~ 185 ~
The very term “Post-Pallavi” item is of comparatively recent origin.
Since, it has gained currency only after the Karnatak music concert
format had become established. We have evidences of the occurrences of
formal music concerts, only since Maha Vaidhyanatha Iyer’s days in the
middle of 19th century. Even at that time, practise of singing classically
less serious items after Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi had come into vogue
though these items did not get the name as “Post-Pallavi” items. “The
Biography of Maha Vaidhyanatha Iyer” authored by Tamizh Taatta U.
V. Swaminatha Iyer, gives details of some Pallavis sung by him and some
reference to some items sung after the Pallavi. They have been all
devotion oriented and naturally not as seriously classical and technical as
the Pallavis. An earnest researcher in the subject of Post-Pallavi items
should methodically start collecting details of items in use from Maha
Vaidhyanatha Iyer days. Let us also start in right earnest from the songs
sung by the most popular performing musicians of those days, towards
the end of his concerts.
U. V. Swaminatha Iyer has merely mentioned the songs sung
towards the end of the concerts as saivite hymns sung as Viruttams.
Among the authors of saivite hymns “Tirugnanasambandar”
(F¼ë£ùê‹ð‰î˜) occupies a very special place. How he became a
composer is itself an episode read with great respect. Sambandar was the
son of Temple priest at Sirkazhi, a village in Tanjore district of those
days. The father took the son for an outing, when the later was less than
five years old. They happened to cross the temple tank which was a
popular bathing place in those days. Since, it was bathing time and pooja
time the father thought of finishing the ritual of a bath in the temple tank.
He made the less than five year old son Tirugnanasambandar sit at a safe
place and went down the steps of the tank for a quick bath. The child
~ 186 ~
Sambandar got frightened to find the father missing and began crying
aloud. The mother of the universe Goddess Parvathi is said to have
chosen to come down to earth to attend to the weeping child. Such was
the Poorva Janma Punya of Tirugnanasambandar that, his crying appeal
would make the universal Goddess Herself comedown and take the child
into her hands, and she went on to make what all mothers do to appease a
wailing child.
Tirugnanasambandar thus, had the great fortune of being breast fed
by the universal Goddess Herself and this was not the mundane instance
of a crying child being breast fed by a human mother. Milk from the
divine Mother made the child attain divine virtues not heard of in this
world. The small child in Goddess Parvathi’s hands acquired miraculous
accomplishments of a full-fledged poet and great poetry in praise of Lord
Shiva poured out from the mouth of the child Tirugnanasambandar. The
song that occurred in the mouth of the celestialy blessed child was
“Thodudaya Seviyan” («î£´¬ìò ªêMò¡) which ultimately became
the favourite saivite hymns and this great instance by the grace of
Goddess Parvathi gave India the pride of possessing youngest composer
of poetry in the world. This has been recognised even by Adi Sankara
who came into this world a century or two later as an incarnation of Lord
Shiva. Since, the typical Tamil name “Tirugnanasambandar” could not
be incorporated in Sanskrit literature, Adi Sankara has referred to
Sambandar as the “Dravida Sishu” – Fó£Mì C² (South Indian child) in
his immortal Soundarya Lahari.
Apart from this youngest poet in the world, there have been many
other saivite saints who have also composed Tamil lyrics upon Lord Siva.
Most of these lyrics were sung in the Post-Pallavi part of the small
~ 187 ~
number of concerts of 19th Century. More famous among them were
viruttams like “Paalninainduttum” (𣙠G¬ù‰É†´‹) of
Manikkavachagar (ñ£E‚èõ£êè˜) and “Pittha Piraisudi” – (Hˆî£
H¬øÅ®),,,, and “Maasil Veenaiyum” – (ñ£C™ i¬í»‹) of
Thirunavukkarasar (F¼ï£¾‚èóê˜).
There was a time in Tamil Nadu when Tamil dramas and their music
was patronised more avidly than Karnatak Music. Legends like S. G.
Kittappa were prominent miraculous instances of a person not tutored
formally in Karnatak Music but could sing viruttams that could have a
mesmerising effect upon even the vidwans of those days. S. G. Kittappa
had a phenomenal voice in which he could traverse the octaves in a basic
pitch of ‘G’ sharp and could be heard in the last rows of mike less halls in
which the first row will always be occupied by leading Karnatak vidwans
like Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Iyer, Malakkotai Govindaswami
Pillai, and Harikesanallur Muttaiah Bhagavathar etc. The viruttams like
“Kodaiyile Ilai Parri Kollum” («è£¬ìJ«ô Þ¬÷Šð£P ªè£œÀ‹) and
Javali songs like “Gandiban Maithuna” (裇¯ð¡ ¬ñˆ¶ù£), “Kaami
Sathyabhaama (è£I êˆòð£ñ£)” were in the mouths of even commener.
An interesting fact here is that there was a practice in those days that
heroes always made appearance on the stage with what are called opening
songs and these songs were all famous Karnatak Music compositions of
Tyagaraja, like “Evarani” – Devamruthavarshini, “Entaraani” –
Harikambhoji, “Mokshamugalada” – Saramathi, “Raga-sudha Rasa” -
Andolika. This was indeed an interesting situation wherein, prestigious
Pre-Pallavi items were thrust into a much lower status of drama songs.
