Father P.T. Chelladurai is responsible for the Indianisation of Church
music. We have a brief profile of the Principal of Tamil Nadu Music college.
 The moving harmony of the church choir fills the
evening air as the congregation kneels to pray at the Dhyana Shramam in Santhome. But
there is something unusual about the music; it is Carnatic Classical. Believe it or not,
it's 'Hallelujah' being sung in a Carnatic Raga to the accompaniment of the Veena, flute,
Violin and Mridangam. Leading the choir is Father P. T. Chelladurai, Principal of the
Tamil Nadu Music College, who is also helping the Sri Lanka Government establish a Music
College in the island nation. Born and brought up in Tirchuirapalli, Chelladurai always
had a passion for classical music. The fact that his father was a musician added to the
enthusiasm.
As a youngster and a seminarian, Chelladurai's aim was clear: to learn
Carnatic music and introduce it in the Christian worship ritual. He underwent training
from Guru Thiruppampuram Shanmugasundaram. His guru later insisted on his joining the
Music College to learn the theoretical aspects of this traditional art. After some years,
Chelladurai returned to the college as Principal of the evening section in 1984 and took
charge as Professor of Musicology and Musical Pedagogy. "I would agree that my quest
for learning classical music has brought me this far, but it was not without
hurdles," says Chelladurai, referring to the problems he faced in a conservative
musical set-up.
As a Catholic priest, Chelladurai began propagating Carnatic music in the church. The
church itself underwent many changes in the 1960s, allowing the use of various languages
and cultures to play a major role in spiritual life. Against this backdrop, Chelladurai's
efforts to introduce Carnatic Music got the establishment's total support. "I am not
against any kind of music being played in church, but singing the prayer in Carnatic style
is soothing to the Soul and also goes with our cultural moorings," says Chelladurai.
He explains that earlier only Latin and English tunes were being used, as the hymns were
mainly translated from these languages. "These tunes did not go with Tamil
words." For those who claim that there are very few hymns composed in Carnatic music,
Chelladurai's reply is that there are more than a thousand hymns composed exclusively in
Carnatic tunes.
He points to the works of Father Maria Arockiam of Coimbatore, who learnt Carnatic music
and composed many hymns with the help of Bhagavatars and other experts in Classical music.
"Unfortunately, his works are still unknown, and I have taken up the task of teaching
those hymns." Chelladurai's idea of teaching Carnatic music to the priests and
churchgoers took place at a seminar conducted in 1973, at the meeting of the All-Tamil
Nadu Church Worship Committee organised by the bishops of Tamil Nadu, after which his plan
for setting up a summer school for the purpose was approved by the church. Chelladurai's
teaching method is simple. And bearing testimony to the fact is, every year in his
coaching class at Sakthi Nilayam (Tiruvanmiyur) more than 70 seminarians, nuns and more
recently lay Christian flock there.
 The school was appreciated by many bishops in Tamil
Nadu and in its 25th year in 1998 received a special word of appreciation from the
Vatican. The church also conferred on Chelladurai a rare honour, proclaiming him a
'Professional of the church.' Apart from helping many Christians learn Carnatic music,
Chelladurai released in 1984 a handbook for learners called 'Thennaga Isai Iyyal, the book
was subsequently reworked in English as 'Splendour of South Indian Music.' This received a
special mention and acknowledgement at the first World Conference on Carnatic Music, held
at the University of Westville, Durban, South Africa. At this conference Chelladurai
presented a paper titled 'Carnatic Music in Christianity.' Documenting in detail the
contributions of several eminent personalities in reviving both Tamil music and Christian
music in the Tamil language; legends of the 19th Century, like Maayuram Vedanayagam
Pillai, Thanjai Abraham Pandithar and many well-known priests of the 16th and 17th
Centuries, like Father Robert De Nobili ('Thathuvabothyar'), Father Besci
('Veeramamunivar') and Father John de Britto, who spread Catholicism in this part of the
country.
According to Chelladurai, the contributions of these people in initiating Indian
liturgical music have been vital. In 1986, the Tamil Nadu Government awarded the 'Best
Book Prize' Chelladurai's research work. In 1995, the government conferred on him the
Kalaimamani award, which is the State Government's highest award for art. Chelladurai,
however, gets excited not by winning awards and accolades, but by hearing children sing
'Gamarkas' to perfection. In 1996, he started a choir movement, Archidiocesan Carnatic
Music Association (ACMA) with the aim of taking Carnatic music to every church in Tamil
Nadu. Now, at the age of 53, Chelladurai serves as Principal of the Tamil Nadu Music
College. The service he is rendering to one of the oldest musical traditions in the world
deserves due credit and solid encouragement.
L. Subramani
More
Articles
|
