Sunday 20 September 2009

Svāmi Omkārānanda's Lecture

Svāmi Omkārānanda

Recently I attended a lecture on the Gīta & Tirukkura by Svāmi Ōmkārānanda. It was quite an elevating experience. Before I go into the details of the lecture, a few words about Svāmiji. Svāmi Ōmkārānanda was born in a traditional vedic family. He learnt vēdās at a very early age. In his early twenties, greatly inspired by the teachings of Svāmi Vivekānanda, he joined Rāmakṛṣṇa Tapōvanam at Tirupparaiturai and was given Sanyāsa Dīksha by Svāmi Chidbhavānanda Maharāj in 1985.

He studied Vēdānta under Svāmi Paramārthānanda, disciple of Svāmi Dayānanda Sarasvati. On completion of his studies he founded the “Sri Svāmi Chidbhavānanda Ashramam” at Theni.

Sri Svāmiji has succeeded H.H. Sri Sri Sānthananda Svāmiga of Sri Sri Judge Svāmiga Adhiśtāam, popularly known as Sri Bhuvanēśvari Avadūta Vidyā Pīham, at Pudukōttai.

Svāmi Ōmkārānanda is an authority of the Vēdānta and is an erudite scholar of Sanskrit and Tamil. He quotes verses in Tamil and Sanskrit with remarkable accuracy and ease. He greatness lies in his ability to simplify even the most complex topics of Vēdānta. This, combined with his delicate sense of humour and wit make his lectures exceptional.

In the lecture, Svāmiji spoke about the Gīta and the Tirukkura – on the similarity of ideas & concepts contained in these 2 texts. The lecture itself was well –structured and was based on 3 key concepts –

1. “Definition” of God
2. Mode of worship and
3. The benefits that one would derive out of worship.

Svāmiji elaborated these concepts using references from the Tirukkural, Gīta, songs of Tāyumāavar, Bhārathiyār etc. Svāmiji defines God as the Absolute Being who has to be worshipped with total faith (as opposed to blind faith). He said that the result that the Bhaktā would derive is Self- confidence.

The lecture was interspersed with Svamiga’s renowned wit and humour. For example he made a distinction between a Tattvam and Mahātattvam.

Tattvam – is when a concept is expounded by a speaker with understanding, but is not understood by the audience.

Mahātattvam – is when a concept is expounder by a speaker, but neither the speaker nor the audience understand it

On the whole an enjoyable and thought provoking talk.

Wednesday 16 September 2009

Tirugñānasambandar and Mylapore



The Tēvāram-s have always mesmerized me. Besides their fervent devotional appeal, there are several aspects to them that are fascinating. I found this particular pathikam by Tiruñānasambandar very interesting. This pathikam gives interesting details about Mylāpore, as it was during the time of Tiruñānasambandar. I am sure that for every Mylāporean the Kabālīśvarar Temple is a symbol of “Mylāporianism”. Being a Mylaporean myself, I found that Tiruñānasambandar has painted a picture of Mylapore and the Kabālīśvarar Temple, which is very different from what it is today. Images of sea-shore & coconut palms reinstate the fact that the original location of the temple was adjacent to the Bay of Bengal


This pathikam also has an interesting story behind it. Śivaneśa Cettiār was a merchant who was an ardent Śiva Bhakta. He was inspired by the hymns of Tiruñānasambandar and wished to give his daughter Pūm Pāvai in marriage to the Saint from Sīrgazhi. Unfortunately, this young maiden died of snake bite as she was gathering flowers in the garden. The disconsolate father cremated his daughter and preserved the ashes, which he presented to Tiruñānasambandar on his arrival to the Mylāpore Kabālīśvarar Temple. Tiruñānasambandar sang the hymn given below and brought the maiden back to life. But he refused her hand in marriage as he had given her life. Hence Mylāpore Kabālīśvarar Temple, is a Pāḍal Petra Sthalam & this is the Pathikam in its praise.

