SOMASKANDA SIVA BY GAYATHRI GIRISH- INFOSYS HALL-23/02

[CRama]

The above concert was organised by Tejus - a commercial establishment in Pondy Bazaar owned by the son of prolific composer Smt D Pattammal, in memory of his mother who has composed over 650 songs in Tamil. She has notated most of them. In the 1980s her compositions were published under different titles like MAdhava Geetham, Mela RAga Krithimala, Janya RAga Krithimala, etc. She has composed on all the 72 Melakartha ragas as well on the 63 NAyanmArs. Gayathri Girish presented a unique concert titled SOMASKANDA SIVA with Multi Media presentation. Most of the songs were selected from the MYRIAD FORMS OF SIVA. This programme also included a few compositions of Smt D.Pattammal. I attended the above programme and I am happy to present a report for the benefit of the rasikas who missed the same.

List of songs
SiddhivinAyakam-CAmaram
ThyAgarAja PAlayasumAm-Gowla
MaNakkola Sundararai ThaduthAtkonday-PoorvikalyAni-D.Pattammal
ThyAgarAjAya Namasthe- Begada
Thiruvambar andaNar SomAsi mArar- Devagandhari-D.Pattammal
Bhajare Re chitha-Kalyani
ChinthyamAkanda moolakandam-Bhairavi
SaravanabhavA- Pasupathipriya- Muthaiah BhAgavathar
KailAsanAthena Samrakshithoham-KAmbodi
Thiruninravooril AndaNar kulathil -SankarAbharanam-D.Pattammal
PAyumaal vidai-Sambandar ThevAram- Pazham Panjuram-SankarAbharanam
Pasupatheeswaram-SivapanthuvarAli
Mallal vaLam Kanintha pugazh Kamalesar Thiruvuruvum- Kumaraguruparar verses-Ragamalika- Mohanam, SAveri, TOdi and MadhyamAvathy.

After the kriti SiddhivinAyakam, Gayathri Girish commenced by explaining the different classifications of Maheshwara Murthys in ancient Saivaite literature. Among the 25 Maheshwara Murthys, the "Somaskanda" form originates from the "Ishana" face of Lord Shiva.

She went on to explain how MD kritis are rich in raga bhava, with full of information about the deity, temple details, festival details and an Advaitic message in all Kritis. She pointed towards the scholarly approach of MD on various aspects like grammar, Mantra Sastra, Tantra Sastra etc.

Then she gave a short introduction on the SOMASKANDA form, saying that it is Sa+Uma+Skanda and this also depicts Sat+Cit+Anandam. She emphasised that the SomAskanda form is a popular Utsava Murthy seen in all Siva temples and that these carvings were done by the Pallava kings in stone and later by Chozha kings with bronze. Many slides showing the iconographic variations of the Somaskanda form were displayed.

She highlighted on the important SomAskanda Kshetras in Tamilnadu, namely TiruvArur, KAnchipuram and other temples like Vaidheeswaran Koil, where the SomAskanda stone carvings are found in the sanctum sanctorum.

Starting with TiruvArur, She briefly explained the significance of ThiruvArur, attributes of ThyAgesar and presented ThyAgaraja pAlayasumAm in Gowla. She followed it with the story of Sundaramurthy NAyanAr and sang a composition of D.Pattammal on this saint in the ragam PoorvikalyAni. This song contains the various incidents in the life of Sundaramurthy NAyanAr like Siva coming to stop his marriage, the incident where Paravai Nachiyar asks for gold, and his abode to Kailas on a while elephant. The brief alapana preceeding the kriti by GG and on the violin and Veena was succinct.

She narrated the story behind the idol of SomAskandamurthy- Vishnu making the SomAskandamurthy idol for worshipping, the story of Muchukunda MahArAja getting the idol from Devendran etc which we have seen elaborately in the MYRIAD FORMS OF SIVA. She then sang the kriti ThyAgarAjAya Namasthe in Begada which contains a reference to the above story. A kriti of D.Pattammal on SomAsi NAyanAr in the ragam DevagAndhAri followed. (To be continued)

[CRama]

(continued)
GG then dwelt upon Vaitheeswaran kovil where the placement of the Garbhagrahams draw a sequel to the SomAskanda Murthy- The sannidhi of MuthukumAraswamy is in between the sannidhis of VaidyanAtha swAmi and BalAmbika. She then sang the kriti Bhajare Re chitha, the MD composition in the ragam KalyAni on the BalAmbika of Vaitheeswaran kovil. This song was decorated with the essential manodharma quotients- raga alApana, and a few bouts of swarams in second kAlam.

GG then took the audience to KAncheepuram where SomAskandamurthy can be seen behind the main idol in the KailasanAtha temple, MAthangeswarar temple. . She sang ChinthayamAkanda moolakandam in Bhairavi on the presiding diety of KAncheepuram. After singing various kritis in praise of Siva and Ambal, Gayathri Girish chose to include one kriti in praise of Murugan - SaravanabhavA in Pasupathipriya, the composition of HMB. She then rendered KailasanAthena Samrakshithoham in the ragam Kambodi on KailAsanAthar. The story of PoosalAr NAyanAr is synonymous with KailAsanAthar temple. RAjasimha Pallavan who constructed the KailAsanAthar temple invited Lord Siva for the KumbhAbhishekam and Siva thought it more appropriate to participate in the KumbhAbhishekam of the the temple built by PoosalAr NAyanAr, a great Sivabhaktha, inside his heart. That is the story behind HridayAleeswarar temple in Thiruninravur. D.Pattammal has composed one song in praise of this NAyanAr. GG rendered this song Thiruninravooril AndaNar kulathil in SankarAbharanam followed by the Sambandhar Thevaram PAyumAl vidai in the same ragam.

