Thamizh Songs in Carnatic Music—21-- tandai tAy irundAl … தந்தை தாய் இருந்தால்

Thamizh Songs in Carnatic Music—21

  tandai tAy irundAl … தந்தை தாய் இருந்தால்

rAgam: Shanmugapriya     tALam: Adi

Composer: K. Ponnaiah Pillai

Note: The authorship of this song is in dispute. Some places mention it is by Ponnaiah PiLlai (PP). Others say it is by Gopalakrishna Bharathi (GKB). The two versions given are slightly different in wording and also there are additional verses in the version by GKB. For what it is worth both versions are given here. For the full text version by GKB please scroll to the end..

Authorship attributed to Ponnaiah PiLLai at this site  http://tamil.thehindu.com/society/spirituality/article5921356.ece

This one says it is GKB

http://www.karnatik.com/c1161.shtml

If only you have a father and a mother….

Composition:  tandai tAy irundAl ulagattil…

Composer:     K. ponnaiyA piLLai

mudrA:           none

(signature):   

rAgam:           shanmukhapriyA (56th mELam)    

tALam:           Adi

ArOhaNam:   SR₂G₂M₂PD₁N₂ S

avarOhaNam: SN₂D₁PM₂G₂R₂S

பல்லவி

தந்தை தாய் இருந்தால் உலகத்தில் உமக்கிந்த 
தாழ்வெல்லாம் வருமோ அய்யா  பெற்ற              (தந்தை தாய்) 

அனுபல்லவி

அந்தமிகுந்த ஸ்ரீ அம்பலவாணரே   அருமையுடனே பெற்று                 

பெருமையுடன் வளர்த்த                                              (தந்தை தாய்) 

சரணம்

கல்லால் ஒருவன் அடிக்க உடல் சிலிர்க்க 
       காலில் செருப்பால் ஒரு வேடன் வந்தே உதைக்க 
வில்லால் ஒருவன் அடிக்க காண்டீபம் என்னும் 
        வில்லால் ஒருவன் அடிக்க 
கூசாமல் ஒருவன் கை கோடாலியால் வெட்ட
        கூட்டத்தில் ஒருவன் பித்தா பேயா என திட்ட 
வீசி மதுரை மாறன் பிரம்பால் அடிக்க   
      அந்த வேளை யாரை நினைந்தீரோ அய்யா பெற்ற  (தந்தை தாய்)

Lyrics in Roman script

Pallavi:           tandai tAy irundAl ulagattil umakkinda

                        tAzhvellAm varumO ayyA peRRa                 (tandai)

Anupallavi:    anda migunda sri ambala vANarE arumaiyuDanE

                        peTRu perumaiyuDanE vaLartta                               (tandai)

CaraNam:       kallAl oruvan aDikka uDal silirkka kAlin seruppAl

                                    oru vEDan vandE udaikka

                        villAl oruvan aDikka --gANDIpa mennum

                                   villAl oruvan aDikka

                        kUsAmal oruvan kai kODAliyAl veTTa

                                   kUTTattil oruvan pittA pEyA enat tiTTa

                       vIsi Madurai mARan pirambAl aDikka

                               anda vELai yArai ninaindIrO ayyA                      (tandai)

           

Meaning:

Pallavi:           If only you had a father and a mother, you would not suffer all the indignities in this world!

           

Anupallavi:    In this vast universe, if only you had your parents who conceived you with such a rarity and reared you with pride, you would not have to face the hardships you are facing.

           

CaraNam:       One fellow hit you with a stone, another stepped on you with his footwear. One other person hit you with an arrow from his bow, another one cut you with an ax. In a crowd one abused you with epithets such as “madman and ghost”. The Pandya king (Madurai MARan) caned you. On such occasions whom did you think of, oh Lord?

General Comments:

This song can be characterized as conforming to the figure of speech known as “vanjcap pugazhcci aNi” in Thamizh and “nindAstuti” in Sanskrit. The point driven is positive but a negative approach is taken. Some poets resort to this mode, especially when dealing with divinity or well-heeled philanthropists. A familiar poem attributed to KALamEgap pulavar comes to mind.

வாதக்காலாம் தமக்கு மைத்துனருக்கு நீரிழிவாம் 

போதப் பெருவயிறாம் புத்திரர்க்கு -- மாதரையில்

வந்தவினை தீர்க்க  வகையறியான் வேளூரான் 

எந்தவினை தீர்த்தான் இவன்?

            vAdakkAlAm tamakku maittunarkku nIrizhivAm

            bOdap peruvayiRAm puttirarkku--mAdaraiyil

            vandavinai  tIrkka  vagaiyaRiyAn  vELUrAn

            endavinai  tIrttAn  ivan?

