Articles on Veene Sheshanna

Vynika Sikhamani

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Taken from an article in mysore online
Reproduced here for educational purposes only

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Vynika Sikhamani

Veene Seshanna has become a legend in his own life-time. His name is cherished wherever veena is played even today. He was born in Mysore in 1852. He adorned the Mysore Durbar as a "crest jewel" until he passed away in 1926. The kings of the erstwhile princely states vied with each other in inviting and showering gifts and titles on him. The prestigious sabhas and institutions, Mutts and temples devoted to the advancement of music were no fewer behind.

Veene Seshanna hails from a family of veena karas, and was initiated into the art by his father, Bakshi Chikka Ramappa, an Asthana Vidwan in the court of Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar. The boy was a prodigy and in the tenth year. He navigated a complex Pallavi before the king and Asthana Vidwans of the Durbar who were spell-bound and won accolades from every one. It was thus that the young genius entered the portals of music world and rose to Himalayan heights.

After loosing his father at the age of 16, the boy continued tuition with a close relative, Sri Dodda Seshanna and continued vocal tuition with renowned Vocalist, Mysore Sadashiva Rao. Apart from being adept at veena, he had mastered violin, sitar, swarabat, organ, piano and jaltarang and would give full-fledged concerts on all these varied instruments. Veene Seshanna had mastered Hindustani music and also played European music competently. He was bestowed with the title of "Vynika Sikhamani" (the crest jewel of the Veenakars) , by the then Maharaja of Mysore which became his first name.

The wizard of veena was also an eminent composer who has left behind more than 50 compositions, which are gems of coruscating brilliance.

The Baroda king honoured Seshanna in the Sangeetha Utsav (music festival) in Baroda and arranged him to be carried in a golden palanquin (Adda Pallakki) in a procession and also the Raja of Ramnad arranged a week-long concert of the maestro in his durbar. It is said that Seshanna had received more than 40 todas, innumerable necklaces, hundreds of diamond rings, countless number of shawls and titles plentiful.

King George V heard him spell-bound at the Delhi Durbar and was so charmed that he carried a portrait of Seshanna to adorn the Buckingham Palace. Presiding over the Belgaum Congress session in the year 1924, Mahatma Gandhi was so captivated by the strings of Seshanna's veena that he cancelled all engagements for five hours and heard him with rapt attention.

Vainika Sikhamani Seshanna passed away on 25th July, 1926. He was the greatest of Vainikas true, but more than that he was a Nadopaasaka of the highest order. Despite the innumerable awards and titles he had amassed, his heart lay inside the hidden beauty of ragas to which he had surrendered his soul. He had the humility to say that his fingers had still not captured the inordinate grandeur of a todi or kamboji in full. His greatest delight lay in taking the veena to his hand and play on to the satisfaction of anyone, who came asking him to play the veena.

Veene Seshanna Bhavan, an auditorium built in Mysore, is dedicated to the great Veena exponent. The memorial building is situated at Kuvempunagar where cultural programmes are held regularly.