Book Review One Foot on the Ground -A Life told Through the Body by Shanta Gokhale

Shanta Gokhale wrote the Foreword for my book Bhagavata Mela My Tryst with Tradition

Today is Shanta Gokhale’s 80^th birthday (August 14, 1939). She is a major figure in my life and even though seriously occupied with her work, is always open and welcoming when I approach her. I met her first when I had begun writing for the Arts page of Times of India, The Hindu (Chennai) and Sruti (Arts magazine). When I pointed out that Carnatic musicians never got their due in national publications, she encouraged me to write major features on important artistes. The Times had generously allocated space for arts in sister publications ‘The Independent’ and ‘The Metropolitan on Saturday’. I was secretly very proud of the fact that she never felt the need to edit or correct my typed sheets of articles. My husband, children and I became close enough to spend evenings chatting endlessly about music and dance at her home. She held many chamber concerts at her home by eminent musicians. It was potluck on many nights. I learned a lot about music and musicians during those sessions. When I became involved with Bhagavata Mela in 1993, I told her that I am planning a trip to Melattur in Thanjavur to watch Bhagavata Mela. She immediately jumped and said she would like to come along. She told me later that Bhagavata Mela was the origin of Marathi theatre through Thanjavur Maratha kings.

My parents joined us, and we had a lovely trip. We went to Thanjavur to see the Big Temple and visited the Saraswati Mahal library. I listened amazed as she spoke to the Marathi scholars there who replied in their Thanjavur Marathi lingo. We also visited Tiruchirapalli, Srirangam, and Tiruvaiyaru. She never wasted a moment and kept writing copious notes. In the summer of 1986, she spent some time at our holiday home in Kodaikanal. She, a non-believer, accompanied me to the Meenakshi temple, bought a few cotton Sungadi saris and thoroughly enjoyed her stay.

There was a certain grace in her demeanour which I have rarely seen in other women. Her cotton saris sat well on her. Her smile came from the heart and flashed through her eyes. That smile was the only ornament she wore.

Throughout my ten- year journey with Bhagavata mela, I would update her on my work. She attended some performances whenever I invited them to Mumbai. She was very happy to hear about the Marathi Bhagavata Mela and attended all the three performances in 2002. She graciously wrote a Foreword for my book Bhagavata Mela My Tryst with Tradition(2018) and video-taped a talk on Bhagavata Mela. 

Her autobiography was a pleasant eye-opener for me. Although I have known her for so many decades (from 1980) she is a private person who never spoke about herself.  I am so happy that she was recognised for her work by the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2018. I have the deepest love and respect for her and am ever so grateful for her beautiful presence in my life.

 Book Review

One Foot on the Ground -A Life told Through the Body by Shanta Gokhale

Shanta Gokhale is an author, translator, and columnist. The list of her works and accomplishments is impressive and amazing. Her magnum opus ‘Playwright at the Centre’ is an exhaustive history of Marathi Theatre from 1983 to the present. Despite her intimate connections with the world of music and maestros, theatre and thespians, dance and divas, literature and literati, cinema and glitterati, she herself remains modestly low profile and private. Over and above all this, everyone who has met her will tell you she is gracious, vivacious and accessible to all.

Therefore, a bare-all autobiography comes as a surprise. And what an unusual theme, of telling a story through experiences with her body, meaning the story of how her body parts lent themselves to shape the path of her life.

The book begins at birth and goes on about minor health drawbacks till her fearful battle with the big C. The very unusual setting makes this a very personal history. Personal it remains as she carefully trips around revealing details about her high-profile children actor Renuka and writer Girish Shahane and his wife, film editor Jabeen. She does not spare the others who had hurt her, though.

One does not know whether to smile at the humour that is the highlight of the book, for it cloaks the agony and distress of several crises of her life. One could discern that the wings of her intellectual and creative achievements would have soared higher but were definitely restricted by some events on one hand and by her relationships on the other.

She brings on the humour with her inimitable style and at the most unexpected moments. Sample this:

“At Bristol, Mary Barwell once asked me if I was pink inside.  I mean where your clothes cover you.” ‘No’, I answered kindly. ‘I am evenly dark inside and out. I can live in the Arctic all my life and still be this colour’.”

