DECORATIVE ANGAS N KRITI

Transcription

1 C H A P T E R - X DECORATIVE ANGAS N KRITI

2 : 379 : C H A P T E R X EECORATIVE ANGAS IN KRITI These ar^ ornaments worn by compositions as the name itself suggests. Apart from the basic structure of a composition, it is apparelled with features like Chitteswara, Chitteswara sahitya, Swarakshara, Sangatis, Gamakas» various types of Mudras and so on. These optional Angas in a kriti gives them extra decor which are known as the Decorative Angas. Now let us see these jewels one by one : SahRBtis Sangatis are musical dilations built on the basic structure of the musical setting of compositions to stimulate the effect of sahitya and get over the monotony of, while repeating a part, for more and more emphasis. And they also contribute in bringing out the complex shades of moods and meaning of that particular part. Hence this is used as an embellishment at various places in various scopes. In some kritis Sangatis are applied to the Pallavi and Anupallavi only e.g. X: Vasudhii in sahana of Tyagara;)a, Siddhivinayakam - Shanmukhapriya of Dikshitar. In some instances either the commencing part of Pallavi or a particular part or the closing part of it is applied

3 : 380 : with variations maintaining the other part as it is - for e.g. in Kanta;}oodumi oka bari kri - in Vachaspati, the part Kantajoodu is maintained with the basic dhatu and the rest ol the line is dilated. In *Vatapi* of Dikshitar in Hamsadhvani the commencing part is decked with all the variations and the part.. Patim Bha;}eham is maintained with the initial musical setting itself. In Yochanakamala lochana - Darbar, and Bhuvax^shvariya nene manasave - Hohana Kalyani - by Tyagaraja and Muttaiah Bhagavatar respectively, has the variations occuring in the middle of the line* Sahgatis are built step by step to take the raga- bhava or the sahityabhava to a growing climax. In some Sahgatis are built in two tiers in different octaves. Examples of this type can be seen in 'Chakkani ra;}a margamu* of Tyagaraja. Sangatis are woven in different speeds also in Samakala, Madhyamakala andduritalcala. Tyagara^a was undoubtedly the originator of this embellishment. More details of this Decorative Ahga are hence covered in the Chapter on the Saint composer. Swarakshara Swaraksharas are the common representation of Dhatu and Matu both. I.e. the word in the Matu part, will be coined within the seven swara symbols, and the Dhatu of

4 : 381 i such a word or words will have the same corresponding swaras. There are two types in this : Suddha swarakshara and Misra Swarakshara. In the first type the sahitya syllables contain exactly the Swara symbols only and not slightly modified syllables of the notes - precisely Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Da Ni, and not Durusuga* for 'Da ri sa da* for instance. In Sri Rama 'Padama* of Tyagaraja Amrita- vahini it is an example of Suddha Swarakshara. 'Mate malaya Dhvaja* in Kamach (Daru varna) of Muttaiah BHagavatar has numerous Swarakshara phrases throughout the Ettugade swaras strewn over intermittently. We come across with plenty of these beauties in the Kritis of Siihadi* the Trinity, Swati Tirunlil and many later composers who left classic examples of this embellishment, using them in very tactful positions in their songs. Rsmaswami Dikshitar has proved to be an adept in the usage of this with his Todi var^, which is known as Swarakshara v a r ^ as this varna is completely made of Swaraksharas which is not very common at all. Dvadasha Mudras Dvadasha Mudras are the various types of signatures which composers use to authenticise their authorship, Raga, Tala, Ishtadevata, Guru or Patrons, etc. in their compo» sitions. Of these 12 varieties have been traced. They are:

5 : 382 : Vaggeyakara Mudra : is the most frequently used. This is the composer* s pen name or signature under which he has composed. They use their ow. names (Swanama Mudra)* or the name of their Ishtadevata, Guru etc.» other than their own name *-itax*anama Mudra*. Jayadeva, Purandarad^a» _ / ^ ^ - Tyagaraja, Syama Sastri, Kabir, Tulsidas, Meera, Mysore Vasudevach^rya and SadaTsllvariya are some to mention who have used the first type. Itaranama mudra is represented / / ^ by Margadarsi Seshayyangar, Ramaswami Dikshitar, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Kshetrajna, Sadaslva Brahmendra, Swati Tirunal, /^ - Subbaraya Sastri, Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer, Vina Kuppaiyyer and others. 2. Raga Mudra : is the occurence of the name of the raga in which the song has been composed in a meaningful way in the course of the sahitya of the song. Muthuswsuni Dikshitar is perhaps the one who is ingeniously used this mudra extensively in his Kritis. Some examples have been given below frcm his songs : Vatapi Ganapatim Veei^bhflri Sri Lakshmi. Hamsadhvani Bhooshita Herambham - Veena bheri venu v dyadi vinddini - Mangalalaya bhogiyuta padam (Charana) Neerajakshi Soorya moorte - Gowri Hindoladyuti - Saurashtrarna mantratmane Apart from these in his Chaturdasha Ragamalika and most of his other Kritis he has used Ragamudras leaving no

