and responsive to suggestions for improvement of the life in the colony.
Soon after taking over, Gopalakrishnan Nair issued a circular stating that the residents and their families could enjoy two movies a month in the open air theatre if members contributed one rupee each month. Our annual subscription was only Two rupees as membership fee. We were using the money for celebrating independence day, Republic day and one or two other days of significance to the colony and exhibited one full length picture or so annually. Nair desired to give more entertainment and issued the circular in all sincerity. But it did not appeal to me. So i sent him a letter to the effect that all the occupants of the quarters could afford, not one but even more pictures every month comfortably in regular theatres. They need not stand in the open ground to watch movies. Secondly, a movie necessarily means that the place should be dark and none could see their neighbours or converse and interact. In my opinion, a colony life should promote interaction among the residents. Thirdly, quite a number of the children in the colony, housing 222 families, would definitely have interest in one or more arts and some of them could have good potential for development. Instead of giving them one film show (good or bad - fit for children or filthy) per month to be watched passively every month, the Welfare Association should try to give them exposure to as many arts and crafts as possible. Added to these was the security risk as the colony had five gates opening on to three roads.
Nair came to me running and said apologetically that this angle never struck him as he himself did not have any artistic leanings. He sought my help in planning and organising the cultural and artistic activities. I assured him of my full involvement. As we had a preparatory school for very young children, we used to have Saraswathi Pooja on Vijayadasami day. I suggested that we have cultural programmes everyday during Navarathri as Colony function in the open air auditorium and confine the pooja (religious part) to the school during the Vijayadasami day. Nair had a positive approach to all issues and he immediately issued a circular announcing the proposal and inviting entries from residents for individual as well as group performances. Initially the response was discouraging. So a colleague who was the Secretary of a well-known music sabha arranged for a performance by Smt. Radha and Smt Jayalakshmi, top ranking artistes in the Carnatic music field on the first day. Then, Chandrasekharan, a bharathanaatyam teacher approached me for a programme which he would conduct with his senior students and his own participation. He felt there was good potential to start a dance school in the colony and he was very confident that his programme would appeal to the residents, especially the school children. He pleaded with me to give him a chance as he was prepared to ask his students to bear almost the entire cost except fees of some of the members of the orchestra. He asked for only Rs.200/- I discussed the items to be presented at the programme and I was convinced that it would be really good. So even without asking the Secretary, I gave him the amount from my pocket. It was a grand performance in every way - - Technical aspects, aesthetics, music, complicated jathis and korvais, an excellent Thillaana and story part, especially in two items “BhasmaasuraMohini” and a dance rivalry between Siva and Paarvathy. Chandrasekharan made his mark and his dance class started soon. But, as with every classical art, the strength dwindled over a period of time and only three or four remained steadfast in learning the art. Surprisingly, they were all from North India, where Bharathanaatyam was alien then.
Professor KAYES, actually Mr. K.Sampath, one of our respected colleagues residing in the colony, was an amateur magician, his performance matching any professional’s. His contribution was also there for these functions.
The step initiated by me led to enthusiastic participation of the colony members in all the festivities in the colony. Many school/college going children showed a lot of originality in presenting skits, dramas and mimicry etc. But there were requests to me also from time to time, to arrange programmes by outsiders. As I was taking part in the music broadcasts of the All India radio as a mridangist fairly frequently, I had chance to build up rapport with officials in other departments of the organisation too. I became fairly close to Shri R.Ayyaswami, the executive in charge of Childrens’ programmes, as he was also a good friend of one of my colleagues. He was a very knowledgeable and highly talented person. Originality, imagination and aesthetic appeal were discernible in each programme that he conceived and produced for the participation of children in the AIR broadcasts. He had composed a lyric in Tamil condensing the great Epic Ramayana. It was called BAALA RAAMAAYANAM. The language was simple and the essence and mood of the original composition by Sage Vaalmeeki and Kambar, were beautifully captured in the verses. They were set to music by the Light music troupe of the AIR headed by Mallik (Mallikarjuna Rao). Shri Ayyaswami and the music troupe groomed Kumari k. Jayashree (Ka Jayashree), one of the children regularly participating in the children’s programmes to sing the songs during the children’s programmes every week. The first verse in the composition started with “KOSALAM ENDRORU RAAJIYAMAM ANGE KOMAAN DASARATHAN MANNAVANAAM”.
Shri Ayyaswami had also formed small groups of children ,called Radio Chiruvar Sangam in many localities of the city and encouraged them to produce programmes for participation in the AIR broadcasts. I requested him to do something for the children of our colony also. He readily agreed and as a first step, he organised a series of programmes on one evening in the colony. But he said about hundred children would take part in the programmes and he would require a 30 ft. X 40ft covered stage, transport for the children from various parts of the city, food for them (as they would be arriving for make up three hours before the show), light and sound system with dimmers (there would be no curtains). Our resources were very limited. Some of us decided to arrange for food with our own funds. We were hopeful of borrowing material for the stage from Citadel Studio, which was adjacent to our colony. But beyond this we could not promise anything. Shri Ayyaswami was a very resourceful person. He said he would manage to get the rest of requirements and he did.
