Iṅayā-Iinai Kai (Asamyuta Hasta’s)

Hasta’s mentioned in the commentary of Cilapatikāram by Adiyārkku Nallar
(Arankētru Kādai)
Part Two
By
Uma Nagaswamy

Introduction:
In part one of this article we compared the names of Iṅayā-Iinai Kai (Asamyuta Hasta’s) and Piṅayal Kai (Samyuta Hasta’s) quoted by Adiyārkku Nallar and its Sanskrit equivalent. Now we will explore in detail the text quoted by Adiyārkku Nallar in his commentary (Cilapatikāram by U. Ve. Swaminatha Iyer, p.92-97).

Detailed explanation (Iṅayā-Iinai Kai):
.
1. Patākai
Quoted text:

Nāngu viralum tammuḷ otti nimira
Peruviral kunchithu nirpadu

Meaning:
Four fingers held straight together and thumb bent.

2. Tiripatākai (Tripatāka)
Quoted text:
Patākaiyin aṇiviral mudakkuvadu

Meaning:
Holding a Patāka hand and bending the ring finger

3. Katirikai (Kartharīmuka)
Quoted text:

Tiripatākaiyin mudankiya aṇivirar puratatakiya
Nadu viralai suttu viralōdu porunda nimirpadu

Meaning:
Holding a Tiripatākai and bending the middle finger at the back of the ring finger (in a Scissors like manner).
Note:
This description matches a slight variation of Kartarīmuka mentioned in Abinaya Darpana.

4. Tūpam (Kartarīmuka variation bending index and middle fingers)
Quoted text:

Nimirnda nadu viralum suttu viralum pādi padai aḷavu nirpadu

Meaning:
Holding a Kartharīmuka bending the middle and index finger half way

Note:
There is no equivalent gesture for Tūpam in Asumyuta Hastas. Based on its name, it is my opinion that this hasta is used to denote an incense stick.

5. Arāḷam (Arāḷa)
Quoted text:

Peruviral kunchittu, cuttu viral mudakki
oḻinda viran mūndrum nimirndu vaḷaivadu

Meaning:

Bending the thumb, tucking the index finger, holding the remaining three fingers straight in a staggered manner with a slight slant.

Note:
Variations of Arālam (Arāla) exist in different Bharatanātyam styles.

6. Iḷampirai (Ardacandra)
Quoted text:

Cuttum pedu anāmikai ciruviral ottiya agam vaḷaiya
Ottiya peruviral vittu nīngum

Meaning:

Excepting the thumb, holding the index, middle, ring and little fingers together, slightly bending the inside of all four fingers.

Note:
Iḷampirai in Tamiḻ means young moon. Its Sanskrit equivalent Ardacandra represents a half moon. It is interesting to note that the slight bend of all four fingers described in the quoted text could actually represent an earlier stage of moon’s phase rather than a half-moon.

7. Ṣukatuṇdam (Ṣukatuṇda)
Quoted text:

Cuttuviralum peru virarānum, otti ugir nunai kauvi muṉ vaḷaindu
Anāmikai mudanga, pēdodu ciruviral than miga nimirnda

Meaning:

Holding the index and thumb in a bent position, with there tips touching, bending the ring finger, while holding the middle and little fingers in a straight position.

Note:
There is a slight variation in the above description from its Sanskrit version and this is holding the tips of index and thumb fingers.

8. Mutti (Muṣti)
Quoted text:

Cuttu naduviral anāmikai ciruviral, iruga mudakkiyavatrin misai
Peruviral muruga piditta muraimai

Meaning:
Holding the index, middle, ring and little finger in a bent and tucked position, bending the thumb and placing it against the rest

9. Katakam (Katakāmukam)
Quoted text:

Peruvira nuniyum cuttuvira nuniyum vaḷainda ugir kauvvi
oḻinda mūndrum vaḻi vaḻi nimira

Meaning:
Holding the tips of bent index and thumb fingers in a tucked position, bending the remaining three fingers in a staggered position

Note:
There are three variations of the Katakāmukam taught in many styles of Bharatanātyam.


10. Sūci (Sūci)
Quoted text:

Naduviral peruviralendrivai tammil adaivuda ondri
Suttu vira nimira oḻindana vaḻi vaḻi mudangi nirpa

Meaning:
Bending the middle finger and the thumb touching its back, holding the index finger
in a straight position, remaining three fingers bent and staggered


11. Padumakōsikam (Padmakoṣa)
Quoted text:

Oppa kai vaḷait taindu viralum meipada vakandra vidiyitrākum

Meaning:
Bending all five fingers with their tips touching.

