pandaDitanaLE sundari... Tirikooda Rasappa Kavirayar

[smala]

Lakshmanji, would you have this delightful composition?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVAp9giW ... re=related

[Lakshman]

Corrections welcome:


pandaDittanaLE sundari. rAgA: tilang.

P: pandaDittanaLE sundari pandaDittanaLE
A: vasanta sundari vindaiyAgavE
(svara sAhitya)
mandara shilaigaL UnjalADa makara kuzhalgaL ezhilADa
sundara vizhigaL UsalADa tattanga takatunga takatika tom tom enavE
C: ponnaDi oLiyil vandu tAviyE viNNin oLivu pOlavE
1: sonna ettinai nADi nADi tOzhiyaruDanE kUDi kUDi
2: nannAga tirukkUDam nADi nADi takiTa tikiTa tomdhruta tomdhrutani

[smala]

Thank you very much, Lakshman-ji

[smala]

This composition is said to be by Thirikooda Rasappa Kavirayar, song is vasanthavalli pandhadithAl, part of kutrAla kuravanci, a larger dance drama.

[Pratyaksham Bala]

Lakshmnji, thanks.
s-p,
You are right; the song is part of 'vasantavaLLi pandaDittAL' in kutRAla kuRavanchi written by tirikUTa rAsappar.

The song (in Tamil) is available at http://www.chennailibrary.com/thirikood ... nchi5.html
Based on this, I give below the transliteration:-

P:
pandaDittanaLE vasanta sundari vindaiyAgavE
C1:
mandara mulaigaLEsalADa makara kuzhaigaLUsalADa
sundara vizhigaL pUsalADa tongat tongat tongat tommena --
C2:
ponninoLivil vandu tAviya minninoLivu pOlavE
sonna yattinai nADi nADi tOzhiyaruDan kUDi kUDi
nannagar tirikUDam pADi nakurtat tikurtat takurtat tommena

[smala]

P Bala : would you do a translation as well? Thanks.

Is kutrala kuravanchi and opera/dance drama? Also is there any bio on the poet Tirikoota Rasappar?

[Pratyaksham Bala]

rshankar - please help us using your magical translation skills!

shyama-priya -
kuravanchi is a dance-drama of Tamil folk tradition with lyrical beauty. There are a good number of them, like draupadi kuravanchi, dEvEndra kuravanchi, tirumalaiAndavar kuravanchi, alagumalai kuravanchi, virAlimalai kuravanchi, etc.
As for the biography of poet Tirikoota Rasappar, I will try to get.

[smala]

What is the time frame for this kuravanchi literature - were all the ones you mentioned written by one person, Tirikoota Rasappar? What does the word 'kuravanchi' mean?

[Pratyaksham Bala]

Here is a link which gives the meaning of kuravanchi:-
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=KnPo ... &q&f=false
Please see page 4334.

[Pratyaksham Bala]

P Bala : ... there any bio on the poet Tirikoota Rasappar?

The only info I could get is that Sri Tirikoota Rajappa was living in Melagaram, a small village near Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, about 200 years back.

[smala]

Apparently Kutrala Kuravanci is studied in the ninth grade Tamil literature.

From what I could glean off the net :

Kutrala Kuravanchi.

A very famous Thamizh Ballet , in praise of the Lord of the Kurunji lands, Lord Murugan, who marries Valli, the daughter of the Veduvan (hunter), with the help of his elder brother Skanthapoorvajar. (Lord Ganapathi) Lord Murugan takes the form of an infirm old man and tries to woo the young and vivacious Valli who abhors him and his amorous advances. When all his ruses fail to impress Valli, he is compelled to take the help of his elder brother, who takes the form of an elephant and threatens Valli, who ultimately surrenders to the charms of Murugan, which in Thamizh means Azhagan, handsome.

******

One site mentions a gypsy fortune teller -- in kuravanci.

Anyone who has studied this literature, please throw some light.

[Pratyaksham Bala]

shyama-priya,
KutrAla Kuravanchi has nothing to do with the story of Lord Muruga. It is covered by another kuravanchi called VirAlimalai Kuravanchi.

