Our story

Music is our story. Ragamaliga was started to teach kids not just Carnatic music, but also to take pride in their heritage and culture.

The story of Ragamaliga is older than the school is....

When Mrs.Dawina Venthan wanted to start a Carnatic music school in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, she was not only driven by the need for such schools in the area, she was also guided by her musical lineage and the need to preserve it and pass it on to the future generations.

Her maternal great grandfather late Sri. Sivasithamparam Thillairajah (popularly known as Param Thillairajah) was a carnatic music performer and violist par excellence and was the most cherished artist of his times in Srilanka. He was born on 14 November 1925 in Jaffna, Sri Lanka to Sivasithamparam and Alagammah. He had 5 siblings, Param Thevarajah, Param Selvarajah, Param Singarajah, Thangamalar and Parameswary.

Mr. Thillairajah had a natural gift for Carnatic music and his recital was broadcast over the then Radio Ceylon when he was merely nine years old. At the age of 14 he staged a full scale kachcheri with Indian artistes accompanying him on Miruthangam and Violin and went on to become Class One Artiste in Radio Ceylon. He was the first Sri Lankan to be on the panel of examiners for the Teachers grade examinations conducted by the North Ceylon Music Society. He cherished great relationships with many of his contemporaries including revered artistes such as Dr. Balamuralikrishna and Veenai Balachandar.

He was honoured by the title of “Ganamrutha Varuthi” by Madurai Aathenam and had the rare privilege of reciting in a Royal Festival at the Theater Royale, London on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The Kamban Kazhzkam of Australia honored his services to Carnatic music by awarding The Namasivaya Thesigar Memorial Trust award in 2012.

The tradition of music continued with smt. Vanaja Srinivasan , who is a decorated artiste herself who has been conferred with 'Kalajothi' Award by the government of Srilanka. Her musical accomplishments are not unknown to the Sri Lankan rasikas of Carnatic Music .Of her several accomplishments, her passing down her love and passion for music to her daughter Mrs.Dawina Venthan is commendable. She was the first Guru of Smt.Dawina Venthan and has been a constant support in her musical endeavours.