12. Kāngulam (Kāngula)
Quoted text:

Cuttum pēdum peruviran mūndrum otti mun kuviya
Anāmikai mudangi siruviran nimirnda

Meaning:
Bending the index finger, middle finger and thumb forward, tucking the ring finger inside, holding the little finger in a straight position.

Note:
Adiyārkku Nallar mentions three variations of Kāngulam as kuvi-kāngulam, mugiḻ-kāngulam and viri-kāngulam. Kuvi1 – close fingers in a conical manner (as flowers by night), mugiḻ1-a flower bud ready to bloom, viri1- a flower unfolding. It is remarkable to note that the different stages of a flowers life cycle are beautifully depicted by these variations.
1http://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/fabricius/.

13. Kapitam (Kapita)
Quoted text:

Cuttuvira nuniyum peruvira nuniyum ugir kauvi pidithu
oḻinda mūndru viralum mellena pidithu
Meaning:
Bending the index finger and thumb with their tips touching, remaining three fingers tucked in a staggered position

14. Virpidi (Ṣikarā)
Quoted text:

Cuttodu pēdi anāmikai siruviral ottiyakappāl viḷaya
Peruviral vittu nimirum

Meaning:
Bending index, middle, ring and little fingers tucked inside and holding the thumb upright

15. Kudangai (Sarpaṣiras)
Quoted text:

Ella viralum kūtti utkuḻippadu enna

Meaning:
Bending all fingers pointing inward

Note:
Kudangai in Tamiḻ also represents the base of a round pot.

16. Alāpatiram (Alapadma)

Quoted text:

Siruviral mudalākiya aīndum vaḷaindi marivadu

Meaning:
Bending all five fingers in a staggered manner

17. Piramaram (Simahamuka)

Quoted text:

Anāmikai viralum nadu viralum tammir porundi valancāya
Peru viral nadu viralinullē cēra cuttu viralum ciru viralum pinbe vaḷaindu nirpadu

Meaning:
Bending ring and middle fingers together with thumb touching the tip of middle finger while the index and little fingers bending backward.

Note:
Piramaram2 in Tamiḻ depicts a bee or a whirler. The description mentioned in the quoted text comes very close to Simahamuka hasta. I kept thinking for a really long time why Piramaram would be close to Simahamuka hasta. It struck me suddenly that if you slightly bend the middle and ring fingers holding a Simahamuka hasta toward the palm, it resembles a drum that Lord Ṣiva holds in his right hand. The way this drum I played is by whirling from one side to another which is what Bramari in Sanskrit means. I feel this is very important correlation between these two hastas.

2 http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/romadict.pl?query=piramaram&table=fabricius


18. Tāmpiracūdam (Katakāmuka)


Quoted text:

Nadu viralum cuttu viralum peru viralum tammil nuni otha kūdi vaḷaindu
Ciru viralum aṇi viralum mudangi nimirvadu

Meaning:
Bending middle, index fingers and thumb with their tips touching, bending little and ring fingers in a straight position

Note: This description is similar Katakāmuka. However a careful comparison with Mandala hasta described in later text reveals that this in fact is Tamracūda since both these hastas depict a circle enclosed by the thumb and middle finger.


19. Pasāsam
Quoted text:

Peru viralum cuttu viralum andri oḻinda mūndrum
tammur polindu nirpadena koḷka

Meaning:
Except the thumb and index fingers, keep the remaining three fingers in a stretched or expanded manner.

Note:
Adiyārkku Nallar describes three types of pasāsam namely akanilai pasāsam, mukanilai pasāsam and ukirnilai pasāsam (Akam- inside, Mukam-face and Ukir-nails). Akanilai pasāsam as the name indicates is described as joining the tips index and thumb fingers when the inside of index and thumb are facing each other (This could be the equivalent of Hamsa). Mukanilai Pasāsam is described as leaving a small gap between the two fingers, i.e. again the thumb and index fingers facing each other (Again a variation of Hamsa). Ukirnilai Pasāsam is described as the nails of thumb and index fingers touching (This could be a variation of Arāla).

20. Mukuḷam (Mukuḷa)
Quoted text:

Aindu viralum tammil kuvindu nimirndu nirpadu

Meaning:
Bending all five fingers in an upright tucked manner

Note:
Mukuḷam3 in Sanskrit and Tamiḻ means a flower bud ready to bloom.

