Chandas (poetry)

In Telugu language, 'Chandas' is constructed based on the number of 'aksharaas' (syllables) in each line (also called paadam) of a poem.

As the same lines are repeated (aaVrutta), these are called 'Vruttaas'. If all the lines in a poem follow the same 'types of aksharaas', it is called a 'sama Vrutta'.

There are separate Telugu equivalents for English words 'letter' and 'syllable'. The first one is 'varNamu' (letter). This is the basic 'letter' of the Telugu in the alphabets, and is called 'varNa samaamnaayamu'. There are fifty six 'varNa samaamnaayamu'(s) in Telugu.

The equivalent for 'syllable' in Telugu is 'aksharamu'. 'Syllable' is often defined as the 'unit of pronunciation at a stretch' with a collection of letters (varNaas) in it.

For example, in a word like 'svapnamu', 'sva' is an aksharamu (syllable), but not a varNamu (letter) as it has two 'varNaas' (sa and va) in it.

These 'aksharaas' (syllables) are divided into 'laghuvu' and 'guruvu' based on the time period of pronunciation. These 'aksharaas' or syllables are the fundamental aspects in constructing the 'chandas' in Telugu.

Meters of the same length are distinguished by the pattern of laghuvu ("light") and guruvu ("heavy") syllables in the paadam.

Pattern of laghuvu and guruvu in a sequence of three is called Gaṇam (Group). The word ya-maa-taa-raa-ja-bhaa-na-sa-la-gam is called Gana Suchi (Look up for Ganams). The Ganas are same as in Sanskrit Chandas.

• guruvu-laghuvu-guruvu = bha-ganam
• laghuvu-guruvu-laghuvu = ja-ganam
• laghuvu-laghuvu-guruvu = sa-ganam
• laghuvu-guruvu-guruvu = ya-ganam
• guruvu-laghuvu-guruv = ra-ganam
• guruvu-guruvu-laghuvu= ta-ganam

• guruvu-guruvu-guruv = ma-ganam
• laghuvu-laghuvu-laghuvu = na-ganam

These Ganam(s) are divided into three major categories:

• Surya Ganam
• Indra Ganam
• Chandra Ganam

Based on categories of Ganam(s), Telugu poetry is classified as

• Jaati
• Upajaati
• Vruttam or Vrutta

Upajaati only has yati (caesura) but no praasa (rhythm) where as Jaati and Vruttaas contain both yati (caesura) and prasaa (rhythm).

There are 26 types of chandas. Each 'chandas' is recognized by the number of 'aksharaas' or Syllables present in each line of the poem. As an 'akshara' can be either a 'laghuvu' or a 'guruvu', the number of variations possible in each type of 'chandas' follows a 'binary system'. The names /numbers of 'chandas' and the numbers of 'sama Vruttaas' that can be generated in each variety are as follows.

[1]

The total number of sama Vruttaas in 26 chandassus is 134,217,726.

The poetical works of Old Kannada and Middle Kannada followed the rules of Chandas given by Nagavarma I in the book Chandombudhi. Kannada prosody is classified into three parts:

1. Prāsa (ಪ್ರಾಸ)
2. Yati (ಯತಿ)
3. Gana (ಗಣ)

Praasa or the rhyme scheme refers to the same consonant repeating periodically in each line. Again there are two types:

• Ādi Prāsa : Rhyming of consonants at the beginning of the line
• Antya Prāsa: Rhyming of consonants at the end of the line.

While reading the poetry, to breathe, we stop/pause at some places without damaging the meanings of the poem. These places were called Yati. There were some rules for this. However, the usage of 'Yati' is very less in Kannada literature.

Gana refers to a group. In Kannada prosody, Gana refers to the group of the syllables, letters, or units. There are three types:

• Mātra Gana: Gana classified on the basis of the syllables.
• Akshara Gana: Classified on the basis of letters.
• Ansha Gana: Classified on the basis of units or parts of the poem. Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra are the three types of Ansha Gana.

One maatra means the time taken to pronounce a letter. Thus the gana classified on this basis is called Maatra Gana. While classifying, the ganas are made of 3, 4 or 5 syllables.

There are two types of syllables in Sanskrit prasody:

• Laghu : It is a short syllable ( based on time duration to pronounce). It is denoted by the symbol 'U'.
• Guru : It is a long syllable. ( based on time duration to pronounce). It is denoted by the symbol '-'.

• Long vowels (deergha swara)
• A letter preceding the combined letter (digraphs)
• Letter combined with anusvara or visarga
• Consonantal letter
• Diphthongs
• Last letter of third and sixth line of Shatpadi.

A letter is considered as Laghu when it does not have the above features.

1. Kanda (ಕಂದ ಪದ್ಯ)
2. Shatpadi (ಷಟ್ಪದಿ)
3. RagaỊe (ರಗಳೆ)

It is special type of Kannada prosody. The poem has four lines, where 1st & 3rd lines and 2nd & 4th lines have same number of maatras. Each Gana used in kanda poem has four maatras.

It is a poem having six lines. The first, second, fourth and fifth lines have equal numbers of maatras and third and sixth lines have same number of maatras. Each Gana used in Shatpadi may have 3, 4, or 5 maatras.

There are six types of Shatpadi. Each type has different rules, features and characteristics. The types are:

Shara (ಶರ), Kusuma (ಕುಸುಮ), Bhoga (ಭೋಗ), Bhaamini (ಭಾಮಿನಿ), Parivardhini (ಪರಿವರ್ಧಿನಿ), and Vaardhaka (ವಾರ್ಧಕ).

It is a poem having many lines. All lines have equal number of maatras. There are three types of ragale:

Utsaaha (ಉತ್ಸಾಹ), Mandanila (ಮಂದಾನಿಲ) and Lalita (ಲಲಿತ).

Gana classified on the basis of letters or characters is known as Akshara Gana. The Akshara ganas are made of three letters or characters. A formula-sentence is used for this: ya-maa-taa-raa-ja-bhaa-na-sa-la-gam ( ಯಮಾತಾರಾಜಭಾನಸಲಗಂ)

Thus we get eight akshara ganas by this. The ganas are same as in Sanskrit Chandas. The ganas are

• ya-gaṇa: ya-mā-tā = U – –
• ma-gaṇa: mā-tā-rā = – – –
• ta-gaṇa: tā-rā-ja = – – U
• ra-gaṇa: rā-ja-bhā = – U –
• ja-gaṇa: ja-bhā-na = U – U
• bha-gaṇa: bhā-na-sa = – U U
• na-gaṇa: na-sa-la = U U U
• sa-gaṇa: sa-la-gā = U U –

The poems written on the basis of Akshara gana are known as Vruttas. In Kannada Chandassu, there are six types of vruttas:

1. Utpala Mālā (ಉತ್ಪಲಮಾಲಾ ವೃತ್ತ)
2. Champaka Mālā (ಚಂಪಕಮಾಲಾ ವೃತ್ತ)
3. Shārdūla Vikrīdita (ಶಾರ್ದೂಲ ವಿಕ್ರೀಡಿತ ವೃತ್ತ)
4. Mattebha Vikrīdita (ಮತ್ತೇಭ ವಿಕ್ರೀಡಿತ ವೃತ್ತ)
5. Sragdharā (ಸ್ರಗ್ಧರಾ ವೃತ್ತ)
6. Mahā Sragdharā (ಮಹಾ ಸ್ರಗ್ಧರಾ ವೃತ್ತ)