Regal

Can romance ever be Majestic?

It is a question difficult to answer and not so difficult to answer. But rather than trying to find an answer, let us first listen to this song from ‘Aayiram Vaasal Idayam’(1980), a song which I have listened to ‘pallaayiram’ (several thousand) times and would like to continue listening to for ‘pallaayiram’ years( I am sure I will have that many births J).

What amazes me the most in ‘MaharaNi Unai Thedi..’ is the beginning. It is not uncommon for his songs to start with an akaaram. But this opening akaaram is very different. A mix of swaras is followed by a single sustained swara. Now, there is a pause between the two sections. And it is this silence which is very intriguing (silence is always intriguing anyway!).

Remember that this was recorded in 1980(or probably end of 1979) when the ‘punching’ system was unheard of in India.. The way Janaki adjusts her voice to the two different sections speaks volumes of her versatility. It speaks volumes of the brilliance of the composer too. Though the sustained akaaram almost sounds the same, the ones which precede it, sound different each time. After 4 sets, the higher octave notes are touched, sustained and then podi sangatis sung. . At least I have not come across any song opening like this and in case you have, please feel free to enlighten me.

The strings start gradually now to the backing of bass guitar, and reach a crescendo. 

The special keys sound takes over and the percussion joins now in tisram. Earlier the strings too play to the count of 3 but without percussion.

The flute responds to the keys in its style. The strings now play the first line of the Pallavi with a very subtle set of strings backing these. Another sound from the keyboard signals to the other instruments and finally the Pallavi arrives.

Grand prelude!

The Pallavi in the voice of Jayachandran sounds as melodious as ever. The violins peep in after each line. The lover of variety uses two different sets of percussion with each one sounding ‘ta ka dhi mi/ta ka’ one after the other.

I am reminded of a taanam of  a carnatic vidwan’s when I listen to the strings in the beginning of the first interlude. A taanam is built step-by-step and it follows logic. The strings too build the melody step-by-step here though it is brief. In between, there is that sound from the special keys and also the subtly powerful bass guitar. The flute takes over and levitates. The brief interception of the strings is more to appreciate that flute magic and less to show their prowess.

The guitar enters now and combines with the special keys and of course the bass guitar, to produce a rocking melodic piece. The strings in higher octave complete the experience with the ‘bang’ sound in the beginning giving the impetus.

The CharaNams are in three segments with the first segment going higher, the second one flowing like a calm stream and the third one oozing with romance. Note that unlike the Pallavi, it is the tabla which provides the rhythm, playing ‘ta ka dhi i/ta ka’ in 3 different ways in the 3 segments. The backing of the strings and the bass guitar-which sounds sharper in the third segment- add a special colour to the lines.

How he conceives his orchestration has always baffled me. The second interlude starts with a set of strings. After 1 ¾ tisrams, the second set of strings join. After another 1 ¾  tisrams, the third set joins. A different relay race indeed!

The romance between two different key sounds follows, but it is the flute which steals the heart again. With the strings responding after 4 tisrams initially and after 2 tisrams later on, it traverses a path which is curvilinear and then linear.

Can romance be Majestic?

Why not, if the person who kindles it is Majestic?

Check this out on Chirbit

Idée fixe

Is ‘Obsession’ a bad word?

A reliable dictionary defines ‘obsession’ as ‘an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind’. So, if a person is said to be obsessed with something, it is generally considered to be a negative trait. In psychological terms, it is even a disorder.

That being the case, if I said that I am obsessed with his music, would it mean that I am suffering from a disorder? But didn’t this obsession also play a big rule in my getting into music, beginning to like it, beginning to love it, trying to learn to appreciate it, trying to know more about it, trying understand the intricacies and nuances, trying to express what I observe and trying to share it with people?

If I were to describe in just a few words about the impact he and his music have had on me, I would say ‘I saw a rainbow on the horizon/I fell in love with it/It entered my Life/It became one with my soul and has become inseparable’.

Do these lines ring a bell somewhere? Probably yes, to people who have been following his music with passion. It is a take-off from one of his ‘Early Years’’ song, a beautiful gem.

