INTERVIEW WITH ODUVAR (VADAPALANI TEMPLE) I am Padma Govardhan (PG) and I am doing Research on Sankarabharanam and its janya ragas. In relation to it I would like to know some information from Pannisai. What is your name? My name is Tamil Selvan (TS). I have learnt Tevarams for 3 years. In those days that is during Pannisai period what was name of the Pann related to the raga Sankarabharana and which Palai it belonged to? In Tevarams there are 23 Panns in total. Of these Pann Pazhampanjaram is Sankarabharanam of today. They say that the Pann that is very much loved by God is Pann Pazhampanjaram. Actually speaking God and music are not different Music is God and God is Music. God will dance for Music. One can mesmerize God through Music. Some things which could not be achieved through God also could be gained through Music. The doors which were closed by Vedams were opened through Music by Sambandar and Tirunavukkarasar. And thus Music is only authority to see God. In such an entity Sankarabharana has got all the more importance as it has got all the Periya svararangal that is Tivra svarams. We are not taught the svarasthanas as such. Some of us out of our interest are learning music and the svarasthanas. But at the same time we can say what are ragams and other details but not exact details because of lack of musical knowledge. For example if you take Bhairavi there are two different Dhaivatams in arohanam and Avarohanam is the basic which all the oduvars are taught but not with proper svaragnanam. Ok in the same manner what you told about Bhairavi what can you say about Sankarabharanam and what have you learnt about Sankarabharanam? In Sankarabharanam they have taught us the Padhigangal (Tevarams) with some Asaivugal (gamakams). 37
What are those Asaivugal? We were taught with Akaram and then Padhigam. Can you please sing how you were taught? (Adi Vndu) Tiru Iyamaham is a Padhigam. (each padhigam has a particular setting. Thus the one mentioned is a padhigam of Sambandhar) nobody has composed like Sambandhar till today. Iyamaham is a phenomenon where the last word of a line is repeated in again. (rhyming last letters) (we could say it is Anthyanuprasa) and then he sang Utrumai servadu meyyinaye Unarvadu ninnarul MeyyinaYE Katravar kayvadu KamanaYE Kanalvizhi kayvadu kamanaye Atramarairapadu unpaniye Amarargal seyvadum unpaniye Petrumungandadu kandanaye Pirama purattayugagandanaye For this if you ask me to say svaram it is not possible. No I did not mean that you sing Sankarabharanam today how it is being rendered. Do you see any relation with that of Pannisai period? or it has undergone any changes? Yes I find changes in the tempo of the renditions. 38
Can you say something about janya of Sankarabharanam like Suddhasaveri? There is one padhigam called seyar and the story related to this has been explained and the padhigam is - poothendayana konde nin ponnadi Yettadayillai yennum kaal Vottur meya Voli maluvazhangai Koottirumba Gunangale Do you know anything else in this Suddha Saveri? Kurumbai aan panai Inkulai vottur Arumbu kondrai adigalai Perupugaliyul Gyana Sambandan sol Virumbu varvinai veede Which other janya ragas of Sankarabharanam do you know? Nilambari, Navaroj. Are there any padhigangal Bilahari and Begada? These Panns were not there in Tevaram period. In Navaroj there is one Adbhuta Padhigangal. In Tevaram the ones associated with any anecdote are called Adbhuta Padhigangal. Thus Navaroj has most of such adbhuta Padhigangal. The first padhigam of Tirunavukkarusar is done in this Navaroj. We can say that the pann is so powerful that it makes one achieve control on God. 39
Can you please sing in this Pann? Kutrayina varu vilakkayi le Kodumai pala seydana nanariyen. Etray adikken iravum pagalum Piriyade vananguvar eppuludum. Totradin vayitrin agampadiye Kudarodu tudakki mudakkiyida Aatrel adiyel adigaikkedila Virattanathurai ammane Do you know anything else? Mattitta punnayou kkanal mada Mayilai kattittam kondar Kapaleechcharam Amarndar Ottitta palmbil urutteera palganattarku Attittal kanade podiyo pumpavai (this is a Tevaram on Mylapore Kapaleswaran) You said something else on Pambu? Sadayar punal udayar oru Sari kovanam udayal Padayar mal udayan pala Bootappada udayan Madamaan vizhi Uami madidam Udayan yenai udayal Vidayar kodi Udyanidam Vidum mizhalai ye 40
Can you please sing something in Nilambari? Pulan naindum porigalangi (s S SS s S S S S) Nerimayangi arivu alandittu (s S S S s S S S S) Ayimelundi ----- (Srs S, ; S P Pdp Pp mg M) Alamanda podaga (p P P P P dnsndn* dp) Anjelindru arul caivan (Pdp M G M M M M ) Amarum koil (s s S P Pdp M g S) Valam vanda (s S S S) madavarghal (Tara Shadja s S S S S) Nadamada ( s s G S tarastayi) Mulavu adira (sss sss) Mulavu adira (sss sss) malai endru anji(sss SnP Pdp MgM) Silamandi (pp PP) Alamandu (pppp dnsn Dn*dP) Maram eri(pppdpm) mugil parkum(pp PM) tiruvayyare(ssspmgs) Anything else? The ponnunjal that we sing in night for svami is in Nilambari. Seerar ppavalangal muttam kairaga Erarum potpalagai eri inidamarndu Narayannariya nan malartal nayadiyerku Ooragattandarulum uttargosamangai Aaramudil aruttalinai ppadi Pporar vel kanmadaver Ponnusal adamo 41