Saturday, November 26, 2016

Thamizh songs in Carnatic music--32 மனதிற்குகந்தது ---ManadiRkugandadu

Thamizh songs in Carnatic music--32
மனதிற்குகந்தது ---ManadiRkugandadu
rAgam: sindubhairavi   tALam: Adi

                                      
Composer: tanjAvUr Shankara ayyar



10 nATakapriya janyam
ArOhaNam: S R2 G2 M1 G2 P D1 N2 S
avarOhaNam: N2 D1 P M1 G2 R1 S N2 S

பல்லவி
மனதிற்குகந்தது முருகன் ரூபம் மாயையை                             நீக்குவது அவன் திரு நாமம்
அனுபல்லவி
தினமும் காப்பது அவன் கை வேல் தீரா                         வினையையும்* தீர்க்கும் கதிர்வேல்
* வினைகளை (variant)
சரணம்
எண்ணும் எண்ணமெல்லாம் நிறைவேறும்                             பண்ணும் பூஜையினால் பலன் உண்டாகும் 
மண்ணில் நாம் படும் துயர் தீரும் மாறா                                 இன்பம் மனதினில் சேரும்

Lyrics in Roman script
pallavi
manadiRkugandadu murugan rUpam mAyayai                                                     nIkkuvadu avan tiru nAmam

anupallavi
dinamum kAppadu avan kai vEl tIra                                                                 vinayaiyum* tIrkkum kadirvEl

* vinaigaLai (variant)

caraNam
eNNum eNNamellAm niRaivERum                                                                         paNNum pUjaiyinAl palan uNDAgum 
maNNil nAm paDum tuyar tIrum mARA                                                                   inbam(um) manadinil sErum

Meaning:
Pallavi: The image of lord Murugan is the most pleasing to the mind. His name is the one which will remove all illusion

Anupallavi:  His spear will save us every day. It will eliminate persistent misery.

CaraNam:  Whatever our thoughts are they will come to fruition. Our worship (of 
him) will bear fruit. All our miseries on this earth will dissolve. Incessant happiness will accrue as a result of that.

Composer’s Bio: ThanjAvUr Shankara Iyer born to Venkatesha Iyer and Kuppalu ammAL in 1924 is a popular contemporary composer whose compositions include varNams, krithis, padams and jAvaLis. His compositions are simple but elegant. They are popularized by many leading musicians. Many of his songs are sung towards the end of many concerts. He is a native of Togamarai, Tiruchi District. 

He learned music from his maternal grandfather Krishna Iyer as well as from SAttUr Krishna Iyengar and Tiger Varadachari. His students include many active carnatic musicians. He is a highly respected composer as well as a concert artiste and a much loved teacher. He earned a certificate of merit from the Madras Music Academy, KalaimAmaNi award from the government of ThamizhnADu, SangIta RatnAkara award from the Cleveland ThyagarAja Aradhana, and SangIta Kala Acharya from the Music Academy.
Some audio/video links


Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Thamizh Songs in Carnatic Music—31-- -naTamADit tirinda ---:நடமாடித் திரிந்த

Thamizh Songs in Carnatic Music—31

naTamADit  tirinda  ---:நடமாடித் திரிந்த


Composer: PApavinAsha MudaliyAr


Whatever happened to your left leg …..

Composition:  naTamADit tirinda  umadu iDadu…..
Composer:     pApavinAsa mudaliyAr
mudrA:           pApanAsa
(signature):   
rAgam:           kAmbhOji (janyam of harikAmbhoji, 28th mELam)
tALam:           jhampa
ArOhaNam:   SR2G3M1PD2 S
avarOhaNam: SN2D2PM1G3R2SN3PD2S

பல்லவி:           
 நடமாடித் திரிந்த உமதிடது கால் உதவாமல்
 முடமானதேனென்று சொல்வீரய்யா

அனுபல்லவி:    
திடமேவும் தில்லை நகர் மருவும் பேரானந்தத்  தாண்டவரே
நிதமும் எனதாண்டவரே சபையறி

