Value of OVK's contributions

Carnatic composers (other than performing vidwans)
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hamsaa
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Joined: 06 May 2011, 21:32

Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by hamsaa »

Venkata Kavi has composed many compositions on different deities and I wanted to share the lyrics of a composition on Lord Shanmukha, on whom he has composed in different kshetrams such as Sikkil, Pazhani and so forth.

This is a composition in ragam Kedaram set to Adi talam. It has lovely madhyamakalams and exclusive adjectives and details used to describe the Lord. It brings out the clarity in Venkata Kavi's visualisation and his refreshing approach! The final madhyamakalam in the charanam is a proof to this - (nirantara .... vAmAnga rOham)

Where he describes the lord as -
One who has an eternally dancing peacock as his vehicle
One who is worshipped by the gods, sages and the entire society of good-natured people
One who used innovative war strategies, being the army commander of the devas
One who is perched on the left lap of Lord Shiva

P. gajamukha anujam nitya
kalyANa subramaNyam nityam
bhaja bhaja mAnasa

AP. vraja rAja tanaya bhAginEyam
vidhi nuta charaNam bAhulEyam

MK. vEda nAda praNavAkara bOdham vishva roopam akhila sthiti nAtham
jAta roopa kEyoora makuTadhara shaktyAyudhadharam prateetam

C. ArAdhita sujana samAgama
Ananda bhAshpamEva
dhArA sampAta sthimita pa-
dAmbujam abhijAtam
ksheera varNa bhasmAnkita phAlam ma-
dhyE dyuti kunkuma dharam ati shObham
neerada sama navaneela yavvana
rOhiShajA vallee samEtam

MK. nirantara naTana mayoora vAham
nata sura muni gaNa sujana samooham
sura ripu hara nava veera vyooham
sundarEsha vAmAnga rOham

In the above charanam, in lines 5 to 8, ‘ksheera varNa..... vallee samEtam, he describes the milky coloured ashes that adorn his forehead with the kunkumam (Saffron) in the middle that adds beauty. He also describes his consort “Vallee” who is dark in complexion like the clouds and who was born to a young deer ! A very refreshing approach and visualisation by the divine composer !

cmlover
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by cmlover »

Ravikiran

I guess it must be 'vandittamararum' (worshipping devas)
The style of construction of the lyric is distinctly different from T who generally goes for simple pallavi line construction giving scope for sangati explorations which is the unique pioneering contribution of T. I am sure the sangatis in the pre-trinity OVK's songs are the later innovations by musicians after the Trinity patterns. The concert style of rendering of OVK must be a later innovation IMHO. His multisyllabic run-on sentences are difficult to break for neravels (another innovation of T) without interrupting the flow of ideas. On the otherhand the rhythmic continuous flow of the lyrics is ideal for abhinayam to convey the full complete construct. The other day while listening to Sri Manikkavinayagam (son of Vazhuvoor Ramayya Pillai) i heard him mention that it was his father who first adopted OVK for dance performances. Perhaps the Vazhuvoor adaptations for abhinayam may have stimulated musicians to elaborate appropriate 'neravel' lines not originally intended by OVK. I am thinking of the famous MMI neravel of 'kaalinil chilambu konja' which maybe the feedback from Vazhuvoor naTTuvaangam. The continuous flow also is appropriate in the harikatha style which kept alive the OVK compositions.

These are some of my speculations and perhaps Ravikiran can pursue them more fruitfully now that he has started collaborating on dance choreography so we may see more of OVK choreographed on the dance stage in addition to concert renderings...

chitravina ravikiran
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by chitravina ravikiran »

CML,

These are just a couple of examples of krtis in this style, as I wanted to highlight more on the chanda, prAsa and yati of OVK. There are numerous examples which I will soon be sharing that are not only sparsely worded but also in chowka kala, like Sarasija bhava jaye (Kalyani), Arulalan (Shankarabharanam), Prema swaroopa (Anandabhairavi) and Venugana ramana (Todi). Such songs give tremendous scope for sangatis, neraval/kalpana swaras - as can be seen from renditions of MMI, Shri DKJ, Shri TNS etc.

We can see that almost any high quality composer who was also prolific showcases more than one style of composing. T was as capable of composing short sweet devotional songs as he wa capable of an Enduku peddala or Giripai. MD was as capable of creating lilting English note type melodies as he was capable of deep meditative masterpieces. So also OVK. He has showcased weighty masterpieces that are appropriate for pure music settings just as he has showcased rich abhinaya-drama-harikatha kind of compositions. Some can be appropriate for more than one context. Eg: Taye yashoda.

rshankar
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by rshankar »

chitravina ravikiran wrote: (madhyamakAlam)
kAkSi enattahum mAkSi manattoru sAkSi phalittiDalAkki tiribhuvanam
AkSi sheluttiDum EkAmra kAmAkSi kaTAkSittaruLa oru kaNamum
The final madhyamakala has word play on the Sanskritised syllable of kSi, not often employed in this manner in Tamil krts. The charanam instances his vivid imagination.
WOW! Absolutely wonderful! Thank you for sharing.
In Eka danta vinAyakam bhajAmi aniSam (nATTai), I think we see the first use of the phrase 'guru guha', right? Well before Sri MD who adopted it as his mudra....

cmlover
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Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by cmlover »

Thanks Ravikiran
I only wish that you share your analysis of OVK with our membership in your objective style step-by-step and responding to 'sensible' queries and ignoring any unnecessary distractions. Our united goal is to restore OVK to his right place in CM history. You have a unique way of appreciating CM compositions highlighting the musical excellences along with lyrical nuances by vitue of your training which is very refreshing. Since we have varied expertise, while lookiing critically at your objective findings we will add our mite in your pursuit of the objective Truth.

