Saturday, 16 April 2016

An essay on Papanasam Sivan

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to listen to a lec-dem by Gayatri Girish and Dr Radha Bhaskar. The topic was Papanasam Sivan's compositions. It was an eye-opener and in two hours, we got a peek into Sivan's greatness. I jotted down a few points during the program. This is a breezy essay based on what I recall. Errors if any....are entirely mine!
 

Sivan- Tamil Tyagayya:

 
The Trinity occupy a pride of place in Karnatic Music. Their contribution is so immense, that every composer is classified as either belonging to the "pre-Trinity era" or the "post-Trinity era". Amongst the post Trinity composers, Papanasam Sivan reigns as one of the most prolific composers.
 
Fondly, he is called "Tamil Tyagayya". It's as if Tyagaraja was reborn to compose....this time in Tamil. We have about 500-odd compositions of Papanasam Sivan. Of these, about 50 are in Sanskrit and some in "mani-pravaalam" (combination of languages) and the rest, entirely in Tamil.
 
Papanasam Sivan modeled himself after Tyagaraja. Like Tyagaraja, most of the compositions are in "madhyama kaala" (middle-tempo in terms of speed). The kritis are brisk and energetic- a technique which Tyagaraja perfected to ensure that the listener's attention doesn't waver.
 
Like Tyagaraja, most of the kritis are personal in nature. It's as if his personal outpourings in a variety of moods, took the shape of these songs. The colloquial, conversational style of language also stands out in his compositions, much like Tyagaraja.
 
Sivan deviated from Tyagaraja on one point. In Tyagaraja's compositions, we often see a repetition in tune- the tune which he uses in the anu-pallavi is borrowed in the charanam. We don't see this in Sivan's compositions. Here, he seems to have followed Dikshitar, where every stanza has an entirely original score.
 
Sivan used the mudra "raama-daasan". But we find the mudra used sparingly- unlike Tyagaraja.
 
Tyagaraja's isha-devata was Lord Rama. Sivan's isha-devatas were Kapaaleeshvara and Karpagaambaal (Shiva-Parvati) at the Mylapore Temple in Chennai. Many of his compositions are addressed to these two deities.
 

Range of compositions:

 
Sivan's compositions range from "pada-varnas" to keertanas to thillanas. He has explored every genre. The program (by Gayatri Girish and Dr Radha) opened with the rendition of "shri vaataapi ganapatiye" in praise of Lord Ganesha in the raga Sahana.
Next, the pada-varnam in the raga Dhanyasi was presented. In pada-varnams, we find the nice crisscross of swara-sahitya for every line. This is unlike regular varnams, where we may not find sahitya for every line sung with swaras.
Sivan has composed similar pada-varnams in ragas like Sriranjani, Mayamalavagaula and Natakurunji to name a few.
 
In keertanas, we find songs with a single charanam  (ending-stanza) as well as with multiple charanams. If there are multiple charanams, we find examples where they have a single tune and others, where each stanza is individually developed.
 
The beautiful keertana "thiruparankundra vela" in the raga Hindolam was rendered as an example where the multiple charanas maintain the same tune.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM412sBxvpQ
 
A contrasting example was presented as the well known piece"ka va va" in the raga Varali. Here, the charanas are not repeated.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCCdH5kusH0
 
 

Variety of bhavas:

 
We see a gamut of emotion splattered over Sivan's many compositions. Some examples quoted were the following:
 
 
  •  thaai-sey bhava (mother-child relationship):  We see this in the famous Shanmukhapriya kriti "parvati naayakaney sharanam". Here, we have the line that a child may forget its mother due to indifference, but the mother can never commit that mistake. So too...should the Lord protect Sivan (and thereby us too!).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHqNPqcSnLY
 
 
 
 
 
  • "Lord, may I always worship your feet": (paada-sevanam). An example is the kriti "tava charanau mama sharanam" in the raga Thodi. (Can't find an audio track).
 
  • nindaa-stuti: "Using sarcasm to take a dig at the Lord (and indirectly praise him)". Lord Shiva has Kubera, the deity of wealth at arms length! Still, he goes around begging for alms. "This duplicity....does it befit you, my Lord!?" questions Sivan. We see this in the composition set to the raga Surati called "pichchaikku vandeero". Interestingly, there is reference to Shiva as a "gudu gudu paandi"- the one who dresses up oddly and wildly!
 