“The blood test first. ‘You will need a finer needle. My veins are difficult to get at.’ I sigh and wait for the inevitable. ‘Dhundo dhundo re sajna dhundo’ begins in my head.”

“Mr. Dey did not easily display emotion. What he displayed was the origin of all emotions, the sthayi bhava of the rasa theory, an inscrutable arrangement of facial muscles that distantly suggested the presence of all the nine rasas but never allowed them to show themselves.”

There are many gems like these scattered among the chapters. This book is a must read as a model of an ideal approach the painful happenings in life. To go through physical pain is bad enough but what of the attacks on the mind and heart?

One missed reading about her impressions of cinema and the skill of writing scripts for documentaries. May be volume 2 will record anecdotes about her interaction and experiences with celebrities will come out soon. The cover photograph is stunning. A few photographs on the back cover makes you want more. Parents, childhood, kids, friends, sister and student life in Bristol. All of that. Don’t let the ink dry in your pen, Shanta.

One Foot on the Ground A Life Told Through the Body by Shanta Gokhale Published by Speaking Tiger 2019

Raghunath Manet Dancer Kalakshetra Dancer- A Review

Raghunath Manet Kalakshetra Dancer from France/Puducherry 

This is a review of Raghunath Manet’s dance performance which I covered when I was the Bombay arts critic of The Hindu (Madras Edition) for many years. It was published in The Friday Review of dated November 7, 1997. I had met him backstage then and as we are both from Kalakshetra, we had an interesting chat.

It was wonderful to meet him after twenty years, last December (2018) as delegates to the CID International Conference. He mentioned that he has performed only once in Mumbai. He regretted that he was never invited again. When I reminded him that I had reviewed his performance for The Hindu, he was surprised.

Raghunath’s performance at the conference was hailed for the energy and fury he unleashed in the Rudra Tandavam.

For his lecture, Raghunath spoke about the Devadasis of Puducherry. He dismissed the strict discipline of araimandi or demi plie stance of half-sitting in Bharata Natyam. I pulled him up privately for that comment later when he video-recorded a chat with me. I have always felt that dancers must learn about the importance of maintaining correct form and line of the body while dancing.

Raghunath is also a Veena player and lives in France and Puducherry and has been conferred many awards including the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2017.

Group of Delegates at the CID Conference 2018

Raghunath Manet and Sailaja Desai -moderators for my Lecture at the CID Conference

RECITAL WITH A DIFFERENCE -Raghunath Manet

 “I dance for me”, says Raghunath Manet, a Pondicherry -based dancer. Indu Raman reports on one of his latest performances in Mumbai recently.

It was an unusual Bharata Natyam performance by any standard. Titled “Shiva Tandavam”, it was performed by Raghunath Manet, Pondicherry-based dancer. The programme sheet did not disclose what was in store because it contained only the names of items without mentioning the composition, raga or tala. The curtain opened on a simple stage décor with a yellow silk drape, a large veena on the right and a few flowers scattered artistically on the foreground.

An artist dressed in finery and a turban made an entry playing an udukku while singing. Then a lady nattuvannar, a kanjira player and Venugopal, the main vocalist walked in and sang before they sat down. Then the dancer made an impressive appearance with Pushpanjali and Alarippu (Tisra). After a long raga interlude by the singer, Raghunath came and sat down in front of the veena. The next 15 minutes there was a brilliant exposition of Ghana Raga Panchagam Taanam played by the dancer. This was followed by the Tevaram Ponnar Meniyane and Ananda Tandavam Adinar danced with an explosion of energy that infused the adavus with ecstatic expression of passionate devotion to Nataraja, the Cosmic Dancer. With his finely tuned body, keen grasp of melody and rhythm and masterly control of his limbs, Raghunath conveyed his total emotional involvement effectively.

The item named Tala Shruti Laya came as an anti-climax when the percussionist took over the stage for a lengthy tala vadya session. The mridangam became a weak defense against the powerful tavil and the appealing novelty of the udukku.