To start with a simple query which perhaps you can clarify.
As quoted by Prof SRJ, "Rangaramanuja Ayyangar has recorded that the songs were all preserved in huge bundles of palm leaves lodged in earthern pots and passed on for seven generations among his brother's families". If you had access to those palm leaves they may be carbon dated to establish "objectively" the time-frame of OVK..Even those pots will be an archeologic evidence...

Suji Ram
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Joined: 09 Feb 2006, 00:04

Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by Suji Ram »

cmlover wrote:If you had access to those palm leaves they may be carbon dated to establish "objectively" the time-frame of OVK..Even those pots will be an archeologic evidence...
How accurately can carbon dating determine pre or post trinity? -when the rate of accuracy itself is +- 200 years :tmi:

vasanthakokilam
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by vasanthakokilam »

The accuracy of 200 years seems to be for much older samples.

According to this web page: http://www.chem.uwec.edu/Chem115_F00/no ... oject.html
"At most the modern samples aged within the last two hundred years will have an error factor of 25 years.."(p. 167 in the following book).
Geyh, Mebus A., and Helmut Schleicher. Absolute Age Determination: Physical and Chemical Dating Methods and Their Application. Trans. R. Clark Newcomb. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 1990.

vidya
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by vidya »

Dear Shri.Ravikiran,
While it is interesting to see your analysis and posts on sabdalankara and sahitya aspects such as prAsa and the rhythmic aspects such as nadai/gati bheda, yati etc, I have one question on the raga aspects of these compositions. This pertains especially to those compositions that you say are found "with notations". I ask this because I did not find this information in your book or any of your other posts. These aspects I think would aid in understanding the "raga systems" / "raga structures" used in these compositions by Oothukkadu Venkata kavi. For example: would you be able to throw light on the lakshana, usage and specific phrases that are found in the compositions in the following ragas (a short list based on the ones I saw in your article on OVK).

1.Shuddhasaveri - What form of shuddhasaveri is this? In light of the various differences in name and form of this raga.
2.Anandabhairavi - Some specifics on the Dhaivata used
3.Kannadagowla - Which flavor?
4.Bhairavi - Presence, absence and mixture/ratio of Dhaivata
5.Hamsanadham - Treatment of vivadi phrases
6.Yamuna - On the usage of M1
7.The arohana-avarohana and (possible) lakshana of Kannadamaruva, lalitagandharva and deeparam

chitravina ravikiran
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by chitravina ravikiran »

Dear Vidya ji,

Good questions about the melodic aspects of OVK. I will try to share some of my observations here. The best way to analyse them would be with audios - so far, I have managed to bring out around 50-60 including Navavaranams and Saptaratna krtis. Some of these contain excellent examples of Deshakshi, Balahamsa, Bhairavi, Nadanamakriya, Shuddhasaveri, Kharaharapriya, Punnagavarali, Hindolam and Anandabhairavi. I hope to share more pieces in ragas like Manji, Neelambari, Dwijayavanti (that is the way the raga is mentioned in their school, which co-incides with Jaya-jayavanti), etc in due course.

Some general observations before I give you specific answers:

1. The musical movement in krtis in highly populated ragas like Shankarabharanam, Kharaharapriya, Bhairavi, Sahana etc are distinct.

2. His choice of Deshakshi, Balahamsa etc in the Navavarana set definitely is a pointer to those ragas' prominence then.

3. The masterpiece in Hindolam, Sadanandamayi (Sankeerna Mathyam) is in 2 kalais until charanam and shifts to 1 kalai thereafter gives a weighty feel to the raga.

4. The chowka kala masterpieces in Nadanamakriya (Vaiyam alandu) and Jhunjhooti (Muttukrishna) are very illustrative of his grasp of those ragas.

5. I have not yet seen examples of Saveri, so far (even though he mentions the raga name in one of his pieces). I have only seen Varali as one of the ragas in his Ramayana Ragamalika.

6. His penchant for Paras is captivating. The Saptaratna krti Alavadennalo (which lists the names of the 63 nayanmars) gives this raga a sublime feel, even though the krti contains several madhyamakala charanams (that we see in pancharatnas too). Another piece in the same raga, Innum enna venum also is worth learning.

7. Some of his favourites choices seem to be Todi, Shankarabharanam, Kalyani, Kambodhi, Madhyamavati, Nattai & Arabhi.

8. The seamless dhatu-maatu blend in numerous krtis as well as the integration of melody, rhythm and lyrics clearly suggests a mind of a very high order.

9. Last but not the least, the number of musical references in his compositions including gamakas like aahatam, pratyahatam, dalu, kampitam, sphuritam etc and names of the sapta-talas, sarali, jantai varishais and names of several ragas clearly reveal his scholarship in theory too.

