Thiruvarur Bakthavathsalam
Encyclopedia
Thiruvarur Bakthavathsalam (or Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam) (born 25 November) is a Mridangam musician from a family of traditional musicians in the Tanjore district of Tamilnadu, India
. He is currently staying in Chennai
.
concerts featuring Carnatic
and Hindustani maestros.
He has been on concert tours in the US, UK, Europe, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, accompanying a galaxy of musicians on the mridangam for musicians of three generations. He has alsoMalaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and the U.A.E. He has represented India in many music festivals held abroad, some of which were organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations
(ICCR), New Delhi. Some of his notable performances are Tala Vadhya Kutcheri at the festival of India, Paris in June 1985, flute and violin Jugalbandis in Australia in February 1987, the Olympic music festival held in Barcelona in Spain in 1992, a festival of Indian Music in U.S.S.R. in 1997, the fund-raising programme organised by the Bay Area Tamil
Mandram and Sankara eye foundation at Hayward, California
, US in 2003.
He has accompanied many well-known artists like M. L. Vasanthakumari
, K. J. Yesudas
, Madurai Somu, N. Ramani
, V. G. Jog
, Bhimsen Joshi
, Maharajapuram Santhanam
, K. V. Narayanaswamy, T. N. Krishnan, T. V. Sankaranarayanan, M. Balamuralikrishna and U. Srinivas
“Sachchidananda” dedicated to Swamiji, it will explore the concept of four in melody and rhythm.
The number four has a special significance – we have Brahma , the creator having four faces ,the four vedas, the seasons are four, the most common beat in classical music is made of four units and so on. This unique musical offering will also be based on the concept of four. The 108 mridangam artists will be divided into four groups, representing the four varieties of rhythm namely – Chatusram, Tisram, Khandam and Misram. The raga “Sachchidananda” is woven around the four notes – Sa, Ga, Pa and Dha and the mrudangam will also be tuned to each of these notes by the four groups. Apart from playing intrinsic patterns, the four groups will also present four Korvais.
With the blessings of Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji and ably led by maestro Thiruvarur Bhakthavatsalam, “Laya Madhura Mridanga Yagna” will explore the multihued colours of melody and rhythm in the most exquisite manner and transport the listeners to a totally meditative plane.
He also did one more mridhanga yagna in kachi kamakoti peetam, kanchipuram
with 76 mridangam artists recently.
, Canada
. If it's in the US, please specify the US state.His disciples who have mastered this art through him have become professionals of high caliber.
, and flute
as melodic instruments and the mridangam, kanjira
, ghatam
, morsing
, and tabla
as percussion. All the artists in his group are of a high caliber.
Personal Life
Bakthavathsalam married Rajam on 22 May 1985.His wife Rajam is the daughter of Vazhuvoor samraj and she is the grand daughter of Vazhuvoor B.Ramaiah Pillai .They have three daughters Harini,Mahalakshmi and Lavanya. Harini and Lavanya are learning vocal and Mahalakshmi is learning bharathanatyam.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He is currently staying in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
.
Career
Bakthavathsalam had his initial tutelage from his maternal uncle Thiruvarur Krishnamurthy and was further groomed by his mother T. R. Anandavalli, herself a talented musician. He has been played in prestigious JugalbandhiJugalbandhi
A jugalbandi or jugalbandhi is a performance in Indian classical music that features a duet of two solo musicians...
concerts featuring Carnatic
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
and Hindustani maestros.
He has been on concert tours in the US, UK, Europe, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, accompanying a galaxy of musicians on the mridangam for musicians of three generations. He has alsoMalaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and the U.A.E. He has represented India in many music festivals held abroad, some of which were organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations
Indian Council for Cultural Relations
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations , is an autonomous organisation of the Government of India, involved in India’s external cultural relations, through cultural exchange with other countries and their peoples...
(ICCR), New Delhi. Some of his notable performances are Tala Vadhya Kutcheri at the festival of India, Paris in June 1985, flute and violin Jugalbandis in Australia in February 1987, the Olympic music festival held in Barcelona in Spain in 1992, a festival of Indian Music in U.S.S.R. in 1997, the fund-raising programme organised by the Bay Area Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
Mandram and Sankara eye foundation at Hayward, California
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
, US in 2003.
He has accompanied many well-known artists like M. L. Vasanthakumari
M. L. Vasanthakumari
Madras Lalitangi Vasanthakumari , was a Carnatic musician and playback singer for film songs in many Indian languages. MLV and her contemporaries D. K. Pattammal and M. S. Subbulakshmi were popularly referred to as the "female trinity of Carnatic Music. A prime disciple of the G. N...
, K. J. Yesudas
K. J. Yesudas
Kattassery Joseph Yesudas is an Indian classical musician and playback singer.Yesudas sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. He has recorded more than 50,000 songs in many languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya, Marathi, Punjabi,...
, Madurai Somu, N. Ramani
N. Ramani
N. Ramani is a renowned Indian Carnatic flautist.-Early life and background:N. Ramani was born in Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu. Aside from the influence of his place of birth, Ramani was born into a musical family...
, V. G. Jog
V. G. Jog
Vishnu Govind Jog, better known as V. G. Jog , was an Indian violinist. He was the foremost exponent of the violin in the Hindustani music tradition in the 20th century, and is credited for introducing this instrument into Hindustani music.Jog was a disciple of Baba Allauddin Khan...
