Thyagaraja krithis and ragas-coincidence or genius?

new Hub Mobile Latest Discussion Register FAQ Contact Us

Thyagaraja krithis and ragas-coincidence or genius? Thyagaraja krithis and ragas-coincidence or genius?

Topic started by Shyam Laxminarayan on Tue Nov 30 01:44:04 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Hi,
I would like to share with you what I have come to know, what people have told me about the topic. I feel that this topic is fascinating, and I know very little about this topic. Hopefully people will share their knowledge/opinion about this.
Lot of Thyagaraja compositions are probably set to the raga that bears mythological/philosophical significance. Let me elaborate.
1. shobillu set in jaganmohini
seems like Thyagaraja is saying that the music woven by the seven swaras is capable to spellbind the entire world (jagan-mohini)
2. nidhichala sukhama set in Kalyani
legend is that Thyagarajar composed this in response to the king forcing him to compose on him (mamatha bandhana yutha nara-sthuthy sukhama?) But thinking based onthe Ramayana, it can also be interpreted as Mother Seetha (Kalyani is one of the names applicable to all 3 goddesses Saraswathy, parvathy and mahalakshmi, Seetha was an incarnation of mahalakshmi) lashing out at the asura women who were trying to tempt her with the riches Ravana had. Nidhi chala sukhama, Raamuni sannidhi chala sukhama? Of course this is just another interpretation.
3. Raama katha sudha set in Madhyamavathy
The ramayana states that Aanjaneya swami when he revealed himself recites the ramayana to Seetha. Also Lord Rama himself acknowlegdes that Hanuman had the perfected the art of speaking-clearly as well as in a medial ("Madhyama") tone. Hence the krithi in Madhyamavathy. Again these are just my interpretations. What do you think. Please share.

Responses:

From: Sree (@ 134.243.96.152) on: Tue Nov 30 12:50:23

Nice imagination, Shyam ;-) Rib tickling but a bit far fetched though. ;-) Sounds like conspiracy theories they forward here in the US for some of the Government's decision... ;-)

Names of sampurna mElakartA rAgams have much more to it than just names -- they use katapayAdi naming convention, kalyAni - mechakalyAni, shankarAbaranam - dhIra shankarAbaranam etc.,. Tyagaraja is no doubt a great vAgEyakAra and he would have surely chosen a proper rAgam for the krithi based on rasam/bAvam of the krithi.
From: Shyam Laxminarayan (@ nandi3.lsa.berkeley.edu) on: Wed Dec 1 13:46:25

I mentioned this before, but I emphasize this is a literary piece and I am NOT proposing any theories, I am not qualified enough to do that.
From: Sree (@ 134.243.96.152) on: Tue Dec 7 08:37:16

Oh, no offence meant Shyam! ;-))) It brought back memories of reading a satirical work about how a bunch of scholars decided to make a not-so-scholarly a person respectable through their creative interpretation of whatever he said/did. ;-)
From: Prasad K.Sundar (@ hoproxy1.proxy.lucent.com) on: Mon Jan 17 23:17:28 EST 2000

I would like to add one more to this list
Baagayenayya in Chandrajyothi deals with Bhagavath gita and this being enunciated to Arjuna by Krishna(chandrakula thilakan) like rama was surya kula thilakan.
and hence the christening by Thiagaraja(chandrajyoti was a raga created by Thiagaraja)
From: Nadopasaka (@ akppp93.buffnet.net) on: Thu Feb 10 12:41:01 EST 2000

This is a delightful exercise but soon turns sour
since raagas such as Begada, Todi and many others make it difficult.

Unfortunately, I could find no semblance of a medial (Madhyama) approach in the philosophy of
Adigi sukham also in Madhyamavati ( some more violent pronouncements !! )

I think, however, we can add one more, Dvaitamu Sukhama in Reetigowla, questioning which 'reeti' or 'mode' is more suitable , dvaitam/advaitam.
From: Nadopasaka (@ akppp7.buffnet.net) on: Fri Feb 11 04:31:54 EST 2000

Oops, neither Badalika Dira or Kodanda Rama, Pattabhi Rama by Tyagaraja in Reetigowla support this construct. sorry.
From: Rajeev Ramanath (@ 210.214.127.33) on: Sat Mar 25 12:37:50 EST 2000

Hi,
I found this argument to be really interesting ... I would like to share some information regarding Sri Thyagaraja. Dr Padma Sastry of Mysore University has written a thesis titled "Music and devotion in Sri Thyagaraja's krithis - a study". The thesis has been published in Kannada by Suvidya Prakashana, Bangalore. Would like to recommend this book to one and all who is interested to know more about the great saint.
Thanks,
From: nandini (@ chrla020-0213.splitrock.net) on: Sat Mar 25 23:32:47 EST 2000

