Ranga of Mavina Kere

The name ‘Ranga’ may bring several things to your mind. At least it does to my mind! If you are a fan of Dr Rajkumar, you’d definitely know this song from one of his movies in the 1980s.

Although the movie is from the 1980s, the song predates it by a few centuries. This is a composition of Purandara dasa, and the tune used in the film pretty much sticks to how it has been sung traditionally, in shankarabharana raaga.

Ranganatha @Srirangam

If you are a history buff, I bet you’d think of Sriranga pattana – The capital of Tippu Sultan. The town takes its name from the the temple of the presiding deity Ranganatha. Sriranga Pattana is an island in the river Kaveri. In fact there are three such places where the river branches off into two parts creating a large island. There is a temple dedicated to Ranganatha at each of these places – Sriranga Pattana and Shivana Samudra in Karnataka, and Srirangam in Tamil Nadu.

In all these three places, Ranganatha is depicted in a reclining position on his serpent bed, the seven- hooded Adishesha.

Ranganatha Temple, Mavinakere

However Sriranga Pattana or Srirangam is not the first place that comes to my mind when I hear that name Ranga, but instead it takes me to memories of Mavina Kere. Perched atop a hill in southern Karnataka, a little temple houses the deity well known to locals as “Mavina Kere Ranga” or the “Ranga @Mavina Kere”. The view from the top of the hill is very nice, showing the countryside.

Steps up the hill

I’ve visited Mavina Kere several times. In fact one of my early memories is of a trip to Mavinakere which I did not make! I was probably 4 years old then. I was really looking forward to going to the hill with all my cousins, during one of the yearly summer gatherings. But as luck would have it, I did not wake up in time. Rather than trying to wake me up, the party had left me home, with a few others who could not climb the hill for health reasons!

At every visit, I have enjoyed climbing the hill at Mavinakere. During my latest visit a few weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised to see a road to the top. However, not to miss the joy of climbing the hill, I climbed down and went up again . Back in those days, the path up the hill was patchy. Now, there are nice steps all along.

Unlike the Ranga at Srirangapatna, and Sriranga, the Ranga of Mavina Kere is not in a sleeping position. Actually, he is not even depicted in a human form. Instead, a saligrama represents him. The inscription in the temple calls him ‘TiruvengaLa natha’ – another name for Venkateshwara (The master of Venkata hills). The floral decorations done around the saligrama also support this name.

Mavinakere Ranga

I’m not sure how the name Ranga caught up with Tiruvengalanatha. In general it is said that during the time of Hyder Ali’s and Tippu Sultan’s rule over Mysore, devotees often called their temples by the name of Ranganatha, to save it from any possible attack or damage. I too thought that was a very reasonable explanation, till I came across this song of Purandara Dasa.

ರಂಗನ ನೋಡಿರೆ ರಾಜಕುವರ ನರ-
ಸಿಂಗದೇವ ನಮ್ಮ ದೇವಕಿ ಸುತನ ||ಪ ||

ಹಮ್ಮಿನ ತಾಯಿತ ತೋಳ ಬಾಪುರಿಯೊ
ಘಮ್ಮನೆ ಘಲ್ಲೆಂಬ ಗೆಜ್ಜೆಯ ಧ್ವನಿಯೊ
ಸುಮ್ಮಹಿಮನ ಕಿವಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಚೌಕುಲಿಯೊ
ತಿಮ್ಮರಾಯನಿಟ್ಟ ಸೊಬಗಿನ ಬಗೆಯೊ ||

ಶುಕ್ಕುರವಾರದ ಪೂಜೆಗೊಂಬುವನ
ಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಪಾಲ್ ಮೊಸರು ಬೆಣ್ಣೆ ಮೆಲ್ಲುವನ
ಘಕ್ಕನೆ ಸುರರಿಗೆ ಅಮೃತವಿತ್ತವನ
ರಕ್ಕಸಕುಲವೈರಿ ರಾವಣಾಂತಕನ ||

ಪಾಪವಿನಾಶಿನಿ ಸ್ನಾನವ ಮಾಡಿ
ಪಾಪಗಳೆಲ್ಲವು ಬೇಗ ಬಿಟ್ಟೋಡಿ
ಈ ಪರಿ ದಿನ ದಿನ ಮೂರುತಿ ನೋಡಿ
ಶ್ರೀಪತಿ ಪುರಂದರವಿಠಲನ ಪಾಡಿ ||

Here the references to Papanashini and the name Timmaraya, clearly indicate that the song is about the deity at Tirumala (Tirupati) – However, at the same breath, Purandara Dasa calls the deity at Tirupati as Ranga too!