திருமயிலாப்பூர் பண் : சீகாமரம்

மட்டிட்ட புன்னையங் கானன் மடமயிலைக்
கட்டிட்டங் கொண்டான் கபாலீச் சரமமர்ந்தான்
ஒட்டிட்ட பண்பி னுருத்திர பல்கணத்தார்க்
கட்டிட்டல் காணாதே போதியோ பூம்பாவாய்.

மைப்பயந்த வொண்கண் மடநல்லார் மாமயிலைக்
கைப்பயந்த நீற்றான் கபாலீச் சரமமர்ந்தான்
ஐப்பசி யோண விழாவு மருந்தவர்கள்
துய்ப்பனவுங் காணாதே போதியோ பூம்பாவாய்.

வளைக்கை மடநல்லார் மாமயிலை வண்மறுகில்
துளக்கில் கபாலீச் சரத்தான்றொல் கார்த்திகைநாள்
தளத்தேந் திளமுலையார் தையலார் கொண்டாடும்
விளக்கீடு காணாதே போதியோ பூம்பாவாய்.

ஊர்திரை வேலை யுலாவு முயர்மயிலைக்
கூர்தரு வேல்வல்லார் கொற்றங்கொள் சேரிதனில்
கார்தரு சோலைக் கபாலீச் சரமமர்ந்தான்
ஆர்திரைநாள் காணாதே போதியோ பூம்பாவாய்.

மைப்பூசு மொண்கண் மடநல்லார் மாமயிலைக்
கைப்பூசு நீற்றான் கபாலீச் சரமமர்ந்தான்
நெய்ப்பூசு மொண்புழுக்க னேரிழையார் கொண்டாடும்
தைப்பூசங் காணாதே போதியோ பூம்பாவாய்.

மடலார்ந்த தெங்கின் மயிலையார் மாசிக்
கடலாட்டுக் கண்டான் கபாலீச் சரமமர்ந்தான்
அடலானே றூரு மடிக ளடிபரவி
நடமாடல் காணாதே போதியோ பூம்பாவாய்

மலிவிழா வீதி மடநல்லார் மாமயிலைக்
கலிவிழாக் கண்டான் கபாலீச் சரமமர்ந்தான்
பலிவிழாப் பாடல்செய் பங்குனி யுத்தரநாள்
ஒலிவிழாக் காணாதே போதியோ பூம்பாவாய்.

தண்ணா வரக்கன்றோள் சாய்த்துகந்த தாளினான்
கண்ணார் மயிலைக் கபாலீச் சரமமர்ந்தான்
பண்ணார் பதினெண் கணங்கடம் மட்டமிநாள்
கண்ணாரக் காணாதே போதியோ பூம்பாவாய்

நற்றா மரைமலர்மே னான்முகனு நாரணனும்
முற்றாங் குணர்கிலா மூர்த்தி திருவடியைக்
கற்றார்க ளேத்துங் கபாலீச் சரமமர்ந்தான்
பொற்றாப்புக் காணாதே போதியோ பூம்பாவாய்

உரிஞ்சாய வாழ்க்கை யமணுடையைப் போர்க்கும்
இருஞ்சாக் கியர்க ளெடுத்துரைப்ப நாட்டில்
கருஞ்சோலை சூழ்ந்த கபாலீச் சரத்தான்றன்
பெருஞ்சாந்தி காணாதே போதியோ பூம்பாவாய்

கானமர் சோலைக் கபாலீச் சரமமர்ந்தான்
தேனமர் பூம்பாவைப் பாட்டாகச் செந்தமிழான்
ஞானசம் பந்த னலம்புகழ்ந்த பத்தும்வல்லார்
வானசம் பந்தத் தவரோடும் வாழ்வாரே

(Tamizh Translation from “Poems to Śiva” : Indira Vishwanathan Peterson)

Pumpavai, O beautiful girl!
Would you go without having seen feasts
In which our Lord who loves the temple
In beautiful Mayilai,
Whose beach is lined with fragrant punnai trees,
The Lord who dwells in Kapaliccaram shrine,
Feeds his many devotees who love him ?

