OUR GRANDFATHER LATE A SIVARAMA IYER THE GREAT! (VOL 24) DOWN MEMORY LANE!
Om Nama Shivaya! Arutperunjoti!
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| Sivarama Iyer with grandmother and Sr Periamma |
I was not even born when my dear mother’s father late A Sivarama Iyer lived. I am inspired to write about my grandfather after knowing his accomplishments in life and all-round abilities. His life story in my opinion is worth sharing.
A Sivarama Iyer (ASI) was born in the year1888 at Cheranmadevi
a village in Tirunelveli district of
Tamil Nādu. He did only basic education as he was from a rural background and opportunities
were less in those time for graduation. But he was knowledgeable, and a good-natured
person liked by all. He had the charisma to attract people with his towering personality,
pleasant manners and with his ability to talk on any subject. He used to be
well dressed. My wife Shanthi’s grandfather Subbier of another village Pattamadai
near Cheranmadevi used to call him Showman (Shokku Sivarama Aiyar!) 😊. One of the
reason’s my in-laws decided on my alliance was myself being grandson of ASI
based on my ancestor background than my credentials at that time. 😔
Business Success: ASI started his business initially
in Tuticorin and the business was doing well. He then moved to Chennai to expand his business. Venturing into trading
was risky in those days as the needs of people were minimum. He started trading in Paper and then
diversified into the Paint business. He got tie up with famous British company Blundell
Eomite and became the sole distributor for Eomite brand paint in South
India. He went further into diversification into Insurance Business and tied up
for Corporate Insurance with another UK group becoming Indian agent for that
reputed Insurance company. Such a dynamism and entrepreneur spirit from a South
Indian Brahmin was rare in those times when India was under British rule. He
was prepared to take risks and did ethical business which made him rich and
famous and earned respect from the Chennai business community. He built his
home off prestigious Edward Elliots Road (Now Cathedral Road) at Mylapore (Judge
Jambulinga street) where other Business titans like TVS and Simpson groups
lived.
Family History: My grandfather had one brother and three sisters,
and in his younger days he was treated like her son by his sister Sankarathai.
Seethalakshi our grandmother was his second wife. He had a son through his
first wife. As a father he was disappointed as his first wife’s son was not up
to his expectation being pampered by his grandmother. He tried to bring that
family up by giving his son dealership which did not work as he was not focused
on the business. Since he was not educated
also that family suffered later and that was his regret.
He had 4 sons and 4 daughters through our grandmother. Our
grandmother Seetha Lakshmi used to be very quiet homely person who used to do
great cooking and will not talk much. Our grandfather liked her for her nature.
He brought up his 4 sons SV Mani (SVM), S Sundaram (SS), S
Krishnan (SK) and S Natarajan (SN) very strict and with discipline embedding
them with values and ethics during the childhood. The strict upbringing helped
them in their later life to be on their own and made us nephews proud of them.
In their young age it was a joint family system at his home and the four sons,
and four daughters all lived together which created a strong bondage over the
years. After their graduation ASI arranged for their sons (SS, SK) dealership
of hardware items at Hyderabad so that they can develop their own business. The
youngest SN also joined his brothers at Hyderabad. SVM his eldest son was
initially with him and later did his own business separately at Chennai.
Daughters: ASI used to be kind to his daughters but also very strict with them and made them learn house chores. He was very fond of his first daughter Visalakshi (Sr Papa Periamma) whom he married to his uncle’s son K Narayanan (KN) and he also made him his business partner. They stayed with him until later they built their own bungalow next to his home. He gave his second daughter Venkatalakshmi (Jr Papa Periamma) to his nephew S Narayanan (SN) and he did successful hardware business separately. They lived close by at Mylapore (Alamelumangapuram). My mother Jayalakshmi was third daughter and my father Raman moved to work in Bombay (TOMCO) after marriage. Last daughter was Sarawathi Chithi married to Ramasubramaniam a Chartered Accountant who was practicing CA at Tuticorin.
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| Sivarama Iyer with Sambandi Venkateeswara Iyer and son in law K Narayanan |
Since all 4 sons and 4 daughters lived together in their childhood, he used to assign work for each family member. My mother and Saraswathi Chithi was responsible for night dinner to all and after dinner cleaning and vessels for which my mother used to get appreciation. All the daughters were trained for domestic chores before they reached the age of fifteen which helped them adapt later after marriage. Although rich he never allowed daughters to be lazy. To help him and family members he brought from Cheranmadevi Sudalai Muthu who became his PA and from Palayamkottai Christian Paul (Palani) who became his car driver. He used to take his daughters daily in his car to the nearby Edward Elliot Road beach. As he used to go on tour regularly to meet the business executives and his clients, when he returned from tour never forgot to buy sarees, bangles, slippers etc to his dear daughters. While going out on tour he used to take his assistant Gopala Iyer everywhere.
