Biographical Notes on Aanaiyaa

The following essay is freely translated from V. S. Gomathisankara Iyer's collection of anecdotes on Aanaiyaa. The details, as told by Ramaswami Sivan to Pallavi Subbiah Bhagavatar, were in turn narrated by the later to his son V.S Gomatisankara Iyer.

Aanai: 1776 to 1850

Aiyaa: 1778 to 1857

Aanaiyaa hailed from Vaiyacheri, a small village in Tanjore district in TamilNadu. The village temple hosts the shrine of "Mangalaambigai" and "Agasteeswarar". Although, the name Aanaiyaa can seem to refer to an individual, in reality it refers to two; Aanai and Aiyaa. Also, many have thought of Aanai and Aiyaa to be brothers by birth. This is not the case.

Pranadhathiharar, a resident of Vaiyacheri was a great scholar and an authority in the four Vedas. Pranadhathiharar was married to Dharmambal. His younger sister Madurambal was married to Viswanaatha Iyer, who also was a native of Vaiyacheri. In 1776, the Pranadhathiharar Dharmabal couple were blessed with a boy child who was named Aanai. In 1778, Viswanatha Iyer and Madhurambal were blessed with a boy who was named Aiyaa. Thus, Aanai was Aiyaa's maternal uncle's son and Aiyaa was Aanai's paternal aunt's son, which made them cousin brothers.

With under 2 years separating them and being next door to each other, Anaiyaa grew up together and were inseparable "like" brothers. It was very uncommon to see one without the other. Aanai, the elder of the two grew up to be a natural and gifted musician. Aiyaa, though not born a musical genius, was still very proficient in the art form. From a very young age, Aiyaa showed a lot of interest in literature and poetry and grew up to be a scholar with remarkable command over Tamil, Telegu and Sanskrit languages.

Their daily routines included 3 to 4 hours of Rudhram recital followed by an in-depth Veda learning session with Pranadhathiharar. Later in the afternoon, the two were often seen sitting in the "thinnai" discussing various aspects of carnatic music. Aiyaa was especially fond of reading and gathering information pertaining to theory of music from early literary works on carnatic music. Aanai was a brilliant singer with a gifted voice and an ability to compose songs at will. Even at a fairly young age the Aaniyaa duo started composing. Aiyaa meticulously set these compositions to appropriate tunes.

Every evening around 5:00 PM, Aanaiyaa would go to the "Agasteeswarar - Mangalaambigai" temple to offer evening prayers. It was customary for the duo to sing in front of both the shrines of the temple. On days of auspicious significance, the singing session would last for a few hours. Such occasions would witness the gathering of people who came from Vaiyacheri, the nearby villages of Thirunageswaram, Upiliappan Kovil, Thittai, Aiyampettai, Pasupathi Kovil and sometimes even from the town of Tanjore.

When singing together, Aaniyaa's voices would blend in seamlessly and result in a Divine resonance that would spell bind the audience. Their vocal signatures were so close to each other that it was impossible to tell which one of the two was singing; unless one was directly looking at them or grasping their body movements. Their command over language, their ability to weave the verses into a well thought out tune and their improvisation skills awed even the brightest of the musical minds.

The Chronology of Annamalai University Music Department

The following chronology on Annamalai University's Music Department was compiled by V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer. It is very interesting to note how many stalwart musicians and scholars have been associated with the University's Music Department during the course of it's 80 year history. Hence, my reason for posting it here.

Annamalai University was the first of its kind to start a separate department for the study of classical carnatic music. It was also the first one to have a dedicated faculty and a formal curriculum in support of the academics.

1929:
Raja Annamalai Chettiar founds Raja Anamalai Music College in Annamalai Nagar. Initially, the college functions as an autonomous body outside the confines/governance of the University and is fully funded by the founder.
T.S. Sabesa Iyer is appointed as the Principal. Tanjore K. Ponnaiya Pillai (Vocal), Madras Balu Iyer (Fiddle) and Desamangalam Subramania Iyer (Veena) as "Pundits" form the faculty. The student count is about 3 or 4.
Faculty : 4
Students: about 3 or 4

1930:
Madras Balu Iyer (Fiddle) resigns. Madurai M.S. Subramania Iyer (Fiddle) is brought in as replacement. Popularly, he comes to be known as Fiddle Subramania Iyer.
T.S. Sabesa Iyer continues as Principal. Tanjore K. Ponnaiya Pillai (Vocal), Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle) and Desamangalam Subramania Iyer (Veena) as "Pundits" form the faculty. The student count increases to about 15.
Faculty : 4
Students: about 15

