GAYATHRI GIRISH IN PANNIRU TIRUMURAI FESTIVAL- KGS- 9/3/19

[CRama]

Gayathri Girish presented a enchanting concert for 90 minutes in the slot- 7.30- 9 PM in the above festival. She was supported by Mysore Srikanth on the Violin and Melakkaveri Balaji on the Mridangam. List of songs.

1. Aindu karathanai yaanai mukhathanai- Virutham- Gambheera natai- Tirumoolar Tirumanthiram
2. Yaama maani yaamaamaa yaazhi- Pann- Kausikam (Bhairavi)- Malai matru pann- palindrome Tirugnanasambandar (R)
3. Utrumai servathu meyyinaye-Pann- Pazham Panjuram (Sankarabharanam)- Yamakam Tirugnanasambandar- (R)
4. Sotrunai vediyan sodivanavan- Pann- Gandharapanchamam (Kedaragowla)- Tirunavukkarasar
5. Mannaagi vinnagi- Virutham- Tirunavukkarasar- Neelambari, Dhanyasi, Panthuvarali
6. Thalaye nee vanangaai- Pann- Sadari (Panthuvarali)- Tirunavukkarasar
7. Alandaan ugandu- Pann- Takkesi-(Kambodi)-Sundarar (R)
8. Moyyar tadam- Poorvikalyani- Tiruvembavai- Manikkavasagar (R,S)
9. Thani
10. Tiruppallandu - Virutham-Arabhi -Sendanar
11. Mannuga tillai-Arabhi
12. Tiruvisaippa- Oli valar vilakke - Tirumaligai tevar - Arabhi
13. Anbum Sivanum Irandenbar- Tirumoolar Tirumanthiram- Keeravani (R)
14. Thutham kaikkilai- Pann- Nattappadai (Natakurinji) Karaikkal Ammayar
15. Ulagelaam unarnthu- Tiruthondar puranam-Suruti
16. Kallaa pizhayum karuthaapizhayum- Pattinathar- Suruti

Remarks.
2. Yaamaa maani- It is palindrome. If you read from the end also, it reads the same but different meaning.
3. Utrumai servadu- It is yamakam. The last words in each couple of lines have different meanings. Balamauralikrishna used to sing this in the ragam Mohanam.
5. Mannagi vinnagi. The virutham in the three ragams came out with dripping raga bhavams and sahithya bhavams.
8. Moyyar thadam- Raga alapana of Poorvikalyani was succinct and a few bouts of kalpana swarams in the pallavi made it enjoyable. Followed by a mini thani.
14. Thutham kaikkilai- Karaikkal Ammayar is the single woman composer included in the Panniru tirumurai. This pann contained the names of the sapta swaras as also names of many musical instruments.

At the start Gayathri Girish explained the constituents of Panniru tirumurai which is maintained in its sacred form by the Oduvars singing the same in various temples of Tamil Nadu. The tirumurai is epitome of bhakthi as poured out by the saint composers namely Tirugnanasambandar, Tirunavukkarasar, Sundarar, Manikkavasagar, Tirumoolar, Karaikkal Ammayar, Sekkizhar and Pattinathar. The expression of bhakthi in the tevarams will be very much heart whelming. The tevarams have got very interesting format in that there is in built nadai variation, tempo variation and tala variation in many of the tevarams. The ancient Tamil used also is a challenge to master and it involves many tongue twisting phrases.

Gayathri Girish deserves heavy accolades for presenting this exclusive panniru tirumurai programme in a very engaging manner. Learning so many tevara padigams in their authentic panns and presenting them without any blemish is an achievement in itself. We have seen many thematic programmes successfully carried out by Gayathri Girish through her passion, dedication research and hard work. This programme adds to that list. Gayathri expressed her gratitude to Shri Kotilingam, an authority on the subject who has taught her the tevarams with much sincerity. Shri Kotilingam also appreciated Gayathri Girish for her hard work and mentioned that even though some people do approach him to learn the tevarams, presenting a concert of tevarams with such a poise and finish is a stupendous task. I don’t know whether any other concert musician has attempted to present an exclusive concert of tevara padigams.

Mysore Srikanth embellished the concert a lot within the available time. His raga alapanas of Keeravani, Poorvikalyani and slokam returns were soaked in raga bhavam and manodharmam. Melakkaveri Balaji supported the concert with his understanding and close following. I understand that this programme will be aired in SVBC. Let’s wait for that.

[arasi]

CRama,
Thank you for sharing with us the details of GG's concert with such thoroughness which is your asset, as we all know!
Gayathri Girish is a working musician--not merely working on a limited repertoire to present in concerts, but in taking up challenges such as this. Yes, she is rare among musicians who are willing to work on projects like this. Her acumen helps of course, but it's all a lot of hard work. Just recently, she presented an all Chamaraja Wodeyar kritis concert under the aegis of Srikantan Trust in Bengaluru. The way she sang a rare bhOga vasantha as a main piece was impressive. But for one familiar piece at the end, all other kritis in the concert were unfamiliar ones, and she gave a two hour concert wherein she offered well-chiselled songs, one after the other!

Thanks to Sri. Kotilingam for guiding her, Gayathri Girish took up another challenge, and here we have in her an expert, who can also sing so appealingly pAsurams by AzhvArs are a bit more easier for us to understand their meaning. Not so with the saivite hymns! Kudos to GG for picking up challenges like this and for working on them...

[Sundara Rajan]

Two such concerts on Panniru Thirumurai in succession at the same place by two stalwarts in the field must have moved the rasikas to tears , if not water starved Chennai to rains. Let us wait for the telecast for us rasikas in far off places to enjoy.

[bhasi]

Eagerly looking forward to watching the video recording of this fabulous aural treat, if it ever makes it to Youtube.

The tevarams have got very interesting format in that there is in built nadai variation, tempo variation and tala variation in many of the tevarams.

Fascinating! Would you happen to know of any document that goes into detail on this?

[HarishankarK]

Eagerly looking forward to watching the video recording of this fabulous aural treat, if it ever makes it to Youtube.

The tevarams have got very interesting format in that there is in built nadai variation, tempo variation and tala variation in many of the tevarams.

Fascinating! Would you happen to know of any document that goes into detail on this?

I have always wondered why Tevarams etc are not popular in mainstream carnatic music concerts.
The complexity of the talas could be a reason for it

[CRama]

The tevarams are not only rich in bhakthi bhavam, they are equally rich in laya complexities. I give below some instances from this concert.

3. Utrumai servathu- The tevaram is in chatusra tiputa tala. The last few lines are in khanda nadai and then comes back to chatusra nadai madhyama kalam and keezh kalam.
4. Sotru nai yediyan sodivanavan. Here also it in is in chatusra triputa. In between some lines are sung in madhyama kalam.
6. Talaye nee vanangaai- This tevaram employs rupaka talam, Adi talam tisra nadai. And Adi talam chatusra nadai.
I have also heard some tevarams that contain long akara sangatis which are sung in captivating manner by some musicians.
It requires lot of efforts and diligence to dwelve deep into these bhakthi forms and understand their meaning and musical excellence.
Regarding documents, I do not have information. I have asked for it. When I get, I will inform you. But in radio, I have heard a few programmes where Tiruthani Swaminathan and some other Oduvars present Tevarams in a very authentic form. Hereafter I will listen to such programmes with more intensity. In this festival, I have heard some people singing tevarams in some modern ragams like Maund, Chandrakauns etc, which the learned people present there were too unhappy about the change of the ragams.