6 i 383 : ambiguity about the authenticity of the Raga he has used. Maha-vaidyanathaiyyer and Koteeshwaraiyyer*s compositions in the 72 Me^kartas also bear the Raga mudra. Many others like Sahaji, Swati Tirunal, Vasudevacharya, B la Murali Krish^ also have used raga mudra in their compositions. 3. Tala Mudra : This indicates the tala in which the composition has been binded. Ramasw^i Dikshitar*s Ashtottara shata raga tala mala kritis, the Sapta tala / _ kritis of Gurumoorti Sastri, Lakshana gitas are some good examples to find these. 4. Guru or Acharva Mudra : This will be the mentioning of the name of one s Guru or mentor in their songs. Dik- shitar's disciple Ponnaiah Pillai*s Mayatlta Swaroopini * # in the raga Maya malava gowla is popular example for this. He used *Guruguha swamiki he dasudaiti* phrase in this song. Gurumoorti Sastri*s Sapta Tala gita has *Gana vidya durandhara Venkata subbaiah Guro*, and the most recent example of this with slight variation will be from Bala- murali in his Kapi Kriti 'Bhavame maha bhagyamuxii* in which he has paid obeisance to his 'Guru Parampara* where in he has brought the line of his Guru Parampara of five generations. 3. Raja Mudra or Poshaka Mudra : Indicating of the name of their patron or kings. Pallavi Gopallayyar in his

7 : 384 : Kanakangl Tana v a r ^ has the mention of his royal patron Sarabhoja Maharaja of Tanjore; Sadaslvaraya in his Padavarna *Emaguva Bhodincira* mentions the name of *Sri Krishi^ Ra;Jendra' the Odeyir king of Mysore. 6. Prabandha Mudra : It is the type of composition which is mentioned here. Many of the old Prabandhas, most of the Tillanast use this mudra noticeably. Occasionally Annama~charya» Purandarada~sa> Tyagara;ja and others also have used this mudra in their Kritis. Tyagaraja's *Soga- suga mridanga talamu* is one popular example* His 'Raga ratna malika* in Riti gowla also suggests that it belongs to the group of *Sata raga ratna malika*. 7. Vamsa Mudra ; Mentioning of the composer s Kula, Gotra, Parentage, etc. are known as Vamsa mudra. Tyagara;)a mentions his kula gotra in one of his Kritis. t 8. Nayaka Mudra : Hero of the composition will be mentioned in this. This is more often foxind in *Padas*. *Moovva Gopala' of Kshetra;)na; *Raja Gopala* of Sabhapati Iyer; *Mannaru Ranga' of Ganam Sinaiah; *Venu Gopala* of Sarahgapani, or *Prahlada* of Tyagaraja in Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam are such heros who have been mentioned in the compositions. 9. Sthal^ Mudra : In kritis which are particularly in praise of a deity in some kshetra» the name of the kshetra

8 ; 585 : Is Included in the sahitya of the song, which is known as the Stala mudra or Kshetra mudra. For e.g. Tyagaraja Kovur Pancharatna kritis has the mention of the place *Kovur*; in Teratiyagar^ada - Gowlipantu the place*tirupati*; Dikshitar*s Chidambara Natarajamashrainyaham in Kedara contains the name of *Chidambaram* and many other Kshetra Kritis can be mentioned for using this Mudra. 10. Biruda Mudra : is the mention of the titles won by the composer or by his patron or by any person referred to in the song, Gurumoorti Sastri in the earlier mentioned song puts the title *Ganavidya Durandhara' as a prefix to the Guru mudra *Venkata subbaraya*. 11. Lakshana Grantha Mudra : is the mention of any treatise with some reference by the composer in the course of the composition* In Tyagaraja's Swararagasudha in * Sankarabharana the mention of 'Swararnava' - a treatise which was given to him by sage Narada is found. 12. Other M u d r a s: (Miscellaneous) : The Ankitas other than the classified ones in the above categories like the Dvadasha riisis (Zodiacal signs); the names of Samvatsaras in the Sarabhendra bhoopala kuravanji natakam*; the Navaratnas or Abharanas mentioned insaha;)i*s songs; or the Navagraha mudras in the Navagraha kritis and so on dome under this category.

