GĀYANA GĀYANI JANA PĀRIJĀTAMU
Edited by Ratna Nayakar and Pammi Arunachala Setti.
In Telugu. Published in 1898. By Venkatesvara Mudraksara. 155 pages.

Early publications are a source of music theory and practice. They are particularly of interest to researchers and musicians tracking information on compositions, musical forms, multiple versions of a song, notation system and more. Gāyana-gāyani-jana-pārijātamu is one such early Telugu publication, copies of which are barely available. Known to be published in the late nineteenth century, I got to see an intact copy of the book in the Music Academy Library, the 1898 edition. The book of about 155 pages is edited by Ratna Nayakar and Pammi  Arunachala Setti, and published at Venkatesvara Mudraksara. There are at least two more editions of the book, 1878 and 1904. A copy of the former can be viewed at http://www.musicresearchlibrary.net/omeka/items/show/653. However, this copy has some pages missing.

The book commences with a mangala sloka, covering topics like the evolution of nada and svara in brief. Notes on chhandas and tala lakshanas are also included in the introductory pages on music theory. Music notations and text for several musical forms are given in the following section, which include about 25 svaravali varisai, hecchu sthayi varisai, dattu varisai, janṭa varisai, sapta-tala alankara, about 5 pillari gitas, more than 20 ghana raga gitas, 3 svarajatis and 25 tana varnas. Notations may  not be complete with respect to tala avarta, but a closer look can help draw a parallel with the oral versions in practice. Use of minimum symbols and signs are seen in the notations.

The book also consists of text (lyrics) for about 35 compositions of Muthusvami Dikshitar, 11 of Syama Sastri, 6 each of Subbaraya Sastri and Vina Kuppayya and 40 of Tyagaraja.  There is also text for a few compositions of Svati Tirunal and Parimalarangendra. A brief discussion on nada lakshana, svara lakshana, prakriti and vikriti svaras, table of the 72 melakartas (Kanakangi, Ratnangi to Rasikapriya), janya ragas of a few melakartas with their arohana-avarohana are also given. The book concludes with the table of the sapta talas, denoting their structure with akshara count for each, after applying the jati (jāti) variations.

This is yet another priceless book with the Music Academy. The digitized version of the book in the Academy library is crystal clear.

ANUTHAMA  MURALI