Eppovaruvaro

Lyrics

Notation

From Shivkumar Kalyanaraman (shivkumar.org)

Pallavi:
eppOvaruvArO-enthan kalithIra-eppOvaruvArO

Anupallavi:
appar mudal mUvarum ALuDai aDigaLum
seppiya tillai cidambara dEvan

caraNam 1
n-aRparuvam van-thu n-Athanaith thEdum
kaRpanaikaL muRRak kAtchi than-thAn

caraNam 2
aRpasuka vAzvil Anan-tham koNdEn
poRpathaththaik kaaNEn ponnampalavANan

caraNam 3
bAlakirushNan pORRip paNin-thidumIsan
mElE kAthal koNdEn veLippadakkANEn

Meaning: (R Shankar, rasikas.org: http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2704)
eppo = when varuvArO = will he come endan = my kali = karma tIra = completed/removed

When will He come to relieve me of my worldly burdens?

starting with appar, sambhandar, sundarar and mANikkavAcagar (ALuDai aDigaL) spoke highly of the
Lord of tillai (cidambaram)….

Seppiya = the famous (the one who is talked about so much) tillai cidambara = (of) cidambaram
dEvan = the god of, the lord of

The anupallavi gives the name and address of the person who is awaited in the pallavi: He is none other
than the famous Lord of tillai or cidambaram (cit+ambaram = the theater of one's consciousness, as
well as the physical place)...Lord naTana sabESa/naTarAjA...

nar paruvam = a good time vandu = when (the time) arrived
nAthanai tEDum = when I search (tEDum) for my Lord (nAthan)
kaRpanaikaL = my imagination/beyond my wildest imagination
muRRa = literally means maturing, but here, I think it refers to the limit (of imagination)
kATSi tandAn = He gave (tandAn) me a vison (kATSi) of himself

As I searched for him at the appropriate time, and when my imagination had run riot and reached it's
limits, He revealed himself to me.

aRpa = tiny/little/meager
sukha vAzhvil = pleasures of worldly life
Anandam konDEn = I made myself (konDEn) happy (Anandam)
pOR pAdattai = (His) golden (pon) feet (pAdam)

kANEn = did not see
ponambalavANan = the lord of the Golden theater (In Siva purANam, the theater for the Lord's cosmic
dance is considered to be made of gold in tillai, silver in Madurai, copper in kuRRAlam etc...) ALL of
these sabhai's or theater's are extolled in ANDavan pitccai's song 'ADavallAn, yemmai ALavallAn'....

The composer (GKB) says that while he was immersed in the fleeting and ephemeral pleasures of
worldly life, he forgot or failed to see the golden, compassionate refuge at the feet of the Lord of the
golden theater.

bAlakrishNan = the Poet (GKB's mudra)
pORRi paNindiDum = (the one who is) worshipped (pORRi) by and bowed to (paNindiDum)
ISan mEl = on/with (mEl) the Lord (ISan)
kAdal konDEn = (I have) fallen in love (kAdal konDEn)
veLippaDa = apparent to the world/open/not hidden
kANEn = I do not see him

The poet then concludes that he has fallen in love with the Lord that he worships and bows down to, but
that Lord is yet to openly acknowledge it or reciprocate it.

Pallavi:
eppOvaruvArO-enthan kalithIra-eppOvaruvArO

When will He come to relieve me of my worldly burdens?
eppo = when varuvArO = will he come endan = my kali = karma tIra = completed/removed

1          2       3            4         5        6            7         8
;;       ;S        S, nd       PD     | S;        ; ; |        ; ;       S;       ||
-        - ep     pO-va-       - ru     vA-        --          - -       rO-

;;       ;S        S, nd       PD     | S;        ; ; |        ; ,g      NS       ||
-        - ep     pO-va-       - ru     vA-        --          - -       rO-

;;       ; ns     sgrs , nd      PD | S;          ; ; |        ; ,g      NS       ||
-        - ep     pO- va-        - ru vA-          --           - -      rO-

,n ;     ;N       nrS , nd      P dm | P ;        pnD ;    |    dSn ;    nRs ;    ||
-        - en     than ka-      - li-  thI        -- -          - - -    -- -

sr mg rs-S        g r s - nd      PD | S;         ; ; |        ns R      rnS      ||
ra- - - - - ep    pO- va-        - ru  vA-         --           - -      rO-

,n ;     ;N       sgrs , nd      P dm | P ;       pnD ;    |    dSn ;    nRs ;    ||
-        - en     than ka-      - li-  thI        -- -          - - -    -- -

sr mg rs-S        g r s - nd      PD | S;         ; ; |        ;P        pdns     ||
ra- - - - - ep    pO- va-        - ru  vA-         --           - -      rO-

