Bāgayanayya nīmāyalentó - Chandrajyóti - Tyāgarāja - M Balamuralikrishna (1982)

Описание: The rāga Chandrojyóti perhaps, is one of the rare rāgās handled only by Saint Tyagaraja for the first time. A hexatonic rāga, derivative of Pāvani (41) has a scale of S R1 G1 M2 P D2 S in ascending and S D2 P M2 G1 R1 S as descending notes. Many scholars opine that, no other contemporary composer other than Tyagaraja had composed songs in this rāga.

Tyagaraja has composed two kritis in this rāga and here is “ Bāgāyanayya nī māyalentó”. Here Tyagaraja says that, the teachings of Lord Krishna are ostensibly unfathomable and confusing even to Lord Brahma would not be able to comprehend the intent of it. A rare, never heard before rāga for the subject discussed in this kriti is an example that shines the brilliance of Tyagaraja.

Here is a succinct summary of the song on the Lord Krishna’s greatness and mystic power , an excerpt from the book “The Spiritual Heritage of Tyagaraja” of C Ramanujachari.

“Oh, this is wonderful! How great is your magic? Is it possible even for Brahma to praise it? This magic, yourself doing and at the same time proclaiming that you are not doing it, is wonderful. In the past when Arjuna trembled to carry out your command to destroy the Kauravās, characterising it as a sin, did you not similarly teach him that the effect of sin could not touch you or him and did you not thus protect him?”

Before we could discuss about this rendition, perhaps one of its kind, I would like to briefly share something about this historic concert that was held in Bangalore Gayana Samaja on 7th November 1982.

This was the very same concert in which Balamuralikrishna presented his newly created rāga Dorai. Now, when I look back and ponder, I wonder about the seemingly coincidence of presenting Tyagaraja’s new rāga Chandrojyóti in such vivid details followed by his own rāga Dorai in equal details.

When we all bought the tickets that our pockets could afford and sat in the balcony in a faraway corner holding a small tape recorder close to a sound box, Balamurali started the concert with rāga Chandrojyóti quizzing the curious minds that filled the hall.

The recording presented here is a restored and remastered version of the audio recorded from my humble little tape recorder. The recording is about 30 minutes sans the Violin rāga ālāpana, which I couldn’t afford to record due to shortage of tapes.

Now, about the rendition. While the entire auditorium packed with the best of Bangalore audience on that evening witnessed the rare exposition of rāga Chandrojyóti by Balamurali Sir, one person involved deeper than most of us in the music that was produced, said something so powerful and succinct that made the entire auditorium to applause in agreement. I wouldn’t like to spoil your curiosity by describing it here and I will leave it to the recording to do that job. Balamuralikrishna, as if responding to this powerful comment completes the singing with a given phrase of the song in such an intonation, which only need to be listened to grasp it.

As someone said, “ When you are happy, you enjoy the music and when you are contemplative, you understand the lyrics”. This is one such song, where the understanding of the lyrics make you contemplative and the music of Balamuralikrishna brings you sheer enjoyment and wonder! … nī māyalentó!

Let’s listen to enjoy the music, learn something new and discuss our reflections with others and finally facilitate the process of posterity by sharing and listening with the younger generation.