‘Oru Vaanavil Pole En Vaazvile Vandaai’ from ‘KaatRinile Varum Geetam’(1978) is very close to my heart not just because of the lines in the Pallavi but also because of many reasons.

See the way Guitar has been used in the composition. In fact, the song starts with the guitar melody which repeats itself albeit with subtle variations. It is surely not an exaggeration to say that this piece sets the tone.

The same guitar sounds slightly different in the first interlude with two strings played together. And how does it sound in the second interlude? Isn’t the melody soaked in romance?

Three different guitar melodies and each one sounding different and romantic..

This is the case with the flute as well. A close observation suggests that the flute follows the guitar(all the 3 times!). In the prelude, it enters after the guitar melody and continues to play even as the guitar is still on. It plays a kind of folksy melody with the guitar backing it playing a repeat melody. The melody in the first interlude air lifts us to green paddy fields while the one in the second interlude makes us see a wild forest!

The strings play a huge role too and sound in higher-octave in many places. There is an alluring quality to the strings when these play in higher octave. There are 2 sets in the prelude with one set in the higher octave and the other one in the mid-octave. The strings play briefly in the beginning of the first interlude and yet attract us with the sinuous pattern. But these simply excel in the third segment (after the flute) as these start in higher-octave and move on to the mid-octave and indulge in a very short ‘call and response’ with the flute.

The strings play a supporting role too in the second interlude as these act as a bridge between the guitar and the flute, then join with the santoor towards the end gliding down and leading to the second CharaNam.

If the voices of Jayachandran and Janaki enhance our experience, the bass guitar which accompanies the vocals in the Pallavi and which is substituted by the vocals when the Pallavi is rendered the last time in the end-with the male humming when the female sings and vice-versa- the structuring of the Pallavi (eschewing ‘ni’, a key note in the KalyaNi scale), the chromaticism in the CharNams(two variants of ‘dha’ occurring together) and the introduction of another alien note ‘ni2’ make this composition simply a beautiful one!

So, now tell me if it is wrong to be obsessed or if I am suffering from a disorder?

If the answer is ‘No’, I am happy.

If the answer is ‘Yes’, I am happy.

..because this is a disorder which makes me and others happy!

Check this out on Chirbit

Energy sapping or Energy giving?

Bringing up a child is a great challenge.

Sometimes I wonder as to how people managed to bring up so many children those days. One of my oft-repeated questions to my father even now is this-‘How did your parents manage to bring up 8 children’? With FP being an unknown word those days, it is not surprising that the families were big (at least 3 times bigger than what a normal family is now).

There was also no particular pattern in terms of the gap between 2 children. The gap varied between 10 months (?) and 4years.Therefore, the age difference between the first child and the last one will be 18 plus years-almost one generation. The generation gap that we talk about between the parents and the children now must have existed between the eldest son/daughter and the youngest one!

There are a lot of questions in my mind.

There will be a lot of excitement when the first child is born. Was the level of excitement and happiness same when the last one was born?

How did the lady manage so many deliveries? Don’t we all know what labour pain is? How did she manage to stand this?

What kind of attention was given to the elder ones when they started going to the school?

Did the parents even remember the classes their children were in?

Was any quality time spent to teach them the beauties of life-for example music, books?

What happened when the children reached adolescence? Were they given proper guidance?

From the father’s point of view, how did he manage to get new clothes/toys/books, how did he manage to pay the fees, how did he even run the family?(I am saying ‘father’s point of view’, because it is a known fact that there were no working women those days).

Though I have not got satisfactory answers, all I know is that all the children grew up, studied well, got well-placed and settled down well in life. Of course, I am speaking from my observation of the big families I know.

In any case, isn’t this amazing?

Now-a-days, despite a plethora of services available to us thanks to the modern-age technology, we find it difficult to manage even two children (at times ONE child).

‘Feeding’ them food, looking for the right kind of school, making them ‘do’ the home work, trying in vain to strike a balance between their demands and our commands, answering all their questions and asking them to shut up if we ourselves do not know the answers, forcing them to do things that they may not have an inclination for…
..and ah!yes, ‘monitoring’ them.

