जय श्री राम ! ஸ்ரீ ராம ஜெயம் ! Hail Lord Rama!
I have been following the news about Ayodhya for quite some time. Now that it has reached its date for प्राण प्रतिष्ठा (prANa pratishTHA) when the विग्रह (vigraha) will be ceremoniously consecrated, the internet has been inundated with content on Ayodhya. It has all reached a feverish pitch now, hasn’t it! I have been spending more time on checking out these videos than I should, I confess. Well, I couldn’t let the moment pass without posting a suitable song to celebrate the occasion. So here I am, rather sooner than normal!
So, what have I learnt in the recent past? Quite a bit, actually. I am halfway through reading a book called The Battle for Rama, Case of the Temple at Ayodhya by Meenakshi Jain, published in 2017. The author gives many historical references to the जन्मस्थान (janmasthAna) from various sources, including Arabic, Persian, Urdu and European language manuscripts. They have all noted the devotion of Hindus and their worship, notwithstanding the presence of the Masjid. Babar, it seems, came to Ayodhya first on 2nd April, 934. His memoir resumes only in September; it is proposed that Babri Masjid was constructed during that period.
The first instance of a formal dispute was in 1822, where a note was submitted to the Faizabad Court. There is evidence of continuing dispute from then on, with riots breaking out in 1912, 1934 and the destructive one in 1992. In 1949, unnamed persons entered the Masjid and placed an idol of Sri Rama. What puzzles me is the claim that leftist Hindus sided with the Muslims, going so far as saying that Rama worship is an 18th-19th century phenomenon! I wonder, for those Hindus who spread such falsities, does political identity come before religious affiliation? That seems so contrary to what I feel!
The book also notes the archeological evidence, about which I had learnt earlier last year from an interview by K.K.Mohammed. This was very interesting; I recommend listening if you have the time. I still have to find books on the period before Babar as temples must have been constructed and re-constructed from ancient times. There are some references in this talk between Nityanand Misra and Ami Ganatra. I often listen to Nityanand Misra, just for the pleasure of listening to such pure and beautiful Hindi!
I am waffling on about this, aren’t I! When I think about all the temples which were destroyed, the conversions by Muslim and Christian rulers (in Goa especially) under torture, the insidious conversions by missionaries, the taking over of our holiest sites like Mathura by the Muslim rulers, the way our own ancient history has been coloured and changed to suit the Eurocentric worldview, and so on, I am so very saddened by all this history. Like many other Hindus, I have always had a very secular mindset. Our thinking is influenced by our scriptures which say things like:
इन्द्रं मित्रं वरुणमग्निमाहुरथो दिव्यः स सुपर्णो गरुत्मान् । एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्त्यग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानमाहुः ॥
indram mitraṃ varuṇam agnim Ahur aTHO divyaḥ sa suparNO garutmAn | ekaṃ sad viprA bahudhA vadanti agniṃ yamam mAtarishvAnam Ahuḥ ||
They have styled (him, the Sun), Indra, Mitra, Varuṇa, Agni, and he is the celestial, well-winged Garutmat, for learned priests call one by many names as they speak of Agni, Yama, Mātariśvan.
Rig Veda 1.164.46
ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् | मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्या: पार्थ सर्वश: ||
ye yathA mAm prapadyantE tAnstathaiva bhajAmyaham
mama vartmAnuvartantE manuṣhyAḥ pArtha sarvashah
O Arjuna! In whatsoever form one seeks Me, I reach him in that form, for all mankind are but following the paths I laid down for them.
Bhagavat Gita, Chapter 4, Verse 11
I quote Shashi Tharoor “Tolerance, after all, implies that you have the truth, but will generously indulge another who does not; you will, in an act of tolerance, allow him the right to be wrong. Acceptance, on the other hand, implies that you have a truth but the other person may also have a truth; that you accept his truth and respect it, while expecting him to respect (and accept) your truth in turn. This practice of acceptance of difference—the idea that other ways of being and believing are equally valid—is central to Hinduism and the basis for India’s democratic culture.“. Herein lies the problem, I think. We assume that just as we respect their truth, others will respect ours. But that is anathema to Abrahamic religions, is it not. Their faith demands that ‘infidels’ be either converted or destroyed. If one keeps tolerating, finally there will be none left to do the tolerating! Yet, we are what we are. If we change this idea of tolerance and acceptance, we will no longer be following our faith. A dilemma.
But let us set all that aside and celebrate the new temple at Ayodhya with some music, shall we?
I have chosen this beautiful kriti by Tyagaraja in raga Yadukula Kambhoji to celebrate the day. It is no surprise that Tyagaraja, who had devoted his life to Lord Rama, celebrated Him every day (nityotsavam). The Utsava Sampradaya Kritis were used by Tyagaraja for his daily worship, from waking him up, welcoming him to his dais every morning, then admiring his form, celebrating his wedding with songs for every occasion, and songs for putting him to bed at night. These songs were not written for others to listen or admire; they were a very personal dialogue between a devotee and his Lord. Hecharikaga is the first of those kritis, which welcome Lord Rama with beautifully descriptive words. With the same words, let us welcome Rama to the new Ayodhya temple.
