Muthu Thandavar
Encyclopedia
Muthu Thandavar was composer of Carnatic music
. He was an early architect of the present day Carnatic kriti
(song) format, which consists of the pallavi
(refrain), anupallavi
and charanam
. He lived in the town of Sirkazhi
in Tamil Nadu
. His contributions to Carnatic music have been largely forgotten and not many of his kritis are in vogue today. Muthu Thandavar, along with Arunachala Kavi
(1712–1779) and Marimutthu Pillai
(1717–1787) are known as the Tamil Trinity
of Carnatic music
.
Muthu Thandavar also composed several padams, short songs mainly sung accompanying Bharatanatyam
performances. Some of these padams are still popular such as Teruvil Varano in raga
Kamas and Ittanai tulambaramo in raga Danyasi.
,in a family of instrumental musicians who served the temples. They were known as Isai Vellalar
(those who cultivate music). He was named Thandavan after the deity at Chidambaram.
As a youngster, Thandavan suffered an incurable wasting disease which caused havoc on his health and appearance. He was not able to follow the family profession on account of this debilitating condition. He was also shunned by everybody.
But Taandavar proved a sickly child with severe skin infection. His only friend was a musical neighbour called Shivabhagyam, who sang to him daily of Shiva, though everyone protested. His own family turned him out because his disease had made him so loathsome. He used to visit a to hear her sing and dance. Thandavan was inspired by the devotional songs sung by Sivabhagyam and began composing with the encouragement of the daughter of the Chidambaram Temple priest. He used to catch a few strands of the words of the devotees who came to worship at the temple and used them in his songs on prise of Nataraja
the presiding deity at the temple. He continued the daily ritual of singing in the temple. Thandavan was a pioneer in composing padams sung during dance performances. Teruvil Vaarano is a classic padam and a delight even today for dancers and audience alike. Taandavar subsisted on the local temple’s prasad, growing sicker by the day.
Crawling one day into the temple’s palanquin store, he fainted away. The priests put out the lamps and locked up for the night. Awaking in the dark, Taandavar called out weakly to God. The priest’s little daughter soon appeared, carrying food. She fed and comforted the boy, advising him to go to Chidambaram and compose a new song every day to Nataraja with the first words he heard in the temple. Next morning, the priests found Taandavar healed and glowing with such lustre that they wonderingly named him ‘Mutthu Taandavar’ (‘mutthu’ means ‘pearl’). The boy realised then that it was Parvati, worshipped as ‘Lokanayaki’ in Seergazhi, who had come disguised to him.
Off went Mutthu Taandavar to the Kanaka Sabha (‘Golden Halls’, another name for Chidambaram). His first song began with the words, “Bhuloka Kailayagiri Chidambaram” and five gold pieces apparently appeared at Nataraja’s feet. Many songs followed. Once, he was not able to cross the river Kollidam so he sang the song the famous song Kanamal veenile kalam kazhithome in raagam Danyasi and the flood receded and gave way to him. One day, to his confusion, not a word was spoken in the temple. Taandavar could hear only his own desperate heart beat. He cried aloud, “Pesaade nenjamey!” (Speak not, my mind) and so composed the day’s song: his dependence on others was over.
One day, in 1640, they say, a great light appeared in Nataraja’s sanctum and 80-year-old Mutthu Taandavar was absorbed into it. Aptly, it was the day of the star ‘Poosham’, the very time Nataraja first danced his Ananda Tandava at Chidambaram.
or Kambhoji), Pesade Nenjame (Raga Todi
), Kaanaammal Vinile (Raga Dhanyasi
or kAmbhoji), Teruvil Varano (Raga Khamas), Unai Nambinen Ayya (Raga Keeravani
), Isane Koti Surya Prakasane (Raga Nalinakanti), Darisittalavil (Raga Latangi
), Sevikka Vendumayya (Raga Andolika), Innum Oru Taram (Raga Simhendramadhyamam
), Ambara Cidambaram and Innum Oru Stalam (Raga Suratti).
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...
. He was an early architect of the present day Carnatic kriti
Kriti
-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....
(song) format, which consists of the pallavi
Pallavi
In Carnatic music pallavi is the thematic line of a song. It is usually one cycle long and repeated twice in order to give the percussionist the idea of the chosen taalam...
(refrain), anupallavi
Anupallavi
In Carnatic music, the anupallavi comes after the pallavi and is usually the second section of any composition. It is then followed by one or more charanams. The anupallavi is optional. In such compositions pallavi is followed by one or more charanams....
and charanam
Charanam
Charanam in Carnatic music is usually the end section of a composition which is sung after the anupallavi....
. He lived in the town of Sirkazhi
Sirkazhi
Sirkazhi , is a city and a municipality in Nagapattinam district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located just 10 km from the Bay of Bengal; 5 km from Kollidam; 20 km from Chidambaram; 250 km from Chennai and 90 km from Pondicherry.-Geography:Sirkazhi is located at...
in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. His contributions to Carnatic music have been largely forgotten and not many of his kritis are in vogue today. Muthu Thandavar, along with Arunachala Kavi
Arunachala Kavi
Arunachala Kavi was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He was born in Tillaiyadi in Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu. The three Tamil composers Arunachala Kavi, Muthu Thandavar and Marimutthu Pillai are considered the Tamil Trinity, who contributed to the evolution of Carnatic...
(1712–1779) and Marimutthu Pillai
Marimutthu Pillai
Marimutthu Pillai was a composer of Carnatic music and along with Arunachala Kavi and Muthu Thandavar was one of the pioneering Tamil Trinity of Carnatic music. He was a contemporary of Arunachala Kavi....
