KUNNAKUDI R.VAIDYANATHAN

Violin exponent Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan has won more than 200 awards and titles for his virtuosity, his creative interpretation of thematic and devotional subjects and for the music composed by him for films. Kunnakudi (as he is popularly known) has also composed over 700 light music songs in various languages and a number of dance compositions.

There is an interesting story behind the Vibhooti (Sacred ash) and the Kumkum Pottu (Saffron dot) on his forehead, that has become his trademark: One day when Kunnakudi was thirteen years young, a holy man with knotted hair, came up to him and asked him what his name was and whether he played the violin. On seeing the vibhooti on his forehead, the holy man slapped him and gave him Upadesa (advice) on how to put the Vibhooti stripes and the Kumkum Pottu. Vaidyanathan told his father about the sage and both of them set out to look for him, but could not find him. He believes that the holy man was none other than Lord Muruga and till this day he applies the Kumkum Pottu. In doing so, feels he has the blessings of Lord Muruga.

My father R. Ramaswamy Sastri, was my Guru. He was an extremely versatile man. He was a Harikatha exponent and he knew to play the Flute, Jalataranga, Veena and was also a vocalist. He also wrote many songs. My brother was a Mridangam player and my two sisters were classical singers. I played the Violin.

Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, who was a close friend of my father, was performing in a village near ours, at a Krishna temple, for a festival. I accompanied my father to the festival. It so happened that the violinist who was to play for the concert did not turn up. So Ariyakudi spoke to my father and asked "Why don't you tell your son to play the violin for me?" My father was taken aback, because I used to play the violin only for small kutcheris. Ariyakudi asked me, "How many kirtanas have you learnt?" I very meekly said, "I know about ten to fifteen kirtanas." He blessed me and said "Come on, play confidently for my kutcheri". The performance was a big success. That was my first step. Since then I have played for all the top vidwans in the music field like Srirangam Ayyappan, Semmangudi mama, AKC Natarajan, Shankara Shivam, Chittoor Subramania Pillai, Kalyana Krishna Bhagavathar, Madurai Mani, Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer and many others.

It is thirty-one years since violin became a solo instrument. Initially I was discouraged a lot by my close friends and vidwans. But their discouragement aroused a feeling of taking up the challenge within me. In time, I evolved a distinct style of my own which won me the support of the general public. It is very important to reach the masses and cater to them. I don't believe that you have to be strictly classical in a concert. If the public wants a film song, why not play it for them? After all we are there because of them. As a violinist, I have been instrumental in bringing about certain innovations like playing violin with the accompaniment of a thavil (a kind of drum). My performances with the thavil were a huge success. I chose the thavil because it is a combination of nadham and layam (Melody and Rhythm). From 1974 to 1985 I have given 3,462 concerts with a number of leading thavil vidwans. This has been possible only because of the blessings of my father and my mother, Meenakshi Ammal. A tremendous amount of commitment and devotion is necessary to succeed.

I don't know if they have, but they should have it. I do feel that the young artistes of today are extremely talented and given the right guidance and opportunity, they will surely succeed. The audience should accept them, recognition will automatically follow.

Right from my childhood, I was always interested in film songs, because most of the songs in those days had a classical base. I have seen a lot of dramas, I have done playwriting also. I entered the film world through the film Va Raja Va in 1968, with the blessings of Director A.P. Nagarajan. I have composed music for films like Thirumalai Thenkumari, Mel Nattu Marumagal, Namma Veetu Deivam and many others. I also set music for the first cinemascope film Raja Raja Cholan. M.G.R wanted me to bring out the beauty of Carnatic music in his movie Navaratinam. I presented Thyagaraja kritis in the film, similar to western tunes and also set Hindustani lyrics to raga and tala. I started working for films in 1968, and within two years I received the 'Best Music Director Award' from the government. I have written the script and dialogue for many Films. Directed and produced them too. My close friend Ramanathan and I, under the banner of V.R.Films, made a number of films. I must add that a lot of hard work and sincere effort were the main reasons for so many opportunities given to me. It was not overnight success.

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