ILaiyaraaja!
The name is etched in the hearts of millions of people-laymen and cognoscenti.
With his entry, the word Orchestration assumed a new meaning. Seamlessly blending all major forms, he makes us realise that Music is universal and Divine. Like a colossus, he strides and wields his magic wand mesmerising people across the globe.
This Blog is an attempt to explore his compositions in multiple languages, his background scores and his non-film albums.
I keep asking this question
often: How it is possible for ILaiyaraaja to bring out so much of emotions in
music. Does he undergo such feelings while composing or does it just happen. A
question very difficult to answer! But the fact remains that his music sounds
great always. Is it because of his ability to evoke the right kind of emotions
or is it because of his propensity to use classical techniques?
In my opinion, it is a
combination of both.
Listen to ‘Kaalai paniyil
aadum malargaL’ from ‘Gayathri’(1977). Even if one does not watch the video (in
fact I am used to ‘listening’ to the songs and not ‘watching’ the songs), one
is able to understand that it is sung by a young lady just after her wedding.
She is shy, yet happy.
A very different tune, a very
different voice (14- year old Sujatha) and a simply beautiful orchestration..
But look at the melody and the varying patterns of percussion in the CharaNams.
Doesn’t the humming at the end of each CharaNam sound different and unique? It
is because of a technique.
People who follow my posts in my other blog (https://rajamanjari.blogspot.com/ ), I am sure, remember the term ‘usi’. It is a technique in Carnatic
Music in which the stress is given on even beats of a TaaLam. For example, if
it is 4-beat Chatushra eka taaLam, stress is given on the 2nd and the 4th beat
and if it is a 3-beat tisram, stress is given on the 2nd(the 4th and the 6th if
the 3 beats are broken down as 6 micro-beats) and so on.. This is more common
in a Bharatanatyam performance-especially during the ‘alarippu’ which is
generally the first item. In film music, ILaiyaraaja is the only composer to
have used it so prolifically. One has to be very careful (and of course
knowledgeable) while using ‘usi’ as the taaLa tends to sound off beat. It is
absolutely like walking between two high-rise buildings on a thin but tight
rope (in tamizh, we call it as ‘karaNam thappinaal maraNam’).
In ‘Kaalaipaniyil’(I am sure
he used ‘usi’ for the first time in this song)-which is based on ‘tisram’ in
the chatushra ekam cycle, he first changes the 3 beats to 4 beats in the
percussion (tabla). He then gives stress on the 2nd and the 4th beat even as
Sujatha continues to hum.
And what a feeling it gives!!
I feel even more romantic
every time after listening to this song.
If I say that ‘one of my most unforgettable days is the day my first child was born’, I am sure you all will agree with me- provided you are married and have a child.
I still remember that evening very well when the nurse came out of the labour room and showed us the little baby. I cried with uncontrollable joy, the kind of joy I had not experienced before.
It will be an understatement to say that we were on Cloud 9 for the next 2-3 years. Holding him and putting him to sleep on the lap (and later on the shoulders), changing the nappies, feeding him, smiling and laughing with him, playing with him were all things which became part of our life.
Each and every day was different and unique. Life had never been so beautiful!
The rare gem of the day too talks about the joy of fondling a child. Thenil Aadum Roja from Avar Enakke Sontham (1977) is as soft as the breeze and as sweet as the honey. The santoor in the beginning and the flute which follows that hundred-stringed instrument from Kashmir, are full of energy. These give way to the humming (Suseela) before entering again and leading us to the Pallavi.
The Pallavi personifies happiness and the flute- between the lines- and the santoor at the end, jump with joy giving us an image of a child jumping and dancing.
The duo dominates the first interlude as well before the veena takes over. The combination of western percussion and veena is different and might even sound odd but that was the time when this composer started experimenting with different sounds, a fact known to people who grew up during those days and listened to his compositions sequentially in the order of their release.
