Thillanas: an introduction

Ananthakrishna Panuganti

“Then, the Thillana breaks into movement like the final burning of camphor accompanied by a measure of din and bustle”

- T Balasaraswati

Two years back, I walked out of a two-hour long concert of Aruna Sairam’s, feeling happy and contented with the music that I had heard. As I walked out, in the Sabha lobby I heard Rasikas eagerly discuss the Kalinga Nartana Thillana that was a staple at her concerts, and express their disappointment at not being able to hear it this time. They were not thinking about the stellar Thodi RTP she had sung, nor the fantastic Srinivasa Tava Charanou (in Kharaharapriya) that was the piece-de-resistance of that concert. They came to that concert because there was a slim chance that Aruna Sairam would present that one Thillana, and they would attend every other concert of hers eagerly waiting for the same. This got me thinking, when great musicians like Aruna Sairam present so many fantastic compositions, show such vivid and innovative Manodharmam, and explore every facet of music beautifully and perfectly in their recitals, what is it about the Thillana, that makes it the standshow of any concert? This question, that I asked myself in the lobby of the Music Academy on 26 th December 2019 led to a two-year long journey into the world of Thillanas. In the course of my exploration into the form, its history, aesthetic and shape, I discovered several interesting theories regarding its history and popularity, encountered quite a few innovative and unique Thillanas, and learnt of composers and compositional forms and styles that I had never heard of before. It is a common misconception that the Thillana may not be a very rigorous and strict compositional form, with as hoary a history as say a Varnam or a Krithi. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There is still so much to learn and study about its past and present as the Thillana remains largely unexplored in the wider scheme of things. Therefore, it is proposed that this article be one of a series, dedicated to the Thillana, and its multifaceted nature. In this article, hopefully the first of many more, we shall look at the history of the Thillana with respect to its evolution, look at the basic form of the Thillana, and finally try to discuss what makes Thillanas popular in the musical scene today.

This article is meant to serve as an introduction to this series, wherein I shall first discuss the common structure of the Thillana, and then posit a few reasons for why the Thillana is a popular compositional form in the Carnatic sphere today. It is worthy to note here that Thillanas are also extremely valuable and important to the artforms of classical dance and Kathakalakshepam [1] [2] . The role of the Thillana in these spheres shall be discussed in future articles.

The form Broadly speaking, a Thillana obeys these following conditions-

• It is a composition that is centred around rhythmic patterns. The composition, in both Sahityam as well as melody, emphasizes mathematical patterns embedded therein.

• A major part of the composition comprises of Jathis/Solkattu set in a melodic framework, thus giving the impression that the composition is majorly Konnakol set to tune in a particular Ragam and Thalam.

• The composition contains Jathis, Sahityam and even Swaram passages, and all the Swaram passages are used to underline the rhythmic pattern they are a part of. Also, the composition typically contains more of the Jathi component than the Sahityam component.

• It is set to a Pallavi-Anupallavi-Charanam pattern, and the Sahityam portion is typically limited to the Charanam only. The Pallavi generally starts with the Jathi, and often the Pallavi and Anupallavi contain Jathis exclusively, with a few Swaram passages.

• The composition is moderately fast paced.

Krishna overcoming the serpent Kaliya.

© The Asian Art Museum.

The general structure of the Thillana closely resembles the Krithi, for it too is in a Pallavi-Anupallavi-Charanam framework. But what characterizes a Thillana is that the Pallavi andAnupallavi are heavily oriented towards rhythm. Also, in most modern Thillanas we find thatthe Pallavi appears to focus on a particular broad rhythmic framework, which is exploredand elaborated through smaller patterns and rhythmic ideas in the form of Sangathis. TheAnupallavi on the other hand is more free flowing, and is more like a series of cascadingrhythmic patterns set within the boundaries of the talam. Both the Pallavi and Anupallavi aregenerally set in the first Kaalam (first speed). Also, generally after the Charanam there is anAnubandham of sorts, again comprising of Jathis, that serves the purpose of linking theCharanam back to the Pallavi. This Anubandham may be in the Madhyama Kaalam, or insome cases is actually just a Chitteswaram of sorts. Where a specific Anubandham is absent,the Anupallavi takes on the role of the Anubandham, is again sung after the Charanam totake it back to the Pallavi. We shall look at the form with some examples through the case later