The last mentioned-according to me- is one of the toughest to accomplish. If we do not monitor their activities, we fear that they will be misguided. If we overdo our monitoring, we will be branded as people fit to join the Scotland Yard. How do we manage this?

While monitoring during formative years needs some tact, doing the same in the early years is a tough ask. How many times have we handled cases of breaking window/car panes, breaking somebody’s head (at times even ours…or is it most of the times?), and of course breaking things in our own place itself.. Really wonder how parents during that era managed this..
The father in today’s rare gem also seems to have had the same problem. The song-‘Peththaalum Peththeada..’ from ‘Anbe Sangeeta’(1980) echoes the thoughts and sentiments of the father of a ‘under-12’.

The father (in the voice of Jayachandran) says ‘Making you do the morning activities and sending you to the school sap my energy. To top it all, you cut the nose and break the heads of other children with your kite and the cricket ball. You notorious one! How is it that the God forgot to keep a tail behind you?’

The mother defends the son in the end saying a mother understands a child better and asking the father to mind his business.

The song, beautifully tuned in the minor scale (Nata Bhairavi+Kiravani) with the prelude and the three interludes reflecting the emotions.

I have not seen the visuals of the song(thankfully), but I can easily visualise the sequence thanks to the Master’s orchestration.

The prelude is full of energy with the strings and the electric guitar making us see a sketch of the notorious boy.
The dialogue between the flute and the strings in two octaves in the first interlude shows how the boy manages to escape from his father while brushing the teeth, bathing and while going to the school even as the father keeps pleading with him and chasing him. The strings and the electric guitar towards the end reflect the travails of the father.

The organ in the second interlude shows the notorious boy in full flow while the short string pieces in the higher octave show how the boy indulges in many activities.
The humming of the mother (Shailaja) and the dainty flute that follows symbolises motherhood.

The pieces after the ‘nose-cutting’, ‘head-breaking’ and the ‘victorious’ whistle at the end after the mother’s defence show the sense of humour of the composer.

What stands out finally is the fact that bringing up children is a pleasurable pain. Do you agree?

Oh..Love..We worship you!

Episode No.1:

The young Music Director who took the Tamizh Film world by storm was in the recording studio when he was told that the veteran Film Director wanted to see him to book for his next project.He was astonished.

The astonishment was because the Film Director had until then worked with a very senior music director for many movies.

Episode No.2:

The same Music Director-after having worked with the Film Maker for one movie that was a smash hit- gets a call from the Film maker .This time the Film maker wants a song( that the music director had composed and recorded for some other Director) to be given to him.

Episode No.3:

The Film maker-Music Director combo has worked very well for two movies(both silver jubilee hits in 3 languages!).The Film maker wants to book him for third movie but the Music Director now politely refuses.

No prizes for guessing the Music Director.

But if you are wondering who the Film maker was, let me tell you that it was none other than the great Sridhar!

The song he wanted(episode 2) was ‘ManjaL Nilavukku Indru Ore Sugam’ from the movie ‘Mudhal iravu’-the speciality being the train background throughout the song. Of course , he could not get that song since it was already given to somebody else.

After the polite refusal(episode no.3), the pair went on to work for many more movies and almost all the songs are great.

Coming to think of it, I have discussed 4 songs from this combo(a ‘privilege’ not enjoyed by any other film maker!)in my other blog Ragaranjani(rajamanjari.blogspot.com)

Sridhar ‘s first film was ‘KalyaNa Parisu’ in late ‘50s.

What was unique was the way he conceived the shots. His different camera angles won him accolades.

Never averse to new techniques, this gentleman also introduced new faces.Some of his introductions include Muthuraman, Jayalalitha, VenniRa Aadai Nirmala, Vennira Aadai Moorthy-just to name a few.

His themes were bold and though they bordered on ‘sentiments’(one of the many banes of tamizh cinema!), his presentation and the treatment were different.