The show commenced with a harvest dance for about 45 minutes, performed by about twenty girls in their teens. They were all well trained in bharathanaatyam and the show was directed by Maathangi and Saroja ( I hope I remember the names right), two accomplished dancers in Lalitha-Padmini troupe. The lyrics were written by Shri Ayyaswami. The song encompassed every activity connected with agriculture. Starting with deforestation of land, levelling it, ploughing and planting crops, nurturing the crops, reaping, grinding the corn and mixing it with honey, shaping the mixture as small balls and distributing it among themselves. Shri Ayyaswami was a Gandhian and he believed in equality. So in the distribution portion in the lyric he had mentioned “Annanukku orurundai, Ambikku orurndai ; Arasanukku orurundai, Aandikku orurundai” ( one for the elder brother, one for the younger one; one for the king and one for the destitute).
Following the dance there were five skits based on Gandhian Principles, produced and directed by one Shri karthikeyan. One was titled “Ithuvum or thiruttu” ( this is also a form of theft). The story was that in the school class one boy was having half a dozen pens, pencils etc in his pocket while some other students did not have even one. So one boy calls the first one a thief as he corners much more than what he needs. There is an argument and the accuser takes out a book and asks “do you know what this is ?. It is “Sathya sodhanai” ( Gandhiji’s ‘ Experiments with Truth’) and reads a few lines from the book. Unfortunately, the book was left at home. Karthikeyan rushed to me. “Sir, the children are very young. If the boy does not have a book in his hand, he will fumble and forget his dialogue. I need a book with about 250 pages immediately. Any book will do.” I had a copy of Experiments with truth in English and Life of Gandhi by Louis Fischer, but I had to search for them. Moreover, the boy who was to speak the words in Tamil. Anyway, I rushed home and picked up a book lying on my table and gave it to Karthikeyan. It was a short commentary on Indian Contract Act. I was worried whether the boy would be shocked when he opened the book. But Karthikeyan assured me that the boy had memorised the dialogue and would only open the book and utter the words as instructed.
The finale was a ballet based on Shri Ayyaswami’s “Baala Ramayanam”. With the help of Natanamani Balu, a very good bharathanatyam exponent and dance director for films, Shri Ayyaswami had trained a number of girls knowing bharathanatyam and prepared dance dramas for each part of his composition “ Bala Ramayanam”. He had decided to present the second part titled “Naalvar Aivar Aanaar”. It portrays the sequence from the preparation for Rama’s coronation, the cancellation, Rama’s leaving Ayodhya and entering the forest, his friendship with Guha, the hunter, Bhratha’s arrival and Paaduka Pattabhishekam. Shri Ayyaswami asked me to be present during the rehearsal. I was very much impressed. One of my friends asked me how such a jumble of programmes would be appreciated in our cosmopolitan colony. I told him “wait till you witness it. If after the last piece, you are able to control your tears and speak in your normal voice, I shall be a slave to you.”
The programmes were superb. In the last piece, the performance of the girl who acted as Bharatha was so moving that there was not an individual who could fight back tears. In this episode, Bharatha, who is in his uncle’s place, is sent for after his father king Dasaratha, dies consequent on Rama’s proceeding on exile. Bharatha is not told of the reason for his being summoned urgently. He comes with a lot of happy expectations of reunion with his brothers and family. Slowly the pall of gloom in the city enters his mood also. He is greeted and received by his mother as the future king of Ayodhya. He comes to know the facts of Rama’s exile, his father’s death and the machinations of his mother to make him king of Ayodhya. His grief, anger, revulsion for his mother and desire to bring back his beloved elder brother immediately, his fruitless efforts in this direction and ultimately his decision to live as a hermit on the outskirts of the city to rule the country as representative of Rama whose footwear he keeps on the throne, called for a variety of changing emotions. The girl of about 13 years , did it so well that spectators were rendered speechless.
After this too, there were repeated calls on me to arrange for programmes in the colony. By God’s Grace, I was able to do so,many times. I could get Chitti Babu and Kumari Gayathri (noted veena artistes) to perform at the colony. Natanamani Balu also staged a ballet titled “Choodikkoduttha Chudarkodi” depicting the story of Aandaal. Before my leaving the colony, Shri Ayyaswami arranged for a ballet “Seethai Thirumanam” from his Balaramayanam, this time encouraging and training a number of children from the colony to take part in the show.
In the year in which Astronauts Neil Armstrong and his companion landed on the moon, Smt.Vasantha, one of the teachers in the colony preparatory school composed a beautiful piece in the form of verses in Tamil and trained five children to perform this as a “Harikatha” (story telling with music and commentary interspersed) for the independence day programme. Two children were also trained to play the roles of the astronauts. They had made appropriate costumes for the astronauts and the Harikatha participants. It was very much appreciated by the audience.
It will be appreciated that these were all before the advent of Television in India.
