ILaiyaraaja-The Multi-Hued Musician..

Of all the beautiful and interesting things in this world, colours are very special. Colours give us energy, enthusiasm, peace and tranquility.

Who is not fascinated by colours?

Enthralled by the beauty of the colourful sky, Mahakavi jumps with joy:

Oh..How beautiful the colours are!
How many shapes!How many mixtures!
Lotions of Fire..Streams of molten gold..
Golden Pools!Golden Islands!
Pools of Blue..Oh..How many varieties of Blue..
White and Black..
Golden Boats float on Blue Pools..
Golden light on the black peaks.
Golden whales float all around..
It is a repository of colours!

என்ன இந்த வண்ணத்தியல்புகள்!
எத்தனை வடிவம்!எத்தனை கலவை!
தீயின் குழம்புகள்!செம்பொன் காய்ச்சிவிட்ட ஓடைகள்!
வெம்மை தோன்றாமே எரிந்திடும் தங்கத் தீவுகள்!
நீலப் பொய்கைகள்!அடடா நீல வண்ணமொன்றில் எத்தனை வகை!
எத்தனை செம்மை! பசுமையும் கருமையும் எத்தனை!
நீலப் பொய்கையின் மிதந்திடும் தங்கத்தோணிகள்
சுடரொளிப் பொற்கரையிட்ட கருஞ்சிகரங்கள்
ஆங்கு தங்கத்திமிங்கிலம் தான் பல மிதக்கும்.
எங்கு நோக்கிடினும் ஒளித் திரள் ஒளித் திரள்
வண்ணக்களஞ்சியம்!

He sees the colours as divine.
Another poet sees the Divine with the colours.

The great Vaishnavite saint and poet Thirumangaiyaazhwar says, ‘Ridding the colours of falsities, I saw Him here in Thiruvarangam in colours of radiant black hue, the dark cloud and Emerald and realized His true colours’.

பொய்வண்ணம் மனத்தகற்றிப் புலனைந்தும் செலவைத்து,
மெய்வண்ணம் நினைந்தவர்க்கு மெய்ந்நின்ற வித்தகனை,
மைவண்ணம் கருமுகில்போல் திகழ்வண்ண மரதகத்தின்,
அவ்வண்ண வண்ணனையான் கண்டதுதென் னரங்கத்தே


Here, the poet very intelligently talks about different shades of black and also the shade of Green. As we all know, black is the colour of darkness and green the colour of fertility. ‘Dispel all negative thoughts. Your mind becomes fertile and you see the Divine.’

Here, colours are used symbolically to depict many things.

Coming to think of it, there are a lot of similarities between colours and music.

The basic swaras are 7 while the basic colours are also 7.

There are different variations in each swara. There are different shades in each colour. The different combinations of swaras take the shape of ragas while the different shades of colours become a beautiful painting in the hands of a great artist.

Just like the hidden gems, there are also some hidden colours and ragas and only great artistes/musicians bring these out.

In a period spanning three decades, ILaiyaraaja has used a lot of colours as swaras and ragas in his palette resulting in a painting as beautiful and marvelous as the evening sky. With his music, he has made us shed the falsities and the negativities and move towards the Ultimate Truth and has made us feel the divine.

Not only has he used very familiar colours but has also shown us some very new colours hitherto not shown by many.

We have seen his use of very rare ragas like Hema Bhushani, Makaranda Priya, Doorjati Priya, Mrigakshi, VarNa RoopiNi etc.,

On this special day, we are going to see yet another rare raga in a beautiful composition.

This raga like the other aforementioned ragas were not used by any other musician (classical or cinema) before him.

The raga is Mallika Vasantam and the composition is ‘Saavira JanumagaLu’ from the Kannada film ‘Nyaya Gedditu’.

Mallika Vasantam is derived from Mayamalavagowla and follows a audava sampoorNa structure-that is 5 notes in the ascending and 7 in the descending:

sa ga3 ma1 pa ni3 Sa/Sa ni3 dha1 pa ma1 ga3 ri1 sa.

Though the structure sounds rather simple, the raga sounds unique while rendered.

Please note that the swaras in the arohaNam are common to another grand raga ShankarabharaNam which for all practical purposes sounds very different from Mayamalavagowla because of the other ‘ri’ and the other ‘dha’.
This arohaNam pattern is almost similar to Kedaram(a raga derived from ShankarabharaNam).Of course Kedaram’s arohanam is ‘sa ma ga ma pa ni sa’ while the swaras go straight as ‘ sa ga ma pa ni Sa’ in Mallika Vasantam.

However, this raga sounds so unique and different that one can be misled to think that it is a mix of Kedaram and MayamaLavagowla.

Let us now look at the composition.