சரணம்1:     
திருநீறைச்** சுமந்தீரோ நெருப்பான மேனி தனில்
சீதத்தினால் மிகுந்த வாத குணமோ
ஒருமையுடன் மார்க்கண்டர்க் குதவியாய் மறலி விழ
உதைக்க சுளுக்கேறிக்கொண்ட பேத குணமோ
பரவைதனின் தெருவாசற்படி இடரிற்றோ எந்தன் பாபமோ          
என் சிவனே மூவர்க்கும் முதல்வரென்று                        (நடமாடித்)
** variation: திருநீரைச்:   This would mean that because he carried the river Ganga (meaning water ---நீர்--- on his head  his body got extremely cold which resulted in the leg being paralyzed
------------------------

சரணம்2:    
பக்தி செய்யும் பெரியோர்கள் பாபனாசமாகும்
பரமபதம் இதுவென்று தூக்கி நின்றதுவோ
சக்தி சிவகாம வல்லி தன் பாகம் நொகுமென்றே
தரையில் அடி வைக்க தயங்கி நின்றதுவோ
சத்யலோகாதிபதித் தாளத்திற்கேற்ப நடம் தாங்கியே                         
ஒரு காலைத் தூக்கி நின்றதுவோ                                       (நடமாடித்)


Lyrics in Roman script

Pallavi:            naTamADit tirinda umadiDadu kAl udavAmal
                        muDamAnadEnenRu solvIrayyA

Anupallavi:    diDamEvum tillai nagar maruvum pErAnandattANDavarE
                        nidamum enadANDavarE sabhaiyariya

CaraNam1:     tirunIRaic** cumandIrO neruppAna mEni tanil
                                    sItattinAl migunda vAda guNamO
                        orumaiyuDan mArkkaNDark kudaviyAi maRali vizha
                                    udaikka suLukkErRiyuNDa bEda guNamO
                        paravaitanin teruvAsarppaDi iDariRRO endan pApamO
                     en sivanE mUvarkkum mudalvarenRu                                                                                                                                          (naDamADit)
Variation: tirunIraic-- This would mean that because he carried the river Ganga on his head his body got extremely cold which resulted in the leg being paralyzed
----------------------

CaraNam2:     bhakti seyyum periyOrgaL pApanAsamAgum
                                    paramapadam iduvenRu tUkki ninRaduvO
                        shakti sivakAma valli tan bhAgam nogumenRE
                                    taraiyil aDi vaikka tayangi ninRaduvO
                        satyalOkAdipatit tALattiRkERpa naTam tAngiyE                                                                              oru kAlait tUkki ninRaduvO                      (naDamADit)

                                                                                                                                   
Lyrics:            The lyrics in Roman script were kindly provided by Mr. Lakshman Ragde.

Meaning:

Pallavi:          
You have been moving ( or dancing) around well. Will you please, Oh Lord, tell me           how your left leg is of no use to you any more—now that it is lame?

Anupallavi:   
You dwell in the great city of tillai (Cidambaram) dancing away blissfully everyday for all devotees to witness.

CaraNam1:    
Did you smear the sacred ash on your fiery body to cool it off and in the resulting excessive cold, did you encounter the ailment in your leg?

 (If the alternate phrase of “carrying Ganga on the head” is applied then the cold water could have caused the partial paralysis of the left leg)

In order to help mArkaNDan (to be an immortal) you kicked Yama,  the lord of death. Is the lameness (sprain) encountered on account of that?

Did you get tripped at the doorway of Paravai nAcciyAr (wife of SundaramUrty nAyanAr) when you entered her house?

Is it a consequence of my sin? My Lord, you are the first among the Trinity and you were dancing around in bliss.

CaraNam2:
Did you lift the leg to eliminate the sins of your devotees?

Did you lift it so that your consort (Sivakama valli) may not feel the pain (as she occupies your left side), which would result if you rest it on the ground?

Did you want to dance to the rhythm of Brahma (the head of satyalokham) and in the process raised your left leg forever?
                       

