029:Bantureethi - Hamasnadam

Saint Sri Thyagaraja, lived a life breathing Rama Nama. He had seen Rama in every form and was living under the protection of Lord through out. Every Song of Sri Thyagaraja has some story or life experience associated with.

In the famous song "Bantureethi Kolu" Sri Thyagaraja swamy pleads with Lord Rama to give him the post of a guard for Rama. Sri Thyagaraja Swamy says that, the guard’s post should be such that he is empowered to destroy all the demons which are Arishadvargas (Arishad Vargas are the six passions of the mind: Kama - lust, craze, desire; Krodha - anger, hatred; Lobha - greed, miserliness, narrow minded; Moha - delusory emotional attachment; Mada or Ahankara - pride, stubborn mindedness; and Matsarya - envy, jealousy, show or vanity, and pride) and since the guard is empowered to do so, he needs such a guard's post

Raaga:

hamsanAda (60th Mela (Neethimathi) Janyam)

ARO: S R2 M2 P N3 S

AVA: S N3 P M2 R2 S

Tala:

Adi

Pallavi:

baNTu rIti koluv(i)yya(v)ayya rAma

Anupallavi:

tuNTa viNTi vAni modalaina mad(A)dula

goTTi nEla gUla jEyu nija (baNTu)

Charanam:

rOmAncam(a)nu ghana kancukamu

rAma bhaktuD(a)nu mudra biLLayu

rAma nAmam(a)nu vara khaDgamivi

rAjillun(a)yya tyAgarAjunikE (baNTu)

One of the ultimate Sri Thyagraja Compositions rendered in an effortless ease by MS amma.

022 : M.S - Musical face of India

Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (M.S Amma), needs no introduction to India, she was the first Indian Musician to be awarded Bharat Ratna. Recently i was searching for some carnatic stuff and landed upon this excellent documentary video on MS Amma. It was really excellent. One thing amazes me about MS amma is the elite class she belongs to interacting with Mahatma , Nehru and the lineage of Presidents and PM's of India, Extra ordinary performance in UN..but lived a simple and down to earth life.

Even today when I listen to "Kurai Ondrum illai..." or Baja Govindam or Sriman Narayana ..list is endless..they are the best Tranqulizers. Smt MS and Sri Sadhasivam were the pair made for each other. The charity couple have donated enormous amount of money to the social cause . who will get such a rare blessing , that Sri Venkateshwara of Tirupathi wakes up with the Suprabhatam sung by her.

Anecdote on Smt MS Amma and Sri Sadhasivam

H.Y. Sharada Prasad, a close friend of MS and Sadasivam, writes about their marriage:"It was a remarkable marriage. They made a striking pair. Wherever they went or sat, all eyes turned towards them, because of Subbulakshmi's extraordinary grace and beauty and the large, radiant eyes outshining the diamonds and silks she wore. Sadasivam had a presence which by no means was in the shadows. There he was, upright and broad-shouldered and handsome, in his white khadi and the lines of sacred ash on his forehead. Subbulakshmi seemed to lean on him like the jasmine creeper twining itself around a tall tree. When the two entered a room, one felt as if more lights had been switched on. There were some who called them Parvathi-Parameshwar...."