Who is a vaggeyakara?

Carnatic composers (other than performing vidwans)
Post Reply
arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Who is a vaggeyakara?

Post by arasi »

Classicallover,
Just saw this.
Interesting reading.
According to what you say, I am a vaggEyakArikA or vAggEyakAriNi! Or a vAggEyakArA (if the masculine also stands for the feminine of the species.The word actor for example is used that way these days).

So folks, the difference lies in the 'level' of one's ability--just as pADagar (singer) can mean 'any' singer who has given a stage performance ;)

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

Re: Who is a vaggeyakara?

Post by cmlover »

arasi
However you try you cannot change from arasi to a 'vageyakara' at this Forum :D
That 'title' is already taken by our (late) venerable Ramraj!
Of course you can become a 'vageyakAri' unless somewbody beats you to it?
By the by what is so great about being called a vageya something?
You are a great poet!
We all love you as our darling 'arasi' !
Why not be happy and be proud of that :D

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Who is a vaggeyakara?

Post by arasi »

Ah, now I am made to feel a disgruntled, title-monging person ;)
(All in pure jest and amity, of course!).

Yes, chatty me enjoys a special place in the forum, thanks to the cheering lot led by you. MAS to the max, I dare say.

However, every rasikA, and in particular many rasikAs are cherished here, but I somehow happen to be recognized more because of my name, age, a few things I have done, and hopefully (?) for my gender.
I have to confess though, that I am not likeable at all to a few. I have had my small share of hate mail, the drushTi (evil eye) part!

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

Re: Who is a vaggeyakara?

Post by cmlover »

When there is nobody at the Forum who you hate, how can there be any who ever hates you!
You are 'congeniality Special' and a Mascot of this Forum!

classicallover
Posts: 374
Joined: 21 Nov 2010, 00:05

Re: Who is a vaggeyakara?

Post by classicallover »

Arasi,

I cannot say definitively about what you may be called as, since I do not know anything about you. As already told, if you have composed just some lyrics, you would be a kavayitri / saahityakaariNi ; if you have tuned them and sung them, you would be a vaaggEyakaariNi ; if you have only sung some borrowed lyrics, you would be a gaayika / paaDagi . I have seen some competitions held in some schools where self-admitted bathroom singers have self-proclaimed themselves as judges. :)) On one hand, it is your decision & judgement about where you would place yourself - near Lalgudi Jayaraman, BMK, Mysore Vasudevachar, HMB, et.al. or Vairamuthu, Kannadasan, et.al. or SPB, TMS, MSS, et. al. . On the other hand , of course, others' opinion counts as to what you would be - isn't it ? :)

hanquill
Posts: 49
Joined: 20 Jun 2010, 21:25

Re: Who is a vaggeyakara?

Post by hanquill »

+++I think the most difficult term is, calling oneself as a vaggeyakara.
I am of the firm view that the following only qualifies for the term Vaggeyakara:
The very word suggests its meaning viz "Vaak" "geyakara":
1. The sahithya should be lucid and it should get a "gait" to the song(difficult terms -searching for meaning should be avoided.)
2. "Prasams" in songs are considered as a "must" for the above post.
2.1Pradhamakshara prasams,Dwidiyakshara prasams,Anthimakshara prasams etc. in songs are considered as special qualifications.

3."Yati" prayogas viz"Goppuchha Yati","Srotovaha yati" etc. as in Dikshithar kritis are very special.
4.A song can start with a question, but the answer should be also there..
5.References to stories/characters in puranas or Ithihasams- should find a place.
6.Swarakshara prayogas are considered as a special gift.
7.While choosing a language,utmost care should be taken(whether he has proficiency)
8.Without Raaga and Taala knowledge, it is better for people not to tread on this domain.
9.Merely with the knowledge of a "Poet" one cannot qualify himself as a vaggeyakara.
10 I am of the firm view that unless they are able to sing,one should not tread in this area
( A socalled vaggeyakara asked me ,about the details of Raaga "Ramapriya",the pity is he has made a song in Raaga Ramapriya and people started singing his songs)
11.Knowledge of notation,though not a must, he should have the knowledge on this.
(At the same time toomuch technicality in the song should be avoided)
If people without proper knowledge of all these enter the field, it will only degrade the status of "Vaggeyakara"
The Great "Trinity" are the model for a vaggeyakara.
BY hanquill.

satyabalu
Posts: 915
Joined: 28 Mar 2010, 11:07

Re: Who is a vaggeyakara?

