Parur Anantharaman, a noted Violinist and the eldest son of Parur Sundaram Iyer, spoke about his experiences with Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar and his concerts, on the occasion of Vinjamuri Memorial concerts in which he played at Ravindra Bharathi, Hyderabad, on September 13, 2000. Interview conducted by Swarnalatha Chary-Vinjamuri)

Sangeetha Vidwan, Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar was a Maha Periya Vidwan. He was known as Andhra Ariyakudi. In Mylapore, we have Thyagaraja Sangeetha Vidvat Samajam. For that my father (Parur Sundaram Iyer) was the founder. In that, Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengarval participated year after year, he served as the committee member and helped for the establishing and for the growth of Sangeetha Vidwat Samajam in Mylapore. Sri Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengarval was instrumental in bringing up and for the growth of the Sri Thyagaraja Sangeetha Vidwat Samajam, along with my father, up to this level in the present day. I knew him for more than 40 years. He did his Diploma in Music in Madras University. At that time, the great stalwart, Tiger Varadachariar was his Guru. I can boldly tell that he boldly followed the style of Tiger Varadachariar's and his Music. Tiger Varadachariar had a special blessing for him. Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar was liked by his Guru because he always was with him He always used to come to our house and take my Father's blessings. He was very respectful. He was keeping and uplifting the glory of our Karnatic Music.

Last time I met him was at Pittsburgh. I had been there for teaching Violin in 1985, between June and August. At that time Sri Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar was there, he was teaching many students. He came to have the Darshan of Sri Lord Venkateswara there. He was in the car, and his friends told me that Sri Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar had come here, and so, I was very very happy. I was in the middle of my class but immediately I went there and prostrated to him and asked him to come and visit my class. But, he was very busy and he was just rushing through. I am very glad that I met him here in the states and he was so happy.

I happen to go to the lecture demonstrations and the teachings done in the college, by Sri Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar. It was very interesting. He was teaching to audiences, the rudiments and made them understand by beginning with, how and what is the basic of Karnatic Music, what are the elements, what are the notes, he explained the swaras, he explained the ragas, he explained how to form a raga, how to sing a raga, how to sing a song, how to sing a Varnam, how to sing a Kriti. All that he had done vary nicely. The audiences were spell bound. They were surprised to know that our Karnatic Music contains so many beautiful things.

He was very very great. He earned all those titles there. His favourite ragam was Kalyani. He was at ease with all ragas, he used to sing Kalyani; he used to sing Thodi, Bhairavi Sankaraabharanam and Kharaharapriya. He used to sing a pallavi. Every where he goes, he used to sing Pancharatnam, that is, Sree Raga Pancharatnam always, he was famous. He was very popular. I had accompanied him for so many programs. One of the programs was at Kollaigal in Mysore during the Rama Navami. He sang the famous song, that was made famous by Ariyakudi, "Ne Pogadakunte" (Varali). That song he specially sang and the audiences were spell bound there and said "Sir, you are singing so nicely, how come you are singing like the great Ariyakudi?" He said "though I have learnt Music from stalwarts like Tiger and my Guru, Ariyakudi is my Manasika Guru for performance, so I follow his style in performance". He made name and fame all over India and also propagated our Music in the States. He is really a great Musician. Of course, had my Father been alive, who had accompanied Vinjamuri for great programs, he would have told more about Sri Vinjmauri. What little I know! This year I am very glad to received some of the compositions that were composed by Sri Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar. Today, under the auspicious of SICA, we are playing, that is, myself and my two sons, Sundaresan and Krishnaswamy; we are giving violin trio. We have written notations for 4 or 5 songs, one Tillana and Javali (of Vinjamuri compositions). Due to want of time, I have learnt by-heart a song in Hemavathy. That is very nice. I shall sing the song for the cassette. I am not a great singer. But, I have done some singing my father taught us to sing. So, I will conclude these words about the greatness of Vinjamuri, it will be a fitting tribute if I conclude by singing his composition. This song is in Hemavathy Ragam, one of the Melakarta Ragas (Parur Anantharaman sings the Aarohanam and Avarohanam for Hemavathy).

One beautiful thing about the song is, the song is in the style of Thyagaraja Swamy. Thyagaraja Swamy, as you know, was one of the trinity, a great composer. So, our famous Vinjamuri has followed his style. The song is very nice.

(Parur Anantharaman sings Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar's Kriti "Jagelara Nannu brochutaku" in Hemavathy)