The heroes always started with anupallavi mainly because they were
in Tara sthayi which could more easily reach the last row admirers.
~ 188 ~
That was also a period when patronage for “Harikathas” was more
widely prevalent, than that for music concerts. Harikatha performers were
held in very high esteem and they were celebrated Gurus for many of the
vocalists of those days. The Harikatha vidwans used lot of Tyagaraja
Kritis during their musical discourses, and they managed to pose as
authorities in spite of their poor knowledge of the Telugu lyrics of
Tyagaraja.
The Aristocratic families of those days considered it as a prestige to
arrange Harikatha concerts rather than music concerts in Marriages in
their houses. Harikatha artiste had supreme influence in the music field
and the historic Tyagaraja festival of Tiruvaiyaru was started around 1907
by a group of leading Harikatha artiste like Soola-mangalam Vaidyanatha
Bhagavathar, Tanjore Krishna Bhagavathar and Harikesanallur Muthaiya
Bhavathar etc,
Famous performers of the Post Mahavaidhyanatha Iyer’s period
were Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar, Konerirajapuram Vaidhyanatha Iyer and
Nayana Pillai. By their time the concert format can be said to have been
established more firmly and the musicians and the listeners readily
recognised the Pre-Pallavi and the Post-Pallavi items. Pattnam
Subramania Iyer and Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar were also composers of
repute and they have themselves propagated some Javalis in music
concerts. The concert field was entering a boom period early in 20th
Century and leading performers like Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar,
Musiri Subramania Iyer, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, G. N.
Balasubramaniam, and Madurai Mani Iyer became artiste called for
performances on most days of the month. Arranging music concerts
during marriages was also on the increase, making the famous artistes
~ 189 ~
busier. Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar is considered by many scholars as the
popular musician to have started the practice of introducing a rich variety
of songs in concerts. The Pallavi still continued to enjoy an important
place in the concert format. The Post-Pallavi items too became favourites
with listeners.
A lot of Post-Pallavi songs gained recognition as stamps of famous
musician and vaishnavaite hymns like “Thiruppavai” (F¼Šð£¬õ)
become the selling points for Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar. He had taken
pains to set all the 30 Thiruppavais of Andal, to tune in traditional ragas
and some Thiruppavais like “Oruththi Maganai” (弈F ñèù£Œ),
“Ongi Ulagalantha” (æƒA àôè÷‰î), and “Male Manivanna” (ñ£«ô
ñEõ‡í£) became extremely popular. It should be noted here that, it
had struck Ariyakudi’s fancy to choose ragas like Behag, Kuntalavarali,
Sindubhairavi etc., confirming a strong place for these ragas in the Post-
Pallavi stage. Musiri Subramania Iyer was another icon of this period and
he became an extremely popular vocalist for his rendering of
“Nagumomu” in Abheri raga which again is a raga with its Hindusthani
counter part of Bhimplas was an item more suited for the Post-Pallavi
part. Musiri was also famous for his viruttams like “Virittha Senjadai
Ada” (MKˆî ªê…ê¬ì Ýì) and some of the down to earth folk music
items, all of which enlarged the Post-Pallavi repertoire.
By for the most popular musician, who contributed to Post-Pallavi
items was G. N. Balasubramaniam, who grew to become Number 1
among performing musicians in the middle of 20th
Century. G. N.
Balasubramaniam as he was popularly known reached great heights as a
popular musician and whatever he sang in his concerts was in the
humming of the millions of the young admirers of his. All the more
~ 190 ~
popular were his Post-Pallavi items like “Velan Varuvarodi”,
“Kannanai Kanbadeppo” and “Radha Sametha Krishna”. It was G. N.
Balasubramaniam who made the slokam “Venda Maataram Ambikam”
very popularly sought after slokam.
The boom period for music concerts coincided with the period of
freedom struggle in India, which attained freedom in 1947. Songs in
praise of National Independence had been imagined many days before the
freedom movement by poets like Subramanya Bharatiyar whose
compositions like “Aduvome Pallu Paduvome” (Ý´«õ£«ñ ðœÀ
𣴫õ£«ñ) came in handy for vocalist during the Independence Day
period and famous musicians like D. K. Pattammal attained immense
popularity by singing these songs not only in concerts but also in
Gramophone records. Mahatma Gandhi was the Hero of the
Independence struggle and poet Subramanya Bharatiyar had composed
the song “Vaazhga ni emman inda vaiyattu naattil” (õ£›è c â‹ñ£¡
Þ‰î ¬õòˆ¶ ®™) upon Mahathma Gandhi, that proved an
extremely popular Post-Pallavi items in concerts of many artistes
including M. S. Subba-lakshmi.
