Raagam and Thaalam

December 3, 2008

ï»¿

Sri:

Dear Sri Ranganatha BhaktAs :

A devotee of Sri Ranganatha had asked the question

as to which Raagam and Taalam are offered to Lord

Ranganatha during utsavams as VisEsha upachArams .

It was an interesting question that takes us back to

the early part of the last century ( 1920s to 1930s)

and the transformations that took place in the

" DEva Daasi" system in the temple worship .

The transition was made at that time from Satir

to Bahrata Naatyam so that many girls from

Brahmin families could learn and practise

Bharata Naatyam . unfortunately , the role of

"Deva Daasis" in the temple rituals got diminished .

The Deva Daasis were very much involved with

the Nava Sandhi Koutthuvam or offer of worship to

the gods of the nine directions/intersections .

It is like a grand scale Thiruvanthi Kaapu ,

which was celebrated by PeriyAzhwAr in

His Kaapidal Paasurams .

The question of the Member was about

the special Raagamsand TaaLams used

for Lord Ranganatha during his daily

AarAdhanam and BrahmOtsavams .

Sriman Murali Battar , one of the PradhAna

Archakar of Lord Ranganatha at Srirangam

was kind enough to respond to this query ,

which is attached . It is in Tamil .His is an

excellent response .

My extra inputs are added after His response below

and cover the importance of Nava Sandhi

Koutthuvam , which is a ritualistic ,

Aagama Sanctioned procedure to offer

homage to the gods of Direction as

ParivAra Devathais of Sriman NaarAyaNan .

The sandhis are nine in number : Brahma ,

Indhra , Agni , Yama , Nirriti or Soorya ,

VaruNa , Vaayu , KUbhEra, Siva ( YeesAnya).

There are TaaLams and Raagams for each of

the Lords of Directions .

At the Srirangam Temple , there is a tenth

direction , which is AakASam . There are

therefor Dasa (Ten) TaaLams used in

ancient times along with BhEri TaaDanam

at SrI Rangam during BrahmOtsavam

according to SrimAn MurLi Battar Swamy .

Mohana Raagam ( Mullai PaNN) and Bhairavi

Raagam ( Kousika PaNN) for Kaisika EkAdasi

PurappAdu are largely used at Srirangam

today . The TaaLams have shrunk to Aadhi

and ChApu TaaLams during Naadhaswara

UpachArams .

The combinations of Raagam and TaaLam at

the nava Sandhis to the accompaniment of

"SaBdham of Bharata Naatyam " of Deva Daasis

were :

1. Brahma Sandhi : MadhyamAvati and Tisra Yeka TaaLam

2. Indhra Sandhi: Goorjari Raagam & Misra ChApu

3. Agni Sandhi: NaatA Raagam & Chatusra JampA TaaLam

4. Yama Sandhi : DesAkshi Raagam & Chatusra Yeka TaaLam

5.Nirruti: KuntaLam Raagam & Tisra Yekam

6. VaruNa Sandhi: VarALi Raagam & Chatusra Yekam

7. Vaayu Sandhi: Makuta Raamagiri Raagam & Roopaka TaaLam

8. KubhEra Sandhi: MaaLava SrI & Tisra yeka TaaLam

9. Isaanya Sandhi: Malahari Raagam & Tisra Yekam

The ten directions are implied in the name

DaSaraTha , the Father of Lord Raama chandra

in the IthihAsam . King DasarathA's chariot in

battle was uninterrupted in the ten directions:

DaSasu dhikshu apratihata raTha: ithi DaSaratha:

These Lord of Directions the determinants of Space ,

" the substratum of the Cosmos" , have special

significance in ritualistic worship . These are Vedic Gods

that are subservient to Sriman NaarAyaNaa in

the VaishNavite and Saiva Aagamaas . Ritual

offerings ( Bali) are made with appropriate

SaBdham of Bharata Naatyam set in prescribed

Raagam and TaaLam .

NaMO Sri KastUri RangAya ,

V.Sadagopan

-

Murali Battar Rangaraja

Dr.V.Sadagopan

Monday, December 01, 2008 1:45 PM

Re: Fw: Raagam and Thaalam

à®…à®Ÿà®¿à®¯à¯‡à®©à¯ à®¸à¯à®µà®¾à®®à®¿!

à®¤à®¾à®¸à®¾à®©à¯ à®¤à®¾à®¸à®©à¯.

à®¤à®¸ à®¤à®¾à®³à®™à¯à®•à®³à¯

1) à®•à®¿à®´à®•à¯à®•à¯ - à®®à¯‡à®• à®¤à®¾à®³à®®à¯

-à®®à¯à®°à®³à¯€ à®ªà®Ÿà¯à®Ÿà®°à¯-

- GOVINDA RAM PREM RAJIV

Dr. Sadagopan

Monday, December 01, 2008 5:09 AM

Raagam and Thaalam

Hari OM, Swami, I need some information regarding naadaswaram raagam and thavil thaalam for Sri Renganathar. What thaalam and raagam is very much offered for Sri Periya Perumal during vishesha upaacharram ? According to some vidhvaan from Mayiladuthurai, Pancha nada thalam and Kalyani raagam is offered for Perumal, I am not sure how true it is. So I need some info regarding this swami. Thanking you in advance Swami, Regards, Rajiv

Get more done, have more fun, and stay more connected with Windows MobileÂ®. See how.

