# Papanasam Sivan

Paapanaasam Raamayya Sivan (26 September 1890 – 1 October 1973) was an Indian composer of Carnatic music and a singer. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1971. He was also a film score composer in Kannada cinema as well as Tamil cinema in the 1930s and 1940s.
Sivan was also known as Tamil Thyaagaraja. Using Classical South Indian music as a base, Sivan created compositions popularised by M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, D. K. Pattammal, and M. S. Subbulakshmi.
In 1962, he was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship conferred by Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.

## Life

Sivan's early years were spent in the Travancore area of Kerala. He was born at Polagam village in the district of Thanjavur, which was home to the musical trinity of Carnatic music. His given name was Ramaiya. In 1897, when he was 7, his father died. His mother Yogambal, along with her sons, left Thanjavur and moved to Travancore (now Thiruvananthapuram) in 1899 to seek the aid of his uncle. In Thiruvananthapuram, he learned Malayalam and later joined the Maharaja Sanskrit college and obtained a degree in grammar.
Ramaiya was very religious, and became even more so with the death of his mother Yogambal in 1910, when he was 20. He wandered from place to place visiting temples and singing devotional songs. He used to be an active participant in the devotional music sessions at the home of Neelakandasivan in Thiruvananthapuram where he learned many of Neelakandasivan's composition. In this period he went regularly to the temple at Papanasam, where he would smear bhasma all over his body. Hence people first began to refer him as Papanasam Sivan.
He took his first music lessons from Noorani Mahadeva Bhagavatar, son of Parameswara Bhagavatar. Later, he became the disciple of Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Ayyar, a well-known musician.
He was most interested in the devotional aspect of music. He preferred to sing devotional songs and encouraged other singers take part in sessions of devotional music with him. He was a regular performer in the main temple festivals in South India with his devotional songs.
He received the President Award in 1962, and in 1969 he received the Sangeetha Kalasikhamani Award bestowed on him by "The Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai". He was conferred the Sangita Kalanidhi in 1971.
D K Pattammal and D K Jayaraman, the sister-brother duo who were both awarded Sangeeta Kalanidhi, were his disciples. He taught Pattammal many kritis, and she also sang many of Sivan's compositions for films.

## Family

Papanasam Sivan had an elder brother P. Rajagopal Iyer, whose daughter, V. N. Janaki, was an actress who would later serve as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu during 7-30 January 1988.
He had four children, 2 sons and 2 daughters namely P.S. Kirthivasan, P.S Ramadas, Smt. Neela Ramamurthy and Smt. Rukmini Ramani. Sivan started conducting bhajanai in 1934. After his death, his daughter Rukmini Ramani (b 1939), an accomplished singer herself, and her son Ashok Ramani have carried on the bhajanai tradition.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Director |
| 1934 | Pavalakkodi | Music composer | K. Subramanyam |
| 1934 | Sita Kalyanam | Music composer & lyricist | Baburao Pendharkar and K. Ramnoth |
| 1935 | Naveena Sadaram | Music composer & lyricist | K. Subramanyam |
| 1936 | Naveena Sarangadhara | Music composer & lyricist | K. Subramanyam |
| 1936 | Kuchela | Actor (as Kuchela), music composer & lyricist | K. Subramanyam |
| 1937 | Chinthamani | Music composer | Y. V. Rao |
| 1938 | Sevasadanam | Music composer | K. Subramanyam |
| 1938 | Yayathi | Music composer & lyricist | Manik Lal Tandon |
| 1939 | Mathru Bhoomi | Music composer | H. M. Reddy |
| 1943 | Sivakavi | Music composer (with G. Ramanathan) & lyricist | S. M. Sriramulu Naidu |
| 1944 | Haridas | Music composer (with G. Ramanathan) & lyricist | Sundar Rao Nadkarni |
| 1947 | Pankajavalli | Music composer & lyricist | S. Soundararajan Ayyangar |
| 1947 | Kannika | Lyricist (music by A. V. Natarajan | S. M. Sriramulu Naidu |
| 1948 | Bilhana | Music composer | B. N. Rao |
| 1949 | Natyarani | Music composer & lyricist (with S. Rajaram) | B. N. Rao |
| 1957 | Ambikapathy | ?? | P. Neelakantan |

