Aruna Sairam strikes again
Initially, I was captivated by Smt. Aruna Sairam after hearing her Ksetra-Srirangam album. (one reason is that Srirangam is my native and am raised in srivaishnavite culture). Not totally, because her chanting of pasurams in that album was quite intimidating to my ears. She should have sung the pasurams instead of chanting pasurams like that. Pasurams are never chanted like that. Chathumurai solrathu is different. Pasurams could be chanted in what is called a Sandhai. But not like Odhuvar style as Aruna has done in Ksetra-Srirangam album.
After listening to some other songs of hers in Youtube, esp her Vittala Vittala repetition in all her Abhangs, I lost some apetite for her music. I got the illusion that she attracts audiene by compromising standards.
But, when I listened to this, I got stunned and stumped. The pasuram followed by Kurai Ondrum Illai touched me very emotionally. I donno if anyone has experienced this before. You are visiting the Temple after many years and perumal is currently behind Thirai. You have been waiting for a long time for the Thirai to open. And suddenly Thirai opens and Deeparadhanai is shown for the Lord in all glory and glitter. Tears roll down without you knowing and your soul merges with the Supreme for few seconds. I got those feelings when Aruna started the Kurai Ondrum Illai. Such a beautiful pasuram of KulasekaraAzhwar, sang with every meaning realized and cherished by Aruna.
Pasuram:
AnAtha selvatthu arambaiyargaL thaRsoozha
vAnALum selvamum; maNNarasum yAn vENdEn |
thEnAr poonchOlai thiruvEngadatthu chunaiyil
meenAi piRakkum vidhiyudaiyOnAvEnE ||
Meaning:
KulasEkarAzhwar says " I do not want to be a king even if it is to rule this earth and the "vAn lOkam" [Devendra loka] where there is great wealth, and where there are beautiful damsels dancing around; I do not wish that; All that I want is to be born as a mere fish in the pond (PushkaraNi) in Thirupathi (as mentioned earlier, or a tree standing in front of Thirupathi or a big rock [or at least as a tall building.. to be in the vicinity of ThiruvEnkatamudaiyaan.
Pasuram:
sediyaaya valvinaikaL theerkkum thirumaalE
netiyaanE vEngatavaa nin_kOyi linvaasal
atiyaarum vaanavaru marampaiyarum kidanthiyangum
padiyaayk kidanthun pavaLavaay kaaNpEnE
Meaning:
The grave sins that have been committed over aeons (through many births), the paapams will all be crushed if one visits ThiruvEnkatam. vEm plus katam- that which burns sins.. Oh Lord of ThiruvEnkatam Sriya: Pathi Srinivasaa! The One who dissolves all sins! Oh the one who never ever forgets your assuaging assurance to Your Saranaagathars! [NediyaanE] Oh ThiruvEnkatavaa! At the entrance of your temple, let me lie down as the step at your entrance there for all your devotees to step their feet on me and enter into your sanctum sanctorum and let me enjoy Your bewitching smile from those most beautiful coral lips.
(referred to SriRangaSri yahoo group discussions for the pasurams and their meanings; the pasurams sung by KulasekaraAzhwar are compiled as "perumAL thirumozhi". In honor of Kulasekara Azhwar's Pasuram , " Padiyai Kidandhu Un Pavazha Vaai Kanbeney " , the Step leading to the Garbagriham in all temples is called Kulasekarapadi)
I am Aruna's ardent listener now.
Kadanakuthookalam cheered me like a schoolkid. If it were BITS auditorium, I would have seeti bhajakae shouted "once more", "awesome".
Kamboji, Sivaranjani leading to Kurai Ondrum Illai.........
After listening to some other songs of hers in Youtube, esp her Vittala Vittala repetition in all her Abhangs, I lost some apetite for her music. I got the illusion that she attracts audiene by compromising standards.