R,g     G- G      g r s - nd      PD | S;         ; ; |        ;P        pdns     ||
- - - - - ep      pO- va-        - ru  vA-         --           - -      rO-

rg -sr mg- G      g r s - nd     PD | S;          ; ; |        ; ,r      NS       ||
- - - - - ep      pO- va-        - ru vA-           --           - -     rO-

,n ;     ;N       nrsn , nd      P dm | P ;       pnD ;    |    dSn ;    nRs ;    ||
-        - en     than ka-       - li-  thI       -- -          - - -    -- -

sr mg rs-S           g r s - nd          PD | S;             ; ; |            ;;            ns R     ||
ra- - - - - ep       pO- va-            - ru  vA-             --               - -          rO-

NS       ;N          nrsn , nd           P dm | P ;         ; ; |        ; ;                pdns     ||
-        - en        than ka-            - li-  thI          -- -           - - -           ra - -

rg – sr mg – G g r s - nd                P D | GN       nS,         |        ;;             S;       ||
-- - - - - - ep pO- va-                  - ru vA-              --              - -          rO-

;;        ; –R       R G          R;         | R;       ;;          |     ;G                grR      ||
-- - - - - - ep      pO va-       ru           vA-      --               - -                rO-

;;       ;N       G R             G;         | RG       RG          |   RG           gr mg           ||
          en      than ka         li-          thI -    - -             - -           -- -

rs ;      ,n- R      R G          , grR , | R ;         ;;          |        ;;             RP       ||
-- - - - - - ep      pO va-         ru      vA-         --                   - -            rO-

;;       ;N       G R             G;         | rgmg     rgmg |          rgmg          rmgr           ||
          en      than ka         li-          thI -     - -            - -           -- -

rs R      sn- R      R G          ,R,        | ggrs     nD, ; |              dsn-n          rs-R     ||
-- - - - - - ep      pO va-        ru          vA-       --                  - -             - rO-

;;       ;N       G R             G;         | rgmg     rgmg |          rmgr          rm gS,         ||
          en      than ka         li-          thI -     - -            - -           - - ra

;;        ; -R       R G          ,R,        | ggrs     nsn-s |          rs-rm              gg-S     ||
-- - - - - - ep      pO va-        ru          vA-       --                - -              -

R;       ;N       G R             G;         | rgmg     rgmg |          rgmg          rmg r          ||
rO-       en      than ka         li-          thI -     - -            - -           -- -

mg-rs ; ; - R         R G         ,R,        | rgrg     rgrs        |    nd - pd            ns rg    ||
ra      - ep         pO va-        ru          vA-       --               - -                -

srG R    ;- G        G G          gg ;       | gr-ns    rgpm |          mg G          gr - sr        ||
   rO     - en       than ka       li-         thI -     - -            - -           -- -

Anupallavi (continues directly from pallavi):

Seppiya = the famous (the one who is talked about so much) tillai cidambara = (of) cidambaram
dEvan = the god of, the lord of
… starting with appar, sambhandar, sundarar and mANikkavAcagar (ALuDai aDigaL) spoke highly of
the Lord of tillai (cidambaram)….

mg-rs ; ;- N         ; N       N;            |S;       ;;           |   ;;          srgr ||
ra      - se           ppi     ya             til      --               --         lai - -

grG      ; - gs      grS , - nd P M           |P;      ;;           | nD ,           dN p    ||
             ci      dam - ba- - ra            nA      --             --              ---

P;        ; - gssn      ; N         N;       |S;       ;;           |   RS          srgr ||
Than      - se         - ppi        ya        til      --               --         lai - -

grG     ; - gs   grS , - nd P M            |P;      ;;       | nD ,     dsnd    ||
            ci   dam - ba- - ra             nA      --         --        ---

P;       ;-N       ; N           N;        |S;       ;;      |   RS     srgr ||
Than     - se       - ppi        ya         til      --          --    lai - -

grG     ; - gs   grS , - nd P M            |P;      ;;       | nD ,     pdns ||
            ci   dam - ba- - ra             nA      --         --        ---

rg sr   mg- N      ;     N       N;        |S;       ;;      |   RS     srgr ||
Than     - se          - ppi     ya         til      --          --    lai - -

grG     ; - gs   grS , - nd P M            |P;      ;;       | nD ,     pdns ||
            ci   dam - ba- - ra             nA      --         --        ---

sr   mg- rs-G g r s - nd               P D | GN     nS,      | ; ;    S;        ||
Than    - ep pO - va-                  - ru   --    - -        - -    rO

caraNam 1
n-aRparuvam van-thu n-Athanaith thEdum
kaRpanaikaL muRRak kAtchi than-thAn

nar paruvam = a good time vandu = when (the time) arrived
nAthanai tEDum = when I search (tEDum) for my Lord (nAthan)
kaRpanaikaL = my imagination/beyond my wildest imagination
muRRa = literally means maturing, but here, I think it refers to the limit (of imagination)
kATSi tandAn = He gave (tandAn) me a vison (kATSi) of himself

As I searched for him at the appropriate time, and when my imagination had run riot and reached it's
limits, He revealed himself to me.

