Cholkettu Chakravagam (before confused with Sowrashthra) in Mohiniyattam lyrics with Meaning in English

This Cholkettu is the second Cholketu choreographed in Mohiniyattam, the first one, in ragam Chakravagam, was actually one piece of a surviving legacy of mohiniyattam (5 items total) recovered from memory by Thottasserry Chinnammu Ammu, who came to Kalamandalam at about 50 years old and had not practiced Mohiniyattam since childhood, because of the taboo on the dance form and its association with prostitution. Satyabhama was the next generation guru who contributed the most choreographers to Kalamandalam repertoire, which are already classics. This cholkettu is very similar to the original old item by Thottasserry Chinnammu Ammu, however, the movements were deliberately sophisticated, as well as the final lyrical part (sahityam) was cut short to a single shloka about Lord Shiva

Ragam: Chakravagam
Thalam: Adi

KitaTaki/Thadim  Thadimi dimitaka jonutaka/ Jonutaka Drukutaka/ Tadim Kina//
//Tom tadim kina tom Bhaga/...va..../...thee....//
//e...kalya..../ni..../....//
//...dehi...me.../manga..../lam....//
//tei yaka Druku thaka/taka dhiku/Tadim Kina//
//Tom Tadimkina/ Tom Vedantha/ Rupe..../Sive//
//Vimala... Bhava...mo/chini...//
//Munishantho...niva..../ sini..../...//
//Dehime.../manga.../lam...//
//Jaya Mangalam... nithya/Shubha Manga/Lam...//
//Jayamangalam...Nitya/..../...//

..Tha... tai....kitaki/tha..../thei...kitataki//       

//Dhatha... tei dha tha tei/ dha tha...  thei dhata thei //  }---- 8 times

//Tha... dimtha... dhi/tha... dhim/tha... dhim//
//tha.. dimtha... dhi/tha...ara/ya ...ha tha//

I) // dhitha jagajagajam dhita/
jaga jaga jam dita jaga jaga//
//tha ri tha.....jaga/tari thaka/dhimi thaka//
//Jagam thanam tari gum thari ta/                    }
tha gum thari/gum thari tha thaka//             }----- 2 times
//Jagam thakita gati Nakam taki ta gathi/
jagajagajagam ta/kita gathi naka tha//
//kita gathi jaga jagam jaga jaga dhim/
kinatom dhim kina/ thom dhim kina thom//

//Tha,,,, dhimtha.... dhi/tha dhim/ ta di//
//ta dhimta... dhi/ tha Arayhatha//

II) Diki thimnam tarithadhimnam ta/ritha jom//
//Tha...tharitha jom/tham...tha/kita dhim//
//Dhim takita dhim thi/tham tha/kita dhim//
//Dhim thakita dhimtha/tham tha/tham tha/ kita dhim//
//thakita ta thi tharikita dimi taka tomka thlanduu thlandu thadim/
kidatom thadim kina/tom thadim kinathom//

//Tha,,,, dhimtha.... dhi/tha dhim/ ta di//
//ta dhimta... dhi/ tha Arayatha//

III) Thanum Thanam Thari/thaka nam tari/   }
thaka naka tari/jagam tari/ thom tha thom//   } 2 times

//Thanumthanamthari.. thaka nam tari thaka naka tari jagam tari thom tha thom/
Thanumthanamthari.. /thaka nam tari /thaka naka tari/ jagam tari thom tha thom//

//Thamkita thathi thari kita dhimi thaka thomka thlanku thadim/
kinatom thadhim kina/ thom thadim kina thom//

//da tei tei da tha tam dhimi/
da tha tei ta tei/ da tha tam//


//Tha,,,, dhimtha.... dhi/tha dhim/ ta di//
//ta dhimta... dhi/ tha Arayatha//

IV) //Dhi thi tha dhimi tha/
dhiti tha dhi/thanu thaka jam thaka//
//jagam thanam thari dum thari tha/ tha gum thari/ thakum thari tha thaka//

//Thanu thanam thari dit thaka na tari/     }
jaga tari naka tari/ jaga tari thom ta tom//  } 2 times

//Thanutha thajonutha tadhimitha tajonutha / 

dhanathajonutha dhimi/ ta dimki na tom//         } 3 times

//da tei tei da tha tam dhimi/
da tha tei ta tei/ da tha tam//

Sahitya:

Haratunga Jatha Dhara Ganga
Haratunga Jatha Dhara Ganga
Thripurantaka rishabho thuranga
Thripurantaka rishabho thuranga
Mada purita Manmatha bhanga
Mada purita Manmatha bhanga


(Translation:
The one who bears Gangha in his locks
The destroyer of Tripura (Siva) uses the bull as a divine vehicle
He turned Kamadeva (Manmatha) to ashes)

