Rama Natakam

The ITC USA is responsible for the first of a series of albums of Rama Nataka Keerthanas composed by the great poet Arunachalakavirayar, brought out by Amutham company.

The first album, Vol -1 -- Bala Kandam -- has music orchestration by K S Ragunathan and is rendered by Nithyasree Mahadevan.

Below is an article by S V Krishnamurthy on Arunachalakavirayar, which comes as part of a free booklet with every album purchased from Amutham company.

Arunachalakavirayar (1712 - 1779)

'Arunachalakavirayar's famous Rama Nataka Kirtanas are ranked high in music concerts by all vidwans, since they were composed by that pious scholar, who preceded the Bard of Tiruvayaru.

He was born in 1712 AD. and in a life span of 67 years devoted to several scholarly Tamil art forms, his magnum opus was the creation of a mature mind at the age of sixty.

Arunachalakavirayar was the fourth son of Nallathambi Pillai and Valliammal. He was born in Tillaiyadi in Tanjore district. His father was a Jain by birth, but later embraced Saivism. According to family tradition, Arunachala's education began in his fifth year, fifth month, fifth day and he had traditional instruction till twelve, when his father died. Not willing to be a burden on his brothers, Arunachala went to the Dharmapuram mutt to pursue his studies in Tami! granthas and agamas. Incidentally, he improved his knowledge of Sanskrit also.

His proficiency was such that even when he was 18, the Pandara Sannadhi suggested to him that he could well look forward to becoming the head of the mutt. But came the startling reply from Arunachala that the great works like Tiruvalluvar's Tirukkural and Kamban's Ramayanam stressed the nobility of grahasthasramam and that he would like to live up to those injunctions. The Pandara Sannadhi appreciated his steadfastness in shaping his life according to the commandments of the sages. But the 'poet' did not plunge into marriage immediately, for before him was another guiding maxim: 'Vivaham vidyanasam'.

He continued his research in the realm of Tamil and Sanskrit scholarship. He married only in his thirtieth year and set up kasukadai (jeweller's shop) to eke out his living, which he expected would also give him the time to delve deeper into the treasures of Divya prabandhas, Tirumurais, Vedagamas and other religious work. His single-minded devotion to studies convinced him that the greatest and noblest work for the good of humanity was Tirukkural and that all the mandates enumerated by Tiruvalluvar were exemplified in the life of Sri Rama as portrayed by Kambar. Since then, he fixed his mind in those two great works for pleasure and guidance.

But the turning point in his life - the first step in his life's worthwhile legacy to posterity - came when he wanted to buy some gold at Pondicherry, where it was cheaper than in Tanjore district. That search for cheaper gold gained him the acquaintance of two musicians Venkatarama Iyer and Kodandarama Iyer of Sattanapuram.

On his way to Pondicherry, he halted at Sirkazhi and stayed in the branch of the Dharmapuri mutt where the head, Chidambaram Pillai, was a former student mate of Arunachala. Exchanging tales since their separation, Chidambaram Pillai said that he had composed a piece 'Kattalai Malai' and showed it to Arunachala to get his appreciation. He also told his guest that he planned to compose a piece on Sirkazhi, but owing to preoccupation with other work, it had not progressed beyond the preliminary stage and requested Arunachala to finish it. The same night Arunachala completed it and sending it to Chidambaram Pillai through a messenger, left for Pondicherry.

Chidambaram was so pleased with the scholarly piece that he decided to retain Arunachala in Sirkazhi and made arrangements to bring the latter's family from Tillaiyadi and settle them there. After completing his work at Pondicherry, Arunachala halted again at Sirkazhi on his way back and was pleasantly surprised by the bounty of his old friend and decided to stay permanently in Sirkazhi. It was since then that he gained the title of 'Sirkazhi Arunachalakavirayar'.

The two musicians mentioned above approached him to get their doubts cleared and learn the Kamba Ramayanam. They also suggested that, with his scholarship, he could compose an opera for which they would help in setting the tunes, rags and tala. Arunachalakavirayar thought deeply on the choice of a subject for an opera. It was not surprising that the life of Sri Rama came to his mind as the only fitting theme for his opera. The reason for composing an opera was that Kamban had handled it in the form of poetic stanzas and one Bala Bharati had also dealt with the life of Rama in Chanda viruttam. But those art forms appealed to only erudite scholars and were beyond the capacity of ordinary men and women. An opera would easily gain the hearts of the lay people and that would serve his purpose fully.

In the first phase of the opera, Arunachalakavirayar composed from the beginning up to the Kirtana, 'Adada Veliye Purappadada' in the Yuddha Kanda and gave the work to his musician-disciples. They set the tunes for them and proceeded to Madras to sing them before learned persons for being rewarded. The popularity of those songs spread far and wide. On retum from their successful trip, they induced Arunachalakavirayar to finish the whole work and make it an integrated opera. He compiled, and thus was given to the music world the famous 'Rama Nataka Kirtanas'. Some of the songs start with viruttams which serve as connecting links in the progress of the story. Its simple diction and homely proverbs, clothed in appealing music, won the hearts of listeners.

He desired that the Arangetram should be at the same Srirangam before Sri Ranganatha as Kamban did earlier. It is said that he received a divine directive in a dream that he should sing Thodayams, invoking other deities and sages just as Kamban did, since he had transformed the poet's work in the form of Kirtanas. This was the eventful occasion for the immortal piece 'En Pallikondeeraiya' in Mohana raga (Amutham CD WS-OO8).

There have been few Bharatha Natya dancers who have not included this piece for their recitals. Grand in conception, exquisite in composition, the song brings out the artistic talents of the dancer to a high degree. (Another delightful piece 'Enakkun lrupadham' in ragamalika has been recorded in Amutham CD AM-O16).

Later, his masterpiece was sung before other distinguished patrons. The Kavirayar was anxious to submit it before Tulaja Maharaja of Tanjore, but the circumstances in the kingdom were then unfavourable. He went to Pondicherry to present it to the Savant and Statesman, Ananda Ranga Pillai, who politely said that before his good mend, Tulaja Maharaja, had heard it, it would be discourteous for him to receive it. But he gave a letter of introduction to Manali Muttukrishna Mudaliar of Madras.

When the Kavirayar approached him, Muttukrishna Mudaliar told him that sometime earlier, two musicians had sung before him a few delightful songs on the Ramayana theme and asked whether the Kavirayar wanted to repeat them. Muttukrishna Mudaliar, however, was pleasantly surprised to be told by the Kavirayar that the author of those songs was his humble self and that the version with him was a complete integrated opera. He was amply rewarded. By that time, the troubles of the Tanjore kingdom were over and the Kavirayar presented his work to King Tulaja. Later, A nanda Ranga Pillai and other wealthy patrons invited the Kavirayar to hear his beautiful opera and showered him with rich presents.

Though the excellence of Arunachalakavirayar's one single work, 'Rama Nataka Kirtanas' earned him renown, he was also the author of many other literary works like 'Ajamukhi natakam', 'Anumar pillai Tamil', 'Sirkazhi sthalapuranam', and 'Sirkazhi kovai'.

RR

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Published on 31^st Jan, 2004