3 http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/romadict.pl?query=mukulam&table=fabricius

21. Piṇdi (Ūrnanāba)
Quoted text:

Cuttu viral pēdi viral anāmikai ciru viral otti negiḷa mudanga
Avatrin mēlē kurukkitta peruviral katti vilangi viral vaḻi muṟaiāṟṟal

Meaning:
Bending index, middle, ring and little finger tightly and holding thumb across

Note:
Piṇdi does not have an equivalent hasta in Abhinaya Darpanam. But after careful comparison, it is my opinion that Piṇdi is the same as Ūrnanāba described in Chapter 94 of Nāṭya Sāstra. Pindi5 in Tamiḻ means a heap or a collection. In Nāṭya Sāstra, Ūrnanāba3 is described to depict gently hitting or scratching your head holding this hasta or a person with leprosy.

5 http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/romadict.pl?query=pinti&table=fabricius
4 Chapter 9, Nāṭya Sāstra.

22. Terinilai (Karkata half)
Quote:

Ella viralum virindu kunchittu nirpadu

Meaning:
Spreading all five fingers and bend them in a slightly slanted position

Note:
We get a clue that Terinilai represents Karkata half from a text quoted later by Adiyarkku Nallār while describing Karkatam in the Piṇayal Kai (Samyuta Hastas) list. We will revisit this discussion in the Piṇayal Kai (Samyuta Hastas) section.

23. Meinilai (Hamsapakṣam?)
Quote:

Ciru viralum, aṇi viralum, nadu viralum, cuttu viralum vittu nimira
Cuttuviranmēr peruviral cēra vaippadu

Meaning:
Slightly bending little, ring, middle and index finger and placing the thumb on top of the index finger.

Note:
This is a slight variation of Hamsapakṣam mentioned in Abhinaya Darpanam.

24. Unnam (Triṣūla)
Quoted text:

Ciru viralum peru viralum tammut oḻinda mūndru viralum vittu nimirvadu

Meaning:

Bending the little finger and thumb with their tips touching, keeping the remaining three fingers straight.

Note:
One of the meanings of Unnam in Tamiḻ is described as a pincers for tearing off flesh6. This description encompasses Triṣūla (Trident) which can also be used to tear flesh.

6 http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/romadict.pl?query=unnam&table=fabricius

25. Mandalam (Tamracūda)
Quoted text:

Pēdu vira nuniyum, peru vira nuniyum kūdi vaḷaindutam ukir nunai kauvi
oḻindu mundrum mokka vaḷaivadena

Meaning:

Bending middle finger and thumb with their tips touching, bending the remaining three fingers in a staggered manner.
Note:
Mandalam in Tamiḻ means a circle. When we hold either Mandala and Tamracūda hastas, one can observe a circle enclosed by the thumb and middle fingers. Therefore, it is my opinion that Mandalam is a variation of Tamracūda.

26. Caturam (Catura)
Quoted text:

Cuttu viralum nadu viralum aṇi viralum tammut cērndu iṟainja peru viral agam varavaittu siru ciral pinbe nimirndu nirpadu

Meaning:
Bending index, middle and ring fingers with thumb placed on the inside, bending the little finger backward in a straight position.

Note:
Caturam7 in Sanskrit and Tamiḻ means a square, quadrangle, skill, cleverness or sagacity.
7 http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/romadict.pl?query=caturam&table=fabricius

27. Māndralai (Mrigasīrṣa)
Quoted text:

Peru viralum siru viralum oḻinda mūndrum tammil otta ondri munne iṟainji nirpadu

Meaning:
Excluding the thumb and little fingers, bending the remaining three fingers forward.

Note:
Māndralai in Tamiḻ means a deer head.

28. Sangam (Sangu half)
Quoted text:

Peru viral nimira oḻinda nāngu viralum vaḷaindu nirpadu

Meaning:
Keeping the thumb straight, slightly bending the remaining four fingers.

Note:
There is no hasta equivalent to this in Abinaya Darpanam. However based on its description, one can speculate that Sangam could represent Sangu half or the single handed version of Utsanga hasta.

29. Vaṇdu (Mayuram)
Quoted text:

Peru viralum aṇiviralum vaḷaindu nuni ondri
Ciru viral mimirndu cuttu viralum nadu viralum negiḻa nirpadu

Meaning:
Bending the thumb and ring fingers with their tips touching, keeping the little finger in a straight position and slightly bending the index and middle fingers.

