Irayimman Thampi
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Thampi
The Thampis are the sons of the Samanthan Nair Maharajahs of Travancore and their morganatic wives belonging to Illathu Nair or other similar Kshatriya castes...
better known as Irayimman Thampi (1782–1856) was a Carnatic music
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
ian as well as a music composer from Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He was a vocalist in the court of Swathi Thirunal. His compositions include the lullaby Omanathinkal Kidavo.
Life
Born as Ravi Varman Thampi in 1783 to Kerala Varma Thampuran of the Royal family of Travancore and Parvathi Pillai Thankachi of the Puthumana AmmaveeduAmmaveedu
Ammaveedus were the residences of the consorts of the Maharajahs of Travancore in Trivandrum. The descendants of the Maharajahs were considered as members of these Ammaveedus, with a status next only to royalty...
Thampi
Thampi
The Thampis are the sons of the Samanthan Nair Maharajahs of Travancore and their morganatic wives belonging to Illathu Nair or other similar Kshatriya castes...
family, daughter of Prince Makayiram Thirunal Ravi Varma and niece of the Maharajah Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja
Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharajah of Travancore from 1758 until his death in 1798. He succeeded his uncle Marthanda Varma, who is credited with the title of "maker of modern Travancore"...
of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
. (Prince Makayiram Thirunal was the younger brother of Dharma Raja). He was named after his grandfather and was known as Ravi Varman Thampi which was popularised as Irayimman Thampi. Thampi was brought up at a house called Kizhake Madhom by his parents. His early education was from his father but later he went under the tutorship of Shankaran Elayathu in grammar, linguistics and Sanskrit literature. He wrote his first poem when he was fourteen and dedicated it to Karthika Thirunal Dharmaraja
Dharmaraja
Dharmaraja refers to several things in Buddhism and Hinduism:* Dharmaraja, the original Sanskrit term for Chogyal, which may refer to a secular ruler of Sikkim or Bhutan, or a higher-ranking monk in Tibetan Buddhism...
of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
. Since then he occupied an enviable position in the Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
court.
Irayiman Thampi married Kalli Pillai Thankachi, daughter of his maternal uncle Puthumana Krishnan Thampi, and together they had seven children including a daughter who continued her father's artistic and poetic legacy, Lakshmi Kutty Pillai Thankachi, better known as Kutty Kunju Thankachi (1820–1914). She grew into a prominent poetess and got many rewards from her cousin and king Swathi Thirunal. Another daughter of Thampi was married by Sri Narayanan Thampi of Arumana, son of Maharajah Visakham Thirunal
Visakham Thirunal
Visakham Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharaja of the erstwhile Indian kingdom of Travancore from 1880-1885 AD. He succeeded his elder brother Maharajah Ayilyam Thirunal to the throne of Travancore.-Early life:...
. Irayimman Thampi was already thirty one years of age when Swathi Thirunal Maharajah was born. Irayimman Thampi wrote the famous lullaby Omanathinkal Kidavo for Swathi Thirunal. Irayimman Thampi died in the year 1856.
Maharajah Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma was the Maharaja of the state of Travancore , in India. He reigned under the regency of his mother Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi from 1813 till 1815 and henceforth under the regency of his aunt Maharani Gowri Parvati Bayi from 1815 till 1829...
is known to have referred to Ravi Varman Thampi as Thampi maman (uncle Thampi). He had the occasion to write a lullaby for Swathi Thirunal and ironically also wrote a charama sloka for Swathi in 1848.
Kutti Kunju Thankachi, the daughter of Irayavarmman Thampi was also a composer. Born in 1820 at Thiruvananthapuram. Like her father, she too excelled in music & literature. Her father was her most influencial guru and her bhakti towards him is revealed through a number of her works. Her deep knowledge in Sanskrit and Malayalam is also seen in her works. Her excellence in music and vastness of knowledge are revealed in the works like Sivarathri Mahathmyam, Sithaswayamvaram,NarathamohanamThiruvathirapattukal), Kiratham,Nalacharitham(Kurathipattukal) Thiruvananthapuram Sthalapuranam, Vaikom sthalapuranam (Killippattukal), Parvathiswayamvaram,Srimathiswayamvaram,Mitherasahamoksham (Aattakathas),
Gangasnanam Thullal and the drama Anjnathavasom. Kunjikuttithankachi had created works of Sringara and Bhakti in pure Sanskrit and Manipravala. Her compositions include Karthyayani maam palaya sathatham (Kambhoji), Samajashahaharee (Kalyaani), Suryakodi samaprabhamakudei (Naatta), Pahi Mohanakrithei (Khamas), Sripavanapuresha (Surutty).Records show that Swathi Thirunal gifted a Vaal Kannadi (hand held mirror) when Thankachi turned 13. This mirror is still treasured by the descendent of Thankachi Sri.Kizhakke madom Govindan nair, who is a noted historian. He also treasures a note book of Thankachi in which compositions of both Swathi Thirunal and Irayimman Thampi are written down.
Compositions
Some of his KritiKriti
-Structure:Kritis typically contain three parts#Pallavi. This is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music.#Anupallavi. The second verse, which is sometimes optional....
s (Compositions) are
- Omanathinkal Kidavo - set in RāgaRagaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
Neelambari - Karuna Cheyvan - set in RāgaRagaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
Shriragam - Somapoma - set in RāgaRagaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
Saveri - Aarodu Cholvene - set in RāgaRagaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
Nadamakriya - nIlavarNa pAhimAM- set in RāgaRagaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
Surutti - Adimalar - set in RāgaRagaA raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
Mukhari - Ambā gauri girikanyē - stava varNam - Ārabhi
- Pāhimām giritanayē - sāvērī - miśra cāpu
- nityamāśrayē - rītigauḷa - Ādi
- kamalādikalām - khāmbhōji