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Source: The Hindu

(http://www.hinduonnet.com/lf/2005/06/19/stories/2005061901410200.htm)

Life

 

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Bangalore

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Chennai

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Coimbatore

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Delhi

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Hyderabad

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Kochi

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Madurai

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Thiruvananthapuram

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Giving his all for the sake of art

 

 

 

" The composite art form demands more from the performer. It is not an easy art

to learn or perform " .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

R. Aaramudachariyar. - PHOTO: R. SHIVAJI RAO.

 

 

 

 

Sixty-nine-year-old Kalyanapuram R. Aaramudachariyar has spent most of his

lifetime in telling `harikatha.' Giving up a lucrative job he took to

`harikatha' at the age of 43. For him, `harikatha' is soul and body. Having

performed the composite art form in most of the places in India, now his concern

is protecting the art form for the posterity. He is currently engaged in

training youngsters in `harikatha' with the hope that they will carry forward

the tradition. Amidst his busy schedule involving the performing and teaching of

`harikatha,' he took time to speak to G. Srinivasan on the art form and his

life.

 

HE WAS born in Kalayanapuram, a village in Thanjavur district on July 25, 1936.

Aaramudachariyar was brought up in a spiritual atmosphere, which infused in his

blood the love for `harikatha.' His father, Nathamuni Ranganatha Iyengar,

popularly known as Raju Vadyar, was a Vedic scholar well versed in music, the

`Divya Prabantham' etc. The typical `agraharam' house of Aaramudachariyar was

filled with bhajans and spirituality. During the early years of his life,

Aaramudachariyar learnt the Vedas, prabandhams, etc. from his father. This

served as the basis for him to become a `harikatha' exponent.

 

" Two persons were responsible for me to take to `harikatha.' One of them is

Thirukudanthai Aandavan who took to `sanyasam' at the age of 57 and walked

through Bharath i.e. 40,000 km on foot. He led me to listen to Embar

Vijayaragavachariyar, a famous `harikatha' exponent. I learnt the intricacies of

the art form from Embar and am now following his style, " said Aaramudhachariyar.

 

He performed first at Madras Music Academy in Chennai in 1979. On the

recommendations of Embar, the academy called on him to present the `harikatha.'

He has not looked back since. He continuously performed the `harikatha' in all

the leading sabhas in the country not only in major towns and cities but in

small villages too. It was in 1979 that the All India Radio, Tiruchi, started

offering him programmes as a graded artist and in 20 years AIR made him a top

grade artist.

 

" The composite art form demands more from the performer. It is not an easy art

to learn or perform. One has to be an all rounder. It requires a lot of reading.

I used to read for eight hours before giving a performance. One has to give

comparisons from texts, for instance, if the `harikatha' is on Kambaramayanam

the comparison must be detailed with quotes from Valmiki, Arunachala Kavirayar

etc., " explained Aarmadhachariyar on the requirements of a `harikatha' exponent.

 

This is because the audience have different tastes. Some attend the performance

for the music, some to learn Dharma, some for the humour. A performing artist

should satisfy the audience on all these aspects. " The `harikatha' is a

three-in-one performance i.e., `iyal' `isai' and `natakam' in one " says

Aaramudhachariyar.

 

His major concern now is that there are no people to carry the tradition

forward. Hence, he has started training youth in `harikatha' at Sri Ranganatha

Paduka Vidyalaya run by Srirangam Srimath Andavan Ashram. He has been selected

by the Government of India to train young people in the art through the

`Guru-Sishya' programme implemented through the South Zone Cultural Centre at

Thanjavur.

 

Aaramudhachariyar is also concerned about the decline of values in the society.

To teach values to the students he started SHREYAS, Service Academy to Promote

Value Systems Among Youngsters, a service academy to promote the value system

and inculcate moral and spiritual values in young minds. He has been conducting

free Sanskrit classes and special lectures for youngsters.

 

A winner of several titles, including the `Sangeetha Kala Sikhamani' bestowed by

the Indian Fine Arts Society and the Kalaimamani award bestowed by the

Government of Tamil Nadu, Aaramudhachariyar is also the founder secretary of Sri

Andal Thirupavai Mahotsava Sabha, which has been conducting the Thirupavai

Mahotsavam for the last 14 years at Srivilliputhur and for the past seven years

at Kumbakonam.

 

According to him, many people are reluctant to learn the art for three reasons.

First because it requires a lot of work, second because it is not remunerative

and third because one gets little recognition. But, the art has a wide

following.

 

" I have conducted seminars on `harikatha' to create an awareness of the art form

at several places including Srirangam, Chennai and Mumbai. In Mumbai, 1,500

persons attended one of my lectures. But, the art requires patronage. Sabhas

should come forward to patronise such rare arts, " says Aaramudhachariyar. He

thanks Srimath Andavan Rangaramanuja Mahadesikan of

 

Srirangam for allowing him to teach `harikatha' to the students at Sri

Ranganatha Paduka Vidyalaya and introducing it as an ancillary subject in his

college.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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