`Classical music is the base of Thevara Isai'
LAKSHMI VENKATARAMAN
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Kudanthai Lakshmanan's passion for tirumurai singing began when he was barely 12.
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Kudanthai Lakshmanan.
Singing Thirumurai requires special training, for a number of years. Generally rendered in temples by designated persons, known as Oduvar, the genre would include Thevaram, Thiruvachakam, Thiruvisaippa, Thiruppallaandu, Thirumandiram, Sekkizhar's Periyapuranam, Thirumukappasuram (believed to have been sung by Lord Somasundara of Madurai), Pillaithamizh, the compositions of Arunagirinathar including Thiruppugazh, Kandar Alankaram, Kandar Anubhooti, Kandar Andhadhi, etc. Although caste is no barrier to singing religious hymns, Kudanthai Lakshmanan perhaps is the only Brahmin Oduvar around.
He hails from Kumbakonam and his mother tongue is Telugu. His father, who pursued an administrative job in Kumbakonam and later in Chennai, was very religious and traditional.
Even before completing his SSLC, Lakshmanan joined the first batch of students when Thirumurai classes were started at the Dharumapuram Adeenam in T. Nagar, Chennai, in 1953. Finding him a good singer the principal of Sri Ramakrishna Mission School, Anna Subramania Iyer, encouraged him. to join the classes. Lakshmanan knows about 5,000 songs (in any programme an Oduvar is expected to sing at least a hundred songs).
They are all set to Pann, which have equivalent ragas of Carnatic music. "Sastriya Sangeetham is part of Thevara Isai and many Vaggeyakaras have used their tunes for their kritis such as in `Darini Telusukonti' and `Sri Ganapathi' by Tyagaraja and in `Saraguna Palimpa' by Patnam Subramanian Iyer" says Lakshmanan.
During the five-year training of Thirumurai the students are taught the basics of classical music and the Pann systematically. Emphasis is laid on saahityam or lyrics rather than on the tune.
Lakshmanan is not attached to any temple as Oduvar but is invited to sing during special occasions such as Kumbabhishekams, weddings, social and religious functions. He has received many titles including `Vedageethan.' Earlier he used to teach individual children including those of Soundara Kailasam, who has been a great source of support.
Another person whose help he recalls is the late A. P. Nagarajan. He insisted on Lakshmanan singing at the launchof a new film as well as on the day of its release. He rendered a song in the film "Raja Raja Chozhan." He is a regular at the programmes of N. Mahalingam's Ramalingar Pani Manram.
Caste prejudice
Since 1995 he has been teaching many children at the Koviloor Math Thirumurai Kalloori at West Mambalam, Chennai, and its branch at Kuyapettai in Purasawalkam, Chennai.
He was sponsored by the Durgambal temple in Toronto, Canada, three times between 2001-2003 for singing in the temple during the kumbabhishekam.
The veteran's aim is to train as many young people as possible in Tirumurai singing.
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