V. Dakshinamoorthy | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Venkateshwara Dakshinamoorthy |
Also known as | Swamy |
Born |
Haripad, Alappuzha, Kerala, India |
9 December 1919
Origin | Alappuzha, Kerala, India |
Died | 2 August 2013 Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
(aged 93)
Genres | Carnatic music |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | Harmonium, Vocal |
Years active | 1950 – 2013 |
Venkateswaran Dakshinamoorthy (9 December 1919 – 2 August 2013) was a veteran carnatic musician and composer and music director of Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi films, predominantly in Malayalam films. He has set scores for the songs in over 125 films. He has to his credit as many as 859 songs composed over a period of 64 years. Fondly known as Swami, he was instrumental in pioneering classical music-based film songs. Revered as one of the forefathers of the Malayalam music industry, he has mentored many of the renowned singers/composers of current times.
Dakshinamoorthy was born on 9 December 1919 as Venkateswaran Dakshinamoorthy, to D. Venkateswara Iyer and Parvathi Ammal in Alappuzha district, Kerala (Travancore, British India). He is the eldest among his two brothers and four sisters. His interest in music was nurtured by his mother who taught him keerthanas of Thyagaraja Swamikal when he was still a child. He had grasped at least 27 songs just by hearing them when they were being rendered by his mother and sister. When he was ten years old, Venkatachalam Potti in Trivandrum taught him Carnatic music and the tutelage continued for three years. His first public performance, when he was 13 years old, was at the Ambalapuzha Sri Krishna temple. It was his habit to offer prayers to "Vaikkathappa Annadhaana Prabho" daily, in the morning and before going to bed. His primary schooling was in Sanaathana Dharma Vidyashaala, Allepey, till 5th standard. He continued in Kiliparam School. He completed his HSC at Shri Moola Vilasa High School, Trivandrum. Then he decided that music has to be his future. After finishing S.S.L.C., he learned carnatic music form Venkatachalam Potty in Trivandrum. Swami came to Vaikom at the age of 16, practiced and taught music. During that period.when he was 20-22, he received "The Nirmaalya Darshan" of Vaikathappan for three and a half years continuously. This feat played a big part in his route to greatness.