Dr. Shrikaanth K Murthy

Carnatic composers (other than performing vidwans)
Post Reply
cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

Post by cmlover »

clap! clap! clap! clap!

Magnificent kriti and rendering! Majestic Ragam and a majestic presentation. The aalaapana indeed brings the bhaava and sets the mood. One could almost hear the jingle of the salangai in the solkaTTu. Finally very appropriate kalpana svara prastaarm. How can we thank you for these gifts!

Please explain the significance of the pictures too along with the kriti.

Only fly in the ointment is the audio which is poor! You need a better recording system!

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

The kRti is in praise of the presiding deity of tiruvAlangADu/vaTAraNya kShEtra:- naTarAja, ratnasabhApati. His consort is bhramarAlakAmbikA/ vaNDArkuzhali. tiruvAlangADu is a revered SivakShEtra. It is one of the 5 sabhAs where Siva danced in the form of naTarAja. This is the ratnasabhA(ruby).The others are kanakasabhA (gold, cidambaram), rajatasabhA (silver, madhurai), citrasabha (paintings, kuTRAlam), tAmrasabhA(copper, tirunelvEli).
The temple is in toNDainADu.

Here ISvara performed the uRdhvatANDava in a contest between Him and kALI. Apparently kALI was terrorising the people in the locality and Siva decided to put an end to it. They agreed upon a dance contest to decide Who would be the ruler. The winer of course would evict the other one. During the contest, Siva`s left earring falls to the ground. Unperturbed, He picks it up with his left foot and places the arring back in his earlobe. Of course kALI cannot replicate this pose as it would compromise her womanly grace. She acknowledges defeat. Incidentally, the same story is mentioned in connection with cidambaram. But here it is the left foot whereas in cidambaram it is the right foot that he lifts.

The sthaLa has been sung by the mUvar (appr, sundarar and sambandhar). The sthaLavRkSha is Ala/vaTa/banyan. There is a sprawling banyan tree in the temple. kAraikkAl ammaiyAr revered the Isvara here. The place was so hallowed that she would not walk to the temple on her feet. Hence she is said to have travelled on her head to worship Him. Isvara, pleased with her devotion, grants her wishes and salvation too. He dances the same Urdhva tANdava for her to watch. He does this in ecstasy and hence is called brahmAnanda tANDava. This dance is alsow atched by nandi and brahma.

It is notable that out of respect for kAraikkAL ammaiyAr, the mUvar sang on this kShEtra without actually coming here as they did not also want to sully this holy place. Many kings- pallavas, cholasa etc have offered their respects to the temple.
The photosgraphs given above is Him in the UrdhvatANDava pose ans his consort bhramarAlakAmbikA.

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

Post by rshankar »

DRS,
Why is the ambal refered to vaNDArkuzhalI?
Ravi

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

Post by cmlover »

vaNDu = bhramara = (black) bee
aar = making sound i.e., a cluster of bees in feeding frenzy
kuzhali = aLakA = one who has the hair
or
bramarALakA = vaNDArkuzhali = she who has hair like bees (clustered in feeding frenzy)

In Tamil it is a tad more poetic than sanskrit !

venkatpv
Posts: 373
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:23

Post by venkatpv »

cml,
what about jhamkarabhramari??
MD has composed a kriti in this raga...
http://www.sangeetham.com/others/himAcalakumArIm.php3

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

a track that has always confused me in my cataloguing.
at last i can have a definite answer here ..is it vasantha bhairavi or lalitha panchamam or...

http://rapidshare.de/files/12451385/gnb ... m.mp3.html

a lovely track without accompanists.Maybe if Mr Rajashekhar is listening , he can throw more light on this rendering(when it was recorded etc ) !!

darshan
Posts: 24
Joined: 21 Oct 2005, 08:17

Post by darshan »

The humming made by the bee is a kind of ringing and sounds like "hrim." This Hrim is an important bijakshara in Shrividya and the Panchadashakshari and Shodashi are replete with it. Hrim is no different from Amba, as said in Lalitha Sahasranama and Trishati. In these Amba is extolled as Hrim, Hrimsharirini, Hrimpadapriya, Hrimkarasthana Narthaki, Hrimkara mantra sarvasva, Hrimkarapanjarashuki, etc. The upasaka has to utter this akshara several times during the Navavarana puja. Therefore, Amba is usually associated with the creature that does this sound - the bee. This is also one of the reasons that She is called Bhramaramba in Shrishailam, AP.