M.S. Subbalakshmi’s popularity in singing National songs upon
living luminaries and also wide contacts in the political field procured her
the biggest National honour “Bharatha Ratna”. M. S. Subba-lakshmi’s
husband Sri. T. Sadasivam was an expert careerist and he chose
appropriate songs upon political luminaries of strategic importance for
prestigious broadcast and gramophone records by M.S. Subbalakshmi
who was already a famous film personality. Not only among human
beings but even among Godheads, T. Sadasivam chose the most saleable
God “Lord Venkateswara” of Tirupati, upon whom the songs composed
~ 191 ~
by Tallappakkam Annamacharya in 17th century had become a rage with
devotees of 20th Century. Annamacharya’s compositions did not merit
classical supremacy, but could accommodate any level of frivolity even
below folk music and the illiterate devotional folks patronised them
extremely liberally, showered the exploitations of this situation for top
commercial gains was the brainwork of Mr. Sadasivam who made M. S.
Subbalakshmi’s compact disc of “Sri Venkateswara Suprabatham” ring
in the pooja rooms of almost all South Indian households.
By for, the most internationally famous Post-Pallavi song is
“Mythreem Bhajatha” sung by “Bharatha Ratna” M.S. Subbalakshmi,
as the concluding piece in her concert for an international audience at the
United Nations centre in New York. Everything about this song happens
to be international. The very theme of this song is one eulogising
universal brotherhood and peace. There could have been no better avenue
for this song than the United Nations function, which was basically
International. Thus the theme, the venue, the audience and everything
about this song was International in charactor and no wonder this song
made M.S. Subbalakshmi an artiste of International acclaim, proving that
a Post-Pallavi item too can achieve International recognition. No wonder
M.S. Subbalakshmi was subsequently honoured with “Bharatha Ratna”
the highest civilian award in our country.
Other musicians who followed this tactics with much less success
were, Nedunuri Krishnamurthy and the oldest living musician - Sripada
Pinakapani, When thousands of Annamacharya songs were unearthed in
the world famous Tirupati Temple of Lord Venkateswara. The devotional
accent in the lyrics proved extremely popular with the legion of Lord
Venkateswara’s devotees. Nedunuri Krishnamurthy and his Guru
~ 192 ~
Pinakapani rose-up to the situation and published books of
Annamacharya songs tuned by them. The songs were innumerably large
in number, but very few of them, perhaps not a single one of them, could
shine in the Pre-Pallavi portion of the music concerts.
The language used in the song like “Adigo Alladigo” and
“Brahmmamokkate” was extremely pedestrian proving popular with
totally illiterate Andhra folks. Annamacharya is celebrated as a great
devotee of Lord Venkateswara but he has not hesitated to compose
Jaavali style in Pachi sringara (too openly romantic) lyrics, in many songs
like “Paluku Teenela Talli” in raga Bimplas.
Another composer whose songs enjoyed high ranks among Post-
Pallavi items was one more Pre-Trinity composer Bhadrachala Ramadasa
again from Andhra Pradesh. He is said to have been a Government
revenue official in Nizam’s Government of Telengana Andhra Pradesh.
His original name was Goppana but because of his pronounced Rama
Bhakti, he came to be called and known as Ramadasa of Bhadrachala
where he lived. His Rama bhakti is of a special kind because he gave all
his attention and devotion to the idol of Lord Rama in Bhadrachala
Temple and considered nothing else as almighty. This unidirectional
bhakti is in sharp contrast with the bhakti of Muthuswamy Dikshitar, who
readily sang up on innumerable Gods during the kshetragna covering
wide areas from - Capecomarin to Banaras.
Bhadrachala Ramadasa’s devotion for the idol of Rama in the small
hill temple grew boundlessly and he wanted his idol to be established in a
big temple. He had no money to build the temple but did not hesitate to
use Government money. Being a revenue official himself, he could easily
rotate government money to build the Rama temple of his dreams. Gross
~ 193 ~
misuse of government’s money came to light soon and Ramadasa was
arrested and imprisoned for 12 years. He has sung many songs accusing
Lord Rama who had rewarded him with the imprisonment in responce to
the divotees services of building a temple for Him. Songs composed
before and after his imprisonment are soaked in devotion and were
frequently sung as part of poojas more often by household women.
Saint Tyagaraja’s mother is said to have initiated the bard of
Tiruvaiyaru into music and devotion with Ramadasa’s tunes, during the
childhood days of the later. Tyagaraja, in turn has expressed his regard
for Ramadasa in some songs like “Ksherasagara Sayana” in
Devagandari and “Emidova Balkuma” in Saranga and “Kaligiyunta
Gada” in Keeravani. During early days of her upward career, M. S.
Subbalakshmi has sung the Bhadrachala Ramadasa’s song “Ennaganu
Ramabhajana” Pantuvarali in Gramophone records with neraval and
Kalpana swaram giving a Pre-Pallavi status to that song. But that
situation did not last long and Bhadrachala Ramadasa’s songs like
“Nannu Brovumani Cheppave” - Kalyani “Paluke Bangara-mayana” -
Ananda Bhairavi, “O Rama Neenama” - Poorvikalyani where popularly
sung in the Post-Pallavi part of the concerts by many musicians.
Nama Sankeerthanam congregations had their own following all the
time and the famous singers in the field enjoyed the title as Bhagavatar.