## Compositions

| Composition | Raga | Tala | Type | Language | Other Info |
| Abayaambikaaramani | sankarabharanam | | | | |
| Adimalarinaiyallaal | pharaju | | | | |
| amba Nee irangayenil | Atana | 'adi' | | | |
| Ambikaye | Kharaharapriya | Adi | Varnam | Tamil | |
| Andavane | Shanmukhapriya | | | | |
| Alavillaiye | mukhaari | | | | |
| Anbilaiye | kamaas | | | | |
| Balakrishna | Dhanyasi | | | | – |
| Candra kalaavadamsam | sankarabharanam | | | | |
| Chittham Iranga | shahana | 'Misra Chapu' | | | |
| Cittam magizhvittidudu | bilahari | | | | |
| Dasarataatmajam | Poorvi Kalyani | | | | |
| Dayavillaya Dayalo | Kharaharapriya | | | | |
| Devi paadam paninden | Hanumatodi | | | | |
| Devi Neeye Thunai | Keeravani | | | | |
| Dharma samvarttani taaye | Nata | | | | |
| Durgaalakshmi saraswati | arabhi, yamunaa kalyaani | | | | |
| Eesane inda | chakravakam | | | | |
| Enadhu Manam | Harikambhoji | | | | |
| Enda vidamum | mukhaari | | | | |
| Ennatavam seydane yesodaa | kaapi | Adi | | Tamil | |
| Gangaiyani | hanumatodi | | | | |
| Gajavadana karunaa | shree ranjani | 'adi' | | | |
| Gowri Manohara Karunakara | gowrimanohari | | | | |
| Guruvaayoorappa | Chakravakam (raga) | | | | |
| Ihapara menumeru | simhendramadhyamam | | | | |
| Inbamenbadilaiye | Kanada | | | | |
| Kaana kan kodi | kambhoji | | | | |
| Kaanarasamudan | begada | | | | |
| Kaartikeya gaangeya | hanumatodi | | | | |
| Kaa vaa vaa | Varaali | 'adi' | | | |
| Kadaikkan nokki | hanumatodi | | | | |
| Kadaikkan paarvaiyadu | kamaas | | | | |
| Kali teerumo | hanumatodi | | | | |
| Kallaada ezhaiyallavo | saveri | | | | |
| Kanindarul purindaal | kalyani | | | 'Tamil' | |
| Kanmana murugacceyya | Surutti | | | | |
| Kannan madhura idhazhai | Bhimpalas | | | 'Tamil' | |
| Kapali | mohanam | | | | |
| Karpagaambike | bilahari | | | | |
| Karpagaambikai Nee Allavo | Behag | | | | |
| Karpagame | Madhyamavati | | | | |
| Karunai Varumo Enrenginen | Charukesi | 'Adi' | 'Carnatic' | 'Tamil' | |
| Ksheera Saagara Sayee | Purvi Kalyani | | | | |
| Kumaran taal | yadukula kaambhoji | | | | |
| Kunran kudi | hanumatodi | | | | |
| Maa ramanan | hindolam | | | | |
| Maal marugaa | Vasantha | | | | |
| Mahalakshmi Jaganmathaa | | | | | |
| Mahaaprabo shree | arabhi | | | | |
| Malarinai tunaiye | Reetigowla | | | 'Tamil' | |
| Maname kanamum | | | | | |
| Mariyaadai taano | dhanyasi | | | | |
| Marundalittarul | gowla | | | | |
| Mayil vAhanA – | mohanam | | | Tamil | |
| Mulaadhaara murthe | hamsadhvani | | | Tamil | |
| Naamamuravu | Darbar | | | | |
| Naan oru vilayaattu bommaiyaa | navarasa kannada | | | | |
| Naaraayana divya naamam | mohanam | | | | |
| Nee arul puriya vendum | keeravani | | | | |
| Nee gadiyaladu | bhairavi | | | | |
| Neeyallavo | kamavardani | | | | |
| Nekk-urugi | abhogi | | | | |
| Ninai maname | anandabhairavi | | | | |
