Varalakshmi Anandkumar @ Narada Gana Sabha 18 th May 2010

[jagan]

To learn the krithis from the Vaggeyakkara himself is a great boon. When you pass it on to your disciples you ensure that their authenticity is preserved at least for one more generation. Sri DK Jayaraman, had during his lifetime diligently sought out Vaggeyakaras like Papanasam Sivan and Thanjavur Sankara Iyer and learnt their compositions directly from them. Besides popularising these songs during his lifetime, he has done a great service to posterity by teaching them to his disciples. Ofcourse. Madurai Mani Iyer had played a great part in immortalizing the songs of Sivan.on Kapali.

Narada Gana Sabha and Papanasam Sivan Rasigar Sangam did well in choosing Smt Varalakshmi Anandkumar , a disciple of D K J ,to present a concert exclusively of the songs of Sivan. She was accompanied by Anaiyampatti Venkatasubramanian and Nellai Balaji
.
The draw of Sivan is such that there was a sizeable attendance, despite a light drizzle and warning about an impending cyclone..

She presented the following songs:-
1. Neeye Pedhai Mugam Paarayel (Varnam) - Panthuvarali
2. Tatvam Ariya tharama - Reethigowlai
3. Kapali- Mohanam
4. Siva Kamasundari - Mukhari
5 .Enadu Manam - Harikambhoji
6. Andavane- Shanmukhapriya- Rupakam
7. Samikku Sarievare - Kedara Gowlai - M.Chapu
8. Kaanakkann Kodi - Kambhoji -
9 Thamasama - Kunthalavarali
Mangalam – Suruti

With her deep husky voice in fine trim, moving easily through the octaves, and with characteristic gusto reminiscent of her Guru, she gave an inspired performance .

.Her rendering of the krithis were marked by clarity and emotional intensity. Raga elaborations of Mukhari,and Shanmughapriya were on the well treaded royal path. It was rather audacious on her part to sing Kambodhi immediately after Kedaragowla. But she managed it with assurance. Besides the stirring nadaswara pidis in the higher ranges, her sancharas in the lower register of Kambodhi were brought out the majesty of the grand vocal tradition. The neraval at Manickam Vairam took you to the halcyon days of Madurai Mani Iyer at Kapali Temple. Progressive conceptualization of kalpana swaras in cascades of single and half avartta swaras testified to her manodharma..
Both Anaiyampatti Venkatasubramanian and Nellai Balaji with his ever smiling happy face, were totally in sync with the mood and style of the main artiste. Their enjoyment of the music was reflected in their knowledgeable support and contributed greatly to the success of the concert.
Sung with enjoyment and listened to with pleasure.

[rshankar]

Jagan - what a lovely list! Thanks for reviewing. Any idea if the concert was recorded? I have not heard the varNam - sounds like a padavarNam...

[arasi]

Thanks, Jagan! Wish you would write more reviews. Still waiting to hear Varalakshmi Nandakumar, hopefully I will, during the coming season.
Haven't heard this varNam before. How many varNams has PS composed?
'enadu manam' comes round again, and I'm still addled about the first line! If someone happens to read this knows Rukmani Ramani or Ashok Ramani, please do me the favor of asking them as to how they have heard PS sing it. Better still, ask them why it is usually sung as 'enadu manam kavalai enum iruL SUzhndAl' instead of 'enadu manadil' kavalai enum iruL SuzhndAl' (which makes sense). Was it a printer's devil which led to this practise?
Surely, the great PS would not have written it so.
Sorry for bringing this up again. To make it all a bit more clear:
evariDam muRaiyiDuvEn?
kavalai enum iruL SUzhndAl evariDam muRaiyiDuvEn?
enadu 'manadil' kavalai enum iruL sUzhndAl evariDam muRaiyiDuvEn?
Just like:
evariDam kETpEn?
taNNIr illaiyenRAl, evariDam kETPEn?
enadu vITTil taNNIr illai enRAl, evariDam kETPEn?
and not--enadu vIDu taNNIr illaiyenRAl evariDam kETpEn?
Now, another slant: kavalai enum iruL sUZhndAl, enadu manam evariDam muRaiyiDum? (nAn) evariDam muRaiyiDuvEn?
Apologies for digressing, but I've asked this question few times in the past few years (particularly in the Sahitya Section) and those who know more tamizh than I do haven't answered this question yet
Still hold the view that a printer's devil started it all. The thing is, it's a song I love to listen to!

[mahakavi]

.......poetic license?
Sounds familiar?

[arasi]

Come, come, Mahakavi.
Call it silly finickiness on my part. I am kind of familiar with poetic license, but this one does not strike me as one. Okay, call me peculiar vvv

[mahakavi]

I mean it, arasi.
Some examples: nEram = time. muzhu nErattuDan IDupaDavENDum = you have to indulge in it on a continuing basis spending a lot of time.
Now some people may say "nEamuDan" instead of "nErattuDan". Do you disagree with that usage?

In scientific articles when we submit titles, many times we put two nouns together although the second noun calls for an adjective preceding it.
Example: Gene Duplication causes abnormality..........
Technically you have to say "Gene's duplication...". But it is permitted by the editors to use "Gene Duplication"

In the case at hand, "enadu manam kavalai enum iruL sUzhndAl evariDam (pOy) muRaiyiDuvEn", I can reckon "enadu manam kavalai enum iruL(Al) sUzhndirukkaiyil nAn evariDam senRu muRaiyiDuvEn?"
My mind is enveloped by worries. In that situation to whom can I go and appeal?

Well, I know you are still finicky. To whom can you go and appeal?

[kmrasika]

Mangalam – Suruti

Were the words, "śrī rāma jaya maṅgaḷam"?

[arasi]

evariDam muRaiyiDuvEn? 'anda 'mahAkavi inRirundAl, avaniDam

[mahakavi]

Even the original MahAkavi took liberties with his words. So he would say, "patience, my dear; I myself have indulged in such excursions from the norm"

[mahakavi]

If I remember right, we have discussed the same issue way back. I opined there is a difference between "manam" being occupied in which case one has to say "manattil kavalai kuDi pugundAl" versus manam being surrounded (sUzhndAl) where you can say "manam ( viz., manadaik) kavalai enum iruL sUzhndAl". In the former case it is internal occupation and in the latter it is external envelope.

[arasi]

Let me show some consideration to Varalakshmi Nandakumar--she has heard enough of the bee buzzing in my bonnet--oh, others too
Yes, enough of this and let me go look in my writing for all the poetic license I have taken

[Lakshman]

arasi: Here are the varNas by P.Shivan.

tanjam enrAlE-AbhOgi-Adi
nI inda mAyam seidAl-dhanyAsi-Adi
svAmi undan caraNam-bilahari-Adi
svAmi nI manamirangi (pv)-shrIranjani-Adi
mAyam EdO svAmi (pv)-mAyAmALavagauLa-Adi
nIyE pEdai mukham-kAmavardhani-Adi
svAmi nAn unran aDimai (pv)-nATakuranji-Adi
unnai ninaindu urugi (pv)-dEvamanOhari-Adi
svAmi unnai sadA-Arabhi-Adi

[arasi]

Thanks, Hanuman-uh, Lakshman! I am familiar with a few of them but did not know they were his.
You are really like vAyu putran in coming to our aid with speed.
Hope you had a nice vacation I am adding this to let people know why there were not express deliveries from you in a while. Bless you!