“If intimacy with Islamic scholars stimulated him to learn Arabic and Persian, kinship with Hindustani classical singers made him cultivate their style. The cultivation of the Hindustani style added a rare and unique hybrid timbre to his music not usually found in the rendering of Carnatic singers and won him many accolades including those from the Maharajah of Mysore and Rabindranath Tagore. This is because it was unusual for Carnatic singers to be able to sing Hindustani and vice versa. The hybrid style he developed left an indelible stamp on the progress of Carnatic music. It was adopted by later musicians including some of the greats of Carnatic music, marking it as the sui generis of Vizianagaram music. Eventually when Narayana Das became the first principal of Sri Vijayarama Gana Pathasala (the first music college in South India) it became part of the curriculum. The Maharajah of Vizianagaram established the Music College in 1919 to honour the Pandit and enable enthusiasts to learn music from him. The college produced many great musicians. Pandit Narayana Das inducted violin maestro Dwaram Venkata Swamy Naidu as a lecturer in the college. Dwaram succeeded Pandit Narayana Das as principal after the latter relinquished office in 1936.”
The following article on
Pandit Srimadajjada Adibhatla Narayana Das appeared in The Hans
India of January 8, 2012. The original may be seen here: The versatile genius
............................................................................................................
Sir Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy, eminent litterateur, educationist and founder Vice Chancellor of Andhra University described Srimadajjada Adibhatla Narayana Das (1864-1945) as a ‘university’. Sir Ramalinga Reddy was not exaggerating, for Narayana Dasu was a linguist with proficiency in as many as eight languages, poet, philosopher, writer, composer, dancer, actor and the creator of the unique art form, Hari Katha.
It is well nigh impossible
to find a parallel for him in the history of Indian literature. Adibhatla
Narayana Das was the only scholar who had mastery over four classical
languages (Sanskrit, Telugu, Arabic and Persian) and translated from
Persian and English into Sanskrit and Telugu; the only litterateur
who wrote a comparative treatise on the works of Kalidas and
Shakespeare; the only writer-composer who translated into Telugu and
set to music Rig-Vedic hymns and the only
writer-composer who composed a geeta-malika comprising
90 Carnatic ragas. As a writer-composer who composed
music in all the 72 Carnatic ragas, he was next only to
Thyagaraja.
His literary output was
voluminous. He wrote over 50 books in Telugu, Sanskrit
and Atcha-Telugu (Desyandhramu or Telugu unmixed of Sanskrit). His works
included original story-poems (Kavyas and Prabandhas), Harikathas, prose
works, musical works, dramas, translations, treatises in philosophy
and Vedic studies and children’s literature. For want of space, only
a few of his works are introduced here:
Navarasatarangini (1922):
A study that compares, contrasts and critiques the treatment of the nine rasas or
moods in the plays of Shakespeare and Kalidas. A voluminous work, with a
lengthy preface, it vetted the entire of body of dramatic literature of
the two writers.
Rubaiyat of Omar Khaiyam (1932): Narayana
Das felt that Edward Fitzgerald’s English renderings of Omar
Khaiyam’s Rubaiyat were not literal and did not do justice to the spirit
of the Persian poet’s philosophy. In order to demonstrate his
thesis, Narayana Das translated both the original Persian and the English
renderings into Sanskrit and Atcha-Telugu. “Hyderabad Bulletin”*,
a prominent newspaper of the time felt the book merited a review -
Here are some excerpts from the editorial entitled, “A Monument
of Scholarship”: “[...] a careful perusal of
the book fills us with admiration at the astounding scholarship of
the learned Pandit […] In these degenerate days when scholarship has
fallen on evil times, it is incredible to learn that a Hindu, with
Telugu as his mother tongue, should have been so filled with admiration for a
Persian poet that, after he had passed his sixtieth year, he took the trouble
to master so alien a language, and translate the masterpiece not only
into Telugu but into another classical language, Sanskrit.”
Jagajjyothi (1942-43):
It was his magnum opus in which he analysed, discussed and critiqued
ancient Vedic lore and tried to apply his theories to everyday life. It
contains the quintessence of Narayana Das’ philosophy and outlook towards
life. In this he was at once heretical and traditional, rational and religious.
He distilled all that is good in all Indian philosophies and brought about
a synthesis and propounded a new philosophy of humanism.
Dasavidharaganavati
Kusumamanjari(1938): An outstanding musical work of
unparalleled erudition, it is a Devi stotram comprising 90 Carnatic
ragas. The first half is in Sanskrit and the second half in Telugu.
Vizianagarm of
the late nineteenth century was a haven of literary and artistic
talent and was - to borrow a phrase from renaissance literature - in a
state of intellectual ferment. Narayana Das’ innate artistry blossomed and
flourished. Narayana Das used to absorb knowledge the way sponge
absorbs water. If intimacy with Islamic scholars stimulated him to learn
Arabic and Persian, kinship with Hindustani classical singers made him
cultivate their style.
The cultivation of the Hindustani style added a rare and unique hybrid timbre to his music not usually found in the rendering of Carnatic singers and won him many accolades including those from the Maharajah of Mysore and Rabindranath Tagore. This is because it was unusual for Carnatic singers to be able to sing Hindustani and vice versa. The hybrid style he developed left an indelible stamp on the progress of Carnatic music. It was adopted by later musicians, including some of the greats of Carnatic music. Eventually when Narayana Das became the first principal of Sri Vijayarama Gana Pathasala (the first music college in South India) it became part of the curriculum. The Maharajah of Vizianagaram established the Music College in 1919 to honour the Pandit and enable enthusiasts to learn music from him. The college produced many great musicians. Pandit Narayana Das inducted violin maestro Dwaram Venkata Swamy Naidu as a lecturer in the college. Dwaram succeeded Pandit Narayana Das as principal after the latter relinquished office in 1936.
Pandit Narayana Das’
literary and musical accomplishments left him peerless in his
time. The literary and musical elite of his time joined to honour him
with the title of “Sangitha Sahitya Sarvabhauma.” The
musical maestros of his time honoured him with titles like “Laya
Brahma” and “Panchamukhi Parameswara” for his ability to sing
to five talas, beat with two arms, two feet and head. Five musicians
used to keep time with him when he performed “Panchamukhi.” The
versatile genius breathed his last on January 2, 1945.
.............................................................................................................
*To read the editorial
review of Pandit Narayana Das' Rubaiyat of Omar Khaiayam by Hyderabad
Bulletin please see: A MONUMENT OF
SCHOLARSHIP
No comments:
Post a Comment