KSHETRA KIRTANAS
P. Sreenivasan
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Kshetra kirtanas refer
to compositions in praise of the deity of a specific town or place. Usually,
great composers, when they visit a temple town compose songs in praise of the
deity of the temple. Thyagaraja Swami followed a
similar practice. Many of Thyagaraja Swami's kshetra kirtanas are very
popular and well-known for their musical richness and complexity. At the invitation of a great savant
- Srimad Upanishad Brahmam
of Kancheepuram, Swami undertook a pilgrimage.
Incidentally, it may be mentioned that Srimad
Upanishad Brahmam was a great scholar and saint. He
wrote commentaries on the 108 Upanishads. He was also the schoolmate of Thyagaraja Swami's father, Sri Ramabrahmam.
Being of old age and unable to travel, Sri Upananishad
Brahmam, who was then living in Kancheepuram,
asked Thyagaraja to visit him at Kancheepuram At about the same time, Lalgudi
Rama Iyer, a disciple of Swami, invited him to visit Lalgudi.
Swami consented and visited Lalgudi where he composed
and sang what are known as the Lalgudi Pancharathnams. He composed five kritis
- two on Saptharisheeswar and three on is divine
consort, Srimathi. It is interesting to know that Lalgudi is the only kshetra
where he sang both on the Lord and his consort. In the other kshetras, the songs are either on the Lord or only on his
consort. The krits sung at Lalgudi are: Easapahimam (Kalyani); Deva Sri Thapastheertha (Madhyamavati) - both on Sri Sapthareeshswara; Lalithe (Bharivai); Gathineevani (thodi); and Mahitha Pravrutha (Kamboji), all three on Sri Ambal. Other Kshetra
Kritis: From Lalgudi,
Swami went to Kancheepuram where he composed three
songs: Varadhanavaneeta (Pancharam),
Varadaraja Ninnukori (Swarabooshani) and Vinayakuni (Madhyamavati). Then, at the invitation f one Kovur Sundaresa Mudaliar, he visited Kovur
(near Thyagaraja Swami also visited
Thirupathi. At Thirupathi, he composed "Thera Theeyakaraada"
(Gowlipanthu). Here, he also sang "Venkatesaninnu sevimpa"
(Madhyamavati). He later went to Thiruvottiyur, near Madras, where sang on
the presiding deities -- "Kannathalli" (Saveri);
"Sundarininnu" (Arabhi); "Sundarinee divya roopamu"
(Kalyani); Sundari nannindarilo" (Begada) and " "Dharini
thelusu konti" (Sudha Saveri). At Sirkazhi, Swami sang, "Neevanti
Deivamu" (Thodi). At Nagapattinam, he sang "Karmame
Balvanthamayenu" (Saveri) and "Evaru theliyapoyaru" (Thodi). Swami also visited other towns. At
Sri Rangam, he sang "Joothamurare" (Arabhi), "Rajuvedala"
(Thodi), "Vinradana manavini" (Devagandhari),
"Karunajoodumayya" (Saranga) and "O! Rangasayee"
(Kamboji). Some scholars include Hetsarikagaraa" (Yadukulakamboji) among
the group of Srirangam kritis since the kriti refers to Veena upachara,
muthangi seva, etc. But, other scholars believe that is only the
"hetsarika" part of the Utsava Sampradaya kirtana, inviting the
lord to take his seat in the koluvu that refers to Srirangam and not the
entire kriti. Although Swami lived in
Thiruvayaru, he composed several kritis that were in praise of the local
deity and describing the town of Thiruvayaru. Some of these compositions
include: "Karunajoodavamma" (Thodi); "Parasakthi"
(Saveri); "Sivepahimam" (Kalyani); "Amma Dharmasamvardhini"
(Atana); Vidhichakradulaku" (Yamunakalyani) "Ehi
Thrijagadeesa" (Saranga), "Ilalo pranatharthi" (Atana),
"Evarunnaru" (Malavasri), "Machatabrahma" (Madhyamavati),
"Parasakthi manuparada" (Saveri), "Neevee brovavale"
(Saveri), and "Bale balendu booshani" (Ritigowla). There also other
compositions praising the beauty of Thiruvayyaru. Each of these sthala or Kshetra kritis are gems that continue to shine with utmost brightness. |