The poem mentioned above was written in praise of the presiding deity at Vaideeswaran koil who is believed to cure all ills of the devotees who pray at the temple. The veiled praise is obvious as the reference is to the family of Lord Siva. Lord Siva Himself is referred to as being afflicted with foot pain (reference to his dancing feet), Vishnu (brother-in-law) is on the water-bed always, and Ganapati (son) has a bloated belly, altogether a family afflicted with many ailments (!!). When He cannot cure his own family’s illness, how can He cure the ills of His devotees?

The song in discussion closely parallels the theme mentioned above. Lord Siva was worshipped by so many noted devotees each in their own style.  Ponnaiah Pillai makes reference to stories from various episodes including the popular TiruviLaiyADal.  He narrates the incidents from the purANAs. There was this SAkkiya NAyanAr, who not being satisfied with being a Buddhist, adored Lord Siva. Apparently he threw a stone at the Lord inadvertently during meditation at the sanctum, which the Lord accepted as a form of worship. It became a daily worship practice for the nAyanAr. The Lord was obviously pleased. The bow and arrow insult refers to Arjuna ( of Mahabharata) when he was seeking the pAsupatAstram from the Lord in order to win over his rivals.

There is also a reference to Kannappa nayanar who offered both of his eyes to the Lord upon seeing bleeding from the Lord’s eyes. The hunter had to keep his foot at the second eye of the Lord for locational identity in order to remove his own second eye to replace the Lord’s. Sundaramurthy nayanar sang the Lord’s praise, “pittA piRai sUDi perumAnE aruLALA…”. The reference in the song to caning the Lord by the Pandya king is taken from TiruviLaiyADal purANam wherein the Lord wanted to help an old lady carry out her obligation of carrying sand to block the floods in Madurai in exchange for pittu, a sweet snack. The king caned Him for resting and not doing His duty (without realizing his misdeed).

Ponnaiah Pillai refers to all these revered incidents and makes light of the situations by using the vanjacap pugazhcci aNi. He is telling the Lord that He would not have had to undergo such “mistreatments” if only He had parents. Nice concoction!

This song was first popularized by the late N. C. Vasantagokilam (one of the most under-recognized musicians of yesteryears).

Composer’s Bio:

K. Ponnaiah Pillai (1888-1945) hailed from the famous ThanjAvUr quartet family. He was the grandson of the Ponnaiah  of the Thanjavur Quartet (Chinnaiah, Ponnaiah, Shivanandam, and VaDivElu). He learned music, dance, and mridangam from his illustrious uncle Pandanainallur Meenakshisundaram Pillai. Later on he joined his father, Kannusamy Pillai, and taught music and dance to several disciples. He became a music professor in the Music College in Chidambaram and taught vocal music and mirdangam to students.

Ponnaiah Pillai also served the Music Board of the University of Madras and the Music Academy at Madras creditably.  His songs were published in a compendium titled  “Rajah Annamalai Tamil Isaik Karuvoolam”.

Some of Ponnaiah Pillai’s compositions that are heard often in the dance and music concerts and commercial recordings are: ranganAtuDE (saurAshtiram) murugan kauttuvam (gauLai) and mAyA atIta (mAyAmALavagauLai).

Audio/video links:

Listen to N C VasantakOkilam here   or  here

Listen to SuguNA VaradAchAri    here

Listen to Aruna Sairam here

Listen to S Sowmya here

Authorship is attributed to Gopalakrishna Bharathi in the following version.

தந்தை தாய் இருந்தால் இவ்வுலகத்தில் உமக்கிந்த 

தாழ்வெல்லாம்  வருமோ ஐயா

அந்தமில் நடனம் செய்யும் அம்பல வாணனே 
அருமையாகவே பெற்று  பெருமையுடன் வளர்த்த 

கல்லால் ஒருவன் கடந்தடிக்க உடல் பதைக்க 
காலின் செருப்பால் ஒரு வேடன் எதிர்த்து உதைக்க 

வில்லால் ஒருவன் வந்தடிக்க
உமது திருமேனி என்னமாய் நொந்ததோ 

கூசாமல் இடையன் கைக்கோடாரியால் வெட்ட 
கூட்டத்தில் ஒருவன் பித்தா பேயா எனத் திட்ட
வீசி மதுரை மாறன் பிரம்பால் அடிக்க 
அந்த வேளை யாரை நினைந்தீரோ ஐயா

சீலமில்லாதொரு பெண் காரியுமிழலாச்சே
சேர்ந்தவளும் தலைமீதேற எளிதாய்ப் போச்சே
பாலகிருஷ்ணன் இதைப் பார்க்கும்படியாச்சே
பாருலகில் எங்கணும் பார்க்கில் இதுவே பேச்சே

Lyrics in Roman script

tandai tAy. rAgA: mukhAri /SaNmukhapriyA. cApu tALA.

