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Rama
Upon research, it has been discovered that Venkata Kavi has composed a series of songs as part of the Ramayanam opera although the entire set is yet to come to light. Apart from this, this ingenious poet has presented the entire Ramayana through one magnificent ragamalika piece – Shree raama jayame jayam.
This piece covers the entire epic through a pallavi and a set of 5 charanams in the ragams Nattai, Gowla, Arabhi, Varali and Manirangu. The whole piece is a fine display of Venkata Kavi's exemplary attitude towards these epics and life. Venkata Kavi rarely uses negative/strong expressions such as kill/destroy and showcases a very positive outlook. Instances such as Parashurama's challenge against Rama and boons claimed by Kaikeyi have been penned with subtle yet poignant expressions.
parashuraaman tiru tavattinai vaangi
pattaabhishekamurum sheidiyaal engi
varam irandaal kaikeshi kai ongi
vaakku tanda padi pattanam neengi
As a rare instance, Venkata Kavi has also used his mudra in this song in the final madhyamakala section of this song.
kaariyam edilum tunaiyaaha ninradu
kaalanaiyum vazhakkaadiyum venradu
gati illaada kanam nidhiyena vandadu
kaviyilum Venkata Kaviyum unarndadu (shree raama jayame)
Other sparkling pieces on Lord Rama include Kalyaana raama (Hamsanadam), Raghukulottama (Nagasvaravali) and Raaman perumai sholla tahumo (Nattaikkuranji). Rama paadaadi keshaanta varnanam (verses describing Rama from toe to head) are free verses that bring out the poet's torrential imagination through a lovely set of verses. The compositions on Lord Rama are given below.
1 | avatāram ānān rāghavan | Kēdāram | Ādi | |||
2 | dāsharathē dayānidhē | Tōḍi | Ādi | |||
3 | gamana sundara | Bhairavi | Ādi | |||
4 | kalyāṇa rāma | Hamsanādam | Ādi | |||
5 | Karuṇai kaḍal** | |||||
6 | mithilādhipa sutā | Kāmbhōdhi | Ādi | |||
7 | naḍaiyai pāraḍi | Jhunjhooṭi | Ādi | |||
8 | raghukulōttama | Nāgaswarāvaḷi | Chaturashra Jhampa | |||
9 | Raghupungava jaya* | Ārabhi | Ādi | |||
10 | rāma raghunātha* | Māḷavam | Ādi | |||
11 | rāman perumai | Nāṭṭaikuranji | Ādi | |||
12 | Rāmāyaṇamē dhanam | Suraṭi | Ādi | |||
13 | sharaṇam yāmi | Shahāna | Ādi |