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U Ve Sa - Part 10
Visit to Tiruvavaduturai
 Tiruvavaduturai is a village that lies between Mayavaram (myladuthurai, now) and Kumbakonam in Tanjore District. It is more famous for its Adheenam which is the controller of many temples in and around Tanjore. The Adheenam headed by a Sannidhanam has exerted considerable influence in the field of Tamizh literature and Carnatic Music. During the time of U Ve Sa, the sannidhanam Subramania Desikar was very famous as a patron of Tamizh literature and music. Tamizh scholars from all over flocked to Tiruvavaduturai to seek patronage.
Meenakshisundaram Pillai was most respected by the Desikar and used to be a frequent visitor. U Ve Sa got the opportunity to meet the Desikar when he accompanied his teacher to Tiruvavaduturai. U Ve Sa impressed Desikar with his knowledge and musical abilities. Other musicians who had gathered at the Adheenam also praised U Ve sa about the Bhairavi he had expounded while reciting some of the Tamizh verses.
On a later visit during a Guru pooja festival, U Ve Sa narrates the presence of many musicians. Among them were Harikatha exponents, singers, as well as artistes who were proficient in Veena, Flute, Gottuvadhyam and Violin. On another occasion when Desikar was observing U Ve sa reciting the verses to his teacher,U Ve Sa kept changing the raga for each verse and it immediately impressed Desikar who was a great rasika of music.Once Desikar enquired of U Ve Sa if he knew Maha Vaidyanatha Iyer. U Ve Sa replied that he had heard of him but not met him in person.
Desikar then said, "You should meet him. He is an important associate of this Mutt. Maha Vaidyanath Iyer is to music, what Meenakshisundaram Pillai is to Tamizh . He is also proficient in Tamizh and comes here often to delight us all with his music. Desikar liked to talk about musicians to U Ve Sa because of his own interest in the same and he continued about "Maha", "I First met him when I was stationed at Kallidaikurichi. (The Tiruvavaduturai Mutt has a branch in Kallidaikurichi in Tirunelveli Dt). Even then he was very proficient in music. Other musicians like Periya Vaithi and Chinna Vaithi were also there at that time. In Kallidaikurichi we had many vidwans visiting the Mutt. One day all the three Vaidyanatha Iyers were asked to perform.
Maha Vaidyanathayyar's music was easily the best and this was acknowledged by the others too. It was on that occasion, he was given the title of "Maha", with the permission of all the vidwans gathered . His brother Ramaswamy Iyer is very proficient in Tamizh. He composes verses and keertanams. He has composed the entire Periyapuranam in keertanam form. He is responsible for Vaidyanatha Iyer inreasing his Tamizh knowledge. From then U Ve Sa was filled with a desire to meet and listen to Maha Vaidyanathayyar".
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