Being compassionate is one of the virtues of poets and artistes. Only if one is compassionate can he/she understand real emotions and feelings. Concomitantly, this gets reflected in their works. A genuine poet/artiste imagines himself/herself to be the character/thing. In other words, they get into the skin of the character and the output is for all of us to see.
This poet, who loved Krishna
from the bottom of his heart imagines himself to be His mother and sings a
lullaby. Now, see what happens.
கான் ஆர் நறுந்துழாய் கை செய்த கண்ணியும்
வான் ஆர் செழுஞ்சோலைக் கற்பகத்தின் வாசிகையும்
தேன் ஆர் மலர் மேல் திருமங்கை போத்தந்தாள்
கோனே!
அழேல் அழேல், தாலேலோ! குடந்தைக் கிடந்தானே! தாலேலோ!
Lakshmi- the One
who is seated on the lotus flower- has sent you a garland of Tulasi and a
bouquet of flowers from the Karpaga tree. Oh my dear Emperor, please do not
cry! Wear these and sleep peacefully.
The poetic beauty in this
verse composed by VishNu cittar-better known as Periyaazhwar-
cannot be missed; nor can the compassion and care. If the Tulasi and Karpaga
Vriksha (considered to be a tree which can grant the boon one wishes for)
are aesthetically beautiful, the line that says ‘Lakshmi has sent it’,
is imagination at its best. After all, as per legend isn’t Lakshmi, Vishnu’s
consort? Wife sending flowers to her husband who is in the form of a child, is
unthinkable and yet shows the power of ‘decorative imagination’. But beyond all
this is that ‘assuming the role of His mother’. Stroke of a Genius!
In the song of the day, the
female character assumes the role of a mother. But what stands out is the way
the it has been composed making one say that the composer has assumed the role
of a mother. Yes, the wordings of the song are pregnant with meanings and
feelings, but it is the tune and the orchestration that make it complete; that
provide the soul.
For starters, Naan
Undhan Thaayaaga VeNdum (Ullasa ParavaigaL), is based purely on
that classical raga called Mohanam. As I have often been saying,
a raga is just a tool and it is in the hands of the composer to make it
beautiful. This composer is known to embellish any raga with his
creativity making one see different shades and colours. In this song too, Mohanam
shimmers with beauty even as it is heard from different instruments- some known
and some unknown.
But there is also another
aspect which is special like most of his compositions and we shall see this
first.
The composition is set in the 6-beat
cycle Rupakam(some may say it is in Tisram, but I feel Rupakam
is more appropriate, though both are related, in terms of the count). The prelude
goes without a percussion, but it absolutely fits in Rupakam. After a
sustained sound for two cycles, one hears the bell sound for the next
eight cycles. A very different instrument sounding like the violin takes
over and goes on for the next six cycles until yet another differently sounding
instrument – like the sympathetic strings one finds in stringed
instruments- sounds for two cycles taking us to the Pallavi.
Starting without a percussion
first with the rhythm guitar joining soon and sounding ta ka dhi
mi/ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi constantly, the Pallavi sounds like a
riddle-especially the second half- to many. But the fact is – Aanadhellam/
Aagattume/Aaruthale/Serattume/Aanandame/Vaaaaa- follows the 6-beat
cycle with 3 rupakams (or 6 tisrams).
Let us now get on with the
melodic part.
If the sustained sound in the
beginning is sober, the sound of the bell is alluring. It quietly plays
the notes of Mohanam and ends with the descending notes. The special
instrument – sounding like the violin – is genuinely special as it
oozes compassion. The sympathetic instrument that follows seems to say, ‘Forget
your worries, I am there as your mother’.
Starting with gaandharam
(ga), the Pallavi in the voice of Janaki gives a sketch of Mohanam
in no time, at the same time giving that ‘motherly’ feel.
With finesse, the keys
start sketching Mohanam in the first interlude and the strings
reply with flourish. The flute now continues the sketch in its
inimitable style. It is then left to that special instrument we saw in
the prelude to complete the sketch with rounded mellowness. Not
satisfied yet, the flute and the strings give some splendorous
touches to the sketch.
The five swaras of Mohanam
take a meandering stroll in the CharaNams. The appearance of the
upper ‘Sa’ in the penultimate line, gives the impetus while the podi
sangatis in the last line, warm the cockles of one’s heart.
The special instrument
does it again in the second interlude. It is intense and at the same
time abloom with brilliant colours. The flute sounds now and then and it
seems like a mother-son interaction. With unobtrusive energy, the strings
move in higher-octave after this and the conversations between different
instruments suggest something.
What is that?