One gets reminded of Darwin while listening to the flute piece just towards the end of the first interlude. Isn't this a musical definition of the Theory of Evolution?
It is ‘listening between the lines’ yet again in the CharaNam with the flute and the veena playing two short melodies one after the other, at the end of the first line.
The structure of the CharaNam too is simple and beautiful in keeping with the mood of the song.
The melody in the beginning is played again in the second interlude but with the sound of the veena being a welcome addition, and this itself gives a rousing start to the interlude. The flute enters yet again playing as softly as ever and one sees the budding Laya Raaja here with the slap bass which backs the flute melody, playing in 4 while the composition is set in 3. The interlude ends with the flute melody yet again but before that something happens.
The solo-violin plays a melody which scythes through one’s heart.
Generally, if a movie is
remade in some other language, the tendency of the Music Directors is to
use the same song tracks and the BGM tracks (I am not talking about a
dubbed movie, but a movie remade either with the same cast or a different
cast). But Raaja sir, who is known for his innovative thinking seldom
does this. At times, out of compulsion ( by who else, but our ‘ignosent’
directors?) he would have had to compromise but even in such instances, he
would have shown some variation-either in the tune or in the interludes.
I am reminded now of a news
item in a Tamizh magazine in 1983 when the audio of Sadma
was released, by none other than Amitabh Bacchan, who incidentally
wanted to playKamal’s role in
the Hindi version but was politely refused by Balu Mahendra). The
news item said ‘ILaiyaraaja has simply recycled the tamizh tunes. Why? No
creativity?’
I was put down by this comment
and wanted to check out the veracity. Since ‘net’ those days meant only a
fisherman’s net and since I was living in an island, I had no access to the
album. Thankfully, during the vacation we went to Madras and Sadma
had just then released. When I listened to the songs in the Cinema Hall,
I was wondering if that reporter had plugged his ears with cotton. Anyway,
media has always been like this, right? And yes, this role as now been taken
over by Social Media and the number of ‘reporters’/’critics’ has
increased manifold!!
Let us now look at a beautiful
piece from a Telugu movie-which needless to say was remade from Tamizh.
The Bharathiraja directed Pudiya vaarpugaL was remade as Kotta
Jeevitalu with Suhasini and Hari Prasad in lead roles. This
is the title track of the movie far as I
remember, the title score of the Tamizh version had the tune of ‘tam
tana nam tana’ being hummed.
Here the piece starts with the
prelude of ‘ChoLam vidakkaiyile’! What follows is a beautiful
piece in the Kharaharapriya scale with obvious shades of Andhra folk.
The Flute brings serenity while the keys between 1.10 and 1.27
add a new colour. The guitar that joins the flute in the
beginning and whenever the piece is repeated and the strings from 2.02
–that jump with ‘ta ka/ ta ka dhi mi’- give the western contours without
any frills.
Wish the ‘pedants’ and
charlatans listened to such pieces. But will they? Even then, does it matter?
First of all, for the uninitiated, kolu is the arrangement of dolls on steps ( not staircase!) during Navaratri. While the number of steps could vary depending on the space and resources available, the number should always be odd- though this may sound odd! The period of Navaratri, which is nine days (and nights) after the new moon in the Tamizh month of PurattAsi, is considered to be very auspicious, as it is dedicated to Shakti and the three forms of Shakti- Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati. Shakti is Energy and it is believed that the spiritual energy is at its peak during this period.
So, what is the significance of Kolu (a.k.a.Golu) which is kept essentially in South India and how is it related to spiritual energy?
It is a proven fact that one's energy levels go up while indulging in any form of art. This indulgence could be performing could be performing or watching or listening to others' performances. Secondly, when like-minded people gather for and with a purpose, the level of energy goes up. Therefore, keeping Kolu, inviting others to their homes and make them sing, make people more vibrant and positive. Thirdly, arranging the dolls itself is an art and is a form of expression. Fourthly, it is said that those days, clay was a by-product obtained while desilting the irrigation canals and dolls were made of this clay. These dolls became popular and the process continued. Note that the desilting of canals happened during the months of Aadi and AavaNi - the months preceding Purattaasi.