They were not trained for classical music and they grow up in the bhakti
cult. Saint Tyagaraja composed songs of a rich variety from serious
classical music to Nama Sankeerthana hymns. Tyagaraja is said to have
been regularly conducting Ekadesi Bhajans in his house wherein, Nama
Sankeerthanam songs were religiously sung. Bodendra Swamigal and
Sadasiva Bhramendra were highly acclaimed leaders in Bhajanai
~ 194 ~
Sampradaya and some compositions of Sadasiva Bhramendra gained
fame in the Post-Pallavi part of music concerts also. Famous songs in this
cadre were “Pibare Ramarasam”, “Bhajare Yadhunatham”, and
“Kelati Mamahrudaye”. Musicians took liberty of singing these songs in
their own tunes and the tunes of Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and Dr.
Balamuralikrishna proved to become widely popular.
Jayadeva and Narayana Theertha were leading advocates of Bhajanai
Sampradaya. The words Bhajana and Bhajan often get confused but they
denote much different kinds of music. The term Bhajana means,
congregational singing while, Bhajans are mainly by North Indian
composers and they are sung in the closing parts of both Karnatak and
Hindusthani music concerts.
The Karnatak music Trinity are now universally known for the
collective name given to three great epoch making composers,
Tyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshitar and Syamasastri, all of whom were
born at Thiruvarur, Tanjore district of those days. Hardcore Tamil
enthusiast who were always fighting the cause of Tamil language found
that none of the Karnatak music Trinity composed in Tamil, and they
promoted the term Tamil Moovar (Tamil Trinity) and drew parallel to the
original Trinity Saying that all the three composer of the Tamil Moovar
hailed from Siyazhi. This Tamil Trinity consisted of Arunachala
Kavirayar, Muthuthandavar and Mari Muthapillai. It took lot of time
even for influential organisation like Tamil Isai Sangam to establish
Tamil songs in the Pre-Pallavi status and the Sirkazhi Moovars songs had
to struggle a lot for that status. Of the Tamil Moovars, Arunachala
Kavirayar has himself admitted in the preface of his book that he was not
knowledgeable enough in music and all his compositions were set to
~ 195 ~
tunes by two of his Iyer friends. Also the theme for all his songs was
Ramayana and the story has been woven into long list of songs called
“Ramanatakam” (ó£ñ ï£ìè‹). Each song in the series will relate to
some episode or other of Ramayana. Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar took
interest in these songs and sang them in the closing part of his concerts. A
few of these songs like “Anta Rama Soundaryam” (܉î ó£ñ
ªê÷‰î˜ò‹) in raga Kedara-gowlai, “Yean Palli Kondeer Ayya” (ã¡
ðœO ªè£‡¯¬óò£) in Mohanam, “Kanavendum Laksham Kangal”
(è£í«õ‡´‹ ôþ‹ è‡èœ) in Suriti, and “Ramanukku Mannan
Mudi” (ó£ñ‚° ñ¡ù¡ º®) in Hindolam gained wide popularity.
Muthu Thandavar’s (ºˆ¶ ìõ˜) compositions are often
wrongly referred to as “Muthu Tandavar Padams” but none of his
compositions will qualify to be called a “Padam” as the word is
popularly used by vidwans. With no trace of relationship to Padams of
Kshetragna and mostly in Bhakti rasa, Muthu Thandavar’s compositions
could at best earn only a Post-Pallavi treatment. Muthu Thandavar,
however, specialised in Nidha Stuthi songs which have satirical
references to Lord Nataraja “Edukku Ithanai” (ⶂ° Þˆî¬ù) in raga
Suruti was one of his compositions often heard in music dance concerts.
Marimuttha Pillai was a lesser known composer in the Tamil
Trinity. But some of his compositions “Orukkal Siva Chidambaram”
(异裙 Cõ Cî‹ðó‹) in Arabhi raga Adi tala and “Kaalai Thookki
Ninradum Theivame” (裬ô É‚A G¡ø£´‹ ªîŒõ«ñ) set in Yadu-
kulakambhoji raga Adi tala become popular among Post-Pallavi items.
Gopala Krishna Bharatiyar was another famous composer of Tamil
songs of those days. Some of his songs managed to frequently occur in
Pre-Pallavi portion of the concert. Musiri Subramaniya Iyer made
~ 196 ~
“Thiruvadi Charanam” (F¼õ® êóí‹) Kamboji of Gopala Krishna
Bharathi immensly famous. Gopala Krishna Bharati is said to have had
opportunities to interact with Saint Tyagaraja with whom there was
mutual admiration. In one of his visits to Tyagaraja’s place, Gopala
Krishna Bharati happened to listen to Tyagaraja’s famous kriti being
composed in Abogi raga “Manasunilpa” and inspired by it. He spent a
sleepless night and composed a new song in the same Abhogi raga
starting with the word “Sabhapathikku Veru Deivam” (êð£ðF‚° «õÁ
ªîŒõ‹) and presented the song before Tyagaraja the next day and earnt
his approval and appreciation. Gopala Krishna Bharati was a very rare
instance of Tamil composers, whose creations got entry straight into the
Pre-Pallavi part of concerts. His Composition like “Aadum
Chidambaramo” (Ý´‹ Cî‹ðó«ñ£) gained popularity as Post-Pallavi
attractions also.
