Birthdays & Anniversaries
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| 1.9.1896 - 16.10.1974 |
Ananta Bhagavatar's wife Parvati Ammal gave birth to Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar in September 1896, and younger brother Subrahmaniam was born a couple of years later. Chembai was a 'bhagavatar' even at birth, for the tag of bhagavatar was a traditional family title, But Chembai lived to more than justify the title as devotee of Guruvayurappan.
Ananta Bhagavatar initiated Chembai into music when the latter was but three years old. He put the boy through rigorous practice in the swara-s, a strong foundation for Chembai's future unerring swara and sruti purity. Also included was intensive 'aakara' practice.
When Chembai was five years old, his father thought of his academic education also. But the little village had no proper school facilities and could boast only of a 'tinnai' school, an informal teaching facili ty run in one of the houses, on the 'tinnai' or pyol in front. It was there that Vaitha started his school education.