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Composers
and Musicians Thulaseevanam (R.Ramachandran Nair) (b. 1939) |
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Thulaseevanam was born on 23rd April 1939 at Kottayam to Sri. N. Ramakrishna Pillai of Thumbunkal House Ettumannoor and Smt. L. Bharathi Amma of Mangombil House Kottayam. He was the fifth son of his parents. He learned Sanskrit from Vidwan P. Rama Panicker (Harippad), and had his primary education at home. At the age of six, he directly entered ‘preparatory class’ at the Sree Moola Vilasam High School, Poonjar and passed SSLC exam at the age of 13, in first class. |
He
then joined the Government Arts College Thiruvananthapuram and subsequently
took his B Sc & MA (English Literature) from University College, Thiruvananthapuram.
He stood first in the University for his MA examinations in 1958. He then
had a brief teaching career, at Mar Ivanios College Thiruvananthapuram,
Government Arts College, Thiruvananthapuram, Government Brennen College,
Thalassery and Government Victoria College, Palakkad. In 1961, he joined
the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). In 1965, he married Smt. Lakshmi,
daughter of Prof. V R Pillai. He served as District collector of Kannur
and of Kollam Districts, Managing Director of Travancore Cochin Chemicals,
Udyogamandal, Kochi, Director of Public Instruction, Secretary to Government
in various Departments, Chief Electoral Officer, First Vice Chancellor
of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady and retired as Chief
Secretary of the Government of Kerala in 1999. Thulasevanam
was an admirer of Sri Vidyadhiraja Chattambi Swamikal, a saint cum social
reformer of Kerala. He was interested in Kathakali, the traditional Kerala
dance drama. He has composed four Attakathas for Kathakali: Bhattaraka
Vijayam (1974), Bhama Vaasudevan (1975), Parvathi Parinayam (1975), Kaarthikeya
Vijayam (1976). From 1971 onwards Thulaseevanam has been composing Karnatic
Krithis. Initial compositions were on Chattambi Swamikal himself. Later
on Thulasevanam specialized in composing krithis on deities of popular
and also unknown temples in Kerala. Perhaps the credit of putting maximum
number of Kerala temples on the map of Karnatic compositions is due to
Thulaseevanam. Ettumanoor Mahadeva temple, Kumaranalloor Devi temple,
Pazhavangadi Ganapathy temple, Sankumukhom Devi temple, Thirunnakkara
Mahadeva temple, Kidangoor Subramaniya Swami Temple, Poonjar Ayyappa Temple,
Panachikkad Bhagavathi temple, Kollur Mookambika temple, Sri Padmanabha
Swami temple, Sabarimala Ayyappan, Guruvayoor Sree Krishna temple, Sreekanteswaram
temple, are some of the temples covered in Thulaseevanam compositions.
There are about 300 compositions of Thulaseevanam. 50 have been published
in 1989 (Thulasee Maalika – Vol.I, edited and notated by Prof. Mavelikkara
Prabhakara Varma). The word patterns of Thulaseevanam compositions are
well known for their smooth integration with the rhythmic pattern. The
signature (mudra) of Thulaseevanam is the word “Vana Thulasi”
or “Kanana Thulasi”. Madurai T. N. Sesha Gopalan, Maharajapuram
Santhanam, T. V. Sankara Narayanan, R K Sreekantan, Thrissur V Ramachandran
etc have sung Thulaseevanam compositions. Thulaseevana Sangeetholsavam
is being held in Thiruvananthapuram, Guruvayoor, Sabarimala etc every
year. Two of his compositions are given below as samples. List of 50 songs
are also available.
