T M Krishna and Sangeetha Sivakumar - Samyoga - Feb 14, 2016 (Ranjani Fine Arts, 4th Annual Festival)

[dipukaruthedam]

Violin: H N Bhaskar
Mrudangam: K Arunprakash
Khanjira: B S Purushotham

Venue: New Horizon College Auditorium

[ A more accurate and detailed list by badari is present in a post further below. Please check that!]

1. Enthuku Nirdaya - Harikamboji (O,N,S)
2. Ni Matalu Mayamura - PoorviKalyani (A,t,S)
3. Amba Kamakshi (Swarajati) - YadukulaKamboji (A)
4. Vrutham - Pullaaki Poodaay - Thodi (A), Varali, few others
Followed by Maadu Vazhi Maraithirukkuthe - Thodi (N,S,T)
- Tani was very short
5. RTP - Panthuvarali - "Manam Mayanginen Pavayin Parvayai Parthathum"
- Ragamalika Swaras in ? , Sahana, SindhuBhairavi
- Tanam mainly by HN Bhaskar only
6. Baro Krishnaiyya - Ragamalika
7. Dhava Vibho - YamanKalyani

- As my knowledge of Ragas is limited, list is open to corrections. I also have left few question marks which I hope someone else can fill in!
- Someone with experience can add more "review" part

[kvchellappa]

It is somewhat on the format that is un-aesthetic.
How was the concert?

[hnbhagavan]

Sri Chellappa,

Looks like the order is much better than what was dished out at Bangalore Gayana Samaja on Feb 9.

[kvchellappa]

Yes. It is on the format he has touted as unnatural and restrictive.

[badari]

Complete List is here..
-----------------------

01) Enduku Nirdaya - Harikambhoji (o, N @ Dharalo Neevai, S @ Uduta Bhakti, 2nd speed S @ Enduku Nirdaya)

02) Nee Matalemayanura - Purvikalyani (tanam, S)

03) Amba Kamakshi - YadukulakAmbhOji (R)

04) Alapana - Todi, continued as Viruttam (Pullagi Poondai) in Todi, Nata, Varali, Natakurinji, Desh, Todi)

Vazhi Maraitthu Irukkudu - Todi (N @ Utru Parrkave, S, T)

05) RTP - Pantuvarali (Manam Mayanginen, Paavayin Paarvaiyai Parthadum) - Adi
rAgamALika swaras in - Kapi, Sahana, SindhuBhairavi
Mini tani

06) Baro Krishnayya - RAgamAlika

07) Dhaava Vibho - YamunaKalyani
drifted into .... Mangalam Kosalensraya

[arasi]

nI mATalE mAyamurA

A rare chance it would have been, hearing the musical pair together. Wonder how they apportioned their singing.

The romantic pallavi line--I would think TMK sang it, the line addressing the object of a man's love--Valentine's Day and all (and how Indian youths have taken to it, more whole 'heart'edly than their western counterparts!).

[kvchellappa]

""புல்லாகி, பூண்டாகி, புழுவாகி, மரமாகி
பல்விருகமாகி பறவையாய், பாம்பாய்
கல்லாய்,மனிதராய், பேயாய், கணங்களாய்
வல் அசுரராகி செல்லா நின்ற இத் தாவர சங்கமத்துள்
எல்லா பிறப்பும் பிறந்து இளைத்தேன்'' என்கிறார் மாணிக்கவாசகர்.

[arasi]

Thank you Chellappa.

How beautiful!
Strange, in the KavidaigaL thread, Ponbhairavi's poem and the response have something to do with this!

[arasi]

A rough tranlation of this gem:

As grass, vegetation, worm, tree,
Animals, bird, snake,
Stone, man, demons,
Mighty anti-celestials,
In the eternal scheme of living
And non living things--I was born,
Now worn, by endless rebirths...

[dipukaruthedam]

A rare chance it would have been, hearing the musical pair together. Wonder how they apportioned their singing.

Thought is was typical. Kritis were sung (mostly) together. Others parts were shared "somewhat equally". Some items were started by TMK, some by Sangeetha. Overall, the tempo was slow (Swarajati, Thodi Kriti, Dhava Vibho being slowest).

[arasi]

Ah, then TMK would have sung the pallavi line.

And yes, their singing mode sounds like a regular duo concert (the one singing couple which comes to mind is Anuradha and Parasuram).

[kvchellappa]

The two have sung on several occasions. But, it may not be comparable to Anuradha jodi or Binny jodi.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

What was the sruti (pitch)? It must have been lower than TMK 's usual to accommodate Sangeetha.
I have not listened to the combination.

