Early Years
Narayana Iyengar was born on 25 January 1903, near Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India. His father Srinivasa Iyengar was an engineer and an amateur violinist himself, and his mother Srivaramangai was a music lover too. Though Narayana Iyengar displayed an early fascination for music, he only commenced learning formally at the age of 14.
His guru was Kodaganallur Subbaiyya Bhagavatar, a fine vocalist who could also play the gotuvadyam. Narayana Iyengar also showed skill in painting and photography, and honed his skills in these with a stint at the Raja Ravi Varma High School of Arts. He had his general education at the Pattamadai High School. It was music that held his fascination and he decided to dedicate his life to it.
He was enchanted with the beauty, challenge and scope of the gotuvadyam, which was re-introduced to Carnatic music by Tiruvidaimarudur Sakha Rama Rao. Narayana Iyengar requested him to draft him in as his pupil. Sakha Rama Rao, a highly principled artiste, who never cared about money, name or fame, was impressed with Narayana Iyengar's talent and attitude and agreed to teach him. A few years later, he agreed to take on another talented lad, who also brought him glory, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.
Narayana Iyengar practised with an obsessed rigour, sometimes up to 18–20 hours a day, and reached great heights in a very short time, which led to people giving him the prefix of the instrument of his choice. He came to be called Gotuvadyam Narayana Iyengar.
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