Whatever it is, Kolu has come to stay though with a lot of innovation. Let us celebrate Kolu and Navaratri, with a song.
Recently, my son and I were discussing the Raga Shree and the use of 'padhanipama' in the raga. Just to deviate slightly by getting a little technical, let me tell you that quite a few ragas in the Carnatic system of music, has what is called 'prayoga', which is the same group of swaras appearing ubiquitously in the raga. In fact, this is loosely and equivalent of leitmotif and this gives a particular raga, its identity. As far as my knowledge goes, 'padhanipama' prayoga is a later addition.
I told my son, "Even Tyagaraja did not use it" adding "because he did not like it". I went on to add "ILaiyaraaja does not like it too". When he asked how I knew this(the second one), I told him in jest that he himself mentioned it to me.
My thoughts veered to this song based on Shree and my fingers clicked on the song stored in my system. I decided to write about that song instantly and the reason is obvious. In fact, I had elaborately written about this song in my other blog long ago (https://rajamanjari.blogspot.com/2008/11/ilaiyaraajas-music-is-rich.html). But revisiting a song and writing about it again, gives me pleasure, a kind of pleasure not easy to put in words.
Starting with the drone of the tanpura followed by a sloka on Vinayaka, the beginning of 'Devi Durga Devi' (Sankeerthana- 1986), is auspicious with the very brief dance jatis ( Madurai Srinivasan) enhancing the divine feeling.
Energy flows in the voice of SPB and Vani Jayaram. Backed by the mrudangam and the subtle sound of the ankle bells, the Pallavi brims with energy. Even before one bats an eyelid, one feels the raga.
Is this potential energy or kinetic energy?
The veeNa and veNu reverberate with powerful phrasings of the raga in the beginning of the first interlude. As if being challenged, the mrudangam, which dashed off syllables with pulsating weight in the Pallavi, enters again and plays with intensity. It is of course a friendly banter with the veeNa- veNu blowing like a gentle sea breeze.
It is beauty personified as the mrudangam reverberates with different patterns in chatushram in the CharaNams.
The second interlude has a volley of swaras rendered with lucidity and grace even as one gets to see the shimmering beauty of the raga(yes, without 'padhanipama'!). The mrudangam and the tabla alternate between the lines, the former being sounded when the female voice renders the swaras and the latter being played when the male voice renders the saahitya.
Creativity + Innovation = Energy.
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but can be transformed!
Does this answer the question asked in the beginning?
On the face of it, the question may sound
inappropriate on Oct 2nd
but scratch the surface and you will agree that it is not more relevant than on
this date. I say this not with a sense of triumphalism but with a sense of pain
which is indescribable and to a great extent incomprehensible.
Rather than answering the question directly, let me
quote what the gentleman who was born exactly 150 years ago at a place called Porbandar
had to say:
‘’While I
believe myself to be a Hindu, I know that I do not worship God in the same
manner as any one or all of them’’.
If that statement sounds slightly complex, let me
quote one more:
‘’The need of
the moment is not one religion for the whole of human kind, but mutual respect,
equal regard and tolerance of the devotees of different religions’’.
Not many statements can sound as candid as this one
and not many statements are as relevant as this one in 2019.
Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi was a multi faceted personality- one
which had varied dimensions. But personally speaking, it is his genuine belief
in treating all religions and faith equally which appeals to me the most and
this is not without any reason.
At the cost of sounding politically incorrect, I feel
I should not hesitate to voice my opinion on the happenings in the country now.
If lynching and questioning the other person’s right to eat what he/she feels
is right have become a practice, forcing others to ‘chant’ the name of ‘our God’
has become the new norm.