Also in Kundalini sadhana and kriya yoga, as the sadhaka progress, he hears different kinds of sounds within him. One of them is the humming of the bee.

coolkarni

Post by coolkarni »

<<Was it vakulabharanam or vasantabhairavi? I always get lost!>>

CML
Now after you have raised this I have also started getting lost.
http://rapidshare.de/files/12452278/som ... a.mp3.html

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

Post by rshankar »

I was actually looking for the story behind it: I got the meaning of vaNDu, but wondered if there was a story: Like for instance, some where in Karnataka (I remember being dragged by my parents to various temples all over the country - when my friends went to Kulu-Manali, or even the ChandratAl lake in Kashmir, our family used to visit temples on our vacations! It used to bug me no end at that time - I am still sore about the ChandratAl lake, BTW!) - anyway, there is a temple where the presiding deity is BramarAmbikE - she is supposed to have taken the form of a bee and blinded and killed a demon - and hence the name. And, isn't mattuvArkuzhali (or suganDHakunthaLAmbAL) the proof that the lord was correct when he spoke of naturally fragrant hair (in his competition with nakIran)? And the devi's eyes are compared to bees all the time (sunayana vi Bramara, Bramara ....in the mahishAsuramardhini sthOthram). But have not heard of her hair compared to bees - or are these bees that are flocking around the fragrant flowers in her hair?
Ravi

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

Ravi
The temple you are referring to is the "durgAparamESvarI" of kaTIlu. Strange indeed are the ways of dEvi! First venkatpv mentioned jhankArabhramari and I was wondering what the connection was. Then Ravi mentions about kaTIlu durgAparamESvari. Who indeed can fathom Her will
The next kRti I post will be on kaTIlu durgAparamESvari in jhEnkArabhramari.

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

Ravi
You are right in inferring the fragrance of Her tresses. "Ardal" also has the meaning of moittal/nugardal/iruttal. It is this sense that is employed in vaNDArkuzhali.:- "vaNDugaL Arkkum kuzhalai uDaiyAL". CML is right in saying this is a very poeticname for Her. It conveys that Her tresses are so fragrant/so much like nectar-laden flowers that the bees cannot resist alighting on them and flocking there.
Darshan
Thanks for your input. The bees ringing is like hrIm (its sound is called rIngAram in tamizh).

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

Post by rshankar »

Well, a small digression from kuzhalI to kuzhali-maNavALan:
DRS mentioned the different saBAs, so I thought I would post the lyrics of the song that very poetically describes these as well as refers to Karaikkal Ammaiyar. This is a compsition that bursts with rhythm, begging to be danced! Lyrics Aru Gopalan (no idea who he is) and set to music by K. S. Raghunathan of Amudam Inc. fame.
P
lathAngI
AdavallAn, yemmai ALavallAn
oru Idu illAn, yenrum yengum uLLan ll
C1
mAda mA madhurayil veLLi (silver) ambalam kondAn
madhikkum nellaiyilE (Thirunelveli)
thAmira (copper) saBai kandAn
IdillA kutRAlam chithira saBai kondAn
ezhil AlankAdadhanil
rathina (ruby) saBai kandAn ll
C2
sAmA
thEdarum thillaiyilE ponnambalam kondAn
dhishai yettum maginzhdhidavE
dhinam dhinam nadikkinrAn
oru mannanAi amarndhu
oppatRa madhuraiyilE
OngoLir sangam vaiththu
onthamizhai vaLarththAn ll
C3
DHanyAsI
thiruvAdhavUr adigaL thiruvAsakam pAda
dhivviyamAi adhanai
thillaiyil varaindhaLiththAn
aruL kAraikkAL ammai anburugi vENda
AlankAdarangaththil
Anandha natam purindhAn ll

Since this is a compsition on the different saBAs or natana ambalam, I wonder who/what temple is referred to in Madurai (is is the mannan - rAja soundirapAndiyan or is it the kAl mAri Adiya kanakasaBEsan?) AFAIK, the two refer to different deities in different temples: although the refernce to the Tamizh Sangam has to be in reference to the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple with the potRAmarai kuLam.
Ravi

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

Coolkarni
Let me try and sort out the tangle that is vasantabhairavi, lalitapancama and kuvalayAbharaNa.
vasantabhairavi I have already explained. It is a pUrvaprasiddhamELa and a rakti rAga.

lalitapancama according to venkaTamakhi, mudduvenkaTamakhi and dIkShitar school is a upANga janya of
vATI vasantabhairavi/ vakuLAbharana with the following scale.

SG3M1D1N2S* | S*NDPMGR1S ||

There is a gIte of mudduvenkaTamakhi in the rAga notated in the SSP. This rAga sounds very distinct from vasantabhairavi. The absence of Rshabha takes the sadness out of the rAga and gives a utsAha/brightness in mood to it.
Coolkarni
Can you confirm if there is a hindUstAni raga with eactly the same name and scale?

kuvalayAbharaNa is again a upAnga janya of the vasantabhairavi-vakuLAbharaNa 14th mELa and has the following scale.

SR1G3M1D1N2S* | S*NDMGRS ||

Despite finding mention in texts, this rAga does not appear to have been handled by anuy of the past composers. Somu must have been the first to compose in it. It is the 14th mELa equivalent of lalita.

