Aadi Breeze..

The Tamizh Month Aadi-that started just a few days back- is considered to be very auspicious. It is believed that if seeds are sown on the first day of Aadi, the plants/trees/paddy will be very healthy and the yield will be good.

I remember how I used to sow the seeds along with my friends in my school-an institution that sowed the seeds of Love for Nature in me- on Aadi 1.

Aadi is considered to be the month of Amman and lot of functions take place in the temples.
Astrologically, the Sun enters the Kataka Rasi. It turns towards the South and the next six months are part of ‘Dakshinaayanam’.If we look up at the sky, we can see that the sun is oriented towards the south.

The breeze in the month of Aadi is very special. In Tamizh, there is a saying that ‘even a huge stone will fly in the breeze of Aadi.

Today, we are going to see a song that is as breezy as the month of Aadi.

It is ‘Aadi Maasa Kaththaadikka’ from ‘Paayum Puli’(1982).

This song is also as special as Aadi.

How?

First - the orchestration and the arrangement.

In the prelude section, we first hear the trumpets and the other wind instruments and suddenly, we hear a folk instrument.And then…Bass Guitar, Synthesiser!

The first interlude is humour personified.The folk instruments in combination with western instruments bring smiles to even a morose face.

The second interlude is jazzy and just towards the end, there is a folk element.
The third interlude can be called as the reverse of the second interlude. It is dominated by the folk instruments and suddenly we hear the western instruments in the end.The change of rhythm here is typical of the Master.There is one more speciality here and we will see that soon.

But one really wonders what makes him choose instruments so perfectly..

Second-The Tune.

Long back, while discussing about ‘Hey Mastana..’ I had mentioned that Sindhu Bhairavi is a multi dimensional Raga.

The same Sindhu Bhairavi that gives us mixed emotions in ‘Mastana..’ makes us laugh in ‘Aadi Maasa..’

Beauty of the Raga?

Yes..intelligence of the composer as well..

And look how the tune starts with a Qawwali style humming and changes wonderfully as a Kuththu song!

Third (in fact this is the first)-The one and only SPB.

What kind of a voice is this?As per the sequence in the movie(I have not seen it but I have read about it), the Hero disguises himself as a Bearer in a Hotel and SPB modulates his voice. Is it just modulation?It is something more than that..Listen to the ‘podi sangathis’ in between.

Possible only by one gentleman!

And this is the 'speciality' I was talking about in the paragraph describing the third interlude..

Fourth-Janaki.

It is difficult not to get affected/influenced by the other singer especially when that singer is singing very differently.Mind you..There was no track system those days and both the singers will be present during recording.

But Janaki sings so nonchalantly..


Whether it is the Aadi Breeze or even the Tsunami, the Citadel of the Emperor of Music is impregnable!


Listen to this beauty and enjoy!