Veena Padmanabhaiah

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Veena Padmanabhaiah
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Background information
Born(1842-09-23)23 September 1842
Budihal
Died29 September 1900(1900-09-29) (aged 58)
GenresCarnatic Music
Occupation(s)
InstrumentsVeena and Singing

Veena Padmanabhaiah (1842 - 1900) was an Indian Carnatic Musician-composer, a veteran Veena player. He was one of the Musicians of the Kingdom of Mysore having served as a court musician in courts of Late Krishnaraja Wadiyar III and Chamarajendra Wadiyar X of Wadiyar dynasty. While he taught music in Maharani's Girls High school (present day Maharani's Arts College For Women, Mysuru[1]) and Maharaja Samskrta Pathashala (later known as Maharaja's Sanskrit College, Mysore), he also taught music to the women folk in the Royal Family. Another doyen of Carnatic Music, Sangeetha Kalanidhi, Padma Bhushana Mysore Vasudevachar received his primary tutelage in music from Veena Padmanabhaiah.

Early life and education

Padmanabhaiah was born on 23rd September 1842 (That is, the 4th day (Caturthi), Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada of the Shalivahana era year 1764, Shubhakrit Samvatsara as per the Hindu calendar when the Bharani (star) prevailed) [2][3]), in the village Budihal (variously called Srirampura, Budalu, Budal etc) in Hosadurga Taluk, Chitradurga district (previously in Tumakuru district) in the Indian state of Karnataka. He was born into a family belonging to the Hoysala Karnataka sect of the Brahmin community, to a couple by name Shri Venkatanarayana Shastry (alias Gundabhatta) and Shrimati Lingamma.

He was born after a few days from the annual Anant Chaturdashi festival (a festival which involves a vow (Vrata) dedicated to Lord Ananta Padmanabha Swamy). It is said that a couple of days after the said festival, his father was having a holy dip in a river, when he stumbled upon a small casket containing the sacred thread used in the said festival. Since the kid was born within a few days after this incident, the couple named him Padmanabha

Born as the second son to his parents, he had a very unpleasant childhood. Orphaned with his mother at a very tender age, he had to grow up as an ignored child, away from his father, under the care of his paternal uncle. However his father initiated him into minimal Brahminical education, just enough to practice the vocation of a priest. But the boy Padmanabha was drawn towards music, a passion that would never be encouraged by his father. Finally with the mediation of an elder family friend, the boy managed to get his father send him to learn music under one Hosadurga Venkatesha Shastry living in the nearby village Chikkanayakana Halli. This teacher was a disciple of Veena Shamanna, one of the famous Musicians of the Kingdom of Mysore. Padmanabha received a good grounding in the music from this teacher. By the time his basic education concluded, back in the village, he had lost his living as he was deprived of his share in the ancestral property by his conspiring father and brothers. It seems that his father had paid Rupees Fifty to the teacher as the 'Gurudakskina" or tuition fees in the beginning itself; So the father said Padmanabha would get nothing more from the property. Deeply hurt by this injustice and with no means of support in the village, an indignant Padmanabha packed his bags and left for Mysore as advised by his teacher, to continue his education with teacher's teacher Veena Shamanna himself. Apart from his bag-pack, another thing he carried with him was the Veena that his guru had blessed him with[4].

Higher Education

Having left the village with an empty hand but for his Veena, Padmanabhaiah took shelter under the Palace chief priest Krishna Shastry in Mysore. It was Krishna Shastry who introduced Padmanabha to Veena Shamanna.

Padmanabhaiah's musical abilities bloomed under the tutelage of Veena Shamanna. It is here that he got the opportunity to interact with the likes of Palghat Parameswara Bhagavathar, Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer, Pallavi Seshayyar, Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar, Tirukkodikaval Krishna Iyer etc.

During this time he also got acquainted with many Sanskrit scholars through his patron Krishna Shastry. He also undertook higher studies in Sanskrit in the Maharaja Samskrta Pathashala and acquired a deep understanding of Sanskrit language and literature.

These scholarly interactions and an artistically and academically charged environment helped him shape up as a great composer-singer-player.

Royal Patronage, marriage and personal life

Krishnaraja Wadiyar III was a benevolent king. An art connoisseur and a scholar himself, the art and literature received a great deal of encouragement under his regime. The king spent his evenings in musical and literary gatherings of palace artists and scholars. Padmanabhaiah had an opportunity to frequent and participate in these gatherings along with his guru Veena Shamanna and his patron Krishna Shastry.

