Eppo VaruvarO
Ragam: Jonpuri (20th Mela Natabhairavi Janyam)
ARO: S R2 M1 P D1 N2 S ||
AVA: S N2 D1 P M1 G2 R2 S ||
Talam: Adi
Composer: Gopalakrishna Bharati
Version: Ram Kaushik
Lyrics/Meanings courtesy: rasikas.org (http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2704)
Pallavi:
eppOvaruvArO-enthan kalithIra-eppOvaruvArO
Anupallavi:
appar mudal mUvarum ALuDai aDigaLum
seppiya tillai cidambara dEvan
caraNam 1
n-aRparuvam van-thu n-Athanaith thEdum
kaRpanaikaL muRRak kAtchi than-thAn
caraNam 2
aRpasuka vAzvil Anan-tham koNdEn
poRpathaththaik kaaNEn ponnampalavANan
caraNam 3
bAlakirushNan pORRip paNin-thidumIsan
mElE kAthal koNdEn veLippadakkANEn
Meaning: (R Shankar, rasikas.org:
http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2704)
eppo
= when varuvArO
= will he come endan
= my kali = karma tIra =
completed/removed
When will He come to relieve me of my worldly burdens?
starting with appar, sambhandar, sundarar and mANikkavAcagar (ALuDai aDigaL) spoke highly of
the Lord of tillai (cidambaram)
.
Seppiya = the
famous (the one who is talked about so much)
tillai cidambara =
(of) cidambaram
dEvan
= the god of, the lord of
The anupallavi gives the
name and address of the person who is awaited in the pallavi:
He is none other than the famous Lord of tillai or cidambaram (cit+ambaram = the
theater of one's consciousness, as well as the physical place)...Lord naTana sabESa/naTarAjA...
nar
paruvam = a good time vandu = when (the
time) arrived
nAthanai
tEDum = when I search (tEDum)
for my Lord (nAthan)
kaRpanaikaL
= my imagination/beyond my wildest imagination
muRRa
= literally means maturing, but here, I think it refers to the limit (of
imagination)
kATSi
tandAn = He gave (tandAn)
me a vison (kATSi) of himself
As I searched for him at the appropriate time, and
when my imagination had run riot and reached it's limits, He revealed himself to me.
aRpa
= tiny/little/meager
sukha
vAzhvil = pleasures of worldly life
Anandam konDEn = I made myself (konDEn)
happy (Anandam)
pOR
pAdattai = (His) golden (pon)
feet (pAdam)
kANEn
= did not see
ponambalavANan
= the lord of the Golden theater (In Siva purANam,
the theater for the Lord's cosmic dance is considered to be made of gold in tillai, silver in Madurai, copper in kuRRAlam
etc...) ALL of these sabhai's or theater's are extolled in ANDavan
pitccai's song 'ADavallAn, yemmai ALavallAn'....
The composer (GKB) says that while he was immersed in
the fleeting and ephemeral pleasures of worldly life, he forgot or failed to
see the golden, compassionate refuge at the feet of the Lord of the golden
theater.
bAlakrishNan
= the Poet (GKB's mudra)
pORRi
paNindiDum = (the one who is) worshipped (pORRi) by and bowed to (paNindiDum)
ISan mEl = on/with (mEl)
the Lord (ISan)
kAdal
konDEn = (I have) fallen in love (kAdal
konDEn)
veLippaDa
= apparent to the world/open/not hidden
kANEn
= I do not see him
The poet then concludes that he has fallen in love
with the Lord that he worships and bows down to, but that Lord is yet to openly
acknowledge it or reciprocate it.
Pallavi:
eppOvaruvArO-enthan kalithIra-eppOvaruvArO
When will He come to relieve me of my worldly burdens?