Now to your questions:

Shuddhasaveri and Kannadagowla - General flavour (not MD school approach).
Hamsanadam: Kalyanarama doesn't use D3, in the versions I have heard.
Anandabhairavi: Some renditions of Yoga yogeshwari use more of D1. DKJ sir's version of Premaswaroopa doesn't use much of it, if at all.
Yamunakalyani: I don't recall having heard an audio of any piece so far.
Kannadamaruvam: SG3M2PD2N3S- SNDPMGS (53/65/71 minus R). I have learnt a beautiful peice, Vande nandasoonum in this.

I have to refresh my memory about the scale of the other two (will do so upon my return home in a couple of weeks).

chitravina ravikiran
Posts: 216
Joined: 28 Apr 2011, 10:30

Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by chitravina ravikiran »

I think we see the first use of the phrase 'guru guha',
Shankar,

OVK has used this phrase in a couple of other pieces too like sEnApatE namOstutE (gowLa). In this pieces, he splits that into:

dInArti bhanjana sharavaNabhava shivaguru guha dEva dEva (sEnApatE)

There are more than 10 pieces on Lord Subramanya in various kshetras including Pazhani, Sikkil etc. A fascinating opera of OVK is, Pranavopadesham (a single folk-style piece with 83 charanams), which of course highlights how Lord Subramanya attained the stature of guru.

rshankar
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by rshankar »

Sri Ravi Kiran,
Thank you so much for all of this wonderful stuff! It is amazing...rOmAncak!
Is it true that Sri OVK has a composition where he refers to subrahmaNya as having 7 paDai vIDus - the six well known ones, and the seventh being his (OVK's) heart?

chitravina ravikiran
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Joined: 28 Apr 2011, 10:30

Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by chitravina ravikiran »

Is it true that Sri OVK has a composition where he refers to subrahmaNya as having 7 paDai vIDus - the six well known ones, and the seventh being his (OVK's) heart?
Yes. This is in Bilahari - ninRingun aruL kATTum. In the charanam, he says:

OrEzhu paDai vIDu koNDAi - viLangum
ARu paDai vIDum en uLamum shErndAha
IrEzhulaham paNi koNDAi - eninum
engaL tamizh vaLLI ezhil munnE vIzhndAi

The final madhyamakala is also brilliant. However, I am yet to learn this song - I perhaps have got the audio though.

There are several poetic songs on Muruga. For eg: in Huseni (composed in Pazhani), he opens with:

aDi muDi kANAda daivattin mElEri
anju mukham kaNDa daivamE - engaL
Aru mukham koNda daivamE

Another brilliant song in Sama, ADinAn viLaiyADinAn - describes an imaginary game between Subramanya and Vinayaka.

Ponbhairavi
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by Ponbhairavi »

In the R.K.post above:
engaL tamizh vaLLI ezhil munnE vIzhndAi
I may be excused for seeking an elementary clarification
Are there (m)any compositions of O V K in telegu ?

Ponbhairavi
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by Ponbhairavi »

aDi muDi kANAda daivattin mElEri
anju mukham kaNDa daivamE - engaL
Aru mukham koNda daivamE
The meaning of these 3 lines is very tricky. my guess is this:Usually adi mudi kAnAdha ( in the meaning of kAnappadAda- passive voice )deivam is Sivan.
mElEri =byepassing or overlooking or ignoring the words of
anju mugam The face on which fear was writlarge viz that of Brahma who could not give the meaning of Pranavam
another explanation seems to be like this.

If we take kAnAda in the active voice one who has not seen either the feet or the head of the Supreme( Brahma failed midway in his mission )
mElEri in the meaning of winning over Brahma he saw his face which showed his fear.
kAnAda and mElEri are beautifully chosen;
the paraphrased version would read like this:
adimudi kAnAda deivathin mElEri
nAnmuganin (implied)
anju mugam kanda deivamE engal
Aru mugam konda deivamE
beautiful sequence of the numbers four five and six.!! ref; Kamaban who repeats the number firve in five meanings in his famous song: anjilE onru petrAn......

vidya
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by vidya »

Thanks shri.Ravikiran for the responses. Yes, it would be of value if a researcher well-versed in music, musicology and research-methods undertakes a detailed
melodic and musical study of these compositions in light of other events in musical/melodic history in the 1700-1800 period This will help validate
and analyze the assumptions.

ShrutiLaya
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by ShrutiLaya »

chitravina ravikiran wrote: The best way to analyse them would be with audios - so far, I have managed to bring out around 50-60 including Navavaranams and Saptaratna krtis.
Dear Sri. Ravikiran,

I heartily second this. While I've been following your posts with great interest, it is hard to completely appreciate the unfamiliar songs from their descriptions or even (for me atleast, as one who is not too familiar with Tamil but can pick out the rough meaning when it is spoken) from the lyrics.

I realize that this is the real world, and there are commercial and copyright issues involved. But to the extent it is possible, it would be good to have audio links - even if the songs are rendered by students - to display what you mean ..

