TRIPADI
Tripadi (tripadi) (ತ್ರಿಪದಿ) is
one of the most ancient metrical forms of Kannada. It is definitely Dravidian
in origin and it is based on ‘amshagaNa Candassu’. Even
though tripadi got transformed to ‘mAtrA gaNa Candassu’ as many other
indigenous forms, the practice of composing it in amsha gaNa persists.
Antiquity of tripadi, based on inscriptional evidence can be traced back to
seventh century. ‘Badami
Inscription’ is composed in amsha
gana tripadis. Tripadi means, literally a stanza containing three lines. (pAda)
The characteristic features of this form are provided by Nagavarma in his ‘CandOmbudhi’.
The pattern of ganas given by Nagavarma is as follows:
ವಿಷ್ಣು/ವಿಷ್ಣು/ವಿಷ್ಣು/ವಿಷ್ಣು
ವಿಷ್ಣು/ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ/ವಿಷ್ಣು/ವಿಷ್ಣು
ವಿಷ್ಣು/ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ/ವಿಷ್ಣು//
Tripadi is a form consisting of eleven units. (It is also known as
‘tividi’) First two lines consist of four units and the third consists of three
units. All the ten of them except the sixth and the tenth units are
Vishnuganas. The sixth and tenth units are Brahmaganas. Many a time these
Vishnu gaNas are replaced by RudragaNas either at one place or more than one
place. There are certain other conditions too. There is pause after the second
unit. (yati) There is an internal
rhyming in the first and the third units in addition to the initial
rhyming.(Adi prAsa). More importantly, after reciting the first three units in
the second line, one has to pause and then recite the whole of it again and
move on to the fourth unit. This is followed in all recitations, even though
Nagavrama has not spelt it out in so many words. Thus in effect, tripadi
becomes a poem with four discernible lines during recitation:
ವಿ/ವಿ/ವಿ/ವಿ
ವಿ/ಬ್ರ/ವಿ/
ವಿ/ಬ್ರ/ವಿ/ವಿ/
ವಿ/ಬ್ರ/ವಿ
This is actually the general mode of recitation whether it is Desi
poetry or folk poetry.
The
fact that tripadis are found in many inscriptions and folk poems goes to prove
that it is one of the earliest poetic forms in Kannada.
However,
even tripadi could not survive the on set of ‘mAtrA gaNa Candassu’.
Consequently the later tripadis consisted of ten units and all of them were in
matrAgaNas. VishNugaNa was replaced by units of five mAtrAs and the sixth and
the tenth positiones were occupied by gaNAs consisting four mAtras. Of course
these were quite flexible and an elongation of BrahmagaNa was always on cards.
Thus a typical mAtrAgaNa tripadi will adopt the pattern that follows:
5/5/5/5
5/4/5/5
The
sixth and tenth unit may be called BrahmagaNa also because the originals are
retained. Sediyapu Krishnabhatta contends that this rule concerning the sixth
and tenth units is the most essential feature of a tripadi.
Tripadis
are used very sparingly in Champu works. Many inscriptions have made use of
this short and pithy meter. Folk poetry is replete with this eminently musical
form. There a few literary epics, which are composed entirely in tripadi meter.
‘Anubhavasara’ by Nijaguna Shivayogi, ‘Chandaneya kathe’, ‘Soundarya katharatna’
by Ramendra, ‘Chorakathe’ by Mallikarjunaraya are a few examples. Even in the
twentieth century, Jayadevitayi Ligade the poetess from Sollapura has composed
her epic ‘Siddaramashvara Purana’ in this meter. However Sarvajna is the most
important poet who has immortalized this form by thousands of didactic poems
written by him. Modern poets such as Bendre and S.V.Parameshvarabhat have
composed a few poems in Tripadi.
Tripadi,
which is not suited for continuous long narratives lends itself very well for
short lyrical or ethical outbursts. We have provided a few examples of typical
tripadis here:
ಕಟ್ಟಿದ/ಸಿಂಘಮನ್/ಕೆಟ್ಟೋದೇ/ನೆಮಗೆಂದು
ಬಿಟ್ಟವೋಲ್/ಕಲಿಗೆ/ವಿಪರೀತಂ/ಗಹಿತರ್ಕಳ್
ಕೆಟ್ಟರ್ಮೇ/ಣ್ಸತ್ತ/ರವಿಚಾರಂ||
ಅಂತುಮಾ/ರೂಪನೆ/ಚಿಂತಿಸಿ/ಚಿಂತಿಸಿ
ಕಾಂತೆಯರ್/ಪತಿಗೆ/ರತಿ ಸೋಲ್ತ/ಕೆಂದಳಿ
ರಂತಲರ್/ಗಣೆಗೆ/ಡೊಣೆಯಾದರ್||
3. Sarvajna, ಸರ್ವಜ್ಞ ಸೊಡರೆಣ್ಣೆ/ತೀರಿದರೆ/ಕೊಡನೆತ್ತಿ/ಸುರಿವರೆ
ಕೊಡಬೇಡ/ಕೊಡದೆ/ಇರಬೇಡ/ದಾನವನು
ಬಿಡಬೇಡ/ವೆಂದ/ಸರ್ವಜ್ಞ||
4. Folk Poetry, ಜಾನಪದ: ನನ್ನಯ್ಯ/ನಂತೋರು/ಹನ್ನೆರಡು/ಮಕ್ಕಳು
ಹೊನ್ನೆಯ/ಮರದ/ನೆರಳಲ್ಲಿ/ಆಡುವಾಗ/
ಸನ್ಯಾಸಿ/ಜಪವ/ಮರೆತಾನು||
It is clear in all these examples, that tripadi gives
room for lot of expansion and elision of units during the process of recitation
based on the exigencies of the situation.
Some scholars have opined that tripadi is the earliest prosodic
form in Kannada. Others are of the opinion that Tripadi itself is derived from
‘ELe’ which is much shorter. Other forms such as Shatpadi and Sangatya are said
to be derived by certain modifications in tripadi. All this apart, Tripadi is truly
a very important prosodic form in Kannada immortalized by the great bard
Sarvajna and innumerable poets and poetesses who have made use of it.
References:
1.
‘Tripadi: adara svaroopa mattu itihaasa’,
M.Chidananda Murthy, from ‘Chandotaranga’, 1993, Department of Kannada and
Culture, Bangaloe
2.
‘Pracheena
Kannada Sahityarupagalu’, R.S.Mugali, Usha Sahityamaale,
3. ‘The Shapes of Our Singing: A Guide to the
Metres and Set Forms of Verse from Around the World’ R Skelton -
2002 -