Note:
Vaṇdu in Tamiḻ means a wasp or any kind of beetle.

30. Ilatai (Katakāmukam?)
Quoted text:

Nadu viralum cuttu viralum kūdi nimira peru viral avarrin kīḻ varai cera
oḻinda irandu viralum vaḻi murai pinne nimirndu nirpadu

Meaning:
Keeping the middle and index fingers in a straight position, tucking the thumb beneath these two fingers and bending the remaining two fingers backward in a straight manner.

Note:
Ilatai9 in Tamiḻ means a creeper or a Tendril.

9 http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/romadict.pl?query=ilatai&table=fabricius

31. Kapōdam (Patāka variation thumb extending out)
Quoted text:

Patākaiyil peru viral vittu nimirvadu

Meaning:
Holding patāka, keeping the thumb in a straight position.

Note: As the name indicates, this hasta represents Kapōda half.

32. Makaramukam (Candrakalā?)

Quoted text:

Peru viralum cuttu viralum nimirndu kuda olinda mundru viralum
Tammul ondri adarkku verai nirpadu.

Meaning:
Keeping the thumb and index fingers in a straight, bending the remaining three in opposite direction.
Note:
The literal translation of this hasta is fish face. The quoted text matches with Candrakalā in an upright position. One can interpret the upright position as a fish with its mouth open.

33. Valampuri (Kūrma half?)

Quoted text:

Ciru viralum peru viralum nimirndu cuttu viralin agam vaḷaindu
Oḻinda irandum nimirndu irainji nirpadu.

Meaning:
Keeping the little fingers and thumb in a straight position, bending the index finger inside and holding the remaining two fingers in a staggered position.

Note:
There is no equivalent of this hasta in either Abhinaya Darpanam or Nāṭya Sāstra. Valampuri represents a Shank and the quoted text matched a shank like gesture. If we place the right hand facing the left holding this hasta in an upright posture, it matches Kūrma gesture of Samyuta hasta’s.

Remarks:

Based on the above comparison it is very evident that majority of the Asamyuta Hastas have either equivalent or variations there of in the Iṅayā-Iinai Kai described by Adiyārkku Nallar in his commentary. We see a clear picture of evolution of the hasta’s from those mentioned in the original Tamiḻ texts that existed in ancient times which most likely were translations of Nāṭya Sāstra. In the following part, I will correlate the Piṇayal Kai and Samyuta Hastas.

References:
1. Dr. U. V. Swaminatha Aiyar, Cilapatikaram 5th ed., 1950.
2. Nāṭya Sāstra, Chapter 9.

Hasta’s mentioned in the commentary of Cilapatikāram by Adiyārkku Nallār

(Arankētru Kādai)
Part One
By
Uma Nagaswamy

Author’s Note

It is my great pleasure to take up research on Cilapatikāram under the able guidance of my father Kalaimāmani Dr. R. Nagaswamy, a renowned Sanskrit and Tamil scholar. Without his encouragement and insight, this work would not have been possible.

Cilapatikāram has wealth of information on Dance, Music and the way of living of a commoner in ancient times. The first comprehensive commentary on Cilapatikāram available to us was written by Adiyarkku Nallār, a brilliant scholar in the early 1200 CE. Although the original text by Iḷango Adikaḷ is not available, majority of the commentary for the first canto and a part of the second canto by Adiyarkku Nallār in palm leaf manuscript has been recovered and made available to us by Dr. U.Ve. Swaminatha Iyer, a great Tamil scholar. But for him, this master piece would have been lost for ever. It is known that Adiyarkku Nallār wrote commentary for the whole text but they have not survived. An earlier commentary by Arum-pada-urai-āciryar which is available for the whole text is also given by Swaminatha iyer.

In his commentary on Arangētru Kādai, Indra viḷa and kānal vari Adiyarkku Nallār explains the technique of Dance and Music in great detail. He cites extensively from the then existing Tamil sources and it is found that some definitions vary from the Sanskrit sources. Otherwise most of his work shows the Dance and music tradition was mainly based on Sanskrit school. This article quotes texts and explanations from the book “Cilapatikāram” critically edited and published by U. Ve. Swaminatha Iyer.