P: tandai tAy irundAl ivvulagattil umakkinda tAzhvellAm varumO ayyA
A: andamil naTam seyyum ambalavANarE arumaiyAghavE peTru perumaiyuDan vaLartta
C1: kallAl oruvan kaDindaDikka uDal padaikka kAlin seruppAl oru vEDan edirttudaikka
villAl oruvan vandaDikka umadu tirumEni ennamAi nondadO
2: kUsAmal iDaiyan kaik-kODAriyAl veTTak-kUTTattil oruvan pittA pEyA enat-tiTTa
vIsi madurai mAran pirambAl aDikka anda vELai yArai ninaindIrO ayyA
3: shIlamillAdoru peN kAriyumizhalAccE sErndavaLum talai mIdEra eLidAip-pOccE
bAlakrSNan idaip-pArkkum paDiyAccE pArugilengaNum pArkkil iduvE pEccE

Thamizh Songs in Carnatic Music—20-- அழகா அழகா என்றழைத்து--azhagA azhagA enRazhaittu

Thamizh Songs in Carnatic Music—20

அழகா அழகா என்றழைத்து--azhagA azhagA enRazhaittu

Composer: ambujam KrishNA

Oh, beauty! Oh, beauty!

Composition:  azhagA azhagA enRazhaittu

mudrA:           ambuja (?)

(signature):   

rAgam:           suddha danyAsi (janyam of karaharapriyA, 22nd mELam)          

tALam:           kaNDa cApu

ArOhaNam:   SG₂M₁PN₂ PS

avarOhaNam: SN₂PM₁G₂S

பல்லவி:      

அழகா அழகா என்றழைத்துக் கை

தொழுது வந்தேன் திருமாலிருஞ்சோலை உறையும் வடி  (வழகா)

அனுபல்லவி:     

வழுவாது திருப்பாதம் தொழுதேத்தும் அன்பர்க்கு

அருள் வாரிச் சொரிந்து அவர் உள்ளம் கவரும் கள்   (ளழகா)

                       

சரணம்:      

 நடந்து நடந்து உன் சன்னிதி வந்தேன்

 நாதனுன் நற்றாள் நிழல் தாராயோ?

 நாடி நாடி உன் புகழ் கேட்டு வந்தேன் நாரணா

 என் குரல் செவியுரக் கேளாயோ?

 அடைக்கலம் அடைக்கலம் என்றுனை அடைந்தேன்

 அபயக் கரம் தந்து வினை தீராயோ?

 பாடிப் பாடி உனைப் போற்றிப் பணியும் எனக்குப்

 பவழ வாய் திறந்து அஞ்சேலென்று அருளாயோ?

                                                மத்யமகாலம்

 விரிஜ்யோதி கமலமென உன் முகத்தே திகழும்

 இருவிழி அருள் தேனை அள்ளி அள்ளி

 மறை புகழும் திரு மார்பில் மன்னி என்றும் உறைந்திட

 மன வண்டுன் புகழ் பாட மையலுடன் உனை நாடி       (அழகா)

 Lyrics in Roman script

Pallavi:         

azhagA azhagA enRazhaittuk kai

tozhudu vandEn tirumAlirunjcOlai uRaiyum vaDi (vazhagA)

anupallavi:    

vazhuvAdu tiruppAdam tozhudEttum anbarkku

aruL vAric corindu avar uLLam kavarum kaL     (LazhagA)

                       

CaraNam:      

naDandu naDandu un sannidi vandEn

nAtanun naRRAL nizhal tArAyO?

nADi nADi un pugazh kETTu vandEn nAraNA

en kural seviyurak kELAyO?

aDaikkalam aDaikkalam enRunai aDaintEn

abhayak karam tandu vinai tIrAyO?

pADip pADi unaip pORRip paNiyum enakkup

pavazha vAi tirandu anjElenRu aruLAyO?

                                                madyamakAlam

virijyOti kamalamena un mukhattE tigazhum

iruvizhi aruL tEnai aLLi aLLi

maRai pugazhum tiru mArbil manni enRum uRaindiDa

mana vaNDun pugazh pADa maiyaluDan unai nADi       (azhagA)

Source for Lyrics: See Reference below    

Meaning:

Pallavi:           I came with folded hands chanting. “azhagA, azhagA!” Oh, the beautiful one who dwells in Tirumalirunjcolai (also known as azhagar koil).

           

Anupallavi:    You confer your grace on those devotees who worship your graceful feet and capture their hearts.

CaraNam:       I came into your sanctum sanctorum walking a lot. Won’t you please offer me the shelter of your divine feet? Oh nAraNA, I came to you knowing your fame. Won’t you listen to my appeal?

