ILaiyaraaja-Musician nonpareil

Says the mother of the love-struck girl to the Lord,

‘’If she says anything at all she says nothing but your Name.
Remembering your sacred body she melts.
Her Love is great and she can do nothing.
With eyes long and shaped like fish, she has forgotten sleep.
My fool, my little fool, she is so young, yet she knows you.
In the presence of scandalmongers what do you mean to do
O Lord of Itavitanthai,
With my Girl, her waist thin as a creeper..’’

ஓதிலும் உன் பேர் அன்றி,மற்று ஓதாள்;
உருகும்,நின் திரு உரு நினைந்து;
காதன்மை பெரிது,கையறவு உடையள்;
கயல் நெடுங்கண் துயில் மறந்தாள்
பேதையேன் பேதை பிள்ளைமை பெரிது;
தெள்ளியல்;வள்ளி நுண் மருங்குல்,
ஏதலர் முன்னா என் நினைந்திருந்தாய்?
இடவெந்தை எந்தை பிரானே!

This is the verse written by Thirumangai Azhwar and is part of the Treatise ‘Naalaayira Divya Prabhandam’.

Thirumangai Azhwar , who lived in the 8th century wrote 1253 verses-out of the 4000 written by the 12 Azhwars.

His verses are packed with emotions and have a very unique flavour.

The aforementioned verse sounds like a love poem but it is the divine love for the Lord.

Devotion at its best!

At the same time, atheists and agnostics can also enjoy this poem for its sheer beauty and the mastery of language..

I am reminded of ILaiyaraaja whenever I read such beautiful poems.

His compositions are beautiful and one can see his mastery of the idioms of Music.

Like a dedicated priest, he adorns his compositions with garments, jewellery, and flowers.

His decorations look so fresh that every time we look at them, a new feature strikes us. There are so many intricate patterns that at times one spends hours together looking at the beauty and still do not get tired..

He is a Musician nonpareil!

Today, let us see two of his wonderful compositions.

One is ‘Yem Debba Teesavura’ from the Telugu Film Aswamedam and the other is ‘Isayil Thodanguthamma’ from Hey Ram.

‘Yem Debba’ is based on the 59th Melakartha Dharmavathy.
The Raga itself is packed with several emotions making us go again and again to it..

Though it is very close to some popular Ragas like Simhendra Madhyamam and Gowrimanohari, it has its unique identity.

Surprisingly enough, it is just the variant of the swara ‘ga’ that separates this Raga from Kalyani but look how different they sound!

That is the beauty of Music.

‘Isaiyil Thodanguthamma’ is based on Hamsanadam.But it has flavours of Saranga Tharangini, Shudh Sarang and to a certain extent Yaman Kalyan as well.

Hamsanadam is again a very interesting Raga and as per the older Raga texts this Raga is derived from the 60th Melakartha Neethimathi having six Swaras in the ascent and descent.But over a period of time it became a pentatonic Raga with just 5 Swaras..

‘Isaiyil Thodanguthamma’ is yet another proof of Raja’s iguana like grip on Laya(rhythm).

It is set to the 7 beat Mishram.

In the prelude and the interludes, the pattern is played in a fast pace(called as ‘Mel Kaalam’) and here the Master divides the 14(7x2) as ThaKaDhiMi ThaKa ThaKaDhiMi ThaKaDhiMi that is 4 2 4 4..

In the vocal part, it is played as 3 4- ThaKiTa ThaKaDhiMi.

Various combinations of percussion instruments are also used.

The prelude has only the percussions- playing the same pattern 12 times- followed by the chorus.

This special resonance itself creates a curiosity.

We now hear the wonderful voice of Ajoy Chakraborthy.A word or two about this Musician. He is a very well known Hindustani Vocalist belonging to what is called as the Patiala Gharana. He has also learnt Carnatic Music from Dr.Balamuralikrishna.

The Pallavi is vibrant with his mellifluous and powerful voice and has an unmatched quality.

If the harmony of chorus voices followed by the languorous charm of the Shehnai is delectable, the humming of Ajoy is tender and gripping. It just shows how the Maestro can create magic by just using the voices appropriately.

The Charanam is another beauty. It has strands of empathy and the humming is perky.

The second interlude has the percussion following a curvilinear pattern.The Dilruba scythes us with a piercing intensity. One feels the traces of Raag Shudh Sarang here.

