‘Panniru Thirumurai' is meant for a wide-ranging audience – from the unlettered to the most erudite. The 12 “holy books” are powerful sayings of poets who were both philosophers and musicians. These hymns carry dictums and core values and are the works of seers who sought the Truth of Life. These are also literary masterpieces replete with Tamil grammar codes and even state clearly the Pann to be adopted in their rendering.
Recently, Saidai Natarajan presented Thirumurai Isai at the Tamil Isai Sangam. He was ably assisted by his disciple Revathy Krishnamurthy.
The first four songs from the First Thirumurai were compositions of Thirugnanasambandar - ‘Pidiyadhan Uruvumai' in Vyaazakkurinji (Sourashtram, Anga Thalam), ‘Silaithanai Naduvidai' in NattaPaadai (Gambiranattai), ‘Odungum Pini Piravi' in Pazhanthakkaraagam (Arabhi) and ‘Paayumaal Vidai' in Pazham Panjuram (Sankarabharanam). The second song had five nadais built into its lyric which was possibly was a forerunner to composers who came later. Natarajan and Revathy incorporated these nadais effectively in their presentation.
‘Poomelaanum,' a composition of Appar, was on the deity of Kanchi. It took advantage of the fact that no Pann has been explicitly mentioned and was therefore sung in Hamsanadham to fit the lyric. A virutham, ‘Karpagathinai' in Thakkesi (Khambodi) was from Thirunallaru Padhigam of Sundarar and served as a preface to ‘Koodi layam' in the same raga.
Well modulated alapanas
Revathy presented an alapana that had well-formed and neatly moulded phrases gently touching all the octaves in an easy manner. ‘Koodi layam' states how layam should become an integral part of a song and was sung in a style where every half avartanam alternated between swaras and akara movements, typical of Thevaram.
The next song ‘Pannidai' was sung in a Pann named Nagaragam that had a striking resemblance to Nagaswaravali. It was learnt later that Natarajan had submitted a paper to historically prove this parity of mettu between the Pann and the Raga. ‘Aamaarul Tiruvadikke' in Neelamani was from Thiruvasagam. The raga was changed from the conventional Mohanam only to relieve the monotony.
The final Thirupugazh, ‘Senkalasa' was in Amrithavarshini whose corresponding Pann is yet to be authoritatively determined.
Pudukkottai Sivaramakrishnan who accompanied on the violin provided a neatly crafted alapana of Khambodi and otherwise played the role of a quiet and observant accompanist. Yugarajan on the mridangam followed the nadai variations and repeated them with precision in the brief laya stints that followed the songs.
(This reviewer wishes to acknowledge the valuable information provided by Saidai Natarajan and Revathy Krishnamurthy regarding the Tirumurais sung and their respective Panns.)
(sivakumar2004 @gmail.com)