All India Radio used to broadcast special programmes for children every year on 14th November (Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthday) which is observed as Children’s day. A visual presentation of some selected programmes was also arranged at the Music Academy on the evening of the 13th November. With the thumping success of the programme arranged by Smt.Vsantha at our Colony function, our colony school headmistress and teachers desired to have it presented at the AIR function on 13th November at the Music Academy Hall. They came to me with the secretary Shri Gopalakrishnan Nair and wanted me to talk to the AIR authorities. Shri Ayyaswami had retired. But I had rapport with other staff and I was able to persuade Mr.Nallathambi, the then Children’s Programme Executive, to visit our colony school and witness the presentation. He was satisfied that it could be presented, but desired that the music part should be improved and supported by a good orchestra.
I located Shri Thaayamban (I think it should have been Thaayanban) in our Cash department who was good at light music in Carnatic style and had his own troupe . He readily agreed to set the verses to music. He himself and his orchestra had a couple of rehearsals and the entire programme was approved by the Programme Executive. On 12th November, when I was about to open my lunch box at my office, Thayamban, came to me all in a flutter. It seems Shri Krishnamoorthy, Station Director, AIR, who was also well versed in music and traditional south Indian arts, personally supervised the final rehearsals conducted at the AIR studios. He was happy at the way our programme was set up. But when the programme concluded, it seems he really got upset as it did not have a ‘Mangalam’ to mark the auspicious end which is an inseparable part of all our concerts and harikathas. He said he would have to scrap it if, before evening, the troupe could not compose one and add it to the piece. Not only the teachers and the children who were to participate, but Thaayamban and his orchestra were also deeply disappointed. Thaayamban wanted me to do some thing to save the situation.
I was dumbfounded. I could not even think of requesting the Station Director to ignore a practice which was an integral part of every harikatha. Had I seen the script at some stage or other, I would have asked the teacher who was really talented, to add a few lines in the form of Mangalam. I was saddled with the work of four sections at the office as in-charge. I sat still for a few minutes. Even to this day, I do not know wherefrom I got the inspiration or how the words came to my mind. I took a piece of paper and wrote out in pencil
“ VINNULAKIN VENMATHIKKUM VIGNAANIYARANAIVARUKKUM / VAANAVELIVEERARUKKUM VAIYAKATTHILELLORUKKUM / MANGALAM JAYAMANGALAM MANGALAM SUBHAMANGALAM/ MANGALAM JAYAMANGALAM MANGALAM SUBHAMANGALAM”
I asked Thayamban to read it a few times and see whether it was all right and whether he could put it in one of the raagas usually accepted as fitting finale to our traditional programmes. He was immensely pleased and rushed to the studios where the other people were waiting. The Station Director was equally pleased, because he did not wish to reject an otherwise thought provoking and good programme only for want of a traditional finale.
After the visual presentation on 13th November, it was also broadcast by the AIR on the14th afternoon.
But the episode left me wondering how and what force enabled me to compose those lines which even a perfectionist like Shri Krishnamoorthy, Station Director accepted. On the one side it was the urge to see that the efforts and painstaking work of our school team and Thaayamban and his troupe should not go waste and on the other it was Almighty’s blessing. I had the same experience on a few more occasions which I shall narrate below.
In May 1985, I occupied Flat No A 63 in JALADA, our Bank Officers’ quarters at Prabhadevi, Mumbai allotted to me by the Bank. I was a member of faculty at the Bankers’ Training College at that time.
The College was at Veer Savarkar Marg, Dadar, hardly five minutes’ walk from my residence. Not being much of a mixer, I was not in contact with any of the residents except those who had been with me at Madras or Bangalore offices of the Reserve Bank of India or at the Bankers’ Training College. The colony consisting of 152 flats had a welfare association and a managing committee to run its affairs. There were four or five sub committees like the Milk committee, Transport committee, Sports Committee, Festival Committee, etc. In 1987, I was persuaded to become the Secretary of the Managing Committee. The main cultural activity was the celebration of the Ganesh Festival. The festival would start with the installation of the idol of Lord Ganapathi in the Community Hall and end with the immersion of the idol on the 5th or 7th day after evening worship. There would be worship in the morning and evening and cultural events in the evening and nights. Games, sports and competitions would also be held as part of the celebrations. In the year in which I became the Secretary, the persons who used to perform the worship as priests, could not do it for some reason or another. No professional was available. So the mantle fell on my shoulders and I did it in the traditional way, after bath in the morning and evening. Additionally I had to look to the other aspects of the celebrations, though the convenors of the Festival Committee and sports committee had done practically everything. The colony people participated very actively. It was in the midst of these that my first daughter’s tuition teacher’s wedding took place. Their family was very close to us. I was keen to give a good gift. But I could not find the time to go out and choose an appropriate one. Moreover, I started running temperature after the third day of the festival, but carried on with my activities all the same. The marriage was on a Sunday. On Saturday afternoon, I lay down out of sheer exhaustion and started dozing. Suddenly, a few lines in Tamil came to my mind. “Pudumanappolivum Punnakaiyum Thikazha/ Panpum Padaviyum Paarengilum Pukazhum Petru/ Paavaiyival Pathiyudane Paallaandu Vaazhdhidave/ Paramanadi Potriduvom Paamaalai choottiduvom”
I scribbled them in my crude hand-writing, on a piece of paper and read them out to my friend Mr.Chari, Dy.General Manager of I.D.B.I. who was staying in Twin Towers, adjacent to our colony. Chari’s immediate response was “From where did you steal it ?” because, according to him it was quite good. He appreciated it and his wife offered to write the verse in artistic characters on coloured paper. Within a couple of hours the work was done and my son had it put in a beautiful frame. The next morning I presented this and a token amount of Rs.101/ to the teacher after the Muhoorttham. They were a family of Tamil scholars and the gift was greatly appreciated.