December 3, 2008

ï»¿

Sri:

Dear Sri Ranganatha BhaktAs :

A devotee of Sri Ranganatha had asked the question

as to which Raagam and Taalam are offered to Lord

Ranganatha during utsavams as VisEsha upachArams .

It was an interesting question that takes us back to

the early part of the last century ( 1920s to 1930s)

and the transformations that took place in the

" DEva Daasi" system in the temple worship .

The transition was made at that time from Satir

to Bahrata Naatyam so that many girls from

Brahmin families could learn and practise

Bharata Naatyam . unfortunately , the role of

"Deva Daasis" in the temple rituals got diminished .

The Deva Daasis were very much involved with

the Nava Sandhi Koutthuvam or offer of worship to

the gods of the nine directions/intersections .

It is like a grand scale Thiruvanthi Kaapu ,

which was celebrated by PeriyAzhwAr in

His Kaapidal Paasurams .

The question of the Member was about

the special Raagamsand TaaLams used

for Lord Ranganatha during his daily

AarAdhanam and BrahmOtsavams .

Sriman Murali Battar , one of the PradhAna

Archakar of Lord Ranganatha at Srirangam

was kind enough to respond to this query ,

which is attached . It is in Tamil .His is an

excellent response .

My extra inputs are added after His response below

and cover the importance of Nava Sandhi

Koutthuvam , which is a ritualistic ,

Aagama Sanctioned procedure to offer

homage to the gods of Direction as

ParivAra Devathais of Sriman NaarAyaNan .

The sandhis are nine in number : Brahma ,

Indhra , Agni , Yama , Nirriti or Soorya ,

VaruNa , Vaayu , KUbhEra, Siva ( YeesAnya).

There are TaaLams and Raagams for each of

the Lords of Directions .

At the Srirangam Temple , there is a tenth

direction , which is AakASam . There are

therefor Dasa (Ten) TaaLams used in

ancient times along with BhEri TaaDanam

at SrI Rangam during BrahmOtsavam

according to SrimAn MurLi Battar Swamy .

Mohana Raagam ( Mullai PaNN) and Bhairavi

Raagam ( Kousika PaNN) for Kaisika EkAdasi

PurappAdu are largely used at Srirangam

today . The TaaLams have shrunk to Aadhi

and ChApu TaaLams during Naadhaswara

UpachArams .

The combinations of Raagam and TaaLam at

the nava Sandhis to the accompaniment of

"SaBdham of Bharata Naatyam " of Deva Daasis

were :

1. Brahma Sandhi : MadhyamAvati and Tisra Yeka TaaLam

2. Indhra Sandhi: Goorjari Raagam & Misra ChApu

3. Agni Sandhi: NaatA Raagam & Chatusra JampA TaaLam

4. Yama Sandhi : DesAkshi Raagam & Chatusra Yeka TaaLam

5.Nirruti: KuntaLam Raagam & Tisra Yekam

6. VaruNa Sandhi: VarALi Raagam & Chatusra Yekam

7. Vaayu Sandhi: Makuta Raamagiri Raagam & Roopaka TaaLam

8. KubhEra Sandhi: MaaLava SrI & Tisra yeka TaaLam

9. Isaanya Sandhi: Malahari Raagam & Tisra Yekam

The ten directions are implied in the name

DaSaraTha , the Father of Lord Raama chandra

in the IthihAsam . King DasarathA's chariot in

battle was uninterrupted in the ten directions:

DaSasu dhikshu apratihata raTha: ithi DaSaratha:

These Lord of Directions the determinants of Space ,

" the substratum of the Cosmos" , have special

significance in ritualistic worship . These are Vedic Gods

that are subservient to Sriman NaarAyaNaa in

the VaishNavite and Saiva Aagamaas . Ritual

offerings ( Bali) are made with appropriate

SaBdham of Bharata Naatyam set in prescribed

Raagam and TaaLam .

NaMO Sri KastUri RangAya ,

V.Sadagopan

-

Murali Battar Rangaraja

- GOVINDA RAM PREM RAJIV

Dr. Sadagopan

Monday, December 01, 2008 5:09 AM

Raagam and Thaalam

Hari OM, Swami, I need some information regarding naadaswaram raagam and thavil thaalam for Sri Renganathar. What thaalam and raagam is very much offered for Sri Periya Perumal during vishesha upaacharram ? According to some vidhvaan from Mayiladuthurai, Pancha nada thalam and Kalyani raagam is offered for Perumal, I am not sure how true it is. So I need some info regarding this swami. Thanking you in advance Swami, Regards, Rajiv

Get more done, have more fun, and stay more connected with Windows MobileÂ®. See how.