Sunday, June 29, 2008

Song 1- A Tevaram Hymn

Irrespective of the language employed for a song, it is always a delight to the singer (and the listener) when the singer is aware of the overall meaning and context of the song being sung. This greatly enables the singer to express himself/herself better and to reach out to the listener in a better fashion.

On several occasions, Rasikas have asked me for lyrics and meanings of songs.
I thought I could use this segment of the blog for the same.

I will periodically be posting songs,lyrics and meanings here. Please do let me know about your specific song requests too !

The first song would be a Tevaram hymn, about which a person had recently asked me.So here it is...


பண் : பழம்பஞ்சுரம் (சங்கராபரணம்)
தாளம் : ஆதி
(திருஞான சம்பந்தர் அருளியது)

உற்றுமை சேர்வது மெய்யினையே
உணர்வது நின்னருள் மெய்யினையே
கற்றவர் காய்வது காமனையே
கனல் விழி காய்வது காமனையே
அற்றம் மறைப்பது முன் பணியே
அமரர்கள் செய்வதும் உன் பணியே
பெற்று முகந்தது கந்தனையே
பிரமபுரத்தை உகந்தனையே

பருமதில் மதுரை மன்னவை எதிரே
பதிகமது எழுதிலை அவை எதிரே
வருநதி இடைமிசை வருகரனே
வசையொடும் அலர்கெட வரு கரனே

கருதலில் இசை முரல்தரும் அருளே
கழுமலம் அமர் இறை தரும் அருளே
மருவிய தமிழ் விர கனமொழியே
வல்லவர் தம்மிடர் திடம் ஒழியே


This beautiful Tevaram hymn makes use of "திரு யமகம்", wherein, the same word could have different meanings in different contexts.

To illustrate this usage, I have given the meanings of words which are used in consecutive lines of the above song, but which mean different things each time.

மெய் - திருமேனி, மெய்யருள் (lines 1 and 2)
கா+மனை - நல்ல குடும்பம், காமனை - மன்மதனை (lines 3 and 4)
பணி - பாம்பு, பணிவிடை செய்தல் (lines 5 and 6)
கந்தன் - ஸ்கந்தன், (உ)கந்தன் - மகிழ்ந்து விளங்குதல் (lines 7 and 8)

மன்+அவை - அரச சபை, அவை - ஆகியவைகள் (lines 9 and 10)
கரன் - செயலைச் செய்தவன், ஹரன் - அழித்தவன் (lines 11 and 12)

முரல்தரும் - உலகம் முழுதும் ஒலிக்கும்படிச்செய்த, தரும் - தந்திடும் (lines 13 and 14)
மொழியே - பாடல்கள், ஒழியே - ஒழிந்துபோகும் (lines 15 and 16)

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Concerts in May 2008

Hi Rasikas and Friends,

Towards the end of May, I gave three concerts in Chennai at major venues. I thought I would share the reviews that appeared in this regard with all of you.

For friends who have missed out on these newspaper and online reviews, I thought putting them on my blog would help.

Concert at Vani Mahal on 25th of May under the auspices of Tyagaraja Seva Samithi :

You can go the following link to see a review of the above concert in the Hindu paper:http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/06/06/stories/2008060651080200.htm


Concert at Srinivasa Sastri Hall on 29th of May: Thematic concert titled "A Garland of Priyas":

You can go the following link to see a review of the above concert:http://www.rasikas.org/viewtopic.php?id=5762


Concert at P.S.High School, Chennai under the auspices of Nadopasana on 31st of May :

You can go the following link to see a review of the above concert:http://www.rasikas.org/viewtopic.php?id=5779

A Novel Gift !

















Hi Friends,

I am back after a gap of a few weeks..

Here is something different, that I thought I should share with all of you.

A few months back, I had been to a place in Karnataka for a concert. There was a person in the second row, listening intently to the concert and judiciously taking down something too ! I presumed he was a critic who was making a note of his observations.

After the concert he came up to me and gave me this beautiful gift !

A caricature in black-and-white of all of us on stage !!

A unique gift indeed !!

I immediately thought of sharing it with all of you and here it is !