To present this song, I have chosen a rendition by the great Balamurali Krishna; I have had this CD from the nineties and have an affection for it.
Footnote (Lyrics and Translation):
Composer: Tyagaraja
Raga: Yadukula Kambhoji
Language: Telugu
Note- I do not speak Telugu; I have used various online resources for the lyrics and translation.
Transliteration in Devangari
पल्लवि
हॆच्चरिकगा रारा हे राम चन्द्र
हॆच्चरिकगा रारा हे सुगुण सान्द्र
अनुपल्लवि
पच्च विल्तुनिगन्न पालित सुरेन्द्र
चरणम् 1
कनक मयमौ मकुट कान्ति मॆरयगनु
घनमैन कुण्डल युगमुलु कदलगनु
घनमैन नूपुर युगम्बु घल्लननु
सनकादुलॆल्ल कनि सन्तसिल्लगनु
चरणम् 2
आणि मुत्याल सरुलल्ललाडगनु
वाणि पतीन्द्रुलिरु वरुस पॊगडगनु
माणिक्य सोपानमन्दु मॆल्लगनु
वीण पल्कुल विनुचु वेड्क चॆल्लगनु
चरणम्
निनु जूड वच्चु भगिनि करम्बु चिलुक
मनसु रञ्जिल्ल नी महिमलनु पलुक
मिनु वासुलॆल्ल विरुलनु चाल जिलुक
घन त्यागराजु कनुगॊन मुद्दु गुलुक
Transliteration in English
pallavi
hechcharikagA rArA hE rAma chandra
hechcharikagA rArA hE suguNa sAndra
anupallavi
pachcha viltuniganna pAlita surEndra
charaNam 1
kanaka mayamau makuTa kAnti merayaganu
ghanamaina kuNDala yugamu kadalaganu
ghanamaina nUpura yugambu ghallananu
sanakAdulella kani santasillaganu
charaNam 2
ANi mutyAla sarulallalADaganu
vANi patIndruliru varusa pogaDaganu
mANikya sOpAnamandu mellaganu
vINa palkula vinucu vEDka cellaganu
charaNam 3
ninu jUDa vachchu bhagini karambu chiluka
manasu ranjilla nI mahimalanu paluka
minu vAsulella virulanu chAla jiluka
ghana tyAgarAju kanugona muddu guluka
Translation
pallavi
O (hE) Lord rAmachandra! O (hE) Lord (implied) full of (sAndra) good qualities (suguNa)! Come (rArA) carefully (hechcharikagA)! [I think that perhaps hechcharika is ‘Hail’, equivalent to பராக்கு parAkku in Tamil, to call attention before the Lord enters. But most sources translate it as ‘carefully’ so I have followed suit]
anupallavi
O begetter (anna) of the one with the having green (pachcha, implying sugar cane) bow (villu) (Note-Manmatha holds a sugar cane bow)! O protector (pAlita) of Indra (surEndra)!
chanaNam 1
With the lustre (kAnti) of the golden (kanaka mayamau) crown (makuTa) gleaming (merayaganu), with a pair (yugamu) of great (ghanamaina) ear ornaments (kuNDala) swaying (kadalaganu), with a pair (yugambu) of great (ghanamaina) anklets (nUpura) tinkling (ghallanu – making a sound like ‘ghall’), as Sanaka and others (Adulu), everyone (ella) exults (santasillaganu) on beholding (kani) you (implied) – come carefully.
charaNam 2
With necklaces (sarulu) of faultless (ANi) pearls (mutyAla) swinging (allalADaganu), with Brahma, the husband (pati) of Sarawati (vANi), and Indra (indrulu) praising (pogaDaganu) on both (iru-two) sides (varusa-rows), on (andu) the bejewelled (maNikya) steps (sOpAnamu), listening (vinuchu) to the gentle (mellaganu) sound (palkula) of the Veena, to our delight (vEDka chellaganu) – Come carefully.
charaNam 3
With the mind (manasu) delighting (ranjilla) in your (nI) glory (mahimalanu) spoken (paluka) by the parrot (chiluka) in the hand (karambu) of your sister (bhagini) who comes (vaccu) to see (jUDa) you (ninu), with all (ella) celestials (minu-heaven, vAsulu-dwelling) showering (jiluka) lots of (cAla) flowers (virulanu), so that this honoured (ghana) Tyagaraja may behold (kanugona) your beauty (muddu) spread (guluka–ooze) – Come carefully.
Music To My Ears 
Very beautiful analysis. Enjoyed it.
Meera Ramachandran
Thank you Meera, for your very kind comment!
Cheers. Suja
Another incredible raga and kriti featured today. Yadhukala Kambhoji is at the very top echelon of my favourites. Thank you for featuring this after another favourite, Sama !
It’s not sung much these days – artists preferring to do gymnastics in a RTP rather than sing proper thukkadas which is usually where this ragam might feature.
