Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi (OVK)

Carnatic composers (other than performing vidwans)
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rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

After all the fun I had with pArvai ondrE pOdumE, I realised that we did not have a thread on OVK, so I thought of starting with one of my all-time favorite compositions:

pallavI:

pullAi piravi tara vEnDum-kaNNA
punidamAna palakOTi piravi tandAlum
brindAvanam idiloru

anupallavI:

pullAginum neduNAL nillAdu-AdalinAl
kallAi piravi taravEnDum-oru siru
kallAi piravi tara vEnDumE-kaNNA

madhyamakalam:

kamala malaraNigaL aNaiya enadu uLLam
pulakitamuTTriDum bhavamaTriDum ena oru

charaNam:

oru kaNam unpadam paDum endan mElE
marukaNam nAn uyarvEn menmElE
tirumEni enmElE amarndiDum oru kAlE

madhyamakalam:

tirumagaLena malaraDi peyarndu unai
toDarnda rAdhaikkum iDam taruvEnE
dishai dishai enkaNum paraviDum kuzhalisai
mayangi varum pala gOpiyaruDanE
shiranda rasam migu naTam nI ADavum
shrutiyoDu layamiga kalandu pADavum
tiLaippilE varum kaLippilE
enakku iNai yArena magizhvEnE
tavamigu surarodu munivarum iyalA
tanitta perumpEr aDaivEnE
evvuyirkkum uL kalakkum iraivanE
yamunaitturaivanE enakkumoru….

Meaning:

pullAi = as a blade of grass
piravi = birth
tara = give (me)
vEnDum = please (this is my request) â€"
kaNNA = krishNA
punidamAna = blessed
palakOdi = many crores
piravi = births
tandAlum = even if (you) give
brundAvanam = Brindavan
idiloru = In (here) one

Even if you give me many worthy/blessed births, please give me a chance to be a blade of grass in brindAvan where you spent your childhood.

pullAyinum = if I were a blade of grass
neduNAL = many days
nillAdu = will not last
-AdalinAl = therefore,
kallAi = as a stone
piravi = birth
taravEnDum = please give me
-oru = one
siru = small
kallAi = (as a) stone
piravi = birth
tara = give
vEnDumE = please-kaNNA

Since a blade of grass will not last long, can you please make me a stone in brindAvan â€" a small stone? (we will see how this ‘small’ is an illusion â€" like bhAratI’s kANi nilam vENDum parAshaktI â€" a kANi is 24 grounds!)

kamala = lotus-like
malaraNigaL = flowery jewelry (?)
aNaiya = (as you) wear
enadu = my
uLLam = heart
pulakitamuTTriDum = bloom (with happiness)
bhavamaTriDum = will forget worldly worries
ena = as if/like
oru = one

I want to be born in brindAvan as a blade of grass/stone because, as you adorn yourself with garlands made of flowers, my heart with bloom with happiness and forget all my worldly woes (in anticipation of what the poet describes next)…


oru = one
kaNam = second
un padam = your feet
paDum = will fall
endan = me
mElE = on top of
maru = next
kaNam = second
nAn = I
uyarvEn = will ascend
menmElE = all the way up
tirumEni = your holy body
en mElE = on top of me
amarndiDum = will sit
oru = one
kAlE = time

The very second after your feet touch me I will ascend to the heights of happiness and salvation. It is also possible that you will decide to rest your body on me (the ‘small’ stone is getting bigger)

tirumagaLena = like lakshmI
malaraDi = feet
peyarndu = lifted up
unai = you
toDarnda = followed
rAdhaikkum = for rAdhA too
iDam = place
taruvEnE = I will provide

When you rest on me, I will also provide room for rAdhA (who has followed you so closely) to sit on me as well (so the ‘small’ stone has become a boulder!)