- Sreenadh

cmlover
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by cmlover »

aDi muDi kANAda daivattin mElEri
anju mukham kaNDa daivamE - engaL
Aru mukham koNda daivamE
I will interpret this differently..

aDi muDi kANAda daivattin mElEri = Sivanin mElERi = surpassing Sivan
anju mukham kaNDa daivamE = (properly perhaps) anju mukhan kaNDa daivamE
= Sivan darishittha (worshipped) daivamE
(anju mukhan = the five-faced Lord = Sivan
This probably refers to Murugan doing praNavOpadEsham

I also like ponbhairavi's interpretation which is more poetic!

hamsaa
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by hamsaa »

Sreenadh wrote:

"to the extent it is possible, it would be good to have audio links - even if the songs are rendered by students - to display what you mean .."
Here is a link to a few audios that I have personally enjoyed listening to.

http://www.sangeethapriya.org/tributes/ovk/other/

Some of them appear to be from live concerts.

rshankar
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by rshankar »

chitravina ravikiran wrote: Yes. This is in Bilahari - ninRingun aruL kATTum. In the charanam, he says:
Thank you!
chitavina ravikiran wrote:Another brilliant song in Sama, ADinAn viLaiyADinAn - describes an imaginary game between Subramanya and Vinayaka.
Is it possible for you to share the lyrics?
cmlover wrote:aDi muDi kANAda daivattin mElEri = Sivanin mElERi = surpassing Sivan
anju mukham kaNDa daivamE = (properly perhaps) anju mukhan kaNDa daivamE
= Sivan darishittha (worshipped) daivamE
(anju mukhan = the five-faced Lord = Sivan
This probably refers to Murugan doing praNavOpadEsham
Why not just 'Sivan (that Siva whose head [muDi] nor feet ([aDi] were seen by vishNu or brahmA) mEl Eri, yArum kANAda SivanArin aindu mukhataiyum kaNDa deivamE, Aru mukham koNDa deivamE!' Where the fact that he saw all five faces of Siva is an index of his (muruga's) prowess.

cmlover
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by cmlover »

Shankar!
That is beautiful!

vasanthakokilam
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Ravi: Yes, quite nice. That is quite a prowess, climbing on something whose top was not even found by vishNu or brahmA and see the faces. Quite poetic! So it is a clever and poetic linkage of two different stories, right? But now I do not recall the background behind the 5 faces of Siva.

rshankar
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by rshankar »

AFAIK, Siva's fifth face faced upwards...I am not sure he ever lost it....It was brahmA who lost one of his five faces....

chitravina ravikiran
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by chitravina ravikiran »

That Siva whose head [muDi] nor feet ([aDi] were seen by vishNu or brahmA) mEl Eri, yArum kANAda SivanArin aindu mukhataiyum kaNDa deivamE,
That is the most likely intent of OVK here.
Where the fact that he saw all five faces of Siva is an index of his (muruga's) prowess.
Prowess is definitely one part of it. But there is more here - the line also brings out

(a) the level of intimacy between Shiva and Muruga
(b) only a child of Shiva can ever gain access to Him completely - to the rest in the Universe, He is limitless.
(c) So OVK projects Muruga as having accomplished something beyond even Vishnu and Brahma - a fantastic opening for a song in which Muruga is the hero...
Mr Ponbhairavi wrote: "Are there (m)any compositions of O V K in telegu?"
No. He only used Sanskrit and Tamil for almost all of his works. However, I have seen a small number of pieces in Marathi - a language that gradually lost prominence in Tanjore area from late 1700s.
AFAIK, Siva's fifth face faced upwards...I am not sure he ever lost it....It was brahmA who lost one of his five faces....
Shiva still has 5 faces - none facing upwards: sadyOjAta, IshAna, vAma, aghOra, tatpuruSha.

Tyagaraja says in Nada tanumanisham, Chittaranjani: sadyOjAtAdi pancha vaktra ja SRGMPDN vara saptaswara. (There is a great question that the Kanchi Paramacharya posed related to this and stumped all musicians.) OVK mentions all the 5 names in the final charanam of his Todi Sapataratna, Jatadhara shankara.

Brahma lost his 5th face (upward facing) when Shiva plucked it out because he lied about having seen the head (muDi) of Shiva.

rshankar
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by rshankar »

Sri Ravikiran - thank you for the clarification and corrections!
Chitravina Ravikiran wrote:Brahma lost his 5th face (upward facing) when Shiva plucked it out because he lied about having seen the head (muDi) of Shiva.
Because of which he (Siva) incurred the brahmahatti dOSam...and the skull (kapAla) stuck to his (Siva's) hands as a begging bowl (described by muttutANDavar as talai OTTilE irand-uNDIr enranda uNmaiyai shonnEnO? in Edukittanai mODi; and by purandara dAsaru in the third caraNam of candracUDa- the dOSa was removed when jaganmAtA, pArvati, as annapUrNa offered him bhiksha.

chitravina ravikiran
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by chitravina ravikiran »

Shankar, thanks for more on the Shiva story...

Meantime, here are the lyrics of Adinan in Sama. Apart from the vivid portrayal of the manner in which the siblings play, the melodic treatment of Sama in this piece is elaborate. OVK has composed numerous 1-kalai masterpieces of sprawling dimensions.

He has also shown innovation within the krti form in the charanam - splitting the 8-line slow section into 3+3+2, which gives a singular musical movement to the piece. I have expanded upon this in my book.