Introduction

The Sangam era spanning between 200BCE and 200CE had an explosion of literary treatises by many learned poets and scholars. Among them, Cilapatikāram considered a post Sangam text enjoys a unique place as the most popular of the five epics (Aīnperum kāppiyam) and is assigned to about the 3rd century CE. The author of this epic is Iḷango Adikaḷ and is mentioned as the brother of the Chēra king Seguttuvan. Cilapatikāram is a story of a commoner unjustly accused and murdered for stealing the Pandya Queens anklets and his wife taking extreme measures to clear his name.

The story beautifully unfolds at an extremely fast pace into three Cantos describing
• Kovalan’s marriage to Kaṇṇagi
• Kovalan deserting Kaṇṇagi for Mādavi, a court dancer
• Kovalan returning to Kaṇṇagi
• Kovalan and Kaṇṇagi relocating to Madurai to start a new life
• Kovalan being unjustly accused of stealing the Pandya Queens anklets and being murdered
• Kaṇṇagi taking extreme measures to clear her husbands name

Numerous translations and commentaries are available for interested readers to explore, the most authentic and comprehensive among them being the publication by U. Ve. Swaminatha Iyer.

In this article I will explore the sections pertaining to Dance in Arangētru Kādai, a subsection of the very first Canto Pukār Kāndam. Arangētru Kādai beautifully explains the rigorous training that Mādavi undergoes before her debut stage performance and the rituals that she is required to perform on the day of her initiation. In his explanation, Adiyarkku Nallār interprets Iḷango Adikaḷ’s description of Mādavi’s training in the following way:

Avinayathodē nāṭti ceiyumidattu ceiyum muraimatān nāngu vagai padum
Kaiyum karuttum midarum carīramumena

There are four methods of performing Nātya which includes hand gestures (Hasta’s), meaning (karuttu), neck movements (midar) and bodily movement (karaṇā’s). He then explains the two types of hand gestures; Iṇayā-Iṇai Kai (single hand) and Piṇayal Kai (double hand) in great detail. In part one of this article, I have tried to map each hasta to the best of my understanding to what we know and use currently according to Abinaya Darpana. It is very evident that some of the Hasta’s do not match the method that is explained in Abinaya Darpana despite having the same names. In fact this deviation from the Sanskrit meaning of a few hasta’s is mentioned by U. Ve. Swaminatha Iyer in his introduction.

Iṇayā -Iṇai Kai (Asamyuta Hastas) – 33 single hand gestures

1. Patākai (Patāka)
2. Tiripatākai (Tripatāka)
3. Katirikai (Kartarīmuka)
4. Tūpam (Kartarīmuka variation bending index and snake fingers)
5. Arālam (Arāla)
6. Iḷampirai (Ardacandra)
7. Sukatuṇdam (Ṣukatuṇda)
8. Mutti (Muṣti)
9. Katakam (Katakāmukam)
10. Sūci (Sūci)
11. Padumakōsikam (Padmakoṣa)
12. Kāngulam (Kāngula)
13. Kapittam (Kapitta)
14. Virpidi (Sikaram)
15. Kudangai (Sarpasiras)
16. Alāpatiram (Alapadma)
17. Piramaram (Simahamuka)
18. Tāmiracūdam (Katakāmuka)
19. Pasāsam (Candrakalā)
20. Mukuḷam (Mukuḷa)
21. Piṇdi (Ūrnanāba/Hamsapakṣa?)
22. Terinilai (Karkata half)
23. Meinilai (Hamsapakṣam?)
24. Unnam (Triṣūla)
25. Mandalam (Tamracūda?)
26. Caturam (Catura)
27. Māndralai (Mrigasīrṣa)
28. Sangam (Sangu half)
29. Vaṇdu (Mayuram)
30. Ilattai (Katakāmukam?)
31. Kapōdam (Patāka variation thumb extending out)
32. Makaramukam (Candrakalā?)
33. Valampuri (Kūrma half?)

Piṇayal Kai (Samyuta Hastas) – 15 double hand gestures
1. Anjali (Anjali)
2. Putpānchali (Sarpasiras facing each other)
3. Padumānchali (Padmakoṣam facing each other)
4. Kapōdam (Kapōda)
5. Karkatakam (Karkata)
6. Savutikam (Swastika)
7. Katakāvarutam (Katakāvardana)
8. Niṭatam (Muṣti in both hands at the wrist)
9. Tōram (Dōla)
10. Urcangam (Ardacandra and Arāla at the wrist)
11. Putpapuṭam (Puṣpaputam)
12. Makaram (Matsya)
13. Sayantam (No explanation is available)
14. Abayavattam (Ṣukatuṇda in both hands against the chest, similar to ṣakata, this matches Avahitam in Bharata’s Nāṭya Sāstra)
15. Vartamānam (Mukuḷa and Kapōda facing each other)

Remarks:

Through out his commentary, Adiyarkku Nallār reveals himself as a brilliant Scholar on literature, dance, music and drama. He quotes extensively from other texts that must have existed during his period as references and directs the readers to refer to specific works for further details. Unfortunately these earlier texts are lost to us.