dishai dishai = from every direction
engaNum = all OVER
paraviDum = spreading
kuzhalisai = music from your flute
mayangi = intoxicated
varum = coming
pala = many
gOpiyaruDanE = with the gOpIs
shiranda = excellent
rasam migu = with rasam (anubhav)
naTam = dance
nI = you
ADavum = (as you) dance
shrutiyoDu = maintaining excellent shruti
layamiga = and filled with rhythm
kalandu = mixed
pADavum = (as you) sing
tiLaippilE = execise/physical activity (?)
varum = coming/experiencing
kaLippilE = tiredness
enakku = (for) me
iNai = equal
yArena = who is?
magizhvEnE = enjoy myself
tavamigu = full of penance
surarodu = with gods
munivarum and munIs/sages
iyalA = not able to accomplish
tanitta = special/unique
perumpEr = distinction
aDaivEnE = I will achieve
evvuyirkkum = all living creatures
uL kalakkum = NO CLUE
iraivanE = Lord (of)
yamunaitturaivanE = Lord of the yamunA
enakkumoru = give me on….

As the gOpIs come pouring in from every direction drawn and intoxicated by the music from your flute, and you dance and sing with them so thrillingly, I know that you will feel tired and rest on me, and when you do that, I will wonder at my unique distinction of having obtained your grace â€" something the gods, and munIs have failed to accomplish even after years of penance (shades of this feeling are expressed by PS when he asks yashOdA â€" ‘sanakAdiyar tava yOgam sheidu varundi sAdhitadai, punida mAdE, eLidil pera yenna tavan sheidanai?’)

I do not have a non commercial recording of this - Nityasree (in an album called - nityaSrIkrishNA) sings one of the best version IMO....
In this album on MIO, you can here Sowmya's version:
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/1/s/album.58/

Comments and discussion please!

Ravi

arasi
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Post by arasi »

Ravi,

OVK's verbosity is endearing because he is overwhelmed with his love for Krishna and he can't but gush the way he does! 'thangu thaDai inRip pAyum pATTu' (free flowing, spontaneous verse). Minimalism is becoming of poetry but OVK is one of the exceptions. However, there are quite a few 'iDai serugalgaL' (compositions which go by the name of the composer). Interestingly, a few seasons ago I went to a lec-dem on OVK and there were more than twenty songs which were presented. One or two just made me wonder whether they were fakes. It was simple. They did not carry me away in the force of the bhAva of his songs. I may be wrong, but the fact is, I was not moved.

'uL kalakkum', the words that stumped you in the text exactly mean what you feel when you hear his songs--soul-stirring.

arasi
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Post by arasi »

tiLaippilE--in the immersion of

Vocalist
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Post by Vocalist »

Sudha Ragunathan, K.J.Yesudas sing it on MIO too (as well as others...I think)

Strangely, I'm not fond of Nithyasree's version of this song. I guess you like her Chenchurutti, don't you Ravi? (off memory, you liked the Arunachala Kavi song in that rAgA too)

ANYWAY...just thought I'd drop the links, again, to the Compositions of OVK concert of TNS @ Tamil Isai Sangam.

----- LINKS REMOVED BY ADMIN, PLEASE LINK TO THE GOOGLE GROUPS PAGE AND DONT PROVIDE THE LINKS HERE DIRECTLY -----

kiransurya
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Post by kiransurya »

Ravi
Thanks for the meaning

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

Vocalist
asaindADu mayilonRu kANum is in SimhEndra madhyama. NOT kIravANi(The madhyama is different).

Trust the concert you posted is not part of a commercial release.

venravi
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Post by venravi »

Vocalist:
Could you please repost the link for Aadhadhuasangathu in Madyamavathi by TNS as the link is incomplete.
Thanks
Ravi

Suji Ram
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Post by Suji Ram »

Thanks Ravi for starting one on OVK.

My first CD was Santanam's OVK kritis. I just love the kritis.
Appreciate your postings of meanings.

cmlover
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Post by cmlover »

arasi/shankar
evvuyirkkum uL kalakkum iRaivanE
evvuyirkkum = in all living beings
uL kalakkum = one who mixes inside
iRaivanE = Oh Lord!
Oh Lord! who mixes inside all living beings!
(of course
Oh Lord! who stirs the soul of all living beings!
is equally correct)
Since it is 'maaya kaNNan' you can even interpret as
Oh Lord! who confuses (beguiles) the innards of all living beings!

Or very philosophically since kriShNa is the 'only' male (puruSha) and all the rest of the creation is female (strI bhAva) 'kalakkum' meaning sexual union and 'uL' meaning jIvAtma one may interpret
Oh Lord! who 'enjoys' the jIvAtma of all living beings!

