Praying Sri Ramapiran ~ Theppothsavam : "Paluke Bangaramayena",

நமக்கு பெருமையும் சிறப்பும் நம் இதிஹாச புராணங்களாலே ! ~  இராமாயணம் க்ஷத்ரிய வீர இராமனின் அருமைகளை இயம்பும் காதை.  தந்தை சொல் கேட்டு சிறப்பான நகரத்தை துறந்து வனம் ஏகிய நம் அண்ணல் இராமபிரான்

 

పలుకే బంగారమాయెనా....
పలుకే బంగారమాయెనా..కోదండపాణి
పలుకే బంగారమాయెనా... 

For sure Carnatic connoisseurs have hard "Paluke Bangaramayena",  one of the famous Telugu compositions by the 17th century composer and devotee of Lord Sri Rama, Bhadrachala Ramadasu. He is known to have composed hundreds such songs however the original music is lost.  Carnatic vocalist Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna set music to these songs in the 1950s and popularized them.

Kancharla Gopanna (1620 – 1680), came to be  popularly known as Bhakta Ramadasu or Bhadrachala Ramadasu – a 17th-century great devotee of Lord Rama and a composer of Carnatic music.  He is a famous Vaggeyakara (classical composer) of the Telugu classical era. He lived in the village of Nelakondapalli, near the town of Bhadrachalam, in Muslim-ruled Telugu country during the 17th century and is renowned for constructing a famous temple for Lord Sri Rama at Bhadrachalam. His devotional lyrics to Rama are famous in classical music as Ramadaasu Keertanalu. Even the doyen of South Indian classical music Swami Tyagaraja learned his musical compositions. He also wrote Daasarathi Satakamu (దాశరథి శతకము) with a 'makuTamu' (మకుటము) 'Daasarathee Karunaa payonidhee' (దాశరథీ కరుణా పయోనిధీ!), a collection of nearly 108 poems dedicated to the son of Dasaratha (Lord Rama).

palukE bangAra mAyenA kOdaNDapANi

Oh Rama, Your voice has become like Gold ie., very precious  .. .. Oh Kothandapani Rama (wielding the great Bow Kothandam) Rama, your voice has become very rare like gold and you are not uttering a single word to me !  The classical composition Paluke Bangarameyana further reads :

paluke bangaramaye pilachina palukavemi

kalalo nee nama smarana marava chakkani tandri 

The agony of Bhakta Ramadas is reflected in this keertana. Sri Rama is referred as Kodandapani (the wielder of bow)here. Ramadasu questions Rama why He (Rama) is not answering to his (Ramadasu) prayers though he (Ramadas) did not forget to chant His (Rama) name in his (Ramadasu) dreams?

Yenta vedina gani suntaina daya raadu

pantamu seyaga nenentati vaadanu tandri

Ramadasu laments  why Rama is not showing mercy on him in spite of his repeated requests. The devout poet  mentions that he is an ordinary man and how can he show his stubbornness with god.

Here is a beautiful rendition of the song by young Rahul Vellal, Album : Vande Guru Pramparam of Shri KUldeep M Pai :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7G3xSdYt_E

Mere chanting of the name ‘Sree Rama’ would provide everything to us ~ he is the greatest benefactor ~ the Maryadha Purush ~ the greatest epitome of all virtues Lord Rama.  The greatest of the Ithihasa puranamn * Sri Ramayanam * has had its influence across centuries, countries and cultures -  Maryadha Purush Sri Rama  has illuminated the lives of millions imparting lessons in various spheres.  Pleasant things give happiness to everyone and there cannot be more pleasant sight than that of Sri Rama Pattabishekam ~ the eternal state of bliss- the most complete picture of happiness to everyone in the Kingdom.      

In the  Theppothsavam at Thiruvallikkeni Divyadesam, the  6^th day is for Sri Rama Piran – the great Maryadha purush who crossed Ganges in boats driven by Guhan. .. .. On this day, Sri Ramar has purappadu in Pattabisheka thirulokam.  This occurs every year  .. .. 13^th Mar 2016   was Theppothsavam of Lord Rama – and it was the most beautiful sarrupadi [alankaram] as ‘Pattabisheka Ramar’.  Here are some photos of the grand theppothsava purappadu  at Thiruvallikkeni on that day.  

The Telegu tinseldom deserves rich appreciation for portray of Ithihasa puranas and Hindu beliefs.  Nagarjuna despite being a mass hero  has been on this devotional path before, in Annamayya, Sri Ramadasu and Shirdi Sai. He doesn’t falter in his portrayal of Rama in the movie Sri Ramadasu.  Sri Ramadasu released in 2006 based on the life of musician saint Kancharla Gopanna, produced by Konda Krishnam Raju on Aditya Movies banner and directed by K. Raghavendra Rao had Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Akkineni Nagarjuna, Suman, Sneha with mellifluous music  composed by M. M. Keeravani.  Nagarjuna received appreciation for his portrayal in the titular role and subsequently went on to win Nandi Award for Best Actor that year. Music director M. M. Keeravani also received rave reviews for his work. Along with being critically acclaimed, the film recorded as Blockbuster hit at the box office. The film received Nandi Award for Best Home Viewing Feature Film. 

adiyen Srinivasadhasan. [Mamandur Veeravalli Srinivasan Sampathkumar]
21^st May 2021