(1717–1787) are known as the Tamil Trinity
Tamil Trinity
The Tamil Trinity commonly refers to the three Tamil composers of early Carnatic music. They were Muthu Thandavar , Arunachala Kavi and Marimutthu Pillai , and lived five decades before the Tiruvarur Trinity or Trinity of Carnatic Music...
of 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...
.
Muthu Thandavar also composed several padams, short songs mainly sung accompanying Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam
Bharata Natyam or Chadhir Attam, is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music...
performances. Some of these padams are still popular such as Teruvil Varano in raga
Raga
A 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...
Kamas and Ittanai tulambaramo in raga Danyasi.
Biography
Muththu Thandavar was born in SirkazhiSirkazhi
Sirkazhi , is a city and a municipality in Nagapattinam district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located just 10 km from the Bay of Bengal; 5 km from Kollidam; 20 km from Chidambaram; 250 km from Chennai and 90 km from Pondicherry.-Geography:Sirkazhi is located at...
,in a family of instrumental musicians who served the temples. They were known as Isai Vellalar
Isai Vellalar
Isai Velalar is a caste from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They are also known as Melakkarar. Isai Vellalars predominantly use the title of Pillai, with some using the title of Mudaliar.-Origin of name:...
(those who cultivate music). He was named Thandavan after the deity at Chidambaram.
As a youngster, Thandavan suffered an incurable wasting disease which caused havoc on his health and appearance. He was not able to follow the family profession on account of this debilitating condition. He was also shunned by everybody.
But Taandavar proved a sickly child with severe skin infection. His only friend was a musical neighbour called Shivabhagyam, who sang to him daily of Shiva, though everyone protested. His own family turned him out because his disease had made him so loathsome. He used to visit a to hear her sing and dance. Thandavan was inspired by the devotional songs sung by Sivabhagyam and began composing with the encouragement of the daughter of the Chidambaram Temple priest. He used to catch a few strands of the words of the devotees who came to worship at the temple and used them in his songs on prise of Nataraja
Nataraja
Nataraja or Nataraj , The Lord of Dance; Tamil: கூத்தன் ;Telugu:నటరాజ is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the cosmic dancer Koothan who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for god Brahma to start the process of creation...
the presiding deity at the temple. He continued the daily ritual of singing in the temple. Thandavan was a pioneer in composing padams sung during dance performances. Teruvil Vaarano is a classic padam and a delight even today for dancers and audience alike. Taandavar subsisted on the local temple’s prasad, growing sicker by the day.
Crawling one day into the temple’s palanquin store, he fainted away. The priests put out the lamps and locked up for the night. Awaking in the dark, Taandavar called out weakly to God. The priest’s little daughter soon appeared, carrying food. She fed and comforted the boy, advising him to go to Chidambaram and compose a new song every day to Nataraja with the first words he heard in the temple. Next morning, the priests found Taandavar healed and glowing with such lustre that they wonderingly named him ‘Mutthu Taandavar’ (‘mutthu’ means ‘pearl’). The boy realised then that it was Parvati, worshipped as ‘Lokanayaki’ in Seergazhi, who had come disguised to him.
Off went Mutthu Taandavar to the Kanaka Sabha (‘Golden Halls’, another name for Chidambaram). His first song began with the words, “Bhuloka Kailayagiri Chidambaram” and five gold pieces apparently appeared at Nataraja’s feet. Many songs followed. Once, he was not able to cross the river Kollidam so he sang the song the famous song Kanamal veenile kalam kazhithome in raagam Danyasi and the flood receded and gave way to him. One day, to his confusion, not a word was spoken in the temple. Taandavar could hear only his own desperate heart beat. He cried aloud, “Pesaade nenjamey!” (Speak not, my mind) and so composed the day’s song: his dependence on others was over.
One day, in 1640, they say, a great light appeared in Nataraja’s sanctum and 80-year-old Mutthu Taandavar was absorbed into it. Aptly, it was the day of the star ‘Poosham’, the very time Nataraja first danced his Ananda Tandava at Chidambaram.
Compositions
Very few of Muththu Thandavar's compositions have survived the test of time. Sixty of them have been collected. Twenty five padams are also available. Some of his compositions that are sung in music concerts are: Arumarundonru tani marundidu (Raga MohanamMohanam
Mohanam is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is an audava rāgam . It is a janya rāgam , as it does not have all the seven swaras .The equivalent of Mohanam in Hindustani music is Bhoop Mohanam is a rāgam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an audava rāgam (or...
or Kambhoji), Pesade Nenjame (Raga Todi
Hanumatodi
Hanumatodi, more popularly known as Todi, is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 8th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. This is sung very often in concerts. It is known to be a difficult rāgam to perform in owing to its complexity in prayoga...
), Kaanaammal Vinile (Raga Dhanyasi
Dhanyasi
Dhanyasi is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is a janya rāgam from the 8th melakarta scale Hanumatodi. It is a janya scale, as it does not have all the seven swaras in the ascending scale...
or kAmbhoji), Teruvil Varano (Raga Khamas), Unai Nambinen Ayya (Raga Keeravani
Keeravani
Keeravani is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 21st Melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. The 21st melakarta rāgam as per Muthuswami Dikshitar school of music is ....
), Isane Koti Surya Prakasane (Raga Nalinakanti), Darisittalavil (Raga Latangi
Latangi
Latangi is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 63rd Melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Geetapriya in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub...
), Sevikka Vendumayya (Raga Andolika), Innum Oru Taram (Raga Simhendramadhyamam
Simhendramadhyamam
Simhendramadhyamam is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 57th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Sumadhyuti in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub...
), Ambara Cidambaram and Innum Oru Stalam (Raga Suratti).