Range of ragas:

 
Like the Trinity, most of Sivan's compositions are in the "rakti-ragas"- the time-tested ragas which give "instant relish". These are ragas like Thodi, Kalyani, Kambhoji, Shankarabharanam, Kharaharapriya, Bhairavi etc.
 
Sivan believed in delineating the raga's svaroopa in the first stroke in his songs; leaving no ambiguity at all. Sangatis (different nuances in which a particular phrase/line in sung) are built like a gopuram- from the simple to the most ornate...successively. An example is the kriti "kundram kudi konda velava" (raga Thodi). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgVqoJwuPYg In keeping with the lyrics, the sangatis are also stacked like a mountain (kundram) (adukku-adukka)!
 
One of Tygaraja's priya-ragas, is Kharaharapriya. Tyagaraja has composed around 20 kritis in this raga. So too, Sivan has composed around the same number- each time delving into a totally new facet of the raga. An example is "jaanaki pathey", exploring the raga in an altogether different way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blq-y8gpWJM
 
Sivan's other well-known compositions in Kharaharapriya are "senthil andavan" and "srinivasa thava charanam" and "daya villaya".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZbW5ZQW8eQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_F0YFmImkg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-O-BppE3VQ
Interestingly, both Shyama Sastri and Dikshitar don't appear to have composed any song in this raga. It is odd. This raga is entirely Tyagu's bastion and after him, this Tamil Tyagayya's!
 
 
In the well known kriti "aadum deivam", he starts with an unusual opening for raga Kambhoji- "ni dha pa"...but quickly follows it up with "ma ga pa dha sa" leaving no doubt whatsoever. This kriti is also a lovely example where the words and the sangatis are so apt. We see the "oscillation, the dance of notes" in the way the phrase"aadum" is sung.....just the way Lord Shiva would dance...as the kriti describes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-JEKADz9N8
 
In the kriti "malarinai thunaye", raga Ritigaula is presented with no ambiguity from the start. There is no confusion with the related raga Anandabhairavi at all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWKNOlwEO7M
 

Foray into "lighter" ragas:

 
In addition to rakti ragas, unlike the Trinity, Papanasam Sivan has a number of compositions in the so called "lighter" ragas which are very popular.
 
In the raga Valaji, we have "paadamey thunai".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9XwHoo2N2s
 
In the raga Shivaranjani, we have "tarunam idhu" in praise of Lord Ganesha.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbgHU5IfEc8
 
In the raga Tilang, we have "shri ganesha charanam".
 
In the raga Bhimplas, we have "kannan madhura" 
In this kriti, Sivan identifies with a flute and how it has the fortune to stay pressed to Lord Krishna's lips!
 
How can we miss Sivan's most elegant kriti in the raga Behag?
 
Sivan had a particular fascination for the raga Hindolam. We will see in the next section how he has treated the raga in different ways.
 

Variety of themes:

 
While devotion is the bed-rock in Sivan's compositions, we find other ideas too.
 
During the atheistic movement in Tamil Nadu, Sivan composed "deivam illai endru sol vendaam" again in the raga Kharaharapriya.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzq3LtWq8gg
The song says- "That God doesn't exist...may we never make that statement!"
 
Sivan has composed a kriti in Hari Kambhoji on the poet Subramanya Bharati "paamaalai".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-O-BppE3VQ
 
He has composed kritis on nature, on Tamil language and songs imbued with patriotic fervor.
 

Interesting aspects in Sivan's compositions:

 
The use of swarakshara- (the opening letter of a word and the swara in which it is sung...perfectly match)
  • sa-ma-ga-nalolaney sa-dashiva - Hindolam
 
  • parvati nayakaney sharanam.... - Shanmukhapriya
       saarvabhaumaney - (same song)
       nee marava....(same song)
 
 Madhyamakaala sangati: Swift, double phrasing as seen in Dikshitar's compositions. We see this in Sivan's Madhyamavati kriti "karpagamey". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcSSV-rihXQ

Hindolam in 3 speeds:

He has composed kritis in Hindolam in all 3 speeds. It is interesting to see how the gamakas are handled differently in each case.
Use of rhyme (praasa):


We see the usage of rhyme in many compositions. An example is the Bhairavi kriti "shri vishwanatham bhaje".
The lines end (antya-praasam) with rhyming words...."deeksham", "kataaksham"..."mahoksham" etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0JM6JJD8ps
There are compositions where we see "diviteeya praasam". Here, the second letter rhymes in each line.


