Irayimman Thampi

Ravi Varman Thampi better known as Irayimman Thampi(Malayalam: ഇരയിമ്മന്‍ തമ്പി ) (1783-1862) was a famous Carnatic musician as well as a music composer from Kerala, India. He was a vocalist in the court of Swathi Thirunal. His compositions are still considered extremely popular and are sung by Malayalees all around the world. One of his best known songs is the lullaby Omanathinkal Kidavo.

Life

Born as Ravi Varman Thampi in 1783 to Kerala Varma Thampuran of the Royal family of Chertallay and Parvathi Pillai Thankachi of the "Puthumana Ammaveedu" Thampi family, daughter of Prince Makayiram Thirunal Ravi Varma and niece of the Maharajah Dharma Raja of Travancore. He was named after his grandfather and was known as Ravi Varman Thampi which was popularised as Irayimman Thampi. Thampi was brought up at a house called "Kizhake Madhom" by his parents. His early education was from his father but later he went under the tutorship of Shankaran Elayathu in grammar, linguistics and sanskrit literature. He wrote his first poem when he was fourteen and dedicated it to Karthika Thirunal Dharmaraja of Travancore. Since then he occupied an enviable position in the Travancore court.

Irayiman Thampi married Kalli Pillai Thankachi, daughter of his maternal uncle Puthumana Krishnan Thampi, and they were blessed with seven children including a daughter who continued her father's artistic and poetic legacy, Lakshmi Kutty Pillai Thankachi, better known as Kutty Kunju Thankachi (1820-1914). She grew into a prominent poetess and got many rewards from her cousin and king Swathi Thirunal. Irayimman Thampi was already thirty one years of age when Swathi Thirunal Maharajah was born. Irayimman Thampi wrote the famous lullaby Omanathinkal Kidavo for Swathi Thirunal, Swathi Thirunal affectinately called him "Thampi maman". Irayimman Thampi passed away in the year 1862.

Famous Compositions

Some of his famous Kritis (Compositions) are

* Omanathinkal Kidavo - set in Rāga Neelambari
* Karuna Cheyvan - set in Rāga Shriragam
* Somapoma - set in Rāga Saveri
* Aarodu Cholvene - set in Rāga Nadamakriya
* nIlavarNa pAhimAM- set in Rāga Surutti
* Adimalar - set in Rāga Mukhari
* Ambā gauri girikanyē - stava varNam - Ārabhi
* Pāhimām giritanayē - sāvērī - miśra cāpu
* nityamāśrayē - rītigauḷa - Ādi
* kamalādikalām - khāmbhōji

References

External links

* [http://www.swathithirunal.in/composeres/iryimn.htm About Irayimman Thampi]
* [http://www.carnatica.net/special/irayimman-ppn.htm Irayimman Thampi Biography]
* [http://www.kerala.gov.in/music/music6.pdf Govt of Kerala]