The third occasion was more astonishing.
A Bharathanaatyam exponent and teacher whom I had known only casually in 1995, was preparing to produce a ballet on Sree Krishna. She had been told by some one that I could compose in Tamil and she approached me to write the lyrics for the ballet. I pleaded my inability to help as my knowledge of Tamil was very shallow. I left it at that. Meanwhile, the newly formed co-operative housing society of our two buildings in the Brindavan complex was in dole drums. The committee members quarrelled among themselves and the President himself left for his son’s place far away. A special general body meeting was convened to elect fresh Committee members so that the affairs of the society would not be taken over by the Registrar of co-operative societies. Though I was keeping myself aloof from the society matters as I knew of the quarrels, a good number of the 80 members prevailed upon me to take over as Chairman and promised full co-operation. I agreed and the general body enthusiastically elected the other members. Unfortunately, bickering started within a week and my job became frustrating. Though I was able to put down the unhealthy elements with the co-operation of the other members, I was feeling very sad about being drawn into this. One evening when I was ‘down in the dumps’ I started thinking about my village temple and the Presiding Deity, Sree Krishna. After some time, I wondered why I should not attempt writing something on the Deity. Between 5.30 p.m and early morning 3.30 next day, I had composed about 30 lines in Tamil, covering Sree Krishna avathaaram. When it was completed, I felt greatly relieved. I took out photo copies and sent them to some of my friends who had studied Tamil at college and one of them was a poet. I received uniform appreciation for the composition.
I gave it to the dance teacher. But it was not of much use to her . What she was producing was neither Krishna leela as normally understood nor a complete picture of Sree Krishna Avathaaram. It was a collection of episodes from the story of Sree Krishna including the game of dice between Paandavas and Kauravas. Later the teacher asked for a script for ‘Mangalam ‘ or the auspicious finale for the programme. I was able to compose one in Sanskrit.
I sent copies of the Tamil composition on Krishna to my friends with my new year greetings that year. Then in 1997,my village people asked me for material for a souvenir to be brought out in connection with the raising of funds for the Kumbhaabhishekam of our Sree Krishna temple. I gave both the compositions to them. They were happy to have it, but wanted me to add a few lines linking the Tamil verses with our Sree Krishna, the Presiding Deity at my village temple. I was able to do so. Both the compositions were published in the souvenir. The Tamil composition was reproduced in some other magazines. Because they were appreciated by many, copies were distributed at some religious forums(fora). I can only say that all this was Almighty’s game and I got the credit for the compositions. Both are available in my Blog and are also reproduced below.
Year after year, my friend Sri Mohandas has been composing fresh poems as Greetings for Pongal on 14/15th January and sending to all his friends and relatives. After my cardiac bypass surgery on 9th December 2004, I was feeling restless, being confined to bed. Somehow, a few lines came to my mind near about pongal next year. I scrawled them on my letterhead and sent them to Mohandas and my friends.
That is all that i have by way of compositions in Tamil language to God’s credit making me instrumental to those ( rather than saying that I wrote them).
P.G.Krishnamoorthy 8A/12, Brindavan, Thane West-400601.
I was born and bought up in Kerala. I moved out of my village only after completing my 14th year. Being a Tamil speaking Brahmin, I was initiated in education (Vidyaarambham) in my third year. A lady whom we used to call Ezhutthammu was running an Ezhutthupalli ( akin to the nursery of today). I was put in that in my fourth year.. Though Ezhutthammu’s mother tongue was Malayalam, she knew Tamil and a little bit of Sanskrit also . She gave me the initial lessons in all the three languages and simple arithmetic. We had no note -books or copy-books. We had to sit on the floor on small mats known as Thadukku and write on sand spread on the floor. We had to learn a lot of lessons by-heart. Arithmetical tables, language lessons as well as simple slokas in praise of our deities plus general information like the names of the English and Malayalam months, the twenty seven stars and the 12 lunar signs (with the 2 ¼ stars grouped into each of these), Thitthhi, Vaara (days of the week) and a lot more general information was given to us. Only Amavasya, Ashtami and days of religious significance were observed as holidays. When I was about six, I was taken in the third standard in Sri Balakrishnan Nair’s Elementary School in our village. Thereafter I had no occasion to have lessons in Tamil language.
