It is widely known that Ariyakudi set Andal’s Tiruppavai verses and some of Arunachala Kavirayar’s Rama Nataka kritis to tune, and that the notations were published in Sudesamitran . Although Ariyakudi and later his disciples included Rama Nataka kirtanais in kutcheris, the younger generation is familiar with only a few, most of the others not being in circulation these days.
A lec-dem on music composed by Ariyakudi, other than for Tiruppavai was, therefore, an apt choice for the music season.
Suguna Varadachari, in her lec dem, said that she had chosen compositions that are sung rarely these days, and with her students Aishwarya Shankar and Brinda Manickavasakam, she presented five Rama Nataka kirtanais - ‘Unadhu Mahimaiyai’ (Arabhi), ‘Devi Ival’ (Kaanada), ‘Adhidhevanae’(Pantuvarali), ‘Ennaiyum Varachonnaalum’ (Manirangu) and ‘Raman Ezhundarulinaan’ (Anandabhairavi).
The last two had been popularised by KVN, and perhaps she could have included some lesser-known ones such as ‘Saami Raghu Raama’ (Begada), ‘Varugiraano, Vaaraano’ (Kannada) or ‘Ayyane Un Mahimaiyai’ (Asaveri). The last one is Garuda’s praise of Rama.
Ariyakudi had also set to tune the last eleven verses of Kulasekara Azhwar’s Perumal Tirumozhi, and Suguna presented ‘Tanamaruvu’ (Mohanam), ‘Vali Vanakku’ (Begada), ‘Andru Characharanagalai’ (Madhyamavati), ‘Thothalar’ (Yadukulakhambodi) and ‘Thillai Nagar’ (Hamsanandi). Ramanuja Nootrandhadhi is a collection of hundred verses by Tiruvarangathamudanar in praise of Ramanujacharya, and a few of these were tuned by Ariyakudi.
Verses one, three and seventeen in ragas Sankarabharanam, Purvikalyani and Nattakurinji respectively were presented by Suguna. The programme concluded with Ariyakudi’s Kaanada tillana.
Since Ariyakudi’s notations were all published in Sudesamitran , it would have been a fitting finale if Suguna had included at least one of Ariyakudi’s three compositions on Sudesamitran .
These songs were released as 78 rpm records: ‘Sundaramaana Sudesamitran’ (Kalyani), ‘Seer Perugum Siranda Mitran’ (Surutti) and ‘Kondaduvom’ (Sindhubhairavi). Two songs composed by a Jeer of the Vanamamalai Mutt, were also set to tune by Ariyakudi – ‘Janaki Ramana’ in Kapi and ‘Dasaratha Sutha’ in Jonpuri. These could also perhaps be included in future programmes.
Sanjay Subrahmanyam said that in setting compositions to tune, Ariyakudi had followed the concept of varna mettu, and that his characteristic alapana stamp was evident in the compositions. Pappu Venugopala Rao said that a workshop to explore the music composed by Ariyakudi would be of great benefit to students of Carnatic music.
How was music defined?In her lec-dem on music of the Vijayanagara period, Arati Rao first gave a historical overview of the music of the period. The Vijayanagar Empire, which flourished from 1336 to 1565 C.E., was known as the Karnatak Empire, and perhaps that is why South Indian music is known as Karnataka Sangeetham , because present day music owes a lot to developments of this period.
Sangitasara, in which Vidyaranya (1320-1380 C.E.) talks of 15 melas, has not come down to us, but is quoted by Govinda Dikshita of Thanjavur. Kallinatha wrote a commentary on Sarngadeva’s Sangita Ratnakara. Bandaru Lakshminarayana wrote Sangita Suryodaya . Ramamatya (16th century C.E.) talks of 20 melas. It is at this time that ‘sa’ and ‘pa’ were mentioned as fixed. It is pointed out that 16 swaras can be played on 12 frets in the veena - a major development.
Composers did not always adhere to the prescriptions of the texts, and used adhama ragas, even enhancing them, and also using ragas such as Dravidabhairavi, not mentioned in the texts.
Tala Dasa Pranas - the ten elements of musical time - were first defined in the Tala Dipika (1474 C.E.). The anudhruta concept was born. Kallinatha recorded laghu with different spans.
Suladi talas were most often used by Haridasa and Talapakkam composers. Jombada and Racan were among the talas used. The former was an inverted version of Adi tala, and the latter was a Desi tala, which had laghu and druta virama.
The padas of Annamacharya and Sripadaraya had pallavi and anupallavi. This became the template that Purandaradasa and other composers followed later. Ugabhogas were short unsegmented compositions.
Suladi was a composition with many stanzas, each in a different tala. The Talapakkam suladis were ragamalikas and had a pallavi, while the suladis of Haridasa had one raga throughout, and a jathi at the end.
The textual recording of these practical developments came much later in the works of Maratha Kings, Shahaji (1684 – 1712) and Tulaja (1729-1735 AD). Arati has done a case study of manuscripts in the Thanjavur Saraswathi Mahal library, with specific reference to Alapa and Thaya.
Both were non-lyrical compositions, and could or could not have ‘nam tham’ syllables. Thaya is much shorter than Alapa. In the manuscripts, Arati found four alapas and four thayas for Nattai.
The lakshana grantha – Govinda Dikshitar’s Sangita Sudha – says that in the ayittam, or beginning of the alapa, one starts from tara shadja, descends to madhya sthayi rishabha, starts again and sings tanas, reaching tara shadja and rests there.
For the ragavardhini or elaboration, one starts at madhya sthayi panchama, ascends to tara panchama, sings tanas, descends to madhyama and rests at madhya sthayi shadja.
Then comes muktayi, after which comes another ragavardhini. Three ragavardhinis are possible, and there are three in the manuscripts that Arati studied, but she demonstrated only one. Then comes sthayi, where a note of a raga is taken and a tana is sung. Here tana means musical phrases.
The sthayi section for Nattai is also given in the manuscripts. Avarohi sequence in both Alapa and Thaya has successively lower notes touched and does not have swaras in descending order.
For the makarani part, Sangita Sudha suggests starting at madhya shadja, ascending to tara nishada, descending again to madhya shadja, then resting there. But the notations given do not follow the rules of the lakshana grantha in some cases.
“Study of the manuscripts proved a challenge because of missing words and scribal errors,” concluded Arati. Pappu Venugopala Rao pointed out that Annamacharya compositions do not have anupallavi as suggested by Arati.
