Padhams

Padhams are scholarly compositions. The word, "Padha" was used to describe any "devotional song" in the olden days, but in recent times it is used to describe a particular type of musical form which belongs to dance repertoire. Though the padham belongs to the world of dance music, it is often sung in concerts (usually towards the end) because of its excellent musical quality. The sangītham(musicality) and Sāhithyam(lyrics) of the Padham are heavy. This form was perfected in the 17th Century by Kṣhethragna who is aptly called Father of the modern Padham.

The Padham has three sections: Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charaṇam, it is usually sung in a slower tempo. It may have three or more Charaṇams which are usually sung in the same tune, though they are textually different. The text deals with the concept of the "lover and beloved".

Padham brings out the relationship of Nāyaka-Nāyaki (hero and heroine) as well as thōzhi (close friend) explaining the joy, sorrow, and other feelings of love. They indirectly refer to god, since the Nāyaka is said to represent the “Paramāthma” (Great Soul, God), the Nāyikā(heroine) represents the Jīvāthma (human soul, man), and the thōzhi represents the guru (teacher), so the words of each is thought to help the audience reach mōkṣha (heaven).

In dance, Padhams give more importance to the Abhinaya part than footwork. But, unless the dancer inwardly feels the emotions, she cannot perform the Padham well. Each line of the song can be interpreted in many different ways. Karnātic music has hundreds of Padhams composed by poets and musicians and many of these have been rendered in dance. In Thelugu, padhams often have Lord Kriṣhṇa as the Nāyaka, while Tamil Padhams often have Lord Subramaṇya (Murugan) as their Nāyaka.

The first padhams in Sanskrit were composed by Vāsudheva Kavi who adorned the court of King Sarfoji of Tanjore. In the present days lyrics in Marāṭhi, Kannada and other languages are used for performing padham. However, in the olden days it was limited to Thelugu and Tamil only. And then there is the variety known as Kshethragna padham, which every artiste considers to be quite a challenge to execute. The verses of Kshethragna are set to slow rhythm but the emotions that are expressed in them are a bit too complex and a real challenge for the artiste to bring them out through sthāyi bhāva. If an artiste can perform to the verses of Kshethragna he or she can be considered to have mastered the art a great deal.

Most of the padhams are woven around God. Since the main theme of padham is the expression of feelings of the Nāyaki - estranged or otherwise - it can safely be concluded that the rasa would always be Śhrungāra and the God on whom the verse is written would always be in the male form.

Rāga: Saurāṣhṭra.

Thāḷa:Thripuṭa

Composer: Kṣhethragnya

Language: Thelugu

Meanings - Word by word & Overall

Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Pallavi:

Kōḍi Kūsénayyayyō Nāguṇḍé Jhallu Jhallu Manené

Anupallavi:

Chéḍerō Nā Sāmi Vaddha Jéri Māṭhāḍéṭanthalō

Charaṇam1:

Cheluvuni Edhurégi Chelaginchi Thōḍidhecci Kaḷamupaini Gandha Kasthūri Nāmamé thiddhi
Kaluvalirénithō Kalahamu Mugiyinchi Chaluva Chapparamulō Mému Sarasa Māḍéṭanthalō

Charaṇam 2.

Virulu Shikhi Niṇḍa Vindhakā Sommulu Beṭṭi Burusurumāru Juṭṭi Pondhugā Thurāyi Chekki
Sarasuni Mōvi Jūchi Sāre Sāreku Muddhu Beṭṭi Guru Kuchalamuthō Rommu Gummi Paikonéṭanthalō

Charaṇam 3:

mrokki Véḍukoni Enthō Mōhamuna Muddhu Beṭṭi Akkarō Sigginta Léka Āvéḷa Nīvi Vadhalinchi
Makkuva Mīra Madhana Mandhira rāyunillu Jérchi Chakkani Muvvagōpālasāmithō Kalaséṭanthalō

Pallavi:

Kōḍi Kūsénayyayyō Nāguṇḍé Jhallu Jhallu Manené

Kōḍi – cock;

Kūsé-– crowed;

Ayyayyō- Alas!;

Nā-my;

guṇḍé- heart;

 Jhallu Jhallu- beats(of the heart);

Manené – makes me miss;

Alas the crow crowed! My heart went ‘thud thud’ and made me miss a couple of heart beats

Anupallavi:

Chéḍerō Nā Sāmi Vadda Jéri Māṭāḍōṭanthalō

Céḍerō– O girl;

 Nā Sāmi- my lord;

 Vadda Jéri- I met;

 Māṭāḍōṭa– when I was about to speak;

anthalō - just then!