In Part Two of this article I will explore the remarkable details that Adiyarkku Nallār provides for each and every Hasta. In future parts I will compare the Hasta’s mentioned in Bharata’s Nāṭya Sāstra with Cilapatikāram and Abinaya Darpanam.

Shiva Panchaksharam

नागेन्द्र हराया त्रिलोचनाय
बस्मांगा रागाया महेश्वराय
नित्याय शुद्दाया दिगम्बराय
तस्मै नकाराय नमशिवाया

मंदागिनी सलिला चंदन चर्चिताय
नन्दीश्वर प्रमाद नाद महेश्वराय
मंदार पुष्प बहु पुष्प सुपूजिथाया
तस्मै मकाराय नम शिवाय

शिवाय गौरी वदनारा विन्द
सूर्याय दक्ष द्वार नाशकाया
श्री नीलाकंताया वृष द्वजाया
तस्मै शिकाराय नमशिवाया

वाशिस्ता कुम्बो बव नामा
परमा देवो नामा शेकराया
चन्द्रारका वैश्वा नरलोचानाया
तस्मै वकाराय नमशिवाया

यक्ष स्वरूपाय जटा धराया
पिनाका हस्ताय सनातनाय
दिव्याय देवाय दिगम्बराय
तस्मै यकाराय नमशिवाया

அன்னையர் தின வாழ்த்துக்கள்

Dear Friends,
Wish you all a Happy Mothers Day!
Below is my mothers (Parvathi Nagaswamy) favorite song in ragam Rageshree.

(திரு) செந்தூரில் நின்றாடும் கந்தா குஹா
சிங்கார வேலா சிவா ஷண்முகா

கார்த்திகை குமரா கதிர் வேலவா
(ஹே) வயலூரவா வடிவேலவா

(பரம்) குன்றாடும் குமரோனே கூர்வேலவா
உலகாளும் தேவா எமை ஆளவா (செந்தூரில்)

மாயவன் மருகா முருகோனே வா
(எழில்) மனமோகனா வடிவேலவா

(கோல) மயிலோடு விளையாடும் வடிவேலவா
வேலோடு வந்தெங்கள் வினை திறப்பா

அருள் காட்ட உனக்கு ஈடு இணை யாரப்பா
(ஞான) பழம் நீயப்பா அருள்வாயப்பா (செந்தூரில்)

Sri Thyagaraja Utsavam of Greater Houston Area [2010]

April 16th 2010 - Day1

The Utsavam was inaugrated on Friday and featured a concert by Bharat Sundaram, an upcoming Carnātic musician. He is the winner of the Carnātic Music Idol Contest conducted by Jaya TV this year. I did not attend his concert.

April 17th 2010 - Day2

The Unchavrithi

This year marked the 33rd year celebration of Saint Thyāgarāja Utsavam in Pearland, TX. The Utsavam started with a Unchavrithi of Sree Ramachandra Utsava Murthy from the Ramar Sannidhi in an elaborate procession with a local devotee dressed as Saint Thyāgarāja , and other music enthusiasts singing Thyāgarāja Krithis. The Utsava Murthy was then brought into the Kalyana mandapam where the remaining festivities took place.

Welcome Address by Mrs. Praba Bala

The welcome address was provided by Mrs. Prabha Bala, one of the founders of the Classical Arts Society of Houston. She elegantly introduced the origins of the Society by visionary late Indumathi Krishnamurthy, fondly remembered by Houston Indian community as Indu Mami. Indu Mami, Prabha Bala and Nalini Mukopadhyaya organized the first Thyāgarāja Utsavam 33 years back.

Since its inception, the Utsavam has grown from a modest one day festival to a grand three day celebration. As years go by, more and more Carnātic musicians and enthusiasts from all over Texas are participating in this celebration. This year, the Utsavam theme was the centenary celebration of the great music exponent G.N. Balasubramaniam (GNB), a genius par excellence. The society members had very aptly chosen Kalaimamani Charumathi Ramachandran (CR) as the artistic director. She is a prominent student of the great singer M.L. Vasanthakumari who in turn was a student of GNB. She was accompanied in this visit by her husband Padmabushan Trichur Ramachandran an eminent Carnātic musician himself and their daughter Subashree Ramachandran.