The second Charanam has the lissome touches and when the Swaras are rendered in a kind of Hindustani style, it transports us to a totally different world.

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The second composition ‘Yem Debba’ is yet another marvel.

It has an inherent beauty and charm but what makes it unique is the technique used by the magician in the Charanam.We shall go to that in a moment but before that let us take a look at the prelude, Pallavi and the interlude.

The Synthesiser and the Rhythm move in a canter like a horse.

The Pallavi is lush and has shades of Madhuvanti, a Hindustani Raga derived from Dharmavathi.

The interlude irradiates wisps of soothing light with the haunting Flute and the Violins juxtaposed with electronic instruments.

The first two lines in the Charanam move smoothly with precision when the marvel strikes.

The next lines ‘Elaiyaa intha thondara’..are sung in the next Shruthi.

The technique of Gruha bedam is used so effectively and the Raga now becomes Chakravagam,the 16th Melakartha..

The Swara ‘ri ‘ of Dharmavathi becomes the base Swara ‘sa’ here giving us another Raga.

What can one say about this genius?

No doubt it is a clear grasp of techniques of music but what sets him apart is the way he executes these..

It gets back to Dharmavathi in the interlude.

The second interlude is garnished with the sounds of traditional and electronic instruments. It is like a riot of mild colours blending into one another giving us a whole spectrum of emotions.

It encapsulates the tremendous verve of the beautiful Raga.

The two compositions stand testimony to the fact that the Musical Expression of the Maestro transcends the formal framework at the same time laying emphasis on the innate artistic process.

It is the convergence of his intellectual and artistic senses that makes him unique.

Our Life begins with his Music!

அவரது இசையில் தொடங்குவது நமது வாழ்வு!

ILaiyaraaja-The Awe-inspiring Musician!

‘Her hair, rough-washed in water, on her face
So spread her swollen lower lip is hurt.
She sighs when thinking of us and our sport
When on an instant now those nights revert
To hot tears falling on her sleeping place’.

'Without her ornaments, too heavy grown,
She lies the midway through her bed of pain.
Enfeebled, miserable, consumed by tears:
Assuredly to view her is to drop your rain,
An act to which the tender soul is prone'.

Poets and artistes have a unique way of looking at things in the world.
When we look at some of the major works of great poets and artistes, we are awestruck. We cannot control our amazement and appreciation at their imagination and aesthetic sense.

Look at the aforementioned verses. Can you guess who is addressing whom?The second verse if read carefully gives the hint. Yes..it is the cloud that is being addressed. And who is talking to the cloud?

A Yaksha (simply put an attendant in the court of Kubera, the Hindu God of wealth) is obsessed with his wife.So smitten and besotted that he even neglects his duties thus earning the wrath of his Master who curses him and banishes him to the Earth for one year.

Even during the exile, the Yaksha thinks about his Lady Love and pines for her. One day, he spots a cloud kissing the mountain and he requests the cloud to carry his message to his beloved.What we then get to see is a set of 100 odd verses that take us out of this world(literally).

This set of poems forms what is called as ‘Megadootam’(the cloud messenger).
Megadootam was written by Kalidasa.

Kalidasa is regarded one of the best poets in that beautiful language called Sanskrit. There are a lot of stories about Kalidasa and historians still find it difficult to record his period with authenticity.He lived during the 3rd, 4th or the 5th century(as per an archeological study conducted during the mid ‘80s, Kalidasa lived between 370 AD and 450 AD).

It is said that he was blessed by Goddess KaLi who rewarded him with an extraordinary wit and knowledge and that is why the name Kalidasa.At the other extreme, we also have many ‘scholars’ who have taken the liberty of dissecting his personal life and have made efforts to ‘prove’ that he was after all an ordinary person.

Ambiguous-this is what one can conclude if one tends to study Kalidasa’s life history.

However, why do we need to dig deeper into the life of a genius whose works speak for themselves. Reading his works (even translated works) give us so much of pleasure and everlasting bliss.

Apart from Megadootam, the other works of Kalidasa include Raghuvamsam-Dynasty of Raghu kings, Kumara sambhavam-the Birth of Muruga or Karthikeya, Ritu Samharam-experience of two lovers in the six seasons, Malavikaagnimitram-story of Malavika and King Agnimitra, Abhijnanasakuntalam-story of Dushyant and Sakuntala and Vikramorvasiyam-King Pururavas and the celestial dancer Urvasi.

