Harivarasanam is a
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
devotional
ashtakam {{Hindu scriptures
The term ashtakam ( sa, अष्टकम् aṣṭakam), also often written astakam, is derived from the Sanskrit word ''aṣṭā'', meaning "eight". In context of poetic compositions, 'ashtakam' refers to a particular form ...
(eight stanzas) dedicated to Hindu deity
Ayyappan
Ayyappan an incarnation of dharma sastha, also called Manikandan, is a Hindu deity popular in Southern India, He is considered to be the epitome of dharma, truth, and righteousness and is often called upon to obliterate evil.
Although devotion ...
at the
Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, situated in the state of
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The song is sung as a lullaby to the deity at the temple as a ritual of putting the deity to sleep. The song became popular through the first stanza in the
Kīrtanam known as "''Hariharatmajashtakam''" (ഹരിഹരാത്മജാഷ്ട്ടകം)
The exact origin of the song is unclear, but it is believed that Kambankudi Kulathu Iyer composed it. Also, it has been claimed recently that the song was written by Konnakathu Janaki Amma in 1923, as an offering to Lord
Ayyappa
Ayyappan an incarnation of dharma sastha, also called Manikandan, is a Hindu deity popular in Southern India, He is considered to be the epitome of dharma, truth, and righteousness and is often called upon to obliterate evil.
Although devotion ...
. According to the claim she had submitted the work to her father, Ananthakrishna Iyer, who was the then Sabarimala ''Melshanthi'' (Chief Priest). But, the claim lacks any concurrent proofs, apart from handwritten notes.
The original version of the song is only sung vocally, inside the temple during the daily temple closing ceremony. The popular version of the song, which is sung differently from the original version is also played simultaneously through megaphones and speakers, for the devotees.
Background
The first singers of ''Harivarasanam'' were the
bhajan singers of Kalladaikurichi and later Purakkattu Anandeswaram
Siva Temple. Devotees known as ''Kalladakkoottam'' (people from Kalladaikurichi) sang this song everywhere in Kerala and it started to become popular throughout the state. In the 1950s, Melsanthi Eswaran Nambudiri of Mavelikara started to recite this ashtakam in the Sabarimala temple, beside the sanctum, every night after the ''Athaazha Sheeveli'' (a ritual after the divine dinner) as a song to put
Ayyappa
Ayyappan an incarnation of dharma sastha, also called Manikandan, is a Hindu deity popular in Southern India, He is considered to be the epitome of dharma, truth, and righteousness and is often called upon to obliterate evil.
Although devotion ...
to sleep.
The song became extremely popular all over
southern India
South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territ ...
, when it was included in the famous
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 2 ...
film
"Swami Ayyappan'' in 1975. The song was rendered by a Carnatic vocalist and playback singer
K. J. Yesudas and composed in the
Madhyamavati
Madhyamavati (madhyamāvati) is a rāga in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is an ''audava'' rāga (or ''owdava'' rāga, meaning pentatonic scale), as it does not have all the seven musical notes (''swaras''). ...
raga by composer late
G. Devarajan. During his pilgrimage to Sabarimala in 2017, Yesudas claimed that the words ‘ari’ (enemy) and ‘vimardhanam’ (annihilation) in the lyrics should have been spelt separately, on behalf of the advice and new information he received from a scholar, and he would be happy to re-record it with due corrections.
Mr Padmakumar had claimed that ''Harivarasanam'' was written by Konnakathu Janaki Amma, his grandfather’s sister, whose father, Ananthakrishna Iyer, was the head priest at Sabarimala from 1907 to 1920.
Lyrics
The song is in the Sanskrit language, originally written using
Malayalam script.
Harivarasanam Award
The Harivarasanam Award is an award jointly instituted by the
Government of Kerala
Government of Kerala is the Subnational administrative division, subnational government of the Indian state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who selects all the other ministers. The chief minister and their most senior mini ...
and
Travancore Devaswom Board
Travancore Devaswom Board is statutory and autonomous body managing around 1200 temples in southern part of India. The regular operations of one of the major temples of India, Sabarimala temple, works under its guidance.
History and Administra ...
. It is awarded for contributions towards propagation of
secularism
Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on secular, naturalistic considerations.
Secularism is most commonly defined as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state, and may be broadened to a sim ...
,
equanimity and universal brotherhood of
Sabarimala through music.
It is being awarded since 2012. Each year, Harivarasanam Award is announced ahead of
Makaravilakku
Makaravilakku is an annual festival held on Makara Sankranti in Kerala, India at the shrine of Sabarimala. The festival includes the Thiruvabharanam (sacred ornaments of Lord Ayyappan) procession and a congregation at the hill shrine of Sabar ...
festival in Sabarimala. The award consists of cash prize of 1 lakh, citations and
plaque
Plaque may refer to:
Commemorations or awards
* Commemorative plaque, a plate or tablet fixed to a wall to mark an event, person, etc.
* Memorial Plaque (medallion), issued to next-of-kin of dead British military personnel after World War I
* Pl ...
.
Harivarasanam Centenary Celebrations
As it is known that Harivarasanam was originally written in the year 1920, and by the year 2023 Centenary celebrations are taken up by
Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajam across India. Celebrations were launched by the Governor of Tamil Nadu state,
Maestro Ilayaraja - Music Director has been selected as National Committee Chairman for the same.
See also
*
Ayyappan
Ayyappan an incarnation of dharma sastha, also called Manikandan, is a Hindu deity popular in Southern India, He is considered to be the epitome of dharma, truth, and righteousness and is often called upon to obliterate evil.
Although devotion ...
*
Shasta
*
Sabarimala
*
Mahishasuramardini Stotra
Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars.
Durga's legend centres around comb ...
References
{{Reflist
Sabarimala
Hindu devotional texts
Hindu texts
Lullabies