Song: vadala vadala venta vasantamu
Background of the song is set to the spring festival, Vasantotsavam, with various things sprinkled on Venkateswara as part of the celebration.
Annamayya takes this poem to a different dimension by describing what could mean a spring to Venkateswara, mostly in a romantic way (sringara), there by describing with similes, how the Lady's each reaction to Venkateswara is equivalent to a shower/sprinkle. Annamayya does refer to Venkateswara's wife in the last stanza, but does not specify which one of the two.
The song is in first person, Annamayya talking to Venkateswara directly.
My point of view:
I strongly feel that the way Annamayya describes the showering of Lord Venkateswara with various things, he is actually describing a process or a ritual in the Venkateswara temple and has got creative with sringara rasa, there by adding a different dimension to a (boring?) ritual/process similar to another jajara song( jagadapu chnavula jaajara... and kanti sukravaramu....)
But since I am unaware of the ritual, and to make this description objective and avoid any misnterpretations, I am going to adhere to the literary meaning as conveyed by Annamayya. I also feel that Ananmayya might have added a few more things as shower/spring, not part of the ritual/process, for his artistic liberty.
There is a slight comparitive tone, as if Annamayya is that a vasantam(spring) to Venkateswara is his wife's enarmous gestures and the state in which they are; there by alluding that the actual showering does not have as much significance, when compared to the experience associated with each gesture of the lady. This is poetry at its best!
Difficult words: ( Help appreciated, :))
"Jaajara" is a tricky word, for which I did not find a contextual meaning. Literally, "jajara" means deception/ attraction or the colloquial meaning at that time seems to have been lost or still an enigma. A contexual meaning of jajara to me seems a lovely fight/deception, or may be a prevalent sport during Annamayya's time.
But Jajamu had a couple of meanings: one being that it is sprouts of grains sprinkled in a plaquin, and the other that in Mahaboobnagar mandalikam, it refers to paint dipped sheets. According to Tadepalli Patanajali, jajara means paint. Unfortunately, I lost the link to Tadepalli Patanjali's description for Jajara which was available a few weeks ago. Any help in this regard is highly appreciated,:).
Just for reference: TTD's Vasantotsavam page does refer to "Ankurarpanam" which is sowing of 9 seeds(nava dhanayalu) as the beginning of Vasantotsavam in Tirumala. It also refers to aromatic showers to Venkateswara and his consorts during the celebration. Another part of the celebration is the rathotsavam(chariot festival)/procession.
Missing Links: For better understanding and appreciation
1) An insight to the actual ritual would help appreciate this song better.
2) Each item that Annamayya refers has its own significance, and a reason on why Ananmayya used it. An expert in sringara rasa, and descriptions in Indian poetry might be helpful here.
Given my limited time and resources, I will have to rest this case here, even though incomplete. Any help is highly appreciated.
వాడల వాడల వెంట వసంతము;
జాడతో చల్లేరు నీపై జాజర జాజర జాజ
Word-Word:
వాడలVaaDala= street/lane; వాడలvaaDala= street/lane; వెంటventa= along path; వసంతముvasantamu= spring;
జాడతోjaaDatho=with traces; చల్లేరుchalleru= sprinkled; నీపైneepai=on you; జాజరjaajara=deception/; జాజర జాజjaaja(jaajamu)= sprouted grains sprinkled on palaquin
Meaning:
Street-street wide/along spring
with traces they sprinkled on you, paint and the sprouts(??)
Discussion:
The background is set to a procession/ festival, during spring time. Hence, Annamayya says that every street has spring. By tracing Him, they sprinkled on Venkateswara the jajaja. It is not clear as to who Annamayya is referring to when he uses the plural form of "challeru" meaning "they sprinked". Since this is reference to a procession, I believe, Annamayya is referring to third person in general.
