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No! This post is not about the famous story ರಂಗನ ಹಳ್ಳಿಯ ರಾಮ by Masti Venkatesha Ayyangar! Masti is one of the finest short story writers Kannada has seen. May be I will talk about Masti some other time – but today, I will sing a totally different tune 
Sometime ago, I was listening to a talk show on the radio, where Papanasam Ashok Ramani was talking about different composers from Tamizh Nadu.
Arunachala Kavi (Birth:1711AD), and his well-known “En PallikonDIrayya” was one of the compositions he spoke about.
Click here to listen to ‘yEn paLLikkonDeer ayya’ sung by N C Vasantakokilam – On Sangeethapriya
Bird’s Eye View of Srirangam Temple (Courtesy: Google Maps)
Watch Neiveli Santhanagopalan singing this composition:
Here is my translation (of the mOhana section) of the song in Kannada. My Tamizh vocabulary is not in line for this composition of 18th century, and so no wonder I had to take the help of the lyrics and meanings of this song posted on www.karnatik.com to do this translation!
ಏಕೆ ನೀ ಪವಡಿಸಿದೆಯೋ ಶ್ರೀ ರಂಗನಾಥಾ
ಏಕೆ ನೀ ಪವಡಿಸಿಹೆಯೋ? || ಏಕೆ ನೀ ಪವಡಿಸಿಹೆಯೋ? ||
ಅರಳಿದ ಕಮಲದ ಕೊಳದ ಬದಿಯಲಿ
ಹರಿಯುವೆರಡು ಹೊಳೆಯ ನಡುವೆ ||ಏಕೆ ನೀ ಪವಡಿಸಿಹೆಯೋ? ||
ಕೌಶಿಕನ ಆಣತಿಯನಾಲಿಸಿದಕೋ? ಕಡು
ರಾಕ್ಷಸಿಯ ಅಂಬಿನಲಿ ಕೊಂದುದಕೋ?
ಈಶನ ಬಿಲ್ಲನು ಮುರಿದುದಕೋ?
ಪರಶುರಾಮನ ಗರುವವನಳಿಸಿದಕೋ? || ಏಕೆ ನೀ ಪವಡಿಸಿಹೆಯೋ? ||
ಜನಕ ಸುತೆಯೊಡನೆ ಕಾಡುದಾರಿಯ ಸವೆಸಿದಕೋ?
ದೋಷವಿರದ ಗುಹನೊಡನೆ ಗಂಗೆಯ ದಾಟಿದಕೋ?
ಚಿತ್ರಕೂಟ ಮಲೆಯಲಿ ನೆಲೆ ನಿಂದುದಕೋ? ಮಾರು
ವೇಷದ ಮಾರೀಚನ ಬೆನ್ನಟ್ಟಿದುದಕೋ? ||ಏಕೆ ನೀ ಪವಡಿಸಿಹೆಯೋ? ||
ಮಡದಿಯ ಎಲ್ಲೆಡೆಯೂ ಹುಡುಕಿದಕೋ? ಏಳು
ಗಿಡಗಳನೊಂದೇ ಬಾಣದಿ ಬೀಳಿಸಿದುದಕೊ?
ಕಡಲಿಗೆ ಸೇತುವೆ ಕಟ್ಟಿ ದಾಟಿದುದಕೋ? ಲಂಕಾ
ಕೆಡಹಿ ಲಂಕೆಯ ರಾವಣನ ಸದೆಬಡಿದುದಕೋ? || ಏಕೆ ನೀ ಪವಡಿಸಿಹೆಯೋ ||
(The song is about Sri Ranganatha in Srirangam and it could as well apply to Ranagatha at Sriranga pattana – Both temples are located on islands in river Kaveri)
The moment I set up translating ‘En paLLikondeerayya’, I could not help noticing the striking similarity with a song of Purandara Dasa (Birth – 1485 AD).
Vitthala of Pandharpur
(Image taken from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Syayambhuvithoba.jpg)
This song ponders on why Vitthala in Pandarapur, on the banks of river Bheema, is left standing with his hands on his waist. He wonders, if it is becuase he is too tired after playing with friends; Or tired running around homes of gopikas to steal butter at their homes or is it due to the fatigue after killing wicked demons. The list goes on.
Listen to Vidyabhushana sing kaTiyalli karaviTTanu:
ಕಟಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕರವಿಟ್ಟನೊ ಪಂಢರಿರಾಯ ಕಟಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕರವಿಟ್ಟನೊ ||ಪಲ್ಲವಿ||
ಗೊಲ್ಲ ಬಾಲಕರೊಡಗೂಡಿ ತಾ ಬಂದು
ಗೊಲ್ಲತಿಯರ ಮನೆ ಕದ್ದು ಬೆಣ್ಣೆಯ ತಿಂದು
ಬಲ್ಲಿದ ತೃಣಾವರ್ತ ಮೊದಲಾದ ಅಸುರರ
ಮೆಲ್ಲನೆ ಕೊಂದಾಯಾಸದಿಂದಲೋ ?
ಮುದದಿಂದ ವ್ರಜದ ಹದಿನಾರು ಸಾವಿರ
ಸುದತಿಯರಾಳಿದ ಮದದಿಂದಲೊ
ಮದಗಜಗಮನೆಯರ ಮದದಂತಕ ಕೃಷ್ಣ
ಒದಗಿ ಮಾವನ ಕೊಂದ ಆಯಾಸದಿಂದಲೊ?
ರಾಜಸೂಯಯಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಜೇಶ್ವರ
ರಾಜರು ಮೊದಲಾದ ಸುರರೆಲ್ಲರು
ಭೋಜನವನು ಮಾಡಿದೆಂಜಲು ಮೊದಲಾದ್ದು
ರಾಜೀವಾಕ್ಷನು ಎತ್ತಿದಾಯಾಸದಿಂದಲೋ ?
ಸುರಪ ತನಯಗೆ ಸಾರಥ್ಯವ ತಾ ಮಾಡಿ
ಭರದಿಂದ ಚಕ್ರವ ಹಿಡಿದುದರಿಂದಲೋ
ಪರಿಪರಿ ವಿಧದಿಂದ ಕುದುರೆಗಳ ತಾ ತೊಳೆದು
ಪರಿಪರಿ ಕೆಲಸದಿಂದಾಯಾಸದಿಂದಲೋ ?
ಪ್ರೇಮದಿಂದಲಿ ಬಂದ ಭಕ್ತರು ತನ್ನ ಚರಣ
ಕಮಲಯುಗ್ಮವ ಮುಟ್ಟಿ ಭಜಿಸುತಿರೆ
ಮಮತೆಯಿಂದಲಿ ಅವರ ಭವವ ಕಳೆವೆನೆಂದು
ಕಮಲನಾಭ ಶ್ರೀ ಪುರಂದರ ವಿಠಲನು ||
While Purandara dasa came in couple of centuries before Arunachala Kavi, here is another song which came in after Arunachala Kavi, but sharing the same theme.
Yes, I am refering to ‘ElAvatAramettitivo’ of Tyagaraja (Birth- 1747 AD). In this composition, Tyagaraja wonders why Rama might have taken an incarnation, and took birth as a human.
Listen to Ariakudi Ramanuja I singing this composition on Music India Online:
Here is my attempt in translating this song to Kannada:
ಏಕೆಂದವತಾರವನೆತ್ತಿದೆಯೋ?