So, that makes me come back to thinking the validity of any theories involving Tippu Sultan, and Lord Ranganatha!

-neelanjana

Mukta Mukta

I find this title song of T N Seetharam’s teleserial Mukta Mukta quite catchy, in spite of not being very upbeat.

The song is written by H S Venkatesha Murthy, and is quite powerful. I like the last stanza which tells about the never-ending battle between the good and the evil.

ಮಣ್ಣ ತಿಂದು ಸಿಹಿ ಹಣ್ಣ ಕೊಡುವ ಮರ ನೀಡಿ ನೀಡಿ ಮುಕ್ತ
ಬೇವ ಅಗಿವ ಸವಿಗಾನದ ಹಕ್ಕಿ ಹಾಡಿ ಮುಕ್ತ ಮುಕ್ತ

ಹಸಿರ ತೋಳಿನಲಿ ಬೆಂಕಿಯ ಕೂಸ ಪೊರೆವುದು ತಾಯಿಯ ಹೃದಯ
ಮರೆಯುವುದುಂಟೆ ಮರೆಯಲಿ ನಿಂತೇ ಕಾಣುವ ಕರುಣಾಮಯಿಯ

ತನ್ನಾವರಣವೇ ಸೆರೆಮನೆಯಾದರೆ ಜೀವಕೆ ಎಲ್ಲಿಯ ಮುಕ್ತಿ
ಬೆಳಕಿನ ಬಟ್ಟೆಯ ಬಿಚ್ಚುವ ಜ್ಯೋತಿಗೆ ಬಯಲೇ ಜೀವನ್ ಮುಕ್ತಿ

ಇರುಳ ವಿರುಧ್ಧ ಬೆಳಕಿನ ಯುಧ್ಧ ಕೊನೆಯಿಲ್ಲದ ಕಾದಾಟ
ತಡೆಯೇ ಇಲ್ಲದೇ ನಡೆಯಲೇ ಬೇಕು ಸೋಲಿಲ್ಲದ ಹೋರಾಟ

The tune is quite similar to the title song for Mukta, earlier teleserial from T N Seetharam. But to me, this song has shades of Shree; Shree of Hindustani kind, that is – particularly in the abrupt transitions from Panchama to Rishabha . It also reminds me of another well known Kannada bhaavageethe, deepavu ninnade, gaaLiyu ninnade by Ke Es Na.

The singers are M D Pallavi, and Vijay Prakash – Yes, the same Bollywood singer who comes from Mysore, and is known for ‘Jai Ho’; I definitely prefer this voice to C Ashwath’s (who sang the title song for the first Mukta series).

-neelanjana

The Tale of Two Bulls

I could even have called this post ‘The Tale of Two Brothers”, only displaced in time, that is “:)

The ‘older’ brother – is the Nandi, in front of Hoysaleswara temple in Halebeedu.The temple was built during the reign of King Vishnuvardhana (1121 AD).

It is a duet temple, and has two shrines to Shiva – one in the name of the king – Hoysaleshwara, and one in the name of his queen Shantala – Shantaleshwara. Two huge Nandis face the shrines.

Here is one of those Nandis – which I call “ಅಣ್ಣ” – Older brother

The Nandi below is another famed bull from Karnataka – This is in Chamundi hill near Mysore. The statue seems to be from sometime during Mysore’s Odeyars rule – definitely a creation from a time later than the 15th century.

I call this one “ತಮ್ಮ” – Younger brother . If you go to Chamundi hill, do not miss to pay him a visit.