His ‘Nenjil Oru Aalayam’ was shot in a single set. The movie also had a O’Henry type ending.

His ‘Kaadalikka Neramillai’ is still considered to be one of the best comedies ever made in tamizh cinema.

His ‘Sivantha ManN’ was the first ever tamizh movie to be shot in foreign locations.

There are many things one could write about this legend but three things need special mention.

One- his sense of aesthetics.
Two- his taste for music.
Three-His Love for 'Love'

In short, he was a Romantic who enjoyed life to the brim.

Therefore, I have decided to dedicate this Feb14th post to this great legend.


As already mentioned,he had a very good ear and music in his movies would always be great.

It is not surprising that he was a great fan of the Maestro's and the association that started with ‘ILamai OonjalaadugiRathu’(1978) lasted till his last movie ‘Thanthu Vitten Ennai’(1992).

The song that I present today epitomises and symbolises the gentleman himself.


It is ‘Azhage Unnai Aaradanai SeigiRen’(from ‘Azhage Unnai AaradikkiRen’-1979).

The song lasts just a little above 2 min.Is it not a fact that all beautiful things lasts only a little while?

It starts with the Bell sound followed by the beautiful guitar.

The melodious voice of Jayachandran takes over and we are transported to a different world.

The interlude has the western flute and whistle(!).

It is simple and at the same time dexterous.

It is piercingly sharp and at the same time velvety.

It is mesmerising and intoxicating.

It radiates soothing light!

Beauty at its best..
Beauty that is to be appreciated and worshipped.

And this what the late Sridhar was doing throughout his life.
And this is what the emperor of music has been doing in the last 35 years..

Oh..Beautiful Music..we worship you!!
Oh..Beautiful Love.. we worship you!!

My Quest..

The word 'Rare' is generally used when we come across something unusual.

But we all know that Raaja's music itself is unusual and therefore is rare.

In this blog, I have been trying to analyse his unknown compositions. Unknown to many in the present generation.

The danger in any analysis is that it tends to get subjective.

For example, for people who grew up with his music right from AnnakkiLi, not many songs can be called as rare.

Therefore, let us take an objective view.

Moreover, a song cannot be classified as rare just because it is old.

While 'Machanai paartheengaLa' and 'AnnakkiLi Unnai Theduthe'(Janaki version) are not rare despite being 32 years old, the TMS version of 'AnnakkiLi Unnai..' can be classified as rare.

Just ask these simple questions:

1.Is this song being aired by any Radio/TV channels at least once in a while?

2.Are many people aware of this song?

If the answer to both the questions is 'yes', then it is not rare irrespective of the year of release.

If it is 'no', then it obviously deserves a place in this Blog.

I started this Blog 2 years back and have been on a journey since then..

And what a journey it has been!

A journey that took me back to the days I listened to these songs for the first time as boy.. to the days where my transistor radio would be playing the songs with me doing my home work.. to days where I would be all alone on the terrace gazing at the stars with my ‘lover’ very close to my ears(now, don’t jump to any conclusions.. people who know me well know what I call as my first ‘love’).

Almost all the songs discussed by me belong to the period mentioned in the previous paragraph.

And most of the songs have been inside me all this while waiting for an opportunity to jump out and show their smiling faces to the world.

They come out depending on the place, time and most importantly my mood. For example, when I was travelling in Tanjore in Feb 2009 , my i –pod was playing ‘MaharaNi unai thedi’(Aayiram Vaasal Idhayam) when the bus was plying close the Palace.The result?

A post on the 28th of Feb!

At times there would be some unexplained reasons too.

But what I am going to narrate now is something unique.

One day my friend Govindarajan called me up and asked me the name of a movie of a particular song that goes like ‘Kanna..Vaa’.He said it was sung by Janaki and Jayachandran. My brain immediately thought of ‘Kanna Vaa Kavithai solla va’.But it is a Janaki solo and as far as I knew there was no Jayachandran in that. I asked him to send the song but he found it very difficult to trace it in his I pod since all files were jumbled and the nomenclature given as per the whims and fancies of the people who uploaded (in the site).