//ankri namastuthi tham kita thathi thari kita dhimi thaka/
thomka thlanku thadim kina/ Tom tharikita dhimitaka thomka//
//thlanku tadim kinatom dimitaka tomka thlanku ta dhim/
kina thom ta dim kina/ tom ta dim ki na thom//
//Da tei tei da ta tam dimi/ datha tei ta tei/ da ta tam dimi/ taaam//

(The end)

Aayar sheriyar Shabdam lyrics with meaning

A very famous shabdam in Bharatanatyam narrating about Lord Krishna and his miracles and mischievous games in Vrindavan. The meaning is approximate, as , once again, with Tamil here it’s a bit hard. :D

Interesting discovery with the lyrics was when teacher was trying to explain me the annupalavi, where krishna’s face is radiating.

-         -  Don’t you know, - she said, - that monks and sadhus have flames playing on their faces?

      I was amazed. As indeed I saw people, spiritual practitioners, having this amazing warm radiance coming through their skin. Apparently, in India it’s a well known phenomenon. :)

Aayar Sheriyar

Ragamalika

Talam Misra Chapu

Jathi

Thaha thai datha tham dathai

Thaha thai yatha thai datham

Thadana Thandana Thagonu Dim Dimi

Thanam Thana kita Thadim dimi  kita

Tha ha tha da tha tham

Pallavi (ragam Kamboji):

Aayar Sheriyar Arinthidamalum

Anney Thanthayan Therinthidamalum

Neyar Gopiyar Nenjam Kavarnthida

Mayavan Kuzhaloothuran

Enkal yadavan Kuzhaloothuran

Jathi -1

Thadana thandana thajonu  dim dimi

Thanam thankitta thadim dimikita

Anupallavi (ragam Shanmukhapriya):

Surundudrunda a kuzhulkal assernthida

Sundara Mukham thulankida

Marunda Naninam meghey maranthida

Mayavan Kuzhaloothuran

Pavala vayan kuzhaloothuran

Jathi-2 (kamboji)

Thadana thandana thajonu  dim dimi

Thanam thankitta thadim dimikita

Charanam – 1 (ragam Nattakurinji)

Cheruviral kalal kuzhale thazhukida

Chenka malarkan sazhthida

Kuruviyare a purucam nelinthida

Gopalan kuzhaloothuran

Enkal balan kuzhaloothuran

Jathi  - madhyamaavathi ragam

Thadana thandana thajonu  dim dimi

Thanam thankitta thadim dimikita

 Charanam – 2

Govindan juzhal geetha nadavum

Gopiyar sevi sazhtida

Moham kondodi vegamayvara

Kannane dyanam seykuran

Kamala kannane dyanam seykuran

Charanam Jathi:

Thalanku thom taka thadi kinathom

Thadinam takum taru kidathaka

Thaka dinam takum tari kidathaka

Dithinam takum tari kidathaka

Thankanku thom taka tadi kinathom

Datheya they tatha tam ---

Meaning: 

Magician Krishna is playing his  flute,  and no one, neither his mother, father, not gopis, know it

His hair is curly and beautiful as its floating at him playing the flute, at this time his face is radiant like flames. His music makes the deer forget his body. Krishna’s lips are like coral stone

His beautiful delicate fingers caress the flute, his eyebrows are dark and attractive. His music makes the gopis, forgetting their chores, run to hear him and praise him.




P.S. Do check my Youtube channel, where I give a lot of videos on dance, yoga, and lifestyle

Mohananadai Murugan Padam

This item is supposed to be for my arangetram, but this still soooo raw. It took me a while to find a teacher who could give me more or less a translation from Tamil and not just a general idea and then stalk her for several weeks with notebook and pen ready to write. With tamil it’s a problem in Kerala, even though it is a similar language to Malayalm. But the item is  a beautiful piece  of a girl infatuated by Murugan, a heroic and bold son of Siva. She is a devotee, at the same time she is attracted to him like a woman to a man, blushing with every memory of the kisses he shaded on her.

Padam Mohananadai

Ragamalika

Adi Talam

Sloka:

Ragam Shanmukhapriya

Koorvadiveil konda nam perumal varum

Kotathe parunka….. kothayarkal

Aaru mukangalil punjiripum

Eerandaru Bhujangalil adbhuthavum

Ragam mohana

Veeru paranjudal thirumeniyum

Parunka velmizhiyal….

Veeru paranjudal Thirumeniyum

ParunkaMeen Miziyal….

Adbhuthamane azhaganadi

Thuthi anparkalkkarul seyyum

Kalakanadi

Translation:

With a sharp weapon our God is coming

Ah Look at his body, my dear friends!

Six faces are radiating smiles

And twelve hands – what a wonder!

