Purandar Das Biography

The time of the sixteenth century was a glorious time for the elevation of the Vijayanagara kingdom of Karnataka. The emperor Krishnadeva Raya of Vijay Nagar was famous not only in the cultural and religious but also social field, among the greatest kings of that era. This state has a special contribution to bring the Bhakti era to the lofty heights. This state has a valuable gift - the best poet, the great musician, the great saint Shri Purandaradas, an incarnation of religion.

The place was Gaurang Mahaprabhu in Bengal, Sant Tukaram in Maharashtra, Meera Bai in Marwar, Goswami Tulsidas ji in Uttar Pradesh, Tyag Raja in Tamil Nadu, the same place was that of Bhakta Purandara Das in Karnataka. He is also called Bhishma Pitamah of Carnatic music.

Purandar Das was a great composer of Carnatic music. He is considered as the 'Pitamah' of the Carnatic music world. Many of his works were inspired by contemporary Telugu singer Annamacharya.

According to the inscriptions, Purandar Das is believed to have been born in 1484 AD at Kshempura near Tirthahalli in Shivamogga district of Karnataka. However, Purandar Ghat, located 81 miles from Pune, is considered by some to be his ancestral city. Born into a wealthy business family, Purandar Das was named ‘Srinivasa Nayak’. He received formal education according to the traditions of his family and acquired proficiency in Sanskrit, Kannada and sacred music. After taking over his ancestral business, Purandar Das became popular as 'Navakoti Narayan'.

At the age of 30 he donated all his possessions and left home to spend a life of a bard with his family. Later he met Rishi Vyasatirtha (one of the main proponents of Madhava Darshan), who in 1525 gave him a new name 'Purandar Das' after his initiation.

He composed 4.75 lakh kirtans (devotional songs). Most of his compositions are in Kannada and some in Sanskrit. He signed his compositions with the nickname 'Purandar Vitthal'. A wonderful combination of sentiment, raga and rhythm is found in his compositions. He died in 1564 at the age of 80.

Purandar Das composed the 'Raga Malavagovla', the basic scale for music education, and introduced the Carnatic music teaching method through a series of exercises classified as Swaravali, Alankar, Gaana-Geet, Geet, Prabandha, Ugbhog, Suladi and Kriti. That is followed even today.

Purandar Das and Carnatic Music

Purandara Das systematized the method of teaching Carnatic music which is performed after the present day. He introduced the raga Mayamalavagowala as the basic level of musical instruction and produced a series of graded lessons such as Swaravalis, Jantis Swaras, Alankaras, Lakshjan Geeta, Prabandha, ugabhogas, Dattu Varsa, Geeta, Shaldis and Krittis. One of his significant contributions was a mixture of bhava, raga and laay in his compositions. Purandar Das was the first composer to include commentaries on ordinary daily life in song compositions. He used colloquial elements for his songs. He introduced folk ragas into the mainstream, setting his songs to the vocals / ragas of his day, so that even the common man could learn and sing them. He also composed a large number of Lakshtiya and Rekhagana Gita, many of which are still sung today. His Suladi music is music and is the standard for the raga The scholars attribute the standardization of Varna Mettas to Purana Dasa as a whole.

The traveler who walks them is believed to have followed the system, as well as verbally transcending his creations. According to traditional sources, his compositions number four lakhs and seventy-seven thousand. But more than 700 compositions are now accessible.

Purandara Das was a vogayak (musician-artist), a lykhanakara (musician), and the founder of a music educational institution. For all these reasons and he had a great influence on Carnatic music, musicians called him the Carnatic music of "Sangeetha Pitamaha" (Petty Dada).

Memorial

One of the related long monuments of the Purandara donor is the Purandar Mantapa near the Vijayatartha Temple in Hampi. This is where he has written and sung in praise of Lord Vishnu. Of late, a statue of Purandara Das stands in the foothills of Tirandala. The Sri Purandara Das Memorial Trust (SPDMT) was formed in Bangalore in 2007, which was actively involved in promoting and researching all aspects of Purandar Das's life and work. The Indiranagar Sangeetha Sabha at Indiranagar, Bangalore has dedicated its memory to an auditorium called Purandar Bhavan.

Compilation of songs

Gaja Vadana Beduve Gauri Thanaya is a popular old slave composition, in Karnataka Raagam Hamsadhwani
Jackson, William J. 2002. Songs of Three Great South Indian Saints Oxford India ISBN 0-19-566051-X
KavyaPremi. 1996. Purandara Das Haduglu Dharwad: Samja Publishers CA comprising 225 songs; In kannada language
Vicky Saros in Kannada