If these can be called as pernicious, what can one say
about the fight for a piece of land just to build a structure which is
supposedly meant for worshipping ‘our
god’. One wonders if God can be
owned by somebody and if ‘your god’
can ever be inferior to ‘my god’.
This is not as ludicrous as the venomous public statements by the so-called leaders who seem to have any qualms in talking ill of other religions and more importantly, people who follow those faiths. What that 'other' is, I am sure, is obvious to all.
If the Mahatma who said ‘ all worship the same God under different names’ and ‘to revile one another’s religion, to make
reckless statements, to utter untruth, to break the heads of innocent men, to
desecrate temples or mosques is a denial of God’ was alive today, I am not sure what he would have done looking at the way people fight in the name of God.
On this special day, I thought no song would be more
appropriate than ‘Ram Ram’ from ‘ Hey Ram’(2000).
But before that, I thought I must clarify one thing. ‘Ram’ to him was a more a symbol of universal love and less a religious
deity.
And now to the song..
Not many have the guts to chant Ram’s name in Salaat
style. This composition starts with that. Is the call of the Muezzin for praying in the name of Ram a case of blasphemy or is it for
communal harmony?
I shudder to think what would have happened if this
song was released in 2019. Would there not have been a call to ‘ban’ the song
as it ‘hurt the sentiments of the majority’? How dare can Ram be prayed that way? I cannot help recalling what happened
sometime during last year when lumpen elements spread malicious information
about carnatic singers singing ‘Christian songs in praise of Jesus in pure
Carnatic ragas’ with a call to boycott such singers who were ‘involved in
conversion’!!
Hats off to Raaja
sir for composing those lines and to Kamal
for singing those lines.
It is not that only the first line reminds one of Islamic prayers. The entire song, based
on Sindhu Bhairavi has the contours
of Arabic and Persian music and this has not been done without any purpose.
What is also amazing is the high-shruti on which the composition
is based on. If high-shruti itself is
not so easy to render, higher-octave
in this is tougher. But the singers come out trumps.
The Salaat
is followed by the percussion which
plays ‘4/2/4/2/4’(ta ka dhi mi/ta -/ta ka dhi mi/ta -/ta - -
mi). The ghatam , essentially a South Indianpercussion instrument follows the western percussion. The piped instruments enter now and play Sindhu Bhairavi.
The seamless starting of the Pallavi is equally amazing.
The first
interlude has the Arabic flavour
first and then a Persian flavour.
But the fact that it has the western
classical shades cannot be denied.
Same is the case with the second interlude as well, though it must be said that there is more
of Persian flavour which even makes
one dance like a snake-that is if at all snakes can dance!
The call and
response and the harmony in the CharaNams indicate just one thing to me.
‘Call’ your
conscience whenever you are disturbed.
‘How
does a lady plait her hair? She takes three strands of hair, weaves the strands
with the strands criss-crossing one another and at the end of it, what do we
see- Three or two? This is how we should consider the river Saraswati too’.
This explanation was given by a speaker in Tamizh, during a religious discourse in Secunderabad during my formative years.
Honestly, I don’t remember the name of the gentleman who said this, though I
know he was a very popular figure as far as religious discourses are concerned.
But his words remain firmly etched in my memory simply because of his ability
to compare two similar and yet dissimilar things and connect the two so that
the concept is easily understood by the audience. In a way, it was also a lesson
for all aspiring teachers and most importantly trainers, a fact which I realise
now after many years.
When I had to plait my little daughter’s hair for at
least a month-when my wife travelled abroad- I was reminded of that speech
again. Of course, it is a different issue that my wife wrote down each step on
a piece of paper and that I kept referring it at least for a week before I
managed to do that act successfully(how successful I was, only my daughter
knows!).
No, this is not a post on plaiting hair and if at all you got the impression that I am going
to talk about a song which describes the beauty of a woman’s hair, I would
request you to not to jump to any conclusions and show patience.
