A truly evolved soul
 As mentioned earlier, by 1941, Bhagavatar’s close association with Tiruvayyaru was also at an end for various reasons and he was now observing the death anniversary of the saint at his own residence.
In the early 1940s, he came over to Madras and lived in the Nungambakkam Agraharam where his elder son was staying. It was during this visit that he was photographed with his troupe of accompanists at film director K Subramaniam’s house. This is the only visual record of
Bhagavatar.
S S Vasan, the movie moghul, involved in making the film 'Nandanar' in the early 1940s, approached Bhagavatar to be a part of the team of specialists involved in the film. He particularly wanted Bhagavatar to check that the screenplay did not vary much from the original. But Bhagavatar refused.
He later explained to his son that he was not interested in becoming a 'cinema bhagavatar'. He would no doubt have not been amused had he known that in later years his 'Sivalila' and 'Shaktilila' would form the seeds of the great cine hit,
'Tiruvilayadal'.
When the great evacuation of Madras happened in 1942, he moved back to Soolamangalam. Afflicted with diabetes, he was not able to adjust to the diet of wheat that his second son had recommended for him. He was gradually weakening. On many occasions he had expressed an intention that it was his dearest wish that he died at Tiruvayyaru. However, that wish was not fulfilled.
 On the other hand, his wish
was that he took to Apat sanyAsam in the same way as the bard was. In early 1943, a moving letter from
Musiri Subramanya Iyer, who was now the secretary of the Tyaga Brahma Mahotsava Sabha, was received, in which he entreated Bhagavatar to relent and attend the annual celebrations at Tiruvayyaru as he had in the past. Softened by the tone of the letter, Bhagavatar decided to attend, but his health condition would not permit it.
In October 1943, Bhagavatar expressed a desire to take up sanyAsam. His sons were not for it as they felt that his health was not conducive to his leading the life of a monk. However, he had his way. On October 22, 1943, learned pundits from Tiruvayyaru were invited to initiate the change of ashrama ceremony. When they arrived, Bhagavatar waved them off saying he was not yet ready. An hour or two later, he summoned them back and in their presence, recited the mantras for taking sanyAsa himself. He removed his tuft and cut his sacred thread as symbolic acts of embracing
sanyAsa.
Then, clad in ochre, he lapsed into silence. To his son, who came to check his pulse, he did not say anything, but only indicated three fingers. His son did not comprehend the significance of this.
It was on October 24 that the truth dawned on everyone in the family. For Bhagavatar had indicated through his sign on October 22 that he had only three days to live. He passed away that day.
 His body was buried in a plot of land near the railway station. Before the burial, it was necessary as per the prescribed procedure, to crack the skull open by breaking a coconut on it. It was found to be unnecessary, for the coconut simply sank in, indicating that like Tyagaraja, Bhagavatar too had attained kapAla mOkhsa, considered to be the highest method by which the soul can leave the body.
Shortly before his death, he had been invited by the then new 'Kalki' magazine to write a series of articles on great music personalities he had known. Bhagavatar, who used to maintain a diary of daily events, based his writings on this and his own memory. He wrote about many artistes in a crisp and interesting manner...
Today they are valuable from the research point of view.
Kalki Krishnamurthy wrote in his magazine on Bhagavatar’s death, “We believe that the immense loss that the Carnatic music world has suffered on his death will be compensated to some extent by his writings.”
These were later compiled together by his grandson M Rammohan and released as 'Karnataka Sangita
Vidwangal'.
His family began to plan a memorial for him at his residence and a proper structure over his samadhi. Towards this end, a series of concerts were conducted as fund-raisers in 1946, at the Gokhale Hall, Armenian Street, George Town, and several musicians such as M M Dandapani Desikar, G N Balasubramaniam, Ariyakkudi Ramanuja Iyengar and others performed.
These were reviewed by Kalki Krishnamurthy in his magazine.
 The memorial hall was completed in 1965 and inaugurated February 17 with a concert by Ariyakkudi. A special souvenir was brought out on the occasion, which has largely served as a source for this account.
Kasturi Srinivasan of 'The Hindu' donated Rs 1,000 to the effort. He also organised the translation of the articles that appeared in 'Kalki' and published them in 'The Hindu' over a period of four months. The memorial hall building has since changed hands and is no longer with Bhagavatar’s descendants.
Efforts are on to put up a proper shelter for the samadhi. It is hoped that like Tyagaraja, Bhagavatar too would get a proper covering for his samadhi on his 60th death anniversary.
Concluded
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Soolamangalam Vaidyanatha
Bhagavatar - 4