One of the most important aspects for any musical or dance presentation is the arrangement of the stage or Arangam as mentioned in Bharata's Nāṭya Śāstra. In keeping with traditions, the stage had three poignant aspects including Sri Ramachandra Murthy, Saint Thyāgarāja 's painting, and a photo of GNB. My eyes caught the rare painting of Saint Thyāgarāja by Indu mami where Thyāgarāja is depicted to be singing, Lord Hanuman sitting in front of him and Saint Thyāgarāja thinking about Rama while singing his praise.

Utsavam Overview

The festival overview was given by Mrs. Charumathi Ramachandran. Interestingly enough she first introduced the Tanjavūr district where the great Brahadīshwara temple was constructed by King Rāja Rāja Chola some 1000 years back. She mentioned how Rāja Rāja Chola has inscribed the importance given to musicians and dancers in his Kingdom. He encouraged Óduvārs to sing Tēvāram hymns and Dēvadāsis to dance on daily basis in the temple premises. He protected them by giving them abodes near the temple and monthly allowances for their livelihood. He was a great patron of art and during his reign, music and dance flourished and were of the highest aesthetic order.

In this Tanjavūr district, rich in music and art, Saint Thyāgarāja was born to a Telugu Brahmin couple residing in Thiruvaiyāru. Legend has it that Thyāgarāja 's father dreamt of Lord Shiva being born as his son and hence he was named Thyāgarāja after the presiding deity of a nearby Shiva temple. His grandfather GiriRāja Kavi was a poet in the courts of Maratha rulers. The Maratha rulers provided immense wealth to GiriRāja Kavi in appreciation of his art. Much to the anger of his brother, Thyāgarāja parted away with all the family wealth.

Thyāgarāja 's compositions are considered to be the most beautiful literary work in the Telugu language (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TyagaRāja). His devotion to Lord Rama was unshakeable and he worshipped and composed songs on Rama till his last breath. He has also composed a few songs on Lord Śiva and Lord Ganēśa.

Rendering of Pancharatna Krithis

The rendering of Pancharatna Krithis started promptly at 9.30 a.m. on the stage by a group of eminent singers of Houston being lead by Anuradha Subramaniam, Charumathi Ramachandran and Tiruchur Ramachandran. The singers were ably supported by accompanying local artists playing musical instruments such as Violin and Mrudangam. The audience was encouraged to join in the rendering of the Krithis.

The rendering began with an invocatory composition on Lord Ganēśa Sree Ganapathi Nee in Rāgam Souraśtram followed by:

1. Jagada Nanda Karaka in Rāgam Nāṭai

2. Dudukku Gala in Rāgam Goulai

3. Sadinchane in Rāgam Ārabhi

4. Kana Kana in Rāgam Varali

5. Endaro Mahānubavulu in Rāgam Sri

As Mrs. Charumathi aptly put it, these Krithis are beyond mundane. It provokes sublime thoughts in us and enlifts one to a divine dimension.

My Illustrious Guru GNB and his Compositions

Lecture Demonstration by Padmabushan Trichur Ramachandran

The Utsavam continued with a lecture demonstration by Padmabushan Trichūr Ramachandran, the only living direct disciple of the great GNB. He was ably accompanied by his daughter Subrashree Ramachandran. Mr. Ramachandran praised GNB as a genius and a Vāgyekara-one who composes and sings. It was GNB who introduced a novel way of singing with brugas that was later came to called as GNB's Bāṅi. GNB revolutionized the Carnātic music field by singing novel sangadhi's and brugas unheard of in those days. His forte was raga alapana which he could sing for hours on end. He is well known for popularizing rare krithis of the Trinity's compositions (Thyāgarāja , Dīkśidar & Śyāmā Sastrigal). Besides singing, he has composed about 250 songs Mr. Ramachandran mentioned that GNB would compose and just scatter them around without taking efforts to publish it or even sing it himself. Thanks to his disciple’s efforts of gathering them and notating them, we have these exceptional compositions available in the world and many Carnātic musicians sing them in the present time. Mr. Ramachandran recalled how another great musician of the present time, Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer had praised GNB as having an aparimidamāna kural. One can only say that such genius is born once in ages and GNB was one such yuga puruśa. GNB is credited with inventions if new Rāgās such as Āndoḷikā, Valaji, Vijayanāgari, Gāvathi, Gauda Malāri just to list a few. He was a creative genius and a mahāmedai. GNB encouraged his disciples to know and research on the how and why of things. GNB was adept at singing Rāgam, tanam, pallavi. His rendering of songs were laden with madyama kāla swaras, jāru's and dasavida gamakka's.

