Ganakalanidhi Dr. Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar

An Interview with Mridanga Vidwan Sri Guruvayur Dorai

(The Interview was conducted by Sharada Vangipuram (Vinjamuri), youngest daughter of Ganakalanidhi Dr. Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar, on August 28, 2008 at the residence of Mridanga Vidwan Sri Guruvayur Dorai. Sri Dorai was an ardent admirer of Vinjamuri and his music. He accompanied Vinjamuri for many of his concerts in many parts of India. He has special reverence and affection for Vinjamuri as he was very much encouraged by Vinjamuri from the start of his career as the Mridanga Vidwan.  In this interview one could feel his gratitude and appreciation for Vinjamuri as his mentor. This is a translation of the Video recording in Tamil, recorded at the time of the interview)

Namaskaram. I desire to speak a few words about Sangeetha Vidwan Sri Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar. He was our family friend.  When my father, mother, sister and I moved to Madras, one day he himself came to our house saying that I heard someone, involved in music, newly came to this town. He introduced himself, as if he was just an ordinary man, in as simple words as ‘I am Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar, I am a disciple of Tiger’. To see a vidwan of such caliber as Vinjamuri coming to our house and introducing himself in such a simple manner, as if it was not a big deal, was amazing to us! He asked us to sit down and asked my sister to sing and myself to play (mridangam) and listened to us. He was very impressed by us. From then on he used to make me play for his concerts. Even before that, there was one Violin Sethuramayya who was a very good friend of Sri Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar. Sri Vinjamuri told him also about me and recommended me to him and thus I was able to play for him also. Apart from that, real intimate connection and affection I have for him, his wife, and children makes me say that I had been moving with them as a part of their family. 

To talk about his musical talent, in  the universe of Carnatic music where there are so many music Vidwans, Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar avargaL had a prominent place in the list of Maha Vidwans. What else need to be said about his vidwat? He passed the ‘Sangeetha Bhushanam’ (Actually ‘Sangeetha Vidwan’ from Madras University) course; he was trained in Music under Tiger Varadacharier. In those days, no one who was trained under Tiger went wasted (they all became great Vidwans). Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar, MD Ramanathan, S Ramanathan, SR Janaki Raman, B V Raman – B V Lakshmanan – in this way many Vidwans learnt music from Tiger. Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar learned from such a great master. In my experience with him, his music was of highest quality. He was a highly disciplined artist. He could not sing in any lighter manner. He had the desire to sing weighty music and propagate music in a proper way. His habits were also like that. When any child plays, he would encourage child by saying ‘balE’ and make them happy. So far as I am concerned, he encouraged me very much, kept me with him and let me play for him. Apart from that, I gave a lot of kutcheries in Andhra Pradesh. For all those places, Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar took me with him; like Kakinada, Guntur, Tenali, Vijayawada and to many other places he took me with him and introduced me. Because of his taking me with him, those Sabhas/ people got acquainted with me and got to know me. Importantly, I went to Vijayawada on the occasion of honoring my Guru (Sri PaZani Subramanyam Pillai). For that also he took me there. We went to a Village called Ummidi for a marriage concert and then went to Vijayawada for the function concert. In this way his affection and encouragement helped me a lot, actually his music was so helpful for my Mridanga Vadyam. Vidwans of such caliber do not mingle with others as easily. He had a child-like heart and soul.  He did not know any malice. He was a true artiste. It is not easy for me to forget my playing to such really great Vidwans. He used to sing ‘sakEtha nagara nadha’ (Harikambhoji – Mysore Sadasivarao – sings a sample). I never heard anyone sing with such elaboration and artistry! He used to sing very very well. When he sang he used get the Sangathis very beautifully and naturally. He used to sing Pantuvarali very well too. In the main ragas, if we think of his favorites, we have to say Sankarabharanam. He used to sing it really well. From my playing experience in his concerts, we have to say that he was an expert in Sankarabharanam. I played for him like that even in those days. One cannot easily play for his Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi. One could never imagine that he knew so many pallavis with such intricate calculations! He used to be so unassuming and humble. While playing in the concerts suddenly we will be surprised to realize how much of Vidwat he has! He would not sing a Kutchery without singing a Varnam. Begada Varnam, Kanada Varnam etc. I played a lot when he sang ‘Neranammithi’ (Sings a sample) – Kanada Varnam. Then he will sing Pantuvarali or Purvikalyani and then take up the main Ragam. Thus, for any concert he used to prepare meticulously. For any concert to take off there needs to be discipline. As far as I know, in the list of Vidwans who were disciplined, it was only Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar and Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar. Not all singers concentrate on disciplined preparation or think of doing that. Most of the people think that they would go to the concert and sing and manage. Only when such plan is thought well in advance, the concert will be a success. Otherwise the concert will not take off and become a brilliant presentation. Sri Vinjamuri was very particular about it. His music was of very high standard always.

We could be talking about him the whole day. As he was, all his children were also brought up in the same way by him. All of them have the same type of pure soul. His grandson Kiran is coming to Madras and is learning Mridangam from me. He is very good and I love him very much. I pray that his name and fame lives for all eternity. Namaskaram.