even i love the krithis of syama sasthry..
the emotions in his krithis are juss awesome..
aadinamuninchi is a gr8 krithi
evn d one in karnataka kaapi..akhilndeswari durusuga brovumu..is a gr8 number....
i juss love all his krithis

Inspired by the Vijaya Siva Rasikas Shyama Sastri Krithis Concert, I was looking for some Shyama Sastri material and bumped into this blog post by our rbharath.
I thought I will provide a bump to this thread by posting it here.

rbharath's blog on the 2008 lec-dem on SS by Nadita Ravi: http://me-and-music.blogspot.com/2008/11/nandita-ravi-lec-dem-on-music-of-shyama.html

Nandita Ravi talks about the SS Saurashtra varnam in the above lec-dem. Here are a couple of links to that varnam

http://sangeethapriya.org/tributes/shyamakrishna/audio/krithis/nA-manavini--saurASTra--caturasra-aTa--Rama-Ravi.mp3 ( Rama Ravi )

http://sangeethapriya.org/tributes/shyamakrishna/audio/krithis/nA-manavini--saurASTra--caturasra-aTa--Ambujam-Viswanathan.mp3 ( Ambujam Viswanathan )

I could not quite figure out if these two versions illustrate what Nandita Ravi says about how to sing the charana portions of this varnam.

The ettugade caraNa starts 'Bhaktudai' which is approximately to the tune PMDD and ends with 'mAyamma' which is to the tune DPM-GR-GM..

The first and second muktAyi swara-s begins with Pa, that is a natural following from the M of the charanam ending..

The 3rd swara begin with D and the 'mAyamma' to the tune of PDPM-GM which again dovetails into the P of bhaktuDaina.. (GMD and PMD are legitimate, and characteristic phrases in saurASTra)..

The fourth swara begins with a tAra S, and hence the caraNa when sung before it ends on a different tune - DDPM D,N, for mayamma so that it can naturally lead to the swara that begins S,,RRSN..

Got it. Thanks very much Keerthi.

In the finale concert as part the recent YACM anniversary celebrations, Lalitha Sivakumar and Nithyasree included a Tamil kriti by Syama Sastry - ennEramum un nAmam - in Purvikalyani ragam.

I believe there are a small number of Tamil kritis by Syama Sastrigal (another kriti I can think of is ennEramum un padakamaladhyAnam in Punnagavarali). I am curious to find out what is the general opinion regarding these kritis compared to his Telugu kritis. Also interested in vocal renditions of these kritis.

Lakshman-ji, can you please provide a list of SS's Tamil kritis?

While some people doubt the authenticity of these tamizh kritis, IIRC, the late Smt. Vidya Shankar was of the opinion that they were genuine.

ennEramum unpAda kamala. rAgA: punnAgavarALi. tripuTa tALA.
ennEramum un nAmam. rAgA: pUrvikalyANi. tripuTa tALA.
parAmukhamEnammA. rAgA: kalyANi. tripuTa tALA.
santatam ennai rakSippAi. rAgA: paraju. Adi tALA.
taruNam IdammA. rAgA: gauLIpantu. Adi tAlA.

A clip of Enneramamum-Purvikalyani is available here:
http://charulathamani.com/music/carnati ... _music.php

Came across this statement at the Sumithra Vasudev concert review thread:
Any viewpoints on this assertion?

ragam-talam wrote:
...Also interested in vocal renditions of these kritis.

I am providing links where you can get the songs:

http://www.sangeethapriya.org/tributes/ ... ithis.html

16 ennEramum-un punnAgavarALi
18 ennEramum-un-nAmam pUrvikalyANi
56 parAmugamEnammA
73 taruNam-IdammA gauLIpantu

The sl number is indicated against each song in the download link.

santatam ennai rakSippAi. rAgA: paraju. Adi tALA.-This is to be located.

venkatakailasam

It must have been one of those rare happy accidents , I think

It must have been one of those rare happy accidents , I think [/quote]
-mankuthimma

"Sri Shyama Sastri's kritis are veritable crystals in the respective ragas.

For the polished nature of his music and the beauty of the language, his compositions remain unsurpassed.

