Sarabha Sastri

Sri Sarabha Sastri (1872–1904) was an Indian venu flute player, known as the first great Brahmin flutist. He brought the flute to the mainstream Indian Carnatic concert stage – until then, it was almost exclusively a folk instrument. To Sastri goes the credit of promoting the flute to the status of a primary concert instrument from being a mere 'second fiddle' to dance.

Sri Sarabha Sastrigal was born in 1872 to Viswanatha Sastri and Smt. Dharmambal. His mother's native place was Tiruvadi and She lived next door to Saint Tyagaraja. His father died when he and his brother (Rao Sahib)Sivakumara Sastri were very young. Blind at a young age, he was initiated into a career in music under the guidance of his maternal uncle Sri Kuppusamy Sastri of Tiruvadi near Thiruvaiyaru and later by Manambuchavadi Sri Venkatasubba Iyer, one of the disciples of Saint Thiyagaraja. Sri Govinda Nayanakkar unravelled the mysteries of flute to young Sarabha Sastri. Sri Saraba Saastrigal lived in Soliappa Mudali street in Kumbakonam and was married to Ambu Ammal.

Sastri undertook penance in ErAharam -Sri Sankari Samedha Skandanadha Swamy temple, obtained divinity and brought peace and happiness to local population.Later, he organised "Sarba Kavadi", " Macha Kavadi" etc. and spread the fame of this temple. Carrying kavadi is a practice of penance or prayaschittam. Thaipusam is a festival that is marked by acts of penance such as carrying the Kavadi. The Kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from deity.

Blindness in childhood could do nothing to blunt the musical genius of Sarabha Sastri. By experimenting with the flute, he evolved a fingering technique by which he could produce the entire range of Indian ragas on it.

Sri Sarabha Sastrigal composed more than 500 Sahityas for Nayanmar charithrams, in various languages.

Sri Saraba Saastrigal taught a unique technique in playing the Flute (with Tu-Tu kaarams). He was also able to play the Thaanam on the Flute. Sri Saraba Saastrigal was also called "Eka Chandra Graahi", since he had the uncanny ability to grasp anything by just listening once. Palladam Sanjiva Rao was a direct disciple of Sri Saraba Saastrigal. Palladam Sanjiva Rao passed this on to H Ramachandra Shastry who taught Carnatic flute at Kalakshetra until 1992. Some of the notable musicians practising this art form include G. S. Rajan, Ludwig Pesch and T. Sashidhar.

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