Sri. Rajam's Paintings -- Hot Media Slide show (~ 3 mins. download time)
S.RAJAM DENVER'82 PART1
S.R-1
SRI MAHA MAHAGANAPATHIM NATTAI RAGAM
S.R-2
KEDARAM RAGA EXPOSITION
S.R-3 RAMANEEPAI RAGAM KEDARAM
S.R-4 SHANMUKHAPRIYA RAGAM ALAPANAI VOCAL
S.R-5
SHANMUGAPRIYA RAGAM ALAPANAI VIOLIN
S.R-6
MAMAVAKARUNYA SHANMUKHAPRIYA
S.R-7 GANAMURTHI RAGA ALAPANAI
Video selection about his life, music, painting, and teachings
S. Rajam: Artist and Musician
by V.K. Viswanthan, Los Alamos, NM, USA
Papanasm Sivan has composed more than half a dozen Kritis in Hari Kambhoji Raga, all in Tamil. The song beginning with the linked words "PAMAALAI-K-INAYUNDO' his tribute to the poetic genius of Subramania Bharati, was made his own by another Subramania, known by the more popular name of Madurai Mani Iyer. It was a marvelous and soul satisfying experience, to listen to the maestro from Madurai rendering this song.
The ability and authority to cogently and logically invoke the three most significan giants who made such great contributions in Twentieth century to the culture of Tamil Nadu shows the mastery and communicative abilities of Sri. Rajam.
While lately he is being bestowed various awards like the one from the Sangitha Nataka Academy (from the President of India himself), the honours bestowed on him are not commensurate with the widely utilized range of his services and talents. The only significant honor he received from the Madras Music Academy (to which he contributed so much) has been the title of Sangitha Acharya. Probably the best one word to describe him is : Acharya. It is interesting to note that as early as 1947, the late K.V. Ramachandran (well known Art critic), wrote him
You know I am not given to praising anyone, still less over praising. If it were in my gift to give a title, and if any one deserves it in India today, you deserve the name of Acharya -- the master in painting. I don't flatter.
In introducing Sri. S. Rajam to an American audience in Denver (1981), V. K. Viswanathan, an admirer said that if India has a category called National Treasures, Sri. S. Rajam's name will occupy one of the Top spots in that list. This pretty much sums up the impact and contributions Sri. S. Rajam has made.
Sri. S. Rajam was born in 1919 in Madurai and grew up in Madras, where he continues to live and work in his ancestral home (41 Nadu Street, Mylapore, Chennai, 600041, near Kapaleeswarar Temple). He has lived there for the past 76 years and we pray to God that he continue his great work for many more years to come.
He learnt from the legendary Veena Maestro Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer and Violinist Thiruvalangadu Sudaresa Iyer. His other teachers included some of the principals of the Golden age of Carnatic music, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer, and Madurai Mani Iyer. He learn Thyagaraja Kritis from Tamil Thyagarajar the immortal Papanasam Sivan himself. Ambi Dhikshithar (Descendent of Muthuswamy Dhikshithar) taught him Dhikshithar Kritis. Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar taught him his own compositions and Mylapore Gowri Ammal (Guru of the legendary T. Balasaraswathi) taught him Padams. No wonder Vidwans senior to him like Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer and Smt. M. S. Subulakshmi learnt specific songs from him. From 1943 to 1979, he was the back bone as well as innovator in Carnatic music for All India Radio, Madras. His lecture demonstration on Rare Ragas and Kritis, Vivadi Ragas, compositions of Koteeswara Iyer among others have enlightened even the most knowledgeable experts. His concern for Lakshana and Lakshya aspects of Carnatic music are well known and appreciated by the knowledgeable sophisticates. Finally, his contributions in Recording the seventy two Melakartha Kritis of Koteeswara Iyer as well as his other compositions is a monumental achievement that will ensure him a premanent place in Carnatic music.
"All my paintings are based on imagination with traditional ideas being important. Perspective is deliverately omitted".
The medium is water color and the emphasis is on the lines which are essential in oriental paintings like frescoes. The technique he has invented uses oriental wash techniques.He makes the paper himself (other media include, silk, wood, etc.). He uses pure transparent colors and the wash is done in several coats (typically eight to ten washes). ; finishing touches and highlighting are done with opaque colors. This results in a very stable paintings.
"The whole painting is imagined before it is started and the colors are applied from light to dark and undertones of previous colors are made to be visible".
As the saying about Eastern art goes,
Art is in representing Nature and not in reproducing it. Hence, Symbolic representation is done in Indian art.
The artistic outputs of S. Rajam have been numerous. His paintings are a must in special issues of magazines like Ananda Vikatan, Kalki, Sudha(Kannada Magazine), etc. He has done illustrations for several books. For example, Kathakali, Navagrahas, Chitra Periyapuranam, Valmiki Ramayanam, etc. in several languages (including English). He has also done several Series paintings like the South Indian composers, South Indian Woman, 67 Sankaracharyas, Festivals of India, Notes in the Scale of South Indian Music, Dasavatara, Asthadikpalaka, Navarasas of Parvathi, Dream of Andal, etc.
However, the only formal exhibition of Sri. S. Rajam's paintings was held in Los Alamos, NM, U.S.A. in 1981. Fortunately, Saivaswamis in Hawaii, USA(Saiva Siddhantha Church,Kapaa) have acquired the paintings still left with him (he is producing new paintings and illustrations for their magazine about Hinduism).They are interested in preserving them for posterity.
Anyone even cursorily studying his work will have towonder how it is possible for anyone to achieve and produce this much in one life time! May God give him the strength to continue in his efforts.
Vidvan.com