Towards the end the dancer joined them and weaving in, around and between them, vocalising the jatis, challenging them and leading them on.

This would have been very impressive if it had happened only in this item, but Raghunath practically did the nattuvangam for himself throughout the evening. To the rasikas, it was not only a distraction, but also exposed the lack of coordination and preparation. The general unease during this item was also because the nattuvannar’s cymbals were strangely silent throughout. The tuning of the three different percussion instruments did not converge on an acceptable note either, thus emphasising the lack of a comforting and controlling agent like a tanpura.

The performance ended with a tillana (Behag). The Shiva motif lingered like a unifying thread even during the pure dance sequences (thirmanams). Raghunath Manet’s training under Kalakshetra discipline was evident in his sparkling footwork, strong bodyline (angashuddham) and consistent adherence to the basic posture (araimandi and natyarambham) A musician with a thorough knowledge of the intricacies of uniting dance with music, he is indeed a compleat artiste. It seems necessary to point out , however, that the dancer’s preoccupation seemed maximum utilisation of the space and to this end his compositions had a surfeit of circumbulatory overtures. This destroyed the grandiose structure and architechtonics of Bharata Natyam technique. 

The Alarippu, for instance, has defied the challenges of time and modern innovation and till today remains a model work. Its linear beauty, the gradual ascensions of tempo and attitudes that bespeak of devotion makes it an unparalleled item created by an unknown genius. Raghunath’s choreography had a plethora of jumps (utplavanams) which were not in any prearranged direction. The all-important adavus like ta din kina tom and kita thaka dari kita tom lost their meaning, clarity and importance when executed in every direction and in constant flux. The choreography was repetitive and many of the textbook steps like mandi adavus remained unused. The dancer also came dangerously close to the edge of the stage and the musicians, leaving the sensitive viewer nervously anticipating a slip.

Born in Pondicherry, Raghunath was initially trained by M.S. Nathan, a local dance teacher. He joined Kalakshetra to continue dance and learnt veena from the renowned veena Vidushi Rajeswari Padmanabhan. Growing up in Paris amidst the artistic fraternity expanded his horizon and spurred him into his career.

He worked with Chandralekha for four years before he set off on his own. Raghunath is now based in Pondicherry where he runs a dance school for orphans and disabled children. It was touching to know that dance helped these children to open up their minds and become more confident by merely learning how to improve their posture and stand erect.

Raghunath has this to say about his unusual packaging of the evening which smacks of suspiciously of being put together for a foreign audience. “I would do the same for any audience here or abroad. At this stage in my career, I have a right to choose what I perform. I never really choreograph my items. I don’t like them to be labelled as such. My dance will reflect what I feel, my spirit and the response I get from the audience. I sing, I say the jatis, speak to the audience and play the veena. In fact, I never use nattuvangam in my dance. I am in charge. So I control the accompanists too. I dance for me.”

SHARAD SATHE AT SIXTY

Sharad Sathe at Sixty

This article is a tribute to the maestro was written by me and first appeared in SRUTI issue 99/100 Winter Bumper Issue.

                                                      Photo courtesy Sharad Sathe

On a warm Sunday morning in May, an exclusive gathering of musicians, music lovers and friends gathered to felicitate Pandit Sharad Sathe, a senior musician of the Gwalior gharana, on his 60^th birthday. The invitees were regaled by Sathe and his wife Sunetra with three hours of and more of classy music. The only interruption was a brief interlude to accommodate a touching two-minute tribute paid by their daughter Smita Mahajan and a word of thanks for the distinguished audience.

The music that morning reflected the sophistication, grace and emotional overtones of the Gwalior gharana. Sunetra Sathe opened the sessionwith a forceful rendering of compositions in Jaunpuri and alaiya Bilawal. She had been on a self-imposed exile from the public stage for 12 years, but her music revealed her thorough grounding and involvement in the art.