Now pancama has alpatva(used sparingly) in vasantabhairavi itself. Therefore, kuvalayAbharaNa is hardly different from the rAga. This could be the reason for its not being used.

Now "paramapuruSham" as rendered popularly including the version you have posted(and the famous KVNversion) is actually vasantabhairavi only. The scale is no different. I do not see any validity in calling it by a different name.

Now there is another catch with lalitapancama. In some texts, lalitapancama is also mentioned as a janya of mAYAmALavagauLa, the 15th mELa. The scale is identical to what I have given early on in the post with the difference that niSHAda is kAkali and not kaiShikI. HHJC oDeyar has employes this scale in his kRti "SrIvidyE pAhimAm".

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

Post by cmlover »

coolkarni/badri/shankar/others

DRS is known for his speed. But before he rushes let us enjoy the taste of the divine Kedaram. As You know I would never forgive coolkarni if he does not bring out his best ON KEDARam ;-)

DRS

Don't tell us what will be coming later. It kills the excitement of expectation. You hit us with a ton of coals with this wonderful kedaram on Nataraja!

Shankar

I agree with you totally on getting the anecdotes relating to the allusions. We will try. Of course RC will find for us the historical connections. Thenks to darshan for the esoteric interpretations!

Where is MEENA ?

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

Meaning of naTarAjam, rAga kEdAra

stuti of tiruvAlangADu natarAjan( ratnasabhpati)

naTarAjam AlOkaya- Behold naTarAja, the king of dance!

vaTataru mUlavirAjam- Him Who has taken abode and is resplendent at the root of a banyan tree.
vararatnasabhA rAjam- The Lord of the hall of rubies.
paTaha maddaLa Adi vAdya paTutara kuTilapadAbjam- Him with graceful lotus-feet, expert in nstruments such as paTaha and maddaLa.

nArImaNi muktidam- Him Who granted liberation to a virtuous lady.
This refers to the kAraikkAl ammaiyAr episode. The place contains the muktitIrtha, a arge pond attached to the temple

sunandAdi nuta vaibhavam- Him worshipped by sage sunanda and others.
Sage sunanda is revered as one of those mahAnubhAvas who offered worship to the ratnasabhApati. He is depicted in the temple.

cAru hasita mukhabhAvam- Him sporting a beatific smile on his face;
sakalIkRta prabhAvam- Him Whose influence is allpervading.
vArijabhava nandi IkShita brahmAnanda tANDavam- Him Whose brahmAnandatANDava was viewed by brahma and nandi along with kAraikkAL ammaiyAr.
This too is depicted in the temple sculpture and relief.

sUrijana IDitam- Him worshipped by the dEvas; bhavam;
kAruNyArNavam- Ocean of compassion; Sivam- Him that is prosperity, peace, benevolence, grace.
mAra kAla garvaharam- Him that vanquished the arrogance of manmatha and yama;
mad bhramarAlakAmbikEdAram- Husband of bhramarAlakAmbikA; Him Who is pleasing brahmarAlakAMbikA currently.
mad is often used as a filler for completeing/maintaining prosody. It also means "my". Here I have used it in both senses. It maintains the yati and also expresses my feeling a sense of belonging to Her and to Him.
Here I would like to gratefully thank CML for settling my doubts about the grammar where I have included the rAgamudre. ambikEdAram can be split as ambikA+idA+ram. ram is "to please". idA means "presently".


SrIkANtaparam-Him Who is favourable to SrIkANta;
tALa rAga gamakakaram- Him Who produces tALa, rAga and gamakas.

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

coolkarni/badri/shankar/others

DRS is known for his speed. But before he rushes let us enjoy the taste of the divine Kedaram. As You know I would never forgive coolkarni if he does not bring out his best ON KEDARam ;-)

DRS

Don't tell us what will be coming later. It kills the excitement of expectation. You hit us with a ton of coals with this wonderful kedaram on Nataraja!
I am not posting the next one just yet. No hurry.
I only mentioned the next one so as to give a sneak preview :( I was myself wonderstruck by how my original plan is going helterskelter. I couldnt resist sharing my surprise.

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

Post by cmlover »

darshan

Thanks for that supplement on 'hrIM'. Here is some more. hrIM is supposed to be more powerful than praNava (OM) itself. OM can be uttered only by humans whereas the animal kingdom is capable of making the hrIM sound as vyaasa says :'hRI^Nkaara japa niSHThaistu pakShivrindai niShEvidaa'

Also

hakaaraO shiva vAci syat
rEphhA prak^RitiH ucyatE
mahA mAyArtha I shabdO
nAthO vishva prasUH matA
dukha harArthakO binduH
bhuvanAM tEna pUjayAt

ha = shiva
ra = prk^Riti = nature/material universe
I = shakti/mahAmAyA
bindu = removal of suffering (dukha)

Infact hrIM is the bIjAkShara for bhuvanEshvari.