It starts with the aalaap in the caressing and felicitous voice of SPB. The akaaram has winsome variations touching the higher octave towards the end of the prelude. The haunting charm is further accentuated by the musical elegance of the strings and the subtly integrated laya pattern.

The composition follows the Chatushra Eka talam that follows the 4-beat cycle. The 4 is further subdivided into 8 small beats in pairs of ‘ta ka’ and ‘dhi mi’. The last ‘dhi ‘mi’-that is the 7th and the 8th beats- are made to sound sharper giving a very special colourful effect.

The Pallavi unfolds with great zeal. It has grace as well as sensitivity with the dulcet tone of Janaki giving a soothing touch.

The first Interlude has spectacular passages.

First, the Synth Violin glides in rather quietly without any percussion. The stringed instrument lights up in short colour glints. And the percussion joins.. Unmatched in spirit, the Violin continues its journey with its other friends following it closely.

Mesmerised by this, the Flute plays with unfettered imagination melting our hearts. The Guitar now welcomes its musical friends with a unique rapier cut and thrust. The playful Violins follow it in a zig zag pattern. The mellow flute channelises the energy, shows us the unique melody of the raga and lead us to the CharaNam.

The CharaNam moves with coherency and fluidity.

The first part spreads gentle fragrance.

The second part is a dazzling delineation touching the higher octave with the Flute showing alluring depths of the raga.

The last part sways gently.

The second interlude is dotted with rhythmic patterns of skill with abundant melodic phrases.

The ‘ta ka dhi mi’ in mel kaalam(faster pace) responds to the melody in a friendly banter.
The Veena shows the hidden ecstasy. We see the aura as the Flute plays intensely and powerfully. The pulsating Santoor and the rich Violins coalesce with the Flute.

The glow of the raga seeps into our consciousness.

Colours come alive as Swaras. Swaras-in the form of his music- come alive in multi hues, bond together and bond us all together.

A musical bond that will continue for 1000 janmas.

Saavira JanumagaLu, ee bandha beledirali…

ps:This post and the previous post in Tamizh were read out to an invited audience in Chennai on the 28th of August 2001 as part of an Event totally dedicated to ILaiyaraaja.

ILaiyaraaja-Nation's Pride!

‘Our True Nationality is mankind’ said H.G.Wells.

‘Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first’ said Charles de Gaulle.

What is this ‘nationalism’ and ‘patriotism’ all about?

In this modern fast paced world, do we really care for the nation?Do we really care for the mankind?Do we care for anything at all??

Let us first see what the Nation means to most of us.Though we have a tendency to criticize and at times even abuse our nation, we all stand united whenever there is a crisis..and whenever there is Cricket match!

Sounds strange?

Yes..But most of the facts are strange..

Is it not a fact that most of us have prayed-and continue to pray- (even if we are non-believers) whenever there is an interesting match involving India?

And when the Team wins, don’t we celebrate it in a big way?
We hardly look at the caste or religion of these national heroes.What matters is they are Indians and that they play for our country!

They are the pride of our Nation!

In a similar vein, whenever there is a national calamity, our hearts bleed. We are concerned about our people-our own people, our own brothers and sisters!

The last 48 hours have been traumatic for all of us and we wish that the ordeal comes to an end very soon.

As Subramaniya Bharati said,

‘There are many castes and divisions here.Though we fight among ourselves, are we not brothers born to the same Mother ?’

ஆயிரம் உண்டிங்கு ஜாதி எனில்
அன்னியர் வந்திங்கு புகல் என்ன நீதி?ஓர்
தாயின் வயிற்றில் பிறந்தோர் நம்முள்
சண்டை செய்தாலும் சகோதரர் அன்றோ!

He also sang,

‘We all belong to the same creed. We are all part of the same clan…We are all citizens of India!’

எல்லோரும் ஓர் குலம்; எல்லோரும் ஓர் இனம்.
எல்லோரும் இந்திய மக்கள்!

At a time when the entire nation is looking at Mumbai and praying for the welfare of all the people in the city, it is also imperative that we do not let our emotions take control of heads.

Be a patriot but not a ‘nationalist’.

Condemn terrorism and not a particular religion just because the terrorists owe allegiance to that religion.

Vow not to fall a pray to the machinations of our great political leaders and ‘cultural nationalists’ who enjoy giving colour to everything (because their eyes are already jaundiced).

Let us spread Love and not hatred.

Let us realise that terrorism and terrorist sleep within us and it just takes a moment of madness for these to wake up, assume gigantic proportions and become a Monster.

That brings me to the subject that is very close to everybody’s hearts.

Music!

It is the unifying force..It is the omnipotent force..

It calms our nerves..It makes us think positive..

