varnam pallavis

Carnatic composers (other than performing vidwans)
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kamalamba
Posts: 327
Joined: 26 Dec 2007, 18:26

Post by kamalamba »

In listening to a number of varnams, I notice a larger proportion of pallavi' starting with or containing

1. Ninnekori / Ninnukori
2. Sami Ninne
3. Vanajaksha / Vanajakshi
4. Era Napai
5. Intha Chala
6. Nenaruchi
7. Sarasijanabha
8. Evari Bodhana (found in the pallavi of Mukhari varnam).
9. Chalamela

Since Varnams in general use few words with lots of akaara, ikaara..., why is there an over representation of a few words? Are they better suited for akaaras, or is it that themes have been kept simple and as a result most composers have stuck to a few words?

Any thoughts?

V_ANNASAMY
Posts: 65
Joined: 18 Aug 2006, 13:07

Post by V_ANNASAMY »

Harikeshanallur Muthiah Bhagavatar - SuddhadhanyAsi varnam starts with 'Sri RajamAthangi chAmudIshwari'

GNB varnams starts with (1) Nee daya radha(aandOLikA) (2) ambOruha pAdamE (ranjani)

keerthi
Posts: 1309
Joined: 12 Oct 2008, 14:10

Post by keerthi »

As a rule, most of the old varnas had srngara as the central theme. there too, it was the vipralambha kind i.e, love in separation. Hence, the sparse pallavi-anupallavi and charana had to have lyric which conveyed the pain/anger/anguish of separation from a beloved.

- if the song was being sung by a friend interceding on behalf of the virahotkantita nAyika{heroine distraught due to separation}, the varnam begins referring to the maiden by a suitable adjective - Vanajaksi(kalyani) madirakshi(Mukhari) Viribhoni(bhairavi, kedaragaula)Maguva(narayanagaula)or taruni(Kambhoji).

- the song may begin by referring to the heartless wicked nayaka who isn't coming to the nayika - jalajAksa(hamsadhwani), vanajAksha(Mandari), Sarasijanabha(Kambhoji),Sarasuda(saveri) or simply Sami(kedaragaula etc)

- if the song refers to the love it may begin Ento premato(Surati) or nenaruto/nenarunchi (dhanyasi) valachi vacchi(ragamalika)

- the song when a cry for succour may begin ninne kori/ninnu koriyunna - (take mercy on) one who desires you alone(mukhari,mohana) or dayajuda/ karunimpa idi samayamu (kedaragaula/sahana)

- if the import is 'who taught you to be cold towards me' or 'which enemy poisoned your mind against me' - it is cnveyed by evari bodhana or evaraemi bodhana or pagavari bodhana vini.

- if the meaning is 'why are you so cold/why this indifference', the words used are inta chalamu/chalamela/chalamu seya(begada/darbar and shankarabharanam,ramapriya)

Some of these ideas/motifs would also repeat in the charana or anupallavi, as the general mood of all traditional varnas was roughly the same.
Later composers have composed in tamizh, and with only bhakti(minus srngAra) or even on music itself(Balamurali's Shanmukhapriya varnam Omkara etc.). As a result, the MAtu of their varnas incorporated names or epithets of gods and goddesses etc. Examples for the latter may be seen in Vasudevachar's vAranAsyam(kAnada) or those mentioned in some of the postings above.

kamalamba
Posts: 327
Joined: 26 Dec 2007, 18:26

Post by kamalamba »

Thanks Keerthi for that wonderful explanation.
Kamalamba

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

Post by rshankar »

Keerthi - that is a very clear explanation! Thanks!

Sri S. Ramanathan has composed a beautiful - malarinum melliya in dvijAvantI that can be added to the list of the later day varNams.

davalangi
Posts: 90
Joined: 08 Jul 2005, 01:36

Post by davalangi »

A varnam borrowing sahitya from a Tyagaraja krithi (contains anubandha also)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-GW8EZmZVU

prashant
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 09:01

Post by prashant »

Thanks for the wonderful explanation, keerthi!

ogirala sri ramakrishna
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Joined: 30 May 2006, 15:58

Post by ogirala sri ramakrishna »

Sadguru Sri Bhakta Gnanananda Tirtha ( Sri Ogirala Veera Raghava Sarma), the Saint Composer of Carnatac Music of 20 th century composed a beautiful varnam in the raga Todi in praise of Madhura Miinakshi

Pallavi: MInakshi NIdu pada pamkamjamule mikkili nammiti namma Madhura ::MInakshi::

after hearing devi kritis composed by the saint composer the late dwaram venkata swami naidu garu requested him to compose a varnam in praise of devi. then he copmposed this varnam.

sahityam with notation for this varnam is available in telugu and tamil in my website
bhakta gnanananda tirtha.com or
ogirala veera raghava sarma.com

this year we are celibrating the birth centinary of h h bhakta gnanananda tirtha.

o s ramakrishna
Last edited by ogirala sri ramakrishna on 15 Apr 2009, 22:51, edited 1 time in total.

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