N.C. Vasanthakokilam

[Pratyaksham Bala]

.
A SPRING IN MEMORY: THE VASANTHAKOKILAM CONNECTION

written by Shri Ramachandran,
son of Vasanthakokilam's brother.

https://hamletram.blogspot.com/2014/02/ ... kilam.html

[Pratyaksham Bala]

.
‘vANi aruL purivAi’ by N C Vasanthakokilam
in Tamil Movie ‘Gangavathar’ 1942
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cgaS12YTLUvANI

Lyrics:-

P:
vANi aruL purivAi – kalai
aNikulavENI malarayan rANi uyar - kalai

AP:
pEnip-pugazhum pAvanark-karuLum sukha pANi
surar tozhum purANi sharaNam - kalai

C:
vINA pustaka dhAriNi pUraNi vidyA rUpiNi dukkha nivAraNi
kANEn unaiyaladOr tuNai
bhArati karuNAkari ennaik-kAttaruL – kalai

[rshankar]

Lyrics:-

P:
vANi aruL purivAi – kalai
aNikulavENI malarayan rANi uyar - kalai

AP:
pEnip-pugazhum pAvanark-karuLum sukha pANi
surar tozhum purANi sharaNam - kalai

C:
vINA pustaka dhAriNi pUraNi vidyA rUpiNi dukkha nivAraNi
kANEn unaiyaladOr tuNai
bhArati karuNAkari ennaik-kAttaruL – kalai

Thank you for posting. Even with the distortions of a poor recording, it is lovely. Of course it makes deciphering some words tough....

What does aNikulavENi (அணிகுல) mean? Or should it be aNikalavENi (அணிகல)? aNikalam is jewelry, so aNikalavENi could mean a braid decorated with jewelry such as rAkoDi, jaDai villai, jaDai nAgam etc.....

And she seems to sing the word in red in the anupallavi as pAvAnark-karuLum....again, no idea what that word means.

And finally, I think it is not sukha pANi, but Suka pANi (शुक पाणि) - an arm/hand holding a parrot (Suka). Typically, pArvati is depicted and described as Suka pANi, but I think that is the imagery used here, because sukha pANi (सुख पाणि) doesn't seem to make sense.

[Pratyaksham Bala]

What does aNikulavENi (அணிகுல) mean? Or should it be aNikalavENi (அணிகல)? aNikalam is jewelry, so aNikalavENi could mean a braid decorated with jewelry such as rAkoDi, jaDai villai, jaDai nAgam etc. ...

Thanks for raising the point.

It should be aLikulavENi !
This expression appears in the kriti 'A dinamuninci pogaDi' by Shama Shastri.

In 'Syama krishna vaibhavam' @vgovindan gives the meaning to this expression :-

"அளிகுலம் - வண்டுக் கூட்டம்
அளிகுல வேணி - கருங்குழலி

'அளி, குல, வேணி' ஆகிய மூன்று சொற்களுமே, தமிழில் தற்சமமாக பயன்படுத்தப்படுகின்றன. தமிழ் அகராதி -
அளி மற்றும்
வேணி நோக்கவும்.

'அளிகுல வேணி' என்பதற்கு 'வண்டுகள் (நிகர்) குழலி' என்று பொருள். அதற்கு, 'கருங்குழலி' என்று விளக்கம் கொடுத்துள்ளேன். ... ...

வணக்கம்,
கோவிந்தன் "

http://syamakrishnavaibhavam-tamil.blog ... iravi.html

And she seems to sing the word in red in the anupallavi as pAvAnark-karuLum....again, no idea what that word means.

Yes, it is 'pAvAnark-karuLum'.

பாவாணர் means பாவலர், கவிஞர், poet(s)
பாவாணர்க்கருளும் = பாவாணர்க்கு அருளும்

And finally, I think it is not sukha pANi, but Suka pANi (शुक पाणि) - an arm/hand holding a parrot (Suka). Typically, pArvati is depicted and described as Suka pANi, but I think that is the imagery used here, because sukha pANi (सुख पाणि) doesn't seem to make sense.

Thanks, again !
Yes, it is 'shuka pANi' शुक पाणि, and not as mentioned by me.