This song is part of the album, Sundara Natarajam, downloadable on a song by song basis at http://www.acharyanet.com

sAmA - Adi

P: ADinAn viLaiyADinAn ainkaran tannoDu arumukhan tiruviLai (yADinAn)

A: tEDi tEDi vandArum vizhaiya dEvarum yAvarum pU mazhai pozhiya
M K: ADi vanda suralOka sundarihaL AlOlam pADi vara kOlAhalamAha (ADinAn)

C: mUlap-poruLum para mOnap-poruLum onrAi
mundi nI mundi nAn enRADudE - kaNDa -
mozhiyum maraiyum taDumArudE

nIlam iDarkkaiyum neDuvarai peN kaiyum
nErukku nEr ninrADudE kaNDa -
nenjamum Ananda kUttADudE

mElai eRinda pandO kOlam kATTi maraiya
viN kadir tannaip-piDittADudE

M K: viritta shaDai muDi pOna veN madiyum meyyum naDunguravAhavum
vidhi mahan nAradan tudiyinai kUDavum miha miha tonnishai pADavum
tirattinODu Anaka dundubhi oru tanattanantanam pODavum
taN kadir tanadu sukirtamena vikirtamiDa adir peruha tikurtamena viLai (yADinan)

cmlover
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by cmlover »

Actually Siva had six faces one of which is hidden. It is the adho mukham which becomes manifest only on special occasions. When skanda was created a spark from each of the six faces emanated which joined in the sharavaNa poigai to create the six children later unified by Parvati into the single Shanmuga. Kripananda variar clearly deliniates the birth of skanda in his discourses. In fact Shanmuga is a spitting image of his Father with each face resembling his dad (with three eyes etc.,)

rshankar
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by rshankar »

Sri Ravikiran - thank you....the words gave me goosebumps...I will download the song when I get home...It is awesome....loved the part where the sun becomes the ball!

Ponbhairavi
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by Ponbhairavi »

Thanks R.K. for the information about OVK's telegu composition
I think that there are no composition of thyagaraja in tamil either,

now about the five faces. I revised some puranic tales. According to kandapuranam, MURUGA kills Surapadman. In the final battle every time Muruga's vel takes off one head of Surapadman. he comes back with another head which Muruga takes off again. This happens five times successively(remember the kanda sashti festival at tiruchendur where the idols of the lord and that of the demon walk back and forth 5 times ) This boon of 5 resurrections was given to Surapadman by Lord Siva. So Muruga surpasses the boon given by Siva ( mEleri), anju mugam kanda to be taken to mean won over five heads.This also sounds Ok

hamsaa
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by hamsaa »

Chitravina Ravikiran wrote:

OVK has used this phrase in a couple of other pieces too like sEnApatE namOstutE (gowLa).
Another one I can think of is the Dhyana stuti in Kalyani of the navavaranam set - Vancchasi yadi.

gajamukha guruguha vinutAm

cmlover
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by cmlover »

Interesting puranic interpretation ponbhairavi!
You can also use the plain interpretation of 'anju = fearing' to suggest that he witnessed
the element of fear on Surapadman (since he was never afraid of anybody until he encountered the prowess of Muruga...)

chitravina ravikiran
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by chitravina ravikiran »

Very instructive to read the various interpretations of just the first lines of this composition. A great rasika once wrote that creativity of a true artiste can be measured by the extent to which he/she is able to stimulate imagination among listeners. The same holds good for creativity among composers like OVK, Tyagaraja, MD etc. Every look at some of the pieces can give us fresh perspectives.

I have been wondering about the last two lines of the charanam of this song, which I have reproduced entirely. Audio of this is available in an album that I played for King Records in Japan (with Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam and Ghatam Karthick).

husEni - Adi tALA.

P: aDimuDi kANAda deivattin mElEri anju mukham kaNDa deivamE engaL
Arumukham kaNDa deivamE engaL Arumukham koNDa deivamE

A: paDi palavAna pazhani malaimElE pArkkat-tighaTTAda panniru kai vElA

innAr innapaDi enrE terinda pin eDuttu sholvadenrO nIti
ennAlE sholvadalla indap-pazhamozhi ettanaiyO pEr shonna shEdi
shonnAlum teriyAda tUya niraivAna shuddha nirguNamAna jyOti
ponnAlE AnAl enna - Ambalam ambalamE pinnAl teriyum anda shEdi


The last two lines (in bold) suggest some kind of a sequel song? Or is it a philosophical ending? There are a few songs of OVK which have baffled scholars at times but meanings have been found after deeper studies.

rshankar
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by rshankar »

Sri Ravikiran, IMO, he is alluding to the 'cidambara rahasiyam' through those lines...
shonnAlum teriyAda tUya niraivAna shuddha nirguNamAna jyOti
ponnAlE AnAl enna - Ambalam ambalamE pinnAl teriyum anda shEdi

The cidambara rahasiyam is 'open space' - cidAkAram - could also be a light (jyOti) that is truly (Suddha) without guNa, good or bad (nirguNamAna), filled (niraivAna) immaculate purity (tUya) that ordinary mortals cannot understand (teriyAda) even if explained (SonnAlum) to us. So what (enna) if that (temple) is made of gold (ponnAlE AnAl) (reference to the ponnambalam), a temple (ambalam) is a just temple (ambalamE); but that (anda) secret/knowledge (SEdi) will become apparent (teriyum) later (pinnAl)...
pinnAl could also mean 'after embracing' or 'becoming one with (the lord)'

cmlover
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by cmlover »

nice explanation!
But this is a song on Muruga and not Nataraja!
How does this fit?

chitravina ravikiran
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by chitravina ravikiran »

Shankar,

I agree with that explanation and I had arrived at it too.

