S. Nagarajan

A versatile percussionist, S. Nagarajan has been accompanying senior Bharatanatyam artists for the past two decades. At Kaladarshanam, a school he founded, his wife Kirushanthy and he train students in Bharatanatyam and mridangam. He aspires to take percussion to the layman, and believes that an artist should be adaptable and true to his art.

- Anjana Anand

Are all your family members involved in the arts?

My father, Shanmugalingam, an Odhuvar, was active in singing pannisai at a temple in Yazhpanam, Sri Lanka. He was also a tambura artist, though he was a goldsmith by profession. All his activities were connected to the temple. He specialised in making ornaments for deities. My mother is a rasika and still involved in singing bhajans. They have been a tremendous influence in my life. My father passed away some years ago, within a week of being diagnosed with cancer. I think it was his devotion to Goddess Kamakshi that allowed him to leave this world without suffering.

All my siblings are involved in the arts. My brothers—Gnanaguruparan is an artist specialising in painting, Davaguruparan is a tabla vidwan, Umaguruparan is a vocalist, and Kumaraguruparan is a drama actor—while my sister Sarumathy is a veena artist. I married a Bharatanatyam dancer and my children are learning Bharatanatyam under her guidance.

What was your early exposure to music like?

I was born in India but spent my early years in Sri Lanka. Jaffna was very active in promoting music through the university. My father was the tambura artist for many senior visiting musicians. I started my training in mridangam. My guru, Kalaimamani Durairaj, was a disciple of A.S Ramanathan. Besides learning formally, I used to accompany my father in pannisai kutcheris. My life revolved around school, the temple and concerts.

Yazhpanam was unique in its nurturing of artists, wasn’t it?