Though Tamil was not in the school curriculum, what was taught in the Ezhutthupalli, was good enough to enable me to read the tit-bits, jokes etc which were printed in Tamil magazines. That was all that I knew of Tamil till I went to Madras for higher studies in my fifteenth year. I was staying in the hostel and one of our classmates was an active member of the Tamil Sangham of the college. He used to take me to attend the periodical lectures on various topics arranged under the auspices of the Sangham especially if the audience was thin. Initially i was a little uncomfortable at these sessions as the chaste Tamil spoken by the lecturers was vastly different from our Palakkad Tamil dialect. Within two or three months, i started enjoying them. However, I had never read the classics like Kamba Raamaayanam, Silappathikaaram and I knew nothing of the great Tamil Ilakkanam or even the popular Thirukkural, thiruppukazh, and other compositions.
I joined Reserve Bank of India in September 1954. In January 1958, I was allotted a flat in the newly constructed staff quarters . A residents’ Welfare Association was formed, with annual subscription of Rs.2/, to attend to the common problems of the residents. There were a number of children below the age of five, but here were no schools near about for these children. So each member of staff occupying the quarters contributed Rs.10/ and with this as capital, we started a school with junior K.G., Senior K.G. and first standard. The community hall and one or two of the sheds meant for parking bicycles were used as class rooms. Children were provided with small mats for sitting and small desks kept on floor for keeping their books. I was the Honorary Auditor in the first year and when I pointed out some errors and suggested method of preparing the accounts, I was asked to take over as Honorary Treasurer next year and design a system. After about three years, new members took over and Mr.Gopalakrishnan Nair became the Secretary. He was very dynamic and responsive to suggestions for improvement of the life in the colony.
Soon after taking over, Gopalakrishnan Nair issued a circular stating that the residents and their families could enjoy two movies a month in the open air theatre if members contributed one rupee each month. Our annual subscription was only Two rupees as membership fee. We were using the money for celebrating independence day, Republic day and one or two other days of significance to the colony and exhibited one full length picture or so annually. Nair desired to give more entertainment and issued the circular in all sincerity. But it did not appeal to me. So i sent him a letter to the effect that all the occupants of the quarters could afford, not one but even more pictures every month comfortably in regular theatres. They need not stand in the open ground to watch movies. Secondly, a movie necessarily means that the place should be dark and none could see their neighbours or converse and interact. In my opinion, a colony life should promote interaction among the residents. Thirdly, quite a number of the children in the colony, housing 222 families, would definitely have interest in one or more arts and some of them could have good potential for development. Instead of giving them one film show (good or bad - fit for children or filthy) per month to be watched passively every month, the Welfare Association should try to give them exposure to as many arts and crafts as possible. Added to these was the security risk as the colony had five gates opening on to three roads.
Nair came to me running and said apologetically that this angle never struck him as he himself did not have any artistic leanings. He sought my help in planning and organising the cultural and artistic activities. I assured him of my full involvement. As we had a preparatory school for very young children, we used to have Saraswathi Pooja on Vijayadasami day. I suggested that we have cultural programmes everyday during Navarathri as Colony function in the open air auditorium and confine the pooja (religious part) to the school during the Vijayadasami day. Nair had a positive approach to all issues and he immediately issued a circular announcing the proposal and inviting entries from residents for individual as well as group performances. Initially the response was discouraging. So a colleague who was the Secretary of a well-known music sabha arranged for a performance by Smt. Radha and Smt Jayalakshmi, top ranking artistes in the Carnatic music field on the first day. Then, Chandrasekharan, a bharathanaatyam teacher approached me for a programme which he would conduct with his senior students and his own participation. He felt there was good potential to start a dance school in the colony and he was very confident that his programme would appeal to the residents, especially the school children. He pleaded with me to give him a chance as he was prepared to ask his students to bear almost the entire cost except fees of some of the members of the orchestra. He asked for only Rs.200/- I discussed the items to be presented at the programme and I was convinced that it would be really good. So even without asking the Secretary, I gave him the amount from my pocket. It was a grand performance in every way - - Technical aspects, aesthetics, music, complicated jathis and korvais, an excellent Thillaana and story part, especially in two items “BhasmaasuraMohini” and a dance rivalry between Siva and Paarvathy. Chandrasekharan made his mark and his dance class started soon. But, as with every classical art, the strength dwindled over a period of time and only three or four remained steadfast in learning the art. Surprisingly, they were all from North India, where Bharathanaatyam was alien then.
Professor KAYES, actually Mr. K.Sampath, one of our respected colleagues residing in the colony, was an amateur magician, his performance matching any professional’s. His contribution was also there for these functions.
The step initiated by me led to enthusiastic participation of the colony members in all the festivities in the colony. Many school/college going children showed a lot of originality in presenting skits, dramas and mimicry etc. But there were requests to me also from time to time, to arrange programmes by outsiders. As I was taking part in the music broadcasts of the All India radio as a mridangist fairly frequently, I had chance to build up rapport with officials in other departments of the organisation too. I became fairly close to Shri R.Ayyaswami, the executive in charge of Childrens’ programmes, as he was also a good friend of one of my colleagues. He was a very knowledgeable and highly talented person. Originality, imagination and aesthetic appeal were discernible in each programme that he conceived and produced for the participation of children in the AIR broadcasts. He had composed a lyric in Tamil condensing the great Epic Ramayana. It was called BAALA RAAMAAYANAM. The language was simple and the essence and mood of the original composition by Sage Vaalmeeki and Kambar, were beautifully captured in the verses. They were set to music by the Light music troupe of the AIR headed by Mallik (Mallikarjuna Rao). Shri Ayyaswami and the music troupe groomed Kumari k. Jayashree (Ka Jayashree), one of the children regularly participating in the children’s programmes to sing the songs during the children’s programmes every week. The first verse in the composition started with “KOSALAM ENDRORU RAAJIYAMAM ANGE KOMAAN DASARATHAN MANNAVANAAM”.
