GAYATHRI GIRISH AT KGS ON 3 MAY

[CRama]

Under the on going series of Sadguru Tyagaraja's Sahithyarasanubhava concerts organised by Krishna Gana Sabha, Gayathri Girish presented the concert on 3 May. She was accompanied on the violin by Raghavendra Rao, on the Mridangam by Neyveli Skandasubramaniam, and Guruprasad on the Ghatam. This series is sponsored by the family of Late Obul Reddy to spread the depth on the sahithya bhava of Saint Tyagaraja's compositions. Gayathri Girish had presented one programme earlier also. She is the only musician the organisers have thought it appropriate to invite for presentation for a second time. That itself is a testimony to the sincerity, hardwork she puts in presenting thematic programmes- be it on Muthuswamy Dikshithar, Myriad forms of Siva, Swathi Thirunal orTyagaraja coupled with her consummate communication skills.

List of songs
• Theliyaleru rama bhakthi margamulu - Denuka
• Manavyalakinchara – Nalinakanthi (A)
• Manasuvishaya – Natakurinji (A, S1,S2)
• Santhamuleka Soukhyamuleda – Sama (A)
• Rama eva deivatham Raghukula thilako me-Balahamsa
• Ehi Trijagadeesa- Saranga (A)
• Paramathmudu velige – Vagadheeswari (A,N, S1,S2)
• Guruleka ituvanti - Gowrimanohari
• Telisirama – Poornachandrika
• Gnanamosagarada -Poorvikalyani.(A,N, S2)
• Thathwameruga tarama- Garudadhwani.
• Aanandam Aanandamaayeno -Bhairavi.
(A- RAGA ALAPANA, N-NERAVAL, S1- SWARAS IN FIRST KALAM, S2-SWARAS IN SECOND KALAM)

Among the musical trinity, Tyagaraja's compositions are in simple language, lucid, and his thoughts can be considered sequel to the thoughts of an ordinary mortel. He prays to his Ishta deivam Lord Rama, he talks with him, he begs him for his darshan, sometimes he argues with him and even gets angry with him at times. His compositions do have the felicity to touch the hearts of discerning listeners instantly. His compositions can be viewed from various angles- philosophical content, bhakthi element, nadopasana, divya nama keerthanams, utsava sampradaya keerthanams, operas. etc. Today's programme was a dwell into the Bhakthi margam as shown by Tyagaraja through his various kritis. The programme commenced with Theliyaleru rama bhakthi margamulu in Denuka, an ideal mood setter for the theme of the concert. In this kriti the saint laments about his ajnanam of the bhakthi margam which is needed to attain moksham.

It is pertinent to mention here that Tyagaraja was inspired by Bhakthi margam as defined in the Bhagavat Gita for attaining moksham. Bhakthi can be of two types- Bhaavanaroopa bhakthi and Saadhanaroopa bhakthi. In Chapter 7 of Bhagavat Gita Krishna explains Bhaavanaroopa bhakthi and in Chapter 12 Krishna explains Saadhanaroopa bhakthi. Tyagaraja follows the advice of Krishna through three steps- Karma yogam, Upasana yogam and Gnana yogam. Karma yogam itself are in two ways- Sakaama karmayogam and Nishkaama karmayogam. Sakaama karmayogam is the one in which we do our duty diligently and accept the reward as the reward given by God. This only makes us revolve inside the samsaara saagaram again and again. Tyagaraja, in his kriti Manavyalakinchara in Nalinakanthi prays that he should come out of the Samsaara saagaram. Gayathri Girish sang a filling alapana of this ragam before embarking upon the kriti.

Nishkama karmayogam denotes our actions without any expectation of reward. Do your duty and leave the rest to God. To attain this state of mind, we should free the mind from the shackles of five senses. The following verses from Bhagavat Gita was presented

yagna dAna tapah karma na tyAjyam kAryam Evatat |
yagnO dAnam tapaschaiva pAvanAni manIshiNAm || (Chapter 18- Sloka 5)

The kriti Manasuvishaya in Natakurinji was chosen where Tyagaraja pleads Lord to free his mind from the chain of five senses. The expansive raga alapana sprinkled with the right nadaswara pidis and elaborate swaras in both the kalams added weight to the song. This song is rarely heard in concert platforms and I loved this song.

Another quality required for the mind to get freed from the five senses is quietitude- or tranquility. GG rendered Santhamuleka Soukhyamuleda in ragam Sama, the sublime creation, at a stately pace, studded with telling details making a moving case for ruminations. The meditative alapana of Sama brought tranquility to the atmosphere. At this point, GG mentioned that the unique calibre of Tyagaraja lies in the choice of appropriate ragams to convey the bhava embedded in the kritis.

