An ensemble of 75 musicians are slated to perform at the 75th birthday celebrations of Yathiraja Jeeyar Swami. To be held on August 23, Yathiraja Gaana Amruthavarshini is a tribute to the pontiff of Yadugiri Yathiraj Mutt, Jeeyar, who is a renowned musician.
While speaking about the upcoming event, Jeeyar said, “My life has been a celebration of music, devotion, Sanskrit and literature, and since Sanskrit Day is also celebrated this month, I requested the musicians to opt for compositions in Sanskrit. They have selected a few of my works as well as those by Shatavadhani Ganesh who has penned a few for the occasion, apart from a few of my favourites.”
Although Jeeyar is an accomplished violinist and vocalist, he says, “I continue to be a student of music and am grateful for the associations and influences from litterateurs, poets, spiritual leaders and scholars as well as my family’s cultural background which made melody an intrinsic part of my life.”
Jeeyar, whose biography, Sujana Jeevana is also under way, adds that his foray as a lyricist was incidental. “Once, soon after a darshan at Tirupathi, I was soaking in the spiritual atmosphere at the temple grounds, when my friend asked me to write a few lines. Moved by the ambience there, I adapted my signature ankita ‘Sri Charana’ (surrender to the Lord) and penned my first composition, ‘Sri Venkateshwara’. It was followed by others on different subjects, mostly devotional and on nature, with the same ankita.”
“It humbles me that ace mridangist and music composer Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma who set quite a few of my compositions to music is helming this show.”
The formative years
Jeeyar, earlier known as Tiru Swami, was born in Melkote, Karnataka on August 25, 1949, and spent his childhood listening to music and Sanskrit prabhandas. “My sister was a violin student and my house would be filled with songs from the radio, and my father would discuss the nuances of the ragas and composers.”
Practice sessions underway for Yathiraja Jeeyar Swami’s 75th birthday celebrations
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Special Arrangement
After advanced Hindi, Sanskrit and music studies, he went to Mysore for his Intermediate and was mesmerised by the musical environment the Mysore Royals had nurtured and patronised there. “I enrolled at the Ayyanar College of Music for violin classes and got to see the best of yesteryear musicians from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra perform there.”
“It was magical to see sabhas brimming with yearly specials, and catch Bidaram Krishnappa perform with Mysore Vasudevachar in the audience. Or Violin Chowdiah keenly listening to Ariyakudi and the Alathur brothers’ performances! It was a healthy and melodious environment.”
Bengaluru calling
Later on, Jeeyar enrolled for his B.Com at MES College in Malleswaram, Bangalore. After securing his degree in 1969, he has been associated with spiritual and cultural events for through various institutions. “When I came to Bangalore, the best thing to happen to be me was to be taken under the wing of well-known vocalist Chintalapalli Ramachandra Rao. He taught me ‘Deva Deva Kalayaamide’ in Mayamalavagowla which still remains one of my favorites.”
Jeeyar Swami never performed but started a lot of music institutions where performances were encouraged. He was also associated with Adarsha, ISKCON Krishna Kalakshetra, Ramanuja Kalakshetra and now as the pontiff of Yathiraja Mutt he continues to do the same.
Despite his propensity to pen lyrics, Jeeyar says much like iconic vocalist RK Srikantan, he too believes that with reams of kritis from saint-composers already in existence, “composing is only when an internal contemplation eggs me on.”
Talking about his favorite ragas and composers, Jeeyar says, “My favourite ragas are Shankarabharana, Simmendramadhyama, Kamas, Todi and Kambodhi. How can you not like Dikshitar’s ‘Sri Krishnam Bhaja Manasa’ in Todi; ‘Rama Rama Guna Seema’ of Simmendra Madhyama where the Lord is delineated by Swati Tirunal; the lyrical beauty brought out in Tyagaraja’s Pancha Ratna kritis, or our own Pitamaha Punrandaradasa’s ‘Hange Ira Beku Samsaaradalli’ which is a true guide to living.”
“Music has to be a pursuit, and I believe we must constantly shadow it to reach a space of comfort,” says the eternal student, who recently enrolled in an online music workshop on Swati Tirunal compositions conducted by Shankaran Namboodiri.
Yathiraja Gaana Amruthavarshini will be held at Chowdiah Memorial Hall on August 23 from 5pm. Entry free)
An evening of music
The Yathiraja Gaana Amruthavarshini in tribute to Yathiraj Jeeyar Swami by 75 musicians will be inaugurated by actress and dancer Vyjayanathi Mala with vocalist Prince Rama Varma as a guest of honour. The event helmed by vidwan Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma has been conceptualised by Anjali Sriram.
Among the 75 musicians will be 45 vocalists apart from flautists, violinists, veena artistes, mridangists, khanjira, ghata, morching and konakkol artistes, who will be directed by percussionists Prabodh Shyam Anoor and Somashekar Jois.
There will be special address by Carnatic musicians TS Sathyavathi and RK Padmanabha. Senior musicians such as MS Sheela, Nagamani Srinath, RA Ramamani, violinists Mysore Nagaraj and Manjunath and mridangist AV Anand will be felicitated on the occasion.