1931:
Desamangalam Subramania Iyer (Veena) resigns. Cuddalore Varadaiya (Veena) is appointed as temporary fill. T.S. Sabesa Iyer decides to expand faculty. Appoints V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena) as "Pundit" and P. Srinivaasa Iyer as "Adjunct Pundit" to support Fiddle and Veena. Cuddalore Varadaiya's term ends with the academic year.
T.S. Sabesa Iyer continues as Principal. Tanjore K. Ponnaiyaa Pillai (Vocal), Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle) and V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena) as "Pundits" form the faculty. P. Srinivasa Iyer as "Adjunct Pundit" supports Fiddle and Veena. Student count is in execess of 20.
Faculty : 5
Students: in excess of 20

Note: V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer is the son of Vasudevanallur "Pallavi" Subbiah Bhagavatar. "Pallavi" Subbiah Bhagavatar and T.S. Sabesa Iyer were very close associates and both trained under Vaiyacheri Mahaa Vaidhyanatha Iyer (popularly known as Mahaa Vaidhyanatha Sivan).

1932:
Music College is annexed to Annamalai University. T.S. Sabesa Iyer becomes "Lecturer" and heads the music department. P. Srinivasa Iyer is promoted to "Pundit".
T.S. Sabesa Iyer as Lecturer, Tanjore K. Ponnaiya Pillai (Vocal), Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle) V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena) and P. Srinivasa Iyer as "Pundits" form the faculty. "Sangeetha Bhushanam" is established and the course certificate awarded for passing students. Student count is in excess of 35.
Faculty : 5
Students: in excess of 35

Note: After being annexed to the University in 1932, the faculty gets a glimpse of the political turbulences of operating under a large institution. 1933 -1936 will roll by without any significant changes.

1933:
No notable changes.
T.S. Sabesa Iyer as Lecturer, Tanjore K. Ponnaiya Pillai (Vocal), Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle) V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena) and P. Srinivasa Iyer as "Pundits" form the faculty. Student count is about 38.
Faculty : 5
Students: about 38

1934:
No notable changes.
T.S. Sabesa Iyer as Lecturer, Tanjore K. Ponnaiya Pillai (Vocal), Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle) V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena) and P. Srinivasa Iyer as "Pundits" form the faculty. Student count is about 40.
Faculty : 5
Students: about 40

1935:
No notable changes.
T.S. Sabesa Iyer as Lecturer, Tanjore K. Ponnaiya Pillai (Vocal), Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle) V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena) and P. Srinivasa Iyer as "Pundits" form the faculty. Student count is about 56.
Faculty : 5
Students: about 56

1936:
No notable changes.
T.S Sabesa Iyer as Lecturer, Tanjore K. Ponnaiya Pillai (Vocal), Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle) V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena) and P. Srinivasa Iyer as "Pundits" form the faculty. Student count is about 68.
Faculty : 5
Students: about 68

1937:
T.S. Sabesa Iyer, K. Ponnaiya Pillai and P.Srinivasa Iyer resign. With 2 stalwarts gone the University gets busy looking for replacements. The University strikes gold by bringing in Tiger Varadhachariyar, Sathur Krishna Iyengar and T.K. Rangachari. In addition, one more faculty position is added to which K.S. Narayanasami Iyer is appointed. Music College moves to a newly constructed building opposite to the Zoology department.
Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle), V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), Tiger Varadhachariyar (Vocal), Sathur Krishna Iyengar (Vocal) T.K. Rangachari (Vocal) and K.S. Narayanasami Iyer(Veena) as "Pundits" form the faculty. Student count holds at about 68.
Faculty : 6
Students: about 68

1938:
Music College adds Mridangam section. Mylatur Sami Iyer is brought in for teaching Mridangam curriculum.
Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle), V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), Tiger Varadhachariyar (Vocal), Sathur Krishna Iyengar (Vocal) T.K. Rangachari (Vocal) K.S. Narayanasami Iyer (Veena) and Mylatur Sami Iyer (Mridangam) form the faculty. Student count goes down to 51.
Faculty : 7
Students: 51

1939:
No notable changes.
Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle), V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), Tiger Varadhachariyar (Vocal), Sathur Krishna Iyengar (Vocal), T.K. Rangachari (Vocal), K.S. Narayanasami Iyer (Veena) and Mylatur Sami Iyer (Mridangam) form the faculty. Student count increases to 65.
Faculty : 7
Students: 65