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

Post by cmlover »

shankar

Any chanof getting an audio of that lovely lyric?

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

Post by cmlover »

Here is an anecdote from my fading memory since I don't have the books with me.

The sages were wondering why at Thiruvalangaadu Siva danced with the left foot and they went to Brahma to seek an explanation. Brahma replied that he didn't no but a certain chakkiliya (cobbler) in thirvaaroor may know. They all assembled and went to the chakkiliya (whose name I forget but who was a great poet). he said

poovil ayanum purandaranum thaan irukka

(I forget).....
noolin izhai nakkum Ezhai aRivanO
kuzhai nakkum pinjakan than kooththu

(while there is brahma who is on the lotus and Indira etc., will the poor I who licks the thread (to repair the shoes) know about the dance of shiva who lifts his ear ring (kuzhai)).

The beauty is in the last two lines where he deftly conveys the secret that nataraja lifted his left foot to secretly slip in his fallen ear rings on his right ear (see DRS for the story and other interpretation). interpretation).

kaaraikkaal ammayaar (originally known as punitavati) refused to walk on foot the ground where Siva danced (thiruvaalangaadu) and she crawled on her head to the sannidhi. Siva pleased with her devotion danced a second time for her!

Maha vaidyanatha Iyer referrs to her (72 melaragamaalika) as
sadaanandE tvayI raagavardinIM mudA punitavatIM rakShitavaanasi

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

Post by rshankar »

CML,
GREAT story!
Neat to know of her inclusion in the mELa rAga chakram!
Even as RathnasaBEsan, natarAja is traditionally depicted with his left foot raised up, and the right on the demon...But not in Madurai - there, he dances with his left foot on the demon, and the right one is raised up.
The story of why he is depicted dancing on his left foot in Madurai is that, once, a great devotee of Siva's (one of the Pandya Kings...I forget who - CML, is it pAri - the person who gave up his chariot for a creeper?) becomes very concerned that Shiva's right foot must be hurting him a lot, because that is the foot he's been dancing for many, many yugas. Touched and amused by this, Shiva dances on his left foot, raising the right off the ground. This very interesting story comes tinglingly alive in Andavan Pichchai's words:
pAdham varundhum yenru pAndiyan vEndida,
vEdhan, mAlum kANA vimala malar pAdham,
nI dhayavudan thUki nirthanam Adida,
mADHava muni, pathanjali,
puli pAdhar kUda ll

The recording of the 'AdavallAn' I have is a commercial one...unfortunately!
Ravi

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

Post by cmlover »

'padar kodikku poRREr eenthaan paari'

Whereas we have heard that great compassionate ouls have shown mercy to living animals the only instance where one took pity on an inanimate object (as known at that time!) was the great tamil king paari...

Shankar! What the heck! Post that exciting 'Adavallan'. The lyric is so beautiful and the raga choice is inebriating. If not, mail it to me cmlover@rogers.com

venkatpv
Posts: 373
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:23

Post by venkatpv »

minaksi pancharatnam has the following verse
"shrIvidyAM shivavAmabhAganilayAM hrIMkAramantrojjvalAM"

http://freepgs.com/carnatic/viewtopic.php?id=147&p=4
thanks meena :)

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

Post by cmlover »

sakalIkRta prabhAvam

here is an important grammatical point which also adds to the beauty of the lyric.
it is known as 'cvi pratyayam' (Pan 7.4.32)
The resolution goes as:
asakalaH sakalaH sampadyate tat k^Rita sakalIk^Rita
(what was NOT whole or complete (asakala) is made into complete (sakala))

Hence
sakalIk^Rita prabhAvam means the special power of completing the incomplete.

Also DRS has used the expression in the right context. The dance of shiva in context is 'brahmAnanda tANDavam' - a creative dance not the 'Urdhva tANDavam' which is a destructive (or samhaara) dance!

Now look at
paTaha maddaLAdi vAdya paTutara kuTilapadAbjam|
DRS has already given the general meaning but has not explained the subtle point.
kuTilapada = crooked/tortuous leg.
Why! Just look at the image (he is using the wrong foot!). Also 'kuTila' means fradulent. Indeed! he was tricking kaaLi by that posture who concedes defeat!


I indeed marvel at the rhythm (fit for a dance performance!) and alankaaram as well as inner meaning of this lyric which vies in grandeur word for word with that of Muththuswamy DIkShitar! Such compositions bubble up from an inner inspiration rather than through a painful craftsmanship.

let me just invoke 'vaNDArkuzhalinaRumAlangATTAn vaLarpiRaichchenchaDayan iDamARinaDamidumkooththan' to shower his sruL unstintingly on DRS and his family so that he may serve the cause of glorious CM for many more years to come!

