varnams in Tamil

[sung]

Does the term "Tamil padangal" mean varnams in Tamil? If not, what does it mean, and what is the term for "varnams in Tamil"?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[rshankar]

This may be too simplistic (and a bit 'duh'), but I think padangaL should mean what it says - padams in tamizh (like 'aduvum solluvAL, anEkam solluvAL' etc.).

varNams in tamizh should be 'tamizh varNangaL'

[sung]

I had asked a friend going to Chennai to buy a book on Tamil varnams. The music store person gave a book titled Tamil Padangal by Hariharan and Gowri Kuppuswamy. Hence my question.

Does anyone know of any book on Tamil varnams? If so, can you give me the reference(s)? Thanks

[Lakshman]

There is a book by Rukmini Sivakumar titled Isai Tamizh Varnangal (72 Melakarta varnangal). Should be available from Karnatic Music Book Centre, 23A Sripuram 1st Street, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014.
You can contact her through: Email ID: [email protected] Mobile No: 9962303217 (chennai)

[Pasupathy]

If one collects varNam-s from Tamil composers like Tiger Varadachariyar, Papanasam Sivan , Lalgudi Jayaraman, T M Thyagarajan , ( to name a few whose Tamil varNam-s I have heard ), one can end up with a good selection of Tamil varNam-s. Perhaps because of copyright-issues resting with different persons, no one book may have been published like the above.

Also Madurai N.Krishnan, who composed for dance, has composed about 25 varNam-s.... I think that some, if not most, of them will be in Tamil.

[vasanthakokilam]

Thanks Lakshman. "72 melakartha varnangal". Wow, that is something indeed.

pasupathy: I was thinking the same thing about the tamil nAtya varnams. Some of my all time favorite songs, let alone just varnams, are such varnams in tamil. Melody and rhythmic compositions of the highest order combined with lyrics contributing to the emotional expression of the subject matter as a unified whole like nothing else out there. Interestingly, they manage to convey all that even outside of a dance performance.

I find it interesting that the puritanical orthodoxy that typically chokes concert CM into a narrow field of expression did not have their influence in dance. Thank goodness for that.

[Pasupathy]

vasanthakokilam:

You may like to read the interview with Madurai N. Krishnan, Ariyakkudi's disciple.
http://carnatica.in/special/maduraikrishnan.htm

His compositions for dance are available in the form of a book and
an audio double cassette, 'Madura Margam'.

[Lakshman]

I have the lyrics of most of the varNas that are available in print if anyone is specifically interested in any.of them

[Pasupathy]

A list of names of composers and the no. of Tamil varNam-s they have composed may inspire some musicians to learn and sing some of them. Perhaps someone may even bring out a book .

[sung]

I have the lyrics of most of the varNas that are available in print if anyone is specifically interested in any.of them

I am sorry, Lakshman, that I did not have an opportunity to check the forum for a while. I just checked. Thank you for your response.

If you have the swaras also, I am very interested in getting the lyrics and the swaras for the varNas from you. Please let me know. I am also going to contact the store about the book you have mentioned in a previous post. Thanks a lot again.