1. But as CML says, how is that linked to this song on Muruga?

2. Also the first 4 lines of the charanam talks about the ideal approach for a judge. Would that be tied to the famous mango story where Muruga felt that the judgement was not fair, which in turn resulted in glory for Pazhani as a kShEtra?

3. If one were to take pinnal teriyum anda sheidi literally, it could be a prelude to another opera or at least sequel that he composed (or intended to compose).

Some OVK experts have linked Adinan vilaiyadinan (Sama) as a prelude to the operatic song on pranavopadesham.

Musically speaking, Huseni for this song is a great choice by OVK for a song that has blended lilting and peppy elements with a mild percentage of hasya rasa thrown in... He has used the same raga for satire on Krishna in another composition, ADum varai avar ADaTTum.

PS: I am giving audio information because a few rasikas like Sreenadh ji felt that it would be nice to hear the audios to relate better to the musical values of OVK.

cmlover
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by cmlover »

innAr innapaDi enrE terinda pin eDuttu sholvadenrO nIti
ennAlE sholvadalla indap-pazhamozhi ettanaiyO pEr shonna shEdi
shonnAlum teriyAda tUya niraivAna shuddha nirguNamAna jyOti
ponnAlE AnAl enna - Ambalam ambalamE pinnAl teriyum anda shEdi
To explain this caraNam you have to take it as a whole:
I resort to Tamil here for ease of explanation since the main points will be lost in translation. My apologies...
I am posting the audio rather than in Tamil scripts since some of you may not be able to read Tamil..
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?dtndj7c0kcrl8e6

rshankar
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by rshankar »

cmlover wrote:nice explanation!
But this is a song on Muruga and not Nataraja!
How does this fit?
OOps...doesn't fit....

Ponbhairavi
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by Ponbhairavi »

May I venture one Possible interpretation?
The subject of the song is Muruga
-Pallavi talks about the prowess of Muruga son of Siva who has slain the five faced Asura.
- Anupallavi talks specifically of the lord who dwells on the Hill Palani . The word Hill brings forth to his mind the thought of another hill with which a story is attached. Hence the coherence with charanam.
- In the first 2 lines of the charanam OVK lays foundation that he is going to talk about some secret controversy which should be exposed ( eduthu cholvadhu) told only after knowing the person’s conviction and beliefs( innar innabadi).– OVK who has composed songs on Muruga and Krishna does not have personally any saivam vaishnavam bedham that is why this elaborate precaution. Caution again:

- I am not the person who is telling this proverb ( old orally propagated story )this has been told by so many people
Even If you say this( story) people cannot see it( theriyadha)
In the olden days there was a story that the idol atop the Tirupathi hill was in fact that of muruga but the idol is covered with gold kavacham to make it look like Perumal.
This jyothi (refer to Arunagirinathar’s “deepa mangala jyothi namo namo to indicate Muruga ) which is the immaculate complete and suddha nirguna brahmam what if it is covered with gold ? ambalam ambalame everything is space only( in the meaning of advaithic paramporul - ) this will be resolved in some future day.

rshankar
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by rshankar »

Ponbhairavi - wonderful....!!!

cmlover
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by cmlover »

interesting insight!

chitravina ravikiran
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by chitravina ravikiran »

Thank you CML and PB for very interesting and insightful interpretations. I also checked CML's audio explanation. Since the piece offers us scope to interpret, here is another thought that came to me... Please see if it makes sense.

1. The Pallavi says Muruga did what Brahma and Vishnu could not do - see the very limit of Shiva.

2. The charanam puts him on a pedastal with respect to Shiva himself - without alluding to his role as Shiva's guru.

3. Even if the tUya niraivAna shuddha nirguNamAna jyOti was made to get an abode of Gold (ponnAlE AnAl enna), the secret of ambalam (chidambaram/akasha/Shiva) is now ambalamE (out in the open). It was Muruga who had to give the upaesham to his father...

Tthe hero of this piece has been projected even above the Trinity without even mentioning their names... It also looks like OVK is playing on the word ambalam. He was a master of word play in both Tamil and Sanskrit and I will share more examples soon.

cmlover
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by cmlover »

That sounds quite reasonable since it boosts the image of Muruga.
But then are you sure there is no missing charanam here?
Again there is no madhyama kaalam here which apparently is a favourite of OVK!

chitravina ravikiran
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by chitravina ravikiran »

OVK and Madhyamakala

OVK is one of the greatest masters of madhyamakala in Indian music. It has to be noted that MK is one of the most dazzling features of music, when handled by a master composer. However, for musicians, it can be highly daunting - because it requires tremendous skills in melody, rhythm and pronunciation as well as lyrics as well as breath-control. But true skill lies in being able to master MK and render it with bhava, rakti and bhakti, be it the works of OVK, Tyagaraja, MD, Mysore Sadashiva Rao or HH Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar's compositions. But this is not impossible, if one works hard.

