ILaiyaraaja – The Enchanter

If I say that human life follows a pattern, that the Universe follows a pattern, I will be stating the obvious.

How important are patterns in life? Doesn’t following a pattern make our life mechanical? Should we have patterns or should we break patterns?

Well, whether one likes or not, it is an undeniable fact that patterns are intrinsic part of the Universe and are inextricably linked to our lives. The sun rising in the east and setting in the west is a pattern. The onset of different seasons is a pattern. Sleeping during the night and getting up in the morning is a pattern. Blinking eyes is a pattern. Breathing is a pattern. Heart beating is a pattern.

While all this is true, it is the propensity to break patterns which gives rise to creativity. If people were happy with the patterns, we would not have seen any invention in this world. So, this takes us back to the questions in the second paragraph. My answer would be- While patterns are an ineluctable part of our life, breaking the patterns and in the process setting new patterns are what we should aim for.
And that is how many creative works were born..

Take Kamban for example. As all of you know, RavaNa’s brother KumbakarNa was known for his sleep. At the same time, he was a great warrior and his services were badly required to fight Rama’s army. How to wake him up was one of the many quandaries of RavaNa. He sends an army of people to carry plungers, sticks, drums and many other tools. His rationale? The sound from all these would wake his younger brother up from the deep slumber. That RavaNa himself was in deep slumber is a different issue.

Such a sequence is not difficult to describe for somebody who goes by the sobriquet ‘Kavi Chakravarti’. He could have simply gone by the usual way of composing a verse using rhyme words and similes. But Kamban being Kamban, he breaks the pattern and sets a new pattern:

உறங்குகின்ற கும்பகர்ண உங்கள் மாய வாழ்வெல்லாம்
இறங்குகின்றது இன்று காண் எழுந்திராய் எழுந்திராய்
கறங்குபோல வில் பிடித்த காலதூதர் கையிலே
உறங்குவாய் உறங்குவாய் இனிக் கிடந்து உறங்குவாய்.

Simply translated, it means ‘Get up you KumbakaraNa. Your game is over. Now you go and sleep in the hands of Yama’s messengers’.
As per Hindu mythology, Yama is the god of death and it is believed that he, along with his messengers, throw a rope around the neck of the person who is destined to die and thus the body dies.

Here, sleep is used as the LCM and this is not something you don’t expect from Kavi Chakravarti. But Geniuses are too dangerous. They will catch you off guard suddenly and without any warning.

Ulakkai is an ethnic tool used to crush solid things. This was one of the major tools used by Ravana’s battalion for waking his younger up. Now, the entire verse is composed in such a way so as to remind one of the ulakkai and its movements.

Listen to my recital here:




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New pattern breaking the old pattern..

When ILaiyaraaja was explained about a situation where the hero passes through a forest, gets mesmerized by the beauty of nature and sings with spontaneity, he came up with a tune. But being a nature enthusiast and most importantly being a person who loves different patterns and one who enjoys coming up with new patterns thus challenging his creativity, he decided to use just the percussion in the two interludes.
The result?

A composition with patterns not seen in film music before..

‘ILa Nenje Vaa’ from ‘VaNNa VaNNa PookkaL’ (1991) shimmers with percussive patterns showing us the beauty of rhythm and the brilliance of Laya Raaja.

I am going to slightly deviate from my usual way of describing the song in this thread, by writing first about the melodic aspects in the Pallavi and CharaNams and then list out the patterns in the prelude and the interludes to help you appreciate this unique composition in a better way. By the way, I too love breaking patterns!

The composition, based on Suddha Dhanyasi starts with Yesudas rendering the first few phrases. The flute follows him with panache. First time it plays, there is that majestic touch. Second time, there is that elegance and grace. On the whole, it pierces the heart.
The Pallavi in ateeta eduppu-with the song starting before the taaLa cycle, is subtle, soft and playful too with the swaras sa, ga, ma, pa and ni jumping with joy, the kind of joy one sees on a child’s face while playing. The flute too acknowledges this, and spreads joy.
The lines in the CharaNams are finely etched and are inundated with rich, imaginative ideas. The flute follows the vocals after each line. It is mellow. It is zestful. It is lucid. It is sizzling.