After about a week on a busy Friday morning, he called me again and played the song from his phone. Though it was not clear, it did ring a bell.. I asked him to mail the song which he did the following day. The moment I heard it, I knew that I know the song. But frankly speaking I could not place the name of the movie. After racking my brain(that already has only a little stuff), I finally remembered that it is from a movie called ‘MalargaL NanaiginRana’(1983) and that it used to be played by AIR those days.

I wondered how it got missed out from my little brain all these years.

I have had the experience of people requesting me to write about a song they like.

I have had the experience of people asking me the name of the movie of a familiar song (that is familiar to me).

I have had the experience of people saying they were listening to the song(s) for the first time when I play the song(s) or write about the song(s).(as i write this, I get a call from one of my friends who has fallen in love with 'Engengo Sellum',the song which was sent by me about 2 weeks back and says he is addicted to it!)

But this was the first time that a person-that too a close friend of mine- made me rediscover a gem.

That is the Power of ILaiyaraaja!

Now, let us look at the song.

Raaja’s Mohanams are always special. Right from ‘Kannan oru kaikuzhanthai’, he has been giving special treatment to his Mohanams. He has fondled it like a child, has romanced with it like a lover, has been very strict with it like a father and has friendly banters with it like a friend.

‘Kanna Vaa’ is no exception.Even when he mixes the other ‘ga’ and makes it sound like Shivaranajani, Mohanam looks as beautiful as ever.

The prelude itself is very interesting.

We hear the santoor followed by the shrill flute and this is enough to give us an image of flowers nodding their heads and swaying in happiness.

The weighty and the sprightly violins that follow hold our hands and take us inside the musical garden. The shrill flute and the exotic santoor play with each other in pure Mohanam showing us the cuckoo and other birds perched on the trees.

Does the prelude (especially the violins section) remind you of the prelude of ‘KaNmaNi nee vara Kaathirunthaen’?

‘KanmaNi..’ is based on Malayamarutam while ‘Kanna..’ is based on Mohanam-ragas that have no direct relation.

However, the variants of ‘ga’ ‘pa’ and ‘dha’ are common for both and the Meastro brilliantly uses these swaras to make Malayamarutam sound like Mohanam (and vice versa)!

Incredible Innovation!

The Pallavi in the voice of Janaki is reposeful. The alien note in the third line gives a kind of poignancy and pulls the strings of our hearts.

The violins in the beginning of the first interlude are as tender as the breeze. The flute and the santoor ride on romance.

The CharaNams are steeped in melody.

The structure is interesting too with the first charaNam rendered by Jayachandran, the second charaNam rendered by Janaki while the third charaNam alternates between the two.

The second interlude has the violins wending their way through. It is sheer magic after that with the Shivaranjani peeping in as the flute and santoor crisscross each other.It is lie a musical rainbow!

The third interlude unfurls another beauty.

It begins with the chorus that gives an aural imagery.
The Horns and violins now enter with a flourish soaking us briefly in Western Classical Music.
The lilting violins now play in folk style sustaining the glory and evoking sweet memories.

It was Horace Walpole who coined the word ‘serendipity’ in his work ‘The Three Princes of Serendip’ and it means making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which one is not in quest of..

I would term this discovery of the song is somewhat serendipitous..
But my quest continues..

Wind and Music..How beautiful these feel and sound..

It is amazing to know how a particular thing acquires different names depending on the quality/character/circumstance.

Take the seven basic notes for example. Same notes used in different contexts give a totally different flavour. Though my intention is not to get too technical, the notes ‘pa’ ‘dha ‘ and ‘Sa’ are present in both Mohana Ragam and Kamboji Ragam. However, we call the same combination by different names depending on how they are rendered.

Examples galore..

In Tamizh language, the wind has many names.

If it blows from the east, it is ‘KoNdal’ (கொண்டல் ).
If it blows from the west, it is ‘Kodai’(கோடை).
If it is from the north, it is ‘Vaadai’ (வாடை) and when it blows from the south, it is 'Thendral'(தென்றல்).