With the prefix Bharati, there was another composer of those days
with the name Kavi Kunjara Bharathi. He has authored popular dance
operas like “Kutrala Kuravanji” (°Ÿø£ô °øõ…C) with some popular
compositions with classical seriousness to his credit. He does not seem to
have ventured into highly classical area but succeeded in authoring
folkish creations like “Kummis and Kolatams” (°‹I «è£ô£†ì‹).
Kavi Kunjara Bharati’s Grandson Koteeswara Iyer turned out to be
a composer of extraordinary merit. At a time when the 72 Melakartha
scheme was still unfamiliar even to reputed performing artiste, Kotiswara
Iyer undertook the arduous task of composing songs on Lord Muruga in
all the Melakartas ragams. The Vivadi Melas were too heavily classical
even for performing artiste and Kotiswara Iyer had no time left for to
trying Post-Pallavi items.
~ 197 ~
The Dasakuta composers were flourishing in their own land of
Karnataka, right from the 15th Century but the classism level of music had
not effectively entered the Karnataka area though Purandara dasa of the
15th and 16
th Centuries is celebrated as “Karnataka Sangeetha
Pitamaha”. He is credited to have framed the Sarali varisai – Janta
varisai, Alankaram, Geetham method of initiating a person into
Karnatak music. It is not clear, why Purandaradasa chose Maya-
malavagowlai scale for the lessons. Mayamalavagowlai has rishabam too
close to the sadjamam and gandharam too far away from rishabam.
Modern children find these distances too difficult to manage. Some
musicologist say that the sa ri ga ma alignment is very much like the pa
da ni sa alignment in Mayamalavagowlai, and that should be within the
easy reach of learners, but that can be comfortable to instrumentalists,
particularly violinist. Vocalist will still have difficulty in managing the
vast differences between Sa ri and Ri ga. Notes of a mela like
Kharaharapriya might have been comparatively easier for beginners to
comprehend and it is surprising why Purandaradasa did not think of these
possibilities while choosing Mayamalavagowlai scale for 1st lesson in
Karnatak music.
The Dasakuta composers of around 16th
- 17th Centuries were
concentrating upon chorus singing of devotional music, since music
concerts had not yet taken the consolidated shape by that time. No
wonder, almost all the creations of Dasakuta composers fitted in naturally
for Post-Pallavi part of the concert. Presenting Kanada compositions in
concerts that had become common in Tamil Nadu came as a ready
explanation, why Dasakuta compositions became part of Post-Pallavi
items. But even as part of Post-Pallavi items some songs like “Krishna
ne Begane” and “Jagadodharana” became extremely popular both in
~ 198 ~
music and dance concerts. The original tunes in which the Dasakuta
composers would have sung their compositions is not available at all and
musicians of the later centuries took liberties in singing the dasakuta
compositions, in tunes that occurred to them. Even in this course of
events songs like “Jagadodharana”, “Krishna nee Begane” managed to
emerge as primary listener’s request. Ariyakkudi Ramanuja Iyengar tried
to raise some of the Dasakuda compositions like “Nambikketavar Illaro”
(ï‹H‚ªè†ìõ˜ Þ™ô«ó£) Kalyani to Pre-Pallavi status not with much
success.
Purandara dasa alone is said to have composed about four lakhs
and seventy five thousands of Devarnamas. And in one of his song he has
himself given a statement of how many he had composed upon Lord
Siva, how many on Lord Vishnu, how many on other Godheads and so on
to reach a total of nearly five lakhs of compositions. Religious minded
people would not doubt this phenomenon and would readily deify
Purandaradasa. But a rationalist growth of 20th
century would raise the
question whether Purandaradasa was left with time for any avocation
other than composing Devarnamas, in hardly 40 years of his life as a
composer.All said and done a large number of Purandaradasa’s
compositions are sung by performers in South India mostly in the Post-
Pallavi part.
Another reputed Tamil composer of 19th
century was Vedanayakam
Pillai, who was a Christian and Government official. His straight
forwardness in office landed him in trouble, because of the manipulations
of corrupt officials around. The circumstances were paining and he
expressed his pain at heart in sarcastic songs portraying the vulnerability
of righteousness in those days.
~ 199 ~
He wrote songs depicting the loop holes in social customs and the
language had a telling effect on the listener. This could not be achieved
by classically serious music and Vedanayakam Pillai songs naturally
found a welcome place in the Post-Pallavi part. Songs like “Punniyam
pol Paapam” (¹‡Eò‹ «ð£™ ð£ð‹) were made popular by
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. Being a Christian he was not able to address
Hindu Gods, but he intelligently addressed God Almighty and one such
song starting with the words “Karunalaya Nidhiye” (è¼í£ôò GF«ò)
in Hindolam was made famous by G. N. Balasubramanyam.