[badari]

I suppose it should be around G or G# where men can sing in lower octave

[Jigyaasa]

""புல்லாகி, பூண்டாகி, புழுவாகி, மரமாகி
பல்விருகமாகி பறவையாய், பாம்பாய்
கல்லாய்,மனிதராய், பேயாய், கணங்களாய்
வல் அசுரராகி செல்லா நின்ற இத் தாவர சங்கமத்துள்
எல்லா பிறப்பும் பிறந்து இளைத்தேன்'' என்கிறார் மாணிக்கவாசகர்.

So I noticed that கல் is the only inanimate in this list... Any insights?

[rshankar]

So I noticed that கல் is the only inanimate in this list... Any insights?

It may be along the lines of Sri OVK who moved from pul to kal - along the lines of 'pullAgunum neDu nAL nillAdu, AdalinAl oru siRu kallAi piRavi tara vENDum' perhaps???

[Jigyaasa]

The rhyme sounds nice but how can one be 'born' as a stone?

[arasi]

kallinuL tErai?

[kvchellappa]

Kal stands for Acharam, inanimate. God is in characharam. Agalikai was turned to stone by curse. Atma means all-pervasive. So, there is a possibility that a jiva is petrified in the course of its journey through samsara. The thought of jiva assuming the inanimate forms occurs both in philosophy and purana.

[rshankar]

For people unfamiliar with tamizh, agalikai = ahalyA

[hnbhagavan]

Aptly sung by the duo on Valentine's day!

[Sivaramakrishnan]

I suppose it should be around G or G# where men can sing in lower octave

I think only a 'thaggu kattai' Mridangam must have been used. H kattai ('female' pitch) might rob off the impact of the male voice!

[Ponbhairavi]

My guess on Manivachagar ś verses:
1- மரம் is also an inanimate ( that which does not move, ) object but is has a life
2- My hypothesis is that the line three may be taken as a scale of qualitative evolution process among" humans¨
கல் -those who have no compassion or sympathy ( no feelings ) to fellow beings ( உன் மனம் என்ன கல்லா )
மனிதராய் : average humans with good and bad.( meant for perpetuation of the species.)
பேயாய் :those who have not normally finished their life but who take revenge on those living by doing nothing but harm
.கணங்களாய் ;beings with great powers at the service of Gods.
அசுரராய் ; beings with great powers who oppose gods but whom gods themselves come as avatars to neutralize and take with them.
Too far fetched ?

[kssr]

In general, the poetry of Naayanmaars and Aazhwars should not be dissected too much. It is an outpouring of emotions to the lord. This song talks about the various janmaas a life takes, before attaining enlightenment and merges with the Supreme.

There are definitely many seyyuLs which are highly philosophical and can be analysed.

Thiru gnana sambandar, gets enlightened at the age of 3 after being breast fed by Parvathi herself (as the story goes) and starts with "Thodudaya Seviyan". It means that Siva is wearing a thodu, which is an ornament of women. Krupaananda vaariar, said that , Sambandar first saw that half of Siva which was Parvati and she was wearing a thodu and hence the song. Amazing interpretations of literature.

Nammazhwar's beginning 100 songs or so starting with "Uyarvara uyar nalam udayavan yeven- Avan" are highly philosophical and supposed to be Vedas itself in Tamil.

[rshankar]

Not breast fed by pArvati - just fed gnyAna pAl, IIRC.
Isn't she uNNAmulai - apitakucAmbA?

[kssr]

The following is a quote from Wikipidea on Tevaaram : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tevaram

"ThiruGnaanaSambanthar is a 7th-century Holy Guru Paramaachariyaar(The great Teacher) born in SeeKaazhi, now wrongly called as Sirkali in Brahmin community and was believed to be breastfed by the goddess Parvathi, whereupon he sang the first hymn."

I do not think that the idea of Gnana paal means it is from a bottle. It is a divine way of saying the obvious.

[rshankar]

Just because it's in Wikipedia doesn't make it right - it's an unedited, unverified environment for the most part

[kvchellappa]

From Periyapuranam translated by Durgadas S K Swamy:
உமையம்மையார் .. முலைப்பாலைப் பொற்கிண்ணத்தில் கறந்து ... பிள்ளையின்.. கையில் பொற்கிண்ணத்தைக் கொடுத்து .. ஊட்டவே ..

[rshankar]

Thank you!
It must have been the first recorded instance of EBM (expressed breast-milk) - something many a working mother is familiar with these days!
In any case, she clearly remains uNNAmulai!