 Composition with no base "sa":


A raga is recognized in terms of the arrangement of other notes with respect to the base-note, the aadhaara, the shadja, the "sa". Sivan's "Devi neeye thunai" stands out as a composition where he has cleverly suppressed the lower "sa" and still brings out the flavor of Keeravani.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkNujASrFpM


 Tala:

An entire section in the program was devoted to enumerating the different talas used by Sivan in his compositions.

A musician apparently dismissed Tyagaraja's compositions as ordinary because he employed no complex talas. Tyagaraja composed "chede buddhi maanura" as a rebuttal of sorts. In this composition, he began the kriti before the "samam", creating a novel tala pattern. Sivan has used the same approach in one of his compositions.

 The conclusion:


A fleeting mention was made about "enathu manam", (my absolute favorite!) in the raga Hari Kambhoji https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfFNQOwSvHI
This kriti is in Tamil. It was used as an example to contrast it from other kritis which follow the "manipravala" format. In manipravala compositions, Sanskrit and Tamil are intertwined. It looks as if the kriti is in Sanskrit, till we find the usage of usage of Tamil also. 

Breaking the norm, Sivan composed a mangalam in praise of Lord Ganesha. Normally, we begin anything with an invocation to Ganesha. That the end and the beginning are the same....or perhaps to convey that there is no beginning and no end...as in a circle, Sivan employs this technique.

The concluding remarks were wonderful. Ragas are like uncharted territory. It is only through the compositions of these masters that we can hope to give them a swaroopa, an unmistakable structure. Hence, the importance of looking into these compositions with a keen eye. Though manodharma sangeetam is an important part of Karnatic music, where the artist explores a fresh facet of the raga each time, these keertanas have to serve as the guide, as the flag-post. Each raga is a journey into a mirage.....We feel we have arrested it completely, till we find there's something more...and more! It is an endless journey....and an enjoyable one!
And finally, no artist is bigger than the art. In our own small way....we take the cup of our hand....to gather a few droplets...a little trickle....from the ocean of music!






 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 








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Sunday, 10 April 2016

Thoughts on the musical play "Tyagaraja"

Watched the musical play "Tyagaraja" yesterday. It has the actor-dramatist TV Varadarajan in the lead role and music by Bombay Jayashree.
It was thoroughly enjoyable. It is evident that a lot of effort has gone into its production. The scene-settings are not overly elaborate, but adequate. There are a couple of street-scenes of Tiruvaiyyaru, there's King Sarabhoja's durbar hall and some settings with the Kaveri River in the distance. The décor essentially revolves around Tyagaraja's home- the central sannidhi with the idols of Lord Rama and retinue....and a window which lets the sun in...each day. Minimal props.....
The artist Keshav's drawings....which are projected on the screen from time to time...offer a peek into the life and times of Tyagaraja. What sets this play apart is the music, the acting and the screen-play.


A lot of research has gone into the song selection. The pieces are carefully picked to tie up the incidents in Tyagaraja's life with the actual song. The next time we hear these songs, we will know the context. It will add a new dimension to appreciate these kritis better.


I took down some notes in darkness of the hall. I am relying on those notes and my memory...both equally illegible! If there are any errors, they are mine. If this musical-play comes to your city, it is not to be missed!
The music enthusiast will simply love it.


Now that I have picked your curiosity, the play unfolded as follows....


The opening:


The drama opens with a scene where Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Hanuman in Vaikunta are engaged in an animated conversation with Narada. Narada talks about the ill-effects of Kali-yuga in the world.
Lord Rama assures him that Tyagaraja, born as Valmiki’s avatara, will usher an age of bhakti in the world through his keertanas. At that time, Sita hears the strains of  “namo namo raghavaya” (in the raga deshya-thodi) sung by a young Tyagaraja. This is the first keertana composed by Tyagaraja.


Tyagu’s home:


The scene moves to Tyagaraja’s home, to the Rama sannidhi- how each day, he sings before the deity. It moves on to show Tyagaraja going around the streets of Tiruvaiyyaru as part of this daily “uncha vrtti”. As he sings, people come out of their home, fill his bowl with food, and he moves on to the next home.
Tyagaraja is portrayed as an affectionate father and husband. He has a lively discussion with his daughter Seetamma and wife Kamalam. Seetamma questions him why he hadn’t sung keertanas specifically on Seeta. Tyagu immediately composes  the kriti “ma jaanaki” (Kambhoji raga) and teaches the kriti to his daughter.


