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RR
29th November 2006, 03:01 PM
Maharaja Swati Tirunal

- Padmanabha

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In the land of Travancore reined a dynasty of Kings as cultured as they were brave. One among them was the musician among the Prince and Prince among the musicians - Maharaja Swati Tirunal - whose hearts passion burned like fire radiating fine musical compositions. The Maharaja’s death anniversary falls on 25 December.

Early Years

Born to Rani Lakshmi Bayi and Raja Raja Varma Koil Thampuran of Changanasserry on the 16th April 1813, Swati Tirunal provided a deep sigh of relief to TTravancore as there was heir. Rani Lakshmi was the Regent. Thus the Prince was theoretically sovereign even while in the womb and hence known to posterity by the auspicious title GARBHA SREEMAN A PERSON fortunate even en ventre sa mere. The mother gave birth to another son in 1815 and passed away. The two young Princes had an elder sister Rugmini Bayi. The three siblings were brought up by the Aunt Regent Rani Gauri Parvathi Bayi. Swati Tirunal is known to have very early evinced a remarkable taste for poetry. On 21 April, 1829, he assumed the direct charges of the country.

A multifaceted personality, he combined in his person statecraft, erudition, and linguistic ability. If Maharaja Marthanda Varma extended his domain his successor Dharma Raja consolidated it during his reign of 40 years Swati Tirunal made the civilized by enhancing dignity and prestige of the royal house.

An anecdote

A much admired ruler, anecdotes which put the spotlight on his brilliance are many. Once during the aarat procession of Sri Padmanabha, a howdah elephant ran amuck and the crowd ran pell-mell for safety. Swati Tirunal cast a fiery glance at the animal. It did not move for a brief period giving the mahouts enough time to rush and chain it. This convinced the people that he was really an avatar of Narasimha.

Administration

He brought law and order in the land by establishing regular court of justice and organized police force. The fight against ignorance was initiated by imparting education. He introduced English education, started free school which resulted in the unprecedented intellectual upheaval which made Travancore one of the foremost civilized Indian states.

He established the general hospital, organized PWD irrigation department survey and settlements of lands, instituted the first observatory in Asia, the present public library(1837), department of museum and zoo, etc owe to him. The First Almanac was printed in1840.

His Highness knew many languages and is the author of Sree Padmanabha Sathaka, Bhaktimanjari, Syanandura pura varnana prabandam, Utsava prabandam and Yayathicharitham.
The talent for composing music was inherent in him. Karthika Tirunal Rama Varma and Aswati Tirunal Rama Varma were exponents in composing Attakathas. Graceful movements, charm of diction and suggestiveness of sentiment, are the special features of the works. Swati Tirunal was deeply influenced by Margadershi Sesha Iyengar the 17th century composer. The monarch musician generalized in his work Muhana prasa Antya prasa Vyavastha as guidelines to be observed by all composers. Presence of erudite and accomplished masters of music in his court and the contact he established with celebrities like Vadivel (disciple of Muthuswamy Deekshithar), Kanniah Bhagavathar (disciple of Saint Thyagaraja) and Govinda Marar. He had the opportunity to learn western music from Schwartz. It was Swati Tirunal who introduced violin to South Indian Music.

General Cullen’s unfriendly attitude and interference in the daily affairs had a serious effect on His Highness. It was at this juncture that he composed Vairagya krithis. He composed songs in six languages and the compositions include kirtana, varna, pada, khayal, drupad and tillana. He is the first South Indian musician to compose songs in Hindusthani Ragas.

The renowned poet Irayimman Thampi of the royal court penned an immortal lullaby Omana thingal kidavo for this baby prince. Col. John Munro presented a silver umbrella with emerald pendants to the deity Lord Padmanabha ( Nagammaih TSM VOL-I), even to this day it is taken duringSeeveli (Temple festival).

