2. Amusing music competition

I read about this interesting incident, and wanted to share with you.

Maha Vaidyanatha Ayyar and Coimbatore Raghava Ayyar:

This contest took place during the reign of HH Ayilyam Maharajah of Travancore in the year 1872. Raghava Ayyar (1824 – 1878) was born in Vadaseri near Nagercoil. He was a disciple of Parameswara Bhagavatar (1815 – 1892). On account of his long stay in Coimbatore, he came to be called Coimbatore Raghava Ayyar. He was a court musician in Trivandrum and settled at Haripad.

On the day fixed for the contest, all the musicians assembled at the Ranga Vilasam Palace at 2 PM. The accompanists on the occasion were Mahadeva Bhagavatar (violin), Kalyanakrishna Bhagavatar (veena), Seturama Rao (mridangam) and Somasi Bhagavatar (mridangam).

Coimbatore Raghava Ayyar sang Sankarabharana raga elaborately and gave an admirable exposition of the pallavi Vinavayya Panchanadisa. His music lasted for three hours. The audience reassembled at 7 pm. Maha Vaidyanatha Ayyar in his turn sang the Kalyani raga and followed it up with the pallavi Taraka brahma svaroopa.

The contest was continued the next day. Thodi raga was elaborated and the pallavi Emati matladitivo Rama was expounded.

Maha Vaidyanatha Ayyar then expounded Kharaharapriya raga and sang a pallavi in it. (This raga was not quite familiar to the musicians of Trivandrum at that time). The words of the pallavi were Chakkani raja margamu lundaga.

Raghava Ayyar’s music was after the Ghanam style, while that of his opponent was after the Nayam style.

The Maharajah was equally impressed with the extraordinary skill, creative talents and high attainments of both the Vidvans. He was not able to decide as to who was the superior of the two. He ordered for presents of equal value consisting of pairs of golden bangles, laced shawls, etc. to be brought and gave the presents simultaneously to both the musicians. He held the two plates containing the costly presents one in each hand and asked the two musicians to come and stand before him. He gave the presents which he had in his right hand to Maha Vaidyanatha Ayyar and the presents which he had in his left hand to Coimbatore Raghava Ayyar. The presents were given simultaneously.

Some court musicians asked him why he gave the presents that he had in his right hand to Maha Vaidyanatha Ayyar. The Maharaja immediately remarked – “Both are equally great. But still we must show courtesy and regard to the musician who had come from outside Travancore. For this reason, I gave the presents that I had in the right hand ot Maha Vaidyanatha Ayyar and the presents that I had in the left hand to Coimbatore Raghava Ayyar. No other discrimination was sought to be made by me.”

- From History of Indian Music by Padma Bhushan P Sambamoorthy, Musicologist, 1982.

Look at the professionally competing musicians and the magnanimous behavior of Maharaja. Those were the days of great people and their humble behavior, where healthy competition existed.