The presentation of ragas in his modern setting is uncommon facility with which he composed in apurva ragas, with the abundance of feeling running through them. All these and more have entitled him to be ranked as one of the Musical Trinity, who are primarily responsible for making Thanjavur the brightest spot on the musical map of South India."

venkatakailasam

Can we know the Senior musician ?. Just curious!

Nisha Rajagopal is singing a beautiful Durusuga Right now -
AIR Sammelan

MT - the sangeeth sammelan concert of Nisha is already uploaded here: http://www.sangeethamshare.org/tvg/UPLO ... _Sammelan/

The durusuga rendition is indeed great.

Here is a 46.43mts concert of his Swarajathi- Group singing brodcast by DD SRSN

-Kamakshi_ni_padayugame-yadukulakambhoji
-kamakshi_amba-bhairavi-
-Rave_himagiri_kumari-todi-
-Devi_brova_samayamide-chintamani

E'-SWARA -001-Shyama Sastry-Swarajathi-group singing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvS4-1mjho0

venkatakailasam

#2 - darshan

» 17 Feb 2006 19:02
Sahana-priyan, I didn't know that Pahi Maam Sri Rajarajeshwari was a composition of Sri Syama Sastrigal. Even the krithi listings of SS at Sangeetham.com do not give it. Can you please throw more light on it?
My reply:-
"Sarasa padayugale swarajathikalpitha sangeetha rasikke'' this portion of Charanam was interpreted by Late A.Sundaresan ,a specialist on SS -According to him this kriti should have preceded (if my memory serves me correct)the composing of Swarajathis.

I have posted the lyrics for this song here:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15509

Re : Emani migula - rAga tOdi.

In the third caraNa of the kRti, SS calls Mother dharma saMvardhani (Mother at tiruvaiyAru) as 'kanjanadAntuni kAmitA'. In the book of TKG, this has been taken to mean 'Consort of Siva'. In the book of Vidya Sankar, it has been translated as 'Beloved of Victor of manmatha'. This word is to be split as 'kanjanada+antuni' (antuni - of one who has put an end). Therefore, 'kanjanada' (or is it 'kanjanata?) should mean 'manmatha'. I have not come across this usage anywhere. Any clarifications please.

Further, in the same caraNa, SS mentions as 'pancApakESa muni nutA'. In the book of Vidya Sankar, this has been translated as 'hermit pancApakESa'. Is (was) there any such hermit?

kanjana means manmatha and dAnta means warrior or vanquisher.

kanjana-dantuni kamitA would translate to the lover of the destroyer of cupid.

It is an uncommon expression, and I haven't encountered that choice of words anywhere else.

In this remarkably beautiful song, there is a need for critical edition, and this caranam [kanjana-dAntuni..] has been further altered in M.Balamuralikrishna's singing. There is some major prAsa dislocation.


It would be nice if we could contact the composer's descendant shri RajaH who lives in Chennai, and took a look at the manuscript that he has, which has more than a hundred songs of shyama shastri.

For one, we could get a better, close-to-foolproof version of the lyrics; and more hopefully unearth more sAhityams of this composer par excellence.

pancApakEsha itself is a contentious word, and I've been convinced by some Sanskritists that it should be pancApagEsha with apagA meaning river. The word pancApakEsa has got firmly entrenched in literature.
pancApakEsha-muni-nutA should probably read pancApagEsa-vihita, but then, what do I know?

keerthi,
In regard to 'kanjandAntuni kAmitA', I feel it should be 'kaM+janita+antuni' - kanjanitAntuni.
In regard to 'pancApakESa' I agree with you that it should be 'pancApagESa'. But, 'muni' is still a problem.
I have received your email.
I shall await your further inputs.
However, I shall be publishing these kRtis in my blog. This can be further revised.

