On `Viriboni' varnam
This is with reference to the review of a recital by Mohan Santhanam, `Gets the right perspective,' in these columns on June 9. The writer, Lalithaa Krishnan had mentioned that Mohan sang the Ata tala varnam `Viriboni' in Bhairavi. A reference was made to an additional third swaram in the charanam that he sang attributing it to Sangita Kalanidhi Mudicondan Venkatarama Iyer.
I wish to clarify certain facts here. The Telugu text of Subbarama Dikshitar's ``Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini" was translated into Tamil by Dr. S. Ramanathan under the guidance and supervision of my guru Mudicondan Sri Venkata Rama Iyer and T.L Venkata Rama Iyer. This was brought out by the Music Academy in1968. The Bhairavi Varnam is given in the book with four swarams in the charanam and an anubandham. I have learnt it that way from my guru, not because he composed the additional swaram but because that is the way it is given in the original Telugu ``Sangita Sampradaya Pradarshini" published in 1904. I have a copy of the book in Telugu for reference.
A lot of musicians today sing the varnam with only three swarams in the charanam and hence the confusion. It is important that the facts are brought to the attention of the readers and the record made straight. The swaram was not a later creation of Mudicondan Venkatarama Iyer but was part of the original composition by the legendary Pachimiryam Adiyappayya.
R. Vedavalli (Musician),
Chennai.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
