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: Dhvijāvanthi.
Thāḷa: Chāpu
Composer: Swāthi Thiruṇāḷ
Language: Malayāḷam
Meanings - Word by word & Overall: Team Ambalam
Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Pallavi:
Tharuṇi nyān Endhu Cheivu Hantha Māmaka dayithanenné Marannō

Anupallavi:
Sarasijatthine Vellum Ānanam Kāṇmadhum Sarasa Vachanāmrutham Kéḷppaḍhumennu Nyān

Charanam 1:
Īvaṇṇam Varumennayyō Nidhraiyil Pōlum Édhum Ninacchavaḷallé
Ī Vasumathiyadhil Vāzhum Māninimāril Évamō Mama Śhirasi Vidhhi Likhitham

Charanam 2:
Mānthār Śharan Choriyum Sāyakangalkku Madhu Mozhi Sankhya Illé
Svānthatthiluḷavākum Khédhamithayé Mattha Sāmajagamané Nyān Ārōḍu Cholléndu

Charanam 3:
Allalithakilavum Śhrī Padhmanābhanōḍu Anbōḍu Chennu chollé
Allitthār Shara Samanākiyoru Kaṇavanallādhārenik-Kavalambam Kōkilavāṇi

Meaning:

Pallavi:
Tharuṇi nyān Endhu Cheivu Hantha Māmaka dayithanenné Marannō

Tharuṇi – a youthful woman;
nyān – me;
Endhu – what;
Cheyyu – will I do?
Hantha – alas!
Māmakadayi –my lover, beloved;
enné – me;
Marannō – has forgotten;
Alas! What will I do, O youthful woman, when my beloved has forgotten me?

Anupallavi:
Sarasijatthine Vellum Ānanam Kāṇmadhum Sarasa Vachanāmrutham Kéḷppaḍhumennu Nyān

Sarasijatthine – lotuses;
Vellum – to defeat, win;
Ānanam- face;
Kāṇmadhum – to see;
Sarasa – passion;
Vachanāmrutham- words like nectar;
Kéḷppaḍumennu- to hear the;
Nyān-me;

He has a face that wins over even lotuses. I wait to hear nectar-like words of passion from him.

Charanam 1:
Īvaṇṇam Varumennayyō Nidhraiyil Pōlum Édhum Ninacchavaḷallé
Ī Vasumathiyadhil Vāzhum Māninimāril Évamō Mama Śhirasi Vidhhi Likhitham

Īvaṇṇam – to be or happen like this;
Varumenn – will come;
ayyō – Alas!
Nidhraiyil – in sleep;
Pōlum – as if;
Édhum – some things;
Ninacchavaḷallé-I have never thought about it ; -
Ī Vasumathi – this earth;
adhil- in it;
Vāzhum – those who live;
Māninimāri – all women;
Évamō – thus it is so;
Mama – my;
Śhirasi – on my head (here- forehead);
Vidhhi – destiny;
Likhitham- has been written

I never thought that it will be so even in my dreams. Alas! Of all the women who live in this world it is only me, who has an unfortunate destiny.

Charanam 2:
Mānthār Śharan Choriyum Sāyakangalkku Madhu Mozhi Sankhya Illé
Svānthatthiluḷavākum Khédhamithayé Mattha Sāmajagamané Nyān Ārōḍu Cholléndu

Mānthār -Saharan - Cupid
Shoriyum – to shower, shoot;
Sāyakangalkku – arrows;
Madhu –nectar;
Mozhi – words;
Sankhya- number;
Illé-is not there;
Svānadattiluḷvāgum-
Khétamitayé -
Mattha Sāmajagamané- One who has the gait of the elephant;
Nyān- me, I;
Ārōḍu- to whom;
Cholléndu-will tell,share;

The arrows shot at me by Cupid are countless. O girl with nectar like speech and elephant like gait, with whom can I share all this?

Charanam 3:
Allalithakilavum Śhrī Padhmanābhanōḍu Anbōḍu Chennu chollé
Allitthār Shara Samanākiyoru Kaṇavanallādhārenik-Kavalambam Kōkilavāṇi

Allal- problem;
Ithu-these;
akilavum – all;
Śhrī Padhmanābhanōḍu-to the lord Padhmanābha;
Anbōḍu-with love;
Chennu-go;
Chollé- you tell him; -
Allitthār -
Shara Samanāgiyoru- equal to the one with arrows, equal to Cupid;
Kaṇavan-husband;
Allādhu-else;
Ārenikku-who is for me?;
Avalambam-refuge, support;
Kōkilavāṇi-one whose speech is melodious like the cuckoo;

O girl whose speech is melodious like the cuckoo, please go and tell lord Padhmanābha in a nice way about all my problems. Except Him who is like Cupid, who else can be my refuge?