Article from The Hindu: Sent to you by NR Pillai

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An interesting article from today's The Hindu Friday Review.

 

 

http://www.hinduonnet.com/fr/2007/10/05/stories/2007100550290300.htm

 

 

 

Safeguarding a legacy

 

G.S. PAUL

Photo: K.K. Najeeb

 

Sole practitioner: P.K. Gopala Vadhyar practises the Thanjavur tradition of Sama

Vedic chanting.

 

P.K. Gopala Vadhyar of Puducode village, Palakkad district, is the lone

repository of the Thanjavur tradition of Sama Vedic chanting that is noted for

its purity and antiquity. His chanting of Sama Veda was documented by Puducode

Kendra of Bharath

a Vidya Bhavan recently and presented to the National Archives.

Of the myriad & #8216;sakhas & #8217; (branches) of rendition extant throughout

the country in the past, only Ranayana, Jaimini and Kuthuma are in vogue today.

Ranayana is practised by Brahmins who live around the area between Mangalore and

Bombay. Jaimini is the one practised by Namboodiris of Kerala. Kuthuma was

followed by Brahmins settled in Thanjavur until 400 years ago when that area was

occupied by the Maratha kings. Under their rule, a novel style known as Ramanna

paadhom evolved.

 

Kuthuma School

 

Surprisingly, the Kuthuma School that disappeared in Thanjavur surfaced in

Kerala. The ruler of Palakkad was instrumental for this. He invited Brahmins

from Thanjavur to perform certain religious rites. Puducode, with the famous

Annapurneswari Temple at its heart, turned out to be a significant settlement.

The Brahmins brought along with them the rich Kuthuma tradition that flourished

here.

The credit for ferreting out the Puducode School goes to L.S. Rajagopal of

Thrissur who has done extensive research in the varied styles of Saman chanting.

Rajagopal was surprised to see that the & #8216;Saman chants & #8217; published by

American scholar Wayne Howard did not contain the Puducode style of rendition.

On examining the recording of Gopal Vadhyar sent by Rajagopal, Howard was

surprised to realise its uniqueness. He, along with Rajagopal, published two

research papers in the journal of Indian Musicological Society and invited the

world & #8217;s attention to the Vedic scholars of Puducode. Puducode thus became

the cynosure of all eyes in the realm of Vedic tradition.

Said Gopal Vadhyar: & #8220;So far we could record only 10 hours of chanting that

included Navagrahasamani, Punyahasamani, Purushasuktham, Rudrasamani,

Chamakasamani, Udakashanti, Abhisravanam, Pratisarasamani, Agneyam, Bahuswami,

Ekaswami and Bruhati. & #8221;

Gopala Vadhyar has been practising Saman chanting, which he learnt from his

father, Ramachandra Vadhyar, from the age of 15.