[rshankar]

Thank you for those explanations!
aLikula vENi makes a lot of sense. Same as vaNDArkuzhali, or varALi vENi....

[arasi]

Nice to read this!

ANikula vENi also can be explained thus: kulam, sort, aNi kulam, a group of jewels, like jaDavillai, rAkkoDi, jaDai nAgam, etc

pAvalarkaruLum is just perfect when it comes to saraswathi.

[RSR]

TAMIL (G)OLD--Anbana thozhan en aaruyir kannan(vMv)--VENUGHANAM
(VVSADAGOPAN AND NV.VASANTHAKOKILAM FILM)-1940

https://youtu.be/D7zgJ6Sz4Wo

[RSR]

YARO VANTHENAI AASAI KAATTI , MARANTHAAR
Lyrics by Suddhanandha Bharathi
-----
Old Gems by Saregama
https://youtu.be/pSBZ5YXXSnk
---
ATAANAA RAGAM
N.C.VASANTHAKOKILAM

[RSR]

enathu manam thuLLi viLaiyaaduthe
-----
N.C.Vasanthakokilam song in HARIDAS film ( 1944)
( recorded for the film- but may not have been shown in the film)
---------------------
https://youtu.be/_5H96hirBs0
--------
@Lakshman

[RSR]

a rare recording- about 30 minutes
Thyagaraja Kruthi in Todi
rendered by Smt.N.C.Vasanthakokilam
( pre 1950 )
Thyagaraja Swami's guidance
emi jesitenemi
-----------------------------
https://sites.google.com/site/ncvasanth ... thyagaraja
-----------------
Gist
https://thyagaraja-vaibhavam.blogspot.c ... -raga.html
Whatever one might accomplish in this World, what difference does it make if he does not have the grace of Lord SrI rAma?

Having become slaves to desire, delusion etc., those who do not know the commandment of SrI rAma, whatever they might accomplish in this World, what difference does it make?

Of what avail -
whether one performs daily or sacrificial oblations or
whether one is blessed with son for inheriting wealth or
whether one adopts another’s son in this World or

whether one builds (multi) storeyed house or
whether, in there, he lights up with a pair of lanterns or
whether one knows to flatter women or

whether one attains comforts of this World or
whether one provides jewellery to his wife or
whether one knows amorous sports or

whether one rules a kingdom or
whether one becomes worthy of worship among a lot of people or
whether one gives sumptuous feast with abundant flow of ghee or

whether one becomes a preceptor or
whether one’s body appears splendid to look at or
whether one initiates others in sacred syllables?


Those who do not have the grace of sacred SrI rAma -
who causes auspiciousness,
the peerless One,
the Lotus Eyed,
who is worshipful,
praised by this tyAgarAja -

whatever they might accomplish in this World, what difference does it make?

[SrinathK]

Vidwan Sri. K S Kalidas has been uploading many rare collections on his YouTube Channel. Here's a 2 hour NCV compilation.

https://youtu.be/VnoXbih1edI

[RSR]

reg -p-161
---
Visited the link.
https://sites.google.com/ncvasanthakokilam
has more songs with lyrics too.

[SrinathK]

It is rare also to find full length recordings of NCV. But here's an absolutely remarkable tODi.

https://youtu.be/o1ZzjTmx7tI - Emi jEsitE nEmi, Thyagaraja Swamigal

If you've only heard the short plate recordings, you would, like me, be in for quite a surprise. In detailed manodharma also, NCV was peerless.

Of course, RSR's collection of NCV is one of a kind.

[RSR]

reg p-163

Thanks for giving the URL to Sri.Raju Asokan upload in youtube.
--------------
I made a typo.in my previous post (left out /site/)
https://sites.google.com/site/ncvasanthakokilam

As I could not find utube link then, I created an mp4 from the clip provided by Varsha_ji and placed it the above site. It is working.
(look for p-43 there)

https://sites.google.com/site/ncvasanth ... thyagaraja
-------
Sri.Vasudevan can be requested to create a similar utube upload with the Thyagaraja Swami and MD kruthis only. There are about 7 such kruthis in my site. .