The reason for my writing about that explanation has
more to do with the river Saraswati and
the place where it is supposed to be flowing and less with hair.
There are a lot of stories about the mythical river
with major references in the Rig veda
and in the Mahabharata. The origin of
the river is supposedly in a place in the present day Afghanistan. But the place where the river Saraswati acquires significance is Allahabad, a city in U.P.
Ganga and Yamuna meet at this place and it is believed that Saraswati is flowing underground and the
place being called ‘Triveni Sangam’,
meaning the meeting of three rivers. This in fact is the pride of Allahabad and leaving aside the
mythology, the place where the rivers meet is a connoisseur’s delight and it is
but natural for nature lovers to fall in love at first sight.
It is also natural for me to write about a song which
describes that great city called Allahabad.
The beauty of ‘Shehar Hai Khoob Kya Hai’ from ‘Chal Chalein’(2009) lies in the way the
city has been sketched poetically(lyrics:Piyush Mishra) and musically.
‘What
a beautiful city!’ exclaims a group of students and then
go on a trip across the city.
But before that the Master prepares them for the trip. And how?
The piano keys
flutter and fly like butterflies, with the echo effect typifying the beautiful
creatures going in different directions. The humming of Shreya backed by the various synth
instruments show us the view of the ‘Sangam’
from the top.
‘What a
Beautiful City!A place where the great Harivanshrai (Bachchan) lived. Feel the
Ganga, Yamuna and the Swaying Saraswati’, sing the butterflies in the
voices of Shreya Ghoshal, Shaan and Krishna Beaura.
The first CharaNam
talks about the Big B, the Chaat, Intellectuals and Alfred Park where Chandrasekhar Azad laid down his life for the cause of Freedom
while the second CharaNam talks
about the home where our first PM
was born, about the second PM who
spent his childhood in the city, about the Hindi
poet Mahadevi Varma who taught in
the University there.
The pure whistle in the beginning of the first interlude followed by the synth instruments take us through the
main roads, gullies, book shops, and to the Triveni
again.
The percussion
in the first segment of the second interlude reminds one of a boat
journey on the river while the shifting of the scale from the major to minor and the S.E.Asian music
towards the end symbolise change, at the same time indicating that certain
things remain the same irrespective of the change and life flows..
The sky is a splattered sunset orange. The sun, a blazing hoop of fire, balances itself on the taut line of the horizon and then sinks effortlessly into the sea. The swaying palm leaves make silhouettes and the last of the sailboats are heading, still aided by a strong breeze, homewards. The next time I look up, the orange of the sky has given way to many shades of pink and below it lies a tranquil sea, still heaving but in a tired, late –evening manner, without the vigour that had come roaring out of its heart in the morning and ended as churning white foam at the feet of grizzled old fishermen, waiting there with the dawn.
This is a passage from the book ‘Second Thoughts’ written by Navtej Sarna. This gentleman is very passionate about literature and has a writing style which at best can be described as ‘poetic and spell-binding’. If I was asked to name some of my most favourite books, I am sure ‘Second Thoughts’ would be in that list.
This small description of the evening sky is enough to justify my choice, though I would never agree that the sea would ever tire.
There are four objectives for reproducing that passage:
1. To expose members to such interesting and beautiful writing,
2. To dispute the fact that the sea can ‘tire’,
3.To create the right ambience for the song of the day,
4.To establish the connection between the passage and the song.
There is a lot of synergy between the description and today’s song- NaaLum NaaLum from 60 Vayadhu MaaniRam (2018).
To me at least, the song gives a vision of a beautiful evening with the sun setting in the west and the reddish golden sea bidding adieu to the sun saying, ‘We will meet soon’. Sea being sea, it will see the sun the next day morning though it will be its brother on the other side(will I sound politically incorrect if I say ‘the Arabian sea is the brother of Bay of Bengal?’).
What attract me to this most recent composition of the Maestro’s are many things.
