How a temple changed into a nagaswaram and thavil faculty

It’s 3. 45 a.m., and there’s a chill within the air. Within the tender gentle of the morning, college students line up for his or her each day schedule — practising the nagaswaram and thavil within the Then Tirupati Lord Srinivasa temple in Jadayampalayam, close to Mettupalayam. Until 6.30 a.m., the temple echoes with the sounds of the devices.

These are college students of the Then Tirupati Nagaswara and Thavil faculty, arrange in 2008, seven years after the temple was constructed and consecrated as a part of the prayer advanced of the KG group of industries, Coimbatore. Says Ok.G. Balakrishnan, chairman, KG Fabriks and founding father of the college, “When the thought of doing one thing to foster artwork and tradition got here up, I made a decision to determine a nagaswaram and thavil faculty, due to the shut connection of the devices with temples.” 

Initially, solely nagaswaram was taught. In 2010, thavil lessons started. “College students are given free boarding and lodging, and a month-to-month allowance of Rs 1,000,” says Seshadri Bhattar, Principal of the college.

Pandanallur Subash has been instructing the  thavil on the faculty since inception. He’s the paternal grandson of vidwan Pandanalllur Rathinam Pillai. “I first learnt thavil from my father’s guru Pandanallur Vaidyanatha Pillai and later from my father Pandanallur Muthappan, Thiruppangur Govindaraja Pillai and Thiruvalaputhur Kaliyamurthy. I picked up quite a bit from Thirunageswaram T.R Subramania Pillai as nicely,” says Subhash. He was in Singapore and Canada earlier than shifting to this faculty.

 Presently, 32 thavil and 14 nagaswara College students study on the faculty. They start the day practising within the Srinivasa temple from 4 a.m. to six.30 a.m. They attend lessons from 9.30 am to  4.30 pm, with a brief break for lunch. From 6 p.m., they resume sadhakam on the temple. 

Each programs are of 4 years’ length. Within the first 12 months, they’re taught Pillayar paadam, talas, otha kai padam, rettai kai paadam, and so forth. Within the second 12 months, they start the silambu palagai. Within the third 12 months, they start taking part in the thavil. Exterior examiners Swamimalai Manimaran, Aduthurai Perumal Kovil D. Sankaran, Swamimamalai Sethuraman and Kottaiyur Chakrapani consider each nagaswaran and thavil college students.

Paganeri Pillappan, a recipient of the Muthamizh Perarignar award from Tamil Isai Sangam, Madurai, is the nagaswaram trainer on the faculty. He used to run a gurukulam in his home in Madurai for 35 years, and educated over 200 college students. When his spouse handed, he moved to this faculty. 

Pillappan learnt from his father Kottachami Pillai, who had been a pupil of Vedaranyam Vedamurthy. Pillappan later was a part of Thirupparankundram A.P. Raja’s set, and has performed in Singapore, Malaysia, Rangoon and Mauritius. 

A video of Pillappan taking part in Malayamarutham within the Paganeri Neelakanteswarar temple caught the eye of actor Kamal Hassan, who not too long ago shared the video on X, and composed a poem praising the artiste.

So, what’s the syllabus for nagaswaram within the faculty? “Within the first 12 months, there’s solely vocal coaching. I educate college students geethams, alankarams and talas. Within the second 12 months, they play the nagaswaram, and within the second and third 12 months, they’re taught varnams and kirtanas. Within the fourth 12 months, they’re given tips about raga alapana,” says Pillappan. 

College students and college of the college
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Seventeen-year-old Arulchelvan is a second 12 months pupil of nagaswaram, who heard in regards to the services on the faculty, and joined lessons. 

The scholars play throughout utsavas on the Then Tirupati Srinivasa temple. In the course of the Purattasi Brahmotsava, three well-known nagaswaram and thavil vidwans play within the temple, along with the 2 resident lecturers. Senior college students take turns to play together with them. “This helps hone their expertise,” says Subash.

College students get a certificates on the finish of the course. “A few of them need additional coaching and we put them in contact with lecturers of their alternative,” says Subash.

N. Sabari, a thavil pupil, whose dad and mom and sister are nagaswaram gamers, says, “After I end the course right here, I need to go for superior coaching underneath Dharapuram Ganesan sir. 

The varsity attracts college students from throughout Tamil Nadu. 

“One in every of our college students, Srikanth, from Ulundurpet, acquired the Nationwide Bal Shree Honour, an award introduced to artistic kids by the Nationwide Bal Bhavan. It is likely one of the highest nationwide honours for kids,” elaborates  Subhash.

At the same time as we converse, college students line up after their day’s lessons to go for normal follow on the temple — from the place the thought of the college started.  The initiative is not going to solely assist promote nagaswaram and thavil but additionally equip younger learners of the devices with the mandatory confidence and ability to make their very own house on the earth of music.