It is interesting to note that most Thillanas from the late 19 th Century and after have many other facets in common. The talams chosen are generally simple; the Poruttams (a cadence of short or long duration where the concluding portion of the chosen pattern and the commencing portion of the Eḍuppu, melodically match so much so, that the concluding bit of the pattern it is a part of is merged with the commencing bit of the Eḍuppu.) are simple and equally melodically oriented; the use of patterns fit into a Sarvalaghu framework, these are all facets that almost all 20 th Century composers of Thillanas have featured in their creations. [3]

We know that the Thillana features Jathis prominently. We find a variety in the kinds of syllables used in the Jathi portion. Some phonemes used resemble the Solkattu used by Carnatic percussionists (Tad, Dhingu, Kitataka, Tom, e.t.c) while yet others seem to beHindustani imports (Udani, Thil, Tarana, Jhum, e.t.c). A few syllables also seem to have beenimported from the Nattuvangam tradition (‘Takku’, ‘Tadingu’ e.t.c.). [3]

We should note here, that these syllables do not have any specific meaning. By themselves, ‘Tadhiginatom’, ‘Udani’, ‘Tadari’ et cetera are meaningless. Regardless, they seem to carry a great deal of musical value, perhaps due to the onomatopoeia associated with those syllables. There is a certain sound associated with these syllables that makes great musical and aesthetic, if not lyrical, sense. It is this very sound that the Thillana seeks to explore. The idea that musical meaning is not necessarily dependent on lyrical import is best characterized by the form that is the Thillana.

The popularity of the Thillana

As I realised on that day at The Music Academy, despite being very small compositions sung towards the end of a concert, they are one of the most awaited pieces in the recital. In the concert template that evolved in the early 20 th Century, the Thillana occupies a place of pride in what is colloquially called the ‘post-Thani’ phase of the concert. It is also to be observed that most 20th century composers have composed Thillanas, and in fact almost all the Thillanas we hear on stage today have been composed very recently. It can be said that the Thillana became an integral part of the Carnatic presentation and the compositional sphere around this time. This indicates that the Thillana actually gained more popularity in the 20 th Century. Let us briefly discuss why this may have occurred.

In the Carnatic concert

One of the reasons that learned musicians and musicologists give for why the Thillana is popular is one regarding the use of Jathis. The use of those syllables, especially given the fast pace and comprehensible mathematical patterns, makes a Thillana a highly engaging piece that is catchy and also stimulating. A well composed Thillana never fails to please us with the melody, while also intellectually stimulating us with the use of those rhythmic cadences. Another aspect of Thillanas that makes them enjoyable is the innovative transitions observed while shifting from one cadence to another.

There is of course always the fact that the onomatopoeia associated with Solkattu makes the musical experience gained while listening to a Thillana much richer. The use of these meaningless syllables enhances the value of the music embedded within. The opportunity to showcase a different aesthetic experience within the concert, especially towards the end can act like a whiff of fresh air, energising the audience as well as the musicians on stage to end the concert on a high note. The important role played by Thillanas in the Carnatic concert setup was very well explained by Vid. R K Shriramkumar, whom we interviewed on the 30th of June, 2021. He said, and I quote- “It is a composition that gives you a different aural feel…. in a concert which is packed with Krithis and Sahitya, here is a composition that showcases Raga with Jathi and Swara, and it contrasts the other compositions. Especially after you have sung compositions that are pregnant with Sahitya, the Thillana offers aural diversity”.

RK Sriramkumar

Hariharan Sankaran

Yet another possible reason for why the Thillana is often presented on the concert stage is that the Thillana is a means for the artistes on stage to display their technical prowess. The fast speed and pace of the Thillana, taken in conjunction with the tricky pronunciation of the Jathis, make this composition a fitting display of mastery over Laya, musical proficiency and control over one’s instrument. [2]

In the compositional sphere

One of the possible reasons for why Thillanas as a compositional form got a shot in the arm in the late 19 th and early 20 th Centuries could be, that there came to be a paradigm shift in how the concert format was perceived in this period. Popularised and crystallized by Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, this format actively sought to increase the variety of forms presented in a concert. It was at this juncture that the need for more Thillanas exclusively meant for Carnatic recitals was sorely felt. Until then, Thillanas were still predominantly pieces meant for the classical dance forms. And out of this need were born so many Thillanas that are now ubiquitous.

