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Revival of bhajans
Musicians Kovai S Jayaraman, Udayaloor Kalyanaraman and Erode Rajamani.
SAMPRADAYA BHAJANA is considered to be the forerunner of modern day Carnatic music concerts, because it has a harmonious blending of the divine, art and music elements. According to Kanakadasa, when melody (geet) and substance (sangath) were clubbed it gave rise to sangeetham, yielding aesthetic joy (rakthi) and tranquillity (shanti).
The bhajana method, led by a bhagavathar, indulges in congregational singing during Namavalis, while kirtanas are sung only by those who know them. Saint Tyagaraja shrewdly foresaw that his compositions could be made familiar for posterity only through group singing. His disciples got together for Unchavrithi bhajana and Ekadasi bhajana.Prominent territorial rulers of yore built Bhajanamutts, where day in and day out there were bhajanas, to remind the people about the higher and more lasting things in life.
Over the years the popularity of Sampradaya Bhajana slumped. But of late, it has been regaining its lost glory in states like Maharashtra and Kerala, since the organisers have begun to invest it with a cosmopolitan backdrop.Bhajanotsavam 2002, organised by the Kerala Brahmana Sabha of Ernakulam, saw massive attendance on all three days, from July 19 to 21, at the Vinayaka Kalyanamandapam.
Formally inaugurated by Prof. Vaidyalinga Sarma, tTheevent had Kovai S.Jayaram Bhagavathar singing Thiruppugazh and Muruga songs, followed by Sampradaya Bhajans. He sang in a chiselled voice showing equal felicity in rendering popular ragas like Mohanam, Behag, Bimblas, Sivaranjini and rare ones such as Priyadarshini of the Sarasangi fold.Ashtapadi was adapted to Carnatic ragas, ages ago by Thanjavaur Ramudu Bhagavathar and was incorporated in to Bhajans by Kalyanaramaswami and his son Periyakulamthai, who lived in the first part of the last century and belonged to the Marudanallur Mutt. Since then the Ashtapadi has become an integral part of BhajansUdayaloor R. Kalyanarama Bhagavathar enthralled a large audience with his Ashthpadi, which was followed by Dhyana bhajan, Divyanamam and Dolotsavam. His gift lay in singing hymns attached to well known ragas like Manirangu and his ability to spice his recitals with folk tunes like the popular `kummi'.
On the final day it was the resonance and repose of Erode Rajamani Bhagavathar which turned out to be fascinating. Patnmavathi Sreenavasa Kalyana Utsavam, Vasanthotsavam and Anjaneyotsavam had lyrics garbed in ragas like Saramathi, Vasantha and so on. Veteran harmonist Erode Sankar accompanied the singers.
Earlier the bhagavathars were honoured with ponnada by Mr B.N. Sreekrishna, Chief Justice of Kerala.
JAYARAMAN.V.
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