Pandit Sathe’s recital was in the nature of a heartfelt offering of gratitude to his gurus. He seemed inspired by the presence of the octogenarian Pandit Sharadchandra Arolkar with whom he has maintained a constructive relationship for the past 26 years. The Todi which flowed from him was a brilliant display of grandeur and aesthetics. The musical grammar was correct, there was also emotion, or bhava. The quality of an inner harmony which gives richness and dimension to his music was also evident. He rendered a tappa with great felicity and concluded his recital with a tarana and a composition in Bhairavi.

The event helped recall how music brought Sharad Sathe and Sunetra together and has remained a binding force in their family.

Born in 1932 in Pune, Sathe was encouraged by his sister Kamala Ketkar, a musicologist, to learn under her guru, the young Dattatreya V. Paluskar. The gifted son of D.V. Paluskar is credited with simplifying the highly complex Gwalior gayaki and endowing it with ‘a depth of perception and a rich emotive quality’.  Sathe was in his teens when he began receiving instructions under Paluskar. As one of the more promising students, he enjoyed the privilege of travelling and performing with his master. “Over seven years, I had the opportunity to learn concert planning, for my guru could gauge the audience and give them exactly what they wanted,” says Sathe in admiration. And adds: “I remember an Independence Day concert in Indore in 1953. In the morning, Panditji had high fever. D.K. Datar, who was to accompany him on the violin, and I had taken for granted that the concert would be cancelled. But in the evening, my guruji asked to be helped onto to the stage and gave an unblemished recital, his spirit was admirable. In 1954, at a conference in Motihari (Bihar), he was scheduled to sing last. His turn came at three o’ clock in the morning. The audience was tired and listless.  Guruji began with a drut khayal in Lalit, an early morning raga. The audience responded with such renewed energy and sheer joy that it seemed that it seemed like a miracle.

The sense of bereavement at the tragic death of his youthful master still lingers in Sathe’s voice as he remembers the events leading to Paluskar’s sudden end. Paluskar had just returned from a tour China in 1955 as a part of a Government cultural delegation. On Vijayadasami day, he developed high fever, diagnosed as encephalitis, and collapsed within 24 hours.

Sharad Sathe was only 23 at that time and had graduated in science. His quest for another guru brought him to Bombay in 1956. He continued his musical training under Professor B. R. Deodhar, who passed away in March 1990. He was also a disciple of Vishnu Digamber Paluskar.

Venerated as a teacher and musicologist, he had done intensive study of voice culture under Dr. Douglas Stanley and Professor Hilas Engum. He was as well a prolific, scholarly writer of several books on music and musicians. He was, too, the founder of the Deodhar School of Music in Bombay.

In 1966, Sathe came under the spell of Pandit Sharadchandra Arolkar, who is today the revered doyen of the Gwalior gharana. Under Arolkar’s tutelage, Sathe blossomed into a mature musician acquiring polish and emotional depth. Notably, Arolkar has also bequeathed a veritable treasure house of rare and original compositions to Sathe.

Sathe has participated in many major musical events in India. His concerts have won critical acclaim, especially his majestic command over gamaka, meend and fast taan-s. He is one of the few exponents of the tappa, a song-form with a complicated structure. He is a guest lecturer at the Bombay University on the tappa compositions.

He has given concerts abroad too. In 1985 he performed extensively n the U. S. He served the London Kendra at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan as a resident lecturer for one year in 1986-87, and followed it up with a concert tour in 1988.

Sharad Sathe was until some years ago working in a creative capacity in an advertising agency. A specialist in calligraphy, he now freelances in creative designing.

A regular performing artist for AIR and Doordarshan, Sathe was awarded a Government of India scholarship in his younger days. In 1972, the Films Division invited him to lend his voice for a documentary on Vishnu Digamber Paluskar.

Sunetra studied music with Govindrao Desai, also of the Gwalior tradition. She has an interesting story to tell about her first meeting with Sharad Sathe. “The first time I saw him was at his concert. Half-way through the concert I just walked away, unable to enjoy the music!” Quips Sathe, cutting in: “Perhaps you were overwhelmed by my personality!” Sunetra gave up performing when the family responsibilities grew. Although she took up teaching science and mathematics in a school, she never gave up music.

Married in 1958, the Sathes have a daughter, Smita (dancer and vocalist) and a son Samir.