Pumpavai, o beautiful girl!
Would you go without having seen the feast
Enjoyed by holy men
At Aippaci’s Onam festival
Held at the Kapaliccaram shrine
Of our Lord whose sacred ash is our blessing,
In great Mayilai,
Town of beautiful young women
With sparkling, kohl-darkened eyes?

Pumpavai, O beautiful girl!
Would you go without having seen,
On the rich streets of great Mayilai,
Town of beautiful young women with bracelets,
And town of our Lord in Kapaliccaram temple,
The flawless celebration of the ancient Karttikai feast
At which young girls
With sandal paste on their breasts
Light many lamps?

Pumpavai, O beautiful girl!
Would you go without having seen,
The atirai festival day
In great Mayilai town with wave washed shores,
In whose settlements live strong heroes
Who win battles with their sharp spears,
Town of our Lord who dwells in Kapaliccaram shrine
Surrounded by dark woods?

Pumpavai, O beautiful girl!
Would you go without having seen,
The Taippucam festval
Celebrated by women who feed guests
With good boiled rice and ghee,
In the great town of Mayilai,
Home of many beautiful women
With sparkling kohl-darkened eyes,
Town of our Lord with the sacred ash,
Who dwells in the Kapaliccaram shrine?

Pumpavai, O beautiful girl!
Would you go without having seen,
In Mayilai,
Fringed with coconut palms with broad fronds,
And town of our Lord who dwells in Kapaliccaram shrine,
The festival of bathing in the sea
In the month of Maci,
At which women dance, singing the praise
Of the feet of the Lord
Who rides the mighty bull?

Pumpavai, O beautiful girl!
Would you go without having seen,
On the streets of great Mayilai,
Always busy with festive crowds,
The festival of Pankuni Uthiram
With its great sound of celebration,
At which beautiful women
Sing and distribute alms,
At the Lord’s Kapaliccaram shrine
Center of many festivals?

Pumpavai, O beautiful girl!
Would you go without having seen,
To your heart’s content
The festival of the eighth day,
In honor of Siva’s eighteen ganas,
Resounding with melodious hymns,
In glorious Mayilai, at the Kapaliccatram shrine
Of the Lordwho blessed the furious demon
By crushing his arms?

Pumpavai, O beautiful girl!
Would you go without having seen,
The ceremony of the golden swing.
Held for him who dwells in Kapaliccaram shrine,
Where devotees praise the feet of the Lord
Whom the four-headed god on the lotus seat
And Narayana himself
Could not fully comprehend?

Pumpavai, O beautiful girl!
Would you go without having seen,
At the Lord’d Kapaliccaram temple
Surrounded by green groves,
The festival of the great purification
Slandered by the naked Jains
And the base Buddhists in voluminous robes?

They will attain release,
Who know these ten fine verses of praise,
Composed by Nanacampantan in pure Tamil,
As a song for Pumpavai, the beautiful girl
With the sweet, flower-adorned hair,
In praise of the Lord who dwells
In Kapaliccaram shrine
Set among fragrant groves.


Sunday 6 September 2009

Remembering Semmangudi Mama – My Guru and God: Part 3


Saṅgīta Pitāmahā Padma Vibhūshan Dr. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer

I will pen my experiences as the Siśya of  Semmangudi Mama in this post. At the outset, I thank God for blessing me with the great fortune of having such a Legend as my Guru. I am also forever thankful to my Guru – Semmangudi Mama for accepting Lalitha and myself as his Siśya-s and to have enlightened us on the glory and greatness of Karāaka Sagītam.

