The following is the link of the song composed by the great Muthuswami Dikshitar and sung by Ranjani-Gayathri sisters and accompanied by Arun Prakash on the Mridangam, Guruprasad on the Ghatam and Charumathi Raghuram on the Violin. The song is titled Rangapuravihaara, which means the one who resides at Rangapuram ie Srirangam. The song is in praise of Lord Vishnu who is known in different forms, perceived in different perspectives and worshipped in different ways. The song also hails about Lord Rama whose temple is at Srirangam. Muthuswami Dikshitar has expressed his devotion to the lord and chosen the right raga for expressing the same. The song is based on the raga Brindaavanasaaranga. Brindavanasaaranga is a rare, gem of a raga that is so pleasing to the mind. The raga has naturally got emotions tied over it which keeps the listener attached to the song. The song lyrics, the raga, the singers and the accompaniment keeps you afloat and takes to Rangapuram for 7 odd minutes.
The singers in this particular song (Ranjani and Gayathri) take full liberty to play around the raga as the raga wanders in the listeners mind. It creates a sort of happiness in the mind when this particular song is heard in this particular raga. The raga offers the freedom to show the devotion to the Lord without any kind of inhibitions. Not just the composition but the lyrics penned by Muthuswami Dikshitar tells much about the devotion to the Lord. He has cleverly used the word Brindavanasaaranga as an acrostic which shows how creative he has been. The lyrics goes as follows:
Lyrics:
pallavi:
rahngapura vihara jaya kodandaramavatara raghuvIra shrI
anupallavi:
ahngaja janaka deva brndAvana sarahngendra varada ramantarahnga shyamalahnga vihahnga turahnga sadayApahnga satsahnga
caranam
pahnkajaptakula jalanidhi sOma vara pahnkaja mukha pattabhirama padapahmkaja jitakama raghurama vamahnka gata sItavara vesa shesahnka shayana bhakta Santos a enahnkaravi nayana mrdutarabhasa akakahnka darpana kapola vishesa munisankaTa harana govinda venkata ramana mukunda sahnkarSana mula kanda shahnkara guruguhananda
Meaning:
O resident of the town called Ranga! Victory to you who incarnated as Rama, the famed owner of the bow Kodanda! Brave scion of the Raghu clan! anupallavi: Father of Cupid! One who is as swift as the King of Deers in running to the aid of the devotees to remove their sufferings! Giver of boons! Resident in the heart of Lakshmi! Scarlet hued one! One with Garuda as his mount! Unsurpassed in compassion! Ever present in good company! caraNam: O Moon to the Ocean like Sun clan! Venerated lotus faced Rama, who was crowned as King! One whose feet are like lotus! Vanquisher of Cupid in beauty! Rama, of the clan of Raghu! Bridegroom of Sita who is on the left! Recliner on Sesha the great serpent! Delight of devotees! One with the Sun and Moon as two eyes! Soft spoken one! One with a forehead akin to an unblemished mirror! Destroyer of the sufferings of Sages! Govinda! Venkataramana! Mukunda! Sankarshana! Primordial root! Joy to Subrahmanya, the preceptor of Siva!
Arun Prakash does well with the Mridhangam taking dominance only in places required. He plays a vital role in augmenting the voices of the singers. The violin also does help in highlighting the singers' voice quality. Ghatam does a fair bit by just having subtle beats throughout the song without hampering the emotions of the song. Singers Ranjani and Gayathri, nevertheless, have been gifted with voices which has got the power to bring happiness to the mind. The alapanas in the middle apparently brings out the expertise of the singers. Brevity with which the notes are presented in the alapana make it sound mellifluous. The notable places are the ending notes. Those are handled softly. Raga is designed in such a way that the high and low notes are adjacent to each other giving very low space for the listener to get out of the song. The places of deva brndAvana sarahngendra, rahnga shyamalahnga, satsahnga rahngapura vihara makes the song a masterpiece. Other places in the caranam that are notable are sOma wherein there is a subtle variation in the note with dip to the lower note in middle and pattabhirama where there is a raise in the notes till padapahmkaja jitakama. The kama in the line would bring the Cupid down to the Earth. It just fits in very well with the next line starting with raghurama and vamahnka bringing out the lyrical expertise of the writer. The rest of the Caranam keeps you devoted to the song. The charanam ends with guruguhananda which marks the fact that the song was written by Muthuswami Dikshitar. Every song written by Muthuswami Dikshitar is marked by this word.
Overall. Brindavanasaaranga takes the listener to a whole new world. A world that is filled with positivity, With the Lord in the heart, the raga in the mind and the meaning of the lyrics in your head the level that you attain is the "Essence of Ecstacy".
The other version of the same song in the same raga in a different form( Carnatic Rock Fusion form) is the one presented by Agam the band (Rangapuravihaara). Unplugged version just gives the raga in a pure form. The Carnatic notes tried in the Electric Guitar by Praveen just grips you with the song. The link follows for listening.
The other forms in which you can find Brindavarasaaranga is in the film songs. Some of the songs which are based on the raga are
1. Punnondru kandaen Pennanguillai…sung by Shivaji Ganeshan with Balaji in the movie Padithaal Mattum Podhuma.
2.Konjum Mainakkale – Kandukonden Kandukonden wonderful piece of music by A.R Rahman.
3. Ninjakootil Neeye Nirkiraai – Dishyum a classic by Vijay Anthony.
and one of my all time favourites and did not know that it is based on this raga.
Indian rain by Colonial Cousins. Wonderful masterpiece. Now I know the real reason behind why the song attracts the listener.
- Satz
Overall. Brindavanasaaranga takes the listener to a whole new world. A world that is filled with positivity, With the Lord in the heart, the raga in the mind and the meaning of the lyrics in your head the level that you attain is the "Essence of Ecstacy".
The other forms in which you can find Brindavarasaaranga is in the film songs. Some of the songs which are based on the raga are
1. Punnondru kandaen Pennanguillai…sung by Shivaji Ganeshan with Balaji in the movie Padithaal Mattum Podhuma.
2.Konjum Mainakkale – Kandukonden Kandukonden wonderful piece of music by A.R Rahman.
3. Ninjakootil Neeye Nirkiraai – Dishyum a classic by Vijay Anthony.
and one of my all time favourites and did not know that it is based on this raga.
Indian rain by Colonial Cousins. Wonderful masterpiece. Now I know the real reason behind why the song attracts the listener.
- Satz