A hurricane is called as ‘SooRai’ (சூறை) while a snowy breeze is known by the name ‘Oodai’(ஊதை ).

Out of these, 'Oodai' is supposed to be sensual and therefore the union while ‘Vaadai’ kindles the Viraha feeling.

Today’s rare gem is a wonderful mix of both these qualities.

It is ‘Oodai Kaaththu Veesaiyile’ from ‘Gramaththu Athyayam’(1980).

The entire song is an example of how folk tunes can be brilliantly used in films (of course he is a master in this!).

The song starts without a prelude with the melodious voice of Jayachandran. A very simple folk instrument accompanies the voice.We are transported to a beautiful village as Janaki now takes over.

The first interlude is a wonderful combination of folk and western as instruments vie with one another.If the sharp percussion sound gives the rustic flavour, the electronic instruments give the western contours without in anyway spoiling the mood of the song.The interlude ends with a mesmerizing piece.

The charanams are as tender as the ‘Oodai’ and as innocent as the ‘Thendral’.The way the female voice takes over in ‘Naan Ennaththai Seyya..’in the first charanam and ‘Adhai Solladi Pulla’ in the second interlude is wonderful.

The second interlude is a kind of ‘question/answer session’. The playful question and answer takes place between the electronic and bass guitar in the beginning and the flute in the end. In between, we have the santoor acting as the referee.

This is my most favourite interlude and I cannot help now swaying whenever I listen to this.

The third interlude is again different. The Santoor is sensual while the graceful flute is nostalgic and evokes viraha.
‘Oodai’ and ‘Vaadai’.

Wind and Music-How beautiful they sound and feel…

His words..His silence..

The chubby faced actor said this recently in a TV show:

“My father was very close to him. They would have friendly banters and quarrels now and then. One day, he landed up at our house early in the morning and said he wanted to see my father.My father was sleeping upstairs and I called him on the phone through the phone using the extension button.My father refused to see him.When I told him this, he smiled and said ‘Oh..he is still angry with me. Doesn’t matter. Please tell him that I am going to the US and will be back after a month. I came to say Bye to him..".

"But he never returned.This happened in 1981.My father was alive for another 10 years and not a single day passed without my father saying ‘He came to see me the last time.But I didn’t see him.. How bad on my part! ”

The ‘He’ here is Kannadasan.

Friendly banters and fighting with friends were not new to this gentleman. But the best part is he would do this only with a select few ‘just for the fun of it’.

Once he and Shivaji had a fight and both were not on talking terms.But he continued to write for his movies.That was the time when the Shivaji-Bheemsingh-Kannadasan-Viswanathan-Ramamurthy combination was at its peak.He wrote a song and asked MSV to show it to Shivaji.It seems Shivaji started crying the moment he read the pallavi.

The song was:
‘Ennai Yaarendru Enni Enni nee paarkiRai..Idhu Yaar Paadum paadalenru nee ketkiRai..’

MSV sir and Kannadasan too had a very special relationship.Their composing sessions were a treat to watch.It seems MSV would tell him ‘What are you writing anne..Even I can write better’ and Kannadasan in turn would say ‘You are not able to set my song to tune and are shifting the blame’.Both would even use unprintable language. But the session would end with one praising the other.Their mutual admiration was something that cannot be described in words.

People who have watched such spectacles live describe the events with awe. But all of them maintain that it was Kannadasan who would initiate the ‘fight’Why?Because he loved MSV so much that he enjoyed pulling his leg.

Not only did his face look like a child. He was a child at heart.
But when it came to writing, he was unparalleled and incomparable.

That is Kannadasan.

I have already said this many times.There has never been and there can never be any other lyricist as great as Kannadasan.There can only be one ‘Kaviyarasar’.If some people claim themselves to be ‘Perarasar’,they are cheating themselves!

Today is the birthday of Kannadasan and MSV. I wish a Happy Birthday to both. The physical body of Kannadasan is no more.But he lives and will continue to live with his immortal songs.