, Bhimsen Joshi
Bhimsen Joshi
Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi ; February 4, 1922 - January 24, 2011) was an Indian vocalist in the Hindustani classical tradition. A member of the Kirana Gharana , he is renowned for the khayal form of singing, as well as for his popular renditions of devotional music...
, Maharajapuram Santhanam
Maharajapuram Santhanam
Sangeetha Kalanidhi Maharajapuram Santhanam , was one of the great Carnatic music vocalists of the 20th century. He was born in Sirunangur, a village in the state of Tamil Nadu. He followed the footsteps of his father Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer who was also a Carnatic singer.- Profile :Besides...
, K. V. Narayanaswamy, T. N. Krishnan, T. V. Sankaranarayanan, M. Balamuralikrishna and U. Srinivas
U. Srinivas
Uppalapu Shrinivas , is an Indian mandolin player of the Carnatic musical tradition of Southern India. Shrinivas plays an electric mandolin and has collaborated with John McLaughlin, Michael Nyman, and Michael Brook...
Laya Madhura Mridanga Yagna
On the divine occasion of the 68th birthday celebrations of Parama Pujya Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji on May, 2010 the first ever of its kind musical presentation “ Laya Madhura Mridanga Yagna” led by mridanga maestro Thiruvarur Bakthavathsalam will be organized at the Avadhoota Datta Peetham in Mysore. This divine concept devised by Swamiji will have 108 mridangam artists from all over India participating in it. Based on a new ragaRaga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
“Sachchidananda” dedicated to Swamiji, it will explore the concept of four in melody and rhythm.
The number four has a special significance – we have Brahma , the creator having four faces ,the four vedas, the seasons are four, the most common beat in classical music is made of four units and so on. This unique musical offering will also be based on the concept of four. The 108 mridangam artists will be divided into four groups, representing the four varieties of rhythm namely – Chatusram, Tisram, Khandam and Misram. The raga “Sachchidananda” is woven around the four notes – Sa, Ga, Pa and Dha and the mrudangam will also be tuned to each of these notes by the four groups. Apart from playing intrinsic patterns, the four groups will also present four Korvais.
With the blessings of Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji and ably led by maestro Thiruvarur Bhakthavatsalam, “Laya Madhura Mridanga Yagna” will explore the multihued colours of melody and rhythm in the most exquisite manner and transport the listeners to a totally meditative plane.
He also did one more mridhanga yagna in kachi kamakoti peetam, kanchipuram
Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram, or Kanchi, is a temple city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a temple town and the headquarters of Kanchipuram district...
with 76 mridangam artists recently.
LayaMadhura school of music
He is the founder, director of the "LayaMadhura" school of music, which has its headquarters at Chennai,coimbatore and TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. If it's in the US, please specify the US state.His disciples who have mastered this art through him have become professionals of high caliber.
LayaMadhura the divine ensemble
He has created his own troupe of music ensemble named "LayaMadhura". In this ensemble he has named it as a divine ensemble by including instruments like the nagaswaram, violinViolin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, and flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
as melodic instruments and the mridangam, kanjira
Kanjira
The kanjira, khanjira or ganjira, a South Indian frame drum, is an instrument of the tambourine family. It is used primarily in concerts of Carnatic music as a supporting instrument for the mridangam...
, ghatam
Ghatam
The ghaṭam is a percussion instrument used in the Carnatic music of South India. Its analogue in Rajasthan is known as the madga and pani mataqa "water jug"....
, morsing
Morsing
A morsing is a wind percussion instrument, mainly used in the Carnatic music of South India and Sindh . It can be categorized under lamellophones, which is in the category of plucked idiophones...
, and tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
as percussion. All the artists in his group are of a high caliber.
CD albums
He has to his credit two solo audio albums viz."LayaMadhura" and "ThalaBhakthi", and has also provided accompaniment in numerous cassettes and CDs for top ranking artistes. He has also released a CD "rhythmic symphony", a percussion jugalbandi with Pandit Anindo Chatterjee on the table. The latest twin CD album is the "divine ensemble" which is the new novel instrumental ensemble he has evolved with instruments like the nadaswaram, violin, flute, ghatam, kanjira, morsing and tabla.- Isai Chelvam from Muthmizh Peravai
- Mridhanga Vadhya mani
- Mridhanga Nadha mani
- Mridhanga kala bharathi gana shabha, amalpuram, Andhra PradeshAndhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
- Laya Vadhya, Samarat Indian Classical Musicians Federation, Kumbakonam
- Mridhanga Chakravathi by Nemili Bala Thirupruasundari Bala Peetam
- Thala Vidhyadhara Sudha by Sakthi Arul Koodam Narpavi, TambaramTambaramTambaram is a suburb of Chennai situated 27 km south of the city in Tamil Nadu, India. It is an urban node. Tambaram is a hub to all major destinations in south Tamil Nadu as it lies on the busy Chennai–Trichy national highway. The highway and the railway line from Chennai Egmore to...
- Lifetime achievement award by the Santhi arts foundation, Chennai
Personal Life
Bakthavathsalam married Rajam on 22 May 1985.His wife Rajam is the daughter of Vazhuvoor samraj and she is the grand daughter of Vazhuvoor B.Ramaiah Pillai .They have three daughters Harini,Mahalakshmi and Lavanya. Harini and Lavanya are learning vocal and Mahalakshmi is learning bharathanatyam.