1.Tune- Though one need not worry about the raga or the scale, the fact that it is based on ShankarabharaNam cannot be brushed aside. What cannot be brushed aside is also the fact that the entire tune is soft, as soft as the petal on which the morning dew sits cosily. The way the Pallavi and CharaNams are structured-listen to the higher octave tone in the second half- are lessons for the present day Music Directors whose Pallavis start in Mumbai and the CharaNams go to Goa.
2.Sound Engineering- One of the many misconceptions about him is that he is weak in sound technology. The facts that he was the pioneer in using the superimposing technology, stereophonic technology and many more new technologies are not known to this world. Here too, the sound engineer inside him comes to the fore in the way the vocals are placed-the echo of the male voice in the beginning, the superimposition of the lead voice and the chorus voice being some examples.
3. Chorus- He is always known for his brilliant use of the chorus. But when it comes to the genuine western style harmony, he is outstanding. The ‘shaanana naana’ in the prelude and in the first interlude, the ‘Ooo Uvuvoo’ in the Pallavi, and the humming in the CharaNams show his proclivity for using chorus and his immaculate creativity.
4.Lead Voice- ‘Monali Thakur’ trained under Pt.Ajay Chakraborti and has also won the President’s award for the best female singer in 2015. At a time when we come across so many artificial voices , this voice is a rarity. It is pure and is melodious too. Her tamizh diction is close to perfection (she perfectly sings ‘naaLum naaLum’, but in between she has problems with ‘Na’ and with ‘varudam’). Would like to see her sing more in his music..
5.Orchestration- How he manages to bring out the same old magic, album after album, remains a mystery. The instruments start only after 29 seconds but listen to the guitar sound in the prelude and along with the vocals in the beginning of the Pallavi. The guitar combines so well with the synth and back the vocals almost throughout. The melody which follows the chorus in the first interlude is something which has to be enjoyed. The melody in the second interlude may sound repetitive but a close observation suggests that each time the melody is played- it plays 4 times-, there is a different kind of response from the synth instruments. The synth melody just towards the end of the second interlude is soft, sensitive and sparkling.
Quite often we come across statements like ‘I have a gut feeling that this is surely
going to happen’, or even questions like ‘Do you have the guts to do that?’
What exactly do we mean by this ‘gut’? It is the
gastrointestinal tract involved in digestion.
It would
surprise some (or even many) that this gut
is inextricably linked to our feelings
and emotions. The brain and the gut keep sending constant signals to each other from time to time.
In fact, it is said that 90% of serotonin-
the neurotransmitter which transmits nerve impulses between nerve cells, which
contributes to well being and happiness, which is responsible for
mood balance and whose deficit leads to depression-
is produced in the gut. That is why, whenever we are emotionally disturbed, we
instantly feel the pain in the abdomen; our digestion gets affected and in
severe cases, the acid reflux is felt which in turn creates a burning sensation
in the heart. We also feel ‘butterflies in stomach’ when we are tensed.
Now, this gut is also responsible for our intuition and that instinctive feeling which occurs to us suddenly without any logical
reasoning. Interestingly enough, the solar
plexus, which as per the KuNdalini
theory is the third chakra and which
is responsible for our self-esteem, ego and our personality as a whole is
located in the same region. It is said that telepathy happens in the solar plexus. This explains as to why we
get sudden strange feelings, thoughts and emotions. Though the connection between the brain and the
gut exists, this is limited only to the neurotransmitters. There is a school of
thought who believes that most of the times, the gut is independent of the
brain and research on this is still on.
So, the next time if you want to take a major
decision, should you listen to the head or the gut?
I can’t answer this as I am not qualified enough. But
based on these studies and based on my following a music composer for the last 48 years, I can say one thing with guts:
ILaiyaraaja’s
gut feel is mainly responsible for the beauty in his music.
