T. Lakshmana Pillai

Profile of T. Lakshmana Pillai, a resident of Tiruvanantapuram who composed more than 200 songs in the Carnatic mode and in Tamil; and who wrote essays on Tyagaraja, Travancorean music and musicians and other subjects (19-34). Pillai was himself a very interesting personality but the feature focussing on him includes also absorbing narratives with an authentic flavour on Tyagaraja, Vadivelu of the Tanjavur Quartet, a court musician of Swati Tirunal named Parameswara Bhagavatar, and an encounter between two Carnatic music giants.