Today is Magha Shukla Ashtami on the traditional Chandramana calendar. The 275th Aradhana day of the saint poet and composer Shri Narayana Theertha (1650-1745).
A short thread. ☺🙏
A short thread. ☺🙏
The biographical details about him are scant. His place of birth is not certain but we know he lived his early life in Kaza, near Mangalaguri in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.
His family name was 'Tallavajjula' and he was named Govinda Sastrulu at birth.
His family name was 'Tallavajjula' and he was named Govinda Sastrulu at birth.
At a very young age he became proficient in the Shad Darshanas. Balantrapu writes "He mastered the nuances of Telugu, Sanskrit, Kavya and Chandas".
Early in life he took to Sanyasam and began wandering village to village. He suffered a physical ailment that bothered him.
Early in life he took to Sanyasam and began wandering village to village. He suffered a physical ailment that bothered him.
Walking all the way from village to village, temple to temple, he reached Thanjavur area.
Story goes that he rested at a Ganesha temple in Nadukaveri. That night he had a dream in which Lord Krishna appeared and instructed him to follow the animal he sees first in the morning.
Story goes that he rested at a Ganesha temple in Nadukaveri. That night he had a dream in which Lord Krishna appeared and instructed him to follow the animal he sees first in the morning.
In the morning he saw a white boar. He followed it. The board walked to Bhupatirajapuram few miles away and he followed it.
There, it entered a Venkatesha Perumal temple and mysteriously vanished!
In honour of this story, the village was renamed Varaha Ooru. Or Varahur.
There, it entered a Venkatesha Perumal temple and mysteriously vanished!
In honour of this story, the village was renamed Varaha Ooru. Or Varahur.
He entered the Garbha Griham of the Perumal temple and realized the physical ailment that was bothering him all along also vanished! ☺🙏
He decided to settle down in the village there.
He was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. His mind was immersed in Krishna bhakti always.
He decided to settle down in the village there.
He was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. His mind was immersed in Krishna bhakti always.
And from that bhakti, an outpouring of songs began! Like waves in the ocean they splashed! He called them Tarangalu.
His songs were complied into what became the longest musical opera in Sanskrit.
Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini. ☺🙏
His songs were complied into what became the longest musical opera in Sanskrit.
Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini. ☺🙏
Among Sri Narayana Theertha's first disciples was Siddappa. He later became Siddhendra Yogi, one if the founding fathers of the Kuchipudi dance-drama tradition.
Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini became extremely popular in dance through Kuchipudi. ☺🙏
Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini became extremely popular in dance through Kuchipudi. ☺🙏
Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini is the longest operatic poem in Sanskrit. Inspired largely by the Srimad Bhagavatam, it begins with the birth of Krishna ends with the marriage of Krishna to Rukmini.
Divided into 12 Tarangams, each of them contain numerous songs.
Divided into 12 Tarangams, each of them contain numerous songs.
Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini became extremely popular in the Bhajana Sampradayam tradition. Across Thanjavur and Andhra, songs from this were sung! In temples and Royal courts later.
It also inspired later composers like Saint Tyagaraja and Muthuswamy Diksita. ☺🙏
It also inspired later composers like Saint Tyagaraja and Muthuswamy Diksita. ☺🙏
The work was first published in Telugu around early 1900s. After that numerous editions have come by different publishers.
Suribabu directed a movie titled 'Pashupatastramu' in 1939. In one scene Sage Narada is seen wandering singing a Tarangam. 1st time SKLT songs in cinema!
Suribabu directed a movie titled 'Pashupatastramu' in 1939. In one scene Sage Narada is seen wandering singing a Tarangam. 1st time SKLT songs in cinema!
The song was tuned to Ragam Sourashtram and Adi Talam.
I have the original track and it sounds amazing for its time! ☺🙏
Don't know how to upload it here!
I have the original track and it sounds amazing for its time! ☺🙏
Don't know how to upload it here!
I have heard numerous Carnatic versions of this! The one that recently captured my imagination is this by Vid @AbhismRti.
Here in this old tweet below. ☺🙏
Here in this old tweet below. ☺🙏
Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini songs became more popular in households with the launch of All India Radio.
The brainchild of Balantrapu Rajanikanta Rao Garu who launched a program titled 'Bhakti Ranjani' had such a loyal audience that till today, everyone remembers it!
The brainchild of Balantrapu Rajanikanta Rao Garu who launched a program titled 'Bhakti Ranjani' had such a loyal audience that till today, everyone remembers it!
In 'Bhakti Ranjani', almost every classical musician from Andhra sang songs from SKLT. Nedunuri, Srirangam Gopalarathnam, Voleti Venkateshwarlu, Sripada Pinakapani and others. Listen to it by Dr Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna. ☺
@anitanairauthor
@anitanairauthor
There is a brilliant Harikatha on the Sri Krishna Leela Tarangini by the young scholar @dushyanthsridar