Japyesha, Tyagu’s brother:


Japyesha, Tyagu’s elder brother (who is an astrologer) is introduced.
Though supposedly the villain in Tyagu’s life, he is depicted in grey overtones, and not entirely dark.
He struggles to convince Tyagu that he needn’t go on an uncha-vrtti at all. They were reasonably well-off and Tyagu needn’t do this and bring disrepute to the family. As tempers flare up, Tyagu renders “shaantamu leka saukhyamu” (Raga Sama).


Meeting Narada:


A man steps into Tyagu’s home and leaves a bag for safe keeping. It is Dwadashi day and he tells Tyagu that he will go to the Kaveri and be back after a bath.
He never comes back, leaving Tyagu both anxious and hungry! At the end of the day, Tyagu gets a divine message from Narada to open the bag. It has the musical treatise Swaraarnava. Tyagaraja composes the kriti "narada muni" in Pantuvarali raga.

Meeting Gopalakrishna Bharati at home:


In the next scene, Tyagaraja sings an alapana in Abhogi raga. It fascinates a gentleman from the street. He enters Tyagu’s home and is simply delighted to meet Tyagaraja. He tells Tyagu that he is from Mayavaram.
Tyagu asks him "Oh Mayavaram! I have heard so much about one musician called Gopalakrishna Bharati”.
The man says that he is Gopalakrishna Bharati! Tyagu is very happy and asks him to compose a song for him in Abhogi raga. Bharati says he is not too familiar with Abhogi. Tyagu is a tad disappointed and steps out of home to attend to an errand.


When he comes back, he finds Gopalakrishna Bharati has composed an entire song in Abhogi raga. He is ecstatic as Gopalakrishna Bharati sings “Sabhapatikku vera deivam samaanam aaguma?” ("Is there any equal to Sabhapati- Lord Shiva")
After Bharati leaves, Tyagu talks to Lord Rama and says "Sabhapati (Shiva) himself has recognized Rama as his ishta-devata..isn’t it?"
Immediately, as a rebuttal of sorts, Tyagu sings “raama nee samaanam evaru” (is there any equal to you...O Rama) (kharaharapriya raga).


King Sarabhoja of Thanjavur:


King Sarabhoja of Thanjavur was a patron of arts. His Asthana vidvan was “Sonti Venkataramanaiyya” who was Tyagaraja’s guru. A Hindustani musician arrives at the King’s court and sings raga Darbari. He sings the raga so well that the king is captivated. The musician is arrogant and questions if anyone in the kingdom could sing better than him.
Sonti asks for Tyagaraja.


Tyagaraja arrives at the palace. He is all humility and begins with a thanam in Bilahari raga. He follows it up with the kriti “na jeevadhaara” set to Bilahari. The musician is so overawed by Tyagu’s divine music that he accepts defeat. The king is pleased with Tyagaraja.


He sends gifts to Tyagaraja and wishes Tyagaraja to move to Thanjavur and be a musician in this court.
Japyesha and his wife are ecstatic with this shower of sudden bounty!
The king’s minister requests Tyagaraja to compose one song in praise of the king. Tyagu flatly refuses and says he respects the king as a praja should. But he cannot compose on the king or move to the king’s palace.
He sings the well known kriti “nidhichala sukhama” set to Kalyani raga at this time. Tyagaraja questions in this kriti- What gives greater happiness (sukham)? Is it nidhi (material prosperity) or the happiness derived from service at Rama's sannidhi (raamuni sannidhi seva sukhama) ?



Japyesha is upset and so is the king. The king issues an order preventing the practice of uncha vrtti. He gives Tyagu two days to change his mind. Suddenly, the king is seized with a stomach ache. Nothing works and he is in real pain.
Soon, he realizes his mistake. In denying Tyagu food for his stomach, he had invited this stomach ache. He sends word to Tyagu to pray for the king's wellbeing. Tyagu sings “kshira saagara vihara” in Ananda Bhairavi raga. The king is cured and very happy.


Japyesha orders Tyagu to leave the home:


Japyesha cannot get along with Tyagu and orders him out of home. Tyagu has only one request. He wants to take the idols of Pattabhi-rama with him. Japyesha accedes to this request and Tyagu moves out with his wife and daughter.