MK is generally used as an optional part by most composers, often to serve as a contrast/punctuation point. Almost invariably, it is used only at the end of a section. However, OVK has employed MK in at least 10 different ways. It is surely one of his greatest melodic contributions and one of his most distinctive features as well. From the point of view of MK usage, his compositions can be classified as below:

1. Pieces with no madhyamakalas.
Eg: Rajaraja gopala (Manji), Ennadan inbam kandayo (Devagandhari), Parvai onre podume (Surati) - Adi 2-kalais.
Taye yashoda (Todi), Kathaya kathaya (Suruti), Adimudi kanada (Huseni) Adi 1-kalai.
Enna punniyam sheideno sad gurunatha and Koti janmani saphalani santu (Reetigowla) - Mishra Chapu
Agama rajagopala (Kedaram) and Vandaduvum ponaduvum (Bilahari) - Khanda Chapu.

2. Compositions which are wholly in MK. Eg: Pranavakaram (Arabhi) and Ananda nartana ganapatim - Nattai

3. Pieces mostly in MK but have normal speed sections more for contrast. Eg: Shri Vighnarajam bhaje (Gambheeranattai) and Chintittavar These are brilliant examples which inverse conventional concept of compositions where MKs are used in small doses more as contrast.

4. Conentional pieces with a sprinkling of MK: Hundreds of examples like Geeta rasike (Kalyani), Brindavana nilaye (Reetigowla), Adinan (Sama).

5. Pieces with several charanams in MK: Saptaratna krtis, Ranganatham anisham (Gambheeranattai) and Kshanameva Ganya (Bhoopalam).

6. Pieces where MK is used within a section, in between 2 lines in normal speeds: Aganita mahima (Gowla), Vanchasi yadi kushalam (Kalyani). Here the first lines are in normal speed, there will be a line in MK and then the music moves back to normal speed.

7. Pieces where MK fits into pre-composed jati patterns: Marakata manimaya (Arabhi), Nalladalla enru sholladi (Shankarabharanam), Bhuvanamoha sundara (Dhanyashi) etc...

8. Pieces where MK is used with the same melody but lyrical variations - sahitya sangatis: Mahashaya hrdaya (Abhogi)

9. Pieces in MK in two gatis: Uma maheshwaratmajam (Umabharanam), Mummada vezha mukhattu vinayakan (Nattai).

10. Pieces which use MK in 2 degrees of speeds (double and quadriple): Oyyaramahave (Saranga), Vitasamavara (Vasanta).

As one can see, just this one aspect - madhyamakala - would alone by sufficient to give one an idea of OVK's stature as a master of melody, rhythm and lyrics. But it is still only a small part of him...

Ponbhairavi
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by Ponbhairavi »

Rk's interpretation is also very apt. But it does not account for the apologetic precaution that ovk takes in the first 2 lines of the charanam. The transition is cautiously introduced here before what he is going to divulge in the next two lines. then the final PinnAlE theriyum andha shedi.Murugan's preeminence over Shiva is a poetic statement acceptable at any point of time and it has nothing that only future can prove. R K may also pl consider whether OVK has composed any song specifically on the Lord of Seven hills. Pl do not mistake. I have no personal prejudice.It may be quite possible that the controversy was prevalent more strongly in those days than it is now.The appreciation of ambalam ambalame is also exactly applicable in the interpretation proposed by me
Last edited by Ponbhairavi on 21 May 2011, 08:59, edited 2 times in total.

rshankar
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by rshankar »

Sri Ravikiran - thank you for helping all of us appreciate the genius of this amazing individual. Is it right that he composed in a trance as he visualized the gods dancing, and that is why his compositions literally dance out off the page?

cmlover
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by cmlover »

Ponbhairavi
That 'ambala rahasiyam' is a time bomb which still evokes a lot of emotional responses!
If OVK is alluding to that then he must have referred to it elsewhere...
What historical evidence you have to claim that the controversy was raging hot at the putative time when OVK lived?

Ponbhairavi
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by Ponbhairavi »

