My Voices - Ragi Tandhira ....

This is a song written by Sri.Purandara dasa.
Ragi Tandhira Bhikshaka Ragi Tandhira.... it goes,

Finally, landed my hands on a shruthi box, here in campus.
So, was tempted to record again!

You can listen to this song at
Ragi tandhira 

Lyrics:
(Source: http://sapthaswaras.blogspot.com/2008/08/ragi-thandira-bhikshake.html)


........This is a very impressionable “needhibodhana” song. In this song PurandaraDasa explains how one should live. But in a very charming way he has played with the word “Ragi”. He starts off the song with the common day to day meaning of the word and wakes you up with a jolt with a verydifferent use of that word as he delves into the song proper. And just watch how manytimes that word is used in this song by Purandara Dasa. It is class poetry, in simple words but carrying profound education for living......
Sri Purandara Dasa was a real social reformer. He had the dream of providing peace of mind to all the people. His ambition is to build a healthy society. Dasa’s socialism is poor man’s side. He represented the poor people. He wished to his the poverty till the end of his life. That’s why he use to ask ‘rAgiya ta.ndIra, bhikshake rAgi ya tandira’ ('Will you gave me just ragi? I want only that' - ragi is basically a sort of grain grown in southern India,  being consumed by the rural poor)

Pallavi
Ragi Tandirya Bhikshake Ragi Tandirya
Bhogyaragi Yogyaragi Bhagyavantaragi Nivu
Charanam 1 :
Annadanava Maduvaragi Anna Chatra Vanittavaragi
Anya Varteya Bittavaragi Anudina Bhajaneya Maduvaragi (Ragi)
Charanam 2 :
Guru Gala Seveye Maduvaragi Gurutige Bahoranthavaragi
Kare Kare Samsarava Nitavaragi Purandara Vittalana Seviparagi

Comments

Vinay Sekhar said…
Super sir... really good stuff :) keep it coming! if possible could you give some explanation on what the song is about?
August 29, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Ganesh Jeyaraman said…
thanks sir.:)
yeah, tried very hard yesterday to get the full meaning of the lyrics.. but only partial success so far.. though I intuitively understand some kannada, here and there. have included whatever I could find.
August 29, 2009 at 11:38 AM
saraswathi said…
Ganesh the song is nice with sruthi.Always try to sing with sruthi.Nice to hear you.

Amma
August 29, 2009 at 2:48 PM
King Vishy said…
Sooooperappu!!

3 months of stayin right opposite to you and finally I get to listen to you online of all places! :D

Felt great to hear the song da.. Sangeethathula naa oru gnaana soonyam.. But somehow liked to hear the song :)

And is this in the same raaga as the song 'Kaatrile paattu varum' from Punnagai Desam? http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0000391
August 29, 2009 at 9:37 PM
Ganesh Jeyaraman said…
@Vishwa: yes, you're perfectly right! So, that proves you are not a gyaana soonyam..:)
August 30, 2009 at 3:18 AM
aparna said…
brilliant as as ever...glad ur getting time to revive ur carnatic skills da..btw is this one and bho sambo the same raagam? trying to test my musical skills ;-). even better to see chithi's comment on the blog :)
September 1, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Ganesh Jeyaraman said…
yes, manju, you got it right, both are in the same raagam, Revathi! :)
September 1, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Unknown said…
this is ramesh chittappa.good ganesh.keeping your interest in carnatic music alive itself is a great thing.listen to old masters more.to me good music means peace-happiness-a kind of bliss.our sundara chittappa should have listened to your songs.he would have given everything he got.only thing is he does'nt have anything except his big heart which is full of love to us. love v ramesh
September 8, 2009 at 10:57 PM
Ganesh Jeyaraman said…
yeah, ll do that chitappa, thanks for spending time on my blog :)
September 9, 2009 at 8:22 PM
kalyani said…
hi ganesh

manju was asking me to listen to your blog but well i got time only after coming to US. Today i listened to Raga Tandhira and Kanda ne our mallai vasai. Both the songs are too.....good. You have sung them well and your voie is vey melodious. It just took my mind from everything and relaxing. Keep it up and continue your singing and we can hear although we are far away.-Kalyani Periamma
September 13, 2009 at 8:33 AM
Maaya said…
Hi Ganesh,