In one such evening, Veena Sambayya a veteran court scholar among the Musicians of the Kingdom of Mysore made a mistake in interpreting a verse from the musical treatise Sangeeta Ratnakara. While everybody kept quiet not daring to incur the wrath of this veteran, the young Padmanabhaiah rose up to politely but firmly point out the same and re-interpret the verse, much to the embarrassment of Veena Sambayya[5][6][7]. While this greatly annoyed Sambayya, the rest of the gathering including the king were much delighted over this spark of scholarship. In due course of time, the king appointed him as a Court Musician. In 1965 Padmanabhaiah had an opportunity to perform in the Royal court and earned "Mahatapi Khilat" from the king. He was awarded with a monthly honorarium of 3 Hana. Even after the subsequent demise of Krishnaraja Wadiyar III in 1868, Padmanabhaiah continued to receive the same regard and respect by the subsequent king Chamarajendra Wadiyar X[8]

In the meanwhile he had to leave Mysore to go back to village on receipt of a letter from his father that he was planning for Padmanabhaiah's marriage. The king Chamarajendra Wadiyar X saw him off with a handful of golden sovereign for the marriage gift. However Padmanabhaiah learnt on his return to the village, that the letter was just a pretension by his father and brothers to get him back to the village since he was now a man of fortune. It is said that they cunningly took away all his earnings and kept mum over the matter of his marriage. This is said to have resulted in quite a physical fight, and all the concerned were pacified subsequently by the "Avadhani", the elderly family friend who had earlier arranged for Padmanabhaiah's musical education. Presently he also facilitated Padmanabhaiah's marriage with Venkamma from the nearby town Settikere (See Yoga Madhava Temple, Settikere)[9][10]

A thoroughly battered Padmanabhaiah didn't wish to go back to Mysore thereafter. For some time he lived a frugal life with his wife in a hut, away from his father and brothers. It was his disciples, especially Pattabhiramayya and Venkatesha Shastri who stood by him during this difficult time. They kept trying their best to convince their teacher to return to Mysore[11]. During this time he had and lost two children[12]

In the meantime many political and administrative changes had taken place in Mysore. Padmanabhaiah was again called upon to take up music teaching in the Maharani's Girls High school. After the untimely demise of the king Chamarajendra Wadiyar X in 1894, for a brief period the kingdom came under the rule of Regent Maharani Kempa Nanjammani Vani Vilasa Sannidhana. The Regent continued to treat Padmanabhaiah with the same esteem. He was subsequently given an additional appointment to teach music in Maharaja Samskrta Pathashala also[13].

While in Mysore Padmanabhaiah had three children - a boy Shivaramaiah (Veena Shivaramiah) and two girls Janakamma and Narasamma. Being aware of his gentlemanly nature, the Maharani selected him to teach music to the ladies in the Royal family[14]..

Awards and recognitions

  • "Mahatapi Khilat" from the king Krishnaraja Wadiyar III on occasion of the first royal concert in 1968[15]

Legacy

Apart from musical composition, he has left a precious legacy in the form of a lineage of illustrious students, like Mysore Vasudevacharya, Chintanapalli Venkatarao etc. His son Veena Shivaramaiah was an illustrious Veena player too, and his (Veena Shivaramaiah's) son Veena Anantapadmanabha Rao was a reputed Veena player as well.

Death

The plague (disease) that took huge toll in Mysore in the year 1900 proved fatal to Padmanabhaiah. He succumbed to the disease and breathed his last on 29th September 1900 (That is, the 6th day (Shashthi), Shukla Paksha in the month of Ashwayuja of the Shalivahana era year 1822, Sharvari Samvatsara as per the Hindu calendar on the day of Saraswati Puja) [16])

Padmanabhaiah and Mysore Vasudevacharya[17]

For Mysore Vasudevacharya it was a sheer luck that he got into the music field. He narrates the circumstances under which he got to study music under Padmanabhaiaiah, in the above cited book. In those days it was not optional for the students to choose the subjects that they wanted to study. It was decided by a lottory draw. They would make a slip each for all the subjects available and heap all the slips into a lot in front of Lord Ganesha. A small kid would draw two slips for each student. The student had to study those two subjects that were picked for him. Music and Literature were the two subjects that came up for Mysore Vasudevacharya the very subjects he always longed to study. This was how he became the music disciple of Padmanabhaiah.