ಏನದು ಕಾರಣವೋ? ರಾಮನೆಂ||ದೇಕವತಾರವನೆತ್ತಿದೆಯೋ?||
ಕಾಳಗವನು ಮಾಡಲಿಕೋ? ಅಯೋಧ್ಯಾ
ಪಾಲನವ ಮಾಡಲಿಕೋ? ರಾಘವ ನೀ ||ನೇತಕವತಾರವನೆತ್ತಿದೆಯೋ?||
ಯೋಗಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಕಾಣಿಸಲಿಕೋ? ಭವ
ರೋಗಗಳ ದೂಡಲಿಕೋ? ಶತ
ರಾಗ ರತ್ನ ಮಾಲಿಕೆಯ ರಚಿಸಿದ ತ್ಯಾಗ
ರಾಜನಿಗೆ ವರವೀಯಲಿಕೋ ನೀ || ನೇತಕವತಾರವನೆತ್ತಿದೆಯೋ?||
These three composers were separated in space, and time – but the commonality of the theme is definitely striking.
This post started off with a song on Ranga, and ended with a song on Rama – making the title quite apt 
What do you think?
-neelanjana
There is this old joke saying that when Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon in 1969, he was greeted by a malayali teashop owner holding a cup of Tea for him. Those tea-stalls are an all-India phenomenon. Similarly, another universal phenomenon is that of Udupi hotels. It is hard to find a town without a Udupi hotel, particularly so in south India. But why did the folks from Udupi became famed for their restaurants? I can only contemplate. May be because Udupi is the town which Krishna calls his home! We all know how much Krishna loves food be it as fat-full as butter or as fat-free as avalakki (Remember Sudama?) Anyway, whatever be the reason, Udupi hotels have become very popular in several states outside of Karnataka, particularly so in states such as Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
Udupi Krishna
Not only Udupi hotels have become very commonplace in Tamil Nadu, but they have also caught on a new meaning. They are used as a synonym to saying ‘vegetarian’. So if you see a board such as “Saravana Bhavan (udupi)”, it means it is a vegetarian restaurant, irrespective of whether the proprietor is from Andhra or Assam!
Outside India, hoteliers have marketed this Udupi name quite effectively to their advantage. There are many a restuarants called ‘Udupi -something’ or ‘Udupi-something-else’all the way from Washinton DC in the eastern coast to Seattle in the state of Washington on the west coast. I do not know how many of these are run by folks from Udupi. But one thing is certain. All these places are Udupi, just in name – not necessarily in taste. If you order a dOse, you will get a dOse which looks very authentic, but the reality literally seeps in as soon as you take a byte!
Oh, let me stop with this Udupi puraana, and think of Tirupati Timmappa! In here, there is a idli-dOse restaurant called ‘Tirupati Bheema’s’. We know Bheema for his abilities in the kitchen, but what in the world is Tirupati doing with Bheema and his kitchen? Till I came across this composition of Purandara Dasa, I was not aware of the relation between Tirupati and the restaurant industry.
Tirupati Venkateshwara
Here is that song – I have given it in dEvanAgari script:
धणिय नोडिदॆना वॆंकटन मनदणिये नोडिदॆना! ॥पल्लवि॥
धणिय नोडिदॆ शिखामणि तिरुमलना! ॥अनुपल्लवि॥
केसक्कि अन्न उंबुवना बड्डि
कासु बिडदे हॊन्न गळिसुवना!
दोसॆ अन्नव मारिसुवना तन्न
दासर म्याळदि कुणिदाडुतिहना! ॥1॥
बॆट्टदॊळगॆ इरुतिहन मन
मुट्टि भजिपरिगिष्टव सल्लिसुवना!
कॊट्ट वरव तप्पदवन
सृष्टिगधिक श्री पुरंदर विठलन! ॥2॥
Here is the meaning of the song:
pallavi: I saw him! Venkata, the Lord of Tirumala, My master!
anupallavi: I saw my Lord, the jewel in the crown to my heart’s content!
charaNa 1: (I saw him) who relishes ‘kEsakki’ (a variety of rice?) , who earns money with interest, who gets dOse, and other food items sold, and who participates joyously with the dancing haridAsas
charaNa 2: ( I saw him) who resides in the hill, and him who gives whatever wished for to those who are his true believers, him who stays true to his word, Purandara Vithala, who is the greatest in this creation
Because this song mentions Tirumala on the hills as the home of Purandara Vithala, we can be very certain that this was written about the deity at Tirupati. Don’t we all know the story of Srinivas Kalyana, that tells us that Tirupati Timmappa is still earning money to repay the interest for the loan he took from Kubera for his wedding.
The key phrase here is ‘dOse annava mArisuvana’; the Lord of Tirumala is credited to having had places where eatables like dOse, and rice were sold. This tells that there were restaurants in Tirupati almost 500 years ago ( Purandara’s time frame) where travelers could buy food. Of course, we know about dharma shaales that provided food and water to the travelers free, but this reference is not to such establishments. These are actually places that made selling food a businesses.
It is not for nothing that it is said that literature is a mirror of the society. But shh….! Don’t tell anyone. Because, now places such as Udupi Hotels, and Bengalooru ayyangar bakeries exist at least namesake. Otherwise, they might start thinking of changing their name to Tirupati!
-neelanjana
image courtesy: Google images
(Translated from a Kannada article I had written a while ago. You can read the original article here: ತಿರುಪತಿ ತಿಮ್ಮಪ್ಪನೂ ಉಡುಪಿಯ ಹೋಟೆಲೂ …
)
This is the translation of a Kannada story I wrote a while ago. This takes the folklore of the story of Purandara Dasa, and tries to give it an alternate-history feel. I have posted footnotes, and a map of places that appear in the story to make it a little easier for those who may not know the geography of Karnataka very well.
In Kannada, the story was titled “Tamboori Meetidava, Bhavaabdi Daatidava..” , and was published in the sovenir published at the AKKA-2008 Kannada Sammelana held in Chicago, IL.
I have translated it primarily for all music lovers and my good friends on http://www.rasikas.org/, who can’t read Kannada.
Your comments and/or opinions are welcome.
Although I intended to post it by the time of Aradhane 2009, it was not to be. But I am glad to post it within a few days after Pushya Amavasye.
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It was almost noon by the time Saraswati finished her daily pooje. She observed she was singing aloud when she was doing mangalaarati to the deities. If her husband was home, she would only mumble the song to herself. In reality, she was quite a good singer, but lacked the confidence to sing in front of him because he was indeed very well versed in music. That was the cause for the hesitation to sing before him. He might say a thing or two about her sangatis. Or he might even bring the tamboori, and show how to sing those sangatis to make them sound better. That’s why the walls of their ancestral home heard Saraswati’s singing voice only when Srinivasa was away. She often wondered if he could dedicate himself to music if not for the family business. Saraswati just thought how nice it would have been to listen to his singing all day. It was several months since he had touched his tamboori. His singing was so overpowering and made her emotional that she would feel that Lord Krishna’s brindavana was right here at Kshemapura. The only other person she new who had a comparable voice was that of Vaikuntha Dasa of her hometown.
Saraswati felt very strange at thinking Belooru as her hometown even after being married for almost twenty years and living in Kshemapura! It reminded her that she had not visited her parents for couple of years. She was indeed worried when there was a talk of her marriage, and especially when she knew the suitor was from a hilly, rainy country. Her hometown was a real beauty. Such a peaceful and tranquil town with the three hundred year old Chennakeshava temple as the anchor for all activities. What to do? Once a girl gets married, she has to think her husband’s home as her own. She was indeed very happy when she arrived in Kshemapura for first time. So green! But when the rains arrived she was terrified at the force of the torrential rains that would not stop for four or five months! Now she preferred the rainy season since she heard more of her husband’s singing. As she went into the kitchen, Saraswati started counting how many more months till aashadha arrived.