Col. Munro and the Regent Rani paid special attention in the grooming of the children. Kochu Pilla Variyar of Harippad was appointed to teach Sanskrit. Their father Raja Raja Varma instructed them in sastras. Ramavarma Vijayam (THE JOURNAL OF THE KERALA UNIVERSITY Oriental Manuscript Library VOL.16 NO: 4 1967) a contemporary literature says that Swati Tirunal had mastery over 18 languages. Tanjore Subba Rao popularly known as English Subba Rao was appointed to teach English. This master was a multifaceted personality who could enrich the Maharaja’s interest in Music. Besides imparting lessons in languages he taught him swarbat a musical instrument and Carnatic music as practiced in his home town Tanjore. Karamana Subramanya Bhagavathar taught him music. Subba Rao with his influence brought the Tanjore Quartette - Vadivelu, Sivanandam, Chinnaya Ponnayya ; Kannaya Bhagavathar the disciple of Tyagaraja and Meruswami known as kokila kanda, to Travancore.

In 1829 Swati Tirunal assumed power and in the next year appointed Subba Rao his tutor, as the Dewan. In the same year he bestowed Pattum Parivattavum (wedded) Narayani Pillai Thankachi of Thiruvattar.
For administrative conveniences the Huzur Cutchery and other public offices were shifted to Thiruvananthapuram from Kollam and bribery and corruption were declared as serious offences.

To promote English Education he started an English school in 1834 and soon similar schools in other places. He introduced the three-tier judicial system. He codified the laws and amended them suitably according to the social changes. He appointed Kunden Menon from Malabar and constituted a committee and the judiciary became well organized. He introduced the western system of treatment and started a charity hospital (General Hospital).Under the supervision of Lt Horsely Karamana Bridge, maintenance of palaces were executed. CALDECOTT took the initiative to establish the Observatory In 1837 he established the Printing Department and Anglo Indian Department of Travancore issued the first Almanac in 1840.The Oriental Manuscript Library world famous by its publication of Sanskrit series may be said to owe its origin to Swati Tirunal.. This ruler introduced the Census in 1836 and then population in Travancore was 13 lakhs . Dairy farming was given due importance and cow stalls were constructed where finest breeds from as far of places like Gujarat Surat, Nellore, were reared and foreign breeds from Britain. His collection of wild animals leads to the formation of the Zoo.

He reformed the State Force on the lines of the British force and named it the Nair Brigade. The costumes were akin to the British troops. Another major reform was the ban of Suchhendram Kiamukku.(It is an ordeal by which the hands of the culprit are dipped in molten ghee at Sucheendram.)

A man of letters, his major works include Bhaktimanjari, Syanadhura pura varnana prabahndam, and Padmanabha sathakam. Bhaktimanjari expose the nature and form of bhakti. It consists of 1000 verses divided into 10 satakas of 100 each and is modelled after Narayaniyam of Melpathur.

“The work is remarkable for the expressiveness and sweetness of the language generally used the flowing nature of the style employed and the ease and naturalness of the figures of speech found throughout which are quite in keeping with the sense of devotion with which the work is replete” remarked T.Ganapathy Sastry in the introduction to his edition of Bhaktimanjari.

Syanadurapura varnanaPrabhandam is a kavya and a stotra though it is interspersed with a number of passages praising the Almighty. It deals with the legends of SREE PADMANABHA and the festivals celebrated there.

Padmanabha sataka is a stotra addressed to the Lord Padmanabha in 100 verses describing the greatness and glory of the Lord. The writings are either praises of His glory or prayers of His bhakti and they reveal his self surrender to Lord Padmanabha.

In 1829 he performed Tulapurushdana. He was weighed against gold which was distributed among the people. Hiranyagarbham was conducted in 1834 and he assumed the title of Kulasekhara Perumal.
Swati Tirunal effected several innovations in the Padmanabha temple as a humble vassal to his tutelary deity to put the routine in codified basis. He standardized the music and especially composed songs to suit the various occasions including the festival celebrated every six months and ponnum seeveli held on certain lunar days and asterisms. On Thiru onam day he introduced the mangalavadyam which consists of 4 kurumkuzhal (thimiri nadaswaram) 2 ootus 2 tavils, conch flute and magudi (pampin nagadaswaram).

The Royal Residence

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Puthen Malika [Kuthira Malika] his residence seemed suspended in time. The silence is eerie punctuated by the explanations of the guides. A sojourn through the rich, traditionally built aesthetic rooms which once reverberated with the musical notes and the tingling of anklets is indeed delightful.