Vocalist
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Post by Vocalist »

Sorry DRS, I don't think I was clear. I'm just reposting the lings again (from the google group where there wasn't any sign of it being a commercial recording). I know its in Simhendra Madhyamam (whoever named the file put the wrong rAgA i guess) - thanks for pointing it out though. Btw, isn't it asaindADum mayilonRu? (not sure) IMO, Nithyasree's version of this song was painful, but Sowmya's and Sudha's versions are nice. Sudha's version is available on MIO.

venravi, i've reposted the link in my previous posting, (scroll up &) enjoy! Mind you, I haven't listened to much of the concert yet...

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

I'm just reposting the lings again (from the google group where there wasn't any sign of it being a commercial recording).
As you are not sure if the links are commercial or not, it is better you just give the link to the Google group without posting the specific links to the uploaded recordings. Those who are interested can go to the Google group and download directly.

srkris
Site Admin
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Post by srkris »

Vocalist, I want to just echo what DRS just said... please remove the rapidshare links and give a link to the page where these rapidshare links are available in the google group.

kmrasika
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Post by kmrasika »

srkris,

I don't think these are commercial in nature. Sangeetha had released two albums of TNS's renditions of UtukkADu pieces and some of these pieces are not in the album. What's more, it is easy to discern a commercial recording: adjusted volume(resulting in sometimes near-stifled sounds of accompaniments), edited cut-and-paste of kalpanasvara(sometimes is indiscernible if you're not an astute listener), sometimes even break-neck speed rendition even if the artist is not known to sing in such manner... more reason for aversion towards commercial recordings.

Just voicing my opinion, not an endorsement.

rshankar
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Post by rshankar »

OK...Here is another of OVKs gems, a composition in sanskrit, dedicated to gaNESa in nATTai..I have heard this only once - by Nityasree in the same album I referred to earlier.
I have written down the lyrics as I heard her pronounce them, so correct me if I am wrong. My attempts at translation will be feeble at best..so, bear with me, and correct me.....

pallavI:
Eka danta vinAyakam bhajAmI aniSam ll

anupallavI:
mAnasa ISa priyakara caturam
guru guha vinutam, aniSam ll

charaNam:
1. nAga ratna maNi kunDalAlankritam
nava vyAkaraNa panDitAdi pUjitam ll

madhyamakAlam:
yAga yOga japa tapa dhyAnAdi
kArya vara prasiddham l
sakala lOka pAlakam, sangIta SAstra rAga TALa bhAva pradam
sadAnanda kalitam ll

2. mAtanga mukha candra bimba vadanam
mahA tripura sundarI nandanam l
tATanka mukha bhakta
abhISTa vara pradAyakam, sundaram ll

madhyamakAlam:
nAga lOlam, nirAmaya ghOSam
naLina vilOcana ravi kOTi prakASam l
vEda nigama sakalAgama sannuta
vitaraNa guNa SIlam ll
bAlam vEda vEdAnta mOdaka chaturam
vyAsa vinuta mahanIyam, vAram, vAram, vAram ll

Meaning in next post...

Ravi

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

pallavI:
Eka = one
danta = tusked
vinAyakam = remover of obstacles (ganESa)
bhajAmI = (I will) worship
aniSam = daily (from dawn until night) ll

I (will) offer prayers to the one-tusked remover of obstacles (ganESa) daily.

anupallavI:
mAnasa = in the mind of
ISa = Siva
priyakara = giving pleasure
caturam = shrewd one
guru = teacher
guha = muruga
vinutam, = delight in
aniSam = daily ll

He is the one who shrewdly pleases the mind of Siva and is delighted in by the teachers (of the world) and his younger brother (guha/muruga) …I pray to him daily.