Any other inputs from others please?

keerthi,
In the MD kRti 'paramESvara jagadISvara' on praNatArti hara at tiruvaiyAru, Siva is mentioned as 'vIra kshEtra pAla vinuta caraNa'. This refers to 'bhairava' aka 'muni' in Tamil Nadu. May be 'pancApagESa muni' might refer to bhairava.
http://www.vgovindan.info/Nadopasaka/default.html

In the kRti 'karuNA nidhi ilalO' rAga tODi, certain major variations has been observed in the book 'Compositions of SrI Syama Sastry' by Mr and Mrs NC Parthasarathy (Telugu script). The other two books - by SrI TK Govinda Rao and by Vidya Shankar have similar version. The major variations are as under -

anupallavi---------------------------------------------------------------Variation (in the book of Parthasarathy)
aruNAmbuda nibha caraNA sura muni ---------------------aruNAmbuda nibha caraNAmbudhi sura muni
SaraNAnantEshTa dAyaki SrI bRhan-nAyaki---------------SaraNAnantEshTa dAyaki SrI bRhan-nAyaki

caraNam 2
pAmara pAlini pAvani nIvu gadA nI------------------------pAmara pAvani (amba) pAvani mUrtivi nIvu gadA nIdu
pAdamE gatiyani namminAnu------------------------------pAdamE gatiyani nammiti

How this much of variation can crop up?
Any suggestions please?

In tODi kRti 'rAvE hima giri kumAri', composed in praise of kAmAkshi of Kanchipuram, Syama Sasty extols Her as 'kAma pAlini' - one who protected manmatha. manmatha is stated to have been revived (without body – hence ‘ananga’) by Mother after he was burnt to ashes by Lord Siva. This kRti seems to have a saundarya lahari connection. 'saundarya lahari', verse 6 -

dhanuH paushpaM maurvI madhu-kara-mayI panca viSikhAH
vasantaH sAmantO malaya-marud-AyOdhana-rathaH |
tathApy-EkaH sarvaM hima-giri-sutE kAmapi kRpAM
apAngAt-tE labdhvA jagad-idam-anangO vijayatE ||

O Daughter of hima giri! Even that manmatha, to whom, flower is bow, bee-line is bow-string, arrows are five, spring is minister, malaya marut is chariot of war, being helpless by himself, receiving grace through Your side glance, conquers the whole world.

It is interesting that SyAmA Sastry uses ‘hima giri sutE’ referred to in the above verse as ‘hima giri kumAri’.

But there is a subtle difference between what is said in the verse 6 - 'dhanuH paushpaM' (bow of flowers) - 'panca viSikhAH' (five arrows) and the traditional description of manmatha - wielding sugar-cane bow (tyAgarAja would call him 'tuNTi viNTi vADu) and five flowers - including Lotus - as arrows. Similarly Mother is called 'kAma rUpiNi' (lalitA sahasra nAma) and as kAmAkshi she also wields sugar-cane bow.

Can someone explain the variation in Verse 6 of saundarya lahari, please?

Please refer to - http://www.kamakotimandali.com/advaita/lahari_6.html for full meaning of the verse.

1. I don't think any of the vAggeyakAras (trinity) have made the bhairava-munIshwara conflation.

2. While all the books say aruNAmbuda-nibha; I strongly feel it should be aruNAmbuja-nibha.

There is no precedent in literature (that I've seen so far) where feet are compared to red clouds. ambuda is cloud and ambuja is lotus. There are countless examples with references to lotus-feet.

3. pAmara-pAvani pAvani is a redundancy (paunahpaunya) that the trinity weren't entirely free of; but avoided as far as possible. pAmara-pAlini pAvani seems to be a better reading.

4.

This is definitely an aberration. I even have a speculation about where it comes from. Our excessively devout singers have tendency in stick in 'amba!'-s in the middle of songs, wherever there is a longish pause. They all abhor vacuums and inject a bunch of amba-s, often in the middle of phrases.

I know of one particular instance of an amba! included in bAlagOpAla, the bhairavi song. Some calf in the vicinity of bAlagOpAla must have bellowed 'ambA' and it got incorporated ito the song.

The second ambudhi must be a metamrphosed amba, which is anyway an interpolation.

pAvana-mUrtivi is acceptable pAvani mUrtivi is wrong.


It seems funny that the aruNa caraNa SaraNa prasa isn't continued to the other caraNa.

5.

What is the variation you allude to? Flowery bow and sugarcane bow?

keerthi,
Yes, the variation about the type of bow - whether flower or sugar-cane?



It is surprising that what singers sing on the stage should become a standard and also get incorporated in books. Much similar to a discussion in this form about how a Bridge at Triplicane got its name as 'Barbers' Bridge'!