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: Sāveri
Thāḷa:Ādhi
Composer:
Language: Thamizh
Meanings - Word by word& Overall; Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Pallavi
Unnai Thūthu Anuppinen Yennaḍi Naḍandhadhé
Uḷḷadhuraippāi Sakhiyé

Anupallavi
Kanal Perughi Vaḷar Thenḍral Kunḍrugaḷ Śūzhum
Kaṇavaḷamuru Śivagirivaḷar Guhaniḍam
Yenadhuḷḷa Naḷidalai Urraiseiyya Maḍamayile

Charaṇam 1
Vāri Muḍindha Kuzhal Varisai Kulaindhadhenna
Veṇṇa Kapōlangal Kunkumum Kalaindhadhenna
Sīrperum Kasthūri Thilakam Azhindhadhenna
Jivvu Jivvenré Kaṇgal Siritthu Sivandhadhenna

Charaṇam 2
Seyya Pavalampōl Theiyyale Nin Udhaḍe Shuddhathuyya Veṇmayaay Veḷatthe Saighai Yen Parkuri
Mettha Sugam Oru Vidha Vidhathozhil Puribavan Guhaniḍam Maruvi Nee Varuvadu Theriyaadō

Meanings

Pallavi
Unnai Thūthu Anuppinen Yennaḍi Naḍandhadhé
Uḷḷadhuraippāi Sakhiyé

Unnai – you;
Thūthu – message (as a messenger);
Anuppinen - I sent;
Yennaḍi - what;
Naḍandhadhé- happened;
Uḷḷadhu- truth;
uraippāi –tell me;
Sakhiyé- O friend!;

O friend! I sent you as a messenger; tell me the truth about what has happened.

Anupallavi
Kanal Perughi Vaḷar Thenḍral Kunḍrugaḷ Śūzhum
Kaṇavaḷamuru Śivagirivaḷar Guhaniḍam
Yenadhuḷḷa Naḷidhalai Urraiseiyya Maḍamayilé

Kanal – sugarcane group;
Perughi – increase;
Vaḷar – grown;
Thenḍral– cool breeze (from the south);
Kunḍrugaḷ – small mountains;
Sūzhum – surrounded by;
Kaṇavaḷamuru– paddy fields;
Śivagirivaḷar - living in Sivagiri;
Guhan- another name for Muruga;
iḍam- to him;
Yenadhuḷḷa – my heart;
Naḷidhalai – the pain of;
Urai- to speak;
seiyya – to do;
Maḍamayilé- in my stupidity;

In my own stupidity, I sent you to convey my sufferings to Lord Muruga, who resides in Śhivagiri, which is blessed by nice cool breeze and which is surrounded by paddy and sugarcane fields.

Charaṇam
Vāri Muḍindha Kuzhal Varisai Kulaindhadhenna
Veṇṇa Kapōlangal Kunkumum Kalaindhadhenna
Sīrperum Kasthūri Thilakam Azhindhadhenna
Jivvu Jivvenré Kaṇgal Siritthe Sivandhadhenna

Vāri– well combed;
Muḍindha – braided;
Kuzhal Varisai – hair;
Kulaindhadhenna-why is it disturbed and opened?;
Vaṇṇa- coloured and beautiful;
Kapōlangal– cheeks;
Kunkumum– vermilion;
Kalaindhadhu enna– why is it smeared? ;
Sīrperum – the great;
Kasthūri Thilakam-– vermilion made of fragrant musk;
Azhindhadhu enna— why disturbed;( why it is not seen)
Jivvu Jivvenré – sparkling;
Kaṇgal –eyes;
Siritthu- small;
Sivandhadhenna-is red;

Why it is that your nicely braided hair is disturbed? Why it is that vermilion is spread all over your beautiful cheeks? Why it is that the mark that was applied on your forehead is missing? Why it is that your beautiful sparkling eyes are so small and red?

Charaṇam 2
Seyya Pavalampōl Theiyyale Nin Udhaḍe Shuddhathūya Veṇmayāi Veḷatthe Saighai Yen Parkuri
Mettha Sugam Oru Vidha Vidha thozhil Puribavan Guhaniḍam Maruvi Nī Varuvadhu Theriyādhō

Seyya– red;
Pavalampōl– coral like;
Theiyyale –O friend!;
Nin Udhaḍe-your lips;
Shuddhathūya- clean and sparkling;
Veṇmayāi-white;
Veḷutthe – has become pale;
Saighai – sign;
Én Parkuri-why teethmarks?;
Mettha Sugam –the comfort and pleasure of passion;
Oru Vidha Vidha thozhil – coral like;
Puribavan- one who does so;
Guhaniḍam – to Muruga;
Maruvi – having embraced;
Nī Varuvadhu-you have come so;
Theriyādhō- do I not know?;

Your red coral like lips have turned pale like a piece of white cloth! Look at that teeth mark on those lips! Don’t I know that you are coming here after having embraced Muruga, who would have given you lot of passionate comforts!!