****
Srinivasa looked at the pendant Nagachari gave. Yes, it looked good. May be few less emeralds would have made it look even better. He started to write the pattern for the necklace to match this pendant. Then noticing that Nagachari was still waiting, Srinivasa reminded him that the work should be finished soon because it had to get to the Palace before the festivals. As Srinivasa was completing his sketch, he thought of the hours he was spending at his store these days. Hebana was almost eighteen. It was time for him to take more responsibility in the business, Srinivasa thought. May be then he would have some time to pursue his first love, music.
Srinivasa’s father had trained him to be a jeweler right from the days he was a young lad. But among Srinivasa’s children, only little Madhvapati shows interest in coming to the store. Madhwa often watched has father designing the jewels, and also attempted to some of his own. The older two boys were not coming to the store even once in a bluemoon! May be it was time to make sure they come somewhat regularly, or else it might spell problems! But as Srinivasa recollected that he never came to the store regularly as a young boy, he thought all was not lost with Hebana and Abhinava yet.
In fact, Srinivasa’s father was quite lenient. He even had told his wife not to distract Srinivasa with household errands if he was practicing music, or studying all those books related with music and poetry. But Srinivasa still remembered what he had told one day : “Seenappa, I have seen the plight of musicians who depend on the kings and landlords. Thankfully, you have a business to carry on. Practice music as much as you want, but do not leave our family business. Keep your music to please yourself” Srinivasa had indeed followed his advice to the word. With riches that allow him to lend money to kings and chieftains, why should he leave the gold and gem business and stand at the doorsteps of the king? ‘Now, I am the king of my business or my music’, Srinivasa thought but when he remembered that it was amost three weeks since he touched his tamboori, it was not so pleasing. As he was sensing the unpleasantness of this, Madhwapati came in from the inner room to show a pattern he had sketched for an ear ring, and helped Srinivasa’s mind to dwell on something else.
****
It was the usual time when Abhinava would sit for his music practice. Father was very strict when it with music. Whether he taught any new lesson or not, the kids had to do their practice like a ritual. They had to practice all the varases daily in three speedszZ! Of the three brothers, Abhinava had the best voice. Although Srinivasa never explicitely said anything, Abhinava knew that he was always giving some extra attention to his lessons.
Abhinava suddenly remembered the comment Venkatesha, his friend from across the street had made sometime ago. “Ha! Your dad seems to have a lesson plan no other music teacher in this world has! I wonder how you would manage to sing with a teacher like him !” – he had remarked in front of all his friends when they were playing. Abhinava was felt angry, as well as humiliated.
Next day he had gathered courage to ask his father: “Appa, Is it true that you are teaching us in some new way that no other music teacher follows? Other kids make fun of me for that”
Abhinava remembered that Srinivasa did not even blink at this remark, let alone get angry. He had told calmly: “Yes. No other teacher teaches with the system I am teaching you and your brothers. You know what? I made these excercises myself so that it helps in making you musically aware much faster than you other wise would be. Why shoud you worry? I am sure that this system works well, and that is why I teach this way. Stop worrying, and sing Sri Gananaatha”
Saraswati was sure that Abhinava’s mind was wandering somewhere else. She softly patted his back, and asked him if he forgot what to sing next. Abhinava came back from his thoughts and started to sing the prabhandha in devagaandhara raga that his father had taught a few weeks earlier.
****
It was getting dark. Srinivasa called out Madhwapati to get a lamp from the back room. But when he did not come in for a few minutes, Srinivasa had to get up from his seat, and see where the lad was. To his surprise, little Madhwapati was not inside. As he walked to the main door, Srinivasa caught Madhwa speak with someone outside. Few days before someone from the Nayaka’s house had asked Srinivasa to make some new jewelery to the deity at Kollooru. May be someone from the palace had come. Srinivasa rushed outside to see who it was.
“No Sir, Today appa is busy. Come tomorrow, he might be making a small donation” Srinivasa heard Madhwa say to the stranger. Wow, he is the right person to run a business. “A grandson, fit for a grandfather like my father” thought Srinivasa. “Follows him to the core!”
Srinivasa recolleced his father’s advice when he was breathing his last. Little Madhwa was also besides Srinivasa that day. Father had given some thorough advice.
“Sheenappa, you never took the trouble of what was happening at the store all these days. But, now I am counting my days. You will have to take care of the business. Never spend a single varaha more than you need to. Never forget that one varaha saved is more than a varaha earned. Don’t spend money unnecessarily on God and Godly men! Haven’t you heard of the saying “Work is worship”? If you do your duty faithfully, the Almighty will be more pleased than you taking trips to temple on a pilgrimage”.
“Father, What’s wrong if we can afford to ..” Srinivasa’s speech was curtly stopped by his father.
“Who do you think will take care of you and your family when you are in trouble? You were very young and so do not remember the hardship I was in when I tried to be helpful to others, and lost lots of our wealth. Anyway I did recover out of that situation with great efforts and hard work. I don’t want you to undergo what I went through. And more importantly, I don’t want my grandchildren come to streets because of your mistake. Stay away from so called the path of daana-dharma, and stay true to this word”.
Srinivasa had no option than to consent. Father had continued on, in spite of his failing voice.
“Look here Sheenappa. You know the subhAshit that goes like- अन्नंदानम् परम् दानम् विद्यादानमतः परम् ॥ अन्नेन क्षणिका तृप्तिः यावज्जीवन्च विद्यया ॥ Instead of giving one varaha as alms to someone needy, if you can teach them how to earn one varaha, that will stay through his life. If you give a varaha, it will be there only till it is spent. You could help needy ones by teaching what you know – be it your music or the art of making jewelry. If they can use it to earn their living, that is great. If not, do not worry. You aren’t the Lord Brahma to change their fate”
Madhwa was speaking outside:
“No Sir. Be it a upanayana or a marriage. My father would exactly say what I am telling you now. Why do you waste your time as well as mine? You can come another day.”
By the time Srinivasa entered the veranda, the old man had left.
But Srinivasa understood that the old man was not one to leave so easily. Next morning, he was there by the time Srinivasa opened his store. Upon seeing Srinivasa, he asked – ” Oh Sir, I am performing upanayana to my grandson. Please help me”. Srinivasa brushed him off saying it was the beginning of the day, and asked him to wait for some time. It was a busy day for Srinivasa. Some officials from Keladi palace had come with their orders. At night, when Srinivasa was closing his store, he saw the old man waiting in the street corner – but he conveniently ignored him and rushed home. These events repeated a couple of times and Srinivasa heard Madwapati sending him away a couple of times too in the next fortnight.
It was the night of the full moon. Srinivasa had locked up all his chests and was ready to leave when this old man entered with folded hands. Just then Srinivasa saw a varaha under the pillow he was sitting, and tossed it to the man’s hands. As the varaha fell into the old man’s palm, Srinivasa noticed the varaha had corroded. But he did not have the patience to open up the locks and give another good coin. Perhaps the old man’s vision was poor, because he did not seem to notice the flaw in the coin and he walked away thanking Srinivasa.
******
It was early afternoon. Saraswati finished all her chores. Hebana and Abhinava were away, to attend a wedding in a relatives house. Saraswati was quite tired and sat on the swing in the inner hall, when she heard someone at the front door. She went out to see who it was. There was a old man, whom she had not seen before at the door.
“Can I come in Saraswatamma?”
She wondered how he knew her name. With his long nose, and the white turban, she thought he resembled her father.
“Please come in” – she said.
