ILaiyaraaja – The Heterogeneous Musician

 

Similar and Dissimilar!

Similarly Dissimilar!!

Can opposites co-exist?

Though this might sound absurd to some, it is this coexistence which gives that beauty to Nature and Life. When I say Nature and Life, does this not mean Poetry and Music or for that matter, any art form? Doesn’t this factor known better as ‘contrast’ give that sense of aesthetics? Doesn’t it give us feelings so profound that we search for words or even fall quiet, with this state itself elevating us to a level which at best can be called ‘spiritual’?

One of the classic example is this verse:

புள்ளது ஆகி வேதம் நான்கும் ஓதினாய், அது அன்றியும்

புள்ளின் வாய் பிளந்து புட்கொடிப் பிடித்த பின்னரும்,

புள்ளை ஊர்தி; ஆதலால் அது என் கொல் மின் கொள் நேமியாய்

புள்ளின் மெய்ப் பகைக் கடல் கிட த்தல் காதலித்ததே?

Raja4376 · Thirucchanda Viruttham

Taken from a work called ‘Thirucchanda Viruttam’ which is part of the Magnum Opus -Naalaayira Divya Prabandham-, this verse composed by Thirumazhisai Aazhwar talks about birds.

Just birds?

Let us get deeper. Addressed to Vishnu, the poet says – You took the form of a bird (swan) and recited the 4 vedas. You tore open the beak of a bird(crane) and killed a demon. You made a bird (Eagle/Garuda) to be part of Your flag and also made him Your Vaahana. But how is it that You are lying down quietly on a snake(Adisesha), a sworn enemy of the bird (Garuda) which is Your vahana?

We get to see three different species of birds- swan, crane, eagle- with each one being part of a single or multiple acts. The bird as an entity takes three different forms and indulges in positive and negative acts. Here we have similarities and dissimilarities. But the clincher is the last line which makes a mention of two sworn enemies.

What does this indicate?

Same, but different?

Same, same, different?

Different, Different?

Keep thinking and you will find an answer, well not the same answer but different answers!

Take this composition – Sangatamizh kaviye from Manadil Urudi VeNdum(1987). It is a composition in three different ragas. Is that the only attribute of the composition?

The veena sounds once. The bells respond. The veena sounds again. The subtle bells respond yet again. It seems like the lighting of the lamp with the spark gleaming and glittering. The veena continues its journey weaving simple and intricate patterns in Abheri. The melody from the flute which follows the veena, floats around and surrounds us like a gentle breeze.

In between, just before the journey of the veena begins, the tabla sounds ‘ta ka dhi mi/ta ki ta/ ta ki ta’-a count of 10. However, the composition is set in Tisram, which has a cycle of 3 counts. Is there a fallacy here?

Not really. There are 2 micro- beats before ‘ta ka dhi mi’, which are left as kaarvai, giving a total of 12 micro-beats which is divisible by 3.

The Pallavi starts in the voice of Yesudass, giving clear shades of Abheri. While the sketch of the raga is shown in just one line with descending and ascending notes, the brilliance and the aesthetic sense of the composer is revealed in the sudden appearance of lower-octave swaras -pa.ni.- in daagam, which in a way also reflects the thirst of the composer and in the interjection of flute between the lines -sung first by Yesudass and then by Chitra.

The violins move softly in the beginning of the first interlude, but there is a catch here. These play in Bageshri, a different raga, but using the same swaras. Let me explain a bit.

Ragas in the Indian system of music are formed by different sets of swaras which follow some set patterns while ascending and descending. The swaras may be the same but the way these are used are different. For example, the structure of Abheri is -sa ga2 ma1 pa ni2 Sa/Sa ni2 dha2 pa ma1 ga2 ri2 sa, the first one being the ascending notes and the second half being the descending notes. The structure of Bageshri is – sa ga2 ma1 dha2 ni2 Sa/ Sa ni2 dha2 ma1 pa dha2 ga2 ma1 ga2 ri2 Sa. The numbers against each swara denotes the variant and as you can see the variants of the swaras in both the ragas are the same, as both are derived from the same parent raga. Yet,  these sound different from each other!

Going back to the interlude, the veena sways as it responds to the violins and then moves majestically after the stream-like melody from violins. The flute which is reposeful as if responds to the veena after each line, gathers momentum when the energetic strings appear. The strings, flute and the flute combine together with pulsating vibrancy and play the tisram beats – ta ki ta/ta ki ta/taam- thrice, a la Carnatic concert.

The CharaNam continues in Bageshri with the lines encapsulating the beauty of the raga. What is of specific interest is the line ‘oru puram naan aNaikka’ for varied reasons, the foremost being the sangati after that line in the voice of Yesudass which lasts for 12 tisram cycles. The melodic charm, the sweetness and the softness, elevate us to reach vertiginous heights. As if this is not enough, the phrases in the lines that follow touch higher-octave swaras-even going up to ‘Ma’- which is a rarity.

When the Pallavi is rendered again, it is in Bageshri with the lower-octave swaras dha. and ni. Commingling with the mid-octave swaras giving that contrasting shades again!

The tabla sounds ‘ta tai tai taa’ thrice and the mrudangam responds with ‘ta ri ki ta taam taam’ thrice. With depth and crispness, the strings play Madhukauns, a totally different sounding raag which has the same ga and ni as Abheri and Bageshri but a different ‘ma’(prati madhyamam). This one swara makes a huge difference to the sound, the emotions and the feelings. The veena and the flute move sprightly in the same raag sketching some unforgettable musical images. These alternate. It is vibrant, vivacious and at the same time pensive.

The sounds coalesce finally spreading radiance.

The CharaNam continues in Madhukauns with the flute appearing between the lines oozing musical droplets and the higher- octave swaras making it a heavenly experience.

Three ragas, two with same swaras, one with almost the same swaras and with a different swara.

Similar and Dissimilar...

Birds and Snake..

Poetry..Music..Life..Contrast!