And now for the Laya part. The composition is set in Misram , which is 7 beats/cycle(a k a 7/8 in film music parlance). It goes as ta ki ta/ta ka dhi mi- 1 2 3/1 2 3 4. The Maestro has played around this,weaving intricate patterns and conceiving and executing variegated patterns on different percussion instruments. He also changes the kaalam(speed) at times in the first half, at times in the second half, at times in the second part of the second half and so on.

Let us now look at the prelude. The first half of the prelude, which has the vocals and the flute, goes without percussion as if to prepare us for the treat which is to follow.

1. The drums play ta ki ta ta ka/ta ka dhi mi – It is ta ki ta/ta ka dhi mi. However, the last 2 syllables are in mel kaalam (fast speed).

2. It now plays ta - / ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi- with the first 3 subdivided into 6 maatraas –leaving a gap for the second maatra- and the second 4 being subdivided into 8 (4+4).

1. and 2. are repeated twice.

3.dhi taam ta taam/ta - ta ka ta ka ta ka – again 6 and 8 in mel kaalam.

This pattern goes on 8 times. A new percussion enters during the 5th and 6th giving a special effect and this is replaced by a melodic percussion which plays with a stress during the 7th and the 8th.

The Pallavi then starts in ateetam.

The pattern backing the vocals is the same as pattern 1, except for the addition of rhythm guitar.

Interlude 1

4.ta ka dhi mi - -/ ta ta ta – ta ta ta –

5. ta ka dhi mi ta ka/ta ta ta – ta ta ta –

The drums play the first part which is again 3 subdivided into 6 leaving two kaarvais(gaps). Tuned tabla plays 8 maatraas leaving the 4th and the 8th as kaarvais.

The difference between 4. And 5. is that the first part has no kaarvai in the latter..

Now pattern 5 is played 4 times after this.

6. ta ki ta/ta ki ta/ ta – ta -/ - - - -

7.ta ki ta/ta ki ta/ta – ta -/ ta - - - -

Now the Raga Laya Raaja enters the fray with the Tabla Tarang playing in Suddha Dhanyasi, each time playing different sets of swaras.

8. Pattern 5 is repeated twice.

9.ta ka dhi mi ta ka/ta ka dhi mi ta ka dhi mi- twice by Tabla Tarang in pure Suddha Dhanyasi.- Raga Laya Raaja yet again.

Interlude 2

10.ta ta ri ki ta taam/ ta ka ta ka ta ka ta ka

11.ta ka ta ri ki ta taam/ta ka ta ka ta ka ta ka

Again the same division but played differently.

12.ta - - dhi ta -/taa taa dhi taangu( 4 times)
Now, the Pakhawaj and the Jaalra enter giving that classical touch.

13.ta - dhi mi ta - /ta ka dhi mi ta ka dhi mi (twice)- Drums.

14.ta ka dhi mi ta ka/tarikita ta ka tarikita ta ka

Played 4 times but the instrument in the second half alternate..

So, going back to the questions, should one allow patterns to exist or should these be broken?

Enjoy the patterns..and break the patterns. Life will then be full of patterns..




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ILaiyaraaja – The nonconformist

Questioning the status quo..

Is it good or is it bad?
Is it right or is it wrong?
Is it sacrilegious or is it sacramental?

Well, it is next to impossible to pass any judgement on this as many things in this world are subjective. Even things which have to be dealt with objectively have now become subjective with the social media playing no small role in this. With the space for free thinking and taking a neutral view shrinking by the second, the line between good and bad, between right and wrong and sacrilege and sacred is blurred now. A blur which even a very powerful lens cannot set right. The incapacitation of free thinking individuals would surely make George Orwell turn in his grave.