General Comments:
Readers should bear with us here for the third song in a row on Lord Nataraja. In the past three weeks we featured MArimuttA Pillai (kAlait tUkki…) and Muttut Tandavar ( ADik koNDAr anda vEDikkai..). These two songs were also on lord Nataraja.

There is another version of the pallavi line wherein the starting word is “naTamADi” meaning “dancing around”. However, we feel that the word should be “naDamADi” meaning “moving around” in keeping with proper grammatical construction. In Thamizh poetry most writers conform to “ethugai” (wherein the second letter of the starting words in different lines is the same) and “mOnai” (where the first letter of the starting words is the same). In order to rhyme with the “dhiDamEvum” in the Anupallavi line, the starting word of the pallavi line must accordingly be “naDamAdi”. Experts may have a different interpretation if the “naTamADi” version is also correct.

We mentioned earlier that Paapavinaasa Mudaliyaar (PM) was a specialist in the “nindAstuti” style of writing. He used Sanskrit words mixed with Thamizh words in order to have an uninterrupted flow of verse.

In this song, PM dwells on the dancing posture of Nataraja of Cidambaram and imagines the various possibilities that could have triggered the “ailment” in the left leg. The usual episode of kicking the lord of death to save MaarkkaNdEyan (who is considered an immortal along with VibhIshaNan, and HanumAn in the religious folklore) is referred to here in addition to the episode of Lord Siva helping to mediate the reconciliation between Sundaramurty nAyanAr and his wife Paravai NAcciyAr.

The Lord entered Paravai nacciyAr’s house at midnight to argue with her to take back her erring husband (SundaramUrthy, who is a devotee of lord Shiva). The veiled reference here is that the Lord tripped upon entering nAcciyAr’s house in the darkness of the night. It is a case of praising the Lord’s act through a veiled ridicule.

When it comes to singing the praise of Nataraja, most of the composers have used either the episodes from periyapurANam or other religious works. A few like Gopalakrishna Bharathi (sabhApatikku vERu deivam… in AbhOgi ragam) dwelt simply on the greatness and kindness of the Lord and the grace that one would obtain in worshipping Him.

Composer’s Bio:

Paapavinaasa Mudaliyaar (1650-1725) lived in Kumbakonam and Tiruvarur. His birthplace is not known. It is understood that he was well-versed in music and aspects of dance. The language he used in his compositions is what is known as maNippravALam (a mixture of Thamizh and Sanskrit).

It appears he was under the patronage of king Tulaja II of Thanjavur. He has composed most of his kritis in the “nindAstuti” style. He wrote an opera, titled “Kumbheswarar Kuravanjci” on the presiding deity of Kumbakonam, Kumbeswarar.

Some of PM’s compositions that are sung in music concerts are: pErum nalla (pUrvi kalyANi), and mukhattaik kATTiyE (bhairavi). These two songs are on Tyagaraja, the presiding deity of Tiruvarur. Some other songs by PM include: adaRkuLLE (kAmavardani/pantUvarALi), azhaittuvADi mAnE, and sollaDi mAdE (both in kalyANi).

Some audio links:



                                                                                   Listen to Rajeswari Satish here

Listen to Bangalore Thayi  here             Listen to Subashree Ramachandran here

Megha Ranganathan’s bharathanATyam part 1    here      and part 2  here


Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Thamizh Songs in Carnatic Music—30---கைத்தல நிறைகனி --kaittala niRaikani appamoDaval pori

Thamizh Songs in Carnatic Music—30


கைத்தல நிறைகனி --kaittala niRaikani appamoDaval pori

aruNagirinAthar-----tiruppugazh




Eating plentiful fruits, sweet dumplings ……


Composition:  kaittala niRaikani appamoDaval pori
Composer:      aruNagirinAtar
mudrA:          
(signature):    perumALE
rAgam:           nATTai (janyam of calanATTai, 36th mELam)        
tALam:           Adi
ArOhaNam:   SR3G3M1PD3N3 S
avarOhaNam: SN3PM1R3S

This song is the very first song (invocatory song on Lord GaNEsha) in tiruppugazh, a veritable anthology of songs on lord Murugan.