If OVK predates MD, then this is the first use of the phrase ‘guru guha’ â€" maybe the experts will comment on this…..

charaNam:
1.
nAga = serpent
ratna = jewel
maNi = pearl
kunDalAlankritam = kunDala (ear-rings) + alankrtiam (adorned by)
nava vyAkaraNa = 9 scriptures
panDitAdi = scholars of
pUjitam = worshipped by ll

His ears are adorned by ear-rings (kunDalas) studded with pearls and diamonds (the jewel from the snake), and he is worshipped by scholars who are experts in the 9 scriptures.

madhyamakAlam:
yAga = ceremonial offering
yOga = yoga
japa = chanting
tapa = austerities
dhyAnAdi = and meditation as well
kArya = actions
vara = wish
prasiddham = renowned l
sakala = all the
lOka = worlds
pAlakam, = keeper of
sangIta SAstra = science of music
rAg = rAga
TALa = art/science of rhythm
bhAva pradam = giver of
sadAnanda = always happiness
kalitam provider of ll

He is the renowned object of all the ceremonial offerings, and the acts of yoga, chanting and meditation. He is the keeper/protector of all the worlds and the creator of the science of music, melody and rhythm.

2.
mAtanga = elephant
mukha = faced
candra = moon
bimba = disc
vadanam = face
mahA tripura sundarI = pArvatI (literally - the most beautiful woman in all 3 worlds)
nandanam = son of
tATanka = an ornament worn in the ears
mukha = faced
bhakta = devotee(s)
abhISTa = desired
vara = wish
pradAyakam = one who grants,
sundaram = handsome one ll

He is the elephant-faced son of pArvatI, with a visage like the moon, and is the granter of desired boons to his devotees.

madhyamakAlam:
nAga = snake-like
lOlam = movement (to and fro),
nirAmaya = health giving
ghOSam = sound
naLina = lotus-like
vilOcana = glance
ravi = sun
kOTi = a hundred thousand times (one crore times)
prakASam = brilliant
vEda = Vedas
nigama = root of
sakalAgama = all traditional texts (including but not limited to the Vedas)
sannuta = praised by
vitaraNa = preceptor
guNa = virtues
SIlam = perfect embodiment of
bAlam = young boy
vEda = the Vedas
vEdAnta = the Vedanta
mOdaka = exhilarating
chaturam = charming/clever one
vyAsa = Veda Vyasa
vinuta = delights in
mahanIyam = one with a magnificient/illustrious form,
vAram = Oh chosen one,
vAram = Oh exquisite one,
vAram = Oh treasured one ll

His gait is graceful (sinuous as a snake), his speech is melodious (the health giving medicine that enters through the ears), and just a glance from his lotus-like eyes is as illuminating as a hundred thousand suns. He is praised by all of the traditional texts, the origins of the Vedas, and he is the perfect embodiment of all virtues. This charming, exquisite, and precious young boy with an illustrious and magnificent form is the exhilaration/attraction of the Vedas and Vedanta, and Vyasa delights in him.

CORRECTIONS PLEASE!
(DRS/CML...what on earth is tATanka mukham?????)

Ravi

arasi
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Post by arasi »

Ravi,
My dictionary says tATanka is an ear ornament. Distinguished looking, on the chAmara karNAS, no doubt.

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

Nice job Shankar!
guru may signify brihaspati (the divine priest)
As arasi states tATanka is an ear ornament.
nava vyAkaraNa panDita may mean a fresh (novice) learner of grammar(nava=fresh)

I have a nagging doubt whether this could be a pseudo MD kriti! The style is not very OVK and DRS can comment whether it could be an authentic (unlisted MD composition)

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

I have a nagging doubt whether this could be a pseudo MD kriti! The style is not very OVK and DRS can comment whether it could be an authentic (unlisted MD composition)
NO WAY. Not MD's. The sAhitya flow, use of words and kRtis construction is entirely different from MD's style. Threre is no room for doubt in this matter.