I just recently stumbled upon this song.. I had listened to Bombay Jayashree's rendition..and then got to listen to yours.. You have a great voice.. and have done great justice to this song..

keep it up.
BTW, I see this song referred to as a "needhibodhana" song.. what does that mean. can you pl. explain.

I also saw the comment about songs in Revathi ragam.. My favorite in Revati is "MSS's Naanati Baduku"
October 2, 2009 at 1:23 AM
Ganesh Jeyaraman said…
@Maaya:

welcome to my blog and thanks for that comment! 'needhibodhana' just means something that prescribes how one should live, this one for instance goes to say that we should beg and eat, (aka the bikshus)...
and yes, I too love 'nanaati badhuku' in revathi... other good ones in revathi include 'bho sambho', 'pozhuthu miga vaachuthe'..
October 2, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Sreejith Narayanan said…
Nicely sung man! Awesome :)
November 21, 2009 at 6:05 AM
Unknown said…
Hi...Came across your blog when I was searching for this song. Wow, awesome rendition. Dasa kritis are nice by themselves, and you have truly embellished this song. Thanks for posting this.
June 28, 2010 at 12:13 AM
Ganesh Jeyaraman said…
Hi Shanthi,

That was a super compliment! Thanks a ton :)
June 29, 2010 at 9:23 PM
bharath k s said…
I think this is also a full version of this song.....

ragi tandiraa bikshake ragi tandiraa
yogya ragi bogya ragi bhagyavanta ragi neevu
annadanva maduva ragi
anna chatrava nittavaragi
anna vaartheya bittavaragi
anudina bajaneya maduvaraagi

ragi tandiraa bikshake ragi tandiraa
yogya ragi bogya ragi bhagyavanta ragi neevu
maata pitaranu seevitaragi
papa kaaryava bittavaragi
preetiya balanu baluvaraagi
neethi ---- kyatharagi

ragi tandiraa bikshake ragi tandiraa
yogya ragi bogya ragi bhagyavanta ragi neevu
guru kaarunya padedavraagi
guru vakya paliparagi
guru paadavannu smarisuvaraagi
parama punya maduvaraagi

ragi tandiraa bikshake ragi tandiraa
yogya ragi bogya ragi bhagyavanta ragi neevu
kama krodava alidavrai
nema nishte galu maduvaragi
rama namava japisuvaragi
premadi kuni kuni daduvaraagi

ragi tandiraa bikshake ragi tandiraa
yogya ragi bogya ragi bhagyavanta ragi neevu
hariyanu ----(anudina) neneuvaragi
gurutige bahoranthavaragi
Kare kare bhavavanu niguvarAgi
purandara vittalana seviparagi
August 24, 2010 at 6:04 AM
Unknown said…
Ganesh - just stumbled across this blog and saw the comment on "needhibodhana" - there is so much in this purandaradasa kriti about how we must live our life.
it is not just about beg & eat.
- always donate and take care of the hungry, build annachatram - annadhana maduvaragi
- leave out all other words and just sing the praise of the Lord
- take care of your parents - so relevant in these days of people leaving their parents to fend for themselves in India
- serve the guru and obey his word, be at his feet
- keep away from evil
- leave out kamam and krodam
- always remain in the memory of Rama
- Pray Purandara Vittala
If one follows this we can attain salvation.
Bless all who read this blog and purandaradasa's songs.
Good rendition - but you must listen to Visakha Hari's rendition of the same song in her DVD on Purandaradasa. Amazing, brings tears to one's eyes and makes you feel so small in front of the Lord's immense Grace.
November 19, 2011 at 10:24 PM
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