The ‘brothers’ may be centuries old, but remain as  charming as when they were sculpted!

According to the Wikipedia, both these are among the largest 7 Nandis in India.

Picture courtesy: My camera.

-neelanjana

ಒಲಿದೆ ಯಾತಕಮ್ಮ ಲಕುಮಿ ವಾಸುದೇವಗೆ?

I had the good fortune of witnessing the Kalyanotsava (Wedding celebration) of Lakshmi and Keshava at the Lakshmikeshava temple in Kowshika a few weeks ago. I could not help remember this song when the wedding of the divine couple was going on:

ಒಲಿದೆ ಯಾತಕಮ್ಮಾ ಲಕುಮಿ ವಾಸುದೇವಗೆ?

ಹಲವಂಗದವನ ಹವಣೆ ತಿಳಿದೂ ತಿಳಿದೂ ತಿಳಿಯದ ಹಾಗೆ!

|| ಒಲಿದೆ ಯಾತಕಮ್ಮಾ ಲಕುಮಿ?||

ಕಮಲಗಂಧಿ ಕೋಮಲಾಂಗಿ ಸುಂದರಾಬ್ಜವದನೆ ನೀನು
ರಮಣ ಮತ್ಸ್ಯ ಕಠಿಣಕಾಯ ಸೂಕರಾಸ್ಯನು
ರಮಣೀಯ ಸ್ವರೂಪಿ ನೀನು ಅಮಿತಘೋರ ರೂಪನವನು
ನಮಿಪರಿಷ್ಟದಾನಿ ನೀನು ದಾನವ ಬೇಡುವವನಿಗೆ

|| ಒಲಿದೆ ಯಾತಕಮ್ಮಾ ಲಕುಮಿ?||

ಲಲಿತೆ ಚಾರುಶೀಲೆ ನೀನು ಕಲ್ಕಿ ಕಲಹಪ್ರಿಯನವನು
ಕುಲದ ಕುರುಹು ಇಲ್ಲ ಗುಣದ ನೆಲೆಯು ಕಂಡಿಲ್ಲ
ಹಲವು ಕಾಲದವನು ಅವನ ಬಂಧು ಬಳಗ ನಿಷ್ಕಿಂಚನರು
ಜಲಧಿ ಆಲದೆಲೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಮಲಗಿ ಬೆರಳ ಚೀಪುವವನಿಗೆ

|| ಒಲಿದೆ ಯಾತಕಮ್ಮಾ ಲಕುಮಿ?||

ಸ್ವರತಾನಪೇಕ್ಷಾಕಾಮಿ ನಿದ್ರಾಹೀನ ಅನಶನಿಯು
ಪರುಷರೂಪ ವಾಚ್ಯ ಶಬ್ದ ಅಮಿತ ಭೋಕ್ತನು
ಗುರುಗೋಪಾಲ ವಿಠ್ಠಲನು ನಿರುತ ತನ್ನ ವಕ್ಷದೊಳು
ಅರಮನೆಯ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡು ಮರುಳು ಮಾಡಿದ ಮಾಯಾವಿಗೆ

||ಒಲಿದೆ ಯಾತಕಮ್ಮಾ ಲಕುಮಿ||

In this song, the composer Dasappa Dasa asks Lakshmi – “Why did you fall for this man called Vasudeva? Weren’t you aware of the deeds done by this fellow”? and then he goes on contrasting between Lakshmi and Narayana and tells how mismatched they are as a couple. While the beautiful Lakshmi is gentle, and smells of lotus flowers, her beau is fish-smelly, tough skinny, and looks like a pig! While her beauty is without bounds, he is ferocious like a lion. As the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, she gives to anyone who asks , but he goes around begging for alms.”  He further goes on with other aspects of different incarnations of Vishnu, and finally wonders may be Lakshmi settled for the fact that Narayana made Lakshmi a home in his heart! May

But if you ask me, Narayana may not be all that lucky, and Lakshmi did not get a bad deal at all! Didn’t some author say that women are very intelligent by nature, and can’t be taken for a ride so easily?