He came in, and asked “Saraswatamma, I am originally from your Belooru country. I want to perform upanayana to my grandson at right time, and send him to Sringeri for studies. Could you please help this old man”?
Saraswati never dealt with money anytime. Everythhing was managed by her husband. “What do I have? Want can a woman give?” She was feeling very sorry for her own plight. Knowing what her husband was, she knew there was no hope of convincing him to give something to this old man, too.
“If you have something that has come down from your parents’ could you please give me? I am an old man, and can’t really go and ask a lot of people”
Saraswati thought about the ornaments she had. Although their family trade was making jewellery, all she word was a mangalya, her nose ring and the earrings. Everything else was in the chest, safely locked by her husband.
Not getting a reply from Saraswati, the old man repeated his plea:
“If you have some ornaments, or some money from your parents in Belooru, please give me whatever you can “. Just then, she remembered she had another nose which was at the pooja room. She took off the pearl nosering she was wearing, and fell at his feet.
“Sir, Please take this. You remind me of my father. My mother gave this nose ring. Take this and bless me”
He said “Deergha sunangalee bhava” and blessed her and went away with the nose ring. After that, Saraswati fell in the dilemma whether she did the right thing. “I’ll wear the other nose ring. Hopefully, he would not notice” she said to herself. Just then Lakshmi devi came in. Poor girl. Young and newly married. No one to help her here. ” Saraswatamma, you said you’d teach me how to make huDigaDubu the otherday, so I thought of dropping in” she said. Saraswati took her into the kitchen.
****
Madhwapati was seated in the inner hall sketching a new design for a piece of jewelery. He had a very artistic hand. He always dreamed of making very fanciful jewelery, better than his father or grandfather did. As he was sketching his mind was also following what his father was telling the customers as they came in. “Your necklace would be ready in three days” – Madhwa could not see his father’s face, but he peeped out to see who the customer was. It was Ganapati Hegade from Ikkeri. “Well, we haven’t even started making a sketch for the necklace!” Madwa thought. He knew that being in this business, one has to tell some white lies anyway. Father must be sure that Ganapati Hegade would not come again in three days- That’s whay he must have told so. Madhwapati saw Ganapati Hegade go out from the front door, as the same old man enter! “Hey, I had sent this man away several times alreaday! I should say he has a very high perseverence!” he thought. Since his father was in the store anyway, Madhwa didn’t worry dealing with the old man now.
Madhwa heard the old man say: “Sir, I have this piece of jewellery. Could you please take this and give me whatever it worth?”.
“Just be here for about half hour. I shall be back soon, and pay you for the nosering” – Madhwa heard his father say. He thought his father would come in and ask him to take care of the store till he was back. But before he realized, Srinivasa had locked the front door and gone!
Madhwapati realized his father did not even know he was here in the back of the store – because Madha had entered the store from the back door, courtesy Nagachari! Now Madhwa was very curious to see this nosering. Would it be so valuable that father does not have enough cash, and has to get money from home?”. He had heard about the nose ring of devi in a temple in the south, where it was so bright that it lit up the sanctum? He could not contain his curiosity and went to the front of the store. The key to the draws were under the pillows, as usual. He opened the chest, and saw the pearl ear ring, right in the top drawer. It was nothing special, Madhwa thought. One bigger pearl, and three smaller pearls hanging down from there. He took a lens and examined it too. The pearls were of good quality, but nothing extra-ordinary. Then what made father to go out? And as he was looking at the nose ring, Madhwa started feeling that the jewel was very familiar. He held it his hand again. Yes. He knew where it came from.
****
After showing Lakshmi the recipe for huDigaDubu, Saraswati went to the front door to send her off, and was quite surprised to see her husband come home at this time! Also, his face bore a strange expression. As Saraswati got some water for him to wash, he asked pointedly.
“What happened to your pearl nose ring?”
Saraswati was shocked. She had totally forgotten to wear the other nose ring, since Lakshmi devi had come as soon as the old man had left. She gathered hear words to say ” I had taken it off when I was taking an oil bath – to save it from gathering oil, and forgot to wear it later”. But hear heart was thumping as the words came out of her mouth.
“Is that right? Fine. Why don’t you go and wear it now?”
Saraswati felt she had become a prisoner of her own words. But what to do? Words once uttered, can’t be taken back. She went in to the inner hallway, and sat in front of the Gods she worshiped everyday.
Her husband was there outside, on the porch, waiting for her to return.
In that very moment, all the twenty and more years of her married life zoomed past her. A loving husband, albeit a bit strict with money matters. Should she confess what she did?
Her mind went on a swing ride.
She took a jasmine flower from the tray that lay there, and placed it on the statue of Vithala she worshipped everyday. She was now ready to face the outcome. If it fell on the rightm she would go and tell everything. If it was on the left, she would keep her honor. But the price for that would be her life.
She was determined. She made three pradadhinas and opened her eyes.
The jasmine flower had fallen on the left side.
She knew what her Lord Vithala had chosen for her.
*****
Little Madhwa was running. Briskly. Very briskly.
It took about twenty minutes to reach home if he walked. But there was no time to lose.
What would happen if father went home and scolded mother? What if amma cried? He did not like that a bit. He remembered the chaos that had followed once amma had given a sack of paddy to somone. He wanted to go home quickly, and give this off to his mother, unnoticed by his father.
Even Madwa did not liked giving away stuff! But he did not want to see his mother in sorrow.
When he was near home, he saw his father sitting on the porch. So he went around the house to the window near the kitchen. He called out softly – “amma, amma”. The window was a little too high for him to climb.
Finally, he made it by holding on to the metal railings, and looked in.
Amma was doing her pooje. Madhwa thought. She had a cup in her hand. What was in there?
Just then he heard his father calling from outside – “Saraswati, How long does it take to wear a nose ring?”
Madhwa was scared. Dead scared. He knew something was definitely going wrong. He threw the small box he was clasping in his small handa towards his mother. But then, he lost his balance, and fell down on the ground.
*****
Saraswati could not beleive her own eyes. As she was about to dring the poison in the cup, a small box fell on her. And to see her nose ring in that she was greatly surprised. She wore that and went out, and could not help notice the look of astonishment in his eyes! So wonderstuck she was, that the cup was still in her hands.
Srinivasa was a jeweller. How could he not notice that one of the diamonds in her ear rings was missing? He knew at once what was there in the cup. He threw the contents out and ran to his store.
The front door was locked. The old man was nowhere to be seen. The nose ring was gone.
His mind was in a frenzy. He knew his wife had chosen death, not being able to face him, because she gave away a small jewel without his permission. Would she come back to life, even if he poured all his wealth?
His mind was made up. He locked to door and left.
*****
The whole town was surprised to hear Srinivasa Nayaka, famed as Navakoti Narayana was giving away all his wealth and becoming a haridasa.
After returning from home from the store, he had told his wife all that happened with the old man. He told her: “He must have been a great man indeed. I was definitely in the wrong. I might have lost you and become an orphan. Now let’s go to Vijaya Nagara. I will find a teacher there. I will continue where I had left of. Instead of composing songs, and teaching kids, I will sing those songs for the Almighty, asking for alms in the streets. Enough of Kshemapura. Today is the last day in Srinivasa Nayaka’s life. Are you ready to come with me?”
Saraswati was very surprised at what had ensued. She remembered Vaikuntha Dasa. How sweet his songs were in the streets of Belooru! Now, her dear husband is also thinking of following those footsteps.
Saraswati got his tamboori, and gave it to Srinivasa.
When the crowds were lining up outside to take in whatever Srinivasa was giving away, Madhwa told his mother all that had happned.
