Gait of An Elephant
Introduction:
This article is not about Gait of Elephant. It is about how Gait-of-Elephant, as a technique, is used in Telugu poetry and Telugu Movie Songs.
Let’s quickly imagine the Gait of an Elephant. An elephant does not gallop, nor does it takes long strides, and forget jumping. Even in distress, an Elephant will just walk fast but it’s stride is of same length. It never bounces. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTyNgRTlbto
Potana (1450–1510), an exquisite classical telugu poet wrote several poems, using this Gait of Elephant technique, in his translation of “Bhagavatam” (Story of God - Krishna) into Telugu . I will quote a couple of examples from the episode when an Elephant (what else?) is attacked by a crocodile, prays to the supreme being and Lord Vishnu responds, in haste. His consort Lakshmi follows him in wonder.
Potana uses the words with short vowels (హ్రస్వాలు), Elephant (కరి), Crocodile (మకరి), Lake (సరసికి), Near (దరికిని), Earth-Heaven protectors (అతల-కుతల భటులు), jolt (అదిరి పడు). Link:
Movies:
In Telugu movies, song writers use this technique effectively to indicate an urgency or simplicity depending on the context. They tend to use this in short phrases as part of the song.
Conclusion:
Quick delivery of a series of sounds/notes by singer, without prolonging at any of the notes, is very common in Carnatic concerts.The accompanying percussionists (Mridangam), also use a short-vowel phrases (సర్వలఘు) effectively to display their prowess. This article nor my knowledge is enough to introduce those classical music intricacies. Hope you will notice and enjoy, next time when you actively listen to lyrics how the poet is using the "Gait of the Elephant" technique.
This article is not about Gait of Elephant. It is about how Gait-of-Elephant, as a technique, is used in Telugu poetry and Telugu Movie Songs.
Let’s quickly imagine the Gait of an Elephant. An elephant does not gallop, nor does it takes long strides, and forget jumping. Even in distress, an Elephant will just walk fast but it’s stride is of same length. It never bounces. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTyNgRTlbto
In Indian literature and psyche, "Gait of an Elephant" has special place. It is common to describe the gait of the main character with the royal gait of an elephant. Thyagaraja (1767–1847), The greatest composer of carnatic classical music, opens a popular carnatic composition, in Raga Hindolam, on Lord Krishna, as "(One with) Gait of a great elephant” (“saamaja-vara-gamana”). Link: https://youtu.be/xcOoJDkn0Mw?t=857 . More recently, Indian painter MF Husain, painted Bollywood Heroine, Madhuri Dixit, as "Lady with Gait of Elephant" (gaja-gamini). Link: https://www.wikiart.org/en/m-f-husain/gajagamini
Let’s translate the “gait of elephant” to rhythm in Telugu poetry. In Telugu classical poetry, there is huge importance on the gait (నడక) of a stanza (పద్యం). Poets are conscious of how they use a long vowel (దీర్ఘ) and short vowels (హ్రస్వ / లఘువు) sounds. A long vowel sound, when sustained, can be translated as a “long stride” and a group of long and complex letters can be understood as galloping animal. A series of short vowels (సర్వ లఘవు)void of long vowels can be likened to Gait of Elephant.
Below are two instances, one from classical poetry and another from movies to show how this Gait of Elephant technique is used.
Classical Poetry:
Let’s translate the “gait of elephant” to rhythm in Telugu poetry. In Telugu classical poetry, there is huge importance on the gait (నడక) of a stanza (పద్యం). Poets are conscious of how they use a long vowel (దీర్ఘ) and short vowels (హ్రస్వ / లఘువు) sounds. A long vowel sound, when sustained, can be translated as a “long stride” and a group of long and complex letters can be understood as galloping animal. A series of short vowels (సర్వ లఘవు)void of long vowels can be likened to Gait of Elephant.
Below are two instances, one from classical poetry and another from movies to show how this Gait of Elephant technique is used.