eppo
= when varuvArO
= will he come endan
= my kali = karma tIra =
completed/removed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
; ; ; S S, nd P D | S ; ; ; | ; ; S ; ||
- - ep pO-va- - ru vA- - - - - rO-
; ; ; S S, nd P D | S ; ; ; | ; , g N S ||
- - ep pO-va- - ru vA- - - - - rO-
; ; ; ns sgrs , nd P D | S ; ; ; | ; , g N S ||
- - ep pO- va- - ru vA- - - - - rO-
,n ; ; N nrS , nd P dm | P ; pnD ; | dSn ; nRs ; ||
- - en than ka- - li- thI - - - - - - - - -
sr mg rs-S g r s - nd P D | S ; ; ; | ns R r n S ||
ra- - - - - ep pO- va- - ru vA- - - - - rO-
,n ; ; N sgrs , nd P dm | P ; pnD ; | dSn ; nRs ; ||
- - en than ka- - li- thI - - - - - - - - -
sr mg rs-S g r s - nd P D | S ; ; ; | ; P pdns ||
ra- - - - - ep pO- va- - ru vA- - - - - rO-
R , g G- G g r s - nd P D | S ; ; ; | ; P pdns ||
- - - - - ep pO- va- - ru vA- - - - - rO-
rg -sr mg- G g r s - nd P D | S ; ; ; | ; , r NS ||
- - - - - ep pO- va- - ru vA- - - - - rO-
,n ; ; N nrsn , nd P dm | P ; pnD ; | dSn ; nRs ; ||
- - en than ka- - li- thI - - - - - - - - -
sr mg rs-S g r s - nd P D | S ; ; ; | ; ; ns R ||
ra- - - - - ep pO- va- - ru vA- - - - - rO-
NS ; N nrsn , nd P dm | P ; ; ; | ; ; pdns ||
- - en than ka- - li- thI - - - - - - ra - -
rg sr mg G g r s - nd P D | GN nS, | ; ; S ; ||
-- - - - - - ep pO- va- - ru vA- - - - - rO-
; ; ; R R G R ; | R ; ; ; | ; G grR ||
-- - - - - - ep pO va- ru vA- - - - - rO-
; ; ; N G R G ; | R G RG | RG gr mg ||
en than ka li- thI - - - - - - - -
rs ; ,n- R R G , grR , | R ; ; ; | ; ; RP ||
-- - - - - - ep pO va- ru vA- - - - - rO-
; ; ; N G R G ; | rgmg rgmg | rgmg rmgr ||
en than ka li- thI - - - - - - - -
rs R sn- R R G , R , | ggrs nD, ; | dsn-n rs-R ||
-- - - - - - ep pO va- ru vA- - - - - - rO-
; ; ; N G R G ; | rgmg rgmg | rmgr rm gS, ||
en than ka li- thI - - - - - - - ra
; ; ; - R R G , R , | ggrs nsn-s | rs-rm gg-S ||
-- - - - - - ep pO va- ru vA- - - - - -
R ; ; N G R G ; | rgmg rgmg | rgmg rmg r ||
rO- en than ka li- thI - - - - - - - -
mg-rs ; ; - R R G , R , | rgrg rgrs | nd - pd ns rg ||
ra - ep pO va- ru vA- - - - - -
srG R ;- G G G gg ; | gr-ns rgpm | mg G gr - sr ||
rO - en than ka li- thI - - - - - - - -
Anupallavi (continues directly from pallavi):
Seppiya = the
famous (the one who is talked about so much)
tillai cidambara =
(of) cidambaram
dEvan
= the god of, the lord of
starting with appar, sambhandar, sundarar and mANikkavAcagar (ALuDai aDigaL) spoke highly of
the Lord of tillai (cidambaram)
.
mg-rs ; ;- N ; N N ; | S ; ; ; | ; ; srgr ||
ra - se ppi ya til - - - - lai - -
grG ; - gs grS , - nd P M | P ; ; ; | nD , dN p ||
ci dam - ba- - ra nA - - - - - - -
P ; ; - gssn ; N N ; | S ; ; ; | R S srgr ||
Than - se - ppi ya til - - - - lai - -
grG ; - gs grS , - nd P M | P ; ; ; | nD , dsnd ||
ci dam - ba- - ra nA - - - - - - -
P ; ; - N ; N N ; | S ; ; ; | R S srgr ||
Than - se - ppi ya til - - - - lai - -
grG ; - gs grS , - nd P M | P ; ; ; | nD , pdns ||
ci dam - ba- - ra nA - - - - - - -
rg sr mg- N ; N N ; | S ; ; ; | R S srgr ||
Than - se - ppi ya til - - - - lai - -
grG ; - gs grS , - nd P M | P ; ; ; | nD , pdns ||
ci dam - ba- - ra nA - - - - - - -
sr mg- rs-G g r s - nd P D | GN nS, | ; ; S ; ||
Than - ep pO - va- - ru - - - - - - rO
caraNam 1
n-aRparuvam van-thu n-Athanaith thEdum
kaRpanaikaL muRRak kAtchi than-thAn
nar
paruvam = a good time vandu = when (the
time) arrived
nAthanai
tEDum = when I search (tEDum)
for my Lord (nAthan)
kaRpanaikaL
= my imagination/beyond my wildest imagination
muRRa
= literally means maturing, but here, I think it refers to the limit (of
imagination)
kATSi
tandAn = He gave (tandAn)
me a vison (kATSi) of himself
As I searched for him at the appropriate time, and
when my imagination had run riot and reached it's limits, He revealed himself to me.