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

(DRS/CML...what on earth is tATanka mukham?????)Ravi
I think there is a mistake here. tATanka is earrings an does not fit in here. "tATanka mukha bhakta abhIShTa pradAyakam" would mean "Him who grants the wishes of tATanka and other devotees". There is no devotee/person by name tATanka AFAIk. So the word is likely different. It would help if we could get to hear the song.

arasi
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Post by arasi »

DRS,

I pictured Ganesa with tATankAs and honestly, I could accept it as--a face framed with ornaments of such prominence. A woman's way of perceiving it, perhaps... ;)

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

I pictured Ganesa with tATankAs and honestly, I could accept it as--a face framed with ornaments of such prominence. A woman's way of perceiving it, perhaps... ;)
Arasi. You do indeed have a very fertile imagination. But the words here will not add up to your meaning ;)

arasi
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Post by arasi »

I do bow to the scholar ;)

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

tATanka mukha bhakta
abhISTa vara pradAyakam
I agree with the interpretation of DRS!
In this context tATanka mukha represents Siva. I quote from elsewhere
On his right ear, Siva wears makara-kundala, signifying the male principle and on the left, the taATanka (being Ardhanarisa) denoting the female principles.
Siva prayed to Ganesa before the battle of tripura to ward off the obstacles. I guess that is what is referred to here. Of course tATanka is the large ear ring worn by the female which adorns the left ear of Siva....

arasi
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Post by arasi »

I do bow to the scholarS! ;) ;)

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

CML,
Taken that way, it could also mean:
He (gaNESa) is the granter of wishes desired by the devotees of Siva (tATanka mukha)....

Ravi

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

I have never come across tATankamukha used to mean Siva. "kamalamukha" , "candra mukha" is fine. But tATankamukha? :?

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

Corrected version

Eka danta vinAyakam bhajAmI aniSam |
mAnasa ISa priyakara caturam guru guha vinutam aniSam ||P||

nAgaratna maNi kuNDalAlankRtam |
nava vyAkaraNa panDitAdi pUjitam |
yAga yOga japa tapa dhyAnAdi kArya vara prasiddham |
sakala lOka pAlakam sangIta SAstra rAga tALa bhAvapradam sadAnanda kalitam ||AP||

mAtanga mukha candra bimba vadanam |
mahA tripura sundarI nandanam |
tATanka mukha bhakta manOratha
abhISTa vara pradAyakam sundaram |
nAga lOlam nirAmaya ghOSham |
naLina vilOcana ravi kOTi prakASam l
vEda nigama sakalAgama sannuta vitaraNa guNa SIlam bAlam |
vEda vEdAnta mOdaka chaturam vyAsa vinuta mahanIyam vAram vAram vAram ||C||

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

I should have checked SrI krishNagAnam, the books that have OVKs compositions first:
The word in question is not tATanka, but I think it is Atanka...

I will let DRS/CML/Rajani help us figure out what that means...

Another change is in the madhyamakAlam of the caraNam: it is
vEda nigama sakalAgama sannuta vitaraNa guNa SIlam bAlam|
vEda vEdAnta bOdhaka chaturam vyAsa vinuta mahanIyam vAram vAram vAram ||C||

bOdhaka = Intrsuct(or)ing...

Ravi

drshrikaanth
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Post by drshrikaanth »

vEdAnta bOdhaka makes so much more sense and is a relief. As for Atankamukha, perhaps the composer wanted to say "those bhakts with fear/uncertainity writ large on their face(bhayabhIta)"

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

DRS, makes sense....better sense than tATanka mukha aka Siva....
:cheesy:

Although not definitive, finding the composition in a publication with other well known OVK compositions does strengthen the case of this being a genuine OVK creation....

The book lists the tALam as khanDa tripuTa.....

Ravi

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

DRS

I was equating with thEvAram 'thODuDaya cheviyan..'. But now the meaning fits better.
Ata^Nka also means disease or sickness!

arasi
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Post by arasi »

cml,
maganum thODuDaiyOn allavE
thandaiyum thAnE
viDai ERiyOnum
vinAvukku viDai InduviTTAn,
avan magan thuNaiyODumE

Interesting discussion. Fit for lots of abhinaya, Ravi... ;)

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

Arasi,
As I understand it from my mom and others, for years, OVK's compositions were considered to be somewhat tarnished because a few of them were used in bharatanATyam, and as everyone knows, that whole cuppa tea was considered 'infradig'. It is only of late that OVKs scholarship and extreme versatility has been recognized.
Since he was in communion with a lord who danced eternally in front of him while he composed, the songs have a natural cadence to them - the words and phrases trip, skip, mince, sashay, and pirouette in such effortless elegance that it is no surprise that dancers are drawn to these compositions: they also provide opportunities for beautiful abhinaya - both sthAyI and sanchArI....