கைத்தல நிறைகனி அப்பமொடு அவல்பொரி 
கப்பிய கரிமுகன்  அடி பேணிக் 

கற்றிடும் அடியவர் புத்தியில் உறைபவ 
கற்பகம் எனவினை  கடிதேகும் 

மத்தமும் மதியமும் வைத்திடும் அரன்மகன் 
மற்பொரு திரள் புய  மதயானை 

மத்தள வயிறனை உத்தமி புதல்வனை 
மட்டவிழ் மலர் கொண்டு  பணிவேனே

முத்தமிழ் அடைவினை முற்படு கிரிதனில் 
முற்பட எழுதிய  முதல்வோனே 

முப்புரம் எரிசெய்த அச்சிவன் உறைரதம் 
அச்சது பொடிசெய்த  அதிதீரா

அத்துயர் அதுகொடு சுப்பிரமணி படும் 
அப்புனம் அதனிடை  இபமாகி 

அக்குற மகளுடன் அச்சிறு முருகனை 
அக்கணம் மணமருள் பெருமாளே.

Lyrics in Roman script

kaittala niRaikani appamodu avalpori
kappiya karimugan  aDi pENik

kaRRidum adiyavar buddhiyil uRaibava
kaRpagam enavinai  kaDidhEgum

mattamum madhiyamum vaittidum aranmagan
maRporu thiraL buya  madhayAnai

mattaLa vayiRanai uttami pudhalvanai
maTTavizh malar koNdu  paNivEnE

muttamizh aDaivinai muRpadu giritanil
muRpaDa ezhudhiya  mudalvOnE

muppuram eriseyda accivan uRairatam
accadu poDiseyda  atidhIrA

attuyar adukodu subbiramaNi paDum
appunam adaniDai  ibamAgi

akkuRa magaLuDan acciRu muruganai
akkaNam maNamaruL perumALE.

                                                Lyrics:  Ref. #1         

Meaning:

Lord Ganesa is one who is fond of eating quite a handful of fruits, sweet rice dumplings (appam), pounded roasted rice (aval), and puffed rice (pori). He is the elephant-faced one.

The learned folks who worship his feet are the ones in whose minds the Lord dwells. He grants the wishes of such devotees just like the celestial tree (karpaga maram) which is supposed to grant any wish. The sins of such devotees disappear when they worship Lord GaNEsha.

He is the son of Lord Siva who wears the flowers of the datura plant (Umaththam poo) and the crescent moon. He has strong enough shoulders to be a wrestler and the strength of a fierce elephant.

He also sports an abdomen which is shaped like a drum. He is also the son of Uma Devi. I shall worship him with the just- blossomed flowers which emanate a brilliant fragrance.

He is the one who gave life to the three branches of Thamizh (iyal, isai, nATakam) for the first time sitting on the mountain mEru.

 He is also the one who made the axle of the chariot of Lord Siva break when embarking on his adventure to incinerate the three cities inhabited by the demons, when Siva started out without invoking his (Ganesa’s) blessings *.
* According to ShivapurANam, Lord Shiva was out to destroy the 3 cities without offering his prayers to Lord GaNEsha. Hence lord Ganesha made the axle of the chariot on which lord Shiva was riding, break.  It was rectified later once lord Shiva realized his mistake.
------------------------------

He is the one who alleviated the torment of his brother (Murugan) whose love towards vaLLi was proving difficult to bring to fruition.

In order to help his brother he took the form of an elephant and roamed the millet field owned by vaLLi’s father to scare vaLLI and thereby enabled his brother to finish the courtship and wed vaLLi.



General Comments:
The song that we are featuring here is part of tiruppugazh, an anthology of devotional songs composed by Arunagirinaathar (AGN). These songs do not have the formal division into pallavi, anupallavi, and caraNam characteristic of Carnatic music classification. The verses of tiurppughazh follow a blank verse format.

This particular song sings the praise of Lord Ganesa by pointing out the grace that one would obtain by worshipping him. The verses also include references to mythology regarding how Siva’s chariot’s axle broke (when he was out on the venture to fight the three demons and destroy their cities) because Siva did not invoke the blessings of Ganesa (--talk about internecine rivalry and hegemony amongst the celestials!!). It also refers to how Ganesa helped Lord Murugan in winning vaLLi’s hand by scaring vaLLi in the form of a wild elephant whereupon she ended in the arms of Lord Murugan.