; ; ; - R ; G R ; | R ; ; ; | ; ; R G ||
naR - pa ru- vam - - - - van-
grR ; - N G R G ; | rgmg rgmg | rgmg rmgr ||
thu - n-A - tha nai thE - - - - - - - - - - - -
gr S ; - R ; G , grR ; | R ; ; ; | ; ; R G ||
di - - naR - pa - ru- vam - - - - van-
grR ; - N G R G ; | rgmg rgmg | rgmg rmg-r ||
thu - n-A - tha nai thE - - - - - - - - - - - -
mg rs ; - R ; G , grR ; | R ; ggrs | nD-s ,n-R ||
di - - naR - pa - ru- vam - - - - -
s-grR R - N G R G ; | rgmg rgmg | rgmg rmg-r ||
van thu n-A - tha nai thE - - - - - - - - - - - -
mg rs ; rs N- N N ; | S ; ; ; | ; - R srgr ||
di - - kaR - pa nai - kaL - - - muR tRa-
G ; ; -Sgr S , nd D pm | P ; pNd | dS n nR s ||
- - - kA - tchi - than- thAn - - - - - - - - -
srmg rs- N ;- N N ; | S ; sRs | ; - R srsr ||
- - - - - kaR - pa nai - kaL - - - muR tRa-
Mpm mg G- srgr S , nd P M | P ; nndd | ssnn rr ss ||
- - - - - kA - tchi - than- thAn - - - - - - - - -
srmg rs - S g r s - nd P D | S ; ; ; | ; ; S ; ||
- - - - ep pO- va- - ru vA- - - - - rO-
NS ; N nrsn , nd P dm | P ; ; ; | ; ; pdns ||
- - en than ka- - li- thI - - - - - - ra - -
rg sr mg G g r s - nd P D | GN nS, | ; ; S ; ||
-- - - - - - ep pO- va- - ru vA- - - - - rO-
caraNam 3
bAlakirushNan pORRip paNin-thidumIsan
mElE kAthal koNdEn veLippadakkANEn
bAlakrishNan
= the Poet (GKB's mudra)
pORRi
paNindiDum = (the one who is) worshipped (pORRi) by and bowed to (paNindiDum)
ISan mEl = on/with (mEl)
the Lord (ISan)
kAdal
konDEn = (I have) fallen in love (kAdal
konDEn)
veLippaDa
= apparent to the world/open/not hidden
kANEn
= I do not see him
The poet then concludes that he has fallen in love
with the Lord that he worships and bows down to, but that Lord is yet to openly
acknowledge it or reciprocate it.
; ; ; - R ; R ; G | R ; ; ; | ; ; R G ||
bA - la - kiru shNan - - - - pOR-
grR ; N G R G ; | rgmg rgmg | rgmg rgmg ||
Rip - pa Nin thi dum - I - - - - - - - - - - - - -
rm gr S - R ; R ; G | R ; ; ; | ; ; R G ||
--san - - bA - la - kiru shNan - - - - pOR-
grR ; N G G G ; | ggsr gmpm | mgG gr sr ||
Rip - pa Nin thi dum - I - - - - - - - - - san - -
mgrs. ; - N- N S ; | S ; SR | S - R srgr ||
- - - mE lE kA thal - - - koN dEn
G ; ; -Sgr S , nd D pm | P ; pNd | dsnd P P ||
- - - veLi - ppa - da - kkA - - - - - - - NEn
S ; S - rssn- ; N S ; | S ; SR | S - R srgr ||
I - shan mE - lE kA thal - - - koN dEn
G ; ; -Sgr S , nd D pm | P ; ; ; | ; ; pdns ||
- - - veLi - ppa - da - kkA - - - - - - NEn
rgsr mg - S
g r s - nd P D | S ; ;
; | ; ; S ; ||
- - - - ep pO- va- - ru vA- - - - - rO-
NS ; N nrsn , nd P dm | P ; ; ; | ; ; nndp ||
- - en than ka- - li- thI - - - - - - ra - -
mm ; ; N N N N ; | dnsn dnsn | dnsn dsn-d ||
-- - - - - - ep pO va ru vA- - - - - - - -
sn-P ; - P Pd- p ; mgR | gs ; ; sg | rm mp pn dr ||
- - rO- - en than ka- - li- - thI - - - - - - ra - -
s-n D P S g r s - nd P D | S , s ; S | nrs nd P D ||
- - - - - ep pO- va- - ru vA rO- - ep pO- va- - ru
S ,s ; N s r s - nd P D | G N ; S | ; S ; ; ||
- - - - - ep pO- va- - ru vA - - - - rO- - -
Notes on Jonpuri (from Hindu article by Charulatha Mani):
Jonpuri has its roots in Hindustani music and has spread its branches far and wide into Carnatic Music. This attractive raga is said to have been named after the sultan Sharqui of Jonpur. The emotions conveyed by this raga, brought forth beautifully in light classical pieces and folk tunes, are bhakthi, zesty appeal and stunning grandeur. Jonpuri features the notes Sadja, Chatusruti Rishaba, Sadharana Gandhara, Suddha Madhyama, Pancama, and Kaisiki Nishada in ascent and the Suddha Dhaivata in addition to these notes in the descent.