1940:
L.R. Neelamegam Pillai (Fiddle) is added to the faculty. Final year students are made to perform full length concerts at least twice a month. Concerts are rated and graded by the faculty.
Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle), V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), Tiger Varadhachariyar (Vocal), Sathur Krishna Iyengar (Vocal) T.K. Rangachari (Vocal) K.S. Narayanasami Iyer (Veena), Mylatur Sami Iyer (Mridangam) and L.R. Neelamegam Pillai (Fiddle) form the faculty. Student count is 69.
Faculty : 8
Students: 69

1941:
Music College adds "Thevaram" section and to this effect appoints Nataraja Desikar to the faculty. The University announces a reward for tamizh compositions in the newspapers and dailys, solicits tamizh compositions from all over the country.
Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle), V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), Tiger Varadhachariyar (Vocal), Sathur Krishna Iyengar (Vocal) T.K. Rangachari (Vocal) K.S. Narayanasami Iyer (Veena), Mylatur Sami Iyer (Mridangam), L.R. Neelamegam Pillai (Fiddle) and Nataraja Desikar (Thevaram) form the faculty. Student count is 70.
Faculty: 9
Students: 70

1942:
Sathur Krishna Iyengar and Nataraja Desikar resign. Tirupampuram T.N. Swaminatha Pillai, Mylam M.P. Vajravel Muthaliar and M. Subramania Muthaliar join the faculty. Tiger Varasdhachariyar is appointed to the "tamizh isai" advisor post.
Fiddle Subramania Iyer (Fiddle), V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), Tiger Varadhachariyar (Vocal), T.K. Rangachari (Vocal) K.S. Narayanasami Iyer (Veena), Mylatur Sami Iyer (Mridangam), L.R. Neelamegam Pillai (Fiddle), T.N. Swaminatha Pillai (Vocal), M.P. Vajravel Mudhaliar and M. Subramania Muthaliar (Thevaram) form the faculty. Student count holds at 70.
Faculty:10
Students: 70

1943:
Tiger Varadhachariyar, T.K. Rangachari and Fiddle Subramania Iyer resign. Tanjore K. Ponnaiya Pillai returns to the college as Professor and Head of the Department of Music. K. Sivavadivel Pillai is brought in as a replacement for Fiddle Subramania Iyer. In addition, T.N. Sivasubramania Pillai and Vijaya Govindan are added to the faculty. In the later half of the academic year, T.N. Swaminatha Pillai is designated "Senior" Lecturer. V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer and K. Siva Vadivel Pillai are designated "Lecturers". The rest of the faculty continue as "Pundits". In October of 1943, the tamizh isai advisory committee is established to oversee the growth and development of tamizh isai. L.P.K.R. Ramanathan Chettiyar becomes the President. M. Kathiresan Chettiyar heads the working body. K. Subramania Pillai M.A.M.L., "Sangeetha Kalanidhi" K. Ponnaiya Pillai and T.N. Swaminatha Pillai are enrolled as members. 5 volumes of "tamizh isai" compilations (Vol 1,2,3,4 and 7) are published. V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer authors Vol. 1,2,3 and 7. T.N. Swaminatha Pillai authors Vol 4.
Prof. K. Ponniya Pillai, V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), K.S. Narayanasami Iyer (Veena), Mylatur Sami Iyer (Mridangam), L.R. Neelamegam Pillai (Fiddle), T.N. Swaminatha Pillai (Vocal), M.P. Vajravel Mudhaliar, M. Subramania Muthaliar (Thevaram), K. Sivavadivel Pillai, T.N. Sivasubramania Pillai and Vijaya Govindan form the faculty. Student count rises to 90.
Faculty: 11
Students: 90

Note: 1943 witnesses a very unhealthy divide within the faculty along "caste" lines and plays out vividly in the open. As a result most of the Brahmin members of the faculty end up quitting. V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer, K. Narayanasami Iyer and Mylatur Sami Iyer agree to stay at the personal request of Raja Annamalai Chettiyar.

1944:
K. Subramania Pillai quits as member of the tamizh isai advisory committee. T.P. Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai replaces him. The University introduces the "Isai Mani" certificate course focusing specifically on "tamizh isai" education. It is designed as an advanced programme for "Sangeetha Bhooshanam" students. K. Ponnaiya Pillai publishes a book titled "Isai Iyal" about the grammar of carnatic music. V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer publishes a compilation of Gopalakrishna Bharati's "viduthi-k-kErthanai" containing 89 compositions.
Prof. K. Ponniya Pillai, V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), K.S. Narayanasami Iyer (Veena), Mylatur Sami Iyer (Mridangam), L.R. Neelamegam Pillai (Fiddle), T.N. Swaminatha Pillai (Vocal), M.P. Vajravel Mudhaliar, M. Subramania Muthaliar (Thevaram), K. Sivavadivel Pillai, T.N. Sivasubramania Pillai and Vijaya Govindan form the faculty. Student count rises to 99.
Faculty: 11
Students: 99