Dear CML,
You are perfectly correct when you say that the charanam should be taken as a whole when we do an interpretation. I would add: not only charanam but the whole song .It is something like a Sudoku puzzle which has to satisfy the horizontal, vertical and each of the 9 boxes (sangirnam !) exigencies .Here is my way of looking at it.
Adi mudi kAnAda deivam= sivan.
mElEri=overriding him(It was HE who gave the boon of successive resurrection to surapadman)
Anju mugam kanda= five faces of surapadman as per the kanda puranam.
Aru mugam kanda = Aru padai veetil ezhundarulum
Aru mugam konda= six faced lord
Anupallavi : hill =Palani.alliteration on the sound pa (5times)
Charanam: innAr innapadi yenre therindapin. I find it difficult to accept it as referring to the mango episode, because judgement should not depend upon who he is and what (innapadi) he is. nIdhi stands for niyadhi practice of the world .innAr and innapadi are colloquial words which do no fit Ganesha and Muruga though I am well aware that OVK has used lot of colloquial words in other contexts.
My view is that OVK says that only after knowing whom we are addressing and what he is, shedI ,particularly controversial shEdi should be told.( Pl think of the danger of talking politics in bus stands and public places )
By these words he is laying the foundation and takes preliminary precaution before he is going to hint (not openly saying) something which is only a shedi that also not my own creation but “ already told by so many people”
thUya niraivAna sudha nirguna jyothi= murugan
ref Arunagirinathar’s deepa mangala jyothi namo namah
sonnalum theriyAdu=even if I say that (this is the idol of muruga) you cannot see- not visible.
ambalam ambalame= It is sivAmsam sivAmsam only – for the interpretation of ambalam as sivAmsam pl see few lines below for the reference to “kanakasabai” in shashti kavacham.
“pinnAl theriyum anda shedi”= This fact will come to be known in future centuries
Even to-day there are people who believe that the idol at Tirupati is that of muruga.Whether this belief is right or wrong is not the question. Such a belief or rumour was not born suddenly today. It should have been in existence quite for some centuries in a society in which saivam and vaishnavam have been at loggerheads since centuries. Historical evidences are aplenty for this controversy.
On a different plane,attention is invited to the fourth line FROM THE END of kanda sashti kavacham reproduced below,
Uyar giri kanaga sabhaikOr arasE
Pl relate this kanaga sabhai with the ambalam of OVK.The author Devaraja swamigal lived a few decades after OVK.
I am fully aware that music today should stand away from religious controversies. We need not elaborate on these but we may not bend ourselves for the sake of universal approbation in these days when music world superstitions cling on to the idea that non- telegu genius is NOT possible before the era of the Trinity.
Rajagopalan.

chitravina ravikiran
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by chitravina ravikiran »

Mr PB,

Thanks for sharing a detailed perspective on this. I agree with you that the jyOti line is Muruga (tallies with AN's dIpa mangala jyOti). Nice observation on the alliteration of 'pa' in AP. It continues in the 2nd line too.

I also agree with you that that OVK was not a 'defensive' composer and I have seen him speaking out about issues or human behaviour in compositions like uruhAda manam enna manamO (Todi), though such instances are rare. Most of his compositions reveal his mental state of bliss with divine associations.

However, in this composition, he is addressing Muruga directly. (It is not about him - in indirect speech.) Why would OVK tell Muruga himself about a temple controversey?

The flow of the song suggests that it is still being addressed to Muruga in the charanam. It looks like he is building Pazhani above Chidambaram or there is either some satire (ninda stuti) involved here.

On another note, I have never seen an OVK piece on Tirupati. But NKB has composed a piece on Lord Srinivasa and he has mentioned it clearly as his own attempt.

Ponbhairavi
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by Ponbhairavi »

Dear R.K.Thanks . I agree with you that OVK addresses Muruga directly
.P and AP end with deivame, vela ,. but the charanam is not addressed to muruga.
Here is how I view the flow and continuity of the thought process of the composer
P; he calls upon muruga and evokes his greatness (parentage ,his own prowess, his statureArupadai ezhundarulal six faces)
Ap-He lauds his palani abode and his 12 hands prowess.
C—As soon as he utters Palani his thought goes to another hill abode where he is enshrined.. then he pauses for a moment and ponders as to how what he is going to say would be received as he knows that others are not as convinced as he is.: sonnAlum theriyadU it cannot be proved.—Upto this it is the loud-thinking of OVK. Sort of soli loqui revealing his mental state at the time of composition..
After this pause ,he declares his view somewhat concealed : it is thUya…jyothi what if it is covered by gold it is ambalam ambalamE. pinnaltheriyum inda shEdi. This part expresses his conviction and conclusion and is meant to the audience or readers.
Golden ambalam?- murugan’s shrine ?? atop a hill??
Pl correlate this with Devaraja Swamigal’s kanda sashti kavacham
uyar giri kanaga (golden) sabai(ambalam) ku Or arasE
I agree the charanam is not addressed to Muruga. The first 2 lines are a sort of introspection and the last 2 lines seem to be meant for the audience. Such pause and introspective remarks in the middle are quite common in poetry.
I think that OVK may resort to such soliloquy in some other composition also about which you know much better than me.

Ponbhairavi
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by Ponbhairavi »

Cml, post at 70 above:
What historical evidence you have to claim that the controversy was raging hot at the putative time when OVK lived?
Deekshithar's time was closer to OVK than Devaraja Swamigal's. In his krithi Subrahmanyena rakshithoham
in suddha dhanyasi we find this line:
" venkateswara nama rupena". For this expression Rangaramanuja Iyengar's Sri krithi mani malai gives the following explanation: vEnkatanAtharAha urukondavar(Tirumalai rahasyam)

cmlover
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Re: Value of OVK's contributions

Post by cmlover »

There is a controversy on this lyric
The lines venkaTEshvara nAmarUpENa are also sung as venkaTEshvara vibhAvitEna (worshipped by Venkateswara).
Of course Arunagirinathar clearly refers to muruga as
'vaDa vEnkaTa mAmalayil uRaivOnE' and
'vaDamalai ninRa permAlE' etc., clearly suggesting the controversy in his times...
We need more evidence to show that OVK subscribed to those views!

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