Before I take up the Rare Gem of today and Raaja sir’s association with Kannadasan, I would like to quote a few lines from a MSV-Kannadasan song:

The Hero, a writer who writes with a pen name Gowrimanohari falls in love with a lady. What is great or different about it? He is a widower with 6 children and is in his middle ages.
The Heroine sings ‘I saw Gowrimanohari in the form of a man’(the brilliant MSV set this song in pure Gowrimanohari ragam!).

The second charaNam shows us why Kannadasan is a genius.

‘Malai meethu adiththaalum Kaatru.Adhu Kadal meedhu tavazhnthaalum kaatru.Vaythodu vanthaalum kaadhal,Adhu Vayathaagi Vanthaalum kaadhal.’

(Breeze is breeze whether it blows over the mountain or over the sea Love is the same whether it comes during youth or in old age!).

With this, let me turn my attention on Raaja sir and Kannadasan and today’s rare gem.

In fact, I had written about their association and the mutual admiration many times in this community.

Raaja was a great follower and fan of Kannadasan right from his younger days.He still remembers the poem Kannadasan wrote when Jawaharlal Nehru passed away in 1964.

Kannadasan warmly welcomed Raaja to Tamizh cinema music adding the line ‘Raaja vaa..Raaja vaa.. ‘ in the song ‘Kannodu Kannu’(Paalootti VaLarththa KiLi-1976).

The combination gave some unforgettable songs(many of which have been discussed in this community) for 5 and half years.As fate would have it, Kannadasan wrote his last two songs for Raaja on the eve of his departure to the US in 1981.

There are many personal favourites but today I am taking up a song from ‘Pagalil Oru Iravu’, a 1979 movie. Somehow one song ‘obscured’ the beauty of other songs in this album.Maybe that song is very powerful and is indeed one of my all time favourites. But the gem of today is ‘Kalaiyo Silaiyo’, another beautiful composition not known to many.

The most striking aspect of the composition is the silken softness.The song describes the beauty of a young and innocent girl.

Other lyricists would have resorted to simple ‘Maane Thaene..’and gone on to write some nauseating words.. or would have given computer to Brahmma and imagined about her laugh being like the sound of a telephone. But not Kannadasan!

Before that, let us see the musical part first.

The prelude itself is so meditative that it makes our eyes close automatically. The sound of bells and the mesmerizing flute are steeped in tranquility.

The tune of the Pallavi in the melodious voice of Jayachandran is simple and beautiful.

The Violin orchestra in the first interlude is infused with haunting air. A very different combination of sitar and flute is the icing on the cake.The twin-violins with the Bells and the bass guitar in the background captivate our hearts.

The CharaNams radiate softly .The lines are tender and are piercingly sharp.

The second interlude is impeccably deep.The first part sparkles with the violins and the Bass Guitar while the second half-again a combination of sitar and flute but this time sounding very different- is dainty.

Let us now look at the lyrics.

He says ‘Are you the epitome of fine-arts?Are you a sculpture? Or are you like the Golden Deer? Are you a fruit? Or are you the parrot? Or, are you the moon who came on a walk to see this Earth?’

Though the words sound very simple, there are a lot of inner meanings.
Awed by the beauty of the girl, he sees her as a sculpture as well as the art form; Bird as well as the Fruit.

He also feels for a moment that maybe this is not true..Because it is impossible for such a beauty to exist.So, he says ‘Are you the Golden deer’?(we all know the story of Golden Deer in Ramayana).

He then imagines that the Moon has descended on the Earth(it has come on a picninc!).

Poetic beauty at its best!

In the first CharaNam, he says ‘Is this the dancing chariot walking? When will the mind shed its innocence and blossom like a flower? A beautiful maiden with the youth like the rain of flowers..’

Please do not miss the ‘Blossoming of the flower’ followed by the ‘Rain of flowers’!

The second CharaNam is a marvel.

We all know the power of silence.Here, the poet gives a completely different dimension to the silence of the girl.

He says ‘Is your silence the code/secret language?’(the use of ‘paribhaashai’ here is very noteworthy.I am not aware of any other film song using this word!).

‘Gestures that I am not able to understand-maybe it is the respect you have for me and my love’.