The Tiruppughazh songs were intended to be musical more in galloping rhythmic content to begin with but caught the attention and imagination of several musicians of yesteryears who tuned the songs to different ragams. The lyrics flow like a river rapids with teeming rhymes and lilting rhythms.

Composer’s Bio:

aruNagiri nAthar (AGN) (ca.15th century CE??), it is said, authored more than 16000 songs under the banner “Tiruppughazh”, singing the praise of Lord Murugan. Only 2000 songs are available now.

AGN, it is said, was suffering from an incurable disease and intended to commit suicide at TiruvaNNAmalai when Lord Murugan blessed him with a healthy life. There are lots of legends floating around about his ability to perform miracles by transmigrating into other life forms.

AGN composed mainly on Lord Subramanya (alias Murugan). In addition to Tiruppughazh, AGN also wrote kandar anubhUdi, kandar andAdi, and kandar alankAram.

Readers who are interested in knowing more about aruNagirinAthar and hisTiruppughaz songs are encouraged to visit references 1-4 given below.

Some of his songs that are popular and sung at the end of Carnatic music concerts, as what are known as “tukkaDAs”, include: ErumayilERi, and tuLLumada vETkai (both in hamsAnandi), agaramumAgi (harikAmbhoji), apakAra nindai (cakravAgam), sivanAr manam kuLira (sindu bhairavi), and nAda vindu kalAdi (senjcuruTTi),

References:


Audio and video links

Listen to M S Subbulakshmi here

Listen to PiththukkuLi MurugadAs here

Listen to Kanakadurga Venkatesh here

Listen to Mahanadhi Shobana here





Saturday, November 12, 2016

Thamizh Songs in Carnatic Music—29---ஆடிக்கொண்டார் அந்த வேடிக்கை--ADikkoNDAr anda vEDikkai


Thamizh Songs in Carnatic Music—29

ஆடிக்கொண்டார் அந்த வேடிக்கை--ADikkoNDAr anda vEDikkai

Composer: Muttut tANDavar

rAgam: mAyAmALavagauLai    tALam: Adi


A thousand eyes to witness the delightful dance …..



Composition:  ADikkoNDAr anda vEDikkai…..
Composer:     muttut tANDavar
mudrA:           none
(signature):   
rAgam:  mAyAmALava gauLai (15th mELam) or mOhanam ( janyam of                                                   harikAmbhOji, 28th mELam) 
tALam:           Adi, Eka
ArOhaNam:   SR1G3M1PD1N3S  (SR2G3PD2 S for mOhanam)
avarOhaNam: SN3D1PM1G3R1S  (SD2PG3R2S for mOhanam)


பல்லவி:            
ஆடிக்கொண்டார் அந்த வேடிக்கைக் காணக்
        கண் ஆயிரம் வேண்டாமோ

அனுபல்லவி:   
 நாடித் துதிப்பவர் பங்கில் உறைபவர் நம்பர்  
        திருச்செம்பொன்  அம்பலவாணர்                                    (ஆடிக்கொண்டார்)

சரணம்1:    
பங்கய சிலம்பைந்தாடப் பாதச்
           சதங்கைகள் கிண்கிண்ணென்றாட
பொங்கமுடனே உரித்து உடுத்த புலித்தோல் அசைந்தாட
செங்கையில் ஏந்திய மான் மழுவாட
              செம்பொற்க்கழற் கண் முயலகனாட
 கங்கை இளம் பிறை செஞ்சடையாடக்
               கனக சபை தனிலே                                      (ஆடிக்கொண்டார்)

சரணம்2:     
ஆர நவமணி மாலைகளாட ஆடும் அரவம் படம் விரித்தாட
சீரணிக் கொன்றை மலர்த் தொடையாடச் சிதம்பரத்தேர் ஆட
பேரணி வேதியர் தில்லை மூவாயிரம் பேர்களும் பூஜித்துக் கொண்டு நின்றாட
காரணி  காளி எதிர்த்து   நின்றாடக் கனக சபை தனிலே                                                                                                                                                 (ஆடிக்கொண்டார்)

