S. Rajam:
S. Rajam is not only a musician but
also an artist of greate repute. His illustration of the Saint Thyagaraja's "Endaro
Mahanubhavulu" in the raga Sree is as immortal as the Thyagaraja's Pancharatna Kriti
itself!
(Interview conducted on April 10, 2001 at about 8.00 p.m. by Vinjamuri's daughter
Sandhya Vinjamuri-Giri at the house of Sri S. Rajam (82 - YOB 1919) at 41 Nadu Street, Mylapore, Madras - 600004. Script
of the conversation in Tamil and English, Audio and Video taped.)
(As I was introduced by Sriram of sangeetham.com to S Rajam as, "Sir, see who is here to see you! Vinjamuri's daughter". Rajam turns back saying "Oh! Vinjamuri! He sings just like Ariyakudi!" A Beautiful welcome!)
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Radio was in Egmore in those days. I used to come from Pallavaram to Egmore and go back to my house. At that time Vinjamuri would also come. I used to listen to a lot of his Kutcheries. He had the trait of Ariyakudi's Bani. He would use gamakam just like him (Ariyakudi). In each and every concert he would elaborate Srikantha Nee (Bhavapriya - Thyagaraja kriti), in that he would have elaborate neraval and swaras. (Rajam sings to show how Vinjamuri sang) In those days, no one used to attempt like that. They would only sing Thodi; no one used to sing even Dhenuka in those days. He only would do that. Whenever we hear Srikantha Nee, we would say "Vinjamuri". He was so famous. He had very good Surva Laghu. He would sing fast. I did not listen to his slow singing. |
Once, Vinjamuri, Srinivasa Rao and I, we three went to see Tiger when he was at Kalakshetra. At that time he (Vinjamuri) sang. After singing, at 10 O' clock, we walked back to Mylapore. Srinivasa Rao was living in Mylapore. I don't know where he (Vinjamuri) lived. Always, he will have some chain in his neck, he would wear Silk shirt like a jubba, he was a very jovial man, and he always talks very funny. So, I see him very frequently. Towards his last days, he used to come to AIR. He would say that he has an appointment in Delhi that he has to listen to the concerts and send confidential letters. I did not have contact with him too much at that time.
Before that, I heard him sing very well many times. He performed a lot of Kutcheries. Practically he took all the advantages of south Indian music. He is like our Pinakapani, Pinakapani now says that Tanjore School is very high. Just like that he was. I used to meet him very often in big Kutcheries. I think Ramanuja Iyengar was his model, is it? He was like that (Ariyakudi). He would sing Madhyama Kalam very well.
He (Vinjamuri) was a very jovial man and another thing; he was also a very cultured man. He was a B.A. or something, I think. In those days, educated Vidwans were very rare. He (Vinjamuri) was one of them (cultured, educated men). I think, in Andhra Pradesh, he was the First cultured man to come to Madras and give us concerts and take some of the south Indian Music, pattern and other things. Does he know a lot of Deekshatar's Kritis? Yes, Sri Subrahmanyaya Namaste, the model would be just like Ariyakudi's. He came away from the usual rut and showed his prominence in Music.
(Sent a Thank-You card and a personal letter, requesting Sri. Rajam to do an illustration of Srikantha Nee for me, along with the picture of S. Rajam taken during the interview, also a picture of Vinjamuri - June 2001)BACK TO: Others About About Vinjamuri Home Page