Mayavaram V. R. Govindaraja Pillai (Tamil: மாயவரம் வி. ஆர். கோவிந்தராஜ பிள்ளை; 12 May 1912 – 11 February 1979) was a Carnaticviolinist from Tamil Nadu, Southern India.
Early days
Born at Vazhuvur, a tiny but famous, village in the Kuthalam Taluk (Nagapattinam district), he lost his parents at a young age and was brought up by his maternal uncle Veerasamy Pillai, a popular Nadaswaram exponent.[1]
Govindaraja Pillai once got a chance to sing before the violin maestro Kumbakonam Rajamanickam Pillai. The latter took him as his disciple for training as a violin instrumentalist.[1]
His trained almost daily till until midnight or sometimes, beyond. When he was on leave at home, he learned some intricacies in music from his uncle.[1]
Once, when his Guru Rajamanickam Pillai fell ill, Govindaraja Pillai accompanied Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. He handed over the payment to his Guru but the Guru refused to accept it. Govindaraja Pillai gave the same money as Guru Dakshina on the following Vijayadasami day.[1]
Govindaraja Pillai never made use of the money paid as advance, until the program is over.[1]
He was a lover of perfumes. So was Carnatic singer G. N. Balasubramaniam and Mridangam maestro Pazhani Subramania Pillai. "It was said that when the three performed together, the concerts were sure to be scintillating and scentillating."[2]
As a Carnatic violinist
He has accompanied on the violin stalwarts like G. N. Balasubramaniam, Alathur Brothers, M. S. Subbulakshmi, Madurai Mani Iyer and others. In particular, Govindaraja Pillai will rise to great heights when accompanying Madurai Mani Iyer's weaving garlands of swaras.[2] His raga replies will draw several besh besh[N 2] from Mani Iyer, his daughter recalled.[1]
He was a vidwan in Trivandrum palace.[1] Though he performed some solo concerts, he preferred to be an accompanist.[2]