Shri Ayyaswami had also formed small groups of children ,called Radio Chiruvar Sangam in many localities of the city and encouraged them to produce programmes for participation in the AIR broadcasts. I requested him to do something for the children of our colony also. He readily agreed and as a first step, he organised a series of programmes on one evening in the colony. But he said about hundred children would take part in the programmes and he would require a 30 ft. X 40ft covered stage, transport for the children from various parts of the city, food for them (as they would be arriving for make up three hours before the show), light and sound system with dimmers (there would be no curtains). Our resources were very limited. Some of us decided to arrange for food with our own funds. We were hopeful of borrowing material for the stage from Citadel Studio, which was adjacent to our colony. But beyond this we could not promise anything. Shri Ayyaswami was a very resourceful person. He said he would manage to get the rest of requirements and he did.
The show commenced with a harvest dance for about 45 minutes, performed by about twenty girls in their teens. They were all well trained in bharathanaatyam and the show was directed by Maathangi and Saroja ( I hope I remember the names right), two accomplished dancers in Lalitha-Padmini troupe. The lyrics were written by Shri Ayyaswami. The song encompassed every activity connected with agriculture. Starting with deforestation of land, levelling it, ploughing and planting crops, nurturing the crops, reaping, grinding the corn and mixing it with honey, shaping the mixture as small balls and distributing it among themselves. Shri Ayyaswami was a Gandhian and he believed in equality. So in the distribution portion in the lyric he had mentioned “Annanukku orurundai, Ambikku orurndai ; Arasanukku orurundai, Aandikku orurundai” ( one for the elder brother, one for the younger one; one for the king and one for the destitute).
Following the dance there were five skits based on Gandhian Principles, produced and directed by one Shri karthikeyan. One was titled “Ithuvum or thiruttu” ( this is also a form of theft). The story was that in the school class one boy was having half a dozen pens, pencils etc in his pocket while some other students did not have even one. So one boy calls the first one a thief as he corners much more than what he needs. There is an argument and the accuser takes out a book and asks “do you know what this is ?. It is “Sathya sodhanai” ( Gandhiji’s ‘ Experiments with Truth’) and reads a few lines from the book. Unfortunately, the book was left at home. Karthikeyan rushed to me. “Sir, the children are very young. If the boy does not have a book in his hand, he will fumble and forget his dialogue. I need a book with about 250 pages immediately. Any book will do.” I had a copy of Experiments with truth in English and Life of Gandhi by Louis Fischer, but I had to search for them. Moreover, the boy who was to speak the words in Tamil. Anyway, I rushed home and picked up a book lying on my table and gave it to Karthikeyan. It was a short commentary on Indian Contract Act. I was worried whether the boy would be shocked when he opened the book. But Karthikeyan assured me that the boy had memorised the dialogue and would only open the book and utter the words as instructed.
The finale was a ballet based on Shri Ayyaswami’s “Baala Ramayanam”. With the help of Natanamani Balu, a very good bharathanatyam exponent and dance director for films, Shri Ayyaswami had trained a number of girls knowing bharathanatyam and prepared dance dramas for each part of his composition “ Bala Ramayanam”. He had decided to present the second part titled “Naalvar Aivar Aanaar”. It portrays the sequence from the preparation for Rama’s coronation, the cancellation, Rama’s leaving Ayodhya and entering the forest, his friendship with Guha, the hunter, Bhratha’s arrival and Paaduka Pattabhishekam. Shri Ayyaswami asked me to be present during the rehearsal. I was very much impressed. One of my friends asked me how such a jumble of programmes would be appreciated in our cosmopolitan colony. I told him “wait till you witness it. If after the last piece, you are able to control your tears and speak in your normal voice, I shall be a slave to you.”
The programmes were superb. In the last piece, the performance of the girl who acted as Bharatha was so moving that there was not an individual who could fight back tears. In this episode, Bharatha, who is in his uncle’s place, is sent for after his father king Dasaratha, dies consequent on Rama’s proceeding on exile. Bharatha is not told of the reason for his being summoned urgently. He comes with a lot of happy expectations of reunion with his brothers and family. Slowly the pall of gloom in the city enters his mood also. He is greeted and received by his mother as the future king of Ayodhya. He comes to know the facts of Rama’s exile, his father’s death and the machinations of his mother to make him king of Ayodhya. His grief, anger, revulsion for his mother and desire to bring back his beloved elder brother immediately, his fruitless efforts in this direction and ultimately his decision to live as a hermit on the outskirts of the city to rule the country as representative of Rama whose footwear he keeps on the throne, called for a variety of changing emotions. The girl of about 13 years , did it so well that spectators were rendered speechless.
