Early hours of Saturday,
7 Jan, 2017,
1:17 AM.
No sign of any sleep. My mind is totally awake since I haven't prepared the complete list to be sung in my concert, day after tomorrow. Thus, the ray of insomnia.
7 Jan, 2017,
1:17 AM.
No sign of any sleep. My mind is totally awake since I haven't prepared the complete list to be sung in my concert, day after tomorrow. Thus, the ray of insomnia.
I planned to sing Todi, one of the most popular raga-s of Indian music and also one of my top favourites. At first, I decided "Aaragimpave". Then I jumped to "Emi Jesithenemi". And then, I wandered over "Koluvamare".
And then I came across a beautiful composition of Sri Tyagaraja, "Ninu Vinaa, Sukhamu Gaana, Neeraja Nayanaa". I remembered learning it so long ago that I hardly remember anything.
So, I began brushing it up.
In a raga, every composition is so different from another. There are inumerable aspects like the emotion, the sandarbham, the itivrittam, the tone of the words, the gait of the compoition and many more.
"Ninu Vinaa, Sukhamu Gaana.. Ninu Vinaa, Sukhamu Gaana.." !!
While singing these lines, one does not feel like moving from them because of the emotion of the pure joy imbibed in it. I was singing the pallavi for almost 45 minutes!
Enthoo sukham! Entha sukham? - Eelaagani Vivarimpalemu! Svaanubhavavedyame!
"Manasukenthoo Aanandamai....." This line literally looks like a swing to me. The svara-s move so beautifully and just pamper your heart, like never before. And then "Pulakarinchagaa...." which concludes the line.
And then comes my most favourite "Rupamu, Prataapamu....."
Sri Tayagaraja is so charmed by Rama and tries to portray Rama's appearance to us in his words. We can see and feel Rama.
"Sarachaapamu" sounds exactly like a big Dhanus (bow), and almost a visible Rama in front of us, preparing it for his next target!
Needless to say, "Sallaapamu" is so obvious with the special Gaandhaara preserved for it all this while!
The Gaandhaara at "Karunaa rasa paripoorna" is so perfect for the emotion of Karuna.
I always wonder, can there ever be an alternative for the particular svara-s he used for some particular words. For example,
Paluku Kanda Chakkera - S G M P , P S , , which sounds like a Sugar Candy!
Evarura? Ninu vinaa - G P D R S , , which sounds literally like a Question!
Gopikalakai Kondanettaleda -N S G , mp m G S , - which sounds like lifting the Mountain!
There is so much in all these kirtanas. We all know it but it is a beautiful reminder again and again which reminds us that it is like the Akshaya Patra which keeps giving and like the Ganga which keeps flowing forever.
"Raaga Rasika, Raaga Rahita"
Rasikatvam and Raahityamu are opposites which almost mean attachment and detachment.
The way he uses phrases for each of them is so so clever and so apt!
The Gaandhaara used in the word "Raaga" in the phrase "Raaga Rasika", is so joyous, mesmerising and flowy.
The Gaandhaara used in the word "Raaga" in the phrase "Raaga Rahita" tilts upwards, suggesting to reach a higher level, leaving the attachments and also reaches the Taara Sadja, which I interpret as a journey towards the Ultimate.
So much Todi at once. So much Todi just all over me. It began to feel like, my whole room and my bed is smoked by Tyagaraja and his Todi.
So much beauty and aesthetics! So much joy, such a beautiful Bhaavam! What a Wonderful usage of Adjectives!
I wish everyone this joy of so much of beauty, striking you at once!
Here is a small attempt to Visualise Tyagaraja, Todi and Rama.