We greatly cherish the days that we spent learning from Mama. Semmangudi Mama was a very warm and affectionate Guru. His music was so very inspiring and has borne a great influence on us and our musical thinking. He was a legend – a towering personality yet so very approachable. He would teach us anything that we asked for. Once, my uncle Dr. L. Subramaniam remarked that he had heard Semmangudi Mama sing the Varnam – Sami Ninne in Ānandabhairavi beautifully. This inspired us to ask mama to teach us this varnam. He readily agreed to teach us this varnam – a composition of veenai Kuppier. Learning this varnam from Semmangudi Mama was a beautiful experience by itself.  He was a perfectionist and was specific about every svaram, anusvaram, its gamaka et al. He was also very specific that at every instance the beauty of the raga and sahitya surfaced in the rendition.

We learnt several beautiful compositions from mama including O Rangaśāyi, Śri Subramanyāya Namaste, Dwaitamu Sukhama, Janani, Narasimha Māmava, Pakaja Lōcana, Śri Rāmam, Śānthamu Lēkha, Tanayuni Brōva, Śri Kṛṣṇam, Kadanuvāriki, Padavini, Mākelarā ……….. et al.

Every musical phrase sung by him would seem very simple, but had a greater depth and meaning embedded in it. Only by actually singing can we realise the amount of effort that has to be put in to achieve the desired result. It was definitely not easy. Mama was a perfectionist who saw to it that we reproduced even an anusvaram in the right manner. This actually speaks volumes of his dedication to music. He actually lived – breathed music. If we sang well, he would treat us with palā cuai- jackfruit from his own garden !

Mama was a strict diciplinarian. He wanted us to memorise the sāhitya before he began teaching us the composition. If he was going to commence a new composition, he would give us the sāhitya the previous day and ask us to memorise it before class the next day. This greatly helped us to concentrate on the  bhāvam and musical aspects while actually learning the composition. After we had learnt the composition thoroughly he would give us the notation – never before ! His notations were all handwritten and precise. (It looked like print – there were very neat J ). He had several notebooks containing handwritten notations of several thousands of compositions. They were shelved in an orderly fashion  and I always wondered how Mama exactly remembered the particular shelf and book which contained the notation of a specific song ! He had such a fantastic memory.

I recall an incident, which happened when Mama was ill and was hospitalised. Lalitha and I had gone to visit Mama in the hospital. He was surrounded by family, friends and well-wishers. The moment he saw us his eyes lit up and he asked us “Enna pādam solli irukkēn ? Pādam acchā ?” (What lesson have I taught you ? Have you practised it ?) He also said that we could resume lessons soon. Such was his love for Sagītam.

(A cherished moment - when Laitha and I were receiving the Mohanam Award for the Outstanding Performing Artistes of 1991 from Semmangudi Mama. Aslo in the picture is Sri Maharajapuram Santhanam, yet another stalwart of Carnatic Music.)

One day after our lessons Lalitha and I requested Mama to sing for us an Ālapanai of Nārāyaagaua. Mama immediately obliged. Oh what an amazing experience ! It was an experience of a lifetime. There were just the three of us Mama, Lalitha and myself. Lalitha and I completely lost ourselves in the charm of Narayanagaula …. sung by the Sangita Pitamaha. The way that he brought the Raga svarūpa was simply matchless. His singing only made us yearn for more ! There were many such days that we spent listening to the glorious music of Mama.

He also used to share with us annecdotes of great musicians of yesteryears. We loved to hear stories of the past from Mama – in his inimitable witty style.  He never missed the evening news of All India Radio, and we would resume singing at the end of the broadcast. There were times when the lessons continued well into the late evenings and Mama would make it a point to tell us to telephone to him as soon as we got back home—just to ensure that we had reached home safely. Such was his affection. He was a very concerned and considerate Guru.

He was the perfect Guru that one could wish for. To my sister Lalitha and myself he is not only our Guru but also  remains a grand-fatherly figure. I truly miss him a lot. My humble namaskārams to him and I seek his blessings for ever.