Padmanabhaiah had a special affection towards Vasudevacharya. Though disciple, he always addressed Vasudevacharya with an honorific plural. He was a kind teacher, but a stern task master. He never accepted laxity in clarity of notes or rhythm. He instantaneously lost his patience when he heard a shabby note being uttered. Once he admonished Vasudevacharya "You (hon) still think you can learn music? Go and eat the mud". Vasudevacharya was very upset with this and went home not to return again. After a few days the teacher himself came in search of his student and pacified him "I said that out of anger. Who else can learn music if not you (hon)? Please come back". He took the student home, fed him with good food and resumed music lesson. Such was Padmanabhaiah's love for his students.

Nature

As described earlier Padmanabhaiah was very short tempered, especially when it came to mistake to musical matters. When for some reason he was not pleased with his own rendition, he would admonish himself. Once he had similarly admonished the a few women students "how can you expect the hands fit to wash the utensils to play on Veena?"; But he was equally quick to realize his mistake. He went to the school authorities, narrated them the story and requested them dismiss him from the job for this offence. The authorities were pleasantly surprised at his child-like simplicity. On another occasion he had thrown a piece of sandalwood at his son for uttering a musical phrase wrongly during the practice of "Chalamela" Varnam in Darbar (raga). Later, it was only he who nursed his wounds with a lot of care[18]. As short tempered he was as his own kindness. He always melt for somebody's plight. Once he gladly accepted a painting from a poor student in lieu of music tuition fees[19]

As emotional, affable and loving a personality he was, Padmanabhaiah was innocent to a fault. Many incidents in his life, like a few described above, stand testimony for this nature of his. He was very quick to believe people, sometimes to his own peril. He often suffered from toothache. Once he described his plight to a young trader friend of his. This friend was mischievous enough to advise him a dangerous 'cure' - that is to immerse a copper bangle into a pot of curd for one full day and later consume the curd. He never expected Padmanabhaiah to take his joke seriously, but Padmanabhaiah did take his advice seriously and followed it to the letter, only to get into a life-threatening situation[20][21]. On another occasion Padmanabhaiah got so fed-up with his ailing teeth that he got angry with the God. No sooner that he took all the idols that he worshipped daily to his backyard and buried them deep. By the evening when his ailment came down a bit, he remembered his God, and brought them back into the place of worship[22].

Padmanabhaiah had a very conservative and puritan opinions about the music. He never favored new experimentation in music devoid of the scriptural sanction. He was of a firm opinion that the music is no music if it violates the framework of the musical scripture. Padmanadhaiah and another Veena stalwart Veene Sheshanna always rivalled each other in this regard. In fact, this difference of opinion had given rise to two musical factions in Mysore. The followers of Padmanabhaiah were called "Agrahara group" while the followers of Veene Sheshanna were called "Kote (Fort) group". They also say this rivalry was a main reason for him not getting the prominence that he deserved in the palace[23] This rivalry often resulted in intellectual war of words. For example Padmanabhaiah in one of his compositions "sArasadaLanayanaM" uses an expression "SEShAkhyOragasannuta varapadmanAbhakRtagItaamOdaM (शेषाखोरगसन्नुत वरपद्मनाभकृत गीतामोदम् - ಶೇಷಾಖ್ಯೋರಗಸನ್ನುತ ವರಪದ್ಮನಾಭಕೃತ ಗೀತಾಮೋದಮ್ - meaning "the one who enjoys the songs composed by Padmanabha before whom the snake named "Shesha" bows"). This, they said, was an oblique jibe Veene Sheshanna. Still Padmanabhaiah wished and arranged for his own son to receive a tutelage from his rival Veene Sheshanna which the latter agreed to gladly [24]

Padmanabhaiah never believed in show off. He did not travel much, never tried to show off his talent publicly. So his musical talent and knowledge remained just an undercurrent never to be seen outside. His enormous knowledge and a keen sense of rhythm are evident in his various musical compositions[25].

Compositions

He has composed several Swarajatis, Kritis, and Javalis in Sanskrit, Telugu language|Telugu and Kannada languages. Some of them are in rare Ragas. A Swarajati in Raga Todi is set to saptataleshwaram. Saptataleshwaram is a rhythmic pattern of composition which can be sung in any (or all simultaneously) tala among the 7 Talas known as "Suladi Sapta Tala". This composition can be sung by seven people simultaneously each counting a different Tala among the 7 Talas, and still the composition starts together and by the end of the composition, all the seven Talas end simultaneously.

Padmanabhaiah was greatly inspired by Saint Sri Tyagaraja, and was an ardent devotee of Lord Rama. Like the famous Pancharatna Kritis, Padmanabhaiah has composed a set of Five Kritis which are known as "Padmanabha Pancharatna Kritis"

Padmanabha is the insignia used by Padmanabhaiah in his kritis. As this insignia happens to be the same as that of another famous composer king Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma several compositions of Padmanabhaiah came to be known as Swathi Tirunal's composition. But the difference is that Swathi Thirunal uses the insignia "Padmanabha" to mean Lord Anantapadmanabha. But Padmanabhaiah uses the insignia to indicate himself, the composer.