I write this not just because I am dismayed by the happenings around me of late, but also because of something specific which happened around one and half months ago in the Tamizh land. It all started with a Group questioning a set of devotionals hymns in praise of one particular God. Though I haven’t watched the video(nor do I intend to watch it anytime in the future), I have an idea of the gist of what the Group said. Unsurprisingly, the right wing reacted and this triggered a slanging match. Now, a third Group emerged and it said the God under reference was always a tamizh and that it was the ‘Aryans’ who imposed their beliefs and thoughts on the Tamizh people.

Sadly enough, all the three groups are wrong.

First and foremost it baffles me to find a language colour being given to God. Isn’t the Divine Force above everything? Secondly, what an individual or a set of people believe should be considered as faith as long as it does not affect or hurt others’ sentiments. Thirdly, and most importantly, in the absence of historical documentation, it is literature which acts as the barometer of culture and beliefs prevailing during those days and what is mentioned in literature should be respected by one and all. As a person who has studied Tamizh literature – Sangam literature in particular- let me tell you that Muruga was part of people’s life in the Tamizh land even 3000 years ago. He was the Lord of the Kurinji land, one of the five lands. He was worshipped no doubt, but tamizh people also considered him not just as a God but as somebody in flesh and blood like us.

One of the earliest works in Sangam Literature , ‘Pari paadal’, written somewhere around 500 BC, describes as to how his two consorts –VaLLi and Devasena- quarrelled with him out of sheer possessiveness and here is a sample:

இகலின் இகந்தாளை அவ்வேள் தலைக் கண்ணி
திருந்து அடித்தோயத் திறை கொடுப்பானை
வருந்தால் என, அவற்கு மார்பு அளிப்பாளை
குறுகல் என்று ஒள்ளிழை கோதை கோலாக
இறுகிறுக யாத்துப் புடைப்ப
ஒருவர் மயில் ஒருவர் ஒண் மயிலோடு ஏல
இருவர் வான் கிளி ஏற்பில் மழலை
செறி கொண்டைமேல் வண்டு சென்று பாய்ந்தன்றே
வெறி கொண்டான் குன்றத்து வண்டு.

Devasena first chides him for ignoring her. Muruga goes after her and falls at her feet. Pacified by this act, Devasena offers her breasts to him. Suddenly VaLLi emerges and unable to bear this sight, ties Muruga’s hands, and hits him with her garland. Now, the peacocks take sides with one set attacking the other with rage. The bees perched on the flowers adorning VaLLi’s hair aggressively attack the ones sitting on Devasena’s hair. This is how a poet by name KuRumbhootanaar describes the scene.

An objective (underline this word) interpretation of this verse suggests the following:

1.Muruga ‘existed’ in the Tamizh land more than 2500 years ago.

2.He was considered as a man with flaws and not the one who was infallible. But he was also God and this means that people did not have any qualms in taking liberties with him and that it was not blasphemous to consider Gods as humans.

3.Devasena was not somebody who was a ‘creation’ of a particular clan and she existed as Muruga’s consort in Tamizh literature.

4.Eroticism was part of poetry and therefore culture in the Tamizh land and people were comfortable with this without attaching any taboo to this.

Let me clarify that I have placed things as they are and my bias or faith play no role in this. Finally, the verse I quoted says it all, in terms of aggression and instigation and let it be understood that this verse was chosen intentionally. And the verse has relevance to the song of the day as well. But before that, I must also explain the relevance of this episode in this forum.

While questioning the status quo has to be encouraged, what should be put down is the objective and also doing it just for the sake of doing. As a musician, ILaiyaraaja has time and again questioned the status quo for all the right reasons, albeit through his works. People who follow the posts here regularly know that he has used ragas considered to be sad in happy situations and vice versa. He has done many more but what is amazing is that though he has redefined the boundaries, he never crossed the border. The output is there to see and it fully justifies the act. What one gets to see are not just some unknown dimensions in music but also some beauteous shades of music.

‘Yaari Gaagi’ from the Kannada film ‘Bharjaari Bete’(1981) is a disco club song. As per the sequence that is. But what the Maestro did here would make Edward de Bono proud. First, he used a pure classical raga called PantuvaraLi for this sequence. Secondly, he used classical percussion instruments like the mrudangam in one of the interludes. Thirdly, he did the unthinkable. What that ‘unthinkable’ is, will be explained soon.

