For music lovers

ADI SANGITA RASARNAVAM: K. V. Srinivasa Iyengar; M. Adi & Co, 14, Srinivasa First Street, Royapettah, Chennai-600014. Books available at the Carnatic Music Book Centre, Royapettah, Chennai. Rs. 100.

A RECOGNISED connoisseur of Carnatic Music of an earlier era, K. V. Srinivasa Iyengar, he had published with notation many songs of great Vaggeyakaras.

The books published by Adi and Co., on music had a good response among students and even musicians as they helped the learning of kritis of great composers.

In 1952, they published a valuable book by K.V. Srinivasa Iyengar, ``Adi Sangita Ratnavali'' in which early lessons for learners, list of the 72 Melakartas, Gitams, Sarali, Janta varisais, Swarajatis, many Varnams and Kirtanas exclusively of Thyagaraja and Patnam Subramania Iyer, found a place.

Since he belonged to the music lovers of an early age, the notations of songs have an authentic patantara with brief ragalakshanas and their meanings.

He had also mentioned the changes in the sahityas which do not conform to the canons of Prasa. For instance in the Bilahari kirtana ``Tolijanmamuna-jeyu-Duduku'', he criticised how the words ``Nee Mahima'' in the Anupallavi do not go with the second syllable of ``Tolijanma'' (lakara). So he says, to begin with the word ``Paramemo'', seems to be correct. Similarly the expression ``Arachedi Pundi ki'', according to him, should be ``Arachedi Pandiki'' meaning a fruit in the palm on the usage in Telugu- Pandu-Pandiki-kannu-kartiki or ``Chevi-Cheviki''.

Thus the book ``Adi Sangita Ratnavali'' is a publication with a deep knowledge of Thyagaraja and Telugu of K.V. Srinivasa Iyengar. The present book, which is a reprint, follows the same pattern of the earlier work. In this not only Thyagaraja and Patnam Subramanya Iyer, but all recognised Vaggeyakaras, Javalis, Padams, Namavalis and hymns of Thirugnana Sambandar, Thirunavukkarasar, Manickavasagar, Arunigirinathar, Thayumanavar and Kavadichindu are included.

The patantara in the early era, for instance, ``Chetulara Sringaramu'', is given as sung in Karaharapriya raga and not in Bhairavi as at present. The text in Tamil with easy notation makes this book very valuable. K.V. Srinivasa Iyengar is credited with the books ``Adi Thyagarja Hrudayam'' in Tamil and Telugu (three volumes), ``Tamil Isai Padalgal'' and ``Adi Thyagaraja Keertanalu'' in Telugu.

SVK

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