Veteran musician and musicologist Vidvan Sreekantham Nagendra Shastry has compiled from various sources and his own collection and published 30 available compositions of Padmanabhaiah in his book "Ashesha Padmanabha Samputa"[26]. Padmanabhaiah is known to have composed 8 Swarajatis, 11 Sanskrit Kritis including 5 Kritis known as "Padmanabha Pancharatna Kritis", 8 Telugu language|Telugu Kritis, and 3 Javalis (2 Telugu language|Telugu and 1 Kannada)

Here is a list of his known compositions:

Swarajatis

Composition Language Raga Tala Audio Links
--- No Language kannaDa - ಕನ್ನಡ - कन्नड Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि

Vid. Nagamani Srinath - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5REvG_u4I_M

--- No Language nIlAMbari - ನೀಲಾಂಬರಿ - नीलांबरि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
--- No Language karNATaka kApi - ಕರ್ಣಾಟಕ ಕಾಪಿ - कर्णाटक कापि rUpaka - ರೂಪಕ - रूपक
--- No Language tODi - ತೋಡಿ - तोडि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
--- No Language aThANa - ಅಠಾಣ - अठाण Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
--- No Language Arabhi - ಆರಭಿ - आरभि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
--- No Language tODi - ತೋಡಿ - तोडि tALEshvara - ತಾಳೇಶ್ವರ - ताळॆश्वर
SrIramaNa paripAhi - ಶ್ರೀರಮಣ ಪರಿಪಾಹಿ Sanskrit haMsadhwani - ಹಂಸಧ್ವನಿ - हंसध्वनि rUpaka - ರೂಪಕ - रूपक

Vid. R K Prakash - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6Wb1d3tjak

Padmanabha Pancharatna Kritis

Composition Language Raga Tala Audio Links
sAkEtAdhipaM - ಸಾಕೇತಾಧಿಪಂ - साकेताधिपं Sanskrit shuddha vELAvaLi - ಶುದ್ಧ ವೇಳಾವಳಿ - शुद्ध वेळावळि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
kalayAmi shrI raghunaMdanaM - ಕಲಯಾಮಿ ಶ್ರೀ ರಘುನಂದನಂ - कलयामि श्री रघुनंदनं Sanskrit siMdhumaMdAri - ಸಿಂಧುಮಂದಾರಿ - सिंधुमंदारि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
manasA smarAmi - ಮನಸಾ ಸ್ಮರಾಮಿ - मनसा स्मरामि Sanskrit kAMbhOji - ಕಾಂಭೋಜಿ - कांबभोजि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
shrIkara raghuvara - ಶ್ರೀಕರ ರಘುವರ - श्रीकर रघुवर Sanskrit kAnaDA - ಕಾನಡಾ - कानडा Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
shrIrAmaM praNamAmi - ಶ್ರೀರಾಮಂ ಪ್ರಣಮಾಮಿ - श्रीरामं प्रणमामि Sanskrit kalyANi - ಕಲ್ಯಾಣಿ - कल्याणि rUpaka - ರೂಪಕ - रूपक