FYI
vaNDArkuzhalinaRumAlangATTAn = The one at thiruvaalangaadu who is loved (naRum) by bhrmarAmbikA (vaNDArkuzhali)
vaLarpiRaichchenchaDayan = the one who has the growing moon (vaLar piRai) on his lovely hair (chenchaDai)
iDamARinaDamidumkooththan = the dancer (kooththan) who dances (naDamidum) on his left foot(iDam), or who danced at the wrong place (iDam maaRi) since he usually dances at kailaasam , or who rests (ARi) on the RiShabha(iDam).

abadri
Posts: 183
Joined: 08 Jun 2005, 00:04

Post by abadri »

coolkarni/badri/shankar/others

DRS is known for his speed. But before he rushes let us enjoy the taste of the divine Kedaram.
CMLsir, this is a tough task, because the repertoire in Kedaram is so huge!

Let's start with a couple of Dasa kritis from DKJ
[rapidshare links deleted]
(is it only the DKP/DKJ school that renders these kritis in Kedaram ?)


A presentation of rAmA nIpai by the Nadaswara Chakravarty
[rapidshare link deleted]

Now, we move on to the artiste that used to revel in singing Kedaram :)
I'll try to present MDR's Kedaram renditions with different accompanists here.

First, rAmA nIpai in the company of M Chndrasekharan/ T Sankaran/ Manjunath [rapidshare link deleted]

Next Ananda naTana prakASam with TNK & Sankaran
[rapidshare link deleted]
(I can't locate a grand 45 minute MDR rendition of this kriti right now - will post it if I find it later)

A couple of renditions of samayamidE nannu broVa with
1) MSG & TVG - [rapidshare links deleted]
2) LGJ & VR - [rapidshare links deleted]

From the Navaratri Mandapam, paramAnanda naTana with LGJ & VR
[rapidshare links deleted]

And finally, MDR's own composition tyAgarAja gurum ASrayE with Chalakdy & Raghu
[rapidshare links deleted]

We've also got a nice spread across the composers here :)


A couple of not-so-often heard Kedaram tracks.
MM Dhandapani Desikar
[rapidshare links deleted]

MS Subbulakshmi
[rapidshare links deleted]
As You know I would never forgive coolkarni if he does not bring out his best ON KEDARam ;)
Ha ha! :lol:

Now, let's wait for some special Kedaram-s from Shri Kulkarni

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

sakalIkRta prabhAvam

here is an important grammatical point which also adds to the beauty of the lyric.
it is known as 'cvi pratyayam' (Pan 7.4.32)
The resolution goes as:
asakalaH sakalaH sampadyate tat k^Rita sakalIk^Rita
(what was NOT whole or complete (asakala) is made into complete (sakala))

Hence
sakalIk^Rita prabhAvam means the special power of completing the incomplete.

Also DRS has used the expression in the right context. The dance of shiva in context is 'brahmAnanda tANDavam' - a creative dance not the 'Urdhva tANDavam' which is a destructive (or samhaara) dance!

Now look at
paTaha maddaLAdi vAdya paTutara kuTilapadAbjam|
DRS has already given the general meaning but has not explained the subtle point.
kuTilapada = crooked/tortuous leg.
Why! Just look at the image (he is using the wrong foot!). Also 'kuTila' means fradulent. Indeed! he was tricking kaaLi by that posture who concedes defeat!-----

----let me just invoke 'vaNDArkuzhalinaRumAlangATTAn vaLarpiRaichchenchaDayan iDamARinaDamidumkooththan' to shower his sruL unstintingly on DRS and his family so that he may serve the cause of glorious CM for many more years to come!
CML
You have interpreted "kuTilapadAbjam" exactly as I had originally conceived it.

URum pATTisaikk koppilA urai
kURum nAraNarkku nanRi.


Badri
Thanks for the tracks.

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

I composed the kEdAra kRti on 10.07.99. Note that in this kRti all 3 kAlas are used.
The deceptively brisk pallavi is in the first kAla with only one sAhityAkShara(1mAtre) for each beat. The anupallavi is similar witha madhyamakAla sAhitya in the 2nd kAla. The caraNa is set in the 2ndkAla. The madhyamakAla passage at the end of the caraNa is set to the druta kAla-3rd kAla. This represents naTarAja being trikAlavyApin, trikAlaj~na etc. Everyone is exhorted to see him because by "seeing" him one attains liberation anad eternal bliss.

"mArakAlagarvaharam" points to him controlling this life and beyond. "Desire is the root cause of all evil" said Buddha. mAra represents desire. Winning him makes one gain control of ones llife. And winning death means attaining the beyond.
Interestingly, Freud propounded the pleasure principle and the death instinct(thanatos). mAra and kAla are verily these two.

