Eminent Personalities : Thiruvattar Arumugam Pillai Bhagavathar

Swargiya Thiruvattar Arumugam Pillai Bhagavathar (-, 1989) (Malayalam: തിരുവട്ടാര്‍ അറുമുഖം പിള്ളൈ ഭാഗവതര്‍, Tamil: திருவட்டார் ஆறுமுகம் பிள்ளை பாகவதர்)  was one of the great carnatic musicians.  But he was not much familiar to the world.  So we would like introducing him to the world.  He was from Thiruvattar, Kanyakumari District of Tamilnadu,

We collected the following information from his student Mr. V. Murugan, who is a carnatic musician.  He wished to introduce the eminent personality to the world through us.  When he says about his master, we could understand the respect, love and affection of his mind.

His life history was so amazing and unbelievable.  He lost his vision in the age of four because of a disease.  After that he lived in the world of darkness.   But his life was not darkness.  He had the knowledge in Music.  So he started a new life with Music.  His brother’s family was supporting him to learn music.  He studied carnatic music from many masters; one of the masters was Sri. Janardhanan Bhagavathar (Other masters’ name we did not get).  He was familiar to play the musical instruments, such as Harmonium, Flute and Kottuvathiyam.

Not only in his musical life, in his personal life was also very excitement.  He was married; unfortunately he lost his wife and family in the early age itself.  So he spent his whole life to the Music.

He was doing all of his duties such as cooking, purchasing, traveling, money dealing everything himself.  He never depended others.  He had many students.  When he became aged, his students helped him like his children.  Now his students are also the great musicians.  The great Malayalam playback singer late Mr. Kamukara Purushothaman was his one of the students.  He wrote and composed many Tamil keerthanas.  Still the songs are famous.  At his last stage, he wrote a keethana about his life, that is

“Pada mudiyathu ini thuyaram – naan
paddathellam pothum ammaiyappa”

“பட முடியாது இனி துயரம் - நான்
பட்டதெல்லாம் போதும் அம்மையப்பா”

Really, when we hear that song we can understand his feelings.

Once our Gana Gandharvan Yesudas had a carnatic music kacheri at Kumara Kovil, Thuckalay, Kanyakumari district.  Same day Arumugam Pillai Bhagavathar happened to be there.  There they met and Arumugam Bhagavathar had blessed Yesudas.  Also Yesudas had requested the Bhagavathar to attend his Musical Function.  This information was given by one of his students Mr. Velappan, who was there in the meeting.

In the age of 80 , he hospitalized because of illness.  Only his students were there to care him.  In that age itself he said good-bye to his musical world.  Even his funeral also done by his Students.  Now his properties such as the Musical Instruments, Books are with his students.  Still they keep them as the Treasure.

We know that, there are many unknown personalities still in the world.  So we are very happy that, we have introduced one among them.