Built in 1846 the palace is located a few yards away from the eastern entrance of Sree Padamanabha Temple. As against the principles of cosmology or sacred geology the structure is built facing the south. On seeing the direction and the figures of the horses in the gables the Monarch reportedly remarked “my chariot is moving towards the south and I think I would also be moving towards the south soon.” As coincidence would have it he did move to the south when he died in 1022 ME [ 25 December 1847 AD].

As we enter, the insignia of Travancore and the portrait of Swati Tirunal greet us. Huge Belgium mirrors reflect our images. Sixteen rooms opened to the public view have sixteen different types of ceilings, carved in wood in a unique pattern with tiny floral patterns along cornices.

Fourteen wooden Kathakali figurines in the thekkan style sculpted by Elvangadan Asari of Mavelikkara during the reign of Chithira Tirunal, idols in marbles, elephant howdahs, ivory cradle, 250 years old wooden idols of Krishna, Rama, and Anjaneya stand regally. The weapons used by Travancore Kings, artilleries used in the Colachel war and the portraits of the Travancore royalty including a huge portrait of Chithira Tirunal by Roerich are also on the display.

On the first floor is the library of Swati Tirunal. Its ceiling is intricately carved. A huge lotus encircled by mural paintings enhances the beauty of the chamber. The ivory throne of Swati Tirunal, crystal glass throne of Visakhom Tirunal, Ettumanur Appan carved in single piece of wood, Chinese dragons, cheena bharanis, musical instruments used by Swati Tirunal and the musical tree make for interesting viewing.

The Maharaja apparently composed some of his important compositions sitting in the wooden balcony with four windows. Through one of the windows you can see the golden dwaja sthamaba and the gopuram of the Sree Padmanabha swami Temple. The long corridors of the palace once echoed the musical offerings of Palakkad Parameswara Bhagavathar, Irayimmen Thampi, Shadkala Govinda Marar, Meru Swamy, and the Tanjore Quartet is silent now.

Kuthira Malika has left a mark on the architectural wealth of Kerala. Ornamental designs and motifs add grandeur to the structure. Come out and have a look at this whimsical building. Its proportion and the workmanship, reveals a perfect physical balance. Have one more glimpse. There’s one note rings in your mind: “Those were the days…”

Songs

Here are a few links where you can listen to his songs:

1. http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/carnatic_vocal/m/composer.288/
2. http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/carnatic_vocal/m/composer.3/
3. http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/carnatic_vocal/m/composer.342/

Swati Sangeetholsavam

Annually Swati Sangeetholsavam is held here from 6 January to 13 January. The concert is open to the public. Obviously only the Compositions of the Maharaja are sung.

The following is the schedule of the swati sangeetholsavam 2007, it will be held at the royal residence of the maharaja:

Jan 06 Saturday Day : 1

6.pm Vocal : Sanjay Subrahmaniam
Violion : M R Gopinath
Mridangam : K Arun Prakash
Ghatam : S Kartick

Jan 07 Sun Kuthiramalika Day : 2

6pm Vocal : Prince Rama Varma
Violin : S R Vinu
Mridangam : B Harikumar
Ghatam : S Karthick
Morsing : Payyannur Govindaprasad

Jan 08 Mon Kuthiramalika Day : 3

6pm Vocal : Shencottah HariharaSubramoniam
Violin : M A Sundaresan
Mridangam : R Ananthakrishnan
Kanjira : B S Purushothaman
Ghatam : Uduppi Sreedhar

Jan 09 Tue Kuthiramalika Day : 4

5.30pm to 6.30pm Group Music, Students, University Dept of Music

6.30pm VEENA : Sivakumar
Mridangan : Kallekulangara P Unnikrishnan
Ghatam : P L Sudhir
Morsing : P K Santhosh

Jan 10 Wed Kuthiramalika Day : 5

6pm Vocal : Sangeetha Sivakumar
Violin : Attukal Balasubramaniam
Mridangam : Dr G Babu
Ghatam : Adichanallur Anil Kumar

Jan 11 Thu Kuthiramalika Day : 6

6pm HINDUSTANI Vocal : Pandit Ganpathy Bhatt & Party

Jan 12 Fri Kuthiramalika Day : 7

6pm Vocal : T M Krishna
Violin : R K Sreeramkumar
Mridangam : B Harikumar
Ghatam : V. Mohanram

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krishnamjc
19th December 2006, 12:31 PM
please visit http://www.carnaticindia.com the complete site on south indian music