KOCHI: It has been 100 years since the Sangeetha Kalanidhi of Carnatic music Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar first performed in Ernakulam. With his younger brother Subrahmanyan, Chembai, as he is well known, sang at the Thyagaraja Aradhana in 1915. The legend sent his request to sing at the function through his friends who were relatives of the organiser T A Duraiswamy. The Chembai brothers sang their first keerthana at the function and the mesmerised audience requested them to sing again. Bowing to the audience’s request, they sang another keerthana before leaving the venue. Since then, Ernakulam saw the Bhagavathar perform on several ocassions.
Born on September 14, 1896 in Palakkad, Chembai followed the footsteps of his father Anantha Bhagavathar. At an early age of three, he learnt his first lesson of music from his father. It was during his ‘Arangettam’ with his brother, at the age of eight, that the Chembai brothers enchanted the audience. With a few more performances of their keerthanas, the brothers rose to fame quickly. Imparting music lessons at a tender age of 16 to his father’s students, Chembai is perhaps the youngest teacher to pass on the first lessons of Carnatic music. He was married at the age of fifteen and when he shifted to Madurai in 1945, hundreds of students had imbibed the essence of music under his tutelage at his residence.
His friendship with T G Krishna Iyer and T D Narayana Iyer, son of T A Duraiswamy gave him the opportunity to sing during the Thyagaraja Aradhana in Ernakulam. This friendship lasted a lifetime and Chembai returned to Ernakulam for more performances. Adorned with the titles like Gayana Gandharva, Sangeetha Kalanidhi, Sangeetha Kalasikhamani and the Sangeet Natak Academy Award, Chembai is a name that is synonymous to Carnatic music.
Chembai performed at the Kerala Fine Arts Society, after it came into being in 1971. On Friday, the society will hold the centenary celebrations of Chembai’s performance in Ernakulam. On the occasion, a portrait of Chembai will be unveiled by Carnatic singer Neyveli Santhana Gopalan which will be followed by his concert.
Soulful Rendition
Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar first performed in Ernakulam along with his brother at the Thayagaraja Aradhana in 1915
Born on September 14, 1896 in Palakkad, Chembai followed in the footsteps of his father Anantha Bhagavathar
At an early age of three, he learnt his first lesson of music from his fatherHis ‘Arangettam’ was at the age of eight
Chembai has been honoured with titles like Gayana Gandharva, Sangeetha Kalanidhi, Sangeetha Kalasikhamani and the Sangeet Natak Academy Award