Sathe comes across as an enlightened musician who has been able successfully to bled traditional learning with a studied modern approach to life and music. On stage and off it, he projects sense of harmony and also conveys a shrewd inner determination which has stood him in good stead throughout his career of 40-plus years.

Says he; “Music has been the mainstay of my life. I am indeed very fortunate in my guru-s and I am content with the course my career has taken. I am not one to take recourse to gimmicks or pursue publicity. I believe that the satisfaction that good music can give, cannot be matched by anything in the world. These are the values I have been taught by my guru-s and this I have tried to impart to my children and students.”

INDU RAMAN

The Story Behind Sadguru Tyagaraja's Aradhana

Bangalore Nagarathnamma and Sadguru Tyagaraja

A review of the book The Devadasi and the Saint by Sriram. V. Publishers EastWest/ Westland-2007,2018

Sadguru Tyagaraja is revered as one of the Trinity of Carnatic music, (the other two being Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri) whose compositions have enriched our music with their intense devotion, erudition and meaningful lyrics. Every year, hundreds of musicians and devotees gather at his samadhi at Thiruvaiyaru (Thanjavur District) and sing his compositions. The serene surroundings of the samadhi on the banks of the Kaveri throbs with vibrancy and music fills the air. This year, (2019) Pushya Bahula Panchami, the day he attained moksha, falls on Friday 25^th January. In the morning musicians will pay homage to his memory and sing the famous Pancharatna kritis (a group of compositions set in five ragas) in one voice. The event will be telecast live on all national channels and is observed by devotees all over the world.

The idol of Tyagaraja inside the Samadhi in Thiruvaiyaru taken in 1989

The background of the present building of the Samadhi and the Aradhana celebrations is recounted in detail in the fascinating book The Devadasi and the Saint, by Sriram. V, who describes himself as “a Chennai based entrepreneur and historian of Carnatic music and Chennai”.

It was the Devadasi Bangalore Nagarathnamma, a beautiful, erudite musician, dancer, and writer who was instrumental in building the samadhi and establishing the structure of the ceremonial Aradhana celebrations.

She valiantly fought a long and arduous battle against male chauvinism and the prevalent stinging prejudice against devadasis. She demanded equal respect for women in the music world when it was considered blasphemous for women to perform in public. Her life was a roller coaster ride where she this powerful and wealthy artiste faced penury in her last days. But she never gave up on her dedication to her patron saint Tyagaraja and her mission in life- a monument at his samadhi. 

The author has tapped many sources and collected invaluable documents to augment the veracity of the complicated twists and turns in this struggle. It is to his credit that he has explained the politics behind the events in an easy, lucid manner and with admirable impartiality.

The book has rare photographs of the era and we can see Nagarathnamma at various stages of her life. The editors should have taken care to avoid the several typos that affects the quality of this book of historical importance.

Sadguru Tyagaraja and the Devadasi dancers are both subjects close to my heart, so I was specially moved as this story recounts the decline of the Devadasi system and their fight for dignity and respect in society.

After reading this inspiring biography, one feels Bangalore Nagarathanamma’s spirit is also silently paid a tribute during Tyagaraja Aradhana every year.

[Also read:

http://insy8arts.blogspot.com/2018/10/thanjavur-thiruvarur-thiruvaiyaru-2018_27.html

The author at the samadhi (1989)

Murals at Gangaikonda Cholapuram

In the issue of Dinamani (Tiruchy Edition) of Sunday October 7, 2018 was an article which posed the question ‘Will Temple Murals be Protected?’  During our road trip to Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Thiruvaiyaru at the same time, we had desperately wanted to visit Gangaikonda Cholapuram. But our visit   had to be cancelled because of our tight time schedule. This paper’s headlines are deeply worrying.  Our magnificent temples have a hoary history, beautiful sculptures, thrilling stories about our saints, poets, ancestors and their wealth of knowledge.

I would like to share this information filed by a staff reporter of this publication.