சரணம்3:    
ந்ரித்த கணபதி வேலர் நின்றாட நின்றயன் மாலுடன் இந்திரன் ஆட
முப்பத்து முக்கோடி தேவருடனே முனிவரும் நின்றாட
மெய்ப்பதி மேவும் பதஞ்சலி ஆட வ்யாக்ர பாதரும் நந்தியுமாட
ஒப்பற்ற சிவகாமி அம்மையும் கூடவே நின்றாட      (ஆடிக்கொண்டார்

Lyrcis in Roman script

Pallavi:            ADikkoNDAr anda vEDikkaik kANak kaN Ayiram vENDAmO

Anupallavi:    nADit tudippavar pangil uRaibavar nambar
                        tiruccempon  ambalavANar                                    (ADikkoNDAr)

CaraNam1:     pangaya silambaindADap pAdac
                              cadangaigaL kiNkiNNenRADa
                        pongamuDanE urittu uDutta pulittOl asaindADa
                        sengaiyil Endiya mAn mazhuvADa
                               sempoRkkazhaRk kaN muyalaganADa
                        gangai iLam piRai senjcaDaiyADak
                               kanaka sabhai tanilE                                      (ADikkoNDAr)

CaraNam2:     Ara navamaNi mAlaigaLADa ADum aravam paDam virittADa
                        sIraNik konRai malart toDaiyADac cidambarattEr ADa
                        pEraNi vEdiyar tillai mUvAyiram pergaLum pUjittuk koNDu ninRADa
             kAraNi  kALi etirttu ninRAdak kanaka sabhai tanilE                                                                                                                                                 (ADikkoNDAr)

CaraNam3:     nritta gaNapati vElar ninRADa ninRayan mAluDan indran ADa
                        muppattu mukkOTi dEvaruDanE munivarum ninRADa
                        meippati mEvum patanjali ADa vyAgra pAdarum nandiyumADa
                        oppaTRa sivakAmiammaiyum kUDavE ninRADa            (ADikkoNDAr)                            
                                                                                                                                   
Lyrics:           
The lyrics have been assembled from http://www.karnatik.com/c2440.shtml  and  Amutham CD (booklet) WS006. We tried to rectify some transcriptional errors in the lyrics. In the absence of authentic text available to us, this version may still contain some errors. The assistance of Rajani Shankar of Malaysia in clarifying certain terms is appreciated.


Meaning:

Pallavi:           He is dancing delightfully.  Don’t we need a thousand                                               
                        eyes to witness such a spectacle?

Anupallavi:    He supports those who worship Him. He is the Lord of the                                                                       sacred golden hall (in Cidambaram).

CaraNam1:     The five anklets are shaking and the string of bells (cadangai) makes a                                                    tinkling sound. The tiger hide stripped and worn around His waist is                          dancing! The   deer and the axe borne in the hands are dancing! The                                                      demon (muyalagan) is also dancing at His golden feet! The maiden GangA and the                                crescent moon on the locks of hair are also dancing when the Lord dances in  the                                  golden hall.

CaraNam2:     The plentiful nine-stone (navaratnam) necklaces are dancing! The snake                          around His neck is spreading its hood and dancing! The resplendent                                                        flower (konRai) garland hanging down is also dancing! The temple chariot is dancing!                            kALi is also dancing! The three thousand  priests of Cidambaram pray and dance!                                 Thus the Lord dances at the golden hall!

CaraNam3:     Ganapati and Murugan are dancing! Brahma (ayan), Vishnu (mAl), and                          Indran (chief of staff in the celestial world) dance! With innumerable                                                        celestials, the sages also dance! The truly devoted Patanjali dances! The                                                sage vyAgrapAdA and the sacred bull (nandi) also dance! The                                                                incomparable dEvi Sivakami dances together with Lord Siva.
                       