;;      ;-R      ;G            R;          |R;      ;;       | ;;     RG        ||
         naR     - pa          ru-          vam      --        --     van-

grR     ;-N      GR             G;         | rgmg rgmg       | rgmg   rmgr     ||
thu     - n-A    - tha          nai          thE - - - - -      ---   ----

gr S    ;-R   ;G                , grR ;    |R;      ;;       | ;;     RG        ||
di -    - naR - pa              - ru-       vam      --        --     van-

grR     ;-N      GR             G;         | rgmg rgmg       | rgmg   rmg-r     ||
thu     - n-A    - tha          nai          thE - - - - -      ---   ----

mg rs   ;-R   ;G                , grR ;    |R;      ggrs     | nD-s ,n-R        ||
di -    - naR - pa              - ru-       vam      --        --    -

s-grR R - N  GR                 G;         | rgmg rgmg       | rgmg rmg-r       ||
 van thu n-A - tha              nai          thE - - - - -     ---  ----

mg rs   ; rs N- N              N;          |S;     ;;        |;-R       srgr    ||
di -    - kaR - pa             nai -        kaL    --         - muR    tRa-

G;      ; -Sgr S , nd D – pm           |P;      pNd            | dS n        nR s      ||
- -     - kA - tchi - than-             thAn    ---               ---         ---

srmg rs- N ;- N           N;           |S;      sRs            |;-R            srsr    ||
- - - - - kaR - pa        nai -         kaL     --              - muR         tRa-

Mpm mg G- srgr S , nd P M  |P;                  nndd           | ssnn rr ss            ||
-- - - - kA - tchi - than- thAn                  ---              ---    ---

srmg rs - S      g r s - nd       PD | S;           ; ; |              ;;       S;     ||
- - - - ep       pO- va-          - ru vA-          --                - -       rO-

NS      ;N       nrsn , nd        P dm | P ;          ; ; | ; ;                   pdns       ||
-       - en     than ka-         - li-  thI           -- - - - -                 ra - -

rg – sr mg – G g r s - nd         P D | GN          nS,        |        ;;             S;    ||
-- - - - - - ep pO- va-           - ru vA-                --              - -          rO-

caraNam 3
bAlakirushNan pORRip paNin-thidumIsan
mElE kAthal koNdEn veLippadakkANEn

bAlakrishNan = the Poet (GKB's mudra)
pORRi paNindiDum = (the one who is) worshipped (pORRi) by and bowed to (paNindiDum)
ISan mEl = on/with (mEl) the Lord (ISan)
kAdal konDEn = (I have) fallen in love (kAdal konDEn)
veLippaDa = apparent to the world/open/not hidden
kANEn = I do not see him

The poet then concludes that he has fallen in love with the Lord that he worships and bows down to, but
that Lord is yet to openly acknowledge it or reciprocate it.

;;      ;-R      ;R        ;G          |R;    ;;               | ;;         RG         ||
          bA    - la       - kiru       shNan - -                --         pOR-

grR     ;N      G R        G;          | rgmg rgmg | rgmg rgmg                         ||
Rip     - pa    Nin thi    dum -         I-   - - --  ---- ----

rm gr S - R      ;R        ;G          |R;    ;;               | ;;         RG         ||
--san - - bA    - la       - kiru       shNan - -                --         pOR-

grR     ;N      G G        G;          | ggsr    gmpm              | mgG gr sr         ||
Rip     - pa    Nin thi    dum -         I-     - - --               - - - - san - -

mgrs.    ; - N- N      S; |S;          SR       |S-R                srgr ||
 -    - - mE lE        kA  thal        --        - koN              dEn –

G;      ; -Sgr S , nd D – pm           |P;      pNd            | dsnd        PP    ||
- -     - veLi - ppa - da -             kkA     - --             - --        - NEn

S ;    S - rssn- ; N      S;   |S;       SR      |S-R                  srgr            ||
I   - shan mE - lE        kA    thal     --        - koN               dEn –

G;       ; -Sgr S , nd D – pm       |P;      ;;          |; ;       pdns      ||
- -      - veLi - ppa - da -         kkA     - --          - --     NEn

rgsr mg - S       g r s - nd    PD | S;         ; ; |         ;;     S;       ||
- - - - ep        pO- va-       - ru vA-        --           - -     rO-

