mangalam

No, am not talking about the Bollywood Om Mangalam, so if you are here searching for it, you may want to look elsewhere.

My first introduction to the word was in Dance. Of course as an adult, I later came to know the sanskrit meaning of it, and learned to appreciate the relevance of its usage.

In dance and other musical concerts I’ve attended, sticking to tradition, most end the day/evening with this Mangalam, composed originally by Bhaktha Ramadasu in the 15th century or thereabouts. The lyrics are below, but this is a good place to check for meaning as well.

It’s a soothing repetitive melody, one that I still struggle to get the lyrics right when I occasionally join in the signing.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXb1DSiPi38]

ps:Charanam 3 has slightly different words in two different versions.

Song/Composer: RamacandrAya/ Bhatktha Ramadasu

Ragam: Kurinji

Talam: Adi

1. రామచంద్రాయ జనక రాజజా మనోహరాయ మామకాభీస్టదాయ మహిత మంగళం

2. కోశలేశాయ మందహాసదాసపోషనాయ వాసవాదివినుత సర్వరాయమంగళం

3. చారుకుంకుమోపేత చందనాదిచర్చితాయ హారకాశోభితాయ భూరిమంగళం

4. లలితరత్నకున్దలాయ తులసీవనమాలికాయ జలజసద్రుసదేహాయ చారుమంగళం

5. దేవకీపుత్రాయ దేవదేవోత్తమాయ చావజాతగురువరాయ భవ్యమంగళం

6. పుండరీకాక్షాయ పూర్నచంద్రాననాయ అండజాతవాహనాయ అతులమంగళం

7. విమలరూపాయ వివిధవేదాంతవేద్యాయ సుముఖచిత్తకామితాయ శుభ్రమంగళం

8. రామదాసాయ మృదుల హృదయకమలవాసాయ స్వామిభద్రగిరివరాయ సర్వమంగళం

English:

1. rAma chandrAya janaka rAja jA manOharAya mAmakA bheeshTa dAya mahita mangaLam
2. kOsalEndrAya manda hAsa dAsa pOsha Naya vAsavAdi vinuta sad varado mangaLam
3. chAru kumkumO pEta chandanAdi charchitAya hAraka SObhitAya bhoori mangaLam
4. lalita ratna kunDalAya tulasee vana mAlikAya jalaja sadruSa dEhAya chAru mangaLam
5. dEvakee putrAya dEva dEvOttamAya chAva jAta guru varAya bhavy mangaLam
6. punDaree kAkshAya poorNa chandrAnanAya anDa jAta vAhanAya atula mangaLam
7. vimala roopAya vividha vEdAnta vEdyAya sujana chitta kAmitAya subhaga mangaLam
8. rAma dAsa mrudula hrudaya tAmarasa nivAsAya swAmi bhadra girivarAya sarva mangaLam

***

I remembered mangalam not with any particular religious or musical trigger, but more to signify the end of an event/action. It’s flippant of course, but anything for laughs. The brain is a monkey in the way it connects things. Henceforth, dancing will perhaps be a vicarious pleasure after all, enjoying from the other side of the fence.

Good things do come to an end.