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

kEdAra is a auDava- ShADava upAnga janya of dhIraSankarAbharaNa, the 29th mELa. Its scale is

SM1G3MPN3,S* | S*NPMGR2S ||

This is a ghana rAga. G and N are vAdi-samvAdi. The rAga is very brisk and enlivening. This evokes hAsya, SRngAra and vIra rasas. The rAga has a distinct personality although it does not allow too much scope for expansion by AlApane.
Although SMGM is given in the ascent, SGM is also used (as seen in the ciTTeswara for paTNam`s "samayamidE nannu brOva". Also rarely "GRMGR" and some sancAras with R in ascent occur. "SRG,,,,,S" is a characteristic phrase that immediately brings kEdAra to mind. Glides from ShaDja to pancama and viceversa also evoke kEdAra favour very well. Excellent rAga. tAna will indeed sound beautiful in the rAga.
Any RTPs anyone?

darshan
Posts: 24
Joined: 21 Oct 2005, 08:17

Post by darshan »

DRS: "not the 'Urdhva tANDavam' which is a destructive (or samhaara) dance!"

DRS, I don't think Urdhva Tandavam is a destructive dance. AFAIK, it is the form where Swami lifts up his foot to 180 degrees. This is in relation to the competition with Kali where it was to be judged who was the best dancer (this has been narrated here earlier). At a point during the dance, the kundalam of Swami fell down during the dance and He lifted the kundalam with his right leg and hung it right back on his ear. For this, He had to raise his leg at the 180 degrees position. But Kali could not do so due to modesty. This is called Urdhva Tandavam, as I said before, AFAIK. This Murthi can be seen at a shrine in Chidambaram, near the Dwajastambam.

srkris
Site Admin
Posts: 3497
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 03:34

Post by srkris »

I was thinking all thaandavams are destructive.

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

DRS: "not the 'Urdhva tANDavam' which is a destructive (or samhaara) dance!"------------
This Murthi can be seen at a shrine in Chidambaram, near the Dwajastambam.
Wrong credits darshan. That was SrICML uvAca.
I have posted a snap of UrdhvatANDavamUrti from AlangADu at the beginning of discussion on this kRti.

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

Post by cmlover »

Dear darshan
mea culpa. And not DRS.
But as far as I understand (I am no expert on dance forms and terms)Siva Tandavam broadly falls under two categories. Urdhva which is destructive vs Ananda which is constructive. DRS has depicted the Tandava as 'brahmaananda tandavam' in his lyric which this indeed is. The raising of the leg 180 degrees is significant of destruction, but in this case it is the wrong foot and the intention (surreptitously) is to conquer and bless. Another term generically used for destructive dance is 'ugra taaNDavam' which this is not. Somewhere in the sivagama sutra I have the verse:

Kathyate Sivasastreshu nrttam sapta vidham bhavet
Ananda-tandavam purvam sandhya-tandava-tat-param
Gauri-tandavam evam tu tatha tripura-tandavam
Kali-tandavkam caiva muninanam tasya tandavam
Samhara tandavam caiva ityete sapta tandavam

where Urdhava is not mentioned by name.

Thanks for the allusion to kuNDalini which is what the aubtle reference to the ear-ring in context. The idea is that Siva was able to arouse the kuNDalini during his dance whereas kaaLi failed which led to her defeat! It also signifies the ultimate surrender of Ego to the Lord. DRS beautifully refers to this as 'mArakAlagarvaharam'. makaaram refers to the ego (mamatvam) and kAla refers to time or the physical universe which were all subdued by the Lord.

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

Post by cmlover »

DRS

Could you kindly post the notes for the pallavi line since that is what you are choosing for kalpana swaram. Also the swara (at your leisure) for the solkaTTu which could as well have been a ciTTaswara. Thanks!

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

Post by rshankar »

Here is the link for the song describing the various saBAs:
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/1/m/composer.71/
Thanks to Meena for her (re)search.
Ravi

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

Post by cmlover »

Thanks Shankar/meena!
That was sweet..

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

rAga- kEdAra; caturaSra rUpaka tALa

pallavi
1) N# P# | S , || M , | G R | S G R , | ; S , ||
na----------Ta----rA-----------jam

P , | ; , M || G ; R | R S | R G | S , ||
A-------------lO-------------ka-----ya

2) N# P# | S , || S M G M | G M G R | S G R , | ; S , ||
na----------Ta-----rA---------------------jam--

P , | P N P M || G ; R | R S | S R G , | S , ||
A----------------lO-------------ka---------ya

3) N# P# | S/ P || P N P M | G M G R | S R G , | ; S , ||
na---------Ta------rA------------------------jam

P ,/ | S* ; N || P ; M | G ; R | S R G , | S , ||
A-----------------lO---------------ka--------ya