By ‘beauty’ I mean the suddenness with which certain
things appear in his compositions. It could be a guitar piece in ‘SiRu
ponmaNi asaiyum’ or the flute piece in ‘Vedam nee’. It could be
the transition from Mohanam to Shanmukhapriya in ‘KaalangaL MazhaikkaalangaL’
or the quick change of ragas from Rasika Ranjani to Revagupti to Sunaadavinodini
to Lalit to Hamsaanandi, all in a matter of just around 10 seconds in ‘Neela kuyile’. Or it could be the graha bedam on a very rare raga like Lavangi to give Mandaari
in ‘KaNgaLukkuL
unnai ezhudhu’.
If these are just some samples of his intuition, the Rare
Gem of the day is yet another example
of the same. The difference between a sample and an example of course lies in
the fact that while the former is mentioned in passing (these have been
elaborately discussed in the Group), the latter is discussed rather
elaborately.
‘Alai alaiyaayi pala aasaigaLe’ from
‘NaaLai Unadhu NaaL’(1984) is a fast
paced composition. If I am not wrong, it is sung by a young woman, with her
friends dancing with her on the beach. The situation is not that challenging
and yet he has come out with a beautiful tune in Pahaadi. But there is nothing great about this as he has done this
in many obscure movies directed by
obscure directors.
However, the reason for my considering him as one of the greatest composers in the
history of world cinema music is shown in the last segment of the second
interlude.
The composition follows the 4-beatchatushram cycle.
Now, there is a scale change at 2.34
and this is not uncommon in a film composition. But what happens after 5 seconds is surely uncommon, that is
if one takes film music in general. The pattern suddenly changes to the 3-beat cycle tisram with the tempo
being the same. Let me clarify that the 4
to 3 change occurs in a typical carnatic concert when the percussionist
does the ‘vistaaram’ with the tempo
undergoing a change. However, in the case of ‘Alai alaiyaai’, the 3 is made to fit in 4. In carnatic music parlance, this is called ‘gati bedam’ and as far as my knowledge goes, no other composer has even tried this in film
music(the other song which immediately comes to my mind- where Raaja sir has done this- is ‘Pallaviye
CharaNam’).
Most importantly, he has not used any percussion instrument here and it is
the ‘clap sound’ which sounds the 3(ta ki ta) even as the saxophone plays a joyful melody with
the bass guitar-as usual- playing a
counter melody.
If this is not intuitive
and instinctive, what else is?
The composition
as such is great with the South East
Asian flavour in the prelude and
in both the interludes. The guitar, flute, trumpets and a host of instruments add glory to the
composition (not to forget the ubiquitous bassguitar) while the voice of Uma RamaNan is unique in its own way.
But with geniuses
who are intuitive, you must always
expect the unexpected. And this is what happens in the end after the Pallavi is
rendered again. UmaRamaNan hums ‘la laa la laa’ and the gati bedam happens again , this time
without the backing of the sax. What
we have are the vocals with the guitar responding now and then!
Isn’t this one of the many
stereotypical statements(or should I call it ‘belief’?) used generously and ubiquitously
since time immemorial? Though ‘times have changed’(again a cliched expression!),
I don’t think the perception has undergone any major change. The spontaneous reaction
to a man crying in public or for that matter even at home will be this – Look at
him, crying like a woman- as if crying is the prerogative of a particular
gender. In a way, this too is misogyny of a different form.
Why am I saying all this
suddenly?
It is because I cried today
just sometime ago.
What was the reason?
Let me explain. I was pretty
down since morning, feeling listless and feeling as if my energy was sapped by
an unknown force. Not knowing what to do, I randomly clicked on a video. It was
a speech by the Maestro himself on RamaNa Maharishi. Even as I
was watching and listening, I felt tears swelling up in my eyes and like the
city of Chennai in the month of October, it started overflowing( Chennai
– My eyes; Tears- Floods; My face- Roads) without any reason or even season.
Should there always be a reason for everything?
And without any reason, my
thoughts instantly went to a particular song whose first line says – I get
tears in my eyes without any reason.