At this point, it is depicted as if Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Hanuman stay with Tyagu (and Japyesha) as visitors from the North.
It’s as if Rama personally watches Tyagu’s daily routine- how he sings for Rama and even lulls Rama to sleep with “jo jo..”.


Seetamma's wedding:


Tyagu’s daughter Seetamma is about to be married. Tyagu has no money but is sure Rama will help him. And lo and behold, King Sarabhoja himself comes to Tyagu’s home and tells him that Rama asked him to organize Seetamma’s wedding.

At the wedding, Walajapet Venkatarama bhagavathar arrives with a painting of Lord Rama. Tyagu sings the kriti “nannu palimpa” in Mohana raga on this occasion.


Japyesha steals the Rama idols and throws it into the Kaveri:


Lord Rama (staying as a guest with Tyagu) wants to hear Tyagu’s songs with a different emotion. He is eager to hear how Tyagu would sing when filled with sadness. Rama feels that the outburst of songs in this plaintive mood would further enhance Tyagu’s contribution to music.

Lord Rama provokes Japyesha (through Jayesha’s wife) to steal the idols of Rama and throw it into the River Kaveri. The evil deed is done.


Tyagu is filled with immense grief. He sings “ennaalo” in shubha pantuvarali raga on this occasion. The dialogues are brilliant at this point. Tyagu is filled with sadness and anger too! He questions Rama whether he was bored with his songs...and had decided to leave his home.


Tyagara takes a decision to wander as a vagabond. Kamalam and Seetamma are distraught. He asks them to hold fort at home just as Bharata did in Rama’s absence. He assures them that he will bring back the idol of Lord Rama.


Tyagaraja’s travels:


Tyagaraja travels all over. He goes to Srirangam and sings “O rangashayi” in kambhoji raga. He visits Lalgudi and sings “lalitey”in Bhairavi raga.
Next, he visits Kanchipuram. At the Varadaraja Perumal sannidhi, he sings “varadaraja ninnu” in swarabhushani raga. Tyagu leaves for Tirupati. At the shrine of Lord Venkateshwara, the “tirai” (screen) is pulled and the darshanam is denied. Tyagu says that his own kama-krodha is acting as a Tirai. He sings the kriti “tera teeyagaraada” in gauli pantu raga.
The screen falls away and Tyagaraja has the darshanam that he longs for.


The episode with the way-side robbers:


On the way back from Tirupati, Tyagu is attacked by robbers. Tyagu tells his disciple that they needn’t fear since they have nothing.
His disciple confesses that he is carrying money for Lord Rama’s kainkaryam from one Sundaresha Mudaliar, who is a great patron of the arts.
Tyagaraja says..it is then Rama’s duty to protect the money. The robbers pelt Tyagaraja with stones. Soon, it’s the robbers who are on the run.
They are showered with arrows from two youths-Rama and Lakshmana. The robbers can see them, but Tyagu cannot. Tyagaraja is saddened. However, he hears an ashariri-vaak. It tells him to go to the Kaveri and claim the lost Rama idols.


Tyagaraja is able to retrieve his beloved idols from the river! He sings the kriti “kanukontini” in Bilahari raga on this occasion.


The end:


The idols are installed back in Tyagu’s home. Everyone is happy. Almost immediately, Tyagu’s wife Kamalam collapses and passes away.
Tyagaraja is plunged in grief. Japyesha and his wife turn a new leaf and feel sorry and sad for Tyagu.


Tyagaraja is now an old man...over 80 years old. He has difficulty to even walk to the sannidhi at his home. One of the last songs he composes is the kriti “paramarthmudu” in Vagadheeshwari raga. Rama appears before him and says that he will take Tyagu with him in 10 days.

Tyagaraja is old…and cannot see Rama’s face clearly. That’s when he sings the famous “Nagumomu ganaleni naajaali thelisi” in Abheri raga.


Tyagu calls for all his disciples to come and visit him. He takes sanyasa by the Kaveri river to the chants of Shankara’s Bhaja Govindam.
Soon…a light (jyoti)..is shown as rising from Tyagu and merging with Lord Rama.


The kriti “endaro mahanubhavulu” is sung. The chief disciple…places the tambura beside Tyagu’s mortal frame. Even as Tyagu’s body is seated, he places the cymbals in Tyagu’s left hand. And a turban on the head…. 
And Tyagu’s last image…is arrested….for the ages!!!









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