Greatest of All Times

Lalgudi was just any other town in Tamilnadu, before September 17, 1930. G. Jayaraman was born and this scenario totally changed. Lalgudi became synonymous with his name. And his name, synonymous with the Violin.

Lalgudi G Jayaraman was a multi-faceted personality. He was a violinist par excellence, a teacher whose renown is no less than one of the greatest, an intellectual, a fun loving human and above all, a dedicated student of music. I had the good fortune of learning about Lalgudi mama from my guru Chitravina N Ravikiran Sir. If Lalgudi mama received feedback about my guru’s concert anywhere, there would be a phone call next moment from him to my Sir, analysing about a korvai that he would have played, a raga alapana that Lalgudi mama would fondly reminisce of his days, etc. My guru would tell me, “It was so refreshing to talk to mama. His child like enthusiasm even at this age and stage is just unbelievable.” Such was the greatness of Lalgudi mama.

Chowdiah remarked: "All of us must stop playing now that this boy has appeared." Irrespective of seniority or achievements, Vidwans were all praise for his music and most importantly, the presence of mind he applied when accompanying artistes.  Arrogance or ego had no place in his life. In an interview he has said, “My eyes are set on a star not easily reached. Besides I am quite self-critical. I see my flaws all the time. Even minor faults frustrate me, and when I was younger, they would even make me weep all night. Sometimes I have even asked myself: "Why was I ever born?" Worry and sleeplessness would induce fever. At such times my father used to encourage me.”

He was one artiste who could easily blend with any style he was accompanying, be it Madurai Shri Mani Iyer’s Sarva Laghu patterns, GNB Sir’s sprightly Bhrkas or Alattur Brother’s wizardry over Laya. This was because he evolved a style in the violin, so close to the vocal style. His style is best described in his own words-“In my style you cannot distinguish between deflected and straight movements in bowing. The same richness of tone, the same continuity is maintained in both. Also one will not realise that the bow is moving over the different strings in turn because of the evenness of the sound produced. Jumps and breaks are completely avoided. And changes in fingering are so imperceptible as to go unnoticed.”

Who can beat the happiness one derives by just listening to his Naa Jeevadhara in Bilahari or Ora joopu joocheti in Kannadagowla ? Do I enjoy the crystal clear tone of his touch? Or the perfect shruti alignment? Or the impeccable Bhrkas, the graceful Gamakams, the lyrical quality of the instrument that he was the pioneer in bringing about, or the Bhava that would move me to tears? What aspect of his music cannot surpass anything else? Each is as best as the other. And this can be attributed to nothing but single minded saadhaka, that, as my guru says, Lalgudi mama did like a tapas, a penance. Be it the attractive swarams in Ide Bhagyamu of Kannada or the Bhairavi Ragam Tanam Pallavi, his music stood true to the statement, ‘Greatest of all times’. 

He lived for music and his music shall live for all of us, generations and generations to come. I still remember the day of his 80^th Birthday celebrations in the Music Academy, when I first ever played my Chitravina on stage as part of an instrumental tribute to his greatness.  It was something that I will never forget, for the grand manner in which it was organized or the most cherished blessings that he gave me that day.  He had beautifully sewed a violin into his signature and I would cherish his personally autographed memento as a treasure close to my heart forever.