But, when I listened to this, I got stunned and stumped. The pasuram followed by Kurai Ondrum Illai touched me very emotionally. I donno if anyone has experienced this before. You are visiting the Temple after many years and perumal is currently behind Thirai. You have been waiting for a long time for the Thirai to open. And suddenly Thirai opens and Deeparadhanai is shown for the Lord in all glory and glitter. Tears roll down without you knowing and your soul merges with the Supreme for few seconds. I got those feelings when Aruna started the Kurai Ondrum Illai. Such a beautiful pasuram of KulasekaraAzhwar, sang with every meaning realized and cherished by Aruna.
Pasuram:
AnAtha selvatthu arambaiyargaL thaRsoozha
vAnALum selvamum; maNNarasum yAn vENdEn |
thEnAr poonchOlai thiruvEngadatthu chunaiyil
meenAi piRakkum vidhiyudaiyOnAvEnE ||
Meaning:
KulasEkarAzhwar says " I do not want to be a king even if it is to rule this earth and the "vAn lOkam" [Devendra loka] where there is great wealth, and where there are beautiful damsels dancing around; I do not wish that; All that I want is to be born as a mere fish in the pond (PushkaraNi) in Thirupathi (as mentioned earlier, or a tree standing in front of Thirupathi or a big rock [or at least as a tall building.. to be in the vicinity of ThiruvEnkatamudaiyaan.
Pasuram:
sediyaaya valvinaikaL theerkkum thirumaalE
netiyaanE vEngatavaa nin_kOyi linvaasal
atiyaarum vaanavaru marampaiyarum kidanthiyangum
padiyaayk kidanthun pavaLavaay kaaNpEnE
Meaning:
The grave sins that have been committed over aeons (through many births), the paapams will all be crushed if one visits ThiruvEnkatam. vEm plus katam- that which burns sins.. Oh Lord of ThiruvEnkatam Sriya: Pathi Srinivasaa! The One who dissolves all sins! Oh the one who never ever forgets your assuaging assurance to Your Saranaagathars! [NediyaanE] Oh ThiruvEnkatavaa! At the entrance of your temple, let me lie down as the step at your entrance there for all your devotees to step their feet on me and enter into your sanctum sanctorum and let me enjoy Your bewitching smile from those most beautiful coral lips.
(referred to SriRangaSri yahoo group discussions for the pasurams and their meanings; the pasurams sung by KulasekaraAzhwar are compiled as "perumAL thirumozhi". In honor of Kulasekara Azhwar's Pasuram , " Padiyai Kidandhu Un Pavazha Vaai Kanbeney " , the Step leading to the Garbagriham in all temples is called Kulasekarapadi)
I am Aruna's ardent listener now.
Kadanakuthookalam cheered me like a schoolkid. If it were BITS auditorium, I would have seeti bhajakae shouted "once more", "awesome".
Kamboji, Sivaranjani leading to Kurai Ondrum Illai.........
Hi Arthi, Would like to share some of my experience.
ReplyDeleteI hail from a family who are devotees of Shiva. I always felt Perumal to be very pompous & glorified. Especially, Perumal of Thirupathi. I was given in marriage to a family where Kula Devatha is Perumal of Thirupathi. I was told, immediately after marriage I should visit Thirupathi. As you said, when I went before HIM some thing in me was consumed by the fire in his
Lordship & I will never forget this experience. I am an ardent devotee now of Perumal as well as Shiva. As this rendition of Mam touched you, it has affected me whenI saw ths video first. Thank u.
The second part of "Kurai Onrum Illai' is on YT as "Sydney Music Festival - Carnatic - Aruna sairam - 02 b", url is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozz7R0suwWE - please consider embedding this as well, and thank you for the nice post (esp. since it made it very easy for me to locate this rendition online).
ReplyDeleteBrings tears to my eyes each time i listen to this... What a song and singing! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAruna Sayeeram is my fav. I got attracted after listening to one of her bhajan songs.
ReplyDeleteI am now a hardcore fan!
OMG! What a an introduction to the song and what a transition.
ReplyDeleteIt truly brought tears to my eyes!