Sabhas found a connoisseur, patron in the seer

CHENNAI: Since 1994, the December music season had a patron in the Kanchi acharya, Jayendra Saraswathi. Whether it was instituting funds for awards, finding contributors for renovation or infrastructure expansion for the various sabhas in the city or encouraging young talent, the 69th Kanchi pontiff was a presence in the musical calendar of the city. His death is a big loss to the sabhas.
The number of auditoriums and awards named after the 69th Kanchi pontiff and the Kanchi Paramacharya is proof of Jayendra Sarawathi’s influence and the source of support he was to the sabhas, whom he would often help by way of donations during the Margazhi music festival.
Surrounded by music since childhood, Jayendra Saraswathi’s naturally developed a love for music. “In his village at Irulneeki in Tiruvarur, Jayendra grew up listening to Carnatic music as the street where he lived was a hub of nadaswaram and thavil vidwans,” said musicologist B M Sundaram.
After officially becoming the head of Kanchi mutt, when sabhas invited him during for inauguration of the music festival or distribution of awards, he extended his patronage and got more involved in promoting the arts. Not just a ceremonial presence, Jayendra Saraswathi had a keen interest in new productions and young musicians. “If a new series of drama would be staged on any saint or if he got to know about any Carnatic musician, he used to evince interest in watching the drama and meet the musician,” said Parthasarathy Swami Sabha secretary M Krishnamurthy.
While sabha heads hope the support from the mutt continues, they recount the mutt’s contribution in preserving tradition. “The Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt maintains the houses of Carnatic music trinity — poet-saint Thyagaraja, Muthuswami Dhikshitar and Shyama Sastri in Tiruvarur,” said N Krishnamoorthy, secretary, Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha, which has a main hall named after Kanchi Paramacharya and a mini hall after Jayendra. “It is used for teaching Carnatic music, namasankeerthanam and yoga,” said Krishnamoorthy.
Devotees say that during the acharya’s time a number of veda padasalas were established by the mutt throughout the country.