An ideal Guru is one who enlightens and shows the path to salvation by teaching, transferring knowledge and by being a living example. Sangita Kalanidhi Dr. S. Ramanathan (affectionately and respectfully called “Thatha” by me) was such a Guru, whose wings I was blessed to have come under at a very young age. This great man breathed and lived music throughout, to such an extent that even in his last moments, he was talking about the septimal Nishadam in Suratti and Ritigowla.
The day dawned at his T.P. Koil street residence in Triplicane, reverberating with music. Every class of his would be a different experience. Sometimes he would cover kritis, sometimes Manodharmam or maybe exercises like sarali varisai and some other times, a combination of all these. They were so interesting and different that we looked forward to every class, expecting the unexpected.
Thatha would keep the classes lively with anecdotes, playfully chiding us if mistakes were made, inspiring and encouraging every one not only to sing kritis but also to try Manodharmam. He made kalpanaswaram so simple that sometimes even parents of some students would start singing. Hours would pass, but his engrossed students would hardly be conscious of it! Thatha taught in such a way that whatever was taught was etched in memory, and he never allowed anybody to write notation or use recording devices. The way he taught and sang, his smile and his encouraging words, made the learning experience so memorable that even after years of his passing away, we remember his teachings without the support of a book or a notebook.
Learning music was not restricted to his classes alone. Being the Guru that he was, he would encourage us to accompany him to various institutions where he taught music and lectured on music and musicology, such as Kalakshetra. Such experiences helped us observe not only his teaching methodology at close quarters, but also how he interacted with students of other Gurus and the way he made diffident students sing and blossom. He was a true Guru, who would not make any distinction among students, be it his own children or others. His singular aim was to share and impart knowledge to everyone. Thatha would make his classes and lectures very lively and interesting by narrating musicological topics, anecdotes and his experiences with his Gurus.
He was like a honeybee, gathering musical ideas and learning from everywhere and everyone. For example, he made us learn Tevaram hymns from the Oduvars themselves at Tamil Isai Sangam and he was the one who sent me to Sangita Kala Acharya T. Muktha to learn Padam, Javalis and other rare compositions. Thatha would attend concerts by even junior artistes and believed that there was something to learn from every concert. I remember a particular instance when he took us to the concert of a very young artiste. He thoroughly enjoyed the concert and at the end remarked, “Did you notice that wonderful sangati in Kharaharapriya? That was a phrase which Konerirajapuram Vaidhyanathar used to sing!” We realised that he focused only on the good and the learning, in everything!
Thatha was a man of varied interests. He encouraged us to learn an instrument, an extra language and appreciated humour as he was a member of the Humour Club. He took us to movies and plays. I still remember watching the movie Karnan with him and the whole family, and how much he enjoyed the movie and the music.
He would tell us about other forms of art and encouraged us to attend dance recitals. He made us understand the musicality, rhythm and hence the interplay between music and dance. Dr. Vanathy Raghuraman, his daughter, and I were regulars at the dance recitals conducted by Swamimalai Rajaratnam Pillai and Adyar Lakshman. Thatha used to insist we keep Talam for the Jatis and Korvais they wove into each of the compositions and would quiz us later what the Kanakku it was. I was also fortunate to have sung along with Dr. Vanathy for Thatha’s lecture demonstrations, since this experience helped me appreciate the compositions of different composers and various topics in music, particularly Tamil music.
I also had the unique blessing of doing Gurukulavasam with him, as musical learning was not bound by time. There were occasions when veena classes happened close to midnight. His daughters and I have had classes not only at home but also while travelling in the train or sometimes at the beach. While on a trip to Thanjavur, he woke me and Dr. Vanathy up at 3 a.m. and taught ‘Eramuni,’ a Tyagaraja composition in Vakulabharanam. He was a man who thought only of music 24 hours of the day. He never approved of anybody wasting time and in one of his talks mentioned that sleep is the enemy of man! He would hardly sleep himself and rather read and write when the rest of the world slept. While Thatha was highly principled and believed in discipline, he was a gentle man who never got angry, raised his voice or scolded anyone.
Dr. S. Ramanathan
Thatha was a fine living example of a Jeevan Mukta. I learned and understood what divine and unconditional love was, from Mami (Smt. Gowri Ramanathan). They were a divine couple, made for each other and showered love and knowledge without any interest in material pursuits. Only a Jeevan Mukta is said to know when his end is near. Thatha said, during his last few moments, that he was in communion with God.
The affection, love and knowledge that I received from him, Mami and the whole family have made me what I am today, musically and otherwise. I consider the time that I spent at T.P. Koil Street, the golden period in my life. If Ambal were to grant me a boon in this birth centenary year of the great man, I would ask for that golden period again, Thatha and Mami with me forever!