Thanks for enthusing me to read KutrAla Kuravanchi! It was a nice experience.

It is a dance-drama (DD) about a girl who falls in love with the Lord of Kuttalam temple (KuttalanAthar or Siva) when He comes in ceremonial procession.

Kuravanchi is a particular type of DD set to Carnatic Music. It will have songs (virutham) describing particular scenes, followed by songs set to CM ragas. In all Kuravanchi DDs, a Kuratti (gypsy fortune teller) will appear. She will be a part of the story, even when the story is about Pandavas! The multi-coloured dress and lavish ornaments of Kuratti will brighten up the stage and she will be a convenient excuse to sing in common language and on many common subjects.

KutrAla kuravanchi DD has four distinct parts, though not classified as such.
Part I.
KutrAlanAthar (the Lord of Kutralam temple) comes in ceremonial procession and to witness the scene a number of local girls assemble. One such girl is Vasanthavalli (VV). When she is waiting for the procession, she plays with a ball. Looking at the scene, her friends wonder how beautifully VV plays with the ball. The song in question 'pandatittanaLE' is sung by the girls. (Pandu = ball; adittanaLE = how nicely she plays). When the procession comes, VV is bewitched by the beauty of the Deity and falls in love with Him. Her friends who are worried, try to pacify her; but VV is adament as she is crazy of the Lord.
Part II
At that time, a Kuratti (gypsy fortune-teller) comes and talks to VV. She understands the problem of VV, but keeps on trying to divert her attention by telling stories about her exploits as a gypsy, the beauty of the hills, the stories of the cities, etc. VV keeps conveying that she is not well and asks the gypsy to tell her fortune. Kuratti hesitates, but VV insists. Finally Kuratti says that she is not sick, but is only mad of love with the Lord of Kuttalam. VV blushes and realises her position. There ends the VV story.
Part III
The drama suddenly shifts when Kuravan arrives in the scene in search of Kuratti. On seeing her, he is so happy that he sings with happiness about his exploits, the games, the forests, the birds, etc. Then he starts singing in praise the noble deeds of so many local philanthropists who have donated immensely for the growth of Kuttalam and the nearby Tenkasi town. He mentions several names and showers lavish praises on them.
Part IV
In the meantime Kuratti is lost and Kuravan goes here and there in seach of her. He asks his friends to help him find her. He keeps lamenting how he misses her ... Finally they meet and sing a lot in happiness. The duets bring to the crowd the much awaited tempo. The audience gets excited and sing with the Kuravan and Kuratti and dance to the tunes ... Finally the drama comes to an end.

[rshankar]

S-P: Another take on the kuravanji - http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... =kuravanji - very similar to what Sri Bala has written. Most kuravanjis with a god as the hero have the princess pining for muruga/Siva. The lone one on vishNu I am aware of is kavi kunjara bhArati's azhagar kuravanji - the most famous production of which was Smt. Vyjayantimala's.
I will post the meaning in a little bit...
The bharatanATyam repertoire (completely opposite of the situation with kucipuDi) was mainly for a solo presentation; kuravanji was the only traditional 'dance drama' in this style.

[smala]

Here are some clips on kuravanji, some brief, some incomplete.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JoxqugV ... re=related

from ardhanariswar :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WybOzo1IF2c&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WybOzo1IF2c&NR=1

A narrative performed in this one below, if someone would like to present the lyrics, substance?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_YcZnkaWz0&NR=1

Here is one where the gypsy tells the fortune. Again lyrics and substance would be educative.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt7vKUY3 ... re=related

Here's a nice one :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfn1lA6V ... re=related

[smala]

Thanks for the link and info, rshankar. Looking forward to the translation.

[Pratyaksham Bala]

A narrative performed in this one below, if someone would like to present the lyrics, substance?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_YcZnkaWz0&NR=1

(Vasantavalli, who has fallen in love with the Lord of KutRAlam, laments and curses Manmatha)

kai karumbenna kaNai enna nI enna manmathA - inda
sekkarum pAvi nilAvumE pOdAdO manmathA
mai karum kaNNAL ratikku mAl konDa manmathA - viDai
vallArkku mAl konDAR pollAppen mEluNDE manmathA


(Vasantavalli asks her friend to go and meet KutrAla nAtar as her messenger)

P:
tUtu nI solli vArAi peNNE kutRAlar mun pOi
tUtu nI solli vArAi

AP:
AdinAL sundararkku tUtu pOnavar munnE (tUtu nI ...)