She said : “It is all an offering to Krishna”
Who was that old man? Even if it was Madhwa who got the nose ring, who gave that idea to him? It was none other than the Chenniga of Belooru, Vitthala of Purandara. Wasn’t it?
Saraswati’s mind told her: “All that happened, has happened for the good. The wealth indeed became the way to being in the service of Vitthala”***
She told Madhwa – ” All that happened has happend as per the wish of Vitthala. He will do as he pleases. Go and tell eveything to his father”.
When Madhwa narrated what happend, all Srinivasa said was “KrishnarpaNamastu”. His mind had chosen it’s goal.
The next morning, their house was empty. Srinivasa’s family was walking onthe road to Vijaya Nagara.
Srinivasa had his tALa, and tamboori in his hand and his pleasant singing was heard by others taking the same road.
“He who strums the tamboori,
Is the one who crosses the ocean of life,
One who keeps the tALa,
Is the one who becomes one with the Gods.
He who sings
Is the one who could see Vithala,
Is the one who would reach Vaikuntha”@@@
Yes. They were destined towards their target.
Their final target.
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Footnotes:
Folklore tells that Srinivasa Nayaka was the name of Purandara Dasa before he became a Haridasa, and that he was a jeweller by profession. His wife’s name is traditionally given as Saraswati. There are couple of records (from Vijayanagara times) that give the names of three of Purandara Dasa’s sons – Hebana (called Lakshma in another record) , Madhwapati and Abhinava. Each of these sons have also composed, with their own signatures. Scholars like R Satyanarayana believe that the Pillari geete – paduma naabha paramapurusha – traditionally thought to be Purandara Dasa’s is a composition of his son Abhinava Purandara Dasa.
The story of Srinivasa Nayaka becoming Purandara Dasa is very well known. But I would like to make it clear the variations in the details, as they appear in this story, are from my imagination. I have tried to place the family in the sorroudings of Kshemapura.
This is the translation of a story I wrote last year in Kannada. There is a little twist in the end in this translated version. Thanks to a friend who suggested this change.
Kshemapura (or Purandarapura): Scholars have identified this place mentioned in ancient records to be the same as (or very near ) Gerusoppa, in current day Shivamogga district in Karnataka – close to the famed Jog falls. This was a busy trading post during those times due because it was on the route between Vijaya Nagara and the ports on Karnataka’s west coast.
Ikkeri: One of the capitals of the Nayakas (chieftains) of Keladi-Bidanooru. Now this is a village near to Sagara town in current day Shivamogga district
Bidanooru : Another capital of the Nayakas who ruled this area in the 15-16-17 th centuries. Located near Hosanagara, in current day Shivamogga district.
Belooru : An ancient town in current day Hassan district. This place was also called Velaapuri. Hoysala kings have built an extremely beautiful temple of Channakeshava here (1117 AD)
Kollooru: A temple town in the Udupi district of Karnataka. Famous for the deity – Mookambike.
Sringeri : A temple town in the ChikkamagaLooru district of Karnataka. Shankaracarya established one of his four
mathas here in the 9th century. This has been a center of learning since then.
Vidyaranya, the pontiff of Shringeri in mid 14th century was the key man who stood behind Harihara and Bukka to establish the Vijaya Nagara empire
Vijaya Nagara : Current day Hampe, in Hosapete district of Karnataka, was the capital of the Vijaya Nagara empire.
varaha : a coin, a denomination of money, in ancient and medieval India
Kanyakumari: Referred to as ‘the place in the South, famed for a diamond nose ring of the deity’
Vaikunta Dasa: One of the Dasas in Haridasa Parampare. He is said to have lived in Belooru.
*** -> approximately the translation of the pallavi of a pada of Purandara Dasa – “Adaddella oLitE Ayitu, namma Sridharana sEvege sAdhana sampattAyitu”
Location map of places that are mentioned in the story :
A map of places mentioned in the story
It has become customary to remember Tyagaraja on his Aradhana day, the day commemorating his passing away at the age of 80 in 1847. It was the fifth day of the dark half of the month Pushya. This is the day when huge crowds descend to Tiruvaiyyaru, to sing in front of the composer’s samadhi.
As a a lover of Karnataka sangeeta, I would not probably go even a single day without humming or listening to some composition of Tyagaraja. But the aaraadhane is sure a special day, and I hope to sit and sing at least a few compositions of the great composer on 15th January 2009.
In addition, I thought it would be a great time to translate one of his compositions. Since last year, I had translated mEru samAna in mAyAmALavagouLa, the 15th mELa rAga, I thought it was apt to translate a composition in chakravAka, the 16th mELa rAga, and … – well let me come clean I chose it because it was easy to translate into kannaDa, and also because I could sing the song in the original meTTu without any hiccups! The translated version of mEru samAna made it’s way to a concert, so then I thought I should make a conscious effort to keep the sing-ability of the translation!
Here is the kriti , eTulA brOtuvO teliya. rAga chakravAka. miSra chApu tALa:
pallavi:
eTulA brOtuvO teliya EkAnta rAmayya ||
anupallavi:
kaTa kaTa nA caritamu karNa kaThOramayya || eTula brOtuvO teliya ||
caraNa:
paTTu goDDU rIti bhakShinchi tirugItI
puTTu lObhulanu poTTakai pogaDiti
duShTulatOgUDi duShkRityamA salipi
raTTu jEsina tyAgarAjuni dayatO || eTulA brOtuvO teliya ||
And here is it’s translation in kannaDa:
ರಾಗ: ಚಕ್ರವಾಕ ಮಿಶ್ರ ಚಾಪು ತಾಳ.
ಪಲ್ಲವಿ:
ಎಂತು ಪೊರೆವೆಯೋ ಅರಿಯೆ
ಏಕಾಂತ ರಾಮನೆ!
ಅನುಪಲ್ಲವಿ:
ಕಟಪಟೆಯಾ ಎನ್ನ ಚರಿತೆ
ಗಡುಸಹುದು ಕೇಳಲಿಕೆ || ಎಂತು ಪೊರೆವೆಯೋ ಅರಿಯೆ ||
ಚರಣ:
ಗೊಡ್ಡು ಹಸುವಿನಂತೆ ತಿನ್ನುತ್ತಾ ತಿರುಗಿದೆ
ಹುಟ್ಟು ಜಿಪುಣರನೇ ಹೊಟ್ಟೆಗಾಗಿ ಹೊಗಳಿದೆ
ದುಷ್ಟರ ಒಡಗೂಡಿ ಬಲು ಕೆಡುಕುಗಳ ಮಾಡಿ
ಕೆಟ್ಟು ಹೋಗಿಹ ತ್ಯಾಗರಾಜನಿಗೆ ದಯತೋರಿ || ಎಂತು ಪೊರೆವೆಯೋ ಅರಿಯೆ||
By the way, Tyagaraja was one of the very first composers to take a note of this rAga. Although vEgavAhini had a long history, its krama-sampoorNa counterpart chakravAka got its firm roots only because of compositions of Tyagaraja.
-neelanjana
It was almost noon by the time Saraswati finished her daily pooje. She observed she was singing aloud when she was doing mangalaarati to the deities. If her husband was home, she would only mumble the song to herself. In reality, she was quite a good singer, but lacked the confidence to sing in front of him because he was indeed very well versed in music. That was the cause for the hesitation to sing before him. He might say a thing or two about her sangatis. Or he might even bring the tamboori, and show how to sing those sangatis to sound better. That’s why the walls of their ancestral home heard Saraswatis singing voice only when Srinivasa was away. She often wondered if he could dedicate himself to music if not for the family business. Saraswathi just thought how nice it would have been to listen to his singing all day. It was several months since he had touched his tamboori. His singing was so overpowering and made her emotional that she would feel that Lord Krishna’s brindavana was right here at Kshemapura. The only other person she new who had a comparable voice was that of Vaikuntha Dasa of her hometown.
