A ''viruttam'' or ''virutham'' (
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
) is a
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
devotional verse sung in
Carnatic music
Carnatic music, known as or in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka. It is ...
concerts.
Viruttams do not possess a set
tala and are solely improvised using one or more
ragams. It is one of many forms of ''
manodharma
Manodharma is a form of improvised South Indian classical Carnatic music. It is created on the spot during the performance, while remaining within the confines of musical grammar, as codified in the raga and/or the tala. Every Carnatic concert has ...
'' (spontaneous improvisations) in Carnatic music.
A ''viruttam'' usually precedes rendition of a song. In most cases, it is sung in the same ragam as the song that follows it. Occasionally, viruttam of multiple verses are sung in different ragams, followed by a song in the same ragam as the last sung ragam of the viruttam.
The artist may also sing the same verse in different ragams in different concerts.
Virutham is not only used in concerts but also in traditional celebrations. Viruthams in praise of Lord Ayyappa are famous in South India. Viruthams are also sung in praise of Lord Muruga.
A viruttam is called as
Ugabhoga
The term ''ugabhoga''Kannada Chapter, Medieval Indian Literature, An Anthology (1997) by Shiva Prakash H.S., edited by Ayyappapanicker, Sahitya Akademi refers to a type of vocal piece in Karnatic music, in which the artist elaborates the treatm ...
in
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
. Ugabhogas are few set of devotional lines by the Haridasas of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
. Ugabhogas are more often sung in Carnatic concerts before a Devaranama. Ugabhogas contain the mudra of the Haridasa
See also
References
Carnatic music
Carnatic music terminology
Hindu music
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