C3:
vandAl in-nEram varachollu varAdiruntAl
mAlai Agilum tarachchollu kutRalanAtar
tandAl en nenjai tarachchollu tarAdirundAl
tAn peNNAgiya peNNai nAn viDEn enru (tUtu nI ...)

[smala]

Thanks, P. Bala for the text.

[Pratyaksham Bala]

Here is one where the gypsy tells the fortune. Again lyrics and substance would be educative.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt7vKUY3 ... re=related

kuRatti (gypsy fortune-teller) declares that she is an expert in telling fortunes:-
enna kuRi Akilum nAn solluvEn ammE - chatur
ERuvEn etirta pErai velluvEn ammE

vasantavalli asks kuRatti to tell her fortune:-
kalavikku vizhivAL konDu kAmanai singhi koLvAi
kulaviddhai kuRiyE AnAl kuRavanchi kuRai vaippAyO
palavukkuL kanivAi ninRa paramar kutRAlar nATTil
ilavukkum sivanda vAyAl enakkoru kuRi solvAyE

kuRatti asks vasantavalli to show her palm:-
muttirai mOdiram iTTa kaiyaik kATTAi ammE
munkai mudAriTTa kaiyaik kATTAi
at takaDam punaida kaiyaik kATTAi - ponnin
alankara neLiyiTTa kaiyaik kATTAi

kuRatti tells vasantavalli's fortune:-
C1:
sollak kELAi kuRi sollak kELAi ammE
tOgaiyarkkarasE kuRi sollak kElai
C3:
pallakkERum teruvilAnai naDatti maNip
paNiyAbharNam pUNDa pArthiban vandAn
C4:
sellap pUnkOdaiyE nI pandaDikkaiyil avan
sEnai kaNDa veruTchi poR kANudE yammE

[smala]

Brilliant, P. Bala. Now I fervently hope rshankar will find time to work on all these.

[rshankar]

My attempt at the first one:
pallavi
pandaDittanaLE vasanta sundari vindaiyAgavE (pandaDittanaLE...)

The young (vasanta) beauty (sundari) bounced (aDittanaLE) the ball (pandu) with amazing (vindaiyAgavE) skill.

caraNam 1
mandara mulaigaL EsalADa makara kuzhaigaL UsalADa
sundara vizhigal pUsalADa tongat-tongat-tongat-tOmena (pandaDittanaLE...)

(The young beauty bounced the ball) as her breasts (mulaigaL), shaped like the mandara hill, move in different directions (EsalADa), her carp-like (makara) ear-rings (kuzhaigaL) sway to-and-fro (UsalADa) and her beautiful (sundara) eyes flash (pUsalADa), and the ball makes the sounds (ena) 'tongat-tongat-tongat-tOm'.

caraNam 2
ponnin oLivil vandu tAviya minnin oLivu pOlavE
sorNa yattinai nADi nADi tOzhiyaruDan kUDi kUDi
nannagar tirikkUDam pADi nakurtat-tikurtat-takurtat-tOmena (pandaDittanaLE…)

Seeking (nADi nADi) the golden (sorNa) orb (yattinai) that streaks (vandu tAviya) like (pOlavE) a bolt of lightning (minnin oLivu) across the golden dusk (ponnin oLivil), in the company (kUDi kUDi) of her friends (tOzhiyauDan), (the young beauty bounced the ball) making the sounds (ena) 'nakurtat-tikurtat-takurtat-tOm', singing (pADi) about the lovely city (nannagar) of kuTRAlam (tirikUDam) [1].

[1] AFAIK tirikUTam or tirikUDam is a hillock with 3 peaks in the hills of kuTRAlam - and since this is from kuTRAla kuravanji, I assume my interprettation to be correct

[Pratyaksham Bala]

Excellent!