It makes us mellow..It makes us love others..

Many musicians have made our country proud.

The Gentleman from a remotest village in Tamizh Nadu has been giving music that mellows us; that melts us ; that makes forget ourselves ; that makes us love others.

Musicians across the globe have poured encomiums on him. People in the world have saluted him. He was the first Asian to compose a symphony for the Royal Philharmonic. The world famous Budapest Orchestra played for him.

Paul Mauriot, a very famous composer from France remarked ‘This is something different and wonderful’ after listening to ‘How to Name it’.

Alexander, another famous conductor of a Symphony Orchestra was enthralled when he listened to ‘Etho Mogam’(Kozhi Koovuthu) and said ‘This is not Indian Music.This is International Music’.

Is he not our national pride?

The song for today is also based on a Raga that literally means the Nation.
It is Raag Desh.

It is a Hindustani raga and is capable of melting anybody(including the terrorists).

Interestingly, Bankim Chand Chatterjee’s Vande Maataram is also set in Raag Desh!

Desh’s structure is
Sa ri2 ma1 pa ni3 Sa/Sa ni2 dha2 pa ma1 ga3 ri2 ga3 ni3 sa.

Like most of the Hindustani Raags, it uses alien swara(ni3) in this case.In Carnatic music parlance, such ragas are called as Bhashanga Ragas.

The main prayogas(called as ‘pakad’) in the Raga are ‘ri ma pa’ ‘ni dha pa’ ‘ma ga ri’ ‘ga sa’.

In the Hindustani system, we also have Vaadi and Samvaadi swaras-the sonant-consonant pair of notes.While the Vaadi swar is the most important note, the Samvaadi is the second most important and significant note.

In Desh, the Vaadi swar is ‘ri’ and the Samvaadi, ‘pa’.

Let us have a look at the composition.

It is ‘Vizhiyil Pudu Kavithai Padiththen’ from ‘Theerthakaraiyinile’(1987).

The Satin like softness of the Desh is personified by the Shehnai and we close our eyes involuntarily.The gentle breeze kisses us as we listen to the strings, and violins.

The very short piece in the flute says it all!

Again a word or two about Laya Raja.

I have been talking about his sense of Tala(rhythm) time and again in this Blog.What makes his compositions unique and great is this.It follows a structure even when there is no percussion instrument.

This prelude is no exception!

The five-beat khanta pattern adds to the beauty of the composition.

The Pallavi has a sense of freshness-typical of the Raag- and at the same time is very vibrant.

The tenderness continues in the first interlude as the chorus sings.The Flute plays with precision while the string emerges subtly but powerfully.

The CharaNam shows us the endearing features of the raga as the sangatis flow.The structure is also interesting as it becomes a kind of question and answer session between the male and the female voices(Samvaadi and Vaadi?).

The chorus embellishes the CharaNam.

The second interlude also follows an excellent pattern.

The Chitra Veena plays the same swaras as the one rendered by the chorus in the first interlude. The Tabla replies exquisitely.The Flute dazzles ,the bass guitar smiles and the strings sparkle.

It is intensively detailed and effectively punctuated with the beautiful swaras.

We see a clear natural stream.

We see the iridescent hues of the Raga.

Musically Musical!

Niches of quietude!!

Desh- a beautiful serene raga..our Nation.
ILaiyaraaja-the brilliant refined musician.. our pride!

விரலில் புது கீதம் படைப்பார்.
செவியிரண்டில் அமுதம் இசைப்பார்.

He gives us new music that flows like nectar.

ILaiyaraaja-Connoisseur's Delight!

Whenever we read something beautiful, we say it is poetic.
Whenever we hear something great, we say it is musical.

But we also use these expressions whenever we undergo a great experience…
We say ‘The journey was Musical’ or ‘The valley is poetic’.

At times we also say that the Music is so poetic or that the Poem is so Musical..

This is because there is a Connoisseur in all of us!

Now look at this poem by Subramania Bharathiyar:

‘’It is the Sun Light all around;
On the Mountains, On the Sea,
On the Earth, On the Trees,
On the Forests, On River Banks;
Why is there Darkness in Man’s Mind?’’

வானமெங்கும் பரிதியின் ஜோதி;
மலைகள் மீதும் பரிதியின் ஜோதி;
தானை நீற்கடல் மீதிலும் ஆங்கே
தரையின் மீதும் தருக்களின் மீதும்
கானகத்திலும் பற்பல ஆற்றின்
கரைகள் மீதும் பரிதியின் ஜோதி;
மானவன்றன் உளத்தினில் மட்டும்
வந்து நிற்கும் இருளிது வென்னே!

This is what is called as Music in poetry.

Yes..it is beautiful.

