Five Arrows

 Once upon a time, we Indians loved Eroticism.

Temples had sculptures with erotic postures (these exist even today, a fact ‘moral police’ band will refuse to accept or acknowledge). Temples were even built to celebrate love in a place called Khajuraho. A marvellous piece of work called ‘Kamasutra’ was composed. Yet another beautiful piece of love poetry was composed by somebody called Jayadeva in Orissa. But much before all this, the Tamizh land saw a bevy of works in the Sangam period which openly talked about the union and separation. Even Bhakti poets took an erotic route to sing verses on the Almighty, some Aazhwars being prime examples.

Enter the ‘whites’ from an alien country and everything changed from then on. In the course of the nineteenth century, Indian society absorbed from the British and overblown sense of Victorian piety, the remnants of which still exist in the twenty first century.

But amidst all these, was a woman in Tanjavore who had fame and riches while modesty, according to her was for the colourless and the timid. This woman, Muddu Pazhani was a revolutionary of sorts. She had the audacity to compose a work on Lord Krishna in which Radha marries him off to a girl called Ila. This work- Radhika Santwanamu- which has 584 poems, oozes with sensuality. Needless to say, this Devadasi woman was condemned by the society that time, which in fact had no qualms in appreciating and acknowledging the ‘Bhakti element’ in songs composed by Kshetrayya who too sang in praise of Lord Krishna.

Sample this song of Kshetrayya- When we are on the bed of gold, playing at love talk/ He calls me Kamalakshi, the other woman’s name/ I am so mad, I hit him as hard as I can/With my braid.

And compare that with this written by Muddu Pazhani- He is the best lover, a real connoisseur, extremely delicate/Love him skilfully and make Him love you.

The difference between the two? The first one is by a man. The second one is by a woman. Patriarchy at its best!

Thankfully, somebody by name Nagarathnamma revived the poems of Muddu Pazhani and a classical Bharatanatyam dancer has been performing this too on stage.

Let us move away from the South towards the West. A folk dance form was extremely popular during the 18^th and the 19^th Century. This form called Lavani traces its origins to the Marathi folk theatre Tamasha which was an expression of socio-religious-political views of the masses. It is said that it was used to entertain soldiers who were injured during the war. There were even two branches of Lavani- Nirguni, which was spiritual, and Shringari, which as the name suggests is erotic and naughty. The former is now obsolete while the latter still exists. It was mainly performed by women from ‘backward communities’(it is said that people from the ‘upper caste’ loathe to perform this coquettish  dance form) , but cross-dressed men performed as well. Now, there are many cross-dressed men who are Lavani dancers.

Used often in Marathi and in some Hindi films, Lavani found its way to Tamizh films thanks to the Maestro(I am not sure if there was a Lavani dance sequence in any old Tamizh film. Somebody can clarify on this!).

‘Pollada MadanabhaNam’ from ‘Hey Ram’(2000) is an authentic Lavani song. Yet the tune and the orchestration are by the Maestro. In a way, one can say that he improvised on an original Lavani song and still we see the Raaja stamp throughout.

Based on Pahaadi, a raga which can take any avatar, the song starts with lines in Marathi. With the Dilruba and the Dholaks acting as the backbone, the song bristles with melody in the voice of Kavita Krishnamurty.

The interlude is filled with lined motifs. If the Dholak makes us visualise the dance, the Dilruba makes us see music. It is deep, resonant and emotionally redolent.

What adds to the experience is the chorus voice (men and women). The jatis rendered by the male chorus sound as if there is a secret waiting to be revealed.

The secret probably is revealed in the first CharaNam in which the first segment sounds poignant in Mishra Pahaadi and the second segment jumps with exultation.

The second CharaNam has a rhythmic sway with sprightly variations and buoyancy. There is an unmistakable sense of joy. After all, sensuality is to be celebrated.

And we Indians love Eroticism, don’t we?

https://chirb.it/4Oc45s

Portrait..

When asked as to how he composes such great tunes and how he places the right kind of swaras, Raaja sir keeps repeating  that he doesn’t plan anything at all and it just happens. In fact,  though this ‘it just happens’ is not new to people who have been following him very closely. Every time we listen to his songs we cannot but be left amazed at the melody of the tune as a whole and the magnificent and sweet sounds produced by each instrument. Most importantly, the composition  follows a raga pattern. Maybe this too ‘just happens’.

Look at ‘Andaalalo..’ from the Telugu film ‘Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari’(1990). 

First of all the raga.It is based on Pahaadi, one of his most favourite ragas and which has been used rather prolifically by him. I have written time and again as to how he has showed the multi dimensions of this raga in his innumerable compositions. He has caressed, fondled, and loved this raga like no other composer has done. It is also a raga which does not have a proper structure and goes more by the ‘feel’. The same ‘sa ri ga pa dha’ in Mohanam or in Shivaranjani sound so different in Pahaadi(note that Mohanam and Shivaranjani use different variants of 'ga' and that both these variants appear in Pahaadi).

Now, how will it be if this ‘Pahaadi’ whose origin is the mountains- as the name itself suggests- is used with pure Western Classical orchestra? Sounds Crazy? Doesn’t matter. Music is crazy of course depending on how we view it. 

