“It was your glory that my mother sang as lullaby when I was in the cradle and I grew up worshipping you. Bless me with the ability to sing songs in your praise, oh Muruga!” His favourite deity heard Periyasamy Thooran’s plea and the Tamil literary world got richer with his compositions, simple and moving. Poet and Lord will take centre stage as Bharatakalanjali, natya school of V.P. Dhananjayan and Shanta Dhananjayan, in association with Padma Bhushan Periyasamy Thooran Tamil Music Trust, presents ‘Azhagu Deivam.’
“Thooran is not new to Bharatakalanjali,” says Dhananjayan. “We have been performing for his songs since the 1970s,” he informs. He composed a nindastuti for the Dhananjayans and it had all the ingredients of a varnam, in the form of a dialogue between two friends. “It was a novel idea that was met with scepticism. But all doubts vanished once we staged it.”
‘Kadhal Valli Kanda Murugan,’ an opera that Thooran had composed for AIR and presented by Bharatakalanjali was a great success. “It became popular and was staged all over Tamil Nadu. The folk theatre elements endeared it to the audience,” recalls Dhananjayan. His disciples have always included Thooran’s padams in their repertoire.
Is there a special reason for throwing the spotlight on Thooran now?
“Actually, Dr. Selvamuthukumar, son of Thooran had been toying with the idea of presenting a full-fledged natya programme comprising his father’s songs. Bharatakalanjali wanted to do it but for some reason it was getting delayed. Recently, he reminded me of our promise and we decided to take the plunge,” explains Dhananjayan. It will be a commemoration of Thooran’s 107 anniversary.
Dhananjayan remembers the contribution of T.K. Govinda Rao and Turaiyur Rajagopala Sarma both of whom set the songs to tune. “Of course, endowed with a sound knowledge of Carnatic music, Thooran did give musical shape to his own lyrics but TKG and Sarma clothed them in melody suitable for stage presentations.”
Was Rajagopala Sarma not busy with film work? “Oh yes, he was working round-the-clock and was the trusted aid of Papanasam Sivan but whenever he found a break he would come over and set the songs to music. He composed music for Kannappar Kuravanji and Andal Charitam. We later adapted for our presentations,” says Dhananjayan. Sunday’s agenda will include ‘Vandaanoru Vedan,’ a snippet sourced from the troupe’s Valli Tirumanam, music for which was composed by Sarma.
The veteran is extremely happy that a long time dream is coming true. The icing on the cake, according to him, is the comeback of his senior disciples and Bharatakalanjali teachers for the production.
“The wheel has come full circle. They learnt the padams when they were young students and presented them as part of their repertoire. It is only fair that they give their interpretations while putting this show together. The theme will get an interesting perspective too,” he says.
The title is drawn from Thooran’s famous lyric, ‘Azhagu Deivamai Vandu…’ This will be a group performance in the form of a kavadi chindu. Dhananjayan will be presenting ‘Muruga Muruga.’ Shanta Dhananjayan will take care of the nattuvangam.
The show will be followed by a short DVD film on Thooran.
