Tyagaraja Ramayanam

            Tyagaraja  not only composed his divine kritis but taught his songs to many disciples of Walajapet, Thillaisthanam and Umayalpuram.   All these three branches have helped   in preservation and propagation of this  unique legacy.  Putting aside rivalries and controversies regarding the recognition or otherwise of the various sishya paramparas of Sri Tyagaraja , let us look into his descriptions of the Ramayana (  literally the coming of Rama) characters , starting of course with Rama himself .

               In’   bala kanaka maya chela ’-Rama is young and his physique    is adorned  with  a very rich  shining  gold raiment. In this song  Seetha is referred to as Ramaa, in the phrase ‘ramaalola”.And his blue shade of skin is adorned with  ‘vanamalikaabharana “- ornament of a variety of flowers from the forest/garden . In the next line he is called’Mahanubhava’-or mighty personage- and one who has a ‘Rajeeva netra-‘or eyes like lotuses.

                 In Janaki ramana (shudha seemanthini)- Rama’s complexion is compared to the ‘ghana thamaala neela’- thick blue leaves of the Thamaala tree. One must remember that Rama has a complexion which is actually blue-green---- neither blue nor green . That is why we have the colour- Ramar Green –a peculiar- mixed- shot colour , made famous even in kanchipuram sillk sarees of yore.   He has the ‘raktha nalina dhala nayana’’-  eyes like the blood-red lotus. He is  also  ‘karunala vaala- suguna sheela’- embodiment of compassion  and good virtues.

                 Lavanya rama(poorna sadjam) and Mohana Rama(mohanam) describe his beauty.

                In the Mohanam song ‘Nannu palimpa’- Tyagaraja asks if Rama has come walking  all the way  to greet him . The story is that his disciple Walajapet Venkatramana bagavathar   brought a beautiful Tanjore painting of Ramar Pattabhishekam  as a gift for Tyagaraja’s daughter’s wedding.  On seeing the painting- Tyagaraja breaks  into song- and asks Rama  the affectionate question. He also refers to him  in this song, unusually, as ’Naa prana nadha’’- just as a wife would address her Lord- as ‘’Oh My Beloved Lord-my very life’s breath.’’Here it is interesting to note that indeed Tyagaraja prayed everyday to a Tanjore painting of Rama in his pooja  Mandapam.  This painting is still there with his descendants in Thanjavur.

               In Nadhupai (madyamavathi)-Rama’s   physique is described as  “’Aajanubahu ‘’- well-formed  and supple shoulders and arms. After all, Rama had archery and other training  in the forest under sage Viswamitra isn’t it, along with his brother Lakshmana.     And he was from the Kshatriya or warrior clan of Raghukula.  Again here he is called- ‘’payojaksha’’-lotus-eyed-using the different word-‘’payoja’  for lotus ‘-that which grows in water ‘’.

              In  the Sahana song  Dehi-thava  pada bhakthim- Tyagaraja prefixes ‘Vai’- and cleverly repeats the line as Vaidehi- another name for Sita. In the kambhodhi song  ‘’Maa jaanaki’’- he gives all out praise for  Sita. He says that  Rama’s claim to fame  is  only  by becoming her husband –by taking her hand in marriage(paanigrahanam)..

                Rama-  says Tyagaraja  has oka mata ,oka bana, oka pathni- one infallible weapon, one  way of straight sincere speech  and one wife.   He also has a steady mind(oka chitthamu) –in the song oka mata in harikambodhi.  This possibly also comments on the society of yore when two wives for a man  were a common occurrence.                                                  

             In the   Karaharapriya  piece “Vidamuseyave’’ –Tyagaraja takes a rare peek into the  very homely and personal scene of Sita offering betel leaves and ‘’paan’’ to her beloved, while Lakshmana keeps ready a silver goblet for the ritual. Lakshmana’s good fortune  is also mentioned  in the  song Sowmitri bagyame (Sowmitri refers to lakshmana).

             Tyagaraja is bereft of words to describe  the great good fortune of Sabhari  the forest maiden , the simpleton who  innocently  bites into and tastes fruits , before   giving them to her Lord Rama. In Entha ninne (Mukhari ) he expresses this idea beautifully.

              ‘’Sree Rama padama ‘’- is about the magical  touch of his feet. Rama and Lakshmana traverse the Dandaka forest  during their gurukula vasam with their Guru.. Again in the forest , is a stone image of a woman – Ahalya- cursed by ancient rishis for centuries. But hope is at hand for she will come alive – so reads the curse - once Rama’s delicate toe touches the hidden stone and she can spring back to life and look at herself ,and at Rama, in wonderment at the accurate prediction and fulfillment of her curse. Here-  one is reminded of the innumerable myths and stories in western films- copied from such mysterious  Indian  stories –of curses and stones and divine redemption and adventure.The Ramayana is indeed a fount of legends and interesting myths.

               Kodanda rama  Pattabhirama  kalyanarama- are the different names in the song nannuvidachi(ritigaula).

                In the song vachama gocharame (kaikavasi)  comes the reference to Maricha the asura  who comes disguised as the golden deer in the forest.   In kaluguna –(poorna lalitha) is the reference to Anjaneya –as ‘gandha vaha thanaya (son of vayu  , the wind God) . In Vinatha sutha  the role of Garuda is stressed.   In “sarasa sama dhana “- Rama’s wily actions  using  the four modes of action Sama, dhana  bheda and dhanda  are described. He uses ‘bheda(separating enemies) by awarding the throne of Lanka to Vibhishana. Tyagaraja says Rama would have offered even Ayodhya to Ravana to keep the peace. A flight of his imagination. 

            Not only the Ramayana characters , but Tyagaraja sings about the kingdom of Ayodhya-  Ramarajyam , in Karu baru (mukhari). It was  ruled so beautifully and  every month there were  three good bouts of rainfall (as in tamil-maadham mummari peidhu).  A very ecologically balanced region unlike today’s world.    Thus, Tyagaraja    paints  song and word pictures about Ramayana, the characters ,and the landscapes and brings to us the epic through his kritis.    And the central character Rama is portrayed in all His facets .A true ‘coming’ (aayana) of Rama.