Karukurichi Arunachalam: A Short Profile

Shailesh Ramamurthy & Lalitharam

Karukurichi is a small village in the Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, which has been placed on the Karnatik music map by P Arunachalam, the Nagaswara maestro. Arunachalam was born on 26 April 1921, and the events leading up to his birth are nothing short of magical. The legendary Nagaswara player and composer Koorainadu Natesa Pillai was once invited to play in Karukurichi for a wedding. Palavesam, Arunchalam’s father, was in the audience and he was so impressed by the playing and the stature that Natesa Pillai commanded that Palavesam spontaneously decided to take up playing the Nagaswara as his profession. While he couldn’t establish a great career in music for himself, he ensured that his son would get the necessary training at a very young age.

Young Arunachalam started his Nagaswara tutelage under his father Palavesam. He also learnt vocal music from Kalakkad Subbiah Bhagavathar. He started performing as a naiyandi melam artist until his life changed when the legendary TN Rajaratnam Pillai (TNR) visited Kallidaikuruchi for a wedding concert. While TNR was slated to perform in the evening, young Karukurichi Arunachalam was the local artiste who was appointed to play during the marriage rituals. Upon hearing the youngster’s music, TNR immediately summoned him and offered to take him as a student. In a few years, Arunachalam became a regular accompanying artiste to his illustrious guru.

Arunachalam in a performance with Above: Shivaji & Gemini Ganeshan

The late 1940s saw Arunachalam grow in stature as a solo performer. While TNR’s style did leave an indelible impact on Arunachalam’s approach to raga alapana , he was also heavily influenced by Vilathikulam Swamigal, who was known for extensive raga elaboration. His family members reveal that Arunachalam’s cousin Kurumalai Lakshmi Ammal had also influenced his music through informal interactions. These influences, along with his own pleasant personality, played a significant role in his carving a style of his own. Along with his childhood friend M Arunachalam, he performed at events and the duo were known as the ‘Karukurichi brothers’.

A rich and full tone (sunaadam), aligned to sruti (suswara), is what comes to mind as one pictures Arunachalam’s music. While Nagaswara players must exercise great care to avoid or minimize tonal slips, one finds Arunachalam’s playing very consistent in a manner that there is no scope for tonal slips. The listener’s attention is first drawn to the amount of energy invested in the elongated notes (kaarvais) as well as sustained phrases involving a cascade of musical notes in movement, played with seemingly a single breath, all rich in tonality.

Namagiripettai Krishnan

He was adept at producing synergy between the blowing and fingering technique and the details in his music were all smoothly connected with an aesthetics of nuance (kuzhaivu). His musical idea development is organic and the transitions — however adroit they might be — never seem abrupt. Other embellishments, like briga, jaaru , pratyahata gamakas , also shone like gems in Arunachalam’s renditions. While such embellishments define the very character of Nagaswara music in general, Arunchalam’s masterly execution of long passages filled withsuch details set the highest standard for Nagaswara music for times to come.

It would be no exaggeration to say that Arunachalam’s Nagaswara instrument sang. It should be remembered that this observation is not limited to compositions or the lyrics thereof but also to the smoothness of vocal delivery, the richness of vocal gamakas and the warmth of a human voice have all been combined into the overall mix, along with the instrumental virtuosity. He also shone in his diligent presentations of kritis. Some eyewitnesses have recounted that he took special care in planning the sangatis and structureof the kritis he rendered.

Arunachalam with Vilathikulam Swamigal

Adapting Shakespeare from Antony and Cleopatra, it can be said about Karukurichi that, "Age cannot wither his style, nor custom stale / His infinite variety". Vinyl records that were professionally recorded and brought out in the mid-20 th century are attestations to this sentiment. Several decades have passed on but his renditions are evergreen in the connoisseur’s mind. Even today, when a professional live Nagaswara cannot be engaged in certain situations, these records are often played at functions requiring Nagaswara. Ela Nee Dayaraadu (Athana), Rama Ninne (Husieni), I Vasudha (Sahana), Sarasijanabha Sodari (Nagagandhari), Chakkani Rajamargamu (Karaharapriya) – all of these have been evergreen favorites.

His Kalpanaswaras for kritis are mostly in the sarvalaghu where his focus was on bringing out the raga’s character rather than showing off mathematical patterns. The swara exercises, especially during the first hour of the concert, are usually lengthy and breezy. Unique waltzy swaras rendered in between the raga alapana and the pallavi is something unique to Karukurichi. There are stretches of elaborate raga sancharas (like within an alapana) within kalpanaswaras where the Tavil plays a less active role and this strategy heightens the effect in his chosen style of rendition.

A large part of his success can be attributed to his trusted partners. Karukurichi M Arunachalam, who played the second Nagaswara, played a perfect foil. Despite his own considerable talent, his playing is often restrained, with a sole objective of enhancing the overall effect of the concert. Sankaran, who played the ottu (drone), also doubled up as Karukurichi’s driver and his personal secretary. Perumpallam Venkatesan and Ambasamudram Kuzhandhaivelu pretty much dedicated their career to Karukurichi as his ‘Set Thavil' artistes. Among the special Thavil artistes, Nachiarkoil Raghava Pillai, NeedaMangalam Shanmugavadivel, Yazhpanam Dakshinamurthi and Valangaiman Shanmugasundaram Pillai regularly performed with Arunachalam. The presence of such legendary artistes invariably inspired Arunachalam to reach dizzy heights of creativity.

The 1950s saw Arunachalam’s popularity extend beyond the music circle. He was very close to leaders of the Congress Party — especially with K Kamaraj, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He was constantly on the move, performing in every nook and corner of India and Sri Lanka. A story goes that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, in a function with Karaikurichi, had joked, “I know that this crowd assembled here is not to hear me speak but to hear Karukurichi Arunachalam play”. Despite earning huge fame and money, Karukurichi remained accessible to his fans.

In 1962, Arunachalam’s playing attained immortal status as his Nagaswara was featured in the movie ‘Konjum Salangai’. ‘Singaravelane deva’, a duet with the legendary singer S Janaki was a runaway hit. His already busy career became busier as he was asked to perform in many premier institutions across India. Marriage dates were fixed based on his availability. Exceptions were made to accommodate his schedule. A live broadcast on the radio of his concert held at Tamil Isai Sangam was extended well beyond the allocated slot as Arunachalam played several hours past midnight. He had truly established himself as the successor to TNR in musical acumen, stature, and fame.

He suddenly passed away on 6 April 1964. He was just 43 and was at the peak of his prowess when he suffered a cardiac arrest. It is said that he was discussing his dream project of establishing a music school in Kovilpatti with the district collector when he collapsed. He had won many awards and honors, and among them ‘Nagaswara Isaichelvan’ and 'Nagaswara Kalanidhi’ were among his favorites. He displayed these titles on his letterheads. Fortunately, many recordings of his performances have survived. These ensure that his music resonates in the hearts of listeners even after several decades of his passing away.

About the authors

Shailesh Ramamurthy was initiated into Carnatic music at a very young age by his family. He has also published research articles on flute and flute making. He lives and works in Bangalore. His interests include select aspects of Indian musicology (Chaturdandiprakashika and Sangeeta Sampradaya Pradarshini among other works).

Lalitharam is a writer on subjects related to classical music, Indian history and arts. He is also the founder trustee of Parivadini Charitable Trust. He has written biographies of GN Balasubramaniam and Pazani Subramania Pillai and made documentary movies on S Rajam, GNB and Pazhani Subramania Pillai.