Ramanataka Kirthanai

Ramanataka Kirthanai

இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: இராமநாடகக் கீர்த்தனை ‎

Ramanataka Kirthanai was the first Tamil Isai Nataka text (musical drama). Arunachala Kavirayar created Ramanataka Kirthanai in 1771.

Publication

There were some old editions for Ramanataka Kirthanai. Diwan Bahadur Bhavanadam Pillai, who published the text such as Yapalankaram and Yaparungalam, printed Ramanataka Kirthanai and Nandanar Sarithira Kirthanai as Kirthanai Kothumalar 1 and Kirthanai Kothumalar 2 respectively, and published with 11 mythological pictures. Kothumalar means flower bouquet or bunch of flowers. This edition was released in 1914. But this edition included three Kirthanais on three assistants with the name Udhavichirappu. The three Kirthanais are not the part of Ramanataka Kirthanai.

Author

Arunachala Kavirayar, the author of Ramanataka Kirthanai was born at Thillaiyadi near Sirkazhi.

Creation

Marathas were ruling Tanjore region during the time of Arunachala Kavirayar. Maharashtrian style Kathakalakshebam (rendering stories with music and drama) became popular in Tamil Nadu. Before that period, Kuravanji natakam were popular in Tamil Nadu. But Isai Nataka Kirthanai songs did not exist in Tamil language. Arunachala Kavirayar was well versed in Kambaramayanam. A couple of students of Arunachala Kavirayar namely Venkatrama Iyer and Kothandarama Iyer were learning Kambaramayanam from him. At their request Arunachala Kavirayar attempted to write Ramanataka Kirthanai in Isai Nataka format suitable for rendering the story . In those days it was a custom to sing the brief version of Ramayanam and the songs were known as Ramayana Oradi Kirthanai. (Oradi means one line) Arunachala Kavirayar wrote Ramayana Oradi Kirthanais in Thodi Ragam before he attempted Ramanataka Kirthanai. Arunachala Kavirayar created the Ramayana Oradi Kirthanai with the pallavi "Kothanda diksha guruve bakthar ithaya kokana malar maruve", a very long anupallavai and the Charanam of 242 feet. There could be a possibility that Arunachala Kavirayar expanded this Oradi Ramayana Kirthanai into Ramanataka Kirthanai.

At the age of 60, Arunachala Kavirayar gave his debut performance of Ramanataka Kirthanai in Srirangam.

Structure

Ramanataka Kirthanai was a compilation of 258 musical songs. Ramanataka Kirthanai consists of 197 Tharu type Kirthanais, 60 Dipathai type Kirthanais and 6 Kadavul Vazhthu songs (Praise of God). The songs of Ramanataka Krithanai are made of 268 Virutham, 6 Kochchakalipa, 2 Venba and 1 Kalippa. Unlike other Nataka Kirthanais, there is no separate Kattiyam (dialogue) portion in Ramanataka Kirthanai, except for two lines of dialogue somewhere inside the text.

Content

Arunachala Kavirayar created the entire Ramanataka Kirthanai based on the scenes of Ramayana into 6 Kandangal (divisions). Based on the drama, Aruanchala Kavirayar divided the songs into 'character perspective' and 'poet perspective'. Arunachal Kavirayar devoted Tharu portion of Ramanataka Kirthanai as dance and drama and Virutham as narration by the author. Arunachala Kaviryar used 40 ragas in Ramanataka Kirthanai. The ragas Asaveri, Kalyani, Saveri, Thodi, Mathyamavathi, Mohanam appear 15-20 times. The ragas Anandabairavi, Shankarabaram, Sowrashtram and Punnakavarali appeared 11-13 times. Other ragas appear less than 10 times. Arunachala Kavirayar composed songs in the rare ragas such as Dwijavandi, Mangalakausikam and Sainthavi.

Among the Talas, 146 songs were in Adi Tala, 78 songs in Ada Sabu Tala, and very little of songs with other Talas.

Arunachala Kavirayar created Yutha Kanda portion of Ramanataka Kirthanai with the touch of epic. The war between Lakshman and Indrajit was composed as mega kirthanai by Arunachala Kavirayar. The mega kirthanai 'Perunchandai Pareer has 8 Charanams with each Charanam with 22 lines of long songs. The longest was the Tharu type Banduvarali song- "Moolapala Chandaiyai Kelum", with 362 lines of 3 Charanams. The Anupallavi has got 21 lines beginning with the syllable 'mu'.

The Rest

Most of the Ramanataka Kirthanai songs were popular among the public.

The Balakandam song of Rama on Sita, "Yaro ivar Yaro" sung my M.S Subulakshmi and D. K. Pattammal became popular through audio tapes. In Sudesamithran, many songs were written as a series with the notes of Ariyakudi Ramanujam Iyengar.

Ragam: Bairavi Thalam: Adi

Pallavi

Yaro, Ivar Yaro, Enna pero Ariyene (Yaro)

Anupallavai

Kar ulavum, sir ulavum mithilaiyil

Kanni madanthanil munne nintravar (Yaro)

Charanam

Chandra vimbamuka malarale- ennaithane parkirar orukale

Anthanalil thontham pole urukirar

Indanalil vanthu sevai tharukirar (Yaro)

The song of Anuman insulting Ravanan by calling him ada "Ramasami doothan naan ada" became very popular. (ada is not an insult when used among mates and families, but is considered as a disrespect in a formal situation. Ramasami doothan naan ada is like Anuman addressing the King Ravanan, "Hey, I am the ambassador of Rama")

Ragam Mohanam. Thalam Atachapu thalam

Pallavi

Ramasami doothan naan ada- adadaa Ravana

Naanada, enperanumaanada (Rama)

Anupallavi

Maamalarthalai vasanum kaiylaa sanumrishi kesanum

Marainthunindru thanthanaan allada

Purambe nindruvanthunaan allada (Rama)

Charanam

Kaalamum balamum theriyamalku dhikkiraienna maayamo

Kaamaththaaledarma budhika dakkiraiithu payamo

Chalamokedu kalama adaavunakku daivasa hayamo

Thangaimook aruppundathallavo chandalaithu njayamo

Valiyumpo naanunnai chiraivaiththa

Valumpoi vittathanjathe metha

External Links

1. Ramanataka Isaipadalgal (Ebook)
2. https://periscope-narada.blogspot.com/2014/07/yaro-ivar-yaro-critical-review-of.html
3. (Arunachala Kavi) https://s-pasupathy.blogspot.com
4. Yaro Ivar Yaro by Madurai Mani Iyer
5. Yaro Ivar Yaro D.K. Pattammal

Footnotes

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