| Paadamalare tanycam | kedaram | | | | |
| Paamalai inai undo | harikambhoji | | | | |
| Paarvati naayakane | shanmukhapriya | 'adi' | | | |
| Padamalare gaiyena | mayamalavagowla | | | | |
| Padumaabhan marugaa | nagasvaravali | | | | |
| Paraamukham enaiyaa | kharaharapriya | | | | |
| Paraashakti jananee | hamsadhvani | | | | |
| Paraatpara | vachaspati | | | | |
| Parpala porpani (kanni) | kamaas | | | | |
| Patita paavana raama | hanumatodi | | | | |
| Piravaa varam | latangi | | | | |
| Piraviyadanaar | sahana | | | | |
| Raadhaa mukhakamala | hindustani kapi | | | | |
| Raagagopaala devaadi devane | hanumatodi | | | | |
| Raamam bhajata | shree | | | | |
| Saamagaana lolane | hindolam | | | | |
| Saamaja vara gamana | madhyamavati | | | | |
| Saa sapaa nabonipaa | hamsadhvani | | | | |
| Sada siva kumara | Shuddha Saveri | | | | |
| Senthil aandavan | Kharaharapriya | roopaka | Kriti | Tamil | |
| Sharanam ayyappaa | mukhaari | | | | |
| Sharavana bhava guhane | madhyamavati | | | | |
| Sharavana Bhava Enum | Shanmugapriya | | | | |
| Singara velavan vandhan | Anandabhairavi | Adi | Keerthanam | Tamil | |
| Sivagangaa nagara | Punnagavarali | | | | |
| Sivakaama sundaree jagadamba | mukhaari | | | | |
| Sivakaama sundaree jagadamba | Surutti | | | | |
| Shree ganapatiye | deva manohari | | | | |
| Shree shrI vallI dEva sEnApatE | Natabhairavi | | | | |
| Shree maadhavaa | Behag | | | | |
| Sreenivaasa tava | kharaharapriya | | | | |
| Shreenivaasa tiruvenkata | hamsanandi | | | | |
| Shree shhanmukam | bhairavi | | | | |
| Shree vaataapi ganapatiye | sahana | | | | |
| Sikkal meviya | kambhoji | | | | |
| Sollu paapaa (paapaa kanni) | mukhaari | | | | |
| Sopana Vazhvil Sivakavi | mukhaari | | | | |
| Sree valli deva sena pathe | Natabhairavi | | | | |
| Swaamy sharanam | anandabhairavi | | | | |
| Swami Nan Undran | Nattakurinji | 'Adi' | | | |
| Swaami unran caranam | bilahari | | | | |
| , Swamikku Sari Evare | Kedaragaula | | | | |
| Taamasam en swaamy | hanumatodi | | | | |
| Taaye ezhaipaal | bhairavi | | | | |
| Tanigai valar | todi | | | | |
| Tattvamariya taramaa | Reetigowla | | | | |
| Tinameede natriname | bhupalam | | | | |
| Tirukkumaranaa yavadarittaar | sankarabharanam | | | | |
| Tiruvalar mayilaiyun (kanni) | kamaas | | | | |
| Tiruvazhundoor vaazh | dhanyasi | | | | |
| Tunai purindarul | shuddha hindolam | | | | |
| Unadu dayai enai | kamavardani | | | | |
| Undenru urudi | harikambhoji | | | | |
| Undu kuladeivaraaman | hanumatodi | | | | |
| Unnaiyalla vere gatiyillai | Kalyani | 'Adi' | | | |
| Unnaittudikka | kuntala varaali | | | | |
| Un paadame | Punnagavarali | | | | |
| Vaanor vanangu | anandabhairavi | | | | |
| Vandadellaam varattum | huseni | | | | |
| Vaayu Kumaaran | kalyani | | | | |
| Swami Nan Undan Adimai | Nattakurinji | | | | |
| Shri Ganesha Charanam | Tilang | 'Adi' | | | |