Mysore Vasudevachar (28 May 1865 – 17 May 1961) was an Indian musician and composer of Carnatic music compositions who belonged to the direct line of Tyagaraja's disciples. Vasudevachar's compositions (numbering over 200) were mostly in Telugu and Sanskrit. Some of his most popular kritis include Brochevarevarura in Khamas raga, Devadideva in Sunadavinodini, Mamavatu Sri Saraswati in Hindolam, Shankari Ninne in Pantuvarali, Bhajare Re Manasa in Abheri and Ra Ra Rajeevalochana Rama in Mohanam. He presided over Madras Music Academy's annual conference in 1935, when the Sangeetha Kalanidhi award did not exist. But everybody who presided over the annual conference in the 1930s was later conferred the award. He was a recipient of the civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan.
He is credited with two writings in Kannada, one of them an autobiography called Nenapugalu (memories) and Na Kanda Kalavidaru (the musicians I have met) in which he wrote the biographies of many well known musicians. Mysore Vasudevachar also taught in Rukmini Devi's Kalakshetra, (founded in 1936). He was already quite old by then, but thanks to Rukmini Devi he agreed to shift to Kalakshetra. He became the chief musician in Kalakshetra and helped in setting the Ramayana to music. He died in 1961 at the age of 96. He lived a simple and austere life devoted to the study of Sanskrit and music.
S. Rajaram, his grandson, worked at Kalakshetra, eventually taking charge of the institution at Rukmini Devi's request. Vasudevachar had composed the music for only the first four kandas and it was left to Rajaram to finish the work. An accomplished musician and Sanskrit scholar, he was amongst the few musicians, the sole repository of Vasudevacharya's compositions. S. Krishnamurthy (1922–2015), his other grandson worked at All India Radio and translated his Vasudevachar's memoirs into English. He has also published a memoir of his own.
Early life Vasudevacharya was born into an orthodox Madhwa Brahmin family in Mysore. He started learning music from Veena Padmanabhiah, the chief musician of the royal court of Mysore. He also mastered Sanskrit and allied fields such as Kavya, Vyakarana, Nataka, Alankaram, Tarka, Itihasa, Purana while studying at the Maharaja Sanskrit College in Mysore while learning music privately.
He then went on to learn from the famous composer-musician Patnam Subramania Iyer, supported by the Maharaja's generous stipend. He imbibed the music of not only his guru but also other great maestros of the Thanjavur-Cauvery delta region. Vasudevacharya eventually became the chief court musician (Asthana Vidwan) at the royal court of Mysore. He was known for his madhyama-kala tanam singing, which he learnt from his guru. Patnam Subramania Iyer often requested his sishya "Vasu" to help him with the sahitya (lyric) aspects of his compositions. This aspect of his training undoubtedly helped Vasudevacharya as a composer. He was adept in all the aspects of Carnatic music especially Ragam Alapanam, Tanam, Neraval and Kalpanaswaram.
Career He published a large number of his compositions in the book Vasudeva Kirtana Manjari. His compositions in Telugu have such sweetness and lilt, and beautifully blend with the tune of the raga as do the Sanskrit compositions, which are mellifluous. His songs reflect his mastery of Sanskrit and show his erudition and scholarship in Sanskrit literature. He considered his insight into Telugu as a gift from Tyagaraja (Tyagaraja's bhiksha). Unlike the Dasa kuta songs, his compositions don't have any Dvaita undertones but many have the words "Paramapurusha Vasudeva" or "Vasudeva" which means the supreme Vasudeva/Lord Vishnu which incidentally is also his mudra or signature.
True to his Vaishnava heritage and the Thyagaraja shishya parampara to which he belonged, most of his compositions are in praise of Lord Rama. In addition to Kritis and Keertanas, he also composed Varnams, Thillanas, Javalis and slokas. His admiration for the trinity of Carnatic music specially Thyagaraja resulted in Srimadadi Thyagaraja Guruvaram in Kalyani, Shri Ramachandra (a ragamalika) and two other ragamalikas in praise of Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Sastri. Vasudevachar's compositions are thus like sugar candy which gives one instant pleasure and yet lingers on in the mind and heart long after.
