Viswanatha Sastri

Mayuram Viswanatha Sastri (1893–1958) was a Carnatic music composer. His most remembered composition is the patriotic song "Jayathi Jayathi Bharata Mata". Translated "Victory Victory to Mother India", the song has become a standard among classical singers of South India. This song is one of the 18 songs in his book 'Bharat Bhajan ' which was published in the year 1948 containing songs in praise of Bharat Matha (Mother India) and Mahatma Gandhi. This book was one among his many publications. See AIR's 13-episode documentary of his works.

Early life and background Sastri was born on 27 November 1893 to Ramaswamy Ganapadigal and Balambal Lakshmi in Therizhandur near Mayiladuthurai (also known as Māyavaram, present-day Mayilāduthurai) in Tamil Nadu. He was the second of six children. He was initiated in Sanskrit studies, as was the custom, and was put in Sanskrit College at Kalyan Mahal, Thiruvaiyaru. He also studied the Vedas simultaneously for some time. This helped him attain proficiency in the Vedas and the Sanskrit language. Later, the lure of English education led him to become a student at the Municipal High School in Mayuram.

He was interested in Carnatic music from an early age and trained under illustrious preceptors like Dasavadyam Venkatarama Iyengar of Devakottai, Namakkal Narasimha Iyengar and Simizhi Sundaram Iyer.

Young Sastri devoted more time to music than to his other studies. He imbibed the taste for music from his mother. He had a high-pitched voice and, in due course, he attracted the attention of the local Vidvans (Maestros) who recognized his musical talent.

Life history Completing his S.S.L.C. (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) in 1912, Sastri searched for a job and got a school teacher's post. In 1913, he married Kamalambal. He lost his parents in 1915. He shifted to Tiruchirappalli and became a teacher and musician. In the meantime, he gained proficiency in Harmonium playing and became acquainted with Alathur Venkatesa Iyer. He tried his hand at Harikatha for some time at the suggestion of Muthiah Bhagavatar and Panchapakesha Bhagavatar who were his close friends. He later moved to Karaikudi and as a music teacher. In 1921, he moved back to Madras (Now Chennai).

His only daughter survived for less than a year after birth. In 1935, he also lost his wife.

Mayuram Viswanatha Sastri died in Jamshedpur on 31 December 1958.

Musical Journey The burning desire in him that he should become a full-fledged musician made him approach Namakkal Narasimha Iyengar for a Vidya guru (teacher). There are still a good number of songs in the manuscript, both in Tamil and Sanskrit, which Sastri intended to publish such as "Shiva Shakti Madhura Kirtanai" and "Harihara Madhura Kirtanai". He has composed a set of five songs called "Balar Pancharatnam" in Sanskrit, for children that forms a prayer. The manuscript collection also includes 8 songs on Shirdi Sai Baba, which has come out as a CD in 2007.

He was the first person to set the Tirukkural verses to music and he published the first volume containing the Arattupal in 41 songs with Svara notation calling it "Tirukkural Madhura Kirtanai". This was published during his lifetime. The Sangeet Natak Academy in Delhi gave a grant of Rs.1000 for this. Later on one more volume was published by his younger brother Shri.T. R. Vaithisvaran in 1987. Other volumes of this series are still in manuscripts.

He has also written a few novels and plays of which "Bhakta Jayadeva" and "Chitra Kamini" were staged. Others included Karaikal Ammayar, Virata Parva, Santha Kumari, and Mithra Vijayam.

He was a member of the experts' committee of Annamalai University for two years.

Other information He was the second of six siblings. His elder brother was Shri. R. Krishnamoorthi. His younger brothers were Shri. R. Kuppuswami Iyer, Shri. R. Rajagopalan, Shri. T. R. Vaithisvaran. The last sibling was his sister Smt. Vallabham Kalyanasundaram.

Shri.T. R. Vaithisvaran was also a composer by his own merit and is known for his work Shri Ramarpana Gita Puja Kirtana, Shri Ramarpana Kirtana, and Shri Ramarpana Jeevia Kirtana.

His sister Smt. Vallabham Kalyanasundaram was an accomplished singer and recognized as 'Vidushi' for her depth of knowledge in Carnatic Music. She was an artist with All India Radio and Guru (teacher) to Shri. Vidwan S. Shankar.

She carried on the legacy of Sastri by winning a number of awards in Carnatic Music competitions, giving concerts and conducting music classes too. Through her, Sastri is survived by a number of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, some of whom are also musicians like Natraj Pushpavanam and Shivaraj Natraj.

Compositions