Go through the verses again(translation courtesy:John Holcombe).Can you not empathise with the lover?

The beauty of Megadootam lies not just in the concept.The way the Yaksha describes the route to the clouds(there are two parts-poorva mega or the previous cloud and the uttara mega, the subsequent or the next cloud) is so vivid and beautiful that one literally sees and feels each and every place traversed by the cloud(s).The images are fresh and at the same time convey the emotions of the despondent Yaksha simply captivating our hearts.

Is this not what poetry is meant for?

Like such beautiful immortal poetry, Music also gives us feelings and emotions especially if it is composed by geniuses. Geniuses whom we get to see once in a while and who are awe-inspiring.

We are very lucky to have a living legend in film music who portrays human emotions so beautifully that we keep wondering how it is humanly possible.

Like Kalidasa’s poetry, ILaiyaraaja’s music gives us vivid imagery made possible with intricate detailing and exquisite craftsmanship.

Like Kalidasa, ILaiyaraaja also has divine powers (and this is purely a personal opinion) without which it would be impossible to compose such music.

Most importantly, a lot of attempts are being made to dissect the personality and personal life of ILaiyaraaja by people who consider themselves as scholars and bask in the publicity generated by such futile efforts.

For Kalidasa, it was the choice of words, the combination of words and the beautiful description.

For ILaiyaraaja, it is the choice of the Ragas, the combination of swaras and the beautiful arrangement/orchestration/tune.

Today, we are going to see yet another composition of Raaja’s which I consider a gem.
The song is ‘Maalai Nera Kaatre’ from ‘Agal ViLakku’(1980).
It is based on the Hindustani Raag Bilaskhani Todi.

Bilaskhani Todi is a very interesting Raag.It was invented by Bilas Khan, the son of Miya Tansen-who is considered to be one of the greatest composer/musician in Hindustani music.It is said that Bilas Khan composed and sang this Raag immediately after his father died and that Tansen’s hand moved in appreciation.

Bilaskhani Todi is derived from the Bhairavi Thaat(Thaat is the equivalent melakartha of Carnatic) though it has the Todi tag-Todi being another Thaat and is the counterpart of Subhapantuvarali.However, the Todi tag is not there without any reason.

The Raagang(loosely translated as the structure) follows Todi.I shall leave it at that since it is too technical to define and explain this concept and is beyond the scope of this blog.

Bilaskhani Todi is considered to be among the greatest of Raags in Hindustani music and to compose or sing(leave alone master) is not that easy.

The aro/avaroh is:

Sa ri1 ga2 pa dha1 Sa/ri1 ni2 dha1 pa dha1 ni2 dha1 ma1 ga2 ri1 ga2 ri1 sa.

This special raag cannot be confined to the Aroh/Avaroh alone since there are a lot of special prayogas in this Raag.

Let us now look at the composition.

The opening itself is very different and is rich with musical intimacy. It is replete with a stirring articulation that is heart-wrenching. The violins play with languorous grace.It is an interplay of emotions as the guitar suddenly appears and play with a benevolent tenor.

The Pallavi has an aura of sanctity. The crystalline voice of Janaki educes the image of the raga succinctly.The first line exudes brilliant radiance while the second line is solicitously appealing.The third line is impeccably deep and brings out the pangs of separation and dejection wonderfully.

In the first interlude, the raga moves with unimpeded flow with the violins giving a soulful delineation.We see the flashes of musical sublimity as a special modern instrument gives a drizzle of delicate touches. We feel the tenderness of melody as the Dilruba continues.The ending in the higher octave is a masterstroke!

The CharaNam encompasses the dimensions of the raga.The first two lines in the CharaNam lances and pierces our hearts. The third line has pervasive mellowness and the fourth line with subtle pauses in between is poignant.

The long flute pieces interspersed between the lines give feathery touches with their gentle glides.

The second Interlude is maneuvered with expert precision.

The Guitar played with finesse and the Flute with poise combine together to produce an extraordinary piece of music.
It has the deft touches and the delicate shades.
It is then the turn of the Dilruba that plays with the weight of volume and vibrancy giving us subtle and varied emotions.

The entire composition is a study in subtlety.
We internalize it, try to discover it, dwell in it, get soaked and finally get drenched!