Rajeev: Is this book available in music stores at Blore?
From: Nadopasaka (@ aappp2.buffnet.net) on: Sat Mar 25 23:36:01 EST 2000

It would also be interesting to get a 'Table of Contents' and some kind of summary. The topic of Music and Devotion in Tyg. has been considered by several people in the last 100 years. What are the principal conclusions etc. ?
From: Nadopasaka (@ akppp47.buffnet.net) on: Wed Apr 5 01:17:24 EDT 2000

I guess this one is a 'gimme' . NatiMata Marachitivo in DevaKriya exhorts the lord to perform His (deva's) avowed duty (kriya) of giving Tyagaraja some boons and generally looking out for Tyg.
From: Nadopasaka (@ akppp65.buffnet.net) on: Sun Apr 16 05:07:22 EDT 2000

Here is another one. Prasad has already given a reasonable explanation for Bagayanayya in Chandrajyoti above.

However there is another Tyagaraja kriti in Chandra-jyoti - Shashivadana which might also have such a relation. Literally these words Chandra and Shashi are obviously linked to the moon. ( cf. Rakashashivadana in Takka by Tyg. or MD's rakenduvadanam usage in RamachandraBhava-vasanta or Kanchaladalaya- kmlmnhri and many other krities ).

There is however also possible a symbolic meaning to this Tyagaraja kriti. The kriti suggests that the daily rituals of certain, arrogant individuals bordered on vanity. 'dina dinamu upasana... etc. ' To counteract this the 'light' or 'jyoti' of enlightenment symbolised by moon-light, or Chandrajyoti (shashivadana) , as opposite to the daily, daytime rituals was established by the Lord !
From: Nadopasaka (@ akppp16.buffnet.net) on: Wed Apr 19 03:59:50 EDT 2000

BrovaBharama in Bahu-daari refers to the 'lifting of a certain mountain' by the Lord in the course of looking out for his devotees. The raga name may be parsed to interpret it either as a 'mighty parting' or 'great opening' which is symbolic of moving mountains. Of course Baahu-dhari may also imply bearing the weight of Tyagaraja in the arms of the Lord. Similarly for Bhu-dhari bearing the mountain neither of which seem correct by todays pronunciation.

This raaga may have been concocted by Tyagaraja. Not sure exactly of its age or other krities in it.
From: Nadopasaka (@ aappp26.buffnet.net) on: Sun Apr 23 07:45:03 EDT 2000

The Raaga Vivardhani (j28) with the Tyagaraja kriti 'Vinave OManasa Vivaram' refers to a description or delineation/clarification/enumeration cf. Vivarana ( also in Dayarani for e.g. vivarimpa ). This kriti/raga can also qualify in this thread.

Not sure if there are any other krities in this raaga. The s r m p s Arohana seems to be shared with another j28, navarasaKalanidhi, which may not only be rare but probably extinct.
From: Lakshman (@ ppp2664.on.bellglobal.com) on: Sun Apr 23 08:56:17 EDT 2000

Nadopasana: I have 4 kritis each in Vivardhani and Navarasakalanidhi and a surprising 61 krities in Bahudari on my list.
From: Shyam Laxminarayan (@ nandi3.lsa.berkeley.edu) on: Sun Apr 23 18:13:45 EDT 2000

Hi all,
Thank you all for the contributions, and please keep it going.
How about Mokshamu Galatha in Saara-mathi?
From: Shyam Laxminarayan (@ nandi3.lsa.berkeley.edu) on: Sun Apr 23 18:13:52 EDT 2000

Hi all,
Thank you all for the contributions, and please keep it going.
How about Mokshamu Galatha in Saara-mathi?
From: Nadopasaka (@ afppp13.buffnet.net) on: Sun Apr 23 22:57:04 EDT 2000

Lakshman
Can you post the Vivardhani krities and maybe a few of the Bahudari's. Saaramati may be an old raaga name, are there many earlier krities in this too ?
From: Nadopasaka (@ abppp42.buffnet.net) on: Tue Jun 13 11:55:05

It is possible VaachamaGocharama dealing with the 'desire/obsession in Sitas mind' is a raaga due entirely to Tyagaraja and getting the suitable Kaika-vashi. Kaika appears a few other places in Tyg. as a synonym for sita.

List all pages of this thread

Tell your friend about this topic

Want to post a response?

Back to the Forum