Lalgudi Jayaraman Poem by Siva Shankar

Born a man destined for fame
Lalgudi Jayaraman is his name
He makes the world dance and sing
With nothing more than bow and string.

Known as the Pied Piper of Hamelin,
He took a fancy for the violin
Played notes so peaceful and yet so stirring
That the world stopped to give a patient hearing.

Lalgudi was but a sleepy town
Unseen, unheralded and unknown
Till Jayaraman made the world go around
With the sound of music and the dance of sound.

Famed for his thillanas and rhythmic verse
Simple language and lines so terse.
Like the ever changing desert sand dunes
Different forms and varied tunes.

The roaming minstrel that he was,
He played for happiness and applause
People could not but take a pause
Enthralled by the purity of the divine cause.

Teachers of eternal distinction come but rarely
And dearer still are enduring legacies
To the master who has seen a thousand moons,
This ode is not a moment too soon.