When we spoke to Vid. R K Shriramkumar to discuss the popularity of the Thillana, he made a very interesting observation. He said, “When you compose a krithi, I would say it is more challenging, because you have a longer section of Sahityam, and you also have to take care of Prasa between the Pallavi and Anupallavi, as also within the Sahityam… one has to choose the right words, the words must fit in the Taala and must fit in with the emotion or purpose of the song. Now, in Thillanas, we have just 2 lines of Sahitya. The rest is just Jathi and Swara, which one has more liberty to work with.” Therefore, one can say that the popularity of the Thillana as a compositional form could be in part due to the relative ease in composing such forms over more Sahitya-laden forms. The comment made about the flexibility of the form is also quite interesting, and merits a closer look.

One finds that there is a wide range of styles of composing Thillanas, and that there exist several exceptions to the conditions stipulated earlier. Multi-Charanam Thillanas like the Thillana (Kuntalavarali) by Dr. M Balamuralikrishna, Thillanas with Sahityam even in the Pallavi like Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi’s Thillana (Surutti), Thillanas heavily centric on intricate patterns like T V Gopalakrishnan’s Thillana (Behag) or Srimushnam V Raja Rao’s Thillana (Sindhubhairavi), Swaram-centric Thillanas like Thirugokarnam Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar’s Purvi Thillana * (Purvi), and many more such great, exceptional and unique Thillanas are known to exist. A Thillana may even give importance to the semantically meaningful Sahityam like Kunrakudi Krishna Iyer’s Kamba Ramayanam Thillana, or K Arunprakash’s Thillana (Sarangaprakashini). The variety of expression and structures that one can find in Thillanas is immeasurable. Thus, the inherent flexibility in the structure of a Thillana, and the freedom to explore it without strict conditions as in a Krithi, may have contributed to the Thillana.

Also, there is a great deal of freedom afforded to composers as far as the use of the Jathi syllables is concerned. We find examples of unique syllables being used like ‘Jhoom’ (Thillana (Hamir Kalyani) by Harikeshanallur Muttaiah Bhagavathar); ‘Tlaam’ (Paras Thillana (Paras) by Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar); ‘Dhru’ (Thillana (Kapi) by M D Ramanathan) et cetera. It can be argued that this flexibility allows for a wider range of creative expression, and so might have been a contributing factor towards the popularity of the Thillana today.

It is also possible that composers have chosen to deal extensively with Thillanas because of the different view and perspective it offers of a Ragam. The very approach to the soundscape of the Ragam changes because of the fixed fast pace and emphasis on patterns. One can’t just fit phrases to the Talam cycle in an aesthetic manner when it comes to Thillanas. To embed patterns even in the melodic setting and Sahityam is a must. This is an interesting and engrossing challenge for composers. Especially when it comes to phrase-based Ragams like Anandabhairavi or Sri, to mould their Ragasancharams into mathematical patterns is a highly stimulating exercise. Yet composers like Swathi Thirunal Maharaja and Mysore Vasudevacharya have done that beautifully. We can see that in some cases Thillanas have even infused new phrases and reinvented others through their melodic setting. An example would be the Thillana (Ritigowla) composed by Mysore T Chowdaiah. An interesting, rarely heard phrase in Ritigowla ‘DDNPD’, features in this Thillana. Despite being highly unnatural for the Ragam, because of the musical context and pattern it is set in it feels like a Ritigowla phrase through and through. We can also note that Chowdaiah places the lyrical Sahityam in the Anupallavi instead of the Charanam, a unique feature for a Thillana. This flexibility and possibility for innovation may have contributed to the popularity of the Thillana.

T Balasaraswati at Jacob’s Pillow, 1962. Troupe: Lakshmi Knight, K Ganesan, S Narasimhulu, and T Ranganathan.

Photographed by John Van Lund.

So, in conclusion, the versatility of the Thillana and its unique musical aesthetic are the mainthe Thillana is a popular compositional form.

Reference:

1. T.K.L Sujatha, Tillana-Tarana-A comparative study [thesis]. Tirupati; Sri Padmavathi Women’s University; 2019

2. The Tillana and some of its well known composers, Smt. Sulochana Pattabhiraman, Journal of Music Academy of Madras 1985: 149-155.

3. K. Bharat Sundar and Rithwik Raja. Lecdem on Thillanas. [Lecture-Demonstration] Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha. 18 th December 2019.

4. Prof. N Ramanathan. Musicologist. Personal communication. 30 th June 2021

Ananthakrishna Panuganti Bio

Ananthakrishna Panuganti is a student of music based in Bengaluru, learning under Vid. MaliniRamasubramanya. He is currently studying in class 12, and is deeply interested in Carnaticmusicology. He also blogs about Carnatic Music.