Other less famous composers of those days were Tacchur
Singrachari and Tiruvotriyur Tyagaiyar. Tacchur Singrachari’s mother
tongue was Telugu and he tried his luck with a variety of compositions
including kritis, Javalis, Padams and only few of his compositions like
“Vani Joli inkelane” – Behag Jaavali caught the attention of musicians
and listeners. Tiruvotriyur Tyagaiyar is a worthy son of Veenai
Kuppaiyar was brought up in an atmosphere of classism and his
compositions were all of classical heaviness expected in Pre-Pallavi
items. We have by now come to 20th century in which period the
Karnatak music concert format has become well settled.
Papanasam Sivan was the most famous composer of 20th century
and he composed songs mainly in Tamil and sometimes in Sanskrit. His
compositions were accepted in both his spheres Post and Pre-pallavi,
though his flair was for serious classical music, in spite of the fact that he
started his carrier as a composer in film field. But being in Tamil was a
ready reason for some of his compositions to be preferred in the Post-
Pallavi area. There is a rare example of a Sanskrit composition
~ 200 ~
“Sivaganga Nagara Nivasini” in raga Punnagavarali of Papanasam
Sivan made famous as a Post-Pallavi item by D. K. Pattammal.
Another highly reputed composer of the 20th century was
Subbarama Dikshitar, Grandson and adopted son of Muthuswamy
Dikshitar. He concentrated upon classical music - naturally Pre-Pallavi
items like kritis, padavarnams etc. A few of his Tillanas have earnt a
respected place among Post-Pallavi items.
RAGAS THAT READILY ACCOMODATE POST-PALLAVI MOOD
Raga is the staple food for Indian Music and the concept of a raga as
it is treated in Indian music does not exist anywhere else in the world.
Our ancient text mention the word “Ragaswarupa” indicating the image
or the personification of a raga, as though it were a human entity and
Dhyana Slokas depicting the personality of some ragas are available in
the antiquated palm leaves in Saraswathy Mahal library in Tanjore.
There has been hard core traditionalist who visualised every ancient raga
as a particular human entity. Such concepts of an ancient period when
recognising divinity was the first step while entering the music world
might have existed in Lord Krishna’s days, but ragas are approached even
today with a respect we give to celestials. Lot of variety in ragas have
since come to vogue. There are ragas recommended for different seasons,
different parts of the day, different occasions, emotions and so on.
Expecting some ragas to be allotted to the Post-Pallavi items is therefore
not unnatural, and certain ragas with a ready tinge of light classical
music, at the first instance have justly become very popular for the Post-
Pallavi section. There is a rich variety of ragas in Karnatak Music and
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some ragas accommodate more than one level of classicism. One and the
same Thodi raga has been chosen by Muthuswamy Dikshitar for the
Dhyana Kriti among Navavarna Kritis, (Kamalambike) and for the Javali
“Balimiyela Balamani” by Thirupanandal Pattabhiramayya. The richly
traditional raga Bhairavi has been used for the immortal Varnam
“Viribhoni”, “Bala Gopala” of Muthuswamy Dikshitar and also for the
sparkling Javali “Elaradayane”. There are also ragas with a confirmed
light classical label like Sindhu Bhairavi, Maund, Yamuna Kalyani,
Behag etc., singing Sindu Bhairavi (known as Bhairavi in Hindusthani
Music) as the last item in a music concert is a custom that is being
observed even today. In Karnatak Music concerts also items in Sindhu
Bhairavi are taken up only towards the fag end and many Ragamalikas
have chosen Sindu Bhairavi as the last raga. In the hands of genuine
experts, one and the same raga can shine in any part of the concert and
some famous musicians like Dr. Balamurali-krishna and Prof. Shri. T.
R. Subramaniam, have successfully even sung Ragam-Thanam-Pallavi
in ragas like Kapi and Bimplas etc., in recent times. The famous Post-
Pallavi item like Tillana has also acquired an enhanced status in the hands
of eminent contemporary composers among whom Lalgudi Shri.
Jayaraman will rank first. His Tillanas in ragas like Desh, Bageshree
and even in Thumri style in Pahadi have created history in the realms of
Post-Pallavi items.
A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF RICH CONTRIBUTION TO POST-PALLAVI
ITEMS BY LEADING PERFORMERS OF THE 20TH CENTURY
It has been already observed that folk music would have come in to
vogue much earlier in civilisation, than classical music in all parts of the
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world. The element of classicism was a much later addition to cultural
expressions of mankind. It is an established fact that Post-Pallavi items
indulge in a compromise in the level of classism and by this level of
argument, we can say that a concert or any form of exhibition of art of
earliest human civilisation must have at one time been made entirely of
items the like of which have subsequently earnt the name Post-Pallavi
items. But the Post-Pallavi items as a consolidated variety of
compositions can be set to have come into vogue from the 19th century
during Maha Vaidhyanatha Iyers days. We will now study this subject
period after period.