After this too, there were repeated calls on me to arrange for programmes in the colony. By God’s Grace, I was able to do so,many times. I could get Chitti Babu and Kumari Gayathri (noted veena artistes) to perform at the colony. Natanamani Balu also staged a ballet titled “Choodikkoduttha Chudarkodi” depicting the story of Aandaal. Before my leaving the colony, Shri Ayyaswami arranged for a ballet “Seethai Thirumanam” from his Balaramayanam, this time encouraging and training a number of children from the colony to take part in the show.
In the year in which Astronauts Neil Armstrong and his companion landed on the moon, Smt.Vasantha, one of the teachers in the colony preparatory school composed a beautiful piece in the form of verses in Tamil and trained five children to perform this as a “Harikatha” (story telling with music and commentary interspersed) for the independence day programme. Two children were also trained to play the roles of the astronauts. They had made appropriate costumes for the astronauts and the Harikatha participants. It was very much appreciated by the audience.
It will be appreciated that these were all before the advent of Television in India.
All India Radio used to broadcast special programmes for children every year on 14th November (Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthday) which is observed as Children’s day. A visual presentation of some selected programmes was also arranged at the Music Academy on the evening of the 13th November. With the thumping success of the programme arranged by Smt.Vsantha at our Colony function, our colony school headmistress and teachers desired to have it presented at the AIR function on 13th November at the Music Academy Hall. They came to me with the secretary Shri Gopalakrishnan Nair and wanted me to talk to the AIR authorities. Shri Ayyaswami had retired. But I had rapport with other staff and I was able to persuade Mr.Nallathambi, the then Children’s Programme Executive, to visit our colony school and witness the presentation. He was satisfied that it could be presented, but desired that the music part should be improved and supported by a good orchestra.
I located Shri Thaayamban (I think it should have been Thaayanban) in our Cash department who was good at light music in Carnatic style and had his own troupe . He readily agreed to set the verses to music. He himself and his orchestra had a couple of rehearsals and the entire programme was approved by the Programme Executive. On 12th November, when I was about to open my lunch box at my office, Thayamban, came to me all in a flutter. It seems Shri Krishnamoorthy, Station Director, AIR, who was also well versed in music and traditional south Indian arts, personally supervised the final rehearsals conducted at the AIR studios. He was happy at the way our programme was set up. But when the programme concluded, it seems he really got upset as it did not have a ‘Mangalam’ to mark the auspicious end which is an inseparable part of all our concerts and harikathas. He said he would have to scrap it if, before evening, the troupe could not compose one and add it to the piece. Not only the teachers and the children who were to participate, but Thaayamban and his orchestra were also deeply disappointed. Thaayamban wanted me to do some thing to save the situation.
I was dumbfounded. I could not even think of requesting the Station Director to ignore a practice which was an integral part of every harikatha. Had I seen the script at some stage or other, I would have asked the teacher who was really talented, to add a few lines in the form of Mangalam. I was saddled with the work of four sections at the office as in-charge. I sat still for a few minutes. Even to this day, I do not know wherefrom I got the inspiration or how the words came to my mind. I took a piece of paper and wrote out in pencil
“ VINNULAKIN VENMATHIKKUM VIGNAANIYARANAIVARUKKUM / VAANAVELIVEERARUKKUM VAIYAKATTHILELLORUKKUM / MANGALAM JAYAMANGALAM MANGALAM SUBHAMANGALAM/ MANGALAM JAYAMANGALAM MANGALAM SUBHAMANGALAM”
I asked Thayamban to read it a few times and see whether it was all right and whether he could put it in one of the raagas usually accepted as fitting finale to our traditional programmes. He was immensely pleased and rushed to the studios where the other people were waiting. The Station Director was equally pleased, because he did not wish to reject an otherwise thought provoking and good programme only for want of a traditional finale.
After the visual presentation on 13th November, it was also broadcast by the AIR on the14th afternoon.
But the episode left me wondering how and what force enabled me to compose those lines which even a perfectionist like Shri Krishnamoorthy, Station Director accepted. On the one side it was the urge to see that the efforts and painstaking work of our school team and Thaayamban and his troupe should not go waste and on the other it was Almighty’s blessing. I had the same experience on a few more occasions which I shall narrate below.
In May 1985, I occupied Flat No A 63 in JALADA, our Bank Officers’ quarters at Prabhadevi, Mumbai allotted to me by the Bank. I was a member of faculty at the Bankers’ Training College at that time.