Post by satyabalu »

Today is the Death Anniversary of Taḷḷapāka ANNAMACHARYA
(or Annamayya) ( శ్రీ తాళ్ళపాక అన్నమాచార్య) (May 9, 1408 – February 23, 1503) the Hindu Saint of the 15th century and the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called Sankirtanas in praise of Venkateswara, the deity of Seven Hills in Tirumala, India where unbroken worship has been offered for over 12 centuries. The musical form of the keertana songs that he composed, which are still popular among Carnatic music concert artists, have strongly influenced the structure of Carnatic music compositions. Sri Annamacharya is remembered for his saintly life, and is honoured as a great Bhakta/devotee of Bhagwaan Govinda by devotees and saintly singers.

He is believed to have been the reincarnation of the precious sword of Vishnu (Nandakam). He is widely regarded as the Aṃdhra Pada kavitā Pitāmaha (grand old man of Telugu song-writing).

Annamacharya was born on Vaishakha Shuddha Pournami in the year Sarwadhari (May 9, 1408) in Tallapaka, a village in current day Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh, India. He was born into a Nandavarika Niyogi Brahmin family. He later became a Sri Vaishnavite saint, initiated by Venkatesha. His wife, Timmakka, had written Subhadra Kalyanam, and is considered the first female poet in Telugu literature. Their son, Pedda Tirumalacharya, and grandson, Tallapaka Chinnayya, were also composers and poets. The Tallapaka compositions are considered to have dominated and influenced the structure of Carnatic music compositions.

Annamacharya lived for 95 years until Phalguna Bahula Dvadashi (12th day after full moon) in the year Dhundhubhi (February 23, 1503.

A 10-story tall statue of Sri Tallapaka Annamacharya located at the entrance of Tallapaka.

Annamacharya is said to have composed as many as 36,000 sankeertanas (songs) on Bhagwaan Govinda Venkateswara, of which only about 12,000 are available today.

Annamacharya considered his compositions as floral offerings to Bhagwaan Govinda. In the poems, he praises Venkateswara, describes his love for him, argues and quarrels with the Lord, confesses the devotee's failures and apprehensions, and surrenders himself to Venkateshwara. His songs are classified into the Adhyaatma (spiritual) and Sringaara (romantic) sankeertanas genres. His songs in the "Sringaara" genre worship Bhagwaan Venkateswara by describing the amorous and romantic adventures of Venkateswara and Alamel Manga, while others describe the Bhakti of his devotees.

In his later keertanas, he espouses subjects such as morality, dharma and righteousness. He was one of the first few who opposed the social stigma towards the untouchable castes in his era, with his sankeertanas explaining that the relationship between God and human is the same irrespective of the latter's color, caste and financial status, in beautiful yet powerful usage of words in his songs "Brahmaṃ Okkatē Paraḥbrahmamokkatē" and "ē kulajuḍainanēmi evvaḍainanēmi"

His choice of words gives a mellifluous tone to his songs, charming the listener. His prodigious literary career earned him a place among the all-time greats of Telugu literature.

While he enjoyed popularity in his days, his compositions were forgotten for over three centuries for some inexplicable reason. Mentioned in 1849 they were later found engraved on copper plates, hidden for centuries inside the Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala, just opposite the Hundi, concealed in a very small room. An English translation of 150 of these verses was published in 2005.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, also known as TTD, has been endeavouring to preserve the rich heritage of his compositions. In the year 1950, The State Government of Andhra Pradesh created a committee and appointed Dr M Balamuralikrishna as its head. He set music to over 800 compositions of Sri Annamyya and are still popular among the devotees. He has been the Āsthāna Gāyaka of the Tirumala temple at Tirupati since two decades. He is regarded as a legend in rendering devotional music in classical style, especially the Annamacharya Sankirtanas. He is also an acclaimed poet, singer, and a musicologist.

Dr. Shobha Raju is the first recipient of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams scholarship in 1976 to study and set a trend for the propagation of Annamacharya’s compositions, and was also chosen as the first exclusive artiste for the propagation of Annamacharya’s compositions in 1978. Her first audio album, "Vēnkatēśvara Gīta Mālika" is globally popular among Telugu community. She is the founder of Annamacharya Bhavana Vahini (ABV) www.annamayya.org in 1983, which is located in Hyderabad, India. She has been awarded Padmasree by Government of India, in 2010 in recognition of her efforts to promote Annamayya Compositions.

Pranams to Sri ANNAMAYYA on his Death Anniversary today.

Post Reply