NS       ;N       nrsn , nd     P dm | P ;       ; ; | ; ;             nndp            ||
-        - en     than ka-      - li-  thI        -- - - - -           ra - -

mm ; ; – N        N N          N;   | dnsn      dnsn |       dnsn            dsn-d     ||
-- - - - - - ep   pO va        ru     vA-         --          - -            -- -

sn-P     ; - P Pd- p      ; mgR     | gs ;     ; sg | rm – mp               pn dr ||
- - rO- - en than ka-     - li- -      thI        -- - - - -               ra - -

s-n D    P– S     g r s - nd    PD | S,s        ; S |         nrs nd          PD       ||
-- --    - ep     pO- va-       - ru vA rO-     - ep          pO- va-        - ru

S ,s   ; – N      s r s - nd    PD | GN        ;S    |     ; S       ; ;      ||
- - - - - ep      pO- va-       - ru vA -      --          - rO-     - -

Notes on Jonpuri (from Hindu article by Charulatha Mani):
http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/a-ragas-journey-jaunty-jonpuri/article3408214.ece

Jonpuri has its roots in Hindustani music and has spread its branches far and wide into Carnatic Music. This
attractive raga is said to have been named after the sultan Sharqui of Jonpur. The emotions conveyed by
this raga, brought forth beautifully in light classical pieces and folk tunes, are bhakthi, zesty appeal and
stunning grandeur. Jonpuri features the notes Sadja, Chatusruti Rishaba, Sadharana Gandhara, Suddha
Madhyama, Pancama, and Kaisiki Nishada in ascent and the Suddha Dhaivata in addition to these notes in
the descent.

Jonpuri became popular with the song “Eppo varuvaro” composed by Gopalakrishna Bharati. The moving
lyrics and dramatic tune are evergreen. Purandaradasa’s “Rama mantrava” is also well-known. “Sapasya
Kousalya” has been popularised by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.

A raga with such dramatic contours ought to have been used extensively in film music and this has been
achieved to a certain extent. One of the earliest appearances of this raga was in the film “Chintamani” in
which MK Thyagaraja Bhagavathar brilliantly sings “Ullamellam inba vellam” in this raga. This song was
composed by Papanasam Sivan.

In “Ashok Kumar”, MKT sings “Gnanakann onru” and “Sathva guna bodhan” in this raga. Both these
songs were super hits and took off at the upper octave, this being the beauty of Jonpuri. “Sathva guna
bodhan” tune is the same as “Eppo varuvaro” tune and this further contributed to the successful reach of the
song. The grand opening of the charanams in the higher octave Rishaba in “Sathva guna” still resounds in
our ears.

“Innamum paramugam” and “Thaai irukka pillai” from “Velaikari” film (music S. M. Subbayya Naidu and
C. R. Subbaraman) were also quite popular and rode the Jonpuri wave in the year 1949.

“Ninaithale inikkumadi manam” sung by the Radha-Jayalakshmi duo in the film Mullai Vanam was
chronologically the next Jonpuri song to have appeared on silver screen. This number, with its frills and
numerous embellishments, is a treat to listen to.

But the song that made a huge impression in the minds of music lovers was “Naan petra selvam” from the
film of the same title. Sung by T. M. Soundararajan, this composition of G. Ramanathan is a fitting tribute
to the raga. In the phrase “pesum singara selvam” the notes “M P S, D,,P” neatly adorn the framework of
the song and proclaim the raga as Jonpuri beyond doubt.

My personal favourite in this raga would of course be “Kallile kalai vannam” from the film “Kumudam”
set to music by K. V. Mahadevan and sung impeccably by Seerkazhi Govindarajan. The opening itself “P
SS..RGR, N S,S,…” clearly establishes the raga. The phrase that truly set my heart on fire was “mangai
pola anbe en idhayathil nee aduginraay” in the charanam. What a stunning landscape the music director has
presented – the light oscillations starting from the top octave Rishaba, slowly trickling downwards like a
rivulet and the suddenly taking off like a torrential current from the Pancama covering the entire scale.

In “Andavan darisaname” (Agasthiyar film, music Kunnakudi Vaidhyanathan) T. R. Mahalingam
seamlessly scales the raga, adorning it with many a sangati. This song also begins in the upper Sadja, true
to the character of Jonpuri.

“Sonnadhu neethana” from the film “Nenjil Or Aalayam” (music M. S. Viswanathan – Ramamurthy) is
largely based in Jonpuri, a very different approach to the raga. The subtle pathos that P. Susheela imparts
when she sings “sol sol..en uyire” is notable. In “Devar Magan” Ilayaraja presents a cheerful enjoyable
Jonpuri-based melody in “Inji iduppazhaga” sung by Kamal Hassan and S. Janaki.

Jonpuri belongs to the Asavari Thaat in Hindustani music, one of the many notable film songs in it being
“Pal pal hai bharee” (film Swades, music A. R. Rahman) sung by Alka Yagnik.