1945:
Prof. Ponniya Pillai resigns. V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer publishes 2 books, one is a compilation of Arunachala Kavi's "rAmanAtaka kErthanai" compositions with swara notations and the other is a compilation of Sudhanantha Bharati's compositions with swara notations. T.N. Swaminatha Pillai publishes a compilation of Marimutha Pillai compositions with swara notations.
V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), K.S. Narayanasami Iyer (Veena), Mylatur Sami Iyer (Mridangam), L.R. Neelamegam Pillai (Fiddle), T.N. Swaminatha Pillai (Vocal), M.P. Vajravel Mudhaliar, M. Subramania Muthaliar (Thevaram), K. Sivavadivel Pillai, T.N. Sivasubramania Pillai and Vijaya Govindan form the faculty. Student count rises to 115.
Faculty: 10
Students: 115

1946:
T.N. Swaminatha Pillai and K.S. Narayanasami Iyer resign. K.P Sivanantham (Veena) is added to the faculty. V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer sets to tune the songs in Sundhanantha Bharati's "Manikavachagar Saritharam". This compilation is published as a book titled "Manika Paatu". Mylatur Sami Iyer publishes a book on Mridamgam teaching and training methodologies. T.N. Swaminatha Pillai publishes a compilation of Nagaram Muthusami Kavirayar's compositions with swara notations. He also sets to tune the compositions of Vainagaram Ramanathan Chettiyar and brings it 0ut as a book.
V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), Mylatur Sami Iyer (Mridangam), L.R. Neelamegam Pillai (Fiddle), M.P. Vajravel Mudhaliar, M. Subramania Muthaliar (Thevaram), K. Sivavadivel Pillai, T.N. Sivasubramania Pillai , Vijaya Govindan and K.P. Sivanantham (Veena) form the faculty. Student count rises to 133.
Faculty: 9
Students: 133

1947:
Chitoor Subramania Pillai is appointed as Professor and Head of the Department of Music. Manargudi Vaithyalingam Pillai is appointed as "Lecturer" and joins the faculty. V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer publishes a compilation of Periyasamy Thooran compositions with swara notation.
Prof. Chitoor Subramania Pillai (Vocal), V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), Mylatur Sami Iyer (Mridangam), L.R. Neelamegam Pillai (Fiddle), M.P. Vajravel Mudhaliar, M. Subramania Muthaliar (Thevaram), K. Sivavadivel Pillai, T.N. Sivasubramania Pillai , Vijaya Govindan, K.P. Sivanantham (Veena) and Manargudi Vaithyalingam Pillai form the faculty. Student count is at 117.
Faculty:11
Students: 117

1948:
V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer publishes a compilation of Ramaswamy Sivan's compositions with swara notation. T.N. Sivasubramania Pillai publishes a compilation that includes composition of 14 great composers in Tamil. This publication inlcudes Kavi-k-kunjari, that is set to tune by M.M. Dandapani Desikar.
Prof. Chitoor Subramania Pillai (Vocal), V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), Mylatur Sami Iyer (Mridangam), L.R. Neelamegam Pillai (Fiddle), M.P. Vajravel Mudhaliar, M. Subramania Muthaliar (Thevaram), K. Sivavadivel Pillai, T.N. Sivasubramania Pillai , Vijaya Govindan, K.P. Sivanantham (Veena) and Manargudi Vaithyalingam Pillai form the faculty. Student count is at 104.
Faculty:11
Students: 104

1949:
K.P. Sivanatham resigns. M.G. Gowrikumari (Veena) and P. Balakrishnan are added to the faculty. K.P. Sivanatham brings out a compilation of K. Ponniya Pillai's compositions.
Prof. Chitoor Subramania Pillai (Vocal), V.S. Gomathisankara Iyer (Veena), Mylatur Sami Iyer (Mridangam), L.R. Neelamegam Pillai (Fiddle), M.P. Vajravel Mudhaliar, M. Subramania Muthaliar (Thevaram), K. Sivavadivel Pillai, T.N. Sivasubramania Pillai , Vijaya Govindan, Manargudi Vaithyalingam Pillai, M.G. Gowrikumari and P. Balakrishnan form the faculty. Student count is at 104.
Faculty:12
Students: 104

The first 20 years unwind this way. Later years would see leading muscians like Mridamgam Ramadas Rao (1950 - 61), M.M. Dandapani Desikar (1955 - 71), S.V. Parthasarathy (1954 - 56) and Rajamanikcam Pillai (1958 - 61), amongst others.