padmanabha
6th March 2007, 07:51 PM
[tscii:04e925cf2a]DR. V S SARMA:-
Today is the 70th birthday of DR. V S SARMA, a multifaceted personality. A person who keeps a low profile, he has so far authored 70 works, which includes, research works, critical studies, translations, etc. In an interview the writer talks about the influence of great scholars, his works, and his little ambitions.
“I WAS BORN TO Puthiyil Vasudeva Sarma and Parvathi Antharjanam of Vattapalli in Sucheendram. My father nurtured the ambition of me becoming a doctor, but with his untimely death, my life took a different course. In fact I discontinued my studies for a brief period, before joining for BA (Malayalam). In situation like this it was P.Seshadri Iyer, my father’s teacher who extended a helping hand. He was a great scholar, and a down to earth person. He knew more than 30 languages. He introduced me to the Sree Ramakrishna-Vivekananda literatures and taught me Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindi, Upanishads etc. He could identify the inborn talent me. His association was a landmark in my life” reminisced Dr. Sarma and continued,
“Before the results of MA were out, I was appointed as the member of the editorial board of Malayalarajyam. My articles in periodicals on art and culture were much appreciated. I had the opportunity to work with Kuttikrishnamarar-popular author, while I was invited to edit the works of Vivekananda sarwaswam, and Vivekananda sathakam. Followed by this offer, Karur and CNSreekantanNair invited me to edit the souvenir of Mannam. One day DR. P K Narayana Pillai, teacher cum scholar came to my office, took me to the University and made me registered for Ph. D. Soon I was appointed as the translator at the Public Relations Department. After the probation period, I continued my Ph. D-on Kunchan Nampiar and his works. In the mean time I authored a book on Vivekanandan titled Yugacharyan-and the university included it the PDC curriculum. In 1967, I submitted M. Litt thesis-on Thullal stories based on Bhagavatham. This is the first thesis to be submitted in Malayalam.”
Sarma joined KV College Thrissur as a lecturer, and then at the Department of Malayalam and served as the Department Head and Dean. “A short stint at Thrissur was beneficial in the sense that I could meet Panditharatnam K P Narayana Pisharodi. He taught Natyasastra and Kutiyattom. Once I was invited to deliver a lecture on Karthika Tirunal by Margi. C. Achutha Menon was the chief guest. After the programme Achutha Menon suggested me to prepare a research paper on this subject. That was how the voluminous work “Balarama Bharatham Saraswathi” was born. When I forwarded a copy to H H Chithira Tirunal, he made one more suggestion-Why don’t you submit it for D.Litt?” I submitted it and it took ten years for the University to decide. Normally D. Litt is conferred to eminent persons. Here for the first time it was awarded based on a research work” he explained.
Dr. Sarma has conducted classes on Natyasastra, in connection with Soorya festivals for a few years and on musicology for 35 days organized by Swati Tirunal Sangeetha Sabha. Ritu Vandanam bagged the best music program aired by AIR. He was the president of Margi and the Chairman of Kerala Kalamandalam. So far he has penned 70 works in Malayalam and English which includes Rasakairali(treatise on Rasa theory), Gitanjali(Translation), Edited Vallatholinde Nataka Paribhashakal and Ulloorinde
Prabhandangal, authored Thullal Sahitya Charitram, Bibliography of Malayalam Natakam from 1880-1980, Sree Swati Tirunal Jivithavum Krithikalum, and Hasthalakshanadeepika(Translation).
“My ambition is to bring out the second edition of the book-SREE SWATI TIRUNAL-JIVITHAVUM KRITHIKALUM, AND TO work on Geetha Govindam.”
It is a bitter reality that both the Sangeetha and Sahitya Academies (state and central) are yet to recognize DR. Sarma. “I did all these works without expecting any reward. I believe in Nishkamakarma” he said.
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Today is the 70th birthday of DR. V S SARMA, a multifaceted personality. A person who keeps a low profile, he has so far authored 70 works, which includes, research works, critical studies, translations, etc. In an interview the writer talks about the influence of great scholars, his works, and his little ambitions.
“I WAS BORN TO Puthiyil Vasudeva Sarma and Parvathi Antharjanam of Vattapalli in Sucheendram. My father nurtured the ambition of me becoming a doctor, but with his untimely death, my life took a different course. In fact I discontinued my studies for a brief period, before joining for BA (Malayalam). In situation like this it was P.Seshadri Iyer, my father’s teacher who extended a helping hand. He was a great scholar, and a down to earth person. He knew more than 30 languages. He introduced me to the Sree Ramakrishna-Vivekananda literatures and taught me Sanskrit, Bengali, Hindi, Upanishads etc. He could identify the inborn talent me. His association was a landmark in my life” reminisced Dr. Sarma and continued,
“Before the results of MA were out, I was appointed as the member of the editorial board of Malayalarajyam. My articles in periodicals on art and culture were much appreciated. I had the opportunity to work with Kuttikrishnamarar-popular author, while I was invited to edit the works of Vivekananda sarwaswam, and Vivekananda sathakam. Followed by this offer, Karur and CNSreekantanNair invited me to edit the souvenir of Mannam. One day DR. P K Narayana Pillai, teacher cum scholar came to my office, took me to the University and made me registered for Ph. D. Soon I was appointed as the translator at the Public Relations Department. After the probation period, I continued my Ph. D-on Kunchan Nampiar and his works. In the mean time I authored a book on Vivekanandan titled Yugacharyan-and the university included it the PDC curriculum. In 1967, I submitted M. Litt thesis-on Thullal stories based on Bhagavatham. This is the first thesis to be submitted in Malayalam.”
Sarma joined KV College Thrissur as a lecturer, and then at the Department of Malayalam and served as the Department Head and Dean. “A short stint at Thrissur was beneficial in the sense that I could meet Panditharatnam K P Narayana Pisharodi. He taught Natyasastra and Kutiyattom. Once I was invited to deliver a lecture on Karthika Tirunal by Margi. C. Achutha Menon was the chief guest. After the programme Achutha Menon suggested me to prepare a research paper on this subject. That was how the voluminous work “Balarama Bharatham Saraswathi” was born. When I forwarded a copy to H H Chithira Tirunal, he made one more suggestion-Why don’t you submit it for D.Litt?” I submitted it and it took ten years for the University to decide. Normally D. Litt is conferred to eminent persons. Here for the first time it was awarded based on a research work” he explained.
Dr. Sarma has conducted classes on Natyasastra, in connection with Soorya festivals for a few years and on musicology for 35 days organized by Swati Tirunal Sangeetha Sabha. Ritu Vandanam bagged the best music program aired by AIR. He was the president of Margi and the Chairman of Kerala Kalamandalam. So far he has penned 70 works in Malayalam and English which includes Rasakairali(treatise on Rasa theory), Gitanjali(Translation), Edited Vallatholinde Nataka Paribhashakal and Ulloorinde
Prabhandangal, authored Thullal Sahitya Charitram, Bibliography of Malayalam Natakam from 1880-1980, Sree Swati Tirunal Jivithavum Krithikalum, and Hasthalakshanadeepika(Translation).
“My ambition is to bring out the second edition of the book-SREE SWATI TIRUNAL-JIVITHAVUM KRITHIKALUM, AND TO work on Geetha Govindam.”
It is a bitter reality that both the Sangeetha and Sahitya Academies (state and central) are yet to recognize DR. Sarma. “I did all these works without expecting any reward. I believe in Nishkamakarma” he said.
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