Harikesanallur – After the muses fled

If the English alphabet were to be taught to children with words in Carnatic music, H would always stand for Harikesanallur.

Muthiah Bhgavatar put Harikesanallur on the map and yet, if there is a place where he is least remembered it must be his hometown. Papanasam Sivan visited Harikesanallur in 1912 in the company of Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Iyer. This description of the town is from his reminiscences published as Enathu Ninaivu-kKadal, written in 1968.

“My memories of attending the skanda shashti festival organised by Muthiah Bhagavatar at Harikesanallur are fresh and clear despite 55 years having gone by. Two carriages had been reserved from Tiruchi junction and we arrived the day before the event. Like us, the vidwans, bhagavatar-s and rasika-s had come from many places. Muthiah Bhagavatar had no enemy in the arts. There was consequently no politics and it was not surprising to see musicians from all over south India. It appeared as though the entire village had donned its best by way of hospitality and we were received with love and warmth. Accommodation had been arranged in various houses.