Compositions Composition Raga Tala Type Language Audio Links Nannubrova rada Madhyamavati Adi Telugu Mama hrudaye Reetigowla Kanda Jati Triputa tala Sanskrit Marachitive Purvikalyani Adi Telugu Pranamamyaham Gowla Adi Sanskrit Bhajana Seyarada Sriramuni Dharmavati Rupaka Telugu Vairamangalam Lakshminarayanan (Part 1) Vairamangalam Lakshminarayanan (Part 2) Brochevaarevarura Khamas (raga) Adi TeluguK J Yesudas MS Subbulakshmi Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna Bombay Sisters G. N. Balasubramaniam Vanajaksha- Varnam Mandari Adi Telugu Lambodaramavalambe Kambhoji Rupaka Telugu Girija ramana natajana sharana Gambhiranata Adi Sanskrit Vani Sateesh Gokula Nilaya Abheri Adi Sanskrit TM Krishna Mamavatu sri sarasvati Hindolam Adi Sanskrit Priya Sisters Sudha Raghunathan Mari Mari Vaccuna Manava Janma Kambhoji Adi Telugu Nikela Daya Radu Ramachandra Kadana Kutuhalam Adi Telugu Nimishamaina Sri Ramayana Rada Sama Adi Telugu Ninne Nammitinayya Sri Rama Simhendramadhyamam Misra chapu Telugu Ra Ra Rajeeva Lochana Mohanam Adi Telugu vara lakshmi namostute Gowrimanohari Rupaka Sanskrit Sri Chamundeshvari Bilahari Adi Sanskrit Devi Kamalalaye Garudadhwani Adi SanskritShankari Ninne Kamavardhini Misra Chapu SanskritBhajare Re ManasaAbheriAdiSanskritS SowmyaRamaNeeDayaradhaBhairaviMisrachapuPranamamiKeeravaniChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 February 23SambhoSankaraKedaraGowlaChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1957 October 13ManasaVachasaBegadaChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 May 4VamanaManisamNaayagiChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1957 July 14MadhusudanaNatakurinjiThisraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1957 August 4NamamyahamBilahariChatusraRoopakamSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1957 May 5SriKesavaBhairaviChatusraRoopakamBhajaMadhavaHindustani KaapiAadhiSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1957 September 1SangarshanaAabhogiChatusraRoopakamSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 Jan 19IdhiNeekuKamanashramaMisrachapuSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Oct 7SathathamSriKalyaniAadhiSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1957 Oct 27UpendraKamaasChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 Jun 9InthaparakelaKamaasChatusraRoopakamParipahimamKaanadaAadhiSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1957 Mar 3VasudevaKaanadaKantatriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 Feb 9ThrivikramaKambhojiChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Mar 11SrimadhadhiKalyaniRoopakamSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Jan 29NeekendhukuSimhendraMadhyamamChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1955 Nov 27SmaraBhoomiMegaranjaniAadhiSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1955 Jul 24KalinarulaguMayamalavagowlaChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 Aug 24SrivasudevaRamapriyaThisraroopakamSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 Sep 28MaamavaasuSaamaChatusraRoopakamSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Jul 15PurushothamaSaveriChatusraRoopakamSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 Mar 23PranamathaKaanadaChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Nov 25PaahimamThodiChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1957 Feb 17BrovammaGowriManohariThisraroopakamSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1957 Jan 20SaradheYadukulakambhojiChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Aug 19GanasudhaKaraharapriyaAadhiSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Apr 22RagavendraDarbarKantatriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Jan 8BhavayehamBehagAadhiSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Apr 15PahiKrishnaBehagChatusraRoopakamSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 Aug 3NinnuvinaNannuBhairaviChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Jun 3SivePaahiSurutiKantatriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 Dec 21SridharaJayanthasriChatusraRoopakamDayaledhemiSimhendraMadhyamamChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 Oct 26Varamulosaki SuddasaveriSuddhaSaveriChatusraTriputaHarePariPahiKedaramChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 Jul 20NeeKabhimanamuKokilapriyaChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Apr 1JanardhanamChakravahamKantatriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1958 Jun 15NeeDayaEtulaSankarabharanamAadhiKarunaPayoNidheSurutiChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1957 Sep 15ParipahimamSriDhanyasiChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Dec 9SrivasudevaSriDevagandhariThisraroopakamSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1957 Nov 10KaruninchiNavarasaKannadaAadhiSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1955 Jul 31KaruninchiBrovaBudharanjaniAadhiDevakiThanayaPushpalathaChatusraRoopakamSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1955 Dec 25GurukripaLekaPushpalathaThisraroopakamSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Jan 22NeekenthaBhavapriyaAadhiSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 May 20NeePaadamuNayakiChatusraTriputaIdhiSamayamuNatakapriyaChatusraRoopakamSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Mar 25EnthaNinneNaatakurinjiChatusraTriputaSwara-sahitya available in Sudesamitran edition dated 1956 Dec 23
References
See also List of Carnatic composers