Great scholar
This refers to the article, `A Vedic scholar enters his 100th year' (Friday Review, March 30). `Veda Nool Pirayam Nooru' says Thondaradipodi Azhwar in one of his `Thirumalai' Prabhandam. Being a Vedic scholar, he has rightly entered his 100th year. Bhagawat Ramanuja, founder of `Vishishtadwaita' philosophy, is a great reformer. He strongly condemned untouchability and embraced the untouchable to his fold, calling them `Thirukulathar'.
Agnihotram Swami, follower of Ramanuja's doctrine, has a catholicity of outlook. That is the reason he is as much at home in a gathering of English-knowing, modern, educated people as in the company of traditionally educated religious scholars. May this `Abhinava Ramanuja' live for 100 more years (`Innumoru Nootrandu Irum'), to continue his mission.
K.Vasu,
Chennai.
Pungent wit
Subbudu, who passed away in the fullness of years and after a prolonged illness, created a niche for himself as the most popular and widely read music critic. He enjoyed a celebratory status as an art critic who wrote with engaging felicity both in English and Tamil for more than a half century. His pen was dipped in vitriolic ink and his pun and pungent wit won for him a vast readership. His copy made fascinating and hilarious reading and even those not interested in classical music read his features avidly.
Musicians cultivated him and sought his media notice though they dreaded his adverse comments. Subbudu was often in the eye of a controversy incurring the wrath of even top musicians for his trenchant comments; he was an idol breaker. During the December festival in Chennai, he churned out his column daily both in Tamil and English papers earning for them a big temporary spurt in circulation. He will be sorely missed by the fraternity of musicians and rasikas.
R.Ramachandran,
(Secretary, Hamsadhwani),
Chennai.
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