A Tribute to my Guru

The Yajnavalkya Smriti mentions:
"Veena vadhana tathvangna sruti, jathi, visartha talanjaaprayasena moksha margam niyachathi"
("The one who is well versed in veena, one who has the knowledge of srutis and one who is adept in tala, attains salvation without doubt.")


The passing away of my teacher Smt.Rajeshwari Padmanabhan came in as a shock. Even though you know that everyone has to go some day, every time we hear of someone passing away especially if the person happens to be someone you have known leaves a feeling of loss. A motherly figure, she was someone who was gentle at the same time a strict disciplinarian. She was my teacher 30 yrs ago. She is amazing as always. I cried listening to her play the veena on you tube. Her music will always bring nostalgic memories .

Rajeshwari teacher was a very modest person who rarely revealed what she possesed. One has to watch her play the veena to realize what a talent she carried. We have lost a musician of par excellence. It is rare to find someone like her. My prostrations to the great legend our Rajeshwari teacher. More of her music should become available to the public.

Rajeswari Padmanabhan, daughter of Lakshmi Ammal and grand daughter of Karaikudi Subbarama Iyer (the elder of the Karaikudi Veena brothers), was a ninth generation descendent from the Karaikudi Veena tradition. From the very young age of five, she was under the tutelage of her grandfather Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer (the younger of the Karaikudi Veena brothers) in the Gurukula system and remained under his guidance until the demise of the maestro in 1958. Later, under the Government of India scholarship, she continued her training in vocal from the composer Late Sri. Mysore Vasudevachar. She was principal of Kalakshetra where she worked and taught for many years. Among the numerous awards she has received, she was also the recipient of the Kalaimamani and Sangita Kalanidhi.

Smt.Rajeshwari was known for her musical integrity and virtuosity. Besides performing, she has composed a few varnams and tillanas, has set to tune the text of Kumbeshvarar Kuravanji for a dance drama, and is also credited with innovative approaches towards making the portable Veena and designing a new acrylic 'melam'. In the new acrylic 'melam', the conventional honeybee wax on which the Veena frets rest is replaced with acrylic. The acrylic design offers durability without sacrificing the tonal quality of the Veena. Smt. Rajeshwari padmanabhan passed away on the 15th of August 2008.