9 : 386 ; These various mudras help us In deciding specific factsf like the parentage, period of the composer, etc. They also give more veightage and colour to the sahitya. Chittesn»ara This is a passage of few avartanams of swara sancharas pre-set by the composer or the singer with all artistry of the raga bhava, which is tagged at the end of the Anupallavi, Charamm or at the end of each section in Ragamalika Kritis. Usually the chitteswara will be in the Madhyamakala to the original speed of the composition, and at times both in the original and the second speed. Some Chitteswaras are laced with Muktayi patterns or Mukuta swaras. The Muktayis should be in proportion to the length of the chitteswara. The other type is *^Viloma Chitteswara* where the chitteswara is partly or wholly, bilaterally symmetric when sung in the reverse also. In certain other instances a corresponding sahitya will also be composed which is known as the Chitteswara Sahitya. Another variety is the admixture of swara phrases with the Jati or the Patakshar^s (solkattu). These are known as 'solkattu Swaras*. Some times these solkattu swaras are also mingled with words or sahitya which is known as *Solkattu Swara Sahitya* which is more often met with the Dance compositions. Examples of various types of chitte'swaras are given below :

10 ; 387 : Brochevarevarura - Kaootach-Vasudevachirya - sung after the Anupallavi and Charana In first and second speeds respectively. Marivere - Anandabhairavi - Syama Sastri - Chitteswara sung in two speeds after the Anupallavi, and the Chitteswara Sahitya sung after the CharaJ^ which is corresponding to the swara. Bhavayiuni - Ragamalika - Swati Tirunal - Chitteswara after each section in the respective raga with a Makuta swara in the first raga saveri to cap it. After the last section in Madhyamavati the Chitt^swara in madhyamavati is rounded up with one Avartanam of Swara figuring in it, in retrogradation and finally lands on the save'ri makuta swara before coming back to the Pallavi. Vallabha Nayakasya - Begade - Muthuswami Dikshitar - Chitteswara sung after the madhyamakala sahitya contains Pataksharas. Sadavinata sadare - Revagupti - Dikshitar - has a Anuloma-Viloma chitteswara at the end. Saroruhasana - Kamavardini - Swati Tirun^L - the solkattu swara sahitya is sung after the Anupallavi and charana.

11 : 388 : Gamakas 15 types of these have been mentioned in our Lakshaa* Granthas. These are the graces given to the swaras. Indian music being melodic type, these are the very life of the swaras, xhich gives distinct identity to each raga. We cannot think of ragas like Todi, Varali, Bhairavi etc. with bare Swara sthanas without these graces* "Svasruti sthanasambhootasi chayam svutyantaras'rayam I Swaro yadgamayed gite Gamakb.s. sau niroopit^a II is the definition of Gamakas by Parshvadeva in his Sahgita Samaya Sara - means the Swaras born in their Svasthana, taking the chaya of some other notes* Sirngadeva has listed out the 15 Gamakas in the following sloka ; \ "Tasya bhedastu Tripada Sphuritaha Kampitastatha I Leena Andolita Vali Tribhinna Kurulahataha I «Ullasitaha Plavitascha Gumphito Mudritastathi I Namito Misritaha panchadaseti parikfrtitaha I The above Gamakas decorate the swaras with various types of escillations a short one, or long one with the chaya of the previous notes or the next note; the Janti prayogas with the chaya of the neighbouring notes, or the Vali, Khandimpu etc. which or birkas with complex swara chayas, then the Ullasita or jaru i.e. the upward or downward

12 : 389 : slide from one note to the other note, Gumplta and Hudrita which are the vocalists forte, to close ones mouth and vibrate the notes, etc. adds so much colour to the notes which otherwise would be so much insipid especially in the context of Carnatic music, Madhvamakala Sahitva This is one of the optional sections in a Kriti. This section usually follows the Anupallavi or charana or both. In Dikshitar*s kritis they occur after the Samash- ti charana also. Most of Dikshitar*s Kritis have the Madhyamakala sahitya. And most of the part of Madhyama- kala sahityas will be Yathakshara sahityas. Rarely in some Kritis like Sri Varalakshmi - Sri raga - we find in the uttarardha of the Pallavi itself we come across Madhyamakala sahitya in the line - 'Sri sarasa p a d a.... pade pade'; and in Sri Saraswat1 - Arabhi - the part *Sripati Gowri pati Guruguha vinute vidhityvate* is another instance. These are all the glittering Jewels in a Kriti, which show the Kriti with an extra sparkle and bring in variety in this ar".. form.