General Comments:
This song delves deep into the details of the cosmic dance of Lord Siva in its entire splendor. The composer goes into rapture at the sight of the cosmic dance. To him every thing around Nataraja dances in unison with Him.  The composer imagines that even the inanimate objects such as the anklets, the tiger hide, the axe, the necklaces, and  the flower garland, in addition to the snake, the priests, the celestials and the Lord’s consort  dance as though they are inseparable.

For a person who did not have any training in music, to write such compositions (which are tuned to beautiful rAgam and rhythm) is truly amazing.  It is common knowledge that the cosmic dance of Nataraja at Cidambaram has grabbed the attention of several composers, both ancient and modern. The mythological references to Patanjali and VyAgrapAda indicate that it is truly a one-of-a-kind event in religious folklore.

Once again, the song has references to various episodes of gallantry of Lord Siva and the celestial activities. It is a theme handled by MarimuttA PiLLai too.

Composer’s Bio:
Muththuth Thandavar (1560-1640??) was born in SIrkhazhi near Cidambaram in a family of instrumental musicians who served the temples.  They were known as isai vELALar---those who cultivate music. The child was named tANDavan after the deity at Cidambaram.

As a youngster, tANDavan suffered an incurable wasting disease which caused havoc on his health and appearance. He was not able to follow the family profession on account of this debilitating condition. He was also shunned by everybody. He used to visit a temple maid (dEvadAsi?), SivabhAgyam, to hear her sing and dance. This isolated him and aggravated his already pitiful condition and he was left to fend for himself.

It appears that he got inspiration by listening to the devotional songs sung by SivabhAgyam.  . His foray into composing began as an accident. One day he was locked up in the SIrkhazhi temple room containing the vehicles used to carry the gods on festive days. He cried but to no avail. After a while the daughter of the temple priest appeared before him with a bowl of food. She told him to go to Cidambaram and sing a song everyday in praise of the Lord. While tANDavan protested that he knew nothing about singing or composing, the little girl asked him to use the words of the devotees who enter the temple. It was all the doing of dEvi (goddess). The next morning the “ugly” tANDavan looked radiant, thereby earning the nickname “muttut tANDavan”.

There was no looking back for him ever. He went to Cidambaram. On the first day he heard some words “bhoolOka kailAya giri…”. He used those words and sang right off at the sanctum. His illness was cured. He continued the daily ritual of singing in the temple grabbing the stray words of the devotees.  After a while he didn’t need the lead words.  He kept on composing and singing. His life was one of miracle on a personal level and a gift to humanity in the form of devotional songs. He was a pioneer in composing padams. teruvil vArAnO (khamAs rAgam) is a classic and  a delight for dancers and audience alike.

Muththuth Thandavar (MT), Arunacala Kavi (AK), and Marimutta Pillai (MMP) are celebrated  as members of the Thamizh trinity (Thamizh mUvar) in recognition of their contributions to Thamizh music.
            
Very few of MT’s compositions have survived the test of time.  TiruppAmburam SwAminatha PiLLai collected sixty of them and tuned them to different rAgams under the sponsorship of ANNAmalai University. Twenty five padams of MT are also available. Some of his compositions that are sung in music concerts are: arumarundonRu tani marundidu (mOhanam or kAmbhOji), pEsAdE nenjamE (tODi), kANAmal vINilE (dhanyAsi or kAmbhOji, or nIlAmbari), teruvil vArAnO (khamAs), unai nambinEn ayyA (kIravANi),  IsanE kOTi sUrya prakAsanE (naLinakAnti), darisittaLavil (latAngi), sEvikka vENDumayyA (AndOLikA), innum oru taram (simmEndra madyamam), and ambara cidambaram, & innum oru stalam (suraTi).

Some audio and video links

Listen to Sudha Ragunathan here
Charulata Mani sings here 

Listen to Vidya Kalyanaramamn here

Listen to Unnikrishnan here

Listen/view K Bharath Sundar here

For a dance by young dancers here

SEshampaTTi Sivalingam on nAdaswaram here https://www.mediafire.com/?ho9gcpebw2pm14p


Reference: