However subjective this may
sound, it is an irrefutable fact that we have positive and great
feelings towards some people, many times without any reason and at times with a lot
of reasons.
The last part is questionable though. Can we like
somebody without any reason? Are their things in this world which defy logic and reasoning? But generally it is said that Love happens and one cannot and need not analyse the causes. This might sound strange but people in love find even minute things about the other person interesting and also interpret things the way they want to interpret.
Take this verse for example:
பாண்டிலின்
வைத்த ஓர் பாவை தன்னோடும்
ஈண்டிய
அன்பினன் ஏகுவான், இடைக்
காண்டலும்,நோக்கிய கடைக்கண் அஞ்சனம்
ஆண்டகைக்கு
இனியதோர் அமுத மாயதே.
The man follows his lady love
who, from a vehicle (probably a bullock cart) darts fleeting glances at him.
But can you guess what makes him feel
ecstatic?
It is the ‘kaajal’ which decorates her eyes. He feels the ‘kaajal’ is nectar because it is this which makes her glances special. It is this which gives that loving expression. It is this which ‘confirms’ her love!
I wouldn’t be surprised if some
found this silly. But in my opinion, it is the height of poetic expression. A tiny dark paste which occupies very little
space, gives the lover uncontrollable joy and makes him give it a colour -literally
and figuratively.
Kaajal
as a metaphor!
Who else other than Kamban could have thought like this and
also used such beautiful and apt words ( ஈண்டிய
அன்பினன் for example, meaning ‘full of love’)?
That is why, Kamban is liked by many.
So now, we have two extreme
cases. One, the lover, who likes
somebody without any reason and two, the poet
who created this character and is loved by many with a lot of reasons.
Is there a contradiction here?
Rather than answering this now,
let me ask a simple question.
What makes
us love ILaiyaraaja and his music?
This too will not be answered by
me now and I would rather look at the song
of the day first.
‘Thangachangili minnum paingiLi’
from ‘Thooral Ninnu Pochchu’(1982)
oozes with romance. Based on that
grand raaga called KiravANi, the composition has many intricately
carved patterns both in the Pallavi
and CharaNams and also is full of
amazing sounds from traditional and
modern instruments.. Most importantly, the bass
guitar which seems imperceptible and yet is perceptible.
What strikes one the most is the
different structure of the Prelude/Pallavi.
The song starts with the rendering of the first line by Janaki. And what a rendering it is-not just here but throughout the
song. It is somewhere between a whisper
and a mid-tone. The voice of Malaysia Vasudevan too is slightly
different and is full of romantic passion.
The music which follows, weaves a
stimulating web. The caressing and mellifluent strings respond to the gentle and firm guitar in a unique way.This beguilingly beautiful piece is followed by the keys which show some beauteous niches
of KiravaNi to the backing of percussion in chatushram. What follows is even more beautiful, with the dainty flute and the smooth strings flirt with each other with
disdain.
The Pallavi starts now and what is intriguing here is the presence of
only one swara ‘sa’ in the first four phrases. However, the next two phrases with the ‘ri’, ‘ga’ and the mandra stayee ‘ni’
are enough to establish KiravANi.
The last line is a clincher-though
the other two lines are great as well- with the first three phrases moving in a group of 3 and going like a curve. The ‘group
of 3’ follows a pattern too with one swara
appearing twice in each group. Just see this pattern ‘padhadha mapapa
gamama’ and you will know what I saying. The last phrase reminds one of a typical carnatic concert as it goes descending –ga ri sa ni.dha.pa..
Aesthetic creativity!
Water gushing out from the opened
sluices.. This is how I can describe the first
interlude. The strings soothe and stir. The expressive flute traverses deeply showing some glorious colours of the raaga in the process. The keys follow with precision outlining
some poignant shades, with the subtle strings
backing them. The special sound keys
coruscate and take us to the first
charaNam.
The CharaNams are full of chiseled phrases but what lends it the magical
quality is the first phrase where
the taara Sa(higher octave sa) appears
suddenly after the ‘pa’. The third
and the last lines are special too
with the former having swaras in
groups of 3(yet again) and the latter
having a sangati in the first phrase extending the swara ‘dha’ and goes descending in the
last phrase touching mandra stayee
swaras.
It is Laya Raaja in the second
interlude. It first starts with a percussive fusillade of a folk percussion
which plays the chatushram as
Ta- ki- ta – /ta –/ dhi taa – ta/
ta ka dhi mi
6 / 2 /
4 / 4
After two avartanaas, the special
sounding keys join the percussion
and take rapid strides. The graciously
charming keys join after two aavartanas and nodding their heads in
appreciation, play the rhythmic pattern melodically and meticulously. Not to be
left behind this in this rhapsody, the imperious flute enters smoothly and repeats the pattern. The keys are
joined by the strings and both shine
with an iridescent glow.
Is there a reason for liking ILaiyaraaja and his music?
Yes and No..
Yes because of the unparalleled
melody and intricacies. No, because there is something more than that which
cannot be described...
..like the kaajal on the eyes.
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