CONTRIBUTION OF ENNAPPADAM VENKATARAMA

BHAGAVATHAR TO CARNATIC MUSIC

– A CRITICAL STUDY

THESIS

Submitted to

Mother Teresa Women's University

for the award of the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

in
MUSIC

by
Ganga Bagirathi. T.P
EX PHD MUS 840

Research Supervisor
Dr. K. OMANAKUTTY

Department of Music
Mother Teresa Women's University
Kodaikanal

May 2016
 MOTHER TERESA WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY
(A State University Accredited with ‘B++’ Grade by NAAC)
Kodaikanal - 624 102
Tamilnadu, India

Dr. K. Omanakutty
Rtd. Professor
Department of Music
University of Kerala

CERTIFICATE

I, Dr. K. Omanakutty do hereby certify that this thesis entitled

‘CONTRIBUTION OF ENNAPPADAM VENKATARAMA BHAGAVATHAR

TO CARNATIC MUSIC - A CRITICAL STUDY’ is a record of bonafide study

carried out by Smt. Ganga Bagirathi. T.P under my supervision and guidance. This

is an independent work carried out by her and it has not been submitted anywhere else

for any other Degree, Diploma, Title or Recognition before.

Dr. K. Omanakutty
 DECLARATION

I, Ganga Bagirathi. T.P do hereby declare that this thesis entitled

‘CONTRIBUTION OF ENNAPPADAM VENKATARAMA BHAGAVATHAR

TO CARNATIC MUSIC - A CRITICAL STUDY’ is an independent work carried

out by me and it has not been submitted anywhere else for any other Degree, Diploma,

Title or Recognition before.

Chennai Smt. Ganga Bagirathi. T.P

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

At The Outset I Thank Omnipresent Omniscient Omnipotent- Almighty For

Having Given Me The Insight To Choose This Study And The Resilience To
Accomplish It.
Sree Gurubhyo Namaha
I Thank Profusely My Supervisor Dr.K .Omanakutty For Her Inspirational
Suggestions And Timely Guidance.
Dr .K. Omanakutty – Retd .Prof. Dept Of Music , University Of Kerala. Currently
Is The Director Of Sangeeta Bharathi Research Centre , Trivandrum, Affiliated To
M.G.University, Kottayam.

I Thank Whole Heartedly Padmasri Prof. S.R. Janakiraman For The Fund Of
Knowledge Handed Over To Me In Lakshana And Lakshya Of Music.
I Also Thank Dr.E.Saraswathi Grand Daughter Of E³³App¡¿A¯ Venåki¿Ar¡Ma
Bh¡Gavatar And Her Husband Sree Venkiteswaran For Having Shared The
Manuscripts Of Notation And Other Valuable Information About E³³App¡¿A¯
Venåki¿Ar¡Ma Bh¡Gavatar.
I Thank Them For Sharing The Rendering of Smt.Thankam – Also A Grand
Daughter And Disciple Of E³³App¡¿A¯ Venåki¿Ar¡Ma Bh¡Gavatar. I Was Very
Fortunate To Get To Listen To The Octogenarian. Her Recording Helped Me
Immensely To Understand The Style Of E³³App¡¿A¯ Venåki¿Ar¡Ma Bh¡Gavatar’s
Music.
I Thank The Descendants And Disciples Of E³³App¡¿A¯ Venåki¿Ar¡Ma
Bh¡Gavatar For The Valuable Information About Him, His Music , His Teaching And
His Life.

I Thank Immensely The Entire Staff Of Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Academy ,Trichur
For Handing Over The Recording Of E³³App¡¿A¯ Venåki¿Ar¡Ma Bh¡Gavatar. And
The Copy Of Venkataramaneeyam.
 I Thank Heartly The Staff Of Libraries Of Madras University, Music
Academy,British Council, Madras Sanskrit College .
I Thank Gratefully All The Resourse Persons, Scholars, Musicians Who Have
Patiently Shared Information And Resourse Material.
I Thank Mr. Anoop.R –Confidence, Trivandrum For The Efficient, Prompt And
Professional Service Rendered in Printing and Binding The Thesis In An Excellent
Format.
I Acknowledge With Great Affection The Cooperation of All Members of
My Family ,Dear Friends And My Dear Students.

With My Limited Capacity This Investigator Feels Fulfillment In Having Been

Able To Do My Bit To The World Of Music

Smt. Ganga Bagirathi. T.P

 CONTENTS

Chapters Title Page No.

Introduction 1-7

1 History of Music of Kerala 8-50

2 Biographical sketch of 51-65

E³³app¡¿a¯ VenÅki¿ar¡ma Bh¡gavatar(1880-1961)

3 Analysis of Musical Aspects of Krti s of E³³app¡¿a¯ 66-138

VenÅki¿ar¡ma Bh¡gavatar
4 Analysis of The Structure And Lyrical Aspects of 139-205
Krtis of E³³app¡¿a¯ VenÅki¿ar¡ma Bh¡gavatar
5 Conclusion 206-209

BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDICES

LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1 LIST OF KRITIS OF E³³app¡¿a¯ VenÅki¿ar¡ma
Bh¡gavatar

APPENDIX 2 NOTATION OF KRITIS

APPENDIX 3 COPY OF MANUSCRIPTS

APPENDIX 4 DISCOGRAPHY

 POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS BY THE

CANDIDATE IN SEMINARS/PUBLICATIONS

 VIDEO OF LECTURE DEMONSTRATION

BY THE CANDIDATE

 AUDIO CD BY THE DISCIPLES OF E³³app¡¿a¯

VenÅki¿ar¡ma Bh¡gavatar

 AUDIO OF THE SONGS SUNG BY THE

CANDIDATE WITH PROF. SR JANAKIRAMAN-

EXPLANATION