It was the auspicious occasion of Shivarathri. This Shivarathri was very special to us as we embarked on a new journey named Sa Pa Sa - a musical web series. It could not be any perfect as the theme and the music related to it were close to our hearts - The Shiva Music!
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| our first logo/representation picture of Sa Pa Sa |
The preperation
We lived in 3rd floor where the view was incredible and the open space the 'meda' we call it in Telugu was just like the one we see in old Telugu Films - flower pots, big Ponna Vriksham (Tree) and all that. And if you observe the episode, you can hear the tweeting of the birds, sometimes street vendors and all this ambiance making our episode more warm and welcoming! Just like old times!
We made our title, we set our frame and started recording our first episode of Sa Pa Sa Web Series - Shiva Stotralu!
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| Sa Pa Sa season 1 location |
The Episode
So, what is the episode about?
This episode has the mentions of the popular, less known, new and must know Shiva Stotralu we ever knew.
The childhood memory - Siva Stuthi cassette by S P Balu sir
Lingashtakam - Ashtakam means the one with 8 stanzas. Lingashtakam is undoubtedly the most known stotrams of Shiva. 'Thath pranamami sada Siva Lingam' is the last line of every stanza. In a recent research and mentions in a forum, it came to light that Agastya Mahamuni wrote Lingashtakam. Before this fact was discovered, it was assumed that Adi Sankaracharya must have written this wonderful ashtakam.
When comes to the tune of this stotram, it was in 1980s, when Saregama (HMV) brought out a cassette which had Siva Stuthi on one side and Bhadrachala Ramadasu Keertanalu on the other. An incredible combo offer we would say as we could hear two mega stars of music S P Balasubrahmaniam and Dr Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna. The cassette is a treasure in itself.
Here is the link to the original SPB's Siva Stuthi
K V Mahadevan sir's assistant PuhaLendi sir is the composer of this album - our personal favourite
So this cassette was on loop on our old Phillips stereo cassette recorder cum player, thanks to our music loving parents. Before we sisters could know, we knew the music on these cassettes by heart.
So, just like when the cassette plays, one song comes after the other and we sing exactly like that till today - we know what comes after what! :D
Prabhum Prananadham - Somehow we end up singing exactly like how SPB sir does - the way he pronounces, breaks the lyric, we exactly follow his style.
The Carnatic Ragas used in a Lighter way in this album are:
Lingashtakam - Sivaranjani
Prabhum Prananadham - Mohana
Viswanadhashtakam - Darbari Kaanada
Bilvashtakam - Kanakangi
Bhakti Ranjani - All India Radio
Thanks to the habits of our mother - the first thing she would do after waking up and before starting any work is to put the Radio on. This is the background music of her life and thats how we picked up
Visveshwaraya - Daridrya Dahana Stotram in the voices of amazing legends like Srirangam Gopalaratnam, Voleti Venkateswarulu and the then staff artists of AIR creating an incredible piece of bliss! This is in ragam Sindhubhairavi. This music made the mornings so peaceful and gave a beautiful start for the day!
Here is the original recording Visweswaraya - Daridrya Dahana Stotram
Srisaila Mallikarjuna Suprabhatam
Many years back, when we moved to a new house, we heard some soulful stotram coming out of our neighbour's house early morning. It was so melodious, so smooth on ears and filled with devotion that we had to know what it was. We heard, enquired and learnt that it was Srisaila Mallikarjuna Suprabhatam - breaking the mould of listening to 'Kausalya Supraja Rama' these people introduced us to this precious music.
If you have been to Srisailam, this stotram is played every morning till today (it was when we last went). This Stotram is composed by P B Srinivas garu and he rendered it with S Janaki garu. Their voices are in a beautiful sync reminding us of the Ardhanareeswara thathvam. What a composer P B Sreenivas garu is!
Here is the original recording Srisaila Mallikarjuna Suprabhatam
These are the Carnatic Ragas used for each slokam in the suprabhatam!
Prathah Smarami - Nata
Kalabhyam - Gowla
Namaste Mahadeva Sambho - Aarabhi
Sasvath Sri Giri - Varali
Somardhankita mastakaam - Sri
Mathah Praseeda - Bhoopalam
Sambho surendra nutha - Mohana
Viswesha, Kalyanarupa - Malayamarutham
Gowri Manohara - Gowri Manohari
Nagendra Bhushana - Sankarabharanam
Srushtantvayaiva - Kharapriya
Ekastvameva - Sahana
Patala gaangajala - Saaranga
Saraswatha - Mayamalavagowla
Phalasruthi - Darbar
Namassivabhyam - Latangi
Anagham - Vasata Bhairavi
Shivam Sankaram - Saramati
Bhrungiccha - Hindola
Somotthamsaha - Ananda Bhairavi
Yenam Panau - Kaapi
Srisaile Swarna Srunge - Mukhari/Bhairavi
Ya yogi brunda - Yadukula Kambhoji
Kasturi - Begada
Rajan mattha marala mandagamana - Kedaragowla
Srinatha, Ubhau - Shanmukhapriya
Mangalasasanam - Hindola
Gowri Manohara surasura - Pantuvarali
Bhaktarthi hara - Darbari Kaanda
Bhrungeesa sevitha - Hamsadhwani
Nagendra charmavasana - Dhanyasi
Sarvarthi bhanjana - Subhapantuvarali
Sri Bhramareesa - Abhogi
Sarvagama stutha - Charukesi
Sambho - Suddha Saveri/Durga
Some more slokas that we came across (lesser known)
Chandrabha Valaji - composed by Smt B Haripriya (Hyderabad Sisters)
Karpura Gowram - Vasantha - composed by Sushma Nittala
The name 'vasantham' in this slokam means the one who lives/stays, but because it also means Vasantha ragam if taken out of context, I used his ragam. :D
Vande Sambhumumapathim - Saramathi - composed by Sushma Nittala
Mentions from the Films (Telugu)
Siva Thandava Stotram - Galipenchela Narasimha Rao
Here is the original song - Siva Thandava Stotram - Seetha Rama Kalyanam (Film)
Ravanasura was as great Pandit who wrote this Stotram - He also was the creator of 'Aadi Talam' according to the Carnatic Music Theory. Much about that in another series.
Vagardhaviva Sampruthou - Ilayaraja
Here is the original - Vagardhaviva samprutthou - Sagarasangamam
Aksharayanamaha - Hamsalekha (stotram created by J K Bharavi)
Here is Aksharaya namaha from Sri Manjunatha film
Here is Aksharaya namaha from Sri Manjunatha film
(Will write about this song and the ragas some other time, but for sure!)
Siva Viswaroopa Stuthi (a rare gem)
Our neighbour Kompalle Vasudeva Rao garu is a very kind gentleman who loves music and arts and is a good vidwan himself. He is very well aware of all the music and literature work we do and one day he brought us this rare stotram and asked me to compose it! I composed it in Tillang Ragam.
(Full stotram audio will be available in our 'Sa Pa Sa - Originals' playlist on our Sa Pa Sa Channel.
Listen to Siva Viswaroopa Stuthi here!
Listen to Siva Viswaroopa Stuthi here!
This is the first episode of our Sa Pa Sa Musical Web Series!
yours musically
Sushma Nittala
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