Being a handsome personality, GNB was encouraged by his friends to act in movies. He acted in many super hits of yester-decades one of which is Śakuntalam in which he paired with Bharat Ratna late M.S. Subbulakshmi another legendary musician of our times. He was a Lakśana and Lakśiya purushā. He was a great devotee of Goddess Srīvidya (upasaka) and has composed krithis in praise of the Goddess in many rare ragas such as Sārangatārani and Ċāyaranjani. Despite all his talents, he was a very humble person and was immensely affectionate toward his disciples. Mr. Ramachandran mentioned that he considers a great bāgyam to have been under GNB's tutelage where he learned the nuances of GNB Bāṅi for about 5 years till GNB's untimely death in 1965.

Mr. Ramachandran and his daughter Subashree rendered 10 of GNB's compositions.

1. Vara Vallaba in Rāgam Hamsadwani
2. Samāna Rahite Amba in Rāgam Sārangatārani
3. Unnadiye Gathi in Rāgam Bahudari
4. Nī Samāna in Subhapantuvarali
5. Pada Bhajana in Rāgam Kamas
6. Inda Parāku in Rāgam Bhairavi
7. Parā mukha in Rāgam Kānada
8. Sada Palaya in Rāgam Mohanam
9. Ranjani Niranjani in Rāgam Ranjani
10. Marive Nā Kevaru in Rāgam Mallari

GNB set to Tune many songs
11. Thikku Theriyada Kātril in Rāgam Behag

GNB and MS duet in Shakuntalai
12. Premayil yavum in Rāgam ?

This was followed by the rendering of

13. Radha Sametha Krishna in Rāgam Misra Yaman

Subashree sang a Bhajan

14. Bhavani Dayani in Rāgam Sindhubhairavi

The lecture concluded with

15. Jayathi Jayathi Bharata Mata in Rāgam Kamās

During his lecture, Ramamchandran reiterated how very few composers have the divinity to include swarāksharam in their compositions. GNB was a master at it. For e.g. Sadā Pālaya song in Mōhanam starts with the swaras Sa, Dā and Pā. Mr. Ramachandran quoted many such examples from GNB's compositions. As is called in Tamil he knew the "nutpangal" of singing and composing.

The morning session continued with participation from local musicians, a considerable number of who were young children. Unfortunately I could not stay for this segment of the Utsavam. But I heard from others that many of the musicians did very good justice to the Āradana. The names of local children who won several prizes in this years Cleveland Thyāgarāja Utsavam was announced. Houston kids won prizes in most of the categories including Rāgam-Tānam-Pallavi, Raga Alapana, all rounder just to name a few. It is highly commendable that Houston has trained such talented kids in Carnātic Music.

The evening segment started with a Vādam-Vivādam between Bharat Sundar and CR. Bharat Sundar is an upcoming artist and there were interesting aspects in the discussion, but my knowledge is limited to comment on this segment.

Vocal Concert by Gayathri Venkataraghavan

The evening concluded with a vocal concert by Gayathri Venkataraghavan a popular Carnātic musician of the present time. She started her concert with a scintillating varnam in Rāgam Bahudari. I was greatly impressed by her rendition of the varnam. The next piece was a raga ālapana in Mohanam followed by a Muthuswami Dīkshidar's composition Srimath Sundara Nāyaki. She continued the concert with a rare piece parrakuche in jujavali Rāgam. Next came Śyama Saśtri's composition Parākela Nannu Pālimba in Rāgam Kēdara Gaulai. She then took up Bhairavi as the main piece with elaborate Rāga ālapanai. I could not stay for the whole concert and I am hoping those who stayed till the very end will fill me in on this. I found it highly commendable that despite having severe cold and cough, Gayathri did great justice to her presentation.


Author's Note:

I have very basic knowledge of Carnātic Music. I would greatly appreciate the readers input in fixing any music related errors.

I have attempted using diacritical marks where required, but this requires a lot of refinement.

Readers,
Please stay tuned for Day 3.