                        I came to you seeking shelter. Won’t you protect me with your graceful hands and get rid of my ills? I sing your praise. Won’t you open your coral mouth and tell me not to worry?

                        Your eyes, which shine like a fully blossomed lotus flower, radiate such a grace. The vEdAs speak your glory. My mind sings your praise like a humming bee. I come to you with great passion.

           

General Comments:

The Lord of tirumalirunjcOlai is also known as KaLLazhagar. There are great stories about KaLLazhagar who comes down to attend (perhaps return without attending) the divine wedding of Devi Meenakshi with Lord Sundareswarar in Madurai. There is a temple for Vishnu at azhagar koil in the hills on the way to PazhamudirccOlai (last of the six abodes of Murugan), near Madurai. Azhagar koil is also known as TirumalirunjcOlai.

This particular song is on the deity at azhagar koil. It is also a typical one seeking shelter at the feet of the Lord. It has poetic dignity without any lofty words in Thamizh. Ambujam Krishna was known for her immense piety which she tried to convey in a musical mode. The melody makes the words sound sweet and special.

ANDAL, (also known as kOdai), one of the 12 AzhvArs, had a special liking to Sundararaja PerumAl (azhagar) in TirumalirunjcOlai. PeriyAzhvar, the foster-father of ANDAL sings to her about how the girls at AyarpADi (the place surrounding gOkulam) play around Krishna and how another maiden pines at the sight by looking through her window and resolves that she would never marry anybody other than Krishna.

ANDAL resolves in a like manner. She sings in one of her pAsurams thus:

            sindurac cempoDi pOl tirumAlirunjcOlai engum

            indira kObangaLE ezhundum paRandiTTanavAl

            mandaram nATTi anRu madurak kozhum sARu koNDa

            sundarat tOLuDaiyAn suzhalaiyil ninRu uydunkolO!

            சிந்துரச் செம்பொடி போல் திருமாலிருஞ்சோலை எங்கும்

            இந்திர கோபங்களே எழுந்தும் பறந்திட்டனவால்

            மந்தரம் நாட்டி அன்று மதுரக் கொழும் சாறு கொண்ட

            சுந்தரத் தோளுடையான் சுழலையில் நின்று உய்துங்கொலோ!

 ANDAL describes the mountain surrounding the abode of Tirumal like a red powder applied on the forehead of the elephant. The red butterflies which swarm the mountain soon after the rainclouds deposit rain on the mountain appear to her thus. The hills remind ANDAL of Vishnu. She thinks about how the mandara mountain was used as a spindle to churn the milky ocean out of which Lakshmi came out as amirtam for Vishnu. ANDAL pines about how her Lord would ignore her but not let her forget Him either through a mystic bondage. For ANDAL, TirumalirunjcOlai is her world. Likewise, one wonders, the composer (Ambujam Krishna) may have also sported similar feelings while writing this song.

Composer’s Bio:

Ambujam Krishna (1917-1989), before attaining fame as a composer, was known through her familial connections, namely that she was the daughter-in-law of the famous industrial magnate T. V. Sundaram Iyengar (TVS).  She learnt music from Karaikkudi Ganesan and Madurai Ganesa Bhagavathar. She has composed over 600 songs, many of them on Krishna (obviously her favorite deity), in Thamizh, Telugu, and Sanskrit. Her compositions have been published in four volumes titled, “gItamAlA”. Reputed musicians of her day tuned her compositions to various rAgams.

Some of Ambujam Krishna’s compositions that are heard often in the concerts and commercial recordings are: kaNNan kuzhalOsai kETkudaDi (tilang), enna solli azhaittAl (kAnaDA), http://periscope-narada.blogspot.com/2015/11/enna-solli-azhaittal.html pArthasArati un pAdamE gati (kAmbhoji), ODODi vandEn kaNNA (darmavati),  http://periscope-narada.blogspot.com/2016/02/ododi-vanden-kanna.html

guruvAyUrappanE appan (rItigauLai), varuga varugavE (mohanam), ADinaiyE kaNNA (mohanakalyANi), kaNNaniDam eDuttuc collaDi (ragamalika), http://periscope-narada.blogspot.com/2015/09/kannanidam-eduttuc-colladi.html gAnamazhai pozhiginRAn (ragamalikai), and mananilai aRiyEnaDi (bAgeswari).

Reference:

http://www.carnatica.net/lyrics/azhaga.doc

Some audio/video links:

To listen to MLV,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x43HQn-A6a0

To listen to Bombay Jayashree,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TziRQNLyNq8

To listen to Divya Ramachandran,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw0kOwBn7-A

T N  Seshagopalan sings here

Vasundara Rajagopal sings here