Legends Retold — Bobbili Kesavayya
We relate to everything better when we have a story connected with it. Especially when it comes to abstract concepts such as music and bakthi, the history is full of legends that have travelled along with the song, and is recited as much as the song itself.
Such stories undergo addition, subtraction and evolution just like any other legend, but it definitely creates a mark on how we remember and relate to the song.
When I began writing this post, it was merely a recount of the legend behind the Syama Sastri krithi, Devi Brova Samayamidhe. Of course, if you read along, you will know why I titled it Bobbili Kesavayya.
Kesavayya vs Syamu
Kesav from Bobbili, a musician once came to the Thanjavur court and challenged the musicians there. He was known as the “Bhuloka Chapa Chutti” or the man who rolled the world into a mat (for his musicianship). Knowing about his previous wins, even the illustrious musicians of the Thanjavur court refused to take up Kesav’s challenge. Finally, Syamu, who was a musician/ priest in the town, was finally chosen as the one Kesav would compete against.
News about this epic challenge, about to happen the next day, spread like wildfire. Meanwhile, Syamu prayed at the temple and sang a krithi he composed in a ragam of his invention, Chintamani.
“Devi brova samayamidhe, ati vegame vacchi”
meaning, “O Devi! This is the opportune moment to protect me, please come soon”. Having gotten the Goddess’ blessings, he felt relieved and went home.
Next day, during the challenge Syamu was able to compete with Kesav in all aspects of music and gave him a run for his money. Finally, Kesav is said to have sung a pallavi in the Simhanandhana Thalam of 108 beats and Syamu repeated it with ease. When Syamu, in return sang a pallavi in Sarabanandhana Thalam of 79 beats, a thalam of his own creation, Kesav was unable to reproduce it and accepted defeat.
Kesavayya vs Krishna
Kesav from Bobbili, the musician once (again) came to the Thanjavur court and performed there. He was an expert in singing Ghanam, a style of singing in Carnatic music. Although there were many illustrious musicians in the court, the king realised that there was none who could perform a ghanam style of singing with such expertise.
One day, after Kesav’s performance, the king asked if there was anyone in the court who could learn this style of singing and then attempt singing it? The musicians in the court refused to take it up and they reasoned they did not have the right age, experience or atmosphere to learn it now.
Krishna, a young lad from a musical family, was also present in the court that day. He was brave by nature and had a sonorous voice. He rose and said, “If Kesav is ready to teach me how to sing Ghanam, then I am willing to learn, practise and perform it in this court itself”.
Kesav magnanimously taught Krishna the techniques. Krishna then retired to a place exclusively built for his practice by his patron at Kapisthalam. After a rigorous practice at his resort, he is said to have performed in front of the Thanjavur king, court musicians and Kesav himself, and was given the title “Ghanam” before his name in appreciation of his feat.
My thoughts
The story of Kesavayya vs Syama Sastri is usually told as a lesson in humbleness, something in the lines of Hemanatha Bagavathar vs Panapathirar story from the movie Thiruvilayadal. Also, I have always wondered why Syama Sastri didn’t choose his newly invented ragam Chintamani, for the contest.
However, after knowing about the second story of Kesavayya vs Ghanam Krishna Iyer, I think there is also a lesson to learn here about perseverance. Also the hero of the story could easily have been Kesavayya.
I am not able to determine which of the stories happened first, as the time periods of all the the above mentioned musicians are pretty close. Either way, one can conclude that Kesavayya didn’t bother about winning or losing, as he kept returning to the Thanjavur court to perform.
// Pallavi is an advanced piece of carnatic music
References
- Great Composers — Book 1 by P Sambamoorthy
- Sangeetha Mummanigal by Dr. U Ve Swaminatha Iyer
