PARAMAPRĪTIYA, words: Devadan Thiruvengadiah (1882-1968), melody: Indian Traditional - 1st tune, singer: Rev. Paul Shindhe, recorded in Kassel 2011, For quite a long time the only available information for me about Devadan Thiruvengadiah were two pages in Lily Wesley's little book on "Hymns and Hymn writers", [Sangiitagalu mattu Sangiitagaararu] Bangalore 1995. The disadvantage was that I could pick up only a few words from this text in Kannada language. Now (in August 2011) Harriet Prema Kundargi and Gemma Caswell have translated this text for you and me into English. Here is the full article: "The knowledgable lyric PARAMA PRIITIYA DEEVANU ENNA KURUBANAAGIRUTIHANU was composed by Rev. D. Thiruvengadiah who was born March 27th 1882 and is the elder son of Shri Ellakara Thiruvengadiah. He was born in the Andhra Pradesh state in the Cudappa district in a town called Edu Madaka. Originally he was from a Telugu Hindu (Vaishnava) family. He studied in Bellary Wardlaw College. Here he had the opportunity to learn the Kannada language. Even though his mother tongue was Telugu he was very determined to learn Kannada. When he was in high school he started composing Kannada lyrics. While he was a student he attended a Christian Church and was a guest at many Christian weddings, festivals and anniversaries. On these occasions he would compose his own lyrics with his friends and present them in front of the people there. Rev. D. Thiruvengadiah was also a very talented violin player and through his music brought happiness to many people. His father was a scholar in literature and was very knowledgeable in music he was a respected composer of poetry. Through his father’s talents Rev. D. Thiruvengadiah inherited these skills hence why when he was a student he was known to be a very talented man. Rev. D. Thiruvengadiah scored very highly in his metric exam, after this he dedicated his life to mission work and joined a seminar in Bangalore to learn more about the bible. In Bangalore he achieved a degree in seminar. After completion he moved to Anathapura District, Kadari town where he started his gospel work. He served lots of villages and was seriously dedicated to his work. Within this time period he composed 37 lyrics. On June 1st 1968 Rev. D. Thiruvengadiah died whilst living with his eldest son." I am most grateful to the two translators and I am looking very much forward to editing other Indian Christitian Lyrics poets' biographies on this blog. Note on the above quoted passage from Lily Wesleys booklet on "Hymns and Hymn Writers": The above mentioned poem is in fact no "hymn", but one of the classical KIIRTANEGALU or Indian Lyrics. So you wouldn't find the song in the Kannada Hymn Book at all, but in the Kannada Lyric Book. There it is No. 11. It is Thiruvengadiah's version of "The Lord is my Shepherd", the Shepherdpsalm 23. The Kannada Lyric Book provides the information that Thiruvengadiah's poem is a translation of "The King of love my shepherd is" by Sir Henry W. Baker, 1821-1877, first published in “Hymns Ancient and Modern” 1868. So here is Baker's poem: 1. The King of love my shepherd is, Whose goodness faileth never; I nothing lack if I am his And he is mine for ever. 2. Where streams of living water flow My ransomed soul he leadeth, And where the verdant pastures grow With food celestial feedeth. 3. Perverse and foolish oft I strayed, But yet in love he sought me, And on his shoulder gently laid, And home, rejoicing, brought me. 4. In death's dark vale I fear no ill With thee, dear Lord, beside me; Thy rod and staff my comfort still, Thy cross before to guide me. 5. Thou spread'st a table in my sight; Thy unction grace bestoweth: And O what transport of delight From thy pure chalice floweth! 6. And so through all the length of days Thy goodness faileth never; Good shepherd, may I sing thy praise Within thy house for ever.
