| Description |
This is a kirtana in six beats. The lyrics, Tulasī-dalamūlacē santōṣamuga, translated from Telugu mean “I worshipped you with tulasī leaves, Śrī Rāma.” The first track is an extended performance in the important, traditional and popular rāga māyamālavagauḷa, which is traditionally the rāga in which beginners learn their scales and other technical exercises. It is a subtle rāga whose notes do not take much oscillation without spoiling the mood and identity of the rāga. As is the way with the periya mēḷam tradition, this performance starts with the tavil player followed by the nāgasvaram player exploring the rāga in an extended improvisation. It’s important to note that, though the drummer plays along with the nāgasvaram player, the latter plays completely unmetered melodic passages. This juxtaposition of metered and unmetered playing is an aspect almost unique to the periya mēḷam, though singers and other instrumentalists sometimes indulge in this. At the Navaratri music festival in Trivandrum, in particular, singers and players of melodic instruments are required to perform ālāpana with a drummer. |