Saraswati felt very strange at thinking Belooru as her hometown even after being married for almost twenty years and living in Kshemapura! It reminded her that she had not visited her parents for couple of years. She was indeed worried when there was a talk of her marriage, and when she knew the suitor was from the hilly rainy country. Her hometown was a real beauty. Such a peaceful and tranquil town with the three hundred year old Chennakeshava temple as the anchor for all activities in the town! What to do? Once a girl gets married, she has to think her husband’s home as her own. She was indeed very happy when she arrived in Kshemapura first time. So green! But when the rains arrived she was terror struck at the force of the torrential rains that would not budge for four or five months! But now she preferred the rainy season since she saw more of her husband at home doing his music practice. As she went into the kitchen, Saraswati started counting how many more months till Ashadha arrived.
****
Srinivasa looked at the pendant Nagachari gave. Yes, it was looking good. May be few less emeralds would have made it look even better. He started to write the pattern for the necklace to match this pendant. Then noticing that Nagachari was still waiting, Srinivasa reminded him that the work should be finished soon because it had to get to the Palace before the festivals. As Srinivasa was completing his sketch, he thought of the hours he was spending at his store these days. Hebana was almost eighteen. It was time for him to take more responsibility in the business, Srinivasa thought. May be then he would have some time to pursue his first love, music.
Srinivasa’s father had trained him to be a jeweler right from the days he was a young lad. But among Srinivasa’s children, only little Madhvapati shows interest in coming to the store. Madhwa often watched has father designing the jewels, and also attempted to some of his own. The older two boys were not coming to the store even once in a bluemoon! May be it was time to make sure they come somewhat regularly, or else it might spell problems! But as Srinivasa recollected that he never came to the store regularly as a young boy, he thought all was not lost with Hebana and Abhinava yet.
In fact, Srinivasa’s father was quite lenient. He even had told his wife not to distract Srinivasa with household errands if he was practicing music, or studying all those books related with music and poetry. But Srinivasa still remembered what he had told one day : “Seenappa, I have seen the plight of musicians who depend on the kings and landlords. Thankfully, you have a business to carry on. Practice music as much as you want, but do not leave our family business. Keep your music to please yourself” Srinivasa had indeed followed his advice to the word. With riches that allow him to lend money to kings and chieftains, why should he leave the gold and gem business and stand at the doorsteps of the king? ‘Now, I am the king of my business or my music’, Srinivasa thought but when he remembered that it was amost three weeks since he touched his tamboori, it was not so pleasing. As he was sensing the unpleasantness of this, Madhwapati came in from the inner room to show a pattern he had sketched for an ear ring, and helped Srinivasa’s mind to dwell on something else.
****
It was the usual time when Abhinava would sit for his music practice. Father was very strict when it with music. Whether he taught any new lesson or not, the kids had to do their practice like a ritual. They had to practice all the varases daily in three speedszZ! Of the three brothers, Abhinava had the best voice. Although Srinivasa never explicitely said anything, Abhinava knew that he was always giving some extra attention to his lessons.
Abhinava suddenly remembered the comment Venkatesha, his friend from across the street had made sometime ago. “Ha! Your dad seems to have a lesson plan no other music teacher in this world has! I wonder how you would manage to sing with a teacher like him !” – he had remarked in front of all his friends when they were playing. Abhinava was felt angry, as well as humiliated.
Next day he had gathered courage to ask his father: “Appa, Is it true that you are teaching us in some new way that no other music teacher follows? Other kids make fun of me for that”
Abhinava remembered that Srinivasa did not even blink at this remark, let alone get angry. He had told calmly: “Yes. No other teacher teaches with the system I am teaching you and your brothers. You know what? I made these excercises myself so that it helps in making you musically aware much faster than you other wise would be. Why shoud you worry? I am sure that this system works well, and that is why I teach this way. Stop worrying, and sing Sri Gananaatha”
Saraswati was sure that Abhinava’s mind was wandering somewhere else. She softly patted his back, and asked him if he forgot what to sing next. Abhinava came back from his thoughts and started to sing the prabhandha in devagaandhara raga that his father had taught a few weeks earlier.
****
(to be continued)
If you can read Kannada, then click the following links:
And here is what I wrote during Navaratri festival in 2007:
-neelanjana
On 13th September, I attended a concert of bay area vocalist Sri Ragavan Manian. This was a very special concert form me as it becomes clear as I go telling you about the concert.
I have written about Ragavan Manian before , more than once. If you already know that I am a die-hard fan of Dr Balamuralikrishna, you might think that it is no wonder I like Ragavan’s music. But as good desciples of great gurus go, Ragavan does not stop with just following his Guru’s footsteps. Ragavan does sing Dr Balamurali’s compositions and also sings many other compositions that Dr BMK has made his own by his special touch, but also comes up with very great themes in his concerts. Ragavan is himself a composer, and I have seen him give astonishingly refreshing ideas every time I hear him. I’d say that’s his greatest asset.
When I came to know that our Kannada koota (Kannada Koota of Northern California) was having Ragavan’s concert as part of the 2008 Kannadotsava event, I was pleasantly surprised. For an audience where you have a mix of folks with varied interests, the organizers have to select programs based on what they think the crowd will like, and many times classical music takes a backseat. Dance is a different issue – it is a visual art, and people can be engaged in a classical dance program easily compared to someone singing an AlApane of punnAgavarALi or Ahiri, I would say.
But no need to worry I should say, as the concert proved itself. Ragavan made it a concert with all Kannada compositions, which made it a little easier for those who are not very much into classical music to appreciate it. And for a change, the concert had a Veena ( by Raja Sivamani) accompanying the vocalist in addition to violin (Keshav) and mridanga ( Ramesh Srinivasan).
The following is not a review, but just a listing with some music clips. I am thankful for my friends in KKNC who provided the video clips.
Ragavan started the concert with a shatpadi ( a six-liner) of Kanaka dAsa (dIna nAnu samasta lOkake dAni nInu) followed by nammamma shArade, a very popular composition of Kanakadasa set to hamsadhwani rAga
Next was a brisk and short kharaharapriya followed by dharmave jayavemba divya mantra , a composition of Purandara dAsa.
The first rAga Ragavan took for elaboration was mAyAmALavagouLa.
When he announced the composition he was going to sing, it was a surprise to some of the audience, but not to me . It was Tyagaraja’s classic kriti in mAyAmALavagouLa - mEru samAna dhIra in Kannada – translated by yours truly .
I was really happy to hear the lines I had penned (of course, translated from Tyagaraja) which came alive.
If you are interested in reading the sAhitya for this kannada version of this kriti, read it here in an earlier post I wrote around Tyagaraja Aradhane this year.
After this came a wonderful AlApane of kalyANi, followed by Purandara dAsa’s kELanO hari tALanO. This was the main item in the concert. I particularly liked how he included the ugAbhOga “malagi pADidare kuLitu kELuvanu” in one of the charaNas.
Next, Ragavan sang a rAgamAlika composition of PadmacharaN, manavE mantrAlaya.
Sandhyaa Raaga, a Kannada movie of the 1960’s had a number of good classical songs. This was a special movie for Kannada cinema, as both Bheemasen Joshi and BMK have sung as playback singers in this movie.
