Thyagaraja Sangeetha Vidhwath Samajam Mylapore

Closing in on a Century 

The Samajam has seen top notch musicians perform during Thyagaraja Utsavam

Legendary Mannargudi Sambasiva Iyer Bhagavathar created a beautiful idol of Thyagaraja Swamy

                                   Thyagaraja Swamy

It’s closing in quietly on a Century. Way back in 1929, Thyagaraja Sangeetha Samajam was launched a 100 yards North of the Madhava Perumal temple in Mylapore (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2009/03/madhava-perumal-in-mylapore.html) with the objective of promoting musicians. 12 leading Vidhwans who lived in the street contributed Rs. 2000 each to support the purchase and construction of the 6 ground area. The street was named after the Samajam as Thyagarajapuram. Decades later Auditor and now Editor of Tughlaq S Gurumurthy bought a house here from Sundaram Iyer, one of the original residents( this writer was a  tenant there over two decades ago). Karapangadu Swamy was also one  of the early residents in Thyagarajapuram.

In the first couple of decades, concerts were held at Ranade Hall, PS School and at the terrace of legendary Mannargudi Sambasiva Iyer Bhagavathar. Almost all the top musicians including Ariyakudi Ramanujam, GNB, DKP, MSS, MLV and Semmankudi have performed at the Thyagaraja Samajam.

It was Sangeetha Kalanidhi Venkataraman Iyer, a Supreme Court Judge and a musician himself, who took the early initiative and anchored the development along with seven others who jointly founded the Samajam.

Thyagaraja Swamy Idol

A couple of decades later, Mannargudi Sambasiva Iyer Bhagavathar who composed 3000 keerthanais and presented 7000 Harikathas, created the Pancha Loka Vigraham on the direction of Maha Periyava. He served tirelessly at the Samajam for six decades making it a sought after destination in the city for top musicians. The East facing idol of Thyagaraja Swamy stands tall to this day with a Sastrigal performing pooja every day. His son, the 72 year old Rajaram, a former staffer at Standard Motors, is now a Trustee and he has been closely associated with the Samajam for over four decades. Rajaram has been presenting three awards in memory of his appa every year in December. 

            Mannargudi Sambasiva Bhagavathar

Thyagaraja Utsavam is one of the most popular events in the year. Abhisekam and Veda Parayanam are a regular feature of this 10 day utsavam. 16 Vedic Scholars are honoured every year during the utsavam and a 1000 people fed. There are concerts every evening for 10 days with the utsavam culminating in a Portrait procession on the last day. 

Rajaram says that a distinguishing feature every year is the non-stop 24 hour presentation of Thyagaraja Krithis by musicians on the Poosam day and a 12 hour non-stop presentation of Muthuswamy Dikshithars songs on Panguni Krithigai.

In addition to the Thyagaraja Utsaavam, he says that a five day Thyagaraja Jayanthi is celebrated when five musicians are honoured with Sangeetha Seva award. Events are also organised to celebrate Annamacharya Jayanthi, Ramdas Jayanthi and Swathi Thirunal.

142nd Thyagraja Aradhana - Thyagaraja Samajam Mylapore

Big contributions from MS and Padmavathy Ananthagopalan

MS Subbalakshmi was closely associated with the Samajam. In addition to presenting over 10 Kutcheris occasions including with Bala Murali Krishna as the Violinist, she helped build the concert hall. Much later industrialists Enfield Viswanathan, TTK Vasu and Seshasayee contributed to improvements at the Samajam. Veena player Padmavathy Ananthagopalan, sister of Lalgudi Jayaraman has been one of the biggest individual contributors alongside MSS having taken care of the entire flooring inside the Samajam complex.

Rajaram, who is also the Vice President of the Samajam, says that though it does not happen much these days, both MSS and MLV always presented a prayer in addition to the songs during the concert. 

                       Trustee S Rajaram

Monthly Saturday Concerts

On an ongoing basis, every month, concerts are organised on Saturdays, referred to as the 'Saturday Concerts' between 6.30pm and 8.30pm including to provide a platform for budding talent. There is also a concert every Panchami Thithi.

Thyagaraja Sangeetha Vidhwath Samajam is located in a quiet residential area at the North end of Mylapore. While the Sabhas have gained popularity in recent decades, it was this Samajam that provided a sacred platform for musicians to perform in front of Thyagaraja Swamy’s idol. The Thyagaraja Utsvam was almost as popular as the one organised in Thiruvayaru with the who’s who of the music world presenting the Thyagaraja Krithis.

Those like Venkatraman Iyer and Mannargudi Sambasiva Iyer Bhagavathar laid the platform for the Samajam in those early decades and the next in the generation have safeguarded and taken forward the legacy and kept it going through the decades. The Samajam had seen big celebrations during its 25th, 50th and 75th year. Later this decade, it will be time for the Century to be celebrated.