Ravi

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

Meena,
Next composition to be taken up will be:
kalyANarAmA....

Ravi

meena
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Post by meena »

Shankar thanks

cmlover
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Post by cmlover »

vandE tATa^Nka bhUShaNA! (shankar in case you are wondering):)

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

Before we take up kalyANarAma, I just wanted to make an observation about the characterization of gaNapatI's face:
In this composition, Sri OVK says:
mAtanga mukha candra bimba vadanam
mahA tripura sundarI nandanam...

I guess the allusion could be: 'how could the son of the most beautiful woman (in the 3 worlds) not be handsome?'

In his gambhIranATTai kritI (srI vighnarAjam bhajEham) OVK refers to him as 'danti sundara mukham' ...and MD refers to him as 'mArakOTi prakAsham'. For me it used to be a bit of an oxymoron to say that an elephant face was handsome - but over time, somehow it seems to make sense...

Ravi

rshankar
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Post by rshankar »

Meena,
Here is my attempt...I have worked with only the first 2 caraNas...the third is unfamiliar to me, and I want to check something first before trying to understand what it means...

kalyANarAma. raga: hamsanaadam. taLa: adi ??
P:
kalyANarAma raghurAma rAma kanaka makuTa marakata maNi lOla hAra dasharatha bAla sItA
A:
mallikAdi sugandhamaya nava mAlikAdi shObhitagaLEna ullAsa parishIlana cAmara ubhaya pArshvEna kuNDala kElana
C1:
Agata suravara munigaNa sajjana agaNita janakana ghOSita mangaLa rAghava raghurAma rAma janakajA ramaNa manOhara sItA
C2:
gautama vashISTa nArada tumburu kAshyapAdi munigaNa vara pUjita aupavAhya skanda dEsha alankrta haima simhAsanasthita sItA
C3:
bhAgadEya bahumAna sudhAya ubhatArpita dishi dishi rakSakavara mEgha vAhanaravAhanAdhinuta EkarAja mahArAja mamarAja

P:
kalyANa = (having a)beautiful/illustrious/noble/generous/auspicious form â€" taken with the last word of the pallavI, it probably refers to rAma as a bridegroom (kalyANakOlam) here.
rAma = Lord rAmA
raghurAma = that lord of raghukula
rAma = rAmA
kanaka = golden
makuTa = crown
marakata = emerald
maNi = pearls/gem stones â€" could also symbolize other ornaments/adornments
lOla = dangling
hAra = garlands/ (maNi hAra = pearl necklace)
dasharatha = dasharatha, the king of ayOdhyA
bAla = son of
sItA = sItA (daughter of janakA â€" jAnakI, princess of mythilA â€" mythilI, daughter of the earth â€" adrijA)

Oh! Illustrious/noble rAma, son of the mighty dasharatha, you appear before me wearing a golden crown studded with emeralds and other gems, with pearl necklaces and garlands (dindu mAlai) dangling gracefully from your neck, as sItA’s bridegroom. (OVK could also have ‘seen’ the divine couple together â€" referred to as the ‘trilOkyagrihadampatI’ - in front of him as bride and groom (var-vadhU)

A:
mallikAdi = jasmine and other
sugandhamaya = fragrant
nava mAlikAdi = fresh and new garlands
shObhita = splendidly adorned/embellished, beautiful
gaLEna = neck
ullAsa = happy/brilliant
parishIlana = application of
cAmara = fan (made of plumes?)
ubhaya pArshvEna = both sides
kuNDala = ear ornaments
khElana = moving to and fro

The poet goes on to describe the vision in front of his eyes: rAma is adorned and embellished by garlands made from fresh and fragrant flowers, with dangling ear-rings gracefully moving to and fro, and is constantly fanned from either side.

