He was a lucid teacher, says his sishya

“My guru has taught me songs in all the 72 melakarthas, Shyamlambigai (raga Mayamalavagowlai) ; Dakshayani (raga Naganadhini) to name a few. When asked about his guru’s bani, GKS says, “It is creative. My guru said he visualised a raga as an angel and described her. The alapana will be as he perceived the raga on that day.” 

His way of teaching was lucid, says GKS. “He taught you phrase by phrase till you mastered it.” 

My guru’s advice was: If you are interested in music, listen to numerous renditions by stalwarts. The ragas should linger in your ears. Sadhana is the watch ward. When you sit on stage, the rendition should be a confident and fearless one. 

He was a genius and he broke the principle that a raga must have at least five notes. He released a cassette with an invocation song in Sarvasri, a new raga he had created. It is a vakra jati four-note raga. It finds its identity in the sa-pa-ma-sa phrase. 

He did not believe in no oil diet for a musician. In fact I always used to get him omapudi (without garlic) before every music class.