At the same time there are lot of hidden meanings and the more we explore, the more we discover..

And that is why Bharathi is called as the Mahakavi. .
He is indeed a Connoisseur’s delight!

If Bharathi’s verses are Music in Poetry, ILaiyaraaja’s compositions are Poetry in Music.

Human Mind is in deed intriguing.

It is a mix of simple as well as complex things.Otherwise, how can we explain our childlike behaviour at times.

The simplicity in a Composition appeals to the Layman in all of us.

The Complexity appeals to the Connoisseur in all of us.

It does need some training to wake up the Connoisseur within us.

But not for a moment am I saying that to enjoy Music, one needs to be a Connoisseur.
However, if we get to understand the finer elements, we enjoy it more.

Today we are going to see a composition that is based on a very interesting Raga.It is a very rare Raga as well.

The Raga is VarNa DhariNi!

As far as I know, there is no Carnatic Composition in this Raga and Raja was the first one to use this in Films.

The Hindustani equivalent is called as Vibhaas(though there are three variations of this Raag) and it is a Morning Raga.

As per the Carnatic System, it is derived from the 16th Melakartha Chakravagam and the Arohana/Avarohana pattern is Sa Ri1 Ga3 Pa Dha2 Sa/Sa Dha2 Pa Ga3 Ri1 Sa.

Only the variant of ‘Ri’ separates this and Mohanam but both the Ragas sound so different.That is the beauty of Music(remember my post on Shivaranjani)!

Raja used it in ‘Amuthe Tamizhe’(Kovil Pura) for the first time and followed it up with ‘Neelakuyile’(Magudi).

The composition we are going to discuss today is ‘Ethilum Ingu’ from ‘Bharathi’(the song is not a Bharathiyar song).

The composition has an inherent beauty and an unimpeachable Musical Value!

Again it is the wonderful blend of the Raga with the Tala structure that makes it unique.

The Tala is both Adi and Roopaka.It is Adi, if it is in the Tisra(3) beat and Roopakam if it is in the 4 beat Chatushram.

How?

This is because Caranatic Music involves lot of Mathematics and the calculations are done in such a way that it meets the criteria of both the Talas.
The Rhythmic pattern is divided beautifully and it is

Ta Ka Ta Ka Dhi Mi Ta- Ki- Ta-..

Here while the first part –Ta Ka Ta Ka Dhi Mi- is in the fast tempo (called as Mel Kaalam), the second part -Ta Ki Ta – is slow (called as Keezh Kaalam) giving a ‘Wavy ‘ feeling to the entire Composition.

The Raga also follow a ‘Wavy Pattern’ like the Tala .

The Composition starts with the Gentle and Powerful voice of Madhu Balakrishnan invoking Repose.It seems like we are in for a sober trail.

But what follows is a pulsating experience!

The Pallavi is an emotive flow with Blazing Intensity.Every Facet sparkles as one hears ‘Adiyum Mudiyum Ariya Mudiyaan, Eliya Adiyaar Othum Veda Nathamagi’.

The Craft Skills of the Master is amazing in the first Interlude.

If the Flute flows Dulcetly, the Strings radiate Serenity.It is uniformly Graceful!
The Charanam is full of Silken passages.

The Frist Two Lines starting with ‘Varippuli Athai Thariththavan Ezhil’ is redolent with the Flavour of Beauty while the Second Two Lines ‘Tamizh Kavi Tharum’ is pregnant with exceptional Literary Quality.

The Gentle Movement in ‘Aaalankuiyil’ is followed by a Sweeping Movement in ‘Patruthalaikku Neruppvan’.

And this is where we see the stamp of the Genius yet again.

The Rhythmic pattern (in the way it is rendered) changes here and it is
Ta Ka Dhi Mi repeated 4 times and in 3 cycles.What is interesting is the stress given in the second count - Ka - in each of the cycle.

In English Language, there is a relatively new word called ‘Fantabulous’ which is the melding of the two words ‘Fantastic’ and ‘Fabulous’.

I would say this is the best word to describe the improvisation done here!

It also goes to prove how rich our Classical Music is and how it can do wonders in the hands of a Genius at a time when Computers and Technology give us ‘new’ rhythmic patterns!

In the Second Interlude, the Percussion Instruments echo evocatively and one plunges into the River swimming with the Tala and Floating with the Raga.The Rhythmic Burble of the Stream is enchanting as the Soughing Wind Rustles, Bustles and Tickles.

It is gentle and at the same time pulsing!

We feel we are caught in the middle of nothingness.

It is a Wellspring of Joy.
It is a Celebration of Life!

His Music is here and everywhere…

எதிலும் இங்கு இருப்பது அவரது இசை.