From a Master...to... a Maestro : Chitravina Ravikiran

............. by Sivapriya Krishnan

Ravikiran and Chitravina are but an obverse and reverse of the same coin. He is a “child prodigy” who had the rare capacity to identify ragas and swaras at the tender age of two, an age, when many a child still fumbles with amorphous sounds and actions.

Slowly and steadily, Master Chitravina Ravikiran was honed and moulded into Maestro Chitravina Ravikiran, under the strictest supervision of his father Chitravina Narasimhan, who gave him all the fodder necessary for a superior growth and development in this chosen field of art.



Ravikiran , was not only prodigious, but also steady and steadfast, with an innately developed sense and taste for the finer aspects of musicality and playing the instrument. He ensured that he grew in stature and took on the responsibility on his shoulders of propagating an age old Carnatic musical instrument, which would have otherwise sunk into oblivion. Well versed in vocal music , under the tutelage of Smt.T. Brinda, known for her fastidious and classy music, and having learnt the techniques of playing this instrument from his father Sri. Narasimhan, Ravikiran, mastered this very difficult yet melodious instrument and has carved a niche for himself , in which he is enviably an Emperor !

His students honoured him for the wonderful 40years of musical contribution and as Ravikiran himself pointed out , that he is blessed to be felicitated and blessed by the musical trinity, whose scholarship and musicianship he has been in awe of and who have always been his musical icons, namely Sangita Kalanidhi Sri. M.Balamuralikrishna, Sangita Kalanidhi Sri.Umayalpuram K Sivaraman and Sangita Kalanidhi Sri Madurai T N Seshagopalan, were present there to felicitate and bless him on this occasion.

Sri.N.Murali, President of the Madras Music Academy and Y.Prabhu, President of Krishna Gana Sabha, the two instituitions which promoted this prodigy and offered him a stage to demonstrate his music also spoke of his genius. Sri. V.V. Sundaram of Cleveland Aradhana Committee and Sri Ramnad K Ramanathan (son of legendary Ramnad Krishnan and a well wisher and friend of Ravikiran) also felicitated him.

Some snippets from the various felicitatory speeches :

M.Balamurali Krishna : praised him for his extraordinary brilliance; not common to sustain the knowledge and training of childhood into adult life and blessed him more success, name, fame and money.

Umayalpuram K Sivaraman : age is no consideration for great vidwat and genius and India is a country which has many examples of exemplary prodigies, who are respected for their scholarship.

Madurai T N Seshagopalan : blend of Gods grace and munificence, that he is endowed with so much brilliance and scholarship; sacrifices made by his father Sri Narasimhan in teaching him everything and honing him into a fine musician.

N Murali : rare that a two year old could grasp so much and subject himself to the disciplines set by the Guru and the demands made by the art; it’s the innate ability that has helped in his achievement; rare ability to sustain without becoming a maverick or an eccentric genius.

Y. Prabhu : rare genius and ability which come rather rarely in a lifetime, Krishna Gana Sabha , proud to be the one to promote his genius.

V.V.Sundaram : truly blessed musician, who upholds classicism and traditions , even while experimenting with creative approaches; rare gift from the legendary Sakharama Rao who gifted him his Chitravina.

Ramnad K Ramanathan : father Ramnad Krishnan, amongst the ones who judged him in the Music Academy; association grew strong over a period of time, happy that in this lifetime we have a meritorious person amidst us.

The speeches were specific, succinct and generous , the stage décor and the seating arrangements done with a touch of superior class and elegance and the book on Ravikiran printed with the fine art of printing.

Kudos to the Ravikiran Gurukulam !!

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