Like many compositions of
his-filmy or non-filmy- ‘KaaraNam indri kaNNeer varum’ (Raajavin
RamaNamaalai) is full of emotions. Based on the Hindustani raag
Madhukauns, the composition makes one travel on the roads of ThiruvaNNamalai
with the destination being very clear.
The violin piece in the higher-octave
makes me enter the Ashram and head straight to the hall.
The tabla in the Pallavi
is very special as it plays the chatushram beats languorously. So is the
subtle sound of the jaalra which plays the first beat of every cycle.
The absence of percussion
in the first interlude which has the guitar and the flute
with the former plucking the strings of our heart and the latter piercing our
soul, is special as well.
Well, coming to think of it,
there is no percussion in the second interlude as well, even as
the long flute and the guitar keep asking questions.
‘Open my eyes’ – This is
what the song says.
And I cry…
Is there a reason? I don’t
know and I don’t want to know..
One of the most enigmatic and
mysterious things in the world. Conquer the mind and you will conquer the
Universe. After all, aren’t these two related?
Why am I talking about this
now? Though there are varied reasons, the prime one is the significance of the
day. It is the 176th aaradhana of Tyagaraja, one of the most
prolific and genius composers the world has ever seen and whose name itself is
enough to define music. Let me give just two samples of his genius.
The 7th CharaNam of
the first Pancharatna(these 5 kritis are considered to be the pinnacle) goes
something like this – Omkaara panjara keerapura- which means – You are the
parrot who lives in the cage of PraNavaa-, the swaras in ‘Omkaara’, being ‘Sa..sa…..’,
that is, the upper Sa for Om and then just the sustenance on the lower sa,
giving the sound of the PraNavaa(Om).
In the 1st CharaNam
of the 5th Pancharatna, which goes like ‘Saama gaana lola’, he has
composed in such a way that it just sounds like the Saama veda, the veda known
for its musicality.
I know these are some advanced
details and I have tried to simplify it as much as possible so that the intricacies
are brought to light and the nuances are appreciated.
In the beginning, I spoke
about the mind. Let us see a kriti of his which was used by ILaiyaraaja- who
happens to be an ardent devotee of Tyagaraja. In fact, this kriti was used by
him twice in two different movies. The one I am posting now is in the voice of
Yesudass and Janaki from ‘Isai Paadum ThendRal’(1986).
For a change, I am not going
to keep the description brief. But before that, I must tell you all that there
are two versions to this kriti, ‘Manasuloni Marmamulu Telusuko’, one in Hindolam
and the other in a raga called Varamu, which has the other variant of the ‘ga’.
Raaja sir however has used only the Hindolam version in both the movies.
The bird call in the beginning
sets the tone ideally. After all, isn’t our mind too like a bird? With
pulsating weight, Janaki sings the akaaram. It is a beautiful sketch of that
grand raga called Hindolam, whose Hindustani counterpart Malkauns is sung during
the small hours in the morning after midnight, as per theory. The raga then
moves with coherence and fluency, unfolding with great zeal, unravelling the
beauty with grace and sensitivity. The overlapping of the swaras and the
superimposition are like a rapier cut. Only difference is that this is soft and
soothing.
Yesudass joins and continues
the akaaram in his inimitable way. The brief rhythmic ensemble towards the end
is the jewel in the crown.
‘Understand the inner yearning
of my mind, Oh the One with the hues of the Emerald and whose heart if always
filled with bliss!! In the past You protected me with your immense affection.
Hold my hand now as I need You the most now’.
Applies to all, irrespective
of caste, creed and religion.
I am a person with varied interests.
Music is my breath and though I like all kinds of music, I am enamoured of the variety and the depth of Indian Classical music.As far as Film music is concerned, I love Old songs and ILaiyaraaja-whom I consider as one of the best composers in the world- is my favourite composer.
I love travelling and meeting new people . A lover of nature, I prefer those long walks.