https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Mayavaram_V._R._Govindaraja_PillaiMayavaram V. R. Govindaraja Pillai - Revision history2026-08-29T17:25:34ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mayavaram_V._R._Govindaraja_Pillai&diff=154396&oldid=previmported>Dl2000: check/fix ref2020-08-22T17:57:18Z<p>check/fix ref</p>
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{{infobox person<br />
|name = Mayavaram V. R. Govindaraja Pillai<br />
|birth_place = Vazhuvur, Nagapattinam district, Tamilnadu<br />
|birth_date = 12 May 1912<br />
|death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1979|2|11|1912|5|12}}<br />
|death_place = Mayavaram, Tamilnadu<br />
|occupation = violinist<br />
}}<br />
'''Mayavaram V. R. Govindaraja Pillai''' ({{lang-ta|மாயவரம் வி. ஆர். கோவிந்தராஜ பிள்ளை}}; 12 May 1912 – 11 February 1979) was a [[carnatic music|Carnatic]] [[violin]]ist from [[Tamil Nadu]], Southern India.<br />
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==Early days==<br />
Born at Vazhuvur, a tiny but famous, village in the [[Kuthalam Taluk]] ([[Nagapattinam district]]), he lost his parents at a young age and was brought up by his maternal uncle Veerasamy Pillai, a popular [[Nadaswaram]] exponent.<ref name=felicity>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Felicity-with-the-fiddle/article15397645.ece | title=Felicity with the Fiddle | newspaper=The Hindu | date=15 February 2008 | first=V. | last=Balasubramanian | accessdate=22 August 2020 }}</ref><br />
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He had his initial training in [[Carnatic music]] from [[Simizhi Sundaram Iyer]] who was trained under gurus from the [[Tyagaraja]] and [[Muthuswami Dikshitar]] lineages. Sundaram Iyer died in 1927, after which Govindaraja Pillai had his training under Mayavaram<ref group="N">Mayavaram, also known as Mayuram is now named as [[Mayiladuthurai]]</ref> Boothalinga Iyer.<ref name=veteran>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/in-memory-of-a-veteran/article2496873.ece | title=In memory of a veteran | newspaper=The Hindu | date=29 September 2011| first=Sriram | last=Venkatakrishnan | accessdate=22 August 2020 }}</ref><br />
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Govindaraja Pillai once got a chance to sing before the violin maestro [[Kumbakonam Rajamanickam Pillai]]. The latter took him as his disciple for training as a [[violin]] instrumentalist.<ref name=felicity/><br /><br />
His trained almost daily till until midnight or sometimes, beyond. When he was on leave at home, he learned some intricacies in music from his uncle.<ref name=felicity/><br />
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His Guru, Kumbakonam Rajamanickam Pillai was a much sought-after accompanist by famous [[List of Carnatic singers|Carnatic singers]] like [[Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar]], [[Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer]], [[Alathur Brothers]], [[G. N. Balasubramaniam]] and [[Chittoor Subramania Pillai]]. Govindaraja Pillai will sit by the side of his Guru when he accompanies the singers. In later days this helped him to adapt to their style when he himself accompanied the same Carnatic singers.<ref name=felicity/><br />
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==Character==<br />
Once, when his Guru Rajamanickam Pillai fell ill, Govindaraja Pillai accompanied [[Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer]]. He handed over the payment to his Guru but the Guru refused to accept it. Govindaraja Pillai gave the same money as ''Guru Dakshina'' on the following [[Vijayadashami|Vijayadasami]] day.<ref name=felicity/><br />
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Govindaraja Pillai never made use of the money paid as advance, until the program is over.<ref name=felicity/><br /><br />
He was a lover of [[perfume]]s. So was Carnatic singer G. N. Balasubramaniam and [[Mridangam]] maestro [[Palani Subramaniam Pillai|Pazhani Subramania Pillai]]. "It was said that when the three performed together, the concerts were sure to be scintillating and ''scent''illating."<ref name=veteran/><br />
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==As a Carnatic violinist==<br />
He has accompanied on the violin stalwarts like G. N. Balasubramaniam, Alathur Brothers, [[M. S. Subbulakshmi]], [[Madurai Mani Iyer]] and others. In particular, Govindaraja Pillai will rise to great heights when accompanying Madurai Mani Iyer's ''weaving garlands of [[swara]]s''.<ref name=veteran/> His raga replies will draw several ''besh besh''<ref group="N">Used by [[Tamil Brahmin]]s to exclaim positively</ref> from Mani Iyer, his daughter recalled.<ref name=felicity/><br />
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He was a vidwan in Trivandrum palace.<ref name=felicity/> Though he performed some solo concerts, he preferred to be an accompanist.<ref name=veteran/><br />
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==As a teacher==<br />
Govindaraja Pillai was Dean of the Music College of the [[Annamalai University]]. He was also a member of the Selection committee of [[All India Radio]] [[Chennai]] and [[Tiruchirappalli]].<ref name=felicity/> [[Sikkil R. Bhaskaran|Sikkil Bhaskaran]] and Kuththalam Vaidyalingam Pillai are his disciples who continue his legacy.<ref name=felicity/><br />
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==Awards==<br />
* [[Kalaimamani]], 1969 - awarded by Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Manram (Tamil Nadu State Association of literature, music and theatre)<ref name=felicity/><br />
* [[Isai Perarignar]], 1976 - awarded by [[Tamil Isai Sangam]], Chennai<ref name=felicity/><br />
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==Death==<br />
After suffering through an illness for a long time, Govindaraja Pillai died in his home at Mayavaram on 11 February 1979.<ref name=veteran/><br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==Notes==<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillai, Mayavaram V. R. Govindaraja}}<br />
[[Category:Carnatic instrumentalists]]<br />
[[Category:Indian violinists]]<br />
[[Category:Tamil musicians]]<br />
[[Category:1912 births]]<br />
[[Category:1979 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century violinists]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian musicians]]</div>imported>Dl2000