O girl, Just when I met my lord and as I was about to begin my conversation, the cock crowed!

Charaṇam1:

Cheluvuni Edurégi Chelaginchi Thōḍi Dhecci Kaḷamupaini Gandha Kasthūri Nāmamé thiddhi
Kaluvalirénithō Kalahamu Mugiyinchi Chaluva Chapparamulō Mému Sarasa Māḍéṭantalō

Cheluvuni Edurégi Chelaginchi Thōḍi Dhecci Kaḷamupaini Gandha Kasthūri Nāmamé Dhiddhi
Kaluvalirénithō Kalahamu Mugiyinchi Chaluva Chapparamulō Mému Sarasa Māḍéṭantalō

Cheluvuni– my lover;

Edhurégi - met him;

Chelaginchi- with love;

Thōḍidhecci- on welcoming him;

Gaḷamupaini -– on neck;

Gandha Kasthūri—sandal paste & musk;

Nāmamé -vermilion;

thiddhi-kept;
Kaluvalirénithō -– with anxiety;

Kalahamu-– arguments;

 Mugiyinchi- finished;

 Chaluva - beautiful;

Chapparamulō-– bower;

 Mému – when we;

Sarasa – love;

Māḍéṭa– when we started;

anthalō- just then!;

After meeting my lover, I welcomed him by applying sandal paste and musk on his neck, put vermilion on his forehead. Anxious after we had our arguments, when we were about to make love, the cock crowed just then!

Charaṇam2:

Sarasuni Mōvi Jūchi Sāre Sāreku Muddhu Beṭṭi Guru Kuchalamuthō Rommu Gummi

Virulu Shikhi Niṇḍa Vindhakā Sommulu Beṭṭi Burusu rumālu Juṭṭi Pondugā Thurāyi Chekki
Paikonéṭantalō

Virulu– flower;  

Shikhi- tuft;

Niṇḍa– around his;

Vindhakā – adorning;

Sommulu - jewels; 

Beṭṭi– put;

Burusu rumālu – silk shawl;

Juṭṭi - tied;

Pondugā– beautiful;

Thurāyi– crown;

Chekki – fixed;

Sarasuni – my beloved;

Mōvi –lips;

Jūchi – on seeing

Sāre Sāreku – continuously;

Muddhu Beṭṭi – having planted a kiss;

Guru Kuchalamuthō –his chest;

Rommu Gummi –pressed;

Paigonéṭa- as I was about to;

anthalō- by the time;

I kept flowers on his tuft of hair; I tied the silk shawl around his neck and adorned him with jewels; I kissed him often; Just when he started pressing his chest on mine, the cock crowed!!

Charaṇam3:

Mrokki Véḍukoni Enthō Mōhamuna Muddhu Beṭṭi Akkarō Siggintaléka Āvéḷa Nīvi Vadhalinchi
Makkuva Mīra Madhana Mandhira rāyunillu Jérchi Chakkani Muvvagōpāla Sāmithō Kalaséṭanthalō

Rokki-with folded hands;

Véḍukoni-pleading;

Enthō –lots of;

Mōhamuna-with passion;

Muddhu Beṭṭi –having planted a kiss;

Akkarō –O sister!;

Sigginta-shame;

Léka –without;

Āvéḷa- in that time;

Nīvi –waistband;

Vadalinchi – loosened;
Makkuva –desire;

Mīra-rising;

Madhana mandhira- house of passion;

illu –home;

Jérchi- reaching;

Chakkani -– handsome;

Muvvagōpāla Sāmithō – Lord Muvvagōpāla;

Kalaséṭa - about to unite;

anthalōné - as when we were;

We kissed each other with lot of passion; O sister, shamelessly, my waist chain was loosened arousing my desire. Just when Cupid’s love acts were getting beautiful and Muvvagopala was about to unite with me, the Cock crowed!