After the pilgrimage within Tamil Nadu, GG took the audience to PasupathinAthar temple in Nepal. Siva in this temple has got five faces. MD has composed the song Pasupatheeswaram Pranoumi sathatham in the ragam SivapanthuvarAli. In the charanam of this song, MD has visualised Siva as SomAskandar. The raga prelude to this kriti was rich in bhava stressing on the key prayogams in this ragam which was most enjoyable.

The concert concluded with the Kumaraguruparar verses about SomAskandamurthy- Mallal vaLam kanintha pugazh in a ragamAlika virutham format in the ragams Mohanam, Saveri, TOdi and MadhyamAvathy.

The visuals, lyrics of the songs displayed in the PP with suitable highlights facilitated wholesome enjoyment. This format adopted by GG, with suitable explanations regarding the temples, power point presentations etc has caught the wide patronage of listeners. Access to these details facilitate better enjoyment of the kritis. The lucid explanations coupled with the visuals of temples, Gods, festivals, the music of Gayathri soaked in devotion all synergise well to create a devotional atmosphere wherever she conducts similar programmes. I know of many non concert goers who are very keen to attend her concerts.

The Infosys Hall was almost full and the audience stayed glued to their seats till the end. The theme chosen was vast, but GG managed to present maximum number of songs with related explanations within the allotted time. Her planning needs to be appreciated. The chosen compositions of D.Pattammal were first time renderings by any singer and GG deserves compliments for her penchant to learn new compositions and present them in concerts without referring to any paper. Of course, she has proved this many times during the MYRIAD FORMS OF SIVA. The organiser D.Chandrasekhar, son of D.Pattammal has done a good job for popularising the compositions of his mother. But he has to continue this initiative- for her compositions have not received much entry into the concert platform. The accompanists - Mysore Srikanth on the violin, Poongulam Subramaniam on the Mridangam, Vijayalakshmi on the Veena and Vijayalakshmi on the tampura contributed for the success of this concert. The swara returns on the violin and veena were apt. The thanam in Begada played on the veena was scholarly. Another excellent concert by Gayathri Girish.

[rshankar]

CRama - thank you for yet another great report of what appears to have been a wonderful concert - we were able to vicariously enjoy the concert.

[arasi]

CRama,
Your review matches the hard work that GG puts into these concerts--in details and in descriptions.Thanks!

A few days ago, Gayathri sang in Bengaluru and I missed it The distance and traffic delays deterred me.
Wonder if any forumite did go to her concert.

[VK RAMAN]

Is Smt D Pattammal different from DK Pattammal?

[rajeshnat]

Thank you Crama , I have attended in the past two concerts dedicated to Smt D patammal- one sung by GV and Abhishek.They used to conduct it in vanimahal and now they moved to this hall. With respect to entry of concerts into concert platform, the family have done their best in organizing annual concert- from there only musicians have to sing more .
D pattammal(Pattammal Dandapani)the vagayekkara is indeed different from DK pattammal the vidushi.

[mahavishnu]

Thanks, CRama for your diligent review (as always).
My parents attended this concert and told me that it was excellent.

[Pasupathy]

Here's the Website of D.Pattammal
http://www.dpattammal.com/

You can get some Audio files there too.

[cacm]

D.Pattammal is one of the FEW who has composed in all the 72 melakartha ragas. VKV

[VK RAMAN]

Thanks Pasupathy for the dpattammal website.

[Rsachi]

CRama
What a bbeautiful report. It is not possible for almost anyone to match this type of reporting.

I saw extremely beautiful panchaloha icons of Somaskandar in the Madurai 1000 pillared Hall museum. The icons and their glass cases haven't seen dusting for many years. But the workmanship and beauty is incredible. Photography was not allowed.

Shiva, and his forms and stories are such a wonderful Indian inspiration.

Thank you!

[CRama]

Rajesh, Good to know that the family of D Pattmmal is conducting annual events to promote her music. Somehow it did not catch my attention.

While we are talking about very less of D.Pattammal's music in the concert platform, it is a happy coincidence that the review of a Priya Sisters concert in Bangalore in an adjoining thread mentions their singing of one song of Pattammal- Panniru kayyone in Rishabhapriya- Good. Their Guru TRS popularised this song.

[Rsachi]

Somaskanda!

Happy Shivaratri to all

[CRama]

Rsachi. Wow A wonderful pic of an exquisite piece of art. Is it bronze or panchaloham. Stunningly beautriful piece. Thanks. This made an auspicious start of Sivarathri for me as today I opened rasikas immediately on getting up (Normally I see only after going to office).

This is unique in more aspect. In most of the Somaskandamurthy pics, child Murugan will be sitting in between Siva and Parvathy. But in this piece, child Murugan is standing. In fact, this pic was shown by Gayathri Girish in the relevant episode. A rare piece indeed. And the perfection, workmanship, elegance makes it great. Thanks again.

[Rsachi]

CRama, They call these bronzes but I believe it is invariably panchaloham.
I was lucky to meet master craftsmen in Swamimalai last year.
The pieces in Madurai museum are even more beautiful!