One year when I went to the Tyagaraja Aradhana in Thiruvaiyaru, Bombay Jayshree sang this krithi. It was late evening and the air was still on the banks of the Cauvery. Sitting on the sands in front of the shrine, listening to the strains of Yadhukula Kambhoji, it was an experience that is unlikely to be forgotten.
A digression. Nobody sings the three charanams you have listed. As in most kritis they sing only the charanam that bears the stamp of the composer. Why ??? Instead of meandering Neravals or “nochu nochu” (!) swarams, why wouldn’t artistes sing all the charanams , at least occasionally as the Saint intended them to be sung.
Indeed, Ramesh, Yadukula Kambhoji is a good follow up after Sama. The mood remains gentle and reflective, doesn’t it! Many years ago, i had done a post on Kalai Thookki of which I’m very fond – I learnt to dance to it when i was 8 or 9 and have never quite stopped loving that kriti or the raga. I don’t know why it is not sung. Maybe neither the artists nor the audiences have the savadhanam needed? Your memory of the kriti sounds magical. When music leaves a mark like that in the spirit, it is at its best.
As to the charanams, most kritis seem to have more charanams than are normally sung. Again, i will blame shorter attention spans. Kutcheris used to run to 4 hrs or more, didn’t they? Now with shorter concerts it must be hard to fit everything in. But i hear you 🙂
Cheers. Suja
Thank you for this beautiful piece, ma’am! I have come to know about this category called utsava sampradaya kritis because of this post. Please keep writing. It’s music to the ears and eyes, as well 🙂
Thank you Sahithya for your compliments ! I will try to keep writing 🙂 This is the first time you have commented here; I hope to see your comments from time to time too!
Cheers. Suja
I have deleted a comment thread which related to different religions and their ‘modus operandi’. I am not interested in engaging in any discussion regarding this; I am sure there are other sites/blogs where these things can be argued ad nauseum. Readers are welcome to leave polite comments relating to music in general or in particular to a post; comments relating to other matters are not appropriate here. I do, and will, delete all such comments.
Madam, Thank You! Regards, S.Chandrasekaran.
My pleasure !
Cheers. Suja
Dear Suja, Jai Sri Ram. Warm Greetings. This is to extend my sincere appreciation for the way you have boldly highlighted the issues with the Abrahamic Religions and why people like Shashi Tharoor are misguided and misguiding. As you have rightly pointed out while Sanatana Dharma is truly catholic in nature, other faiths begin with the seed of passive violence: it is either this way or no way at all.
The second reason that prompted me to pen this comment to you is your choice of the musician. In the name of sangathis, many so called stalwarts have comfortably buried the sahitya-bhavam and indulged in mini-explorations of the raga at the cost of meaning/purport of the lyrics.
To relate to /render a Thyagaraja Swami krithi, one needs to be as divinely mad as him or as madly divine as him 🙂 When i saw the picture of your grandson (Sadananda Thandavam – swimming on the floor – with helmet on) the first thought that came to me was – thank God, the child has protection! God Bless! – all of us, as parents, understand that feeling of anxiety and concern – raising kids helps us mature in many ways 🙂 ) This krithi is addressed to Baala Ram – please tread softly, come slowly – and one can see the anxiety and concern of Swami. In such renditions, Sri BMK Gaaru simply excels: eschewing needless and frills-rich sangathis, he focuses only on the sahitya bhava and brings out the poignant appeal of the song. (One recalls with a shudder how Nagumomu had been getting mauled till he arrived on the scene- a song with a touch of pathos was almost converted into a Tom-Chasing-Jerry piece, thanks to many instrumentalisits and even some so called senior musicians-that’s another story)
Lest we forget, one needs to listen to live recordings of Balamuraligaaru – to gain insightful glimpses into how sangathis closely aligned with the sahityam can give us ineffable rasa-anubhava. Last 15 days or so, I was so totally immersed in Toli ne jesina puja phalamu – and the sangathis BMKgaaru sings in each of the renditions give us a hint of the helpless state of Sri Thyagaraja Swami. When time permits, please do listen to this below – especially at the points sarivaaralalo and haridasa rahita puramuna …. Rather a long note, thanks for your patience
The sixth song at 1:10:28 – 6) toli nE jEsina- SuddhabangALa, Adi, Thyagaraja
I have heard 4-5 renditions of his… this is the best version in my humble opinion….
May your posts continue to inspire many souls! Sincere prayers and appreciation!
R Sankara Prasad (R S Prasad)
Thank you for your appreciative comment, I am grateful!
I do not normally comment on religions except my own, I believe in ‘live and let live’. And my quoting Shashi Tharoor was only to bring the point across that Hinduism is a religion which ‘accepts’ and not merely ‘tolerates’. However, we cannot ignore history. What has happened has to be seen in the light of truth, not politics. I hope God shines the light of truth on all.
I have a great affection for BMK’s music as my childhood home was filled with the sound of his voice (my mother’s favourite) and Madurai Mani Iyer (my father’s favourite). I do not speak Telugu, so my appreciation of his expressiveness is limited to what I understand from translations. However, his expressions are unmistakable.
Thank you for the link. I will listen soon.
Cheers. Suja