C1:
Agata = (has) come
suravara = the best of the gods
munigaNa = the sages
sajjana = (sat + jan) = virtuous/respectable people
agaNita = countless/numerous
janagaNa = group of people (paTTALam?)
ghOSita = tumultuous cries (of)
mangaLa = auspicious/ portending good omen
rAghava = descendant of the raghu
raghurAma = rAmA of the raghu dynasty
rAma = rAma
janakajA ramaNa = groom/husband of janaka’s daughter
manOhara = with a pleasing form that captures/steals our minds
sItA = sItA

OVK goes on to say that rAmA who has stolen his heart (reminds me of tulsidAs who says â€" mErO man hAr liyO jAnakI ramaNvA â€" the poets say that they did not lose their hearts, but that their hearts were stolen â€" chitchOr â€" a very endearing way to express their complete surrender), the one who has delighted the heart of sItA â€" (janakajA (hrit) ramaNA), has appeared to him surrounded by a horde of sages, virtuous men, and numerous others who auspiciously proclaim him/herald his arrival as an illustrious descendant of the raghu dynasty.

C2:
gautama = gautama (the sage) â€" husband of ahalyA, father of janaka’s guru/purOhit shatAnanda
vashISTa = vasishta, the preceptor of dashartha
nArada = the divine vaiNika whose vINa is the melodious mahatI â€" considered to be the father of music…and purandara dasa is considered to be his incarnation.
tumburu = a muni/gandharva (?)
kAshyapAdi = kAshyapa and other
munigaNa = sages
vara = enclosed by
pUjita = prayed to
auDavAhya = (these) five performed
skanda dEsha alankrta = no idea
haima = golden
simhAsana = throne
sthita = established
sItA = sItA

Now, in OVK’s imagination, rAmA has been enthroned on a golden throne, and is prayed to by the 5 munis (gautama, tumburu, vasishTa, nAradA, and kAshyapa) who surround him.


CML/DRS/Rajani and other resident pundits: please correct/augment as needed.
I was hoping for more discussions on possible meanings/interprettation - after all, these compositions do have a prominent place in many (bharatanATyam/kucupiDi) mArgams - so, they will help with sanchArIs...

As an unconnected aside, hamsanAdam is an ironic name for a mellifluos rAgam - a swan's cry/sound is rather hoarse, and completely unmelodic...like the cry of the peacock which is raccuous rather than euphonious...(maybe these animals are like Goscinny and Uderzo's Bard Cacofonix from the village of indomitable Gauls!).

Ravi

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Post by cmlover »

aupavAhya skanda dEsha
aupavAhya is the royal carriage/elephant . In this case it is decorated on its shoulder side (skanda dEsha alankrta

vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10956
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Post by vasanthakokilam »

I have these questions in my mind about OVK..

1) Is there any evidence or anecdotes to show that one or more of the trinities knew of OVK krithis?

2) Were the tunes passed on down through the shishya parampara or they were set by later musicians?

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Post by cmlover »

There was 'no' shiShya parampara!

meena
Posts: 3326
Joined: 21 May 2005, 13:57

Post by meena »

Deleted
Last edited by meena on 06 May 2008, 03:55, edited 1 time in total.

vasanthakokilam
Posts: 10956
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:01

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Meena, Thanks for the sangeetham.com tip...

I just checked... most of the threads are still there in Google cache.

The search string for google is:
Oothukkadu Talk site:sangeetham.com
and then for each item, click on Cached..

I have so far read only a few threads from the cache. It looks like the lyrics and the music are passed on down through the generations of family members.

It is not clear to me, for the new compositions that are found by Ravikiran, if the ragas and swara notations are mentioned or not.

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Post by rshankar »

VK,
As I understand it, nIDamangalam krishNamUrty bhAgavatar was the one who propagated OVK's songs. NKB claimed that OVK had set all of his compositions to music himself...and that this was in the family for generations, and they used it in their harikathAs...
Ravi

kmrasika
Posts: 1258
Joined: 10 Mar 2006, 07:55

Post by kmrasika »

I just want to confirm whether the sanskrit name of UtukkADu is dhEnusvAsapura or is dhEnuShvAsapura? The composer mentions it in his poem, kALinga nartana prabhAvam.

ifcm_rfi
Posts: 35
Joined: 20 May 2005, 05:20

Post by ifcm_rfi »

Hello,

Here is a lovely one on Goddess Saraswati, in Kalyani, set in vilamba kalam in Adi talam, Tishra gati, has lovely swaraksharas and striking raga sancaras. It also has several lines starting before the beat, which adds to its beauty.

