How Papanasam Sivan shaped the musical landscape of Mylapore

The Margazhi veedhi bhajanai influenced Papanasam Sivan greatly, and he composed songs impromptu on Karpagambal and Kapaleeswarar, the presiding deities of Mylapore temple

From the streets of Tiruvaiyaru’s Saptastanam to that of Madras’ Mylapore, the early dawn processions during the Tamil month of Margazhi were led by Papanasam Sivan, the only name that comes to mind when you think of Dhanur maasam bhajanai.

Originally known as Ramayya, Papanasam Sivan lived a quiet, unobtrusive life.

Young Sivan’s devotion found a natural outlet in music, and he sang verses from the Tevaram and Tiruvachagam at temples he visited. After moving from Kerala to Tamil Nadu, he acquired a penchant for composing, highly influenced by Neelakanta Sivan and Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Iyer. His first kriti was ‘Unnai thudhikka arultha’ in Kuntalavarali, which he composed in Tiruvarur.

“He chose his Mudra or signature to be ‘Ramadasa’ — a throwback to his given name of Ramayya and as a tribute to his father Ramamrutham Iyer,” recalls his grandson Papanasam Ashok Ramani. Having received song-writing opportunities for films, he moved to Chennai.

In his Tevaram hymns, great Saivite saint Tirugnanasambandar viewed the lord as his father. Similarly, Tirunavukkarasar saw the lord as his master, and Sundarar as his friend. They sang the glory of Lord Kapaleeswara of Mylapore, the 24th Shiva temple lauded in Tevaram hymns in the Thondai Nadu-Nadunadu area. Though regarded as a Paadal Petra Sthalam, the Trinity of Carnatic music has not composed any songs on this temple.

However, Sivan, who was fondly known as Tamizh Tyagayya, exhibited his adoration and devotion to Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal, the presiding deities of Mylapore’s temple, perceiving them not merely as deities but as his best friends. The Dhanur maasam bhajanai influenced him greatly, and he composed songs impromptu on Karpagambal and Kapaleeswarar.

A lot of compositions such as ‘Kapali’ in Mohanam, ‘Karpagambike’ in Bilahari and ‘Sadashiva Bhajaname’ in Thodi were composed during the Margazhi procession and Panguni festival.

‘Kadaikan nokki’ and ‘Shambo umapathe’ are songs that he sang spontaneously before the deity. Interestingly, ‘Unnai allal’ in the magnificent Kalyani was composed at Sivan’s residence. In the song, he visualises Madurai Meenakshi, Kanchi Kamakshi and Neelayadhakshi in the form of Karpagambal.

He penned ‘Karunanidhiye thaye’ to seek the blessings of Karpagambal during a bhajanai procession in his early days. And, set it in Bowli, because it was an apt raga to be sung early morning.

No December bhajanai concludes without ‘Karpagame’ in Madhyamavati, a kriti composed exclusively for Madurai Mani Iyer. “Madurai Mani Iyer once said that this song could be sung during poojai at home as it has powerful mantras and the various names of goddess,” shares Ashok Ramani.

Once, singer Ramnad Krishnan visited Sivan’s residence and listened to him sing Tyagaraja’s ‘Ninnu vina’ in the raga Navarasa Kanada, and was mesmerised. Sivan asked him to attend the bhajanai the next day. Krishnan attended the procession and requested Sivan to sing ‘Ninnu Vina’, but he spontaneously burst into a song he composed then — ‘Naan oru vilaiyaatu bommaiyaa’ in Navarasa Kanada on the goddess of Mylapore. A teary-eyed Krishnan is said to have prostrated at the feet of Papanasam Sivan.

Sivan’s composition in raga Surutti ‘Pitchaiku vandiro’, which he sung during the Panguni festival, is an ode to the wedding of the Lord and Karpagambal. On the third day of the festival, the Adikara Nandi procession, Sivan composed ‘Kaana kan kodi’ in majestic Kamboji, where he states that to observe the magnificence of Shiva’s procession, one needs several pairs of eyes.

Though Sivan was a devotee of Kapaleeswarar, he reserved a special place for Muruga. He wrote ‘Karthikeya’ in Thodi, his favourite raga, when he was discussing Muruga with a few rasikas. Another cherished composition ‘Kaa vaa vaa’ in mesmerising Varali sprang forth when his rasikas requested him to sing for rain to end the dry spell.

Most of Sivan’s works are about beseeching Devi to relieve him from sorrow and provide him salvation. The composer’s daughter Rukmini Ramani says that her father’s hardships reflected in his compositions. He had a difficult life — he had chronic asthma and was duped by a contractor of all the money he had saved to construct a temple in Polagam, his birthplace. Despite this, he managed to raise funds.

Even today, while performing Sivan’s compositions on stage many singers are overwhelmed by the emotions in the songs.

When speaking about Kapaleeswarar, how can one not think about the immense contribution of Papanasam Sivan, whose devotion shaped the musical landscape of Mylapore?

Published - November 30, 2024 03:53 pm IST