[RSR]

https://youtu.be/ox2FGR5_k00
---
A song from the 1946 film 'Valmiki' in which Smt.NCV acted as Sage Naradhar.
Uploaded by uksharma3
Lyrics by Papanasam Sivan
Actually it is a song in Sanskrit!
--

ஜய ஜய புவனபதே பாலய"
ராகம்: ஆபேரி
பாடியவர்: என். சி. வசந்தகோகிலம்
இயற்றியவர்: பாபநாசம் சிவன்
திரைப்படம்: வால்மீகி
வெளியான நாள்: 13 ஏப்ரல் 1946

[RSR]

enakku un iru padham , Ninaikka varam aruLvaay-sri
raamachandra' ---by
N.C.Vasanthakokilam
https://youtu.be/mwsBCBJ5m40
---
A rare rare find . 78 rpm record - sometime in mid-1940's
uploaded by 'serpent-emigre'
This raagamaalika tuned (by whom?) lyrics by aruNaachalakkavi, seems to have been very popular in pre-1950 years. The first to give the plate was MS S in 1935 itself, the NCV record must have been given around 1945 and the DKP record as title music in AVM Ramarajyam 1947.

[arasi]

RSR,
If I am not mistaken, the DKP version was the most familiar one--may be because it was sung for a film.

[RSR]

P-167
@arasi madam,
Yes. Recently, I did a poll among people of post-1980 generation, without much exposure to CM, and the unanimous verdict was that DKP version is the best. There is something special in her voice and rendering , even when singing in films, that has the least 'filmy' frills.

[arasi]

Interesting. I wonder what those who have been exposed to CM would say

[Lakshman]

Here is an article written by NCV's nephew.

https://hamletram.blogspot.com/2014/02/ ... kilam.html

[RSR]

Thanks to @nAdopAsaka
https://youtu.be/9u-wmo0fdZc
sive paahi maam
Thyagaraja Swami
N.C.VASANTHAKOKILAM
===================
uploaded by Vintage Voices Of South India

==
<quote>
This is a very rare disc of the great vidushi singing a melodious and sweet kalyani that can melt people's hearts. This beautifully rendered thyagaraja krithi is first started with an alapana followed by neraval, kalapana swaram and thani avarathnam making this record as a complete set. According to me, NCV's carnatic songs are of great value and is almost equal to Veena Dhanam's music. Her crystal clear pronounciation adds more beauty to this song. Her records are always a hit, but unfortunately she did not enjoy the fruits of her decades of hardwork as she died at a young age, but thankfully at the peak of her career. Listen and enjoy to this mesmerizing rendition on Sive Pahimam. Happy Listening! I am really grateful to Sunny Mathew sir for archiving such rare records and bringing them to the public. There is no commercial intent or intent to infringe on copyright in sharing these recordings. These recordings are only uploaded so that it is available for everyone.
</quote>

[cienu]

https://youtu.be/Od20qYFQyFc?si=iCPjm9mk2QZ1SdWB

[sam]

Let us hear some gems from NCV.
..
"N. C. Vasanthakokilam
- Ananda naTanam ADinAL -
kAmbOji -
Suddhananda Bharati"
..
https://youtu.be/l49efMC_yFs?si=uCXBUVBKVJIQLujs.
...

[sam]

ncv-vinayaka-vegavahini
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo2RTdn8m8k

[sam]

Two of the very best songs rendered by NCVasanthakokilam.
Both are by Muthuswami Dikshitar.
..
Maaye thvam yaahi
Tarangini raagam

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwm19l ... 3524XkhvmQ

2
Saarasa dhala Nayanaa
Kamaaj
.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwm19l ... vjs9qVQvsA

[sam]

Watch "Rare songs of NC Vasanthakokilam | Carnatic Audio Jukebox" on YouTube
.
https://youtu.be/S1CkdJ9w9KY?si=0M0LKbTBvNjwd4Lr.
.

Tracks :
00:00​ Yen Palli Kondeeraya
06:18​ Aanantha Natanam

12:45​ Saarasadhala Nayanakhamas
16:09​ Maayethvamyaahi