‘Think Different’.
How does that statement sound? People who are fastidious would jump
immediately saying it is grammatically incorrect and they are not way off the
mark. It should be ‘Think Differently’ and not ‘Different’.
It would surprise many if I say that these two words were put up in
hoardings across the US by a very
popular company who also redefined many things which includes even the name of
a delicious fruit.
Does it then mean that the company or the ad agency which handled the
account did not know proper English?
This probably is a logical question but there are times when logic takes a
backseat in creativity.
In my opinion, that small ‘mistake’ made intentionally, conveys many things
which a statement in Shakespearean
English or even Tharooresque English will fail to convey. When we
think differently, all other things take a backseat and yet the output will be
beautiful. This is what the ad says
and the company proved this by bringing out products and services very
different from the usual. Needless to say they were very successful and they
continue to be successful with their creativity and innovation.
When we think differently, we discover new things. When we think
differently, we feel the difference. When we think differently, the entire
world comes to know that we are different.
Look at this poem from KuRunthogai,
which is a part of the 2500 year old Sangam literature:
யான் நயந்து
உறைவோள், தேம் பாய் கூந்தல்,
வளம் கெழு சோழர்
உறந்தைப் பெருந்துறை
நுண்மணல் அறல்
வளர்ந்தென்ன
நல்நெறியவ்வே
நறுந்தண்ணியவே.
My Lady has fine, cool, fragrant
and wavy hair which flows like the honey and is like the fine black sand found
on the banks of the Cauvery river which flows in Uranthai, the flourishing town
in the kingdom of the Chozhas.
This gentleman is fresh after
meeting his lady love. Though many things happen during the meeting (and I
leave that to your creativity and imagination), he thinks of and focuses on her
beautiful hair. The most common comparison used by poets in general is that
with the dark clouds. But this poet- ILankeeran-
is different. He makes his hero think of
fine black sand on the banks of Cauvery river at Perundurai in URaiyur . The sand is black, fine, cool and even
wavy!
Different thinking! Different expression!
Needless to say we find this in music as well. Take this song ‘Endhan
Nenjil Neengadha’ from ‘Kalaignan’(1993). It is just yet another romantic situation. Or
this is how the director would have told ILaiyaraaja.
But the genius that he is, he decided to use a classical raga (hitherto not used by any other composer in film
music) which actually is not a very traditional raga.
Let me explain what that means. In Carnatic
Music, there are some traditional and very old ragas. Some of the examples are ShankarabaraNam,
Kambhoji, and Bhairavi. Then
there are other ragas directly
derived from the 72 melakaratas and these follow a straight
pattern. And then there are ragas which are invented by musicologists and
musicians which follow a devious structure. Some of the traditional ragas too
follow a devious structure ( Ananda
Bhairavi for example) but let us delve into this now.
NaLinakanti falls under the third category.
It follows –sa ga3 ri2 ma1 pa ni3 Sa/Sa
ni pa ma1 ga3 ri2 sa. On paper, this is derived from ShankarabharaNam, but look at the ascending pattern- sa ga ri and not sa ri ga- which makes the structure devious. In fact, this phrase
is the defining phrase of the raga
itself. Coming to think of it, the raga
is Hamsadhwani plus ma, but hardly does one find a
resemblance to Hamsadhwani and this
has more to do with the devious structure. Whoever invented this raga surely thought out of the box.
We see this out of the box thinking in ILaiyaraaja
as well not least because of using this raga in film music for a romantic duet.
Let us see as to how he has used this raga as a tool to depict the varied
emotions.
The composition starts with the mellow stringed
instruments playing the signature notes of the raga first ascending and then descending. The bass strings sway subtly giving that different complexion while the drums enter with a soft ferocity
playing the chatushram beats. The keys take over and narrate the cardinal
aspects of the raga with a majestic
touch. The entire prelude and the
different combinations of instruments enliven the atmosphere and give us a peek
into ‘different thinking’.
With the strings backing the
voice of Yesudass with élan, the Pallavi moves smoothly like the pebbles
on a mosaic floor. The strings give
way to the drums and the Pallavi continues giving a beautiful
sketch of the raga in the process. Janaki continues the Pallavi and takes us to the first interlude.
The varied texture of the guitar
is shown in the beginning of the first
interlude. It moves languorously and glides meticulously producing some
unimaginable sounds. There are more new sounds as well as we get to hear a kind
of ‘whiplash’ during the fourth ‘ ta ka
dhi mi’ of every cycle. The strings
move with sobriety but rather briefly. It is left to the flute to prickle us softly even as the bass guitar backs it in its own inimitable style. A strange and
different combination of keys, bass strings of veeNa and higher octave strings, and the euphony is incredible
to say the least. The signature tune which appears in the beginning makes an
appearance again and this seamlessly leads us to the first CharaNam.
The first segment of the CharaNam
is elegant and gives musical images of romance. Touching the higher octave notes, the second segment
is vertiginous while the third segment sizzles with classical fervour and
flavour. Laya Raaja too is very
active using four different sets of percussion
with the first one sounding only the ‘ta’,
the second one sounding all the syllables and the other two making a subtle
appearance, one in the beginning and the other in the end.
The second interlude is
different as well. It starts with the akaaram
in the voice of Baalesh. Making an
organic progression, it touches the corners of the raga and culminates in swara singing,
swaras which are the jiva swaras of the raga. The two sets of strings
move like a labyrinth, perceptibly and imperceptibly showing images which are
indescribable.
Think different. Act different. Everything will be different and you will make a difference in others’ life.
No comments:
Post a Comment