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When God is a customer

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For those musicians who give concerts, including Padams as the tail piece and sing them without knowledge of the meanings, the book "When God is a customer" edited and translated by A K Ramanujam and Velcheru Narayana Rao and published by Oxford University Press will certainly come as an eye-opener.This book which translates principally the Padams of Annamayya, Kohetrayya and Sarangapani introduces in its preface the concept of erotic devotion as well as the way this same theme has been handled by the 3 composers respectively. For example, in Annamayya's compositions, the lover is God. Love and devotion are an exploration of the ideal experience of the divine. There was no question of a business transaction. Kshetrayya on the other hand lived during the rule of Vijayaraghava Nayaka. Here, the king took the place of God and the new God was now a wealthy customer, addressed as Muvva Gopala as Krishna was known as in the local temple. Hence, divine aspects still remained. As for Sarangapani, money was the only factor in the courtesan - client relationship. Any customer was a God and was addressed as Venugopala.The Padams translated have been classified according to the composer and each one is headed by a title explaining the theme. In Annamayya's Padams, it is Lord Venkatesha who is being sought after. For example, the piece "Maruninagiri danda" deals with the other woman, jealous of Alamelu talking to her Venkatesa. In another one, a love lorn woman talking to herself, decides that it is better to keep a distance in advance rather than love and part. (Tagili Jayuta kante). The Padams of Kshetrayya usually deal with the love lorn theme in its various hues.- The spurned woman in distress that her Muvva Gopala has fallen for another woman (ni menu na men anucunu) - A jealous courtesan to her lover (Inta moham, emi ta, iddari sanduna) - A spurned woman to her friend, jealous that her lover should return with another betel juice staining his neck (nor ettan 'aitin amma) - A worried courtesan to her friend (inta proddiaye - its so late, he hasn't yet come) - A betrayed courtesan spurning her lover (indendu vaccitur) - A courtesan sending a messenger with a message rejecting the love (vadaraka po pove)Thus the list goes on.As mentioned previously the compositions of Sarangapani are completely money based. Hence the "madam" - owner of the courtesan becomes important. For example, in the padam "sisapu rukala" the madam complains that though the sexual act was completed, the customer just paid in "rupees of lead". Similarly, in "Kaligina kasu" the madam orders the courtesan just to "grab the cash" and not worry about anything else. "Inti magadu" may shock conservatives since the married woman complains that her husband has become her pimp. According to the husband, "whoring is no sin", especially with his permission.Similarly money based sentiments are echoed in an anonymous padam addressed to Lord Konkaneswara, also figuring in this book. "You may enter my house, but only if you have the money"The padams, for all their artistic construction and beauty contain thoughts and images that could cause the many a rasika to frown or clush. "Vetaki tera poyi" speak of a woman complaining to her lover that she is pregnant through him and asking for a root or something to abort the child since her husband has been away. The poem reaches the end when the joyful woman announces that her husband has returned and has made love the previous night. She is safe to bear the child - in the image of Muvva Gopala her lover.Many of the poems contain highly explicit details of the sexual act. In 'Evvaivalla duduku' A woman complains to her friend that her man chants the other woman's name while making love."Cellabo yenta vegame" contains data on sexual postures. The expression "it's morning already" refers to time gone by without the sexual act having reached its culmination."Aluka direna" refers to sexual skills whilst "Mosabuccir" amma magavani yadad anta' (they told me he was a woman), in which a man, supposedly a woman, 'handles' his lover, describes the gradual stages of sex.In addition to the above authors, the book contains 8 pieces of Rudrakavi on Janardhana of Kandukari on the lover fining and angering in turn for Janardhana.This book with its clean translations and neat print could well adorn the bookshelves of serious music lovers, researchers and musicians.

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