Yes, the 'tiru kutRAla kuRavanchi' mentions tirikUDam as the name of the hillock near 'kutrAlam nagar'.

Though the place is called kutrAlam, it is actually 'kuttAlam' which means a 'waterfall'. (kuttu = erect, Alam = water)

[smala]

Such a lovely translation - a vivid beautiful visual. Thank you.

[rshankar]

Thank you!
PB, so the colloquial kuttAlam is not incorrect then! (probably more correct than kuTRAlam)...Of course, all this talk about kuTRAlam/kuttAlam reminds me of this discussion we had many moons ago...S-P - can you find a version of 'mylApUr vakkIlAttu mATTupeNAvEn' somewhere?

[rshankar]

Vasantavalli's tirade against manmatha (I thought this was what was called 'nilavai pazhittal', but perhaps I am wrong):

kai karumbenna kaNai enna nI enna manmathA - inda
sekkarum pAvi nilAvumE pOdAdO manmathA
mai karum kaNNAL ratikku mAl konDa manmathA - viDai
vallArkku mAl konDAR pollAppen mEluNDE manmathA

Oh manmatha! What (enna) is the need for this bow made of sugarcane (karumbu) in your hand (kai), or your arrows (kaNai) or even your (nI enna) very self? Isn't this intolerably painful (Sekkarum) [1] sinner (pAvi), the moon (nilavumE) enough (pOdAdO) to torture me so? Oh manmatha, who desires (mAl koNDa) rati (ratikku) a woman with black (karum) collyrium (mai) rimmed eyes (kaNNAL), is there a grievance (pollAppu uNDO) that those in love (mAl koNDAr) like you bear against a clever (viDai vallArkku) [2] woman like me (en mEl)?

[1] sekku as far I know is the press where oil is manually removed from seeds - a very tortuous process indeed - in this context, I think vasantavalli, with her senses inflammed by the 'cool' moonbeams, seems to be comparing the torture of the moonbeams to that of being tortured in the sekku (I think it is Sri AK who uses the phrase 'sekkuLLE agapaTTa eLLai pOlE' to describe the plight of the dEvas at the hands of rAvaNa), and feels that manmatha and his flowery arrows are superfluous - and concludes by saying that the dual torture maybe the result of the grudge that those in love bear against 'smart' ones
[2] viDai vallAr - those that are experts (vallAr) - always ready with answers (viDai)

[Rajani]

Ravi : viDai vallAr may mean Shiva? The lord of Nandi the bull (viDai).

[vasanthakokilam]

The Miss Malini posts have been moved to a separate thread: http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=14076

[rshankar]

The Miss Malini posts have been moved to a separate thread: http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=14076

Thanks VK

Getting back to business

Ravi : viDai vallAr may mean Shiva? The lord of Nandi the bull (viDai).

First off, Rajani merci beaucoup for your explanation and efforts!

Corrected version of vasantavalli's tirade - based on Rajani's clarifications!
kai karumbenna kaNai enna nI enna manmathA - inda
sekkarum pAvi nilAvumE pOdAdO manmathA
mai karum kaNNAL ratikku mAl konDa manmathA - viDai
vallArkku mAl konDAR pollAppen mEluNDE manmathA

Oh manmatha! What (enna) is the need for this bow made of sugarcane (karumbu) in your hand (kai), or your arrows (kaNai) or even your (nI enna) very self? Isn't this red sky (Sekkarum) and the sinner (pAvi), the moon (nilavumE) enough (pOdAdO) to torture me so? Oh manmatha, who desires (mAl koNDa) rati (ratikku), a woman with black (karum) collyrium (mai) rimmed eyes (kaNNAL), will (uNDO) it be criminal/a mistake (pollApu) on (mEl) my (en) part to be the one in love (mAl koNDAr) with Siva (viDai vallAr)?

The next one is where the princess (vasantavalli) asks her friend to carry a message for her. Again, I understood the last part, (footnote #2) only because of Rajani's help .
pallavi
tUdu nI solli vArAi peNNE kuTRAlar mun pOi
tUdu nI solli vArAi

Oh girl (peNNE), I bid you (nI) to come back (vArAi) after going (pOi) to (mun) kuTRalanAthar (kuTRAlar) and letting him know/sharing (Solli) my message (tUdu) with him.

anupallavi
AdinAL sundararkku tUdu pOnavar munnE (tUtu nI ...)

