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COMPOSER

Thiruvarur Ramaswamy Pillai

PLACE OF BIRTH - Thiruvarur
PERIOD - 1798   -   1852 March 26
MUDRA - vedapuri dasan
NO.OF COMPOSITIONS LISTED IN OUR WEBSITE - 6
TOTAL NO.OF COMOSITIONS (APPROX) - 0
NO.OF COMPOSITIONS LISTED IN OUR WEBSITE WITH LYRICS - 2
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In the Nayinar adiyar family, there was one musician called Kamala Tyagesam Pillai. His wife was Vasantammal. This couple had a son and named him Ramasvami. Then was born a daughter to them, named Sarasvati. Both Ramasvami and Sarasvati learnt music, their family heritage, from their father and became good musicians. Ramasvami also learnt Samskrit from Veethivitanga Shivacharya, an expert in Agamas and Telugu from Chandrasekhara Sastri both of the same place. In those days, none was accepted as a musician if he did not know Samskrit and Telugu also. Ramaswami Pillai didn’t take up Nagasvara, like his father, but became a vocalist. Sarasvati, true to her name, was an expert in playing on the Veena and vocal music. Ramaswami came close to Muthuswami Dikshitar, who also lived in Thiruvarur, which influenced the former in worshpping the goddess. It is said, once during a visit to Thiruvaiyaru, he met Sree Thyagaraja, who, on listening to the music of Ramaswami said, “Only Sarasvati is dwelling in your tongue; be always singing on the goddess” and then only, Ramasvami Pillai commenced to compose songs. Vaidyalinga Tambiran, the pontiff of Dharmapuram Adheenam, whenever visited Ramaswami Pillai was an expert in five languages. The demise of his sister, was a great personal loss to him and he felt that he had become a lone man. This worry debilitated his mental stature and roamed all along the streets, as if a lunatic. He was regular in cleansing the shrine of God Muthu kumaraswami, making garlands etc. He, as per the order of the pontiff, was granted food in the temple itself. Seerkazhi Narayanasvami Pillai was a violinist and a disciple of Tanjavur Vadivelu of the famous Tanjavūr Quartette. He used to visit Vaideeswaran kovil often to chat with Ramaswami Pillai. Only on such occasions, Ramaswami Pillai used to converse with the Seerkazhi vidvan, about music. It is said that Narayanasvami Pillai had a special liking for the raga Mohanam. At his insistence, Ramasvami Pillai again started to compose, beginning with the famous kruti, ‘Jagadheeswari’ (Mohanam). Living like a saint, but without saffron robes, Ramasvami Pillai left his mortal coil in Vaideesvarankovil at the age of fifty-three. He had, unluckily, no descendants nor direct disciples. All his compositions in manuscripts came to the possession of his close relatives in Thiruvarur.