Classical Poetry:
Potana (1450–1510), an exquisite classical telugu poet wrote several poems, using this Gait of Elephant technique, in his translation of “Bhagavatam” (Story of God - Krishna) into Telugu . I will quote a couple of examples from the episode when an Elephant (what else?) is attacked by a crocodile, prays to the supreme being and Lord Vishnu responds, in haste. His consort Lakshmi follows him in wonder.
Potana uses the words with short vowels (హ్రస్వాలు), Elephant (కరి), Crocodile (మకరి), Lake (సరసికి), Near (దరికిని), Earth-Heaven protectors (అతల-కుతల భటులు), jolt (అదిరి పడు). Link:
(8-54) కరి దిగుచు మకరి సరసికి
గరి దరికిని మకరి దిగుచు గరకరి బెరయన్
గరికి మకరి మకరికి గరి
భర మనుచును నతల కుతల భటు లదిరి పడన్.
When Lakshmi follows, Lord Vishnu, who is rushing to save the elephant, she is in two minds whether to ask or not where he is heading in haste. Potana again uses the Gait of Elephant technique to indicate the confusion in Lakshmi’s mind. Here he uses the words Ask (అడిగెదనని), move quickly (కడు వడి చను), husband (తన మగడు), will not tell anyway(నుడువడు అని), hair (సిడి ముడి), falter (తడబడ), hesitate back and forth (అడుగిడు-అడుగిడదు).
(8-103) అడిగెదనని కడువడి జను
నడిగిన తన మగడు నుడువడని నడయుడుగున్
వెడవెడ సిడిముడి తడబడ
నడుగిడు నడుగిడదు నడుమ నడుగిడు నెడలన్
Movies:
In Telugu movies, song writers use this technique effectively to indicate an urgency or simplicity depending on the context. They tend to use this in short phrases as part of the song.
Exhibit 1 is Harikatha from Telugu movie Vagdhanam (1961). Penned by Sri Sri. At the end of song, there is a phrase, “ఇనకుల తిలకుడు నిలకడగల… సద,బల,మద,గజగమనునికి..”. This short-vowel phrase is used to show how Lord Rama is approaching the bow. The phrase “The one with Gait of Good-Strong-Confident Elephant” (గజగమనునికి) embedded in it. Video
Exhibit 2 is from more recent Telugu movie “Choodalani Vundi” (1998). Penned by Veturi Sundara Ramamurthy. In the movie, The protagonist from Telugu land, is lost in Kolkatta and sings a Telugu song, "yamaha nagari”. The phrase “ఒకరితొ ఒకరికి ముఖ పరిచయములు దొరకని క్షణముల బిజిబిజి బ్రతుకుల గజిబిజి ఉరుకుల పరుగులలో” is sung in short-vowel. Video, Lyric:
Exhibit 3 is from Telugu movie Lawyer Suhasini (1987), Penned by Sirivennela Sitarama Sastry. The entire (!!) song, "దివిని తిరుగు మెరుపు లలన” is short-vowel except the refrain “సామజవర గమన” (Gait of Elephant, No surprise here). Video, Lyric:
Exhibit 3 is from Telugu movie Lawyer Suhasini (1987), Penned by Sirivennela Sitarama Sastry. The entire (!!) song, "దివిని తిరుగు మెరుపు లలన” is short-vowel except the refrain “సామజవర గమన” (Gait of Elephant, No surprise here). Video, Lyric:
There are several other examples in movies where the song writers use this technique to create a burst effect. It’s up to the reader to notice and enjoy.
Conclusion:
Quick delivery of a series of sounds/notes by singer, without prolonging at any of the notes, is very common in Carnatic concerts.The accompanying percussionists (Mridangam), also use a short-vowel phrases (సర్వలఘు) effectively to display their prowess. This article nor my knowledge is enough to introduce those classical music intricacies. Hope you will notice and enjoy, next time when you actively listen to lyrics how the poet is using the "Gait of the Elephant" technique.
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