Azahar Kuravanji
Kurvanjis are danse dramas in Tamil half way between Bhagawatha Mela Nataka and rustic danse dramas. The accent is on high entertainment value with the use of Rakti ragas and folk tunes. Rhythmic sol-fa passages and onomatopoeic phrases are used to enliven the pure dance passages.
Azhahar Kuravanji is the story of the heroine falling in love with Malazhagar.The fist invocatory song in Kanada is in Sanskrit and in here one can read the mudrai “ Hitha kunjara bhanita “ in the charanam. In fact, this first song itself shows that Kavikunjara Bhrathi, a contemporary of Shri Tyagaraja has adopted the classical division of the composition into pallavi, anupallavi and Charanam. A beautiful description of Malazhagar surrounded by his devotees performing all services follows in the Saranaga raga song. The arrival of Mohanavalli along with her sakhis is portrayed in the Kamas raga composition. A few lines like the ones below makes one imagine the beautiful heroine playing ball with her friends
"Chandranenum vadanattil oli minna Takatakajjanu takadari kitutajanu takadom enrani Mohanavalli pandu adittanal" This song is followed by a classical kummi in Manji ragam. An interesting phraseology can be seen in the 3rd charanam:
"Mohanavalli yamuda valliyadi, Muthuvalli adiyadi chitravalli. Nagavalli pachundothihai valli, nava Ratnavalli yananda valli". Malazhagar comes in procession and Mohanavalli immediately falls in love with him. The famous song “ Ivanaro in Kham boji “ The astonished heroine says (in the first charanam)
“paadathiloru mangai pakkatiloru mangai, Chidatulavam punda tirumarbiloru mangai Yedukkai anindano ivan dan en perumano »
Mohanavalli is love stricken and her mother is worried about her daughter’s plight. This is depicted in the song in Kapi
“ Malaiyum chempon olaiyum Varna chelaiyum aniyamal Kalaiyum andimalaiyum ennam Kalangi urakkam vilangiye miha endan Mahalennamo oru Vahaiyaha irukkirale “
Mohanavalli’s Sakhi is then sent to Azhahar where she conveys the heroines feelings in the beautiful song in Manji “ Mohanavalli minnal”The sakhi then consoles the heroine and asks her to be patient in the song in kedaragowla “ pavaiye sami varumun ittanai padattam tan unakkenadi” Mohanavilli then laments to the ocean about her love in the chengurutti song and she rebukes the moon on being cruel towards her in the song in Behag. Enters the Gypsy in the famous song in begada “ malai Kuravanji Vandale”. The gypsy woman’s beauty is described in the second charnam
"Minnalennum idaiyal – annamennum nadaiyal Menkailangiya kanganavochai Kalin kalin enru kulunga nalangodu Malai Kuravanji Vandale"
One can see the use of onomatopoeia to bring out the movement of the hands and the tinkling of bracelets. This is then followed by a fairly long passage describing the Gypsy tribe and their ways. There is a full description of the flora and fauna and it would be interesting to compare the current eco-system with the one described in this kuravanji. In the bhairavi song the gypsy vaunts of her capacities as in these lines
“kallinum nariruppen – manalaiyum Kayirena tirippen nalla Vallamaiyayangai nelli kaniyena Chollum kurikondu velluven “
Mohanavalli requests the gypsy to read her palm lines and the gypsy then starts the rituals before undertaking this task. She finally predicts the heroine’s future and assures her that her wishes will be fulfilled. The gypsy announce the arrival of malazhahar in the romantic sahana song “ Vandu cheruvar mane” The final marriage scene is described in the song in Mohanam. This is followed by a secondary folk theme on the marriage of the gypsy woman. The play ends with a mangalam in saurashtram.
Read more about this topic: Kavi Kunjara Bharati