Maha Vaidhyanatha Iyer’s days- In the meagre number of Karnatak
Music concerts in this period, Post-Pallavi items seem to have enjoyed
modest recognition since the listening public were not of detailed
knowledge in music. Singing of Tamil lyrics with a religious tinge was
usually the Post-Pallavi period of these days. Knowledge of music
gradually improved in subsequent generations and Padams and Javalis
appeared in the scene in music concerts of the days of Poochi Srinivasa
Iyengar who was known for his captivating rendering of Javalis like
“Vaddani Nenanti” in Behag raga “Dheem Dheem Tanana” Tillana in
Todi. Post-Pallavi items gathered further popularity in the next generation
of performers like Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar in the first half of 20th
Century. Variety in Post-Pallavi items got enlarged by this time and
audiences were familiarised with Slokam and Viruttam singing and the
presentation of items like Tirupaavai and Naattu Padalgal. “Maangaai
Paalundu” was one of the folk song that was in popularity. Musiri
Subramania Iyer was a star performer of those days and his renderings of
Tamil Ragamalikas like “Viritha Cenchadaiyaada” (MKˆî ªê…ê¬ìò£ì)
gained immense popu-larity. Next came the days which can be called
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“Golden period for Post-Pallavi items”. Shri G. N. Balasubra-manyam
was a sensational performer of unprecedented popularity in this period
which can as well be called “Golden age of music concerts”. Post-
Pallavi items gained enormous recognition in the first half of 20th century,
when Shri. G. N. Balasubramanyam was ruling the roost. This was also a
spectacular period during which performers of the fair-sex established
their worth in the race to fame in the concert field. A good number of
artistes like M. S. Subbalakshmi, D. K. Pattammal, and N. C.
Vasanthakokilam attained new heights of fame with their involvement in
the film field. Even veterans like Musiri Subramanya Iyer and
Maharajapuram Vishvanatha Iyer and Chembai Vaidhyanatha
Bhagavathar tried their hands with film field. In films like “Bhakta
Tukkaram” and “Nandanar”, the films did not prove to be commercial
successes and but the artiste’s image in the music field rose to dizzy
heights. The profession of a musician attained a new level of glamour
which was expected to be presented in their music concerts also. Post-
Pallavi items are more closely associated with glamour and no wonder
this era proved to become the golden period for Post-Pallavi items. Songs
like “Radhasameta Krishna” attracted even musically illiterate people,
who rushed to concerts of G. N. Bala-subramanyam and there were trade
mark items like “Aaduvome Pallu Paaduvome” (Ý´«õ£«ñ ðœÀ
𣴫õ£«ñ) for D. K. Pattammal, “Vellai Tamarai” (ªõœ¬÷ î£ñ¬ó),
“Kandan Karunai Puri Vadivel” (è‰î¡ è¼¬í ¹K õ®«õ™) for
Madurai Mani Iyer, “Kurai Ondrum Illai” (°¬ø å¡Á‹ Þ™¬ô) for
M. S. Subbalakshmi, “Baro Krishnayya” for M. L. Vasanthakumari and
so on. This was actually a period when the opening lines of some Post-
Pallavi items were in the mouths of listeners even more than the very
names of the artiste. The G. N. Balasubramanyam era can thus be
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remembered as a period of Himalayan glory to Post-Pallavi items. There
have been musicians of all ranks in all the periods with sprinkling of
sensational stars now and then. Dr. Balamurali Krishna proved to be a
sensation in the next generation. He too was actively associated with film
field. He was the light music composer with All India Radio for several
years. The very word “Light” will immediately bring Post-Pallavi items
to our minds. Dr. Bala-muralikrishna’s expertise in light music helped
him to attain big fame for the Post-Pallavi items in his concerts.
Balamuralikrishna’s mother tongue is Telugu and his Telugu
renditions were received well among all classes of listeners.
Compositions of Annamacharya have emerged to claimed great attention
in the current decade. Annamacharya was a great devotee of Lord
Venkateswara and his compositions composed around 15th Century which
have been kept in hiding in copper plates in some room of Lord
Venkateswara temple were accidentally unearthed in this century and the
compositions have gained some popularity. Lord Venkateswara is the
most popular Godhead and compositions of Annamacharya in praise of
him have attained unprecedented popularity. The original tunes of
Annamaiya compositions are not easily available and musicians are
singing these compositions in attractive tunes of their own imagination.
Dr. Balamurali Krishnas rendering of Annamayya’s composition like
“Bhramha Kadigina Paadamu” have become highly popular Post-
Pallavi items. Many Annamayya songs in actual folk music style like
“Bhramamokate” have become a rage with listening folks and female
stars of today like Sudha Raghunathan include such songs in the Post-
Pallavi portion of all their concerts.
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Annamacharya songs are ideally suited for light classical singing.
This trend is so vehement that one secretary of a leading Sangeetha Sabha
in Andhra Pradesh is actually wailing that the popularity of
Annamacharya songs has blinded the eyes of Andhra Musicians and
listeners in entire Andhra Pradesh to the solemn heights of truly classical
music.
