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BOARD OF TRUSTEES & ACTIVITY CENTERS
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Sri Shanmukhananda
Nadaswara Chakravathi T. N.
Rajarathinam Pillai Fellowship and Sangeetha Kala Vibhushan Award in
Nadaswaram for Lifetime Contribution
Nadaswaram, world’s loudest non-brass acoustic instrument is variedly known as
Mangala Vadyam and Raja Vadyam (king of all instruments). Its legacy continued all
through the Pallava, Chola, Pandya, Nayaka and Maratha rule in South India. It has
imprinted its sheen on all the temple and marriage rituals. This instrument faces
severe challenge from all pervasive electronic and electric instruments and changes
in socio-cultural backgrounds and western influences. The celestial nadaswaram
notes “will never stop”, they will continue to echo and re-echo for eternal times. It is
a
‘heritage’ property that needs to be preserved for posterity. Civil societies engaged in
furthering fine arts and Indian traditions have a significant role to play in this
responsibility.
We are millennials. We try to do things instinctively. The challenge of our generation
is creating a world where everyone has a sense of purpose. Finding purpose is not
enough. We should have a society that measures progress not by economic metrics
like GDP, but also by preserving all that is ancient and all that transformed lives in
the era gone by.
Our Sabha has identified Nadaswaram as the art that would soon eclipse unless critical steps are taken to preserve it and restore its pristine glory. As a first step, the Sabha will work towards listing it as a ‘dying art’ in the list of Dying Arts / Crafts and Traditions in India. It will strive to bring about changes in the corporate social responsibility sections of the Indian Companies Act, 2013 to give primacy to preservation efforts for Dying Arts / Crafts and Traditions. The Sabha is taking concrete steps to spread the fragrance of Nadaswaram and make it a viable career option for the traditional Nadaswaram families to transfer the art to the next generation of their kith and kin and revive the glory of the practitioners of yesteryears by effective use of the digital media.
Nadaswara Chakravarthi
Thiruvaduthurai Rajarathinam Pillai (27 Aug 1898 – 12 Dec 1956) 
King of music, Lord of his own world, Rajarathinam was a
colourful character whose genius was awesome. His
Nadaswaram had a dialogue with the Gods. His music was in
the realm of the celestial. Quite early in his performing career,
he had several heads that watched him and ears strained to
catch his original tune. Raga Darbar, Begada, Usaini, Poorva
Kalyani, Behag, Mandu, Peelu…….you name it, the raga
delineation reached its crescendo at his hands. There was no
one to equal him in rendering of the Todi and Shanmukha
Priya.
For a Rasika, one could associate Nadaswaram only
with the eternal music of TNR.
Though belated, the Sabha now takes active steps to revive
Nadaswaram by perpetuating his memory and having fellowships and awards
named after him, six decades after his moving from the seen to unseen. He and his
music would once again dominate classical music, if all our efforts bear fruits.
The Sabha has set up two awards in the name
of Shri. T. N. Rajarathinam Pillai whose 125th birth anniversary was celebrated on 27th
August 2023.
1. Sri Shanmukhananda Shriram Finance Nadaswara Chakravarthi T. N. Rajarathinam
Pillai Fellowship in Nadaswaram to be given to 50 young and promising
students studying Nadaswaram with an annual fellowship grant of Rs. 1,00,000/- for
three years certain. The fellowship grantees were selected by a panel which
comprising of eminent Nadaswaram Vidwans of present times. The grantee should not be
more than 27 years of age at the commencement of the fellowship. The terms and
conditions of the fellowship are no different from the Sri Shanmukhananda Bharat
Ratna Dr. M. S. Subbulakshmi Fellowship in Music.
2. Sri Shanmukhananda Nadaswara Chakravarthi T. N. Rajarathinam Pillai Award.
This annual award will be given to one of the leading lights of Nadaswaram with a
distinguished record of performance and teaching. The award carries a cash prize of
Rs. 2,50,000/-, a gold coated big bronze lamp and Nadaswaram, citation and other
mementos.
The inaugural award was given to the nonagenarian Sembannarkoil S. R. Rajanna on
27th August 2023. Shriram Finance Ltd. supported our efforts for preservation of
Nadaswaram with an annual contribution of Rs. 50 lakhs for the years 2023 and 2024.
Other preservation measures
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