The College was at Veer Savarkar Marg, Dadar, hardly five minutes’ walk from my residence. Not being much of a mixer, I was not in contact with any of the residents except those who had been with me at Madras or Bangalore offices of the Reserve Bank of India or at the Bankers’ Training College. The colony consisting of 152 flats had a welfare association and a managing committee to run its affairs. There were four or five sub committees like the Milk committee, Transport committee, Sports Committee, Festival Committee, etc. In 1987, I was persuaded to become the Secretary of the Managing Committee. The main cultural activity was the celebration of the Ganesh Festival. The festival would start with the installation of the idol of Lord Ganapathi in the Community Hall and end with the immersion of the idol on the 5th or 7th day after evening worship. There would be worship in the morning and evening and cultural events in the evening and nights. Games, sports and competitions would also be held as part of the celebrations. In the year in which I became the Secretary, the persons who used to perform the worship as priests, could not do it for some reason or another. No professional was available. So the mantle fell on my shoulders and I did it in the traditional way, after bath in the morning and evening. Additionally I had to look to the other aspects of the celebrations, though the convenors of the Festival Committee and sports committee had done practically everything. The colony people participated very actively. It was in the midst of these that my first daughter’s tuition teacher’s wedding took place. Their family was very close to us. I was keen to give a good gift. But I could not find the time to go out and choose an appropriate one. Moreover, I started running temperature after the third day of the festival, but carried on with my activities all the same. The marriage was on a Sunday. On Saturday afternoon, I lay down out of sheer exhaustion and started dozing. Suddenly, a few lines in Tamil came to my mind. “Pudumanappolivum Punnakaiyum Thikazha/ Panpum Padaviyum Paarengilum Pukazhum Petru/ Paavaiyival Pathiyudane Paallaandu Vaazhdhidave/ Paramanadi Potriduvom Paamaalai choottiduvom”
I scribbled them in my crude hand-writing, on a piece of paper and read them out to my friend Mr.Chari, Dy.General Manager of I.D.B.I. who was staying in Twin Towers, adjacent to our colony. Chari’s immediate response was “From where did you steal it ?” because, according to him it was quite good. He appreciated it and his wife offered to write the verse in artistic characters on coloured paper. Within a couple of hours the work was done and my son had it put in a beautiful frame. The next morning I presented this and a token amount of Rs.101/ to the teacher after the Muhoorttham. They were a family of Tamil scholars and the gift was greatly appreciated.
The third occasion was more astonishing.
A Bharathanaatyam exponent and teacher whom I had known only casually in 1995, was preparing to produce a ballet on Sree Krishna. She had been told by some one that I could compose in Tamil and she approached me to write the lyrics for the ballet. I pleaded my inability to help as my knowledge of Tamil was very shallow. I left it at that. Meanwhile, the newly formed co-operative housing society of our two buildings in the Brindavan complex was in dole drums. The committee members quarrelled among themselves and the President himself left for his son’s place far away. A special general body meeting was convened to elect fresh Committee members so that the affairs of the society would not be taken over by the Registrar of co-operative societies. Though I was keeping myself aloof from the society matters as I knew of the quarrels, a good number of the 80 members prevailed upon me to take over as Chairman and promised full co-operation. I agreed and the general body enthusiastically elected the other members. Unfortunately, bickering started within a week and my job became frustrating. Though I was able to put down the unhealthy elements with the co-operation of the other members, I was feeling very sad about being drawn into this. One evening when I was ‘down in the dumps’ I started thinking about my village temple and the Presiding Deity, Sree Krishna. After some time, I wondered why I should not attempt writing something on the Deity. Between 5.30 p.m and early morning 3.30 next day, I had composed about 30 lines in Tamil, covering Sree Krishna avathaaram. When it was completed, I felt greatly relieved. I took out photo copies and sent them to some of my friends who had studied Tamil at college and one of them was a poet. I received uniform appreciation for the composition.
I gave it to the dance teacher. But it was not of much use to her . What she was producing was neither Krishna leela as normally understood nor a complete picture of Sree Krishna Avathaaram. It was a collection of episodes from the story of Sree Krishna including the game of dice between Paandavas and Kauravas. Later the teacher asked for a script for ‘Mangalam ‘ or the auspicious finale for the programme. I was able to compose one in Sanskrit.
I sent copies of the Tamil composition on Krishna to my friends with my new year greetings that year. Then in 1997,my village people asked me for material for a souvenir to be brought out in connection with the raising of funds for the Kumbhaabhishekam of our Sree Krishna temple. I gave both the compositions to them. They were happy to have it, but wanted me to add a few lines linking the Tamil verses with our Sree Krishna, the Presiding Deity at my village temple. I was able to do so. Both the compositions were published in the souvenir. The Tamil composition was reproduced in some other magazines. Because they were appreciated by many, copies were distributed at some religious forums(fora). I can only say that all this was Almighty’s game and I got the credit for the compositions. Both are available in my Blog and are also reproduced below.
Year after year, my friend Sri Mohandas has been composing fresh poems as Greetings for Pongal on 14/15th January and sending to all his friends and relatives. After my cardiac bypass surgery on 9th December 2004, I was feeling restless, being confined to bed. Somehow, a few lines came to my mind near about pongal next year. I scrawled them on my letterhead and sent them to Mohandas and my friends.
That is all that i have by way of compositions in Tamil language to God’s credit making me instrumental to those ( rather than saying that I wrote them).
P.G.Krishnamoorthy 8A/12, Brindavan, Thane West-400601.
