India presents a picture of varied literary attainments by its illustrious sons and daughters. This is true even in the case of men and women of letters. A poet is hardly a practical man, much less an administrator or a king. But here you find an exception to this. This qualitative book of art, named Pallaki Seva Prabandham is written by King Shahaji, a Maratha king who ruled in Tanjavur at the end of the 17th century. As a king he was himself a poet and wrote many prabandhas with an intimate knowledge of philosophy, mythology and also musicology. Since my knowledge of music is very meagure, I do not venture to estimate his erudition in music or fine arts. As it is clear both in the Preface and also in the learned Introduction, he was a good musician and also a patron of poets and artists in and outside his court. This book is written to bring to light the versatile genius of the author, king Shahaji, a scholar, a poet and also a patron of men of letters, as hinted in the last stanza of the book.
The Pallaki Seva Prabandham is a musical opera meant to immortalise the event of Sankara (Śiva of Tiruvarur) going in a palanquin to meet his divine spouse Gowri. This Siva or Tyagaraja of Tiruvarür has been adored by many artistic devotees of the south. This work of Shahaji, which exhibits his gratitude to the primordial divine pair, is edited and published by Smt. Gowri Kuppuswamy with necessary preface translation, bibliography and also with a glossary at the end.
The Introduction explains the historical and philosophical background of the book with sufficient illustrations of all it technicalities. Shahaji, as is clear in the present book was an expert in the theory and practice of Karnatic Music whose works inspired even the great composers like sri Tyagaraja sri Muttuswami Dikshitar, sri Svati Tirunal Maharaja etc.
The idea of writing a short work on king Shahaji and his contribution to music has been dormant in my mind for many years. The aim of the book is to present different facets of his personality-as a poet, composer, patron of arts etc., The knowledge acquired by me in fragments slowly assumed a di- finite shape. My interest in Pallaki Seva Prabandham in particular. turned into adoration for its author. As such, the present work is more in the nature of a tribute to the royal composer. In my official capacity, I had the opportunity of getting more familiar with the songs of the opera rather than its theoretical aspects. However, in spite of my limitations, I have ventured to present this work in deference to the wishes of several of my friends and well wishers.
King Shahaji, the author of this opera, ruled, Tanjavur during the later part of the 17th century and the early part of the 18th century (1685-1712 A.D.). Though a Maratha ruler, he came to the Tamil country and wrote most of his works in Telugu and the present work is no exception.
The different chapters give a detailed account of king Shahaji as a composer and his contribution to music, the works of his court poets and the theme of the opera. The substance of the opera is presented in lucid language and easy diction. The characteristic features of the various verses and the aspects of prosody are also dealt with.
The text of the opera given in Devanagari script forms a separate chapter. More than twenty allusions based mainly on the anecdotes from epics like Ramayaņa, Mahabharata etc., have also been discussed in detail.
(i) SHAHAJI
Venkoji alias Ekoji founded the Maratha rule in Thanjavur in 1676 A.D. putting an end to the Nayak rule there. He was succeeded by his eldest son (through Dipambika) Shahaji and the latter's earliest record is dated in Saka 1606 (wrong for Saka 1607 expired), Krodhana (1685 A.D.). But Louis de Mello speaks of Ekoji's war with the Kaļļas and Maravas in 1686 A.D. In his Sähëndravilāsakāvya, sri sridhara Venkatesa alias Ayyavaļ tells us that ekoji abdicated the throne in favour of his son Shahaji. Tryambaka Makhin, in his Dharmakuta declares that he was appointed by Ekōji as a permanent minister to the latter's son Shahaji. These show that even after Shahaji's accession ekōji was taking an active part in the affairs of the kingdom and that the son had a good training under his able father. If we were to believe the Marathi inscription, Shāhaji died in Nandana, 1712 A.D. at the age of forty. Then it would follow that at the time of his accession he was only about thirteen years old.
During the period of Shahaji's reign the Marathas suffered repeated losses. His principality of Bangalore was sold to Mysore. As the Deccani Sultans were finally vanquished by Aurangazeb, and as Chhatrapati sivaji was no more and the Mughal generals had almost paralysed the Maratha power in the west, Shahaji found no other alternative but to shift his allegiance from the Maratha of Satara to the Mughal (1697 A.D.). Again his aggressive policy towards Rani Mangammal of Tiruchirappalli and Madurai landed him in a war which ended in his defeat. Shahaji had to purchase a costly peace. How- ever Shahaji's army did conquer the whole of Pattukkostai simai extending as far south as the Pambanar.
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