Before that, let us see the composition from the beginning.

With rumbling blustery, the drums move in chatushram as ta ka dhi mi ( 1 2 3 4). After six 4’s, the bass guitar enters and plays with equal ferocity. After a while, the magic is unravelled. The bass guitar plays to a cycle of three 4’s making it rupakam in the slow speed, while the drums continue in 4’s. The electric guitar prickles while the distortion guitar glides. The saxophone moves with sprightly variations. Isn’t this a labyrinth?

The labyrinthine pattern slowly organizes itself with the chorus showing some simple images in Pantuvarali which gradually becomes ornate with the keys backing the chorus in a unique style. The fact that the chorus too hums in ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi cannot be missed. So is the fact that the lead guitar doing the same, adding that mystical charm. The seamless transition to the Pallavi , what with Janaki joining even as the guitar completes the last ta ka dhi mi, is amazing. The vocals move with musical awareness maintaining the cardinal aspects of PantuvaraLi, at the same time being flamboyant. The guitar backing is the icing on the cake.

The call and response between the electric guitar and the bass guitar in the first segment of the first interlude is a delightful treat. If the electric guitar is laced with clarity, the bass guitar replies with buoyancy. The saxophone plays with a sense of angst and realising this, the bass guitar too goes with this flow. The latter sounding only the ‘ta ka dhi mi’ leaving the next two syllables blank, makes it all the more exciting. The lead guitar enters again and in its inimitable style plays the three 4’s- the leitmotif – twice. The CharaNams are intriguing to say the least.

If you recall my introductory lines about this song, there was a third point which I said would be elaborated later. This of course calls for some technical explanation. In many of my previous posts and also in my presentations (in person during Geetanjali and through virtual medium during Raaja Deepam), I have explained the concept of Gruha Bhedam. Put simply, it is the shifting of tone, keeping one of the swaras in a raga as the base sa. This tonal shift gives another raga. There are also some conditions and rules. The raga after this shift should be a valid raga. But one has the liberty to play around too. One can drop a swara and make it a valid raga. One can add a swara or two and make it a valid raga. It all depends on the innovativeness and the brilliance of the musician/composer. Needless to say, ILaiyaraaja has done wonders in this aspect carving a niche in for himself.

As per theory, only one valid raga can emerge if Gruha Bhedam is done on PantuvaraLi. If the ‘ni’ is taken as the base, one gets Kanakangi. However, in the Hindustani system, if the Moorchana(Gruha Bhedam is known by this term in this system) is done on the swara ‘pa’ on Puriyadhanashiri-the equivalent of PantuvaraLi, it gives – sa ri1 ga3 ma1 ma2 pa dha2 ni3 Sa- which is raag Lalit. The carnatic system generally does not allow two ‘ma’s. Raaja sir has even done this shift from Lalit to Puriyadhanashri and vice versa in two different songs. What these two songs are, have been described in my sessions and therefore need no explanation or even a mention now. But in ‘Yaari Gaagi’, Raaja sir does the unthinkable. He does Gruha Bhedam on ‘pa’ and drops the second ‘ma’(ma2) and ‘pa’. But he also drops the ‘ri’ in the arohaNam. Thus, we get Vasanta, a well known raga. This happens in the second segment of the CharaNams.

It goes back to PantuvaraLi in the last line.

Innovative improvisation conceived and executed with a touch of brilliance and with a dash of aesthetics!

It is the tani aavartanam between the drums and the mrudangam which steals the show in the second interlude. The thunderous sound from the western instrument is complemented by the resonating sound of the percussion instrument from the southern part of India. The long flute and the bass guitar which follow the rhythmic fireworks, make it intriguing with their effervescent melody.

Being a rebel is not bad.
Being a revolutionary is fully justified.
Questioning the status quo is not sacrilegious.

But do it wherever needed and whenever needed with sensibility and sensitivity. Hope the three Groups are listening!


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