Tulaseevanam Songlist:
1.Sree Gajanana Pahi Suresa – Nata – Adi
2.Deva Namo Namo Vidyadhiraja The – Kamas – Adi
3.Sadhakakalpalathe Sangeethadevathe – Mayamalavagoula – Adi
4.Marandhabhashini Mangalakarini – Chakravakam – Adi
5.Dasamimam Pahi Bho Mahaprabho – Begada – Adi
6.Siva Sankara Pahi Suresa – Sama – Misrachappu
7.Amayakarunavahini Maamava – Poorvikalyani – Adi
8.Namaami Vijayaam Phanidharajayaam – Charukesi – Adi
9.Harisankarakumara Varada Sreebhootheswara – Reethigaula – Rupakam
10.Bhoothanadha Maam Pahi Parathpara – Saveri – Adi
11.Paripahi Dayakara Devasenavara – Simhendramadhyamam – Rupakam
12.Mookambikaam Aasraye Bhamatheem Satheem – Dhanyasi – Adi (2)
13.Pahi Maam Sree Varahamoorthe Visalakeerthe – Anandabhairavi –Rupakam
14.Mangalagunarnava Pahi Mahanubhaava – Kalyani – Rupakam
15.Deva Vidhyadhiraja Yogeeswara – Kedaragaula – Misrachappu
16.Pavana Theerthapada Santhakaara – Naattakurinji – Adi
17.Maamava Vidyadhiraja Bhattaraka – Aabhogi – Adi
18.Sada Namosthuthe Mahaganapathe – Mohanam – Adi
19.Bhaja Manasa Vigneswaram Anisam – Bahudari – Adi
20.Bhaja Re Chetha Sree Gajavadanam – Aarabhi – Adi
21.Gajananam Bhaje Vishadanasanam – Kamalamanohari – Adi
22.Kamamadaapaha Kamaneeyavigraha – Poorvikalyani – Adi (2)
23.Akhilandanayaka Kusalavidhayaka – Madhyamavathi – Adi (2)
24.Uragendrabhooshanam Thripuravibheeshanam–Sankarabharanam– Rupakam
25.Hara Hara Siva Siva Palaya Maam Ethi – Sahana – Adi
26.Anagha Sambho Devadeva Pahimaam Mahaprabhava – Yadukulakaamboji – Rupakam
27.Sivakamineem Bhavaye Sada Swamineem – Mukhari – Adi (2)
28.Girivaraputhreem Sarasijanethreem – Dwijavanthi – Adi
29.Saranagathavidheye Sasikkaladharajaaye – Thodi – Rupakam
30.Pankajadalanayane Thrinayane – Kanada – Adi
31.Mave Maheswari Chamundeswari Gouri – Bhairavi – Adi (2)
32.Guruvayupuresa Suresa – Sama – Adi
33.Mayamanushe Hare Maamava Sada Soure – Mukhari – Rupakam
34.Neelambarasodara Palaya Maam Sreedhara – Surutti – Rupakam
35.Syamakalebara Ramasahodara – Bihag – Adi
36.Karunakaram Sreekaram Kalaye Damodaram – Panthuvarali – Rupakam
37.Durithappahamanisam Jagadeesam – Sreeranjini – Adi
38.Bhavaye Sadaram Sreedharmasastharam – Keeravani – Adi
39.Syamakalebaram Sree Sabareeswaram – Hindolam – Adi
40.Keralabhoothalapala Kripaseela – Devagandhari – Adi
41.Sabareeswaram Bhavaye Dharmasastharam – Kharaharapriya – Adi
42.Sreevallabham Bhaje Neelajaladabham – Darbar - Rupakam
43.Madhava Hare Dharavallabha Padmanabha – Thodi – Adi
44.Sreehare Padmanabha Dalithamadhukaidabha – Devamanohari – Rupakam
45.Sreepadmanabha Hare Palaya Maam Murare - Useni – Misrachappu
46.Satharavisobha Maamava Padmanabha – Kalyani – Misrachappu
47.Parameswara Pahimaam Sambho Viswadhara – Kedaram – Rupakam
48.Sreekara Maamava Sreekanteswara – Poornnachandrika – Khandhachappu
49.Bhajare Sreekanteswaram Manasa Sadaram – Kaamboji – Misrachappu
50.Sarvam Samasrayeham Kalmashapaham – Sudhadhanyasi – Rupakam
51.Hara Hara Siva Siva Sambho Mahadeva – Sankarabharanam – Adi (2)
52.(Mangalam) Theerthapada Natha Karu Sadapi Sarvamangalam – Madhyavathi – Adi Thisram
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