“Raja Raja Chozhan’s name became immortal as a powerful, benign king. He built the Thanjavur temple and hosted hundreds of dancers and musicians during his reign. Rajendra Chozhan (1019) his son, conquered Orissa (Kalinga) and built a new capital at Gangaikonda Cholapuram (1023) to commemorate this victory. The temple is a replica of the Thanjavur Brihadeeswara temple.

The paintings on the wall of this temple, commissioned by the later Nayak regime, are deteriorating every day. The octagonal vimana, the large Nandi at the eastern entrance, enormous main deity, magnificent dwarapalakas and a set of Navagraha deities on a lotus carved from a single rock are the significant highlights here.

The single rock Sivalingam here is placed on an elevation of 13.5 feet. The gigantic form of goddess Periyanayaki is a fitting tribute to her name.

This temple has been declared as World Heritage by UNESCO. The temple and its murals are an attraction for tourists from all over the world.

The murals on the walls of the temple, dating back to Nayak kings, are disappearing. Some are completely erased. It is therefore imperative that the Archaeology Survey of India (ASI) should take immediate steps to begin preservation work here.”

                               Close up of the painting-Photo courtesy:Dinamani (Tamil)

This neglect and resultant deterioration of our historical and sacred monuments is a common occurrence throughout our country. We think nothing about carving our name and initials on these walls. The Thanjavur palace museum is a sad example of this despicable habit.

Read: http://insy8arts.blogspot.com/2018/10/thanjavur-thiruvarur-thiruvaiyaru-2018_27.html.

We as citizens of this vast country must learn about our ancient history, the wealth of spiritual teachings, scriptures and literature that date back to centuries. Our civilisation is the oldest in the world. Be proud to be an Indian. Let us revive the glory of our traditions. The world looks upon our Vedic literature, yoga and classical arts with respect and wonder. Let us become warriors of tradition, try to prevent misuse and protect our monuments from vandalism.

Thanjavur Thiruvarur & Thiruvaiyaru 2018

Thanjavur

This historic city with national treasures like the Brihadeeswara Temple, Thanjavur Palace and the Saraswati Mahal Library looks less cared for than what I remember from my visits earlier. A feeling of pride, awe and amazement would overcome me as I stepped inside.

Visitors pay a small sum of Rs. fifty to enter the premises. The staff sitting at the entrance have neither interest nor knowledge about the importance of the artefacts. These centuries-old structures need maintenance and regular repair. A person was whizzing around the corridor inside on his motor-bike, the vibrations of which may cause cracks on the walls of the palace.

                                    

Two magnificent life-sized Tanjore Dancing Dolls, and the statues of Manu needhi Chozhan (cow, calf, prince, king and chariot) are broken and dust covered.

                        

Dwarapalaka idol

This beautiful idol of a Nandi and Dwarapalaka is placed in the ‘lawns’ of the Durbar Hall. Crows use them as their perch. They must be cleaned periodically.

The Darbar Hall in all its dilapidated glory is impressive despite the vanishing and discoloured murals. It is painful to see the graffiti scrawled on the ancient pillars. There is no security staff guarding the statues and bronzes displayed near the Durbar Hall.

                                          In front of the Durbar Hall

                                                 The Nandi    

                                     

Many Indian and foreign tourists visit the palace every day. The restrooms which charge two rupees have poor drainage, are wet and dirty.

                                       The temple in the centre of the Kamala layam temple tank

Thiruvarur

Thiruvarur’s magnificent temple and the perennial waters of the Kamalayam tank are a breath-taking sight. Commercial development has transformed this small town into one bustling with activity.

There are several references about this temple in my book Bhagavata Mela My Tryst with Tradition. The Trinity of Carnatic music, Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri were born in this town. The temple and the deity Tyagesa inspired many composers to sing of its beauty and divinity.

                                           The Eastern Gate of the Tyagesa temple

Thiruvaiyaru 

This city is famous for the Panchanadiswara temple and the samadhi of the saint poet Tyagaraja. The Kaveri flows in regal splendour and was in full force when we visited.

  

                                                     Some paintings of the composer on the walls. 

