KUNNAKKUDI VAIDYANATHAN

 FROM SAMPATH’S DESK:

 


  

 

KUNNAKKUDI VAIDYANATHAN

(2 March 1935 - 8 September 2008)

  

We have seen people dancing to the music of musicians. But here is a music maestro who made the violin dance to his magic. Yes, he was none other than KUNNAKKUDI VAIDYANATHAN Sir, a top-notch violinist. He plunged into his musical career at the tender age of 12.  

There has been a battery of Carnatic musicians in India, especially in the South, who earned name and fame playing the violin - essentially a Western music instrument - either solo or as an accompaniment - with marked success.


1)

Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu


2)

Dwaram Manga Thayaru

 

3)

L Subramaniam

 

4)

Lalgudi Jayaraman

 

5)

TN Krishnan

 

6)

MS Gopalakrishnan

 

7)

Ganesh and Kumaresh

 

8)

Akkarai S Subhalakshmi

 

9)

Vittal Ramamurthy

 

10)

Fayiz Muhammed

 

11)

Abhijith PS Nair

 

12)

Ranjani and Gayatri

 

13)

Nandini Shankar

 

14)

Ragini Shankar

 

15)

Kanniyakumari and

 

16)

MA Krishnamurthy

 
among others.

 

Vaidyanathan Ramaswamy Shastri (birth name) was born on 2 March 1935 in Kundrakudi in Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu. Besides being a Carnatic musician, he was a Music Producer, Film Producer, Film Director, and Actor – all rolled into one He was honoured with PADMA SHRI in 2005.

 

Even though a galaxy of players have been there, K Vaidyanathan Sir stood out as an avant-garde violinist who revolutionized its use and had adventures with it. He rightfully took pride in what all he did while playing his violin.

 

The way he would display his enjoyment, excitement, and ecstasy while playing his pet stringed instrument would exemplify his deep involvement in his work.

 

He scored music for the following Tamil movies:

 

·         Vaa Raja Vaa: (1969)

·         Thirumalai Thenkumari: (1970)

·         Agathiyar: (1972)

·         Rajaraja Cholan

·         Gumastavin Magal: (1974)

·         Melnattu Marumagal: (1975)

·         Namma Veettu Deivam

·         Kankaatchi: (1971)

·         Karaikkal Ammaiyar: (1973)

·         Manidhanum Dheivamagalam

·         Navarathinam

·         Thirumalai Deivam

·         Thiruvarul

·         Annai Abirami: (1971)

·         Penn Manam: (1952)

 

On many occasions, I had swum in the sweet sea of his music in many forms and forums i.e. Natak/Gana Sabhas in Chennai. He was very sociable and even a layman could easily interact and mingle with him. He bubbled with a lot of self-confidence and took pride in having a niche audience.

 

Kunnakudi, as he was affectionatelu called, enjoyed doing new experiments with the instrument, which one could witness in his solo performances and the songs for which he composed music. The Violin was his forte. Known for his sleight and subtlety in handling the Violin, his music was for the music experts as well as normal music fans alike. His style of playing the instrument reflected his many moods and that of his audience, whom he also knew how to please.


 

Although Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan Sir was playing his violin as an accompaniment in the initial stages of his career for music stalwarts for their KACHERIES (கச்சேரிகள்), he later stopped it to concentrate more on ‘solo’ performances in which he did everything in his indomitable style and gave top-notch performances taking his audience to a crescendo of joy with his known fingering techniques. He strongly believed that music - especially certain ragas - had therapeutic and healing properties. If one were to hear his violin performances which are now available in different soft forms, it would be an elixir to the mental health. Stress and tension would vanish. Devotional music was close to his heart. He had given timeless renditions.

 

Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan played a special role in the 2005 Tamil super hit movie Anniyan directed by Shankar. 

 

Other awards received by him were:

 

·         Kalaimamani award.

·         Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 1993

·     Karnataka Isaignani Award.

·       Sangeetha Kalasikhamani award from the Indian Fine Arts Society in1996

·     Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director for the Tamil film THIRUMALAI THENKUMARI in 1970

·         Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award – Raja Sando Award in 2000

 

He never missed participating in the Sri Thyagarajar Aradhanai festivals held every year in Thiruvaiyaru in Tamil Nadu where he was well received as one of the musical geniuses.


Still, some critics expressed unhappiness against him for going beyond the conventional and traditional genres while playing the violin. 

 

He passed away on 8 September 2008. Ever since then, the instruments he used have been lying in a corner of his house mourning his eternal absence refusing to be handled by anyone else, and standing as a pride symbol of his legacy and immortality. 



He had equal mastery over both Carnatic and light music well appreciated by music lovers globally. His works were nothing short of precious gems. Yes, his legacy lives on through the numerous recordings and songs available now in soft forms. Needless to say, Kunnakkudi Vaidyanathan Sir’s works have eternalized him.

It’s a legacy that his son VR Sekar - a Cellist - has inherited.

 

 

R.SAMPATH

23/3/2025 

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