Painted in blue from the ceiling to the flooring, C. Varadan’s musical repair shop on Mathala Narayanan Street in Mylapore is hard to miss. Step inside and photographs of Varadan with Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, Palghat Mani Iyer and K.J. Yesudas will point to his popularity on the carnatic circuit. He has also displayed citations of awards received from various cultural academies.
Last month, Varadan along with other mrindigam repairers was honoured by Vidwan Sri Mushnam V. Raja Rao Felicitation Committee at a tribute event for mridangam maestro Srimushnam V. Raja Rao, who completed 50 years in carnatic music.“It is after many years that I am getting an award,” says Varadan, showing the citation he received as an “artisan of great merit.” He also got a cash award of Rs. 10,000. In 2008, he received the Tabala Tatachari from the late V.V. Tatachari family. The 67-year-old has been continuing the business started by his father-in-law and guru K.M. Venkatesan for over five decades now from the same place. “We used to repair tabla, dohlak and mrindigam but nowadays it is only the latter that gives me business,” says Varadan, who has many customers who swear by his skills. He commutes from his residence in Ayanavaram to Mylapore every day to open the shop at 11 a.m. “Many people know me and it makes sense to work from Mylapore, which is a cultural hub,” says Varadan. Earlier, Varadan also used to make instruments, but not many orders come now.
He can be contacted at 9840272305.