The IFCM is getting some of these masterpieces translated by experts like Dr P P Narayanaswami, Dr Vidyasankar Sundaresan, Dr Madhavan and Smt Choodamani but we would like other interpretation and thoughts from readers here.

Music lovers can also log on to groups.yahoo.com/group/ovkmusic and share your ideas there. The site also enables you to download notations, lyrics and/or meanings of some songs like his Saptaratnas, Navavaranams etc.

Bhargavi
==================

kalyANi Adi (Tishra gati)


Pallavi: sarasijabhava jAyE saraswati namostutE

sarvadA sadA padAravindam bhajAmyaham


A.P: paramudAkaram dEhi (dEvi) paripAhi

parAdi bhArati sowvidAyini sanAtani


Charanam: sharadindumukhi sumukhi

AanalambAvaramita cathurmukha

sanandanAdi samstuta vibhavE

kara vara dhrita vINA sahitE SujanahitE

kAmita phaladE Amita phaladE

kalpalatE sulabhE


Pallavi: Oh Goddess Saraswati, queen of the Lotus-born Brahma! I bow down to You & always meditate upon Your lotus-feet.


A.P: Oh Supreme & Eternal Goddess of speech, Bhaarati! Please protect me and bestow upon me That Supreme Bliss, longed for by one & all.


Charanam: Your beautiful face, comparable to the autumnal moon, has even the Four-faced Brahma longing for. You are worshipped by the likes of Sanandana; you are holding the Veena in Your hands; you are easily accessible; you bestow unlimited auspiciousness and are like the celestial wish-tree.

ifcm_rfi
Posts: 35
Joined: 20 May 2005, 05:20

Post by ifcm_rfi »

kmrasika wrote:I just want to confirm whether the sanskrit name of UtukkADu is dhEnusvAsapura or is dhEnuShvAsapura? The composer mentions it in his poem, kALinga nartana prabhAvam.
It is dhEnuShvAsapura. This is one of his many shlOkas on various dieties. Did you notice that OVK has mentioned many gamakams like andOlam, DAlu, sphuritam, kampitam in the 7th stanza?

kmrasika
Posts: 1258
Joined: 10 Mar 2006, 07:55

Post by kmrasika »

ifcm_rfi: Thank you for confirming the name of the village. The krithi on saraswati is definitely rare. Could you post an audio clip (non-copyrighted) of the song, if available?

humdinger
Posts: 191
Joined: 04 Jan 2006, 12:14

Post by humdinger »

OVK's Navaavarna Krithis
I happened to listen to these krithis at Sri Kamakshi Temple at kanchipuram and liked them immensely. I was told these are called kAmAkshi navAvarnams. Visit this link for lyrics:
http://sridhar107.tripod.com/

Would like to know if any recordings are available...
Last edited by humdinger on 03 Oct 2006, 16:57, edited 1 time in total.

ifcm_rfi
Posts: 35
Joined: 20 May 2005, 05:20

Post by ifcm_rfi »

Humdinger,

For OVK's Kamakshi navavaranam, there is an excellent book by S. Sankaranarayanan, published through Sangeet Natak Academy and TTD. The book contains explanation of each avarana, text in Sanskrit and English and meanings in English.

The book has a commendation by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and his first sentence is striking - 'sangIta mummanigalODu samamAna iDam peTruLLa vAggeyakArar...'

T.S.Parthasarathy, in his Foreword, says 'The discovery of teh musical compositions of OVK, Annamacharya and Swati Tirunal during the 20th century made a major impact on South Indian music as thousands of musical forms of an amazing variety and range saw the light of the day for the first time. In fact, Carnatic music started flowing along new channels and there was a welcome expansion of its scope. Among these giants, OVK stands in a class by himself'.

Kmrasika:

Sorry, I don't have audios of Sarasijabhava jaye with me. But IFCM has released a few audio CDs with some of his songs including Songs of the 9 nights that contain navavaranams in Nadanamakriya, Balahamsa and Madhyamavati. Rajalakshmi Audio has recently launched a CD exclusively with his Saptaratans. To order these you can email carnaticworld@yahoo.com

Bhargavi

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