In fact, the following song of Purandara dAsa would have been the perfect reply to the previous song, had it not been Purandara Dasa preceding Dasappa dasa by a few centuries.

Anyway, here is the song, addressed to Lakshmi once again, in this case praising her for taking her husband for a ride !

ಮರುಳು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡೆಯಲ್ಲ ಮಾಯಾದೇವಿಯೆ |
ಇರುಳು ಹಗಲು ಏಕವಾಗಿ ಹರಿಯು ನಿನ್ನ ಬಿಡದಿಪ್ಪಂತೆ || ಪಲ್ಲವಿ||

ಜ್ಞಾನಿಗಳು ನಿತ್ಯ ಪಾನಾದಿಗಳನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟು
ನಾನಾ ವಿಧ ತಪವಿದ್ದರು ಧ್ಯಾನಕ್ಕೆ ಸಿಲುಕದವನ|| ಮರುಳು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡೆಯಲ್ಲ||

ಸರ್ವ ಸಂಗವನು ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಸನ್ಯಾಸಿಯಾದ ಕಾಲಕ್ಕು
ಸರ್ವದಾ ತನ್ನೆದೆಯಮೇಲೇ ಬಿಡದೆ ನಿನ್ನ ಧರಿಸಿಪ್ಪಂತೆ ||ಮರುಳು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡೆಯಲ್ಲ||

ಪ್ರಳಯ ಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಆಲದೆಲೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಮಲಗಿದ್ದಾಗ
ಹಲವು ಆಭರಣಗಳು ಜಲವು ಆಗಿ ಜಾಣತನದಿ ||ಮರುಳು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡೆಯಲ್ಲ||

ರಂಗನು ಭೂಲೋಕದಿ ಭುಜಂಗ ಗಿರಿಯೊಳಲಮೇಲು-
ಮನ್ಗಪತಿಯಾಗಿ ನಿನ್ನ ಅಂಗೀಕರಿಸುವಂತೆ ||ಮರುಳು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡೆಯಲ್ಲ||

ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಪಡೆದರೆ ನಿನ್ನ ಚೊಕ್ಕತನವು ಪೋಪುದೆಂದು
ಪೊಕ್ಕುಳೊಳು ಮಕ್ಕಳು ಪಡೆದು ಕಕ್ಕುಲಾತಿ ಪಡುವಂತೆ ||ಮರುಳು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡೆಯಲ್ಲ||

ಎಡಕೆ ಭೂಮಿ ಬಲಕೆ ಶ್ರೀಯು ಎದುರಲ್ಲಿ ದುರ್ಗಾದೇವಿ
ತೊಡೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಲಕುಮಿಯಾಗಿ ಬಿಡದೆ ಮುದ್ದಾಡಿಸುವಂತೆ ||ಮರುಳು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡೆಯಲ್ಲ||

ಎಂದೆಂದಿಗೂ ಮರೆಯ ನಿನ್ನಾನಂದದಿ ಜನರಿಗೆಲ್ಲ
ತಂದು ತೋರೆ ಸ್ವಾಧೀನ ಪುರಂದರ ವಿಟ್ಠಲರಾಯನ ||ಮರುಳು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡೆಯಲ್ಲ||

Here Purandara Dasa is praising the ingenuity of Lakshmi in casting a spell to making Hari her own, never letting him waver in his thoughts! Lakshmi intelligently made herself stay in Narayana’s heart, so that even if he left the entire creation, he can’t just be alone!  When Narayana came to the earth, Lakshmi did not leave him alone, but made him marry her once again, my taking the form of Alamelumanga.

So bewitching is the spell on Narayana is , Purandara dasa says,  that Lakshmi was successful in making him bear a child from his navel, and thus got herself out of all the troubles of childbirth!

Lakshmi-Keshava of Kowshika during Kalyanotsava

So no wonder Purandara Dasa addresses Lakshmi as “Maya Devi” – The Goddess of Illusion

नमस्तेस्तु महामाये !

-neelanjana

(p.s: I had written about one of the two songs mentioned here in this article in my Kannada blog sometime ago – “Why do men listen to their wives?” )