After Karmayogam, the next step is Upasanayogam- meditation necessary for spiritual growth. Gita prescribes Ekaroopa upasana – ishta devata dhyanam. The following verses from Bhagavat Gita confirms this.

YO yO yAm yAm tanum bhaktaha shraddhayArcitum icchati |
tasya tasyAcalAm shraddhAm tAmEva viddhAmyaham || (Chapter 7- Sloka 21)

For Tyagaraja, his ishta deivam is obvious- Sree Rama only. There are innumerable songs that can fill this spot- GG rendered a very rare song from the Divyanama keerthanam- Rama eva deivatham Raghukula thilako me- in a melting Balahamsa. I was hearing this song for the first time. What a delight to hear this song. (To be continued)

[CRama]

(continued)
The next step in Upasanayogam is Viswaroopa Iswra dhyanam. This entails expansion of the mind to understand that everything in this world is the manifestation of God only. The verses from Bhagavat Gita reads as under.

sarvataha pANi pAdam tat sarvatOkshi shirOmukham |
sarvataha srutimallOkE sarvamAvrutya tishTati || (Chapter 13- Sloka 14)

Tyagaraja has composed many group kritis on Siva, Ambal etc. But, all Gods - Siva, Vishnu, Ambal - all are Rama swaroopam only as for as Tyagaraja was concerned. In this context, GG rendered another rare song Ehi Trijagadeesa in Saranga on the Panchanadeeswarar of Tiruvayar. Tha alapana of Saranga, with its poignant glides and jarus was most enjoyable.

To Tyagaraja, agni, vayu, jalam, pridhvi, animals, birds all are Rama only This is best reflected in the composition Paramathmudu velige in Vagadheeswari. GG’s elaborate alapana of this ragam did flow in the right pace and each swara unfurled the grandeur of the ragam in a very scholarly manner. What a composition. One can just revel in the overall sonorous nature of the presentation without trying to seek anything beyond that. An icing on the cake was the neraval at Hariyata harudata Surulata narulata Akhilandakotulalo Andarilo Paramathumudu velige. The neraval with appropriate lyrical intonation with impeccable accuracy in every phrase and culminating in swarams in two kalams took us to a higher plane. .
After Upasanayogam the next step is Gnanayogam. Here a Guru is required to lead us to the next stage of attaining Nirgunabrahmam. The verse in Gita says.

tat viddhi praNipAtEna pariprashnEna sEvayA |
upadEkshyanti tE gnAnam gnAninaha tatvadarshinaha || (Chapter 4- Sloka 34)

Tyagaraja extols the greatness of Guru in his kriti Guruleka ituvanti in Gowrimanohari which shone like a polished diamond. For Tyagaraja, Rama is the ultimate- the Nirgunabrahmam. This is well dealt in the kriti Telisirama in Poornachandrika

Tyagaraja begs Rama to give Advaita gnanam. This is conveyed in the kriti Gnanamosagarada in Poorvikalyani. With an ascetic approach GG explored Poorvikalyani on a vast canvas, revealing its enormous breadth and shape to the appreciation and acknowledgement of the discerning audience. She appropriately chose the lines Paramathmudu Jeevathmudu Pathunaluku lokamulu Narakinnara kimpurushudu Naradadi munulu for a detailed exploration and ornamented with liberal doses of swaras which had very nice patterns and interesting combinations.

Tyagaraja reinforces his firm conviction that Rama is Tat thwam asi in the song Thathwameruga tharama in Garudadhwani.

Traversing in the path of Bhakthi margam as shown by Lord Krishna in Bhagavat Gita, Tyagaraja in the end realised Nirgunabrahmam which he declared in the Divyanama keerthanam Aanandam Aanandamayeno Brahmananda Nityananda Sadananda Paramananda in the ragam Bhairavi . The song has a lilting tune which is a first time hearing for me.

The theme was unique in the sense that Bhakthi margam of Tyagaraja is rarely discussed. A thematic concert of Tyagaraja normally will dwell upon his devotion to Rama, Utsavasampradayam, etc. But the subject chosen by GG for thematic presentation is out of the box and as usual, she had done more than full justice to the topic selected. The proper selection of songs, some of them rare, erudition, going into the depth of the thought process of Tyagaraja and decorating with essential manodharma quotients all deserve big laurels. The audience, sizeable in number, enjoyed the concert fully. The accompanists played their part with utmost zeal, but never intruding in the flow of the thematic presentation. The raga alapanas and swara exchanges of Raghavendra Rao were commendable. The percussion team added colour to the concert, but they politely skipped thani. Thanks to KGS and family of Obul Reddy for organising this programme.

[rshankar]

And thanks to CRama for bringing it so vividly for us.
Kudos to Smt. Gayathri for he continued excellence. I was wondering what next after the Myriad firms of Siva, and this seems to be a more than fitting response.