Ambujam Krishna
Smt Ambujam Krishna was born on 21st May 1917 as the daughter of KV Ranga Iyengar, a leading advocate of Madurai. Her parents were great lovers of music and it was but natural that she was taught the art. Her tutelage was under Karaikkudi Ganesan and Ganesa Bhagavatar. She was married at a young age to her cousin TS Krishna, pioneering industrialist and son of TV Sundaram Iyengar, the founder of the famed TVS Group of Companies. Post her marriage Ambujam Krishna went to Delhi for furthering her education and graduated from the Lady Irwin College with a degree in Home Science.
In August 1951, she happened to visit the Samadhi of Tyagaraja at Tiruvayyaru and while there became inspired to compose songs. Her first kriti was Unnai allAl on Goddess Meenakshi, patron Goddess of her own home town. Later she began composing songs in several languages such as Telugu, Kannada, Sanskrit, Hindi and Tamizh. Somewhat hesitantly she made bold to show her creations to her husband who immediately suggested that she consult Musiri Subramania Iyer about their quality.
Musiri was much impressed with their lyrical content and praised them. He then offered to set them to music. While Smt Krishna had sung the songs to herself in tunes that occurred to her, she was most happy that these were to be set to tune by a renowned musician. Later she was to have her songs tuned by several leading vidwans and vidushis such as Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, VV Sadagopan, Sattur AG Subramaniam, Madurai Krishnan, Dr S Ramanathan, KC Tyagarajan, KR Kedaranathan, TN Seshagopalan, R Vedavalli, Ananthalakshmi Sadagopan and Charumati Ramachandran.
True to her sense of total surrender, Smt Krishna did not use a mudra and also did not attempt at giving any publicity to her works. But the excellence of the lyrics soon made them well known. Today several of her songs continue to be set to music and have become integral components of the concert platform. Her songs were sung and released as cassettes by several well known artistes. Smt Krishna also composed Radha Madhavam and Krishna Leela Madhuryam, two operas for which music was set by KR Kedaranathan.
Dismayed by the lack of facilities for learning music in Madurai, Smt Krishna began the Sadguru Sangeeta Vidyalaya with well know musician Ramanathapuram CS Sankarasivam as its head. She went from house to house encouraging parents to send their children to the music school. Her efforts bore fruit and today the institution is a flourishing college. Smt Krishna also provided Madurai with its first auditorium where music could be heard in comfort. The Lakshmi Sundaram Hall, named after her mother in law, was entirely her creation.
Leading a life of simplicity, Smt Krishna devoted her time to composing and her songs were compiled and released in four volumes titled the Gitamala. Several songs still exist in manuscript form. Smt Krishna passed away on 20th October 1989, having led a life of complete artistic fulfillment.
Thanks for writing up on a simple soul like Smt.Ambujam Krishna.
Smt. Ambujam Krishna’s Songs ,everybody is familiar with. For long I was desirous of knowing her profile. Here it is.
If some of her songs are loaded along with this, it may prove to invoke more interest in rasikas like me..
i would be happy to have the lyrics (of course in Tamil) of Smt Ambujam Krishna’s compositions in Telugu.
no doubt smt.ambujam krishna has no parellel, for her songs are soaked in bhakti and mainly krishna bhakti.today i m totally blessed to c this site,to my pleasant surprise i came to know today 21st May is her birth day!!
what a divine soul she is !!!!
i look forward to her centenary year celebrations.
enaku omnamo narayan song ketka ketka unmayaveya krishnaoda kalantha anubavatha kodutha ammauku aayram namaskarangal.
For long I wanted to know her profile even though I was an employee of TVS. Thanks to this website and the content provider.
I always admire her devotion and Bhakthi. Her visualisation of Lord Krishna in her kritis bring Lord Krishna in front of our mental eyes. PRANAMS TO THIS NOBLE SOUL.
I like her songs very much. If any body knoes her song lyrics pl send me .Vethanai Evaridam Solllven – Raga Parvathi
Thanks – Yaso
A noble soul soked in bakthi and eloquence.
Dr P K Baskar
I love all her songs ,especially aravinda padamalar is superb
Would be useful if I know the author of this article
Me
Her songs are simple and full fledgrd with devotion it is really a good thing a woman composer hascomposed so many beautiful krithis ideaaly suitable to be presented in concetrts
One of her compositions, Guruvayurappane Appan in Reethi Gowla is favourite of all.
Sir, I read today in the magazine “SRUTI” that songs in Malayalam have been composed by Ambujam Krishna. If so, can I please have a list of it. Ihave been regularly listening to her Tamil compositions.
Margazhi in Detroit – an annual music festival of iCarnatic.org will be paying tribute to Smt. Ambujam Krishna. The theme of this year festival is “GeethAmbujam”. We will have 100+ young artists of North America . Collectively the young artists will render 50+ Ambujam Krishna Krithis. You can watch live webcast of the entire 4 days festival FREE on iCarnatic.org’s FREE channel. For details of the program visit http://www.iCarnatic.org
Continuation of Previous message — The festival starts on 23rd Nov. 2017 at 12:30 PM US ET. You can find details at facebook as well –
https://www.facebook.com/events/1865064750415599/
where to get lyrics for her song i am serching for ambujadala nayana ambadi kanna
Please send lyrics of ambujadala nayana ambadi kanna
This song is not by Ambujam Krishna. It is by Krishmaparam Pillai. You can hear it here:
It is very rare that music composers present songs in praise of lord without any self pride.
I would be very thankful if someone compiles all the available songs (lyrics) and publishes. I would like to derive pleasure in understanding the meaning of those songs.
Please go to karnatik.com and click on composers/Ambujam Krishna and you will see most of her songs.
Please go to karnatik.com website and click on composers. Then choose Ambujam Krishna. You will see most of her songs posted there.