Eminent Personalities : Thiruvattar Arumugam Pillai Bhagavathar
Swargiya Thiruvattar Arumugam Pillai Bhagavathar (-, 1989) (Malayalam: തിരുവട്ടാര് അറുമുഖം പിള്ളൈ ഭാഗവതര്, Tamil: திருவட்டார் ஆறுமுகம் பிள்ளை பாகவதர்) was one of the great carnatic musicians. But he was not much familiar to the world. So we would like introducing him to the world. He was from Thiruvattar, Kanyakumari District of Tamilnadu,
We collected the following information from his student Mr. V. Murugan, who is a carnatic musician. He wished to introduce the eminent personality to the world through us. When he says about his master, we could understand the respect, love and affection of his mind.
His life history was so amazing and unbelievable. He lost his vision in the age of four because of a disease. After that he lived in the world of darkness. But his life was not darkness. He had the knowledge in Music. So he started a new life with Music. His brother’s family was supporting him to learn music. He studied carnatic music from many masters; one of the masters was Sri. Janardhanan Bhagavathar (Other masters’ name we did not get). He was familiar to play the musical instruments, such as Harmonium, Flute and Kottuvathiyam.
Not only in his musical life, in his personal life was also very excitement. He was married; unfortunately he lost his wife and family in the early age itself. So he spent his whole life to the Music.
He was doing all of his duties such as cooking, purchasing, traveling, money dealing everything himself. He never depended others. He had many students. When he became aged, his students helped him like his children. Now his students are also the great musicians. The great Malayalam playback singer late Mr. Kamukara Purushothaman was his one of the students. He wrote and composed many Tamil keerthanas. Still the songs are famous. At his last stage, he wrote a keethana about his life, that is
“Pada mudiyathu ini thuyaram – naan
paddathellam pothum ammaiyappa”
Really, when we hear that song we can understand his feelings.“பட முடியாது இனி துயரம் - நான்
பட்டதெல்லாம் போதும் அம்மையப்பா”
Once our Gana Gandharvan Yesudas had a carnatic music kacheri at Kumara Kovil, Thuckalay, Kanyakumari district. Same day Arumugam Pillai Bhagavathar happened to be there. There they met and Arumugam Bhagavathar had blessed Yesudas. Also Yesudas had requested the Bhagavathar to attend his Musical Function. This information was given by one of his students Mr. Velappan, who was there in the meeting.
In the age of 80 , he hospitalized because of illness. Only his students were there to care him. In that age itself he said good-bye to his musical world. Even his funeral also done by his Students. Now his properties such as the Musical Instruments, Books are with his students. Still they keep them as the Treasure.
We know that, there are many unknown personalities still in the world. So we are very happy that, we have introduced one among them.
thanks for sharing the bio
ReplyDeleteyes their are many about whom we never know
Good work, Krishna. Very nice article.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, well-written post. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletenice reading about him.
ReplyDeleteThat's a very good post about a very good musician and human being too. Would surely love to read more posts on such hidden personalities like these!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day :)
Very interesting details of an unknown musician - beautifully narrated.
ReplyDeleteGem of a person ,thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteHappy Diwali
ReplyDeleteenjoy the light festival :-)
Thanks 4 letting us to know about such a great personality...
ReplyDeleteHappy Diwali Krishna...
@All
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting and leaving a valuable comment
I too has seen him when I was a boy at his residence adjacent to the Amman & Sivan Temple in the double street at Thiruvattar. My thanks goes to Mr.Krishna for incorporating the life history of a great musician who was not much known to the world of music.
ReplyDeletei appreciate you welldone
ReplyDeleteChild hood nostalgia- he was really a gem, music teacher of our village. Thanks a lot~
ReplyDeleteMy elder sister Maby Sunder was blessed to learn music first from his disciple Thiru.Velupillai Bhagavathar of Kulasekharam and then at the feet of Thiru. Arumugham Pillai Bhagavthar for nearly three years. Those days it was my pleasure to hold his hand and show him the path when he came to our Christ House in Puthenkadai, Thiruvattar. In his early years he taught only at his home in Thiruvattar. Those days his disciple Velupillai, who too was blind, had to walk for nearly 5 KMs to reach him at his home. He encouraged his master to come out of his home and move everywhere. When he guided his master in the beginning, the local people laughed at them, calling blind leading blind. But they took it as a challenge and moved everywhere freely without the support of others. Once I had the privilege of holding his hand and take him to the house of Thiru. Kamukara Purushothaman Nair, who was our High School Head Master. I was thrilled to see the reverence shown by our Head Master to his Guru. They were all eminent men of THIRUVATTAR, my native place. The song that came through the voice of those great men still reverberates in my heart: SANCHALA KADALINIL NENCHUZHALUM POZHUTHU.... BHAKTHI NANGOORAME. May their tribe increase by His blessings.
ReplyDelete