Jonpuri became popular with the song Eppo varuvaro composed by Gopalakrishna Bharati. The moving lyrics and dramatic tune are evergreen. Purandaradasas Rama mantrava is also well-known. Sapasya Kousalya has been popularised by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.
A raga with such dramatic contours ought to have been used extensively in film music and this has been achieved to a certain extent. One of the earliest appearances of this raga was in the film Chintamani in which MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar brilliantly sings Ullamellam inba vellam in this raga. This song was composed by Papanasam Sivan.
In Ashok Kumar, MKT sings Gnanakann onru and Sathva guna bodhan in this raga. Both these songs were super hits and took off at the upper octave, this being the beauty of Jonpuri. Sathva guna bodhan tune is the same as Eppo varuvaro tune and this further contributed to the successful reach of the song. The grand opening of the charanams in the higher octave Rishaba in Sathva guna still resounds in our ears.
Innamum paramugam and Thaai irukka pillai from Velaikari film (music S. M. Subbayya Naidu and C. R. Subbaraman) were also quite popular and rode the Jonpuri wave in the year 1949.
Ninaithale inikkumadi manam sung by the Radha-Jayalakshmi duo in the film Mullai Vanam was chronologically the next Jonpuri song to have appeared on silver screen. This number, with its frills and numerous embellishments, is a treat to listen to.
But the song that made a huge impression in the minds of music lovers was Naan petra selvam from the film of the same title. Sung by T. M. Soundararajan, this composition of G. Ramanathan is a fitting tribute to the raga. In the phrase pesum singara selvam the notes M P S, D,,P neatly adorn the framework of the song and proclaim the raga as Jonpuri beyond doubt.
My personal favourite in this raga would of course be Kallile kalai vannam from the film Kumudam set to music by K. V. Mahadevan and sung impeccably by Seerkazhi Govindarajan. The opening itself P SS..RGR, N S,S, clearly establishes the raga. The phrase that truly set my heart on fire was mangai pola anbe en idhayathil nee aduginraay in the charanam. What a stunning landscape the music director has presented the light oscillations starting from the top octave Rishaba, slowly trickling downwards like a rivulet and the suddenly taking off like a torrential current from the Pancama covering the entire scale.
In Andavan darisaname (Agasthiyar film, music Kunnakudi Vaidhyanathan) T. R. Mahalingam seamlessly scales the raga, adorning it with many a sangati. This song also begins in the upper Sadja, true to the character of Jonpuri.
Sonnadhu neethana from the film Nenjil Or Aalayam (music M. S. Viswanathan Ramamurthy) is largely based in Jonpuri, a very different approach to the raga. The subtle pathos that P. Susheela imparts when she sings sol sol..en uyire is notable. In Devar Magan Ilayaraja presents a cheerful enjoyable Jonpuri-based melody in Inji iduppazhaga sung by Kamal Hassan and S. Janaki.
Jonpuri belongs to the Asavari Thaat in Hindustani music, one of the many notable film songs in it being Pal pal hai bharee (film Swades, music A. R. Rahman) sung by Alka Yagnik.