                                            

This place has a special nostalgic note for me. In January 1997, our family sponsored two Bhagavata Mela natakams by the Natya Vidya Sangam to be performed here inside the holy precincts of the Panchanadiswara temple. This was the first time such permission was given. Five thousand devotees gathered each day. The occasion was the 150^th Aradhana of Tyagaraja, whose family belonged to the tradition. Tyagaraja himself wrote two Bhagavata Mela natakams.

                                                                     At the Samadhi

                                             

The shrine at the samadhi is now glitters with gold leaf covering in contrast to the bare one in 1989 when I first visited this place. I had visited both the temple cities and Tirupati to pay homage to the great composer before my debut of “Sumathi Tyagaraja”, an Ekaharya presentation based on his kritis.

                                                            Detail from the Gopuram

MELATTUR TWENTY YEARS LATER-1998 -2018

The first week of October had some wonderful moments when I re-visited Thanjavur, Thiruvaiyaru and Thiruvarur temples with my family. For my daughter Ruupa and son-in-law Bhuvnesh it was a rewarding experience as they had read in great detail about these temples when they edited my book Bhagavata Mela My Tryst with Tradition. Ranjan and Ruupa have accompanied me to Melattur as  children many times. She was the Convenor of the 2002 Festival in Mumbai. Bhuvnesh was appreciated for his performance as Sutradhar and adorns the book-cover. 











In my book, I have included stories surrounding these temples, the rulers, saints, poets and dancers. The temples with their awesome dimensions and centuries of history are humbling that I feel to set foot on this sacred land is a blessing.

It was a nostalgic drive from Thanjavur through the Melattur ‘village’ that morning. I was last there on my annual visit in 1998. At that time, I did not know that it would be my last visit. After a meeting with the artistes and musicians, we planned to start work on the Marathi Natakam ‘Sakuntala’. It was slated to be a four-day festival and I was busy organising funds, designing costumes, and publicity efforts. There was music to be composed, actors to be trained and a hundred other tasks. You can read in great detail about all that in my book.

When I re-visited Melattur incognito last week, I had only a vague memory of the village.

Two things that struck me was that the distance seemed so much longer, and the roads were not mud but perfectly tarred roads. On either side were green fields. Kaveri’s tributaries and creeks appeared every few miles, refreshing the eye and mind. It was Guru Peyarchi on October 4^th   and the Thittai temple, which is on the route, was bustling with crowds. A hundred cars lined the roads. There was heavy security as many prominent persons were expected to attend the special pujas.

I did not have a clue as to the directions, everything is so different. Melattur is no longer a small three-street hamlet but a town with new buildings, shops, garishly renovated heritage homes and many locked doors. Some houses are in ramshackle condition, but late Balu Bhagavatar ’s house next to the temple has been renovated.

I could not locate the open grounds where the annual festival used to be held. I had heard last year
 that a permanent stage has been built now in place of the temporary wooden stage that were put up in the nineties.

 Although we were there much before the day closing time, there was a lock on the temple door. From the outside everything seemed same. The gurukul (priest) was persuaded to open the doors for us and he very kindly asked his relative to show us around.

Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Melattur (2018)

A surprising sight awaited me inside. The small temple is now completely re-built. The outside prakarams which were open to the sky are enclosed resulting in a vast hall.  The processional vehicles like Garuda are lined up inside. 

There are separate shrines for Varadaraja Perumal, Sri Narasimhaswami, Vinayagar and Hanuman. The two granite Narasimha Swamy idols which were in garbha graham earlier, do not have a special shrine built for them.

                                                        Interior of the Melattur temple.

The Mask in a separate glass case outside (2018)

It was disappointing to note that the mask of Narasimhaswami which is used for the performance of ‘Prahlada Charitram’, is now enclosed in a new glass case and placed outside, deprived of its sacred space inside the sanctum sanctorum.

I wonder if the divine energy that the mask had been infused with for three centuries of worship in the sanctum sanctorum would have depleted by now.

It is definitely heartening to see the improvements and additions made to the temple and the village.  Bhagavata Mela is today a well-known art-form and the festival attracts visitors from all over the country and abroad. It speaks well of the united efforts of the natives of Melattur who must have contributed in cash and kind. The renovation will make a good impression on visitors.