Music and Arts: ASI had amazing music knowledge. He was a good musician too who can play harmonium. He used to ask his daughters to sing the song with him while playing harmonium. He used to sing the ragas and ask his youngest daughter Saraswathi to write the swaras for that raaga. That way their musical knowledge sharpened immensely, and they became passionate to Carnatic music. His favorite song was Arar Asaipadar in Natakapriya. for which will play harmonium with his daughters singing.
MS singing Arar Asaipadar
He used to have the quiz session with his daughters on the Carnatic classical ragas where his granddaughter young Rajamma also used to join. He used to conduct small plays at home where he will be act often taking up the lady role. In short, a fun-loving god-fearing charismatic personality liked by one and all.
During the Chennai music season, he used to buy tickets for selected concerts and take the daughters to the concerts. He will identify new ragas played by the musicians in the concert and quiz the family. He was associated with many musicians in that era who used to come to his home and sing for him. He would ask my mother to play veena which he used to like. Listening to Karaikudi Muthu's mridangam and kanjira Natarajan (SN) used to accompany family home bhajans with Kanjira to the right beats. When the daughters come back from school, they had to listen to AIR Isai payirchi (music coaching) sessions and they will note down the swaras which he will correct. He used to encourage everyone singing. Amongst the classical he used to like Nandan charitram .His favourite vocalist was MM Dandapani Desikar and the devotional rendering of the classic “ Aiye Metha Kadinam” from Nandan Charitram
MM Dandapani Desikar from Nandanar
His other favourite
singer is NC Vasantha Kokilam especially this song “ Mugattai Kattiye deham”
Bombay Jayashree singing Mugattai Kattiye
Devotion: When he was young ASI was suffering from
severe stomachache. His sister took him to a saint who is the follower of
Ramalinga Adigalar (Vallalar). He
gave him Vibhuti after rendering few slokas. That cured him completely. Since
then that saint became his guru, and he became ardent devotee of Vallalar. He used to sing arutpa very well and taught his daughters the songs
from thiruarutpa. Whenever he sees the daughters’ reading stories of
only magazines available those days like Ananda Vikatan and Kalki, he
used to advise them not to waste time on lies instead to sing arutpa songs. Being obedient daughters, they loved him and followed his advice.
He became attached to Lord Thillai Nataraja at Chidambaram since
then. In the Tamil month of Margazhi the whole house would have a divine
atmosphere. ASI used to get up early sing devotional songs and do deeparadhana
every day. During Thiruvathirai
the whole house would become a temple. The previous day itself ASI would start the decoration and standing in the stool he used to make Pushpa Pandal
alangaram like in temple. On that day he would sing all Arutpa songs with
great devotion making daughters sing his favourite Vasantha Raga Keerthana (Nadanam
Adinar) and Natakapriya raga song Asaipadar.
End of journey: When ASI trust someone he would have total confidence and faith on that person and tended to show hatred if he did not like a person probably his weakness like every one of us. He seemed to realize this mistake towards the end before his death.
My mother used to tell us that when my father got transfer back to
Chennai (TOMCO)from Bombay ASI found the house where we stayed in the childhood
for rent at VP Koil Street and used to visit her during his evening walk. When ASI
had a premature death at the age of 66 in the year 1954 it was a shattering blow
to her, and she lost her pillar of support.
But it is also HIS Blessing that my mother came to live for four
years in his place of worship Chidambaram for our education. I can never forget
my childhood at Chidambaram, and it is always the Lord Thillai Natarajar who guides us all these years. We surrender to HIS grace wherever we are.
My mother's favourite Arutpa by Maharajapuram Santanam
ASI would have done more to his family if he had lived a few more years. He was an allrounder who had a business acumen, who can take risk, who
had charisma and who was liked by all, a musician, classical expert and also a
devotee who through his strict discipline made his sons and daughters role
model for the next generation like us. Each one inherited some good traits from
him. ASI had all the attributes of an Icon and architect of this big mother’s
side family and that is why in my opinion He was Great! 🙏
Acknowledgements: This blog would not have been possible but for the contribution by my dear Chithi Saraswathy Ramasubramaniam. 🙏
I have heard from my dear late mother JR and SN about my grandfather Sivarama Iyer. I was inspired to write for quite some time, but I had some
gaps in my understanding of his personality being away from motherland.
I made a humble request to my Saraswathi Chithi to write about her father about
2 weeks back. What a surprise to receive such a lovely article a nostalgia from
my Chithi within days. Thanks to cousins RV Easwar for helping to forward this
communication from Chithi and R Sriram for sharing these precious photos taken in
the year 1948 from the archive. 🙏
I am like Dharumi Nagesh of Tiruvilaiyadal Nagesh
taking the scripts of elders and claiming it as mine. If there are any mistakes
it is mine and you can deduct them and read the rest like what Nagesh said to Nakkeerar
in the movie! 😊
Even if the mother forgets the child
Even if the soul forgets the body
Even if the body forgets the soul
Even if the mind forgets whatever is learnt
Even if the eyes forget to blink
Never shall I forget ever the divine Nama Shivaya
-Composed by Sri Ramalinga Vallalar
Sivarama Iyer the Great!
A tribute by his grandson R Sivaraman 🙏
(Concluded)
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