This time I will go straight into the content and will not lament about how I’m restarting this blog. Also, I’ve got some benevolent sponsors in the meantime who are boosting this site and that others can get to know about this effort. Also, thanks to you, reader, for giving me that shot of dopamine every time I look at the steady and plentiful view count for the day.
Kamal Hassan probably has the rather unique distinction of having spent more time in front of a camera than away from it. Well, you probably shouldn’t count sleep but then again, he’s done a sizeable fraction of that on-screen as well and shows no signs of slowing down :P. Alright, given that this man is a strong candidate for the CM post in Tamil Nadu, I’m done with taking a jab at him and will move to showering some genuine praises on him.
There is one field in which Kamal is the authority just by virtue of his experience and that is in classical dance. The brave souls here can read the mammoth 8-part series interview by the distinguished Baradwaj Rangan and learn more about Kamal’s tryst with the classical arts ([1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]). And this brings me to his benefaction through Sagara Sangamam, a work of art which was the culmination of efforts by the dream-team of Telugu cinema; with K. Vishwanath at the helm, Jandhyala penning the dialogues and Veturi creating the profundity needed for the elaborate dance sequences through his lyrics. I almost forgot Jaya Prada (not related to what the devil wears), who clearly delivered her magnum opus. On top of that, you have Ilayaraja and Kamal Hassan and I’ve now run out of adjectives. In short, this movie is an exposition of Indian culture and I plead everyone to watch and introduce this fantastic piece of art to the incognizant.
(P.S. : I would very much like to revise this post if anyone can help me interpret the symbolism conveyed through dance in the video)
వాగర్ధా వివసంపృక్తౌ వాగర్ధ ప్రతిపత్తయే
జగత: పితరౌ వందే పార్వతీపరమేశ్వరౌ
Vāgardhā vivasampr̥ktau vāgardha pratipattayē
Jagata: pitarau vandē pārvatīparamēśvarau
I pray parents of the world, Lord Shiva and Mother Parvathi, who are inseparable as speech and its meaning to gain knowledge of speech and its meaning.
This stanza in Sanskrit is taken from Kalidasa‘s Raghuvamsa and salutes to Shiva and Parvathi.
నాద వినోదము నాట్యవిలాసము పరమ సుఖము పరము
అభినయ వేదము సభకనువాదము సలుపు పరమ పదము
Nāda vinōdamu nāṭyavilāsamu parama sukhamu paramu
Abhinaya vēdamu sabhakanuvādamu salupu parama padamu
వినోదము = విలాసము = pastime
పరము = path to
సలుపు = to do
అనువాదము = translation
అభినయము = gestures in dance
వేదము = knowledge, but in this context, it stands for a story
పరమపదము = heaven
Music and dance as a pastime are an obvious path to utmost happiness
A dance and its recital to the audience is heaven in itself
భావములో, భంగిమలో, గానములో, గమకములో,
ఆంగీకమౌ తప మీ గతి సేయగ
Bhāvamulō, bhaṅgimalō, gānamulō, gamakamulō,
Āṅgīkamautapa mī gati sēyaga
భంగిమ = posture
గమకము = ornamentation in Classical music
ఆంగికము = gesture
తప = తో పాటు = along with
గతి = way
In feelings, in postures, in tunes, in ornamentations,
Through gestures, you are entertained
కైలాసాన కార్తీకాన శివరూపం
ప్రమిదే లేని ప్రమధాలోక హిమదీపం
Kailāsāna kārtīkāna śivarūpaṁ
Pramidē lēni pramadhālōka himadīpaṁ
ప్రమిద = saucer of a lamp
ప్రమదము = mischievous
ఆలోకము = radiation
నవరస నటనం
జతియుత గమనం
సుతగిరి చరణం సురనుతి పయనం
భరతమైన నాట్యం బ్రతుకు నిత్య నృత్యం
Navarasa naṭanaṁ
Jatiyuta gamanaṁ
Sutagiri caraṇaṁ suranuti payanaṁ
Bharatamaina nāṭyaṁ bratuku nitya nr̥tyaṁ
జతి = harmony
యుతము = in unison
గమనం = journey
సుత = from
సుర = whirlwind
An all-encompassing dance, in tune with the melody takes the audience on a whirlwind tour from the first verse. Dance – a metaphor for everyday life!
This stanza and the following is Veturi’s creating that pace in the song with his trademark alliterations.
తపనుని కిరణం తామస హరణం
శివుని నయన త్రయలాస్యం
Tapanuni kiraṇaṁ tāmasa haraṇaṁ
Śivuni nayana trayalāsyaṁ
తపనుడు = sun
తామస = snake
హరణము = attack
త్రయము = trio
లాస్యము = dance
The sun’s rays, the sting of a snake and the flicker of Shiva’s three eyes…
నమక చమక సహజం
నటప్రకృతీ పాదజం
నర్తనమే శివకవచం
నటరాజ పాద సుమరజం
Namaka camaka sahajaṁ
Naṭaprakr̥tī pādajaṁ
Nartanamē śivakavacaṁ
Naṭarāja pāda sumarajaṁ
నమక చమక = a powerful mantra dedicated to Shiva
పాదజుడు = Shudra – born at the feet of Brahma
కవచము = armour
సుమరజము = సుమ + రజము = pollen (dust)
And even the most powerful mantra is only as potent as the least of the dances.
Dance, the armour of Shiva and that which emanates from Nataraja
Recovered in Translation 