Sunday, January 29, 2012

Paathayaathiraigal - Thai poosam - Muruga Muruga Song

Thaipoosam as the name suggests falls on the poosam (same pooyam / pushyam ) day of the Tamil month 'Thai' every year, this year on Feb 7th.
This day again is celebrated as the victory of good over evil - the day when Lord Muruga got the 'Vel' (spear) from Mother Parvathi to defeat Soorapadhman. Lord Muruga is considered the 'Tamizh Kadavul' and hence Thai poosam is a very important festival for all Tamilians even outside India. In fact, the largest celebrations take place Singapore and Malaysia - Thaipoosam day is declared as a public holiday in many states in Malaysia. This does not mean non-Tamilians do not :) actually it is celebrated in all Murugan temples in Kerala too . Just that the number of Murugan temples are comparitively lesser though steadily increasing in the form of new temples or Murugan sannidhis in the existing temples!

Two pictures that come to my mind in connection with Thaipoosam are

1. The Rice Mountain: The Murugan temples and madams do annadhaanam (referred to as 'Vadikkarathu' in our native place). All devotees offer rice and vegetables. The boiled rice is offered in front of God in a huge heap on which is perched a silver Murugan Vel. Then it is served to all the devotees for lunch.
2. Kuthiyottam: The most Thaipoosam celebrations I have been to were at the Subramanaya Swamy temple on the banks of Karamana river in Trivandrum (Kerala). I was always struck in awe and a bit of fear watching the hundreds of devotees that come in a procession to the temple (as a pledge made to God) with spears pierced through their bodies, cheeks and so on. Most of them are in a trance and give out vibhoothi prasaadhams to the people on their way. In Tamilnadu, its called velkavadi.


Another important venduthal or naercha (an offering / activity pledged to God) done around our native place is the paadhayaathirai (more often referred to as nadakkirathu), the promise to undertake a journey by foot to the Murugan temple in Palani. People form groups and start from a central location typically a week before Thaipoosam. They walk during the cooler times of the day and take rest in the night.

I have never done this but have visited people who walked to vaitheeswaran Kovil ( a similar paathayathirai but since it is during summer they walk during the nights) when they take their breaks and sleep like jet-lagged people in the viduthis ( the inns generally associated with a temple) and then resume their journey. I am sure it is pretty tiring but what they say makes it easy is the company and the songs they sing (called vazhinadai paadal) . They are typically the bhajanai songs which are simple group songs. For most of them, the charanams are sung by the lead singer and the repeating pallavi is sung by the whole group as a chorus.

Here is one - Muruga Muruga Vel Muruga that I learnt from my cousin sisters who themselves learnt and sang when they walked to Vaitheeswaran Kovil.

Hope you like it and Happy Thaipoosam!

Monday, January 16, 2012

Manathil Uruthi Vendum - Bharathiyar Song

A friend of mine who teaches Tamil to small kids including mine was preparing them to sing 'Manathil Uruthi Vendum' and looking for a simple tune. I had come up with this (must have gotten into my head from some nursery rhyme! ) but was worried that all lines did not fit into the tune. However, the teacher and the kids both managed it perfectly. So thought of sharing the youtube video with lyrics in Tamil and English.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Yesudas's Harivarasanam


Jan 15 - Makarajyothi day 2012

Harivarasanam, the urakkupattu or the aduthajama song sung by Yesudas is the most divine song I have ever heard. I would like to call this Yesudas's Harivarasanam eventhough it was written by Kambankudi Kulathunka Iyer and tuned by G.Devarajan because it is his voice that echoes when the Shabarimala door closes each night. It is as though Lord Ayyappa blessed him with this golden, sonorous voice so He could enjoy this lullaby and we could experience the Supreme being.
Posting 'my singing with lyrics' in malayalam and English on this special Day as a dedication to the millions of Ayyappa devotees.

Enjoy listening to the same song - a faster bhajan version by Yesudas.