varnam

Question 1

what is a varnam ?

Answer 1

a composition which portrays the beauty and the individuality of a raga with sakitya or words.

Question 2

what are the four different types of varnams ?

Answer 2

tana varnams
pada varnamas
padajati varnams
ragamalikai varnam

Question 3

what are tana varnams ?

Answer 3

• in form of tanam
• shaityam only for pallavi, anupallavi and charanam.
• when practiced in 2 or 3 speeds you get good knowledge of swarsthana and good idea of tala

Question 4

what talams are tana varnams composed in?

Answer 4

kanda triputa
chatusra ata
kanda ata
misra jampa

Question 5

what are pada varnams ?

Answer 5

• pada varnams are mainly for dance
• composed in chowka kalam
• has saitya throughout whole varnam.
• swara part of varnams is suitable for various footworks of the dancer.
• there are pada varnams in aid and rupaka talam.
• also knwonas chowka varnams

Question 6

what are padajati varnams?

Answer 6

some varnams are called this because some jatis are included into the body of the varnams.

Question 7

what are ragamalikai varnams.

Answer 7

each part of varnam will be in different ragam

• some of the ragamalika varnam are similar to tana varnams
• some are similar to pada varnams.

Question 8

composers of tana varnams

Answer 8

shyama sastri
swati tirunal
thanjavur ponniah pillai

Question 9

composers of pada varnams.

Answer 9

pallavi shesayar
ramaswami dikshitar
muthuswami dikshitar.

Question 10

what do varnams enable you to do.

Answer 10

enable musicians to show full potential during concerts

help awake good knowledge of swarasthana and tala

Question 11

what are the anga variations.

Answer 11

pallavi
anupallavi
mukthayi swaram 
charanam 
chittai swarams.