Ragavan sang a very popular song from this movie (sung by Dr BMK in the movie) nambide ninna nAda dEvateye in pUrvikalyANi next.
Then came two vacanas: kAyada kattaleya kaLeyayya, a vachana of Akkamahadevi set in rAga sindhu bhairavi and Chakorange chandramana beLakina chinte, a vachana of Basavanna, set in rAga Bhatiyar
Ragavan concluded the concert with one of his own compositions, a tillAna in Bhatiyar.
This is a concert I would definitely remember for a long time
-neelanjana
ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಷೋಭೆಗಳಿಗೇನು ಕೊರತೆ? ಲೆಹ್ಮನ್ ಬ್ರದರ್ಸ್ ಇಂದ ಮಂಗಳೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದ ಗಲಾಟೆಯವರೆಗೆ, ಗುಸ್ತಾವ್, ಐಕ್ ನಿಂದ ಹಿಡಿದು ಬೀಳುತ್ತಿರುವ ಶೇರು ಮಾರುಕಟ್ಟೆಯ ತನಕ ಬೇಕಾದಷ್ಟಿವೆ.
ಈಗ ತಾನೇ ಪುತಿನ ಅವರ ಶ್ರೀರಾಮ ಪಟ್ಟಾಭಿಷೇಕ ಗೀತನಾಟಕವನ್ನು ಓದಿ ಮುಗಿಸಿದೆ. ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ಕಡೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬರುವ ಮಂಗಳ ಶ್ಲೋಕ (ಹೊಸತೇನಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೂ) ಹಿಡಿಸಿತು. ಅದನ್ನೇ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಬರೆದಿರುವೆ.
ಕಾಲಕಾಲಕ್ಕೂ ಮೇಘ ವರ್ಷಿಸಲಿ
ಪೃಥಿವಿಯಾಗಲಿ ಸಸ್ಯಶಾಲಿನಿ
ಕ್ಷೋಭೆಗಳಿಲ್ಲದೆ ದೇಶ ಹದುಳಿರಲಿ
ಸಾಧುಗಭಯ, ಜಗಕೆಲ್ಲವು ಸಮ್ಮುದ
ಇದರ ಮೂಲ ಸುಮಾರು ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ತಿಳಿದದ್ದೇ ಆಗಿದೆ:
ಕಾಲೇ ವರ್ಷತು ಪರ್ಜನ್ಯ ಪೃಥಿವೀ ಸಸ್ಯಶಾಲಿನೀ|
ದೇಶೋSಯಂ ಕ್ಷೋಭರಹಿತಃ ಸಾಧವೋ ಸಂತು ನಿರ್ಭಯಾ:||
ಈ ಗೀತರೂಪಕವನ್ನು ಮೊನ್ನೆ ರಂಗದ ಮೇಲೆ ನೋಡಿದ ಮೇಲೆ ಇದನ್ನು ಕುಳಿತು ಓದಬೇಕೆಂದೆನಿಸಿ, ಓದಿದೆ. ಇನ್ನೊಂದಷ್ಟು ಬರೆಯಬೇಕು, ನೋಡೋಣ. ಎಂದಾಗುವುದೋ?
-ನೀಲಾಂಜನ
As I was reading a subhAshita toady, I was stuck by the resemblance between that verse and a vacana of Akka Mahadevi, a Kannada poet-saint from 12th century.
Here is the subhAshita I am referring to:
छिन्नोपि चंदनतरुः न जहाति गंधं
वृद्धोपि वापणपतिः न जहाति लाभं ।
यंत्रार्पितो मधुरतां न जहाति चेक्षुः
क्षीणोपि न त्यजति शीलगुणान् कुलीनः ॥
ಛಿನ್ನೋಪಿ ಚಂದನತರುಃ ನ ಜಹಾತಿ ಗಂಧಂ
ವೃದ್ಧೋಪಿ ವಾಪಣಪತಿಃ ನ ಜಹಾತಿ ಲಾಭಂ |
ಯಂತ್ರಾರ್ಪಿತೋ ಮಧುರತಾಂ ನ ಜಹಾತಿ ಚೇಕ್ಷುಃ
ಕ್ಷೀಣೋಪಿ ನ ತ್ಯಜತಿ ಶೀಲಗುಣಾನ್ ಕುಲೀನಃ ||
The Subhashita tells that how noble men (or women) do not drift away from their good nature even when they are facing bad times. I just could not stop using two lines from AkkamahAdEvi’s vachana “chandanava kaDidu koredu tEdoDe” (ಚಂದನವ ಕಡಿದು ಕೊರೆದು ತೇದೊಡೆ) to bring this subhAshita into KannaDa, for they make such a perfect match!
ಚಂದನವ ಕಡಿದು ಕೊರೆದು ತೇದೊಡೆ
ನೊಂದೆನೆಂದು ಕಂಪ ಬಿಟ್ಟಿತ್ತೇ?
ಕುಂದಿದಾ ದೇಹದ ಮುದಿವ್ಯಾಪಾರಿಯೂ
ಹಿಂದಾಗಬಿಟ್ಟಾನೆ ಗಳಿಕೆಯನ್ನು?
ಸಂದು ಸಂದು ಕಡಿದ ಕಬ್ಬನು
ತಂದು ಗಾಣದಲಿಕ್ಕಿ ಅರೆದೊಡೆ
ನೊಂದೆನೆಂದದು ತಾ ಸವಿಯ ಬಿಟ್ಟೀತೇ?
ನೊಂದರೂ ಕುಂದಿದರೂ ಶೀಲಗುಣಗಳನು
ಒಂದೇ ಮನದಿ ಕಾಯುವರು ಅಗ್ಗಳರು!
(ಮಹಾದೇವಿಯಕ್ಕನ ಎರಡು ಸಾಲುಗಳನ್ನು ಸಾಲ ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡಿರುವೆ – ಅಂತ ಸೊಗಸಾದ ಸಾಲುಗಳನ್ನು ಬಿಡಲು ಮನಸಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ – ಆ ವಚನ ಚಂದನವ ಕಡಿದು ಕೊರೆದು ತೇದೊಡೆ ಎಂದೇ ಆರಂಭವಾಗುತ್ತೆ )
-ನೀಲಾಂಜನ
July 18th happens to be the birthday of Jayachamarajendra Odeyar, the last ruler of Mysore. He was born on this day in 89 years ago (1919).
(Photo: From an article in Hindu written by Sriram Venkatakrishnan)
Jayachamarajendra Odeyar (JCW) is considered as one of the prominent composers of Karnataka Sangeetha in the 20th century. In addition, he was an accomplised exponent of Western classical music as well.
Here is a speech by well known musicologist (and Vainika) Prof R Satyanarayana. The original speech was in Kannada, and translated by yours truly. This is probably a speech from the late 1970s or 1980s. Even though it is not a word-to-word translation, I have tried to retain the original flavor of the speech.
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Prof R Satyanarayana’s speech on Jayachamarajendra Odeyar:
It was JCW who conceived the idea of starting a music college at the University of Mysore. When efforts were put in that direction for the first time, it had to be shelved because of the mutual jealousy of some musicians. Later, with the foresight for starting college of lalita kalA institution, JCW left a large sum of money as a donation (datti) to the Mysore University. That was the seed money from with this great institution was started from. There is a special relation between Mysore University and the Maharaja. It was indeed here where His Highness attended the classes just like a commoner, and got his degree. Mysore University should be congratulated and thanked for teaching a member from the royal family along with common people and make a scholar out of him.
