Sheik Chinna Moulana (1924-1999)

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Sheikh Chinna Moulana was one of the most prominent Nagaswaram players of the last centry.

Sheikh Chinna Moulana hailed from an illustrious music family whose ancestry goes back to Sheikh Nabi Sahib (18th Century) of Sattalur who had mastery of the nagaswara instrument. The coming generations took up the study of Sanskrit and Telugu in a big way apart from continuing the tradition of nagaswaram playing that has now come to be known as the Chilakaluripet parampara.

Sheikh Abdulla Sahib of Karavadi village who was an eminent student of this parampara was his grandfather. Sheikh Chinna Moula was born to Kasim Sahib, from whom he had his initial training and later from nagaswara vidwan Adam Sahib of Chilakalooripeta. To acquaint himself with the Tanjore style of playing, he had his training for a few years under Nachiarkoil brothers Rajan and Dorai Kannu.

Chinna Moulana had childhood admiration for T.N.Rajarathnam Pillai,and in later years he carried forward the TNR approach in a scintillating manner.

It was only in 1960 that Chinna Moula gave his first performance in Tamil Nadu which gave a flying start to his new career, which brought the original sketches of the Chilakaluripet School as strengthened by the laws and logic of the Thanjavur bani.

Chinna Moula's unflinching faith in Lord Ranganatha made him take up permanent residence in the pilgrim city of Srirangam, three decades ago and where he founded the Sarada Nagaswara Sangeeta Ashram ,thus, giving us several promising nagaswaram players of the younger generation. Among them Sheikh Abdulla, his own grandsons Babu, Pedda Kasim and Chinna Kasim, Mahaboob Subani and Kalishabi Mahaboob readily come to mind.

Dr. Chinna Moulana played with a lot of gusto. He has enthralled large audiences with his imaginative, unsurpassing alapana and kriti renderings.

Discography

In alphabetical order of the title

Title	Nature	Music / recording	Contents	Label	Other Artists	Year
Celestial Nadhaswaram Recitals	Carnatic Instrumental		Gowla, Natakuranji, Hamsanadham, Jayantasena, Shankarabharanam, Sudha Dhanyasi, Sindhu Bhairavi, Yamuna Kalyan	Super Audio	Additional Nadhaswaram: S. Kasim / Thalam: G. Nagarajan
Mellifluous Nadhaswaram Recital	Carnatic Instrumental		Nattai, Janaranjani, Nalinikanthi, Hindolam, Kambhoji, Yamuna Kalyani, Jaunpuri, Kapi	Super Audio	Additional Nadhaswaram: S. Kasim; Thavil: S. Subramanian
Musical Heralds From S India -Nadaswaram	Carnatic Instrumental		Dhudukula Gala, Anandasagara, Improvision of Alap, Bhajan in Salaga Bhairavi	Wergo		1991
Nadaswara Samrat	Carnatic Instrumental		Kedaram, Hemavathi, Neelambari, Kambhoji, Purvi Kalyani, Kapi, Sindhu Bhairavi	T Series	Sheik Kasim, Nadaswaram Support; S Subramaniam & M Rajendran, Thavil
Nadaswaram	Carnatic Instrumental		Ragas: Karnataka Kapi, Saranga, Yadukula Kamboji, Chamaram, Surati	EMI India	Additional Nadaswaram: S. Kasim / Thavil: K A T Swaminathan & S. Subramaniam
Nadaswaram	Carnatic Instrumental			Geethanjali
Nadaswaram	Carnatic Instrumental		Arabhi, Neelambari, Kambhoji, Kedara Gowla, Rudrapriya, Kavadi Chindu, Dhanashri.	EMI India
Nadaswaram	Carnatic Instrumental		Gowla, Sudha Bangala, Saraswati, Garudadhawani, Anandabhairavi, Anandavarshini, Hindolam, Yamuna Kalyani, Manirangu	EMI India
Nadhaswaram - Music of South India	Carnatic Instrumental		Gambeera Nattai, Sri, Kambhoji, Dwijavanti, Ragamalika, Kanada, Hamsanandi	Super Audio	Additional Nadhaswaram: S. Kasim; Thavil: S. Subramanian
The Sound of Nadhaswaram	Carnatic Instrumental		Atana, Kannada, Kamaas, Vasantha, Harikamboji, Neelaambari, Navarasa Kanada, Bowli	Pyramid	S Kasim, Nadaswaram; S Sumramanian, Thavil
Woodwind Melodies	Carnatic Instrumental		Sri Ganapathi-Sourashtram, Theratheeyaga-Gowlipanthu, Marivere Gathi-Anandabhairavi, Jayajaya Padmanabha-Manirangu, Bhaja Re Manasa-Abheri, Sevikkavendumaya-Andolika, Enna Thavam-Khamas, Vande Vasudev	Koel