‘Child-like enthusiasm and energy –a beautiful girl!’

The last line ‘Thogaiyin Bhaavamo’ can be interpreted in many ways.
Thogai-means a girl. It also means a peacock feather.
Peacock is known for dancing.
Therefore, one could interpret it like ‘a beautiful girl’ or ‘a dancing girl’ or even ‘as beautiful as a peacock’.

His words mean so much…

At times, I even feel how would it be if only he was alive today.. But I thank God that he is not alive to see the murder of Tamizh. Murder in the name of ‘semmozhi’ by people who can not even say ‘Yaathum oore yaavarum keLir’(யாதும் ஊரே..யாவரும் கேளிர்..) properly.

As I said, Kannadasan’s words mean so much.. Now, let silence carve new meanings and teach all these people who murder the beautiful language and who ‘adorn’ the language with vulgarity and expletives..

Mouname Paribhashai..

The Queen goes looking for the King of Music!

It is a well known fact that Raaja had done many experiments.

He brought a new dimension to orchestration and arrangement.He used different kinds of instruments and each one would overlap on each other producing harmony..He used Bass Guitar in almost all his compositions and the bass notes would be entirely different from the main tune but still it would gel well with the song.

Bass Guitar was also used for rhythm following Carnatic rhythmic pattern.’Endrendrum Aanandame’(Kadal MeengaL) is a classic example.

He also composed a song without any instruments in the prelude and the interludes(Thaam ta Dheem ta).

Apart from all these, his use of vocals needs a very deep analysis.Many songs(esp.his vintage stuff) start with the humming and the podi sangatis in the humming are amazing!

Today’s Gem also starts with the beautiful humming of Janaki.

It alternates between long and short phrases.I still keep wondering if she sang it continuously or was it punched..But whatever it is, it sounds great.The higher ocatave ‘aaaaa..’takes us to an entirely different world.

The song I am talking about is ‘MaharaaNi Unai Thedi’from ‘Aayiram Vaasal Idayam’(1979) sung by Janaki and Jayachandran with lyrics by M G Vallabhan.
As soon as the humming ends, the violins start very gradually reaching a crescendo.

Honey flows as the flute blows.
The pallavi starts.

Here too, I wonder how Raaja composes his preludes and interludes.
He always ensures that the words given by the poets attain musical form.I can quote many examples.

Look at this song.

The pallavi is ‘MaharaaNi unai thedi varum nerame..engum kuzhal naadame..Thendral theril VaruvaL..Antha kaaman viduvaan KaNai IvaL vizhi’(When the Queen comes to you, there is music of flute all around..She comes on the Chariot of Breeze with eyes like the arrow of the cupid).

Now, listen to the prelude carefully.

The first part of the Humming-The Queen looks for you.
The second part of the Humming(the long one with sangatis)-She has seen you.

Violins-Sound of the Breeze.
Strings-She rides the Chariot.
Flute-She comes with the sound of the flute.
The last string section-She embraces you.

The first interlude:
The violins, strings , flute and the guitar.
The first two lines in the CharaNam talk about the sweet voice of the queen(parrot!), compares it with the sweetness of Tamizh and the lips that utter the words.

Go back to the first interlude.

The violins sound as if somebody is speaking in a beautiful tone.The flute sings showing us the sweetness(of Tamizh!).

The following lines talk about the heavenly bliss.
This is indicated by the wonderful guitar piece followed by the violins in the higher octave.

The second CharaNam:
The snowfall on the flower in the month of Maargazhi and the ecstatic blooming of the flower.

The Second interlude starts with the violins in low tone indicating the snowfall followed by the strings that show us the flower, and its petals.The interplay between the two is musically depicted by the flute!

This song is just an example of how well the Maestro understands the situation,the words and the mood to give us the best possible compositions! Though he remarked to me during the personal meeting that he does not think of all these while composing, I feel his brain captures everything(at times without his being aware) and pours out in the form of music. Certainly not possible for mortals like us!


His music is like the queen that comes looking for us in the Chariot of Breeze!