Coated with incredible experience

K.R.Kumaraswamy Iyer, former principal of the Swathi Tirunal College of Music, is a rare gem in the music firmament. Musical pursuit was a divine goal to the maestro, says NANDINI RAMANI, who speaks to him about his life and times.

MEETING THE 86-year old veteran Sri K. R. Kumaraswamy Iyer, a former Principal of the Swathi Tirunal College of Music in Trivandrum, was a heart-warming experience for this writer, for this musician represents a rare blend of an artiste with firm conviction about Carnatic music and musical career. For him music has been a soul-lifting goal of life and a pursuit of excellence based on swaanubhavam (personal experience) rather than aimed at mere mundane needs of life alone.

Recalling his early training under Mecheri Sri Sundara Sastry, Kettavarampalayam Ranganatha Iyer Kumaraswamy narrated the rich musical background in which he grew up. His father was deeply involved in the Bhajana tradition.

Kumaraswamy came under Mecheri Sundara Sastry's tutelage when the latter was training the children of Sri Chengalavaraya Iyer, a family friend and a High Court official referee residing at St. Thomas Mount in Madras. Sundara Sastry, himself a great musician and a violinist, was a close associate of stalwarts such as Kancheepuram Naina Pillai and Thirupparkadal Srinivasa Iyengar. He took a keen liking for the then eleven year old Kumaraswamy who happened to be there and who captured his attention by singing the rare Nayaki Varnam which was being taught to the other children in that family.

Astonished by the quick grasp of the young boy, Sundara Sastry started giving vocal lessons to Kumaraswamy. "For my arangetram, which took place at the thousand pillar mandapam of the temple at Tiruvannamalai, Kavya Kanta Ganapati muni and writer S.V.V. presided. I was greatly encouraged during these times by my uncle K. Subrahmania Iyer at Vellore where Vellore Gopalachari and I were trained by Vilathikulam Sami who was an expert in exclusive raga elaborations, especially in tristhayi, an experience I can never forget in my life. For my maiden performance, my teacher Sundara Sastry accompanied on the violin and Gopalachari on the mridangam. The concert was set in a complete cutcheri bani."

While explaining the importance of the Gurukula method of learning, he said, "I was so involved in this pattern of life that at some point after my early education, when my Guru asked me to choose between the two paths, I decided to quit school and continue with music.

During the following period I had great opportunities like listening to Abdul Kareem Khan who came to Vellore to be with his disciple Ghouse Mohideen."

Once Muthiah Bhagavatar had said that Kumaraswamy was a musician on par with none other than the great Maha Vaidyanatha Sivan, and his voice resembled that of Sri Pushpavanam. As concert opportunities flourished, in the prime of his youth, Kumaraswamy Iyer had a graceful parting from his mentor and he concentrated on a successful musical career. In 1940, he was introduced by his friend Arul Subrahmaia Iyer, a Tiruppugazh exponent, to the Travancore Royalty who offered him a professorship at the Maharaja Sri Swati Tirunal College, which he accepted.

After 15 years of dedicated service there, he joined the RLV Music Academy at Tirupunithura in 1955 as its principal. Again in 1964, he came back to Swati Tirunal Music College, this time as its Principal to fill up the vacancy on the demise of G. N. Balasubrahmanyam.

From then on, Kumaraswamy Iyer was featured regularly in the Navaratri Festival concert series, conducted by the Travancore Royalty; the members of the royal family, especially Maharani Sethu Parvati Bai used to specify the ragas to be sung by him. "On one memorable occasion", recalls the veteran, his face glowing with warm memories, "The Maharani saw to it that the routine bell that goes at the stroke of 8-25 p.m. after the concert at the Navaratri Mandapam, did not ring, as she felt that my rendition of Madhyamavati raga alapana should not be disturbed at any cost, especially when she saw me singing in absolute bliss, forgetting the entire atmosphere."

With such wonderful memories, this humble, frail looking musician, spoke kindly with a calm glow, arising out of his rich musical experience and true knowledge of Nadayoga. He appeared very simple, but revealed his firm views about art and life.

The prominence and popularity of many of the compositions of Maharaja Swati Tirunal in the last four decades are mostly due to the tireless efforts of Kumaraswamy Iyer who had been responsible for not only tuning them, but also teaching the same to innumerable students of Carnatic music.

The Hindi bhajans of the royal composer for which he had composed music reflect a strong influence of the musical nuances imbibed by him from the unforgettable technique of Abdul Kareem Khan.

His musical choreographies are countless. A true Sadhaka in his own right, Kumaraswamy Iyer received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1993.

Kumaraswamy Iyer, who was recently honoured in the city by The Malayalee Club, with the title of Swati Ratnam, is indeed an adorable, rare gem among musicians for whom musical pursuit has been a divine goal.

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