కలికి నవ్వులె నీకు కప్పుర వసంతము
వలచూపు కలువల వసంతము
కులికి మట్లాడినదె కుంకుమ వసంతము
చలమున చల్లె నీ పై జాజర జాజర జాజ
Word-Word:
కలికిkaliki= charming;నవ్వులెnavvule=laughters; నీకుneeku= to you; కప్పురkappura= camphor; వసంతముvasantamu= spring;
వలచూపుvala chupu=(vala+chupu)=(net/trap+gaze); కలువలkaluvala=lotus; సంతముvasantamu=spring;
కులికిkuliki=gracefully, move; మట్లాడినదెmaatladinade=spoke; కుంకుమkumkuma= vermilion; వసంతము
చలమునchalamuna=tremulous; చల్లెchalle= sprayed; నీ పై= on you; జాజర జాజర జాజ
Meaning:
Charming laughters to you are camphor-shower
intentional gazes are lotus spring
gracefully spoke the vermilion spring;
tremulously sprayed on you, jajara...
కామిని జంకెన నీకు కస్తూరి వసంతము
వాముల మోహపునీటి వసంతము
బూమెల సరసముల పుప్పొడి వసంతము
సామజ గురుడ నీపై జాజర జాజర జాజ
Word-Word:
కామిని kaamini= lady; జంకెనjamkena=timid, frightful; నీకుneeku= to you; కస్తూరిkasturi= musk+ వసంతము
వాములvamula= of love/cupid; మోహపుmohapu=fascinated; నీటి neeti= water; వసంతము
బూమెలboomela= fictious; సరసములsarasamula=dalliance; పుప్పొడిpuppodi= flower+powder/pollen; వసంతము
సామజsaamaja=the sama veda/elephant; గురుడguRuda=teacher; నీపై జాజర జాజర జాజ
Meaning:
Lady's timidity is for you musk shower
Love fascination, water shower
fictitious dalliance/flirtations is flower powder shower
Sama veda teacher, to you jajara.....
Discussion:
Annamayya refers Venkateswara as "Sama Veda Guru". According to Bhagavad Gita, Krishna proclaims to be "Sama" among vedas. Sama veda is a collection of chants, and melodies.[9].
అంగన అధరమిచ్చె అమృత వసంతము
సంగడి శ్రీ వేంకటేశ సతి గూడితి
ముంగిటి రతి చెమట ముత్తేల వసంతము
సంగతాయెనిద్దరికి జాజర జాజర జాజ
Word-Word:
అంగనangana=woman; అధరమిచ్చెadharamichhe(adharamu+iche)=(lips+give); అమృతamruta= nectar; వసంతము
సంగడిsangaDi=a couple; శ్రీ వేంకటేశSri Venkatesa; సతిsati= wife; గూడితిgoodithi= along with;
ముంగిటిmungiti= front; రతిrati= lady; చెమటchemata= sweat; ముత్తేలmuttela= pearly; వసంతము
సంగతాయెనిద్దరికిsangathayeniddariki(sangathi+aayane+iddariki)=(union+has become+to both); జాజర జాజర జాజ
Meaning:
Lady's lips give nectar shower
as a couple Sri Venkatesha(Lord of Venkata) with his wife
first, the lady's sweat has become pearly shower
union has become to both this jajaja
Discussion:
This is a poetic description of communion of Venkateswara. Interestingly, the second line misses the "vasantamu' at the end of the line.
As always, any help in better understanding this keerthana is appreciated.
References:
Lyrics:
1) http://www.gruhinii.com/vadala-vadala-venta-vasanthamu.html
2) http://annamayya-audio.blogspot.com/2009/12/26018-vaadala-vaadala-venta.html
3) https://pedia.desibantu.com/vadala-vadala/
Song Audio:
4) song by S. Janaki: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3-AOr6Qcac
5) song by https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AioOOKiBVVs
Telugu Dictionary:
6) Andhra bharati
Meaning:
7) the link to Tadepalli Patanjali's discussion :( on Jajaja.- unavailable.
8) Kovego73's comment from http://annamayya-audio.blogspot.com/2009/12/26018-vaadala-vaadala-venta.html
Background:
9) TTD's Vasanthotsavam page:https://www.tirumala.org/Vasanthotsavam.aspx