Going back to the orchestration, the Maestro has precisely done this in ‘Andaalalo’.

In the prelude, the strings start gradually and reach a crescendo as the brass flute joins it. The strings continue the journey along with the keys and the chorus.

The flute plays with flamboyance with the resplendent strings moving like the waves and the horns making exciting excursions in the first interlude.

The wind instruments and the strings play soothing and passionate phrases in the second interlude with the keys interjecting now and then showing as a Picasso painting.

If one plays just the ludes(prelude minus chorus, and the interludes), he/she will be led to believe that these have been  directly taken out from a Symphony. But will a person with an ear only for Western Classical Music where Harmony dominates the Melody, ever believe that the orchestra religiously follows a Hindustani raag called Pahaadi?

Next the rhythm. It follows the ta ka dhi mi (1 2 3 4) pattern. The soft rhythm pad alternates with the subtle drums. That is, the rhythm pad plays the 1st beat  and the drums  sound the 3^rd beat  with the 2^nd and the 4^th being left blank.  The lines are wound up with a 3,1 pattern. Note that the first part of the first interlude and some part of the second interlude move without the percussion though the rhythm is maintained. One of the other attractions is the sudden sound from the pad at the second syllable just towards the end of the first two lines in the CharaNams.

The Pallavi is in ‘anaagata eduppu’ with the vocals starting after the beginning of the taaLa cycle..

Now, the tune. Yes, it follows Pahaadi but see how romantically it is tuned. We feel  we are in a brave new world, a world full of fantasies and wonderful creatures.

The structure of Pallavi and the CharaNams are predictably unpredictable but absolutely not jarring.

The CharaNams have three different parts, with each part linked to the other one.

The end of the first two lines sees the special Pahaadi effect.

The third and fourth lines are in mid- octave while the last two lines touch the upper registers after starting from the mid-octave.

The early morning sunrise is painted by the Divine Master.

This musical sunrise is painted by a gentleman blessed by that Divine Master.

How lucky we are!

PS: The early movies of Sridevi in South Indian languages had that great musical score by ILaiyaraaja and it will not be an exaggeration to say that this strong musical score played a huge role in her becoming tremendously popular here. Though I am not a huge fan of hers, it is an undeniable fact that she ruled the silver screen in the south for nearly a decade. 'JVAS' happened when her popularity was on the rise in the North and when she was slowly but moving away from the South. The album-background score included- is a feast to the ears.

Check this out on Chirbit

Musical Angel-She came , She saw , She conquered!

Music gives us Power..
gives us Energy..
gives us Strength..

Just imagine..

If music took the form of an angel and came in front of us, what would we do?
Dance?
Sing?
Or just watch with amazement?

The Film ‘Pattakkaththi Bhairvan’(1979) was a remake of a telugu movie. A very ordinary story of an orphan (certainly not Oliver Twist!) who turns ‘anti social’.

At times I wonder as to how somebody could score great music for movies that are below par.It needs that ‘attached detachment’ defined by Krishna in the Gita.
In fact, Kedaram Raga was used by him for the first time in this movie.
While reviewing this film, the Tamizh magazine ‘Aananda Vikatan’ said that ‘the Director has succeeded in caging a lion called Sivaji Ganesan and tried to cage a tiger called ILaiyaraaja.But this tiger growls and we get at least two great songs!’

One song is of course very well known to the people familiar with my other Blog-Ragaranjani-and ‘yours sincerely’ because that happens to be his most favourite composition.

For the benefit of newcomers , let me tell you that the song starts with the lines ‘Engengo Sellum En EnnangaL’whose description can be found in 'Ragaranjani' under the caption 'ILaiyaraaja-The Wonder'.

The other duet in the film is great as well..

Of course, I am not talking about the ‘Kedaram’ song-which will be taken up later.

I am referring to a song ‘Devathai.. Oru Devathai’.

Generally, I avoid talking about the technical details of a composition in this blog.

But at times a brief mention is required.

The Ragam of ‘Devathai’ is subject to dispute.Some of the sites mention this as ‘Sudhdha Saveri’ while some others say it is SankarabharaNam.

Yes…Swaras of Sudhdha Saveri are used but in Madhyama Sruti(shall explain this concept in detail in the other thread soon..).The Raga we get is Pahaadi.

He has done wonders using this concept in many of his compositions.

As Bharati says in Paanchaali Sabatham

‘ each moment is different.. different from the previous moment.. full of surprises!’(KaNam thoRum maaRi maaRi oradimatroradiyoloththalandri..), Raaja sir’s music is full of surprises and full of beauty!

Let us look at the Flute piece that appears throughout the composition. It is in fact the ‘theme music’ of the song..

The Violin piece in the second interlude.. purely in western classical style but without deviating from the tune..

The percussion in the third interlude that makes us sway.. And the flute bit that follows ..

The way each instrument speak with one another in the first interlude..

Similar kind of syllables appearing one after the other in the CharaNams(ex-‘Swargaththin pakkaththil vetkaththai vaiththuk koNdaaL’, ‘Aaramba maagattum Kaveri Koodattum Inge’)

The lilting tune..

Yes..As the greatest poet Kannadaasan says ‘The Angel came (flying), saw and conquered’ (a la Caesar?),

‘This Emperor came, composed and conquered millions of Hearts!’