Other Kritis

Composition Language Raga Tala Audio Links
shrI gaNapatE mAM pAhi - ಶ್ರೀ ಗಣಪತೇ ಮಾಂ ಪಾಹಿ - श्री गणपते मां पाहि Sanskrit CAyAnATa - ಛಾಯಾನಾಟ - छायानाट rUpaka - ರೂಪಕ - रूपक
shrI hEraMbamIDE - ಶ್ರೀ ಹೇರಂಬಮೀಡೇ - श्री हेरंबमीडे Sanskrit nATikuraMji - ನಾಟಿಕುರಂಜಿ - नाटिकुरंजि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
garaLapurIsha - ಗರಳಪುರೀಶ - गरळपुरीश Sanskrit sarasAMgi - ಸರಸಾಂಗಿ - सरसांगि rUpaka - ರೂಪಕ - रूपक
sArasadaLanayanaM - ಸಾರಸದಳನಯನಂ - सारसदळनयनं Sanskrit tODi - ತೋಡಿ - तोडि triSra tripuTa - ತ್ರಿಶ್ರ ತ್ರಿಪುಟ - त्रिश्र त्रिपुट
bhAvayAmi tavapada - ಭಾವಯಾಮಿ ತವಪದ - भावयामि तवपद Sanskrit nAgaswarAvaLi - ನಾಗಸ್ವರಾವಳಿ - नागस्वरावळि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
agharahitaM bhajarE - ಅಘರಹಿತಂ ಭಜರೇ - अघरहितं भजरे Sanskrit satyavati - ಸತ್ಯವತಿ - सत्यवति Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
maravatagunA - ಮರವತಗುನಾ - మరవతగునా Telugu vakuLAbharaNa - ವಕುಳಾಭರಣ - वकुळाभरण Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
pAlanamu sEyuTaku - ಪಾಲನಮು ಸೇಯುಟಕು - పాలనము సేయుటకు Telugu bahudAri - ಬಹುದಾರಿ - बहुदारि khaMDacApu - ಖಂಡಚಾಪು - खंडचापु
sAgarakumArI - ಸಾಗರಕುಮಾರೀ - సాగరకుమారీ Telugu bahudAri - ಬಹುದಾರಿ - बहुदारि khaMDacApu - ಖಂಡಚಾಪು - खंडचापु
nA taramA nI bhAgyamu varNiMpa - ನಾ ತರಮಾ ನೀ ಭಾಗ್ಯಮು ವರ್ಣಿಂಪ - నా తరమా నీ భాగ్యము వర్ణింప Telugu shrIraMjini - ಶ್ರೀರಂಜಿನಿ - श्रीरंजिनि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
kRpajUcuTaku - ಕೃಪಜೂಚುಟಕು - కృపజూచుటకు Telugu sAraMga - ಸಾರಂಗ - सारंग Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
mahiShAsuramardini - ಮಹಿಷಾಸುರಮರ್ದಿನಿ - మహిషాసురమర్దిని Telugu nIlAMbari - ನೀಲಾಂಬರಿ - नीलांबरि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि
dInadayAkara - ದೀನದಯಾಕರ - దీనదయాకర Telugu malayamAruta - ಮಲಯಮಾರುತ - मलयमारुत Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि

Vid. Nagamani Srinath - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03nB4NmQjpQ

koniyADina kOpamEmi - ಕೊನಿಯಾಡಿನ ಕೋಪಮೇಮಿ - కొనియాడిన కోపమేమి Telugu dEvamanOhari - ದೇವಮನೋಹರಿ - देवमनॊहरि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि

Javalis

Composition Language Raga Tala Audio Links
vaddaMTe kOpamA - ವದ್ದಂಟೆ ಕೋಪಮಾ - వద్దంటె కోపమా Telugu suruTi - ಸುರುಟಿ - सुरुटि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि

Shankari Natyasthal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu7dkQZoMdY

Vid Dr. Srikantham Nagendra Shastry - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N2EzGAo1AE

Vid. Sumitra Nitin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC8iRXy1Z8Y

sAmi ninne namminAnu - ಸಾಮಿ ನಿನ್ನೆ ನಮ್ಮಿನಾನು - సామి నిన్నె నమ్మినాను Telugu khamAc - ಖಮಾಚ್ - खमाच् rUpaka - ರೂಪಕ - रूपक

Vid Dr. Srikantham Nagendra Shastry - https://www.srikanthamnagendrashastry.com/music

sairisalAreno madana - ಸೈರಿಸಲಾರೆನೊ ಮದನ Kannada kalyANi - ಕಲ್ಯಾಣಿ - कल्याणि Adi - ಆದಿ - आदि

Vid Dr. Srikantham Nagendra Shastry - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3wGe0buap8

References

  1. ↑ http://www.macw.in/history/
  2. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p iv
  3. ↑ https://www.drikpanchang.com/kannada/panchangam/kannada-month-panchangam.html?date=23/09/1842
  4. ↑ Vasudevacharya (2011), p 111
  5. ↑ Pranesh (2003), p99
  6. ↑ Vasudevacharya (2011), p 111
  7. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p vii
  8. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p vii
  9. ↑ Vasudevacharya (2011), p 113
  10. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p viii
  11. ↑ Vasudevacharya (2011), p 114
  12. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p viii
  13. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p ix
  14. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p ix
  15. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p vii
  16. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p xii
  17. ↑ Vasudevacharya (2011), p 115
  18. ↑ Vasudevacharya (2011), p 115
  19. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p x
  20. ↑ Vasudevacharya (2011), p 119
  21. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p x
  22. ↑ Vasudevacharya (2011), p 120
  23. ↑ Vasudevacharya (2011), p 118
  24. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p x
  25. ↑ Vasudevacharya (2011), p 118
  26. ↑ Shreekantham (1999), p xLiii

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