4) N# P# | S/ P || P N P M | G M G R | S R G , | ; S , ||
na--------Ta-------rA---------------------jam

G M P N | S* R* S* N || P N P M | G M G R | S R G , | S , ||
A---------------------------lO------------------------ka----------ya


S , M M | G , M , || P , S* N | S* , S* N | P , P M | G M G R ||
nA di ri dA ni tOmdi ra dit til lA nA ta nadi ra

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

Notation for solkaTTu

N# P# | S M || , G- | G M | G R | S , ||
ta ka ta rE-----ku jham--ta-ri tA

S M | G- M || N P- | P M | G- G | R S ||
tata ri ta daNa tajha Nu ta dhi mi

S M G M- | P N P M- || P S* , N- | S* M* G* M* | G* M* G* R | S* ;- N- ||
takadika Namta ri taLAn--gu ta ka di ku ta din gi Na tOm ta

P S* , N | S* R* S* N || P ;- R*- | S* , S* N- | P , P M- | G M G R ||
taLAn gu ta din gi Na tOm ta dit til---------lA--na tana dira

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

srkris
Please upload photos here.

http://rapidshare.de/files/12575992/kaTIlu.rar.html
Image
Image

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

Next kRti is SrIdurgAparamESvari in jhEnkArabhramari.

http://rapidshare.de/files/12576574/SrI ... h.wma.html

darshan
Posts: 24
Joined: 21 Oct 2005, 08:17

Post by darshan »

DRS, many apologies. A slip of the eye :)

CML, thank you very much for the detailed explanation regarding the Urdhva tandavam. Is there a bheda between natanam and tandavam? Because there are two more natanams - Ajapa and Kukkuta. These do not feature in that verse quoted by you.

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

Post by rshankar »

Here is a link that talks about all the different tAndavAs: there are more than just 2. This article is by one of the most erudite dance scholars: Dr. Padma Subramaniam.
http://freehomepages.com/brahadheesh/ta ... pcult.html
It is only in the Ananda tAndavam that parvatI joins him: her dancing is called lAsyam - she is thought to have taught bANAsurA's daughter Usha the lAsyam. It is believed that natarAja and pArvatI dance the Ananda tAndavam at the kanaka saBA in chidambaram: and many believe that the world will cease to exist when they stop dancing.
Ravi

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

Post by rshankar »

CML,
In the same album in MIO, Sudha has also rendered the Andavan Pichchai composition: 'kAl mAri Adiya kanaka saBESA, un mEl kAdhal kondEn' - the one that explains why Nataraja at Madurai has his left foot planted down.
Ravi

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

Post by rshankar »

Here is another brief description of the tAndavAs:
Shiva's dance is known as 'tandava'. Though Shiva is believed to have performed 108 types of tandava, Saivite literature gives details of only 64 dances, which the Lord is said to have performed at 64 different shrines. But it is commonly accepted that except for 7, all the other dances of Shiva are merely varying representations of the basic tandavas, namely Kalika, Gauri, Sandhya, Samhara, Tripura, Urdhva and Ananda. The first 6 of these tandavas elaborate the main aspects of Shiva, while the 7th, the Ananda Tandava, portrays all the manifold responsibilities of the Lord.
("Traditions of Indian Classical Dance" by Mohan Khokar, p 16/17)
Quoted in narthaki.com

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

Post by cmlover »

Thanks DRS
The swaras give an insight into the power of the melody as well as rhythm. I will pass them on to the students of music.

Shankar

Thanks for the elaboration of Tandavam concept from the dance perspective. The Agama approach appears to be different which decides the posture in the sculptures. There is also a Tantric aspect. For example I believe that is what darshan refers to in the ajapa as well as kukkta aspects. Perhaps some of you will remember the reference to Siva dance by Fritz Capra in his famous book Tao of physics!

My windows player is refusing to play the latest Sri_durgaparameshvari. Anybody having similar problems?

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

mATu for
SrI durgAparamESvari

rAga- jhEnkArabhramari; rUpakatALa

stuti of kaTIlu durgAparamESvari

SrI durgAparamESvari jhEnkArabhramari ||P||

pAdayugame nambi rANi| pAlipi tribhuvana rANi ||AP||

khaLa aruNana mOhakamokhu | kATi konda sundari ||
a^LanIrabhiShEkataNNu | harShamAna Sankari ||
puLa nandini jAbAliyu | pUjicca nirISvari ||
kaLa kaTTara gAna yakSha- | gAnAdi priyakari ||
aLahi kaTIlALara svayambhu linga rUpadhari ||
kaLavaLu tIripiyara SrIkANtasahaje parAtpari ||C||

CML
Are you still having problems opening the file? It is in the same format as the rest of them.

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

Post by cmlover »

DRS

I have solved the problem by converting the wma file to mp3 using dBpower which is played by my other softwares! This is a rare raga for me and is intriguing! Awaiting your explanations as well as other kritis in this raga from our folks....

