Differentiate Between A Varnam, Padam And A Shabdam.

Mallika writes…

Identification of varnam

Varnam is a song in the Carnatic music repertoire. A varnam is a relatively long piece and can range from 30 minutes to up to nearly an hour or 40-50 min. It is usually set to Aadi or Ata tala. It is the center piece in a recital of dance. The lyrics are simple and consist mostly of long syllables and swara phrases of various lengths which bring out the essential features of the raga.

It has two types: Taana varnam and Pada varnam.
Varnams are considered vocal exercises in a particular raga. The patterns in a varnam are considered to be characteristic patterns of a particular raga or scale. Varnams are considered the most complex of the vocal exercises in Carnatic Music. They are designed to help develop voice culture and proper control of rhythm. Indeed, varnams are often practiced in double and triple speeds and proper rhythmic control (tala) must be kept.
Type of varnams
Tana varnams are considered pure vocal exercises, and pada varnams are generally sung to accompany South Indian classical dance (Bharatanatyam). Pada varnams generally contain much more text and lyric content than the tana varnam. The tana varnam is composed of just a few lines, and words may be extended through many notes. For example, many varnams contain the lyric “Sâmi”, meaning God, may be extended to “sa a a a a a a m i i i i i i i”… and so on.

Contents of a varnam
The varnam is subdivided into several sections:
• Pallavi: the first line, sung with lyric
• Anupallavi: a sort of recapitulation, sung with lyric
• Mukthaayiswaram: sung completely with syllables — or swaras — (like sa ri ga ma pa da ni sa)
• Charanam: sung with lyric
• Charanam Swaras: sung completely with syllables.

In a Pada varnam, there are lyrics which correspond to the Charanam swaras. The swaras occur in several groups or stanzas.
Generally, a varnam is sung as follows:

• PallaviAnupallavi
• Muktayi Swaram
• Pallavi (in double speed)
• Repeat, then Pallavi sung in triple speed, or in original speed.
• Charanam
• Charanam Swara Group 1
• Charanam
• Charanam Swara Group 2
• Charanam
• Charanam Swara Group 3
• Charanam
• Charanam Swara Group 4
• Charanam

There are generally 3-5 swara groups in every varnam. In a concert, the entire charanam section is sung at approximately 1.5 speed.
Varnams are generally sung in 2 varieties of talas, or metric systems, Adi Tala (8 beat cycle) and Ata Tala (14 beat cycle), where Ata Tala varnams are generally more complicated and advanced.

The varnam consists of two halves:

a) Purvanga – the first half consisting of three sections, namely, the pallavi, the anupallavi and the muktayi / chitta swaras.
b) Uttaranga – the second half consisting of the Charanam and the Charanaswaras.
The pallavi and anupallavi, usually consisting of two lines each, are sung consecutively, followed by the Chittaswara. One then goes back to the pallavi to render the whole Purvanga in multiple speeds before going on to the Uttaranga. The charanam has only one line with lyrics followed by four or more charana swaras. The Uttaranga can also be rendered in multiple speeds.

Identification of Padams

A particular type of musical form or composition (sabhaa gaanam), meant for dance, that brings out the relationship of naayaka-naayaki (hero and heroine) as well as tOzhi (close friend) to tell important truths. The words are written through the mouth of the naayaka, naayaki or tOzhi, explaining the joy, sorrow, and other feelings of love. They indirectly refer to god, since the naayaka is said to represent the “paramaatma” (Great Soul, God), the naayika(heroine) represents the jeevaatma (human soul, man), and the tOzhi represents the guru (teacher), so the words of each is thought to help the audience reach mOksha (heaven). In Telugu, padams often have Lord Krishna as the naayaka, while Tamil padams often have Lord Subramanya (Murugan) as their naayaka. Padam has pallavi, anupallavi and at least one caraNam (all with the same pattern of swaras), with few sangatis and with easy prayOgams, while still bringing out the swaroopam of the raaga. Some padams begin from the anupallavi. Performed mainly in dance concerts, they may also be at the end of vocal and instrumental concerts. The first padams in Sanskrit were composed by Vasudeva Kavi who adorned the court of King Sarfoji of Tanjore. In dance, padams include more graceful movement than footwork. They require slower-moving grace, expression, and emotion, involving the hand gestures, eyes, and face for expression rather than fancy steps.
sometimes padams have no footwork. or can be composed without any footwork.

Identification of shabdams

SHABDAM
In this item the dancer introduces abhinaya for the first time in the repertoire. The abhinaya composed to simple sahityam is usually separated by easy korvais.This item is usually in misra chapu taalam and the most common ones are in praise of Lord Krishna.
generally its like telling a synopsyins in the first line then giving a description in the later repetitiions. after the stanza, there is very simple footsteps. the number of stanzas can vary from 2-4 or 5. Each stanza can contain a different story of all of them put together is one single story. but essentially its about one person, one theme. usually composed in ragamalika and misrachapu tala(thakita takadhimi)
The movements here are leisurely. In the Sabdam, emotions are withheld at the beginning; thereafter, when the dancer has clarified herself, they are released in a measured and disciplined manner.

The Sources for the above article are unverified

PS from Sangeetha: Shapdams are also referred to as Yasogitams . They have also inheretided an Islamic Influence of repeating the salaamu or Namostute (paying respects to the Almighty or the King) at the end of each line. This pleased the patrons. Initially Shapdams were composed and rendered in one raga, perhaps Kamboji. But it is now a common practice to use one raaga for each stanza and present the composition in raagamalika.