Spotlight
Pocket guidebook to Carnatic music Song types: Varnam

Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar's Ninnukori in
the raga Mohanam and two songs—Evvari bodhana in Abhogi and Era
napai in Todi—by Patnam Subramania Iyer are perhaps the most well
known varnams in Carnatic music.
The varnam is characterized by a preponderance of swara passages of the typical
(jeeva and varja) phrases of the raga. It is an example of composed music which
does not encourage manodharma.
Of the two types of varnams in vogue, tanavarnams are sung in music concerts
and padavarnams are part of the Bharatanatyam repertoire. Traditionally, music
concerts open with a tanavarnam.
A student of Carnatic music learns geetam, swarajati and jatiswaram before
moving on to varnam.
A varnam is considered an ideal learning tool as it offers complex vocal
exercises that can ensure understanding of the melody of a raga with all its
swaras in their proper places and impart rhythm control. Its gamakas and
phrases are regarded as truly demonstrative of the raga.
For didactic purposes, as well as in concerts sometimes, varnams are sung in
single, double and triple speeds. In its vigour and pulse, the tanavarnam resembles
tanam in ragam-tanam-pallavi.
Varnams are typically set in Adi tala (eight beats to a cycle) or Ata tala (14
beats to a cycle).
A tanavarnam is characterized by phrases containing long and short notes.
A pada varnam is the centrepiece of a dance performance, its most elaborate
part. It is usually followed by a padam. Sringara is the dominant rasa of a
padavarnam. The lyrics of the padavarnam give room for abhinaya or facial
expressions and mudra or gestures.
Some varnams in Adi tala:
Sami ninne in Sreeragam by Karur Devudu Iyer
Valachi vachi, a Navaragamalika (9 ragas) varnam
Some Ata tala varnams:
Viriboni in Bhairavi by Pachimiriam Adiyappa, the first known
varnam composer. (This varnam is considered a link between the tanavarnam
model and padavarnam, with its romantic lyrics).
Nera nammiti in Kanada by Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar
Chalamela in Sankarabharanam by Swati Tirunal
The varnam has a first part or purvanga and a second part or uttaranga. In the
second part, a single line is repeated after a series of graded swara patterns.
The usage of the device of swarakshara here is common, with the opening line
containing words which are swara syllables themselves.
(Recommended reading: Sampradaya Sangita by Dr. Lalita
Ramakrishna published by Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore; phone
26507464, email kalpatahru@vsnl.com)
Posted by Sruti Magazine , September 13, 2012