A Tamilian counterpart for Annamacharya of Andhra Pradesh is
“Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi” (ሶ‚裴 «õƒèìèM) of nearly the
same period. His compositions too did not see the light of the day for
more than a century and they were traced and propagated with
vehemence and towards the end of the 20th Century. The Tamil
compositions of Oothukkadu were a rage with performers, particularly of
the fair-sex and Tamilian audiences everywhere. With all their popularity,
the Oothukkadu compositions could still find a prominent place only
among semi classical compositions and they continued to be frequent
rendered often in Post-Pallavi part of concerts and devotional
congregations. The craze for Oothukkadu songs today can be said to be of
a lower key compare to that of their days of emergence, but they have the
stuff to remain in currency in the coming times also. Oothukkadu
Venkata Kavi has been a prolific composer of songs in Tamil and
Sanskrit and also songs for marriages and various other religious
occasions. Some of his compositions like “Alaipayude” (ܬô𣻫î), in
raga Kanada, “Kuzhaloodi” (°öÖF) in raga Kambhodi attained
maddening fame and one film producer tittled his film as “Alaipayude”.
Other comparatively recent additions to the Post-Pallavi items are
Bhajans and Abhangs. Bhajans of leading composers like Meera Bhai and
Tulasi Das are all in Hindi language and Abhangs are in Marati. Both the
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languages are alien to listeners and singers in South India, but the music
of the both the items has charmed South Indian listeners widely, and
these items have earnt prominent place among Post-Pallavi items today.
After studying the change in scene and situations from yester years
to today we can conclude that Post-Pallavi items continue to command
the respect they earnt in the G. N. Balasubramanyam’s era and artiste of
the succeeding generation have talents of an appreciable level with which
they can contribute to the glory of all items of Karnatak music for a long
time to come. There was a time when specialist of Pre-Pallavi and Post-
Pallavi items considered each other as rivals. Broad views have since
dawned and practitioners and listeners of Karnatak music have learnt to
respect the merit in music of all classes and both Pre-Pallavi and Post-
Pallavi items and the great Karnatak music in general is sure to have a
prosperous future.
THE FINAL BENEDICTION-MANGALAM
Mangalam is a Sanskrit word adopted as such in Tamil and Telugu
languages. It is a word indicating auspiciousness and it is also used for
auspicious ending of any activity. Songs indicative of mangalam are in
use right from the days from the evolution of music concerts. Tiyagaraja
was a great composer with deep insight into the feature. He seems to have
had an idea and the needs of music concerts that were to develop many
decades after his days. He composed songs that would fit in almost all
parts of the concerts, perhaps except the varnam. He foresaw the need for
a mangalam at the end of each concert. There is nothing wrong if the
concluding mangalam is one and the same song for all concerts.
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Tyagaraja has composed six or seven songs as mangalam one of which is
sung as the last song in every concert after the Post-Pallavi items.
Tyagaraja himself had the need for composing mangalams for the two
operas authored by him – “Prahalada Bhakti Vijayam”, “Nowka
Charitram”.
The mangalam of Prahalada Bhakti Vijayam starts with words “Ni
naama rupamulaku” with four or five charanas. This mangalam is in
widest use in music concerts and it is usually starts with the first
charanam “Pavamana sutudu pattu” which is wrongly pronounced even
by leading vidwans in Tamil Nadu as “Bavamaana suthadu pettu”.
“Pavamana sutudu” indicates Anjaneya whose most favourite activity is
waiting at the feet of Lord Rama. The wrong Tamilian pronounciation
gives room for the devastatingly wrong meaning that “Anjaneya placing
his legs on (Lord Rama)”.
The mangalam at the end of any human activity particularly religious
ones is the indicative of total surrender of the human being at the feet of
God almighty (Saranagathi). Mangalam is sung as an important
concluding item after devotional congragations and most other religious
festivities. Just before the mangalam another important ritual is gone
through that is called “Anjaneya Utsavam”, a token of regard for the
foremost among devotees of Lord Rama, Anjaneya.
Tyagaraja’s illustrious contemporarys and the composers of the
succeceeding generation have not taken pain to compose songs sounding
as mangalam.
The raga madhyamavati is religiously sung at the close of the music
concerts. But the famous mangalam “Pavamana sutudu pattu” and other
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mangalam songs are in ragas other than madhyamavati. Musicians
therefore sing or play a flash of madyamavathi as the final song even
after mangalam with slokams like “Mangalam Kosalendraya” which
starts and ends with the words Mangalam. Another raga used at the end of
concerts is suruti in which Tyagaraja’s mangalam “Maakulamunaku”
(Nowka charitram) is handily composed. Artist who are very particular
about madhyamavati sing Purandara Dasa’s “Bhagyada Lakshmi
Bhaaramma” in that raga. Vijaya Gopala has composed mangalams and
“Madhava Bhavatute Mangalam” is the concluding song of the Todaya
Mangalam group of songs in Bhajana Sampradaya. “Sri
Ramachandranukku Shubha Mangalam” (Madhyamavati) is a Tamil
song popular in devotional singing. This song has advantage of being
sung in Madhyamavati, which is considered the most auspicious ending.
The habit of singing a mangalam as final benediction exist only in
Karnatak music world and not in Hindusthani or any other system of
music. But Hindusthani artist have the habit of choosing Bhairavi
corresponding to our Sindu Bhairavi as the raga for the concluding piece.
Singing mangalam is an auspicious ending for any musical activity
and mangalam songs are sure to remain as the crowning part of Post-
Pallavi items for all times to come.