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

AFAIK
There is only MD`s kRti in the rAga "himAcalakumArIm" which I myself have not heard. Would love to hear it if someone posts it. Of course there is a gIte by mudduvenkaTamakhi also given in the SSP.

CML
I just sent you the mp3 version. Too bad it was a bit late as you have done the sme thing urself.

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

Post by cmlover »

Now having heard it you know I definitely require the swaras for pllavi, anupallavi and most assured the first line of charaNam where you do the very interesting neravel. Your raga aalaapana at places took me to kIravaaNi at times but the kalpana swrams certainly were distinct..But first getting ready for the sthalapurANaa....

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

sthaLa purANa.

The hallowed kShEtra of kaTIlu is near Mangalore in dakShiNa kannaDa district. The deity is durgAparamESvari also called bhramarAmbike. She is worshipped as a swayambhU linga. She slayed aruNAsura,an ally of Sumha and niSumbha. The kShEtra is on the banks of river nandini and the sanctum sactorum of the temple is actually on the river itself and is approached by a small bridge.
The story goes thus;- Once there was a severe draught and famine which forced people to become wayward and commit sins for the sake of food and drink. Recall the kuRal-

nIrinRi amaiyAdu ulagenin yAryArkkum
vAninRi amaiyAdu ozhukku .


Sage jAbAli was deeply disturbed by the situation. Through his divine vision(divya dRShTi), he saw the reason. aruNAsura, who had escaped from dEvi during the battle between Her and Sumbha- niSumbha had become powerful in the region. He had prevented people from performing their righteous duties, yAgas and yaj~nas. This had caused the draught and famine.

To rectify this, jAbAli wished to perform a yaj~na . He went to dEvalOka and requested indra to send kAmadhEnu with him to assist in the yaj~na. As kAmadhEnu was not present then, indra requested jAbAli to take her daughter nandini in her stead.

nandini refused to come to earth with jAbAli as the earth was full of evil and sin. AFter much pleading and argument, jAbAli lost his patience and cursed nandini to be born as a river on earth. Realising her mistake a tad too late, nandini prayed for mercy. jAbAli advised her to pray to Goddess durgA for redemption. Pleased by her penance, durgA appeared before her and said that she would have to take birth as a river on earth as it was a sage`s word and even She could not change it. However, durgA promised that She would be born as nandinI`s daughter and thus purify her.

nandini was born as a river of the same name form kanakagiri on mAgha Suddha pUrNima. jAbAli performed the yaj~na which please the dEvas and the region flourished again and people were saved.

In the meanwhile aruNAsura had acquired boon from brahma that he would not meet his death either from a two -legged or a four-legged creature. or by the device of any weapon.
brahma also taught aruNa the gAyatrI mantra. Tus empowered, aruNa defeated the dEvas who sought refuge in durgA.

One day, She took form as a beautiful and comely lass and appeared in aruNa`s garden. aruNa saw her and was of course bewitched, much to his illfortune. When he approached Her, she reminded him that She was the One Who had slayed Sumbha and niSumbha and that aruNa had then escaped her wrath. Enraged upon hearing this, aruNa lifted a sword to slash Her. She immediately became a hard rock.

aruNa struck the rock with his swaord with all his might. The rock split and out came a swarm of bees ( 6 legged and armed with a sting which is not a weapon). The bees stung him to death.

The dEvas and jAbAli performed abhiShEka with tender coconut(eLanIru, iLanIr) and pacified her anger. She was called bhramarAmbikA as She was the queen-bee. durgA then appeared in Her saumya rUpa in the middle of the river nandini(was thus born to her). The temple was built around her.

kaTi means waist. As She was born to nandini midway in her course as a river(between kanakagiri and the sea), the place wa called kaTIlu.

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

Note that aruNa is symbolic of ahamkAra and the ariShaDvarga(kAma, krOdha, lObha, mOha, mada and mAtsarya) and She quells the all to establish sat.
She ia an abhimAni of the arts, especially music, dance and drama. An exclusive troup for performing yakShagAna is maintained by the temple. Annual festivals of yakShagAna (particularly the daSAvatAra yakShagAna) and music are held to please her. Devotees also worship her specially by performing abhiShEka with tendercoconut.

The Devi is seen in a seated posture with four arms. In the upper arms she holds the shankhu & Cakram(conch & discuss). The lower two hands promise devotees abhaya & vara.

drshrikaanth
Posts: 4066
Joined: 26 Mar 2005, 17:01

Post by drshrikaanth »

Someone please please post himAcalakumArim of MD in jhEnkArabhramari. Also post compositions in jhEnkAradhwani (phaNipatiSAyI of tyArAja and Koteeswaar iyers varam tarum or any othr kRtis.)

Post Reply