Veera (heroism) is overfilling his body

He is looking with his eyes sharp like a weapon

Veera is overfilling his body

He is looking with his fish-shaped eyes

I have never witnessed such a beauty!

To those meditating on him he gives blessings,

Oh this man full of bliss…

Pallavi:

Ragam – Mohanam

Mohana nadai nadanth

Murukavel vandai

Moha esai padi

Mutha mazhai pozhintai

Translation:

With his beautiful gaint

Murugan is coming

Singing love songs

And showering his kisses on me

Anupallavi:

Daha muthan yenthei tavipi piritte

Tanjaman enne nanja manil annei

Translation:

He is thirsty for (wants) to grasp my hand and pull me with him,

Waiting till no one is here, he encloses me in his embrace

Charanam 1

Ragam Shamukhapriya

Shanmukhanuk skantha pankale

Isainthirith Sakthivel Kumaranum

Bhaktiyay makinthirunthai

Inmayil avan thanda

Uyir sukhamena thenpe

Ullam Pukuntha skandan

Uyirine ondru vital

Translation

The six faced one (Murugan)

Is praised by devotees in happiness

Honestly, he gives me immense pleasure

The pleasure has rooted deep inside my heart

Like our souls (lives) became one

Charanam 2

Ragam Sankarabharanam

Shakha varamarulum shankaran

Thiru makane

Sakala bhuvanangalam stridum arunguhane

Ekanthamudane ennanam edikkuthadi

Enrum avane enni edayam urukuthadi

Translation

Unlimited blessings are given by Siva, whose son he is

The entire world prays to Murugan

When I am alone, in my mind I constantly think of him

My heart is flowing in this sadness, my friend…

Charanam 3

Ragam sarangi

Sree rangamevum Saranga Paniyil

Selva thirumarukan Sringara Velavan

Parengum potrum Parvathiyin balan

Pavaenne kakkum deva guna seelan

Sreerangam (the name of the temple) where the Vishnu is (with a bow in his hand) -

His cousin is Murugan

Everybody praises Parvathi, whose son he is

And I am the girl, whom he blesses, he, who has all the qualities of a deity

Charanam 4

Ragam Madyamavathi

Anpuseivor madyayil aadi varum azagan

Ahantha elathe kandu arul suvai

Tharum kulakan

Impamellam utrum ennuirkkoru thunaivan

En manam nirayanth vital enakkoru kurayumondo

Translation

Among devotees he will appear in all his beauty

Those who show no arrogance, will be blessed by Murugan

And if I give all my love (myself fully) to him,

For In my life he is the only one I love

Will he come and be my protector then?

Dance costumes vs Sarees

Since Indian classical dances became performing rather than ritualistic arts, various changes occured, starting from technique and repertoire and finishing with costumes, make-up and hair style.
 About a month ago, when my little Chinese friend, Lila, was here, she showed me a huge and beautiful book on sarees she found in the Kalamandalam library. There, apart from hundred of saree folding styles, were the pictorial reconstructions of  sarees worn by dancers of various Indian classical dance traditions.

To tell the truth, I don't like contemporary mohiniyattam costume - it looks bulky, boring, absolutely not flattering female figure and neither the postures of the dance. It is only my opinion, however. But how surprised was I to see how the actual saree tied for mohiniyattam changed te look dramatically. Like a fairy dress it is aerial, simple yet elegant.

As an irony, they have also placed a picture of a contemporary mohiniyattam danseuse costume. The side bun, which is now "in fashion" but in reality almost "the only way" for mohiniyattam hairstyle doesn't add elegance to the look. I have always found it looking strange, creating somewhat asymmetry  in the body and greatly interfering in the perception of the dance, though flowing, but clear geometry. Apparently, no one has been using side bun until 1960s, when it got introduced without any historic reference (the side hairstyle was used by a different cast not related to dancers). Now the side bun became a "trademark" of mohiniyattam. When I did a performance of one mohiniyattam piece in Minsk, wearing a normal back bun, majority of people, and people who have learned extensively and know a lot about dance, were indignantly asking me what kind of mohiniyattam is it without a side bun :)

oh well.

 To make a beautiful mohiniyattam saree draping one needs to follow the photograph above and simple steps:

1. Wrap the inner end piece around waist clockwise and tie knot at right waist
2. Make seven to eight pleats of free end-piece in front
3. Pull gathered pleats upward and hold with chin. Bring free end piece to right waist over pleats
4. Leave held gathered pleats down and bring free end-piece from left to right waist anti-clockwise
5. Throw outer end-piece over left shoulder front to back
6. Bring outer end-piece to front anticlockwise and tuck into front waist

There are also photographa of Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi style saree

*the photographs are not of a perfect quality, because our library is very dark and the other day when I tried to reclick the photos, I couldn't find the book any more...