Music is always considered a form to calm down your mind. Some derive happiness when they listen to their favorite raaga, favorite composer so on. Recently, I listened to a song sung by Shri. Maharajapuram Srinivasan aptly accompanied by Shri. Nagai Muralidharan on the Violin. The song is 'Paarengum Paarthaalum' somehow attracted me more (don't know why) and immediately my eyes glued to TV and my mind trying to capture the beauty of the lyrics and set in the raga Kalyani - adding beauty to the song. The song is composed by Shri. Ghanam Krishna Ayyar who composed with the signature (mudra) - Muthukumara and Velar. He is known for composition of Padhams. The song goes like this ...
Pallavi
Paarengum Paarthaalum Umai pol
parimalamulla paramapurushan kidaikkumo
Anupallavi
Neerangum naanangum irundhaalum enadhu manadhu thiruvadiyil thirukkudanthaiyil
vaazhum Saarangapani kachi Kalyana ranganai sowkhyamaaga kaarthalum (paarengum)
There are 3 charanams..Please visit - http://www.karnatik.com/c1204.shtml
The song is sung in the praise of Lord Sarangapani temple in Kumbakonam who is the presiding deity. The temple by itself is very beautiful and one of the 108 divine shrines. Also, it is one of the Pancharanga Kshetrams (5 temples of Ranga). Many aazhwars have sung in praise of this deity. The most famous one being Thirumazhisai Aazhwar requesting Lord Sarangapani to get up from the sleeping posture. Lord raised his posture to greet the Aazhwar. Noticing that the Lord is very tired, he requests the Lord not to get up and Lord listens to him. Till date he is in slightly raised reclined posture. The paasuram is "Nadantha Kaalgal Nondhavo" (I think I have mentioned this earlier).
The eleven-storey has an architectural beauty and stands 44 meters tall. The Gopuram never ceases to amaze me every time... Also, I have heard it has the dancing poses of Lord Shiva (a real unusual feature seen in a Vaishnavite shrine). One interesting point about this temple is, it has two entrances (Utharaayana and Dakshinaayana vaasal) which are opened according to the time period - when the Sun reaches the tropic of Capricorn in the North and once when the Sun reaches the tropic of Cancer in the South. One must definitely visit the temple to see the beauty and get Lord's blessings.
