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November 26_RJ

Nadaswaram or nagaswaram is one instrument that has to be listened to without any amplifiers/mikes to fully enjoy the character of the instrument. There was a period when Marriages had master nadaswaram players performing.

Today we look at one player who has attained super star status by name T.N.Rajarathnram Pillai. TNR's Todi was so popular that it got him the sobriquet "Thodi Rajarathnam" smile emoticon

He was also a good singer and there are youtube videos that people can get of is singing.

here is a short todi performance - http://youtu.be/wJqbyKPVLlM

T N Rajarathnam Pillai-Thodi Pallavi Ragamalikai-http://youtu.be/9QoAvQoB6jc

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December 2_KV

There could be nothing else more tormenting for a devotee than to be away from his Lord.

Kanakadasa, a harijan at a time when caste-ism was at its peak, was never given permission to enter temples. He yearns for a view of his Lord. He composed this with the help of his guru Vyasathirtha.

Ragam: Yamuna Kalyani
Talam: Misra Chapu

krishNA nI bEgane bArO.

bEganE bArO mukhavannE tOrO.

kAlalandigE gejjE, neelada bAvuli; neelavarNane nATyavanADuta bArO

Udiyalli udigejje, beraLalli ungura; koraLalli haakida vaijayantiya maalE

KASi pItAmbara, kaiyalli koLalu
mayyOLa pUsida shreegandha gamagama

tAyigE bAyalli jagavannu thorida; jagadOddhAraka nanna uDupi ShrI krishNa
- - - -
Krishna! Come Quickly!
To Show your face come quickly

Anklets on the feet,
bangles a sapphire treat,
Blue-hued one, come&dance, my sweet
On your waist a waistband
on your finger a ring grand
And around your neck a garland

Yellow Kashi Silk draped around,
flute in hand, not a sound
Divine sandal scent the body abound

Universe in mouth, mother shown As protector of worlds known
Udupi Sri Krishna, my own!

Here's UnniKrishnan's soulful voice perfect for the mood of the song...
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KqbzIUriB6M

This beautiful instrumental is for Ramanan & Mahadevan Nadaswaram being one of their fav smile emoticon the song plays at about 9.00 ish...
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OfhRasyzC68

Finally, this post would be incomplete without mentioning this duo's version of the song... an astounding hit of the 90s... The Colonial Cousins' Krishna...
http://youtu.be/CJvK0dox0_M

P.S. I relate this song also to the pain of a mother missing her child frown emoticon

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December 5_RJ

In today's MWC, we look at an invocation song, in praise of Ganapathy , set in Nattai ragam and Rupaka Talam and composed by the Genius - Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar

This is a song that many of us are familiar with thanks to the movie Sindu Bhairavi

Here is the KJY version of the song
http://youtu.be/j3elIEZlOao

Here is an instrumental version by the legend Lalgudi Jayaraman -http://youtu.be/q8av4steAZA

Here is the nadaswaram version - http://youtu.be/xyyvUZe5Kvk

Here is the Mandolin version by that genius Shrinivas - check the first 9 minutes of the video - http://youtu.be/5JkPsWsq3E8

Here is the meaning of the song ( taken from the web)

Pallavi
Sri Maha Ganapathim Manasa Smarami

In the first line of the pallavi, Sri Dikshitar asks his mind (manasa) to think / remember (smarami) about the (glory of) Sri Maha Ganapathi.

Vasishta Vamadevadi Vandita (Maha Ganapathim)
Sri Ganesha is extolled to praised by great Rishis like Sri Vashishta and Sri Vamadeva.

"Sri Maha Ganapathim Manasa Smarami
Vashishta Vamadevadi Vandita

Oh Mind! Please meditate on the glory of Sri Maha Ganapathi, who is extolled by Sri Vashishta and Sri Vamadeva"

Anupallavi
Mahadeva Sutam
Lord Shiva is the Supreme(Maha) of Gods(Deva) - Lord Ganesha is His Son (sutam)

Guruguhanutam
His younger brother Guruguha (or Kartikeya or Murugan) always praises His brother. The term Guruguha is also the signature (mudra) of Sri Dikshitar. [There is a deep link between Sri Subrahmanya / Murugan and Sri Dikshitar - I'll discuss it sometime later]

Marakoti Prakasham
Of all devas, Manmatha / Mara (Cupid) is claimed to be the most beautiful one. But, here Ganesha shines (prakasham) like koti/crore (10 million) Maras! (mara koti) - Sri Ganesha's form should be a delight to behold!

Shantam
Sri Ganesha is also the epitome of peace. Shantam (peace) is His Nature.

Mahakaavya Natakadhi priyam
Sri Ganapati takes a strong liking (priyam) to great literature (maha kaavya) and drama (nataka). May be that's why he volunteered to be a scribe for Mahabharata when Vyaasa was set to compose it.

Mooshika Vahana
The Big Elephant has a small mouse (mooshika) as his mount (vahanam) - The mooshika was actually an Asura named 'Kayamukhasura' who had the blessing of immortality from Shiva. When the asura turned evil, He defeated Him and changed him to a mouse and made him His Vahanam.

Modhaka Priyam
Modhakam is a kind of sweet also called 'kozhukkattai' (கொழுக்கட்டை) in Tamil. Ganesha loves this sweet - So, it is traditional to offer this sweet to Him on Ganesha Chaturtthi.