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Book Review
Varnam anthology
PAPPU VENUGOPALA RAO
JANAKA RAAGA VARNA MANJARI (English-Telugu): Rs. 300. GHANA RAGA VARNA PANCHAKAM (English-Telugu): Rs. 60. Nallan Chakravarthy Murthy; Pub. by Ajanta Arts Academy, 401, Pragati Residency, Street No.9. East Maredupally, Secunder abad-500026. Two collections of varnams , one in the 72 Mela karta ragas and the other in Ghana ragas with English transliteration
As the title suggests, this book is a collection of 72 varnams in the janaka ragas. Musicologists believe that the 72 mela karthas form the foundation of the entire gamut of music. Any music can be learnt with ease, if one understands the structure of the 72 janaka ragas and their notes.
The concept of raga, raga alapana and manodharma are salient features of Indian music alone. To acquire a complete knowledge of Indian music, mastery of the 72 mela karthas is imperative.
The book consists of compositions in all the 72 mela karthas. These are 72 tana varnams with extremely simple lyrics with pallavi, anupallavi and a charanam.
Some of the compositions are in Sanskrit and some in Telugu. The literature, music, mukthayi swaras and chitta swaras are beautifully embedded in the tana varnams. A discerning eye may find some lyrics not so appealing but musically they score a point.
Features
A careful look also reveals the impact of Balamurali Krishna’s style in many compositions, which the author himself confesses in his note. The author approaches the subject with a scientific analysis.
The book comes with a chart of the 72 mela karthas, an English transliteration, phonetic chart for English script, key to symbols employed and with complete notations for all the varnams. About 40 carry raga mudras and all the 72 have the signature, mudra of the composer. Forty of the compositions in vivadi notes, may be uncomfortable for a singer, but the author has taken care to make them easier. A commendable contribution to the field of music which will be useful to students and scholars of music.
Ghana Raga Varna Panchakam is a collection of varnams in five ghana ragas — nata, gowla, arabhi, varali and sri — in adi talam. This is a new effort because there are tana varnams in the ghana ragas but not many pada varnams. The five compositions deal respectively with Sarveswara, Ganesha, Shiva, Saraswathi and the Guru. The number of charanams varies from five to seven.
This book comes with notation and the lyrics are in Telugu with English transliteration. Though they are written in Telugu, many compositions reflect compound words mostly in Sanskrit. The pada varnams with notation will help both students and performing artists. A laudable effort.
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