Before considering him as a composer, let me tell a few things about his expertise in music. Even when he was very young, he took on interest in western music with his father’s influence. Many people may not know that JCW stood first in the extremely difficult music examinations from Cambridge and Trinity colleges in London. He was an excellent piano player. His sisters were also experts on the piano. JCW was invited to Europe and America several times not because he was a King, but because of his expertise on the piano, and his insight into Indian ‘darshana’s. He has performed on the piano at a large number of prestigious halls, and spoken in front of elite audience in many of these countries.
Apart from this, JCW’s vision and understanding of Indian music had a great depth and width. Before he was crowned, he did ‘shishyavritti’ with Sri Vasudevachar (in vocal music), and also with Veena Giriyappa (for Veena) for a short term. The music he learnt from these teacher-duo (even though it was for a very short time) flowered and bore wonderful fruits. We can see an example of his critical abilities and knowledge of music in his address at the Music Academy’s annual conference. This inaugural address at the Music Academy’s annual conference, which he delivered in the year when Mysooru Chowdayya was the President of the conference proceedings, was so sparkling that it made all the earlier conference addresses seem very dull. This showcased Maharaja’s internal vision into the shAsrta aspects, darshana, Vedanta aspects, and the expertise he had in lakshya. The examples and suggestions he gave to fellow musicians to reach their goals, was so inspiring then, and is so even now.
I can talk a lot more about him, but it is not the right time. I would now like to concentrate on the specialty of his vaggeyakaratva. Vaggeyakara is a technical term used to indicate a person is one who provides the mAtu, and rAGa and tALa (svara laya bandha) for a composition; there were two reasons for him to become a vaggeyakara. The first one was the breadth and depth of musical the practical experience viz the music which he had imbibed from his gurus like Venkatagiriyappa and Vasudevachar; the influence and exposure to hindustani music which he got from his uncle that can be seen in his compositions in rAgas like mAnd, and his practical and theoritical expertise in Western music.
When he started composing there was one more major influence in his compositions. If you look at the invitation you have received, in the first page, you can see it starts as “jayaratna jayachamarajendra oDeyar”, where it compares the great qualities of 9 great kings with that of JCW. Many of these kings were from Karnataka. That’s why he is called navaratna jayachamaraja oDeyar. When I was writing this, I felt it would be just to add one more quality that is missing in the list here. I wanted to make it a list of 10 qualities. There is one extremely rare quality which JCW had, and that wasn’t there in any other king before –That is his accomplishment in srIvidye. In addition to the background and inspiration from the sangIta, srIvidya was also instrumental in bringing out these compositons. These compositions were a just vehicle to express his inner spirit’s longing for mOkSha and the enormous effort it was going through in aligning it in that direction through the mode of musical expressions. While composing he took some suggestions from Vasudevachara, and sometimes from Venkatagiriyappa for appropriate suggestions, and he would give a final form to the compositions considering their inputs. Often he played the kritis on Piano and gave a final shape to a composition.
Let me tell you how he became Srividya upAsaka. Sri Siddhalingaswamy, who was a very known sculptor from Mysore initiated JCW to Srividye. Odeyar indicates Siddalingesha as the svagurunAma (Siddhalinga Swami). His guru, (Guru of Siddhalinga Swamy) was Odeyar’s parama guru nanjunda yOgIndra. Odeyars parameshTha guru was nAgalinga yatIndra (Guru of Nanjunda Yogindra). We can see JCW remembering these gurus in many of his kritis. JCW also indicates the influence of his father’s music on him by the word narakanThIrava. kanThIrava means lion. narakanThIrava means narasimha. Chitprabhanandanatha was his deeksha name given to Odeyar by his guru Siddhalingaswamy. Normally JCW includes the name chitprabhanandanAtha along with his ankita Srividya. Getting a dIksha nAMa is the first step to initiation into Srividye. He has used this name ‘chitprabhAnandanAtha’ in many kritis. I hope singers note this point while singing his kritis.
JCW made chamundi as the aradhya dEvi for Srividya upAsane. Chamundi was the kuladiava of Odeyars. However, in yaduvamsha, Chamundi wasn’t the only royal diety. They worshipped Shiva as well. If there ever was a royal dynasty that could be termed secular, it was the oDeyars of Maisooru. They were staunch followers of Brahmatantra parakAlaswamy, the Shankaracharya of Sringeri, and also of Veerashaiva mathas.In short, Odeyars pracitioners of ‘Sarva dharma samanvaya’- equality of all religions- principle. Even though his ancestors were shiva worshippers, JCW became an upasaka in the shaktipradhANa kAdi mArga dakshiNAmoorti tradition of SrividyA upAsane.
One interesting fact about his compositions is that they are all are in Samskrita. They all follow the pattern, and style of muttuswAmi dIkshIta’s compositions, who was also a Srividya upAsaka. They use similar technicality of muttuswAmi dIkshita’s compositions on Srividya. Another notable feature of his compositions is that he has used as many as ragas as are his compositions. This is a very rare thing, and no other vaggeyakara has done this feat in the entire world of Indian music. In doing this he has used ragas like kOkilapriya, supradIpa, gambhIranATa, vijayavasanta, nIlavENi, kOkilabhAShaNi, mALavi, vagadhIshwari, pratApavarALi, nAmanArAyaNi, shuddha tODi, amrtavAnini, hamsavinOdini, bhogavasanta, nadabrahma etc – rAgas that are new, or rAgas that had only one or two earlier lakshya examples. He created laksyha for ragas like amRutavAhini and pratApavarALi, which had only example from Tyagaraja. This is something we have to be proud of.
All the 94 or 96 kritis are about SrIvidye. You may ask how I’d explain to say his compositions on Shiva and Ganesha. Even Ganesha and Shiva are considered as the dieties that open the door of Srividya. He made chAmunDi as srRmAte. In Chamunda is the seventh mAtRuka in the second chakra called trailokyamOhana chakra, in the prathamAvaraNa of Srividya worship. JCW often uses the word mAtRuka again and again in his kritis. There is shlEsha in that, I will take an example in a kriti and explain later.
JCW not only reached the pinnacle in musical capabilities. If we include his contribution to music, we have to invent a new word- Ounnatya shaTka- ‘six fold-pinnacles’ to describe him, because he was an extra-ordinary man who reached the difficult-to-attain ‘ounnatya panchaka’ – the ‘five-fold pinnacles’. There are only a few, who have reached this ounnattya panchaka.
He attained kAyOnnati – Whoever had seen him can vouch for the truth of this fact. His tall stature, and build that indeed was befitting the golden throne he was occupying. Next one in the unnati panchaka is mAnOnnati. It does not just mean he was abhimAnashAli.It has a much deeper meening. ‘mAna’ means to measure; If you have to create a new measure to evaluate someone or something, that shows the greatness of the insights and personality of him or her. All of us develop measures according to our own capability. JCW created new units of measuring for evaluating all worldly qualities. In addition to his, he also had manOnnati and vidyOnnati. He was a great scholar and a dArshanika. If you read his book, ‘D attatreya- A Study’ you can appreciate and understand his deep insight and scholarship in the darshanas. To top it all, he also reached AtmOnnati, thus completing this unnati panchaka. When you add his sangItOnnati, it indeed becomes ‘unnati shaTka’.
JCW was thus a great soul who attained these pinnacles in contemporary times. But unfortunately, I feel sad that our generation does not seem remember and recognize contributions the kings of maisUru like mummaDi Krishnaraja Odeyar, nAlvaDi Krishnaraja Odeyar and Jayachamaraja Odeyar made specifically to our music and to our society in general.
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(I’d like to thank Sri Rajachandra, who gave me the audio recording of this speech.)
-neelanjana
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