(I bid you to carry my message) to that person who went (pOnavar) as a messenger (tUdu) on behalf of sundarar (sundaraukku) [1], in the days (nAL) of yore (Adi).

caraNam
vandAl in-nEram varachollu varAdiruntAl
mAlai Agilum tarachchollu kutRalanAtar
tandAl en nenjai tarachchollu tarAdirundAl
tAn peNNAgiya peNNai nAn viDEn enru (tUtu nI ...)

(I bid you to go as my messenger and) tell (sollu) him to arrive (vara) at this (in) time (nEram) if he intends to come (vandAl) at all. If he doesn't come (varAdirundAl) tell him (sollu) that he should give (tara) me a garland (mAlai) at the very least (Agilum). If the Lord (nAthar) of kuTRAlam is in a generous, giving (tandAl) mood, tell (sollu) him to return/give (tara) me my (en) heart (nenjai) that I have lost to him. However, even if he refuses to return it (tarAdirundAl), (tell him) that (enru) I (nAn) will not stop (viDEn) being in love (tAn peNNAgiya peNNai) [2] with him.

FOOTNOTES
[1] Refers to the fact that Siva (the Lord of tiruvArUr – ArUran) played the messenger successfully between sundaramUrti nAyanAr and his first wife paravai nAcciyAr under two circumstances – initially, he was the messenger of love, when sundarar first fell in love with paravai and wanted to marry her, and later, he was the messenger of reconciliation, when paravai nAcciyar, understandably miffed when sundarar married sangili nAcciyAr, refused to meet sundarar
[2] A pun on the word 'mAl' – tAn peNNAgiya peN is vishNu who voluntarily becomes mOhini – the tamizh word for vishNu is 'mAl', which also means love/desire/lust etc

I have heard Sri Unnikrishnan sing this in a concert, and Smt. Sudha Raghunathan has sung this (in maNirangu?) in a CD titled 'tUdu sellAyO?'

[mahakavi]

>>[1] Refers to the fact that Siva (the Lord of tiruvArUr – ArUran) played the messenger successfully between sundaramUrti nAyanAr and his first wife paravai nAcciyAr under two circumstances – initially, he was the messenger of love, when sundarar first fell in love with paravai and wanted to marry her, and later, he was the messenger of reconciliation, when paravai nAcciyar, understandably miffed when sundarar married sangili nAcciyAr, refused to meet sundarar<<

It is slightly different. The Lord went as a messenger twice alright but both of the trips were to convince paravaiyAr to take nambi back. The first time he went alone in the guise of a temple priest. paravaiyAr rebuffed him and he returned and expressed his regret to nambi. nambi was heartbroken and unable to stand his slave's predicament the Lord went a second time to paravaiyAr--this time with a retinue-- at which time paravaiyAr recognized that it is the Lord who came in person. Then she agreed to take Sundarar back.

As for the messenger of love, the Lord did that in a jiffy. He appeared in the dreams of alll concerned and bid them all to execute the wedding. No sweat

[rshankar]

Lakshmanji, would you have this delightful composition? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVAp9giW ... re=related

I just saw the clip - the comments identify the dancer as Smt. Valli - could not be more wrong. If my eyes do not deceive me, that taTTimeTTu is classic kalAkshEtra....

[Rajani]

Thanks Ravi - I must clarify that I found a copy of the "Thiru Kuttraala kuravanji" published by the Kuttraalanaathar temple, that we bought sometime back in the same temple's office. ( About 100 pages, Rs 20). That's how I was able to confirm my guess about "viDai-vallaa"r as well as decipher the (contrived) silEDai with "mAl".

Though it has no detailed meanings, key words are explained as footnotes.

[smala]

Fascinating account, brought out by the translation. Tirikooda's composition, on a nayika who fell in love with Lord Siva - is remarkably direct, couched in clean phrases.