It is profound.
It is rich and mellow.
It is redolent with mystique and has a meditative impact.

It is the musical silence of the evening breeze!

மாலைநேர காற்றின் மௌனமும் இசைதான்!

ILaiyaraaja-The Unpretentious Musician!

‘’I go down to their level and then try to take them along with me to a higher level. It sounds easy but is difficult in practice.’’

‘’The setting does not matter. It is the intent that matters’’.

These are the words of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, one of the popular Sufi musicians.

Rahat and his uncle, the great legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan were accused by the ‘purists’ of taking the Qawwali and Sufi Music to Marriage Halls and films.

This throws up lot of questions.

Should Classical arts be confined to the closed walls?

If yes, why?

If no, then should the form change?

Should it be too simplified?

In the name of ‘simplification’, should the artiste stoop to ‘conquer’?

Where does one draw a line?


Let us look at the questions one by one.

Classical Arts can never be the preserve of certain class of people. No single community can claim to be the owner of any Art Form.In fact, I discussed this at length in my post on ‘Paadariyen..’ sometime back.

All forms must reach the masses and only then can they grow.

But the danger is that in the name of ‘simplification’, some artistes –musicians and dancers- make it too simple that the classical essence itself is lost.

Instead of raising the bar, these artistes lower it finally ending up with gimmickry.
What starts off as ‘taking to the masses’ and ‘playing to the gallery’ takes the shape of (at times taking no shape!) a ‘Mass Product’.

What is shown and demonstrated then is the ‘capability’ of the artiste to perform gymnastics in fine arts.

It is here that the words of Rahat -‘It is the intent that matters’- assume significance.

If the intent is good, the mission will be successful.

Therefore, whether it is Music in Films or Music in a typical Classical Platform, what matters is the objective of the artiste, the way he/she is able to execute and most importantly the ability of the artiste to take the audience/listeners to a higher plane.

Though purists frown as soon as a mention is made of ‘Film Music’, it is an accepted fact that Films have played a very big role in propagating classical arts.

And the man hailing from a very small village called Pannaippuram in Madurai district has strived hard to popularize Classical music.And he did this without any pretentions.

He has simplified the form without in anyway tampering with the aesthetic values.

He has used very popular Ragas giving us the essence.

He has used very rare Ragas(some of the ragas were not known or used by the classical musicians until he brought them out-examples being Sallapam, Rasika Ranjani, Samudra Priya etc.,)

He composed using only the ascending notes- a new and novel concept- but not at the cost of classicism.

He composed using just three notes.

He applied the concept of Sruti Bedam .

He used very intricate Tala(rhythmic) patterns.

The point here is that the layman would not have understood many of these concepts.
But they enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) for the sheer happiness and pleasure the music gave (gives).

But I also know many people who got interested in classical music after listening to his compositions( a classic example is ‘yours sincerely’!).

Today, we are going to see an interesting composition of his.

Contrary to what is believed (of course by people who have not listened to many of his compositions), he has composed lot of songs in Hindustani Ragas.

Today’s Composition is also based on a Hindustani Raga.

The Raga is ‘Shudhh Saarang’ and the composition is ‘Oru Devathai’ from the Film ‘Naan Sonnathe Sattam’.

‘Shuddh Saarang’ is a very melodious Raga and it uses both the variations of ‘ma’ like many Hindustani ragas.

The Structure is:

sa ma1 ri2 ma2 pa ni3 Sa/Sa ni3 dha2 pa ma2 pa dha2 pa ma1 ri2 sa.

Now, let us look at the composition.

The Chorus voice spreads, swarms and warps. Suddenly, the violins loom into view.
The Flute and Strings stir to life and we get to see the Angel..

The intricately carved Pallavi sounds stunning with the voices of SPB and Asha Bhonsle. The line ‘En Manathil Puthiya RagangaL’ is exotic.

The Flute then plays with lucidity while the Guitar undulates gently with a satiny texture. In fact, one gets a taste of Hamsanadam- a Ragam very close to Shudhh Saarang.
The Violins give some unique touches mesmerizing us.

The Charanam can be divided into three parts.

The first one ‘Kaattinil Poo Vaasam’ and ‘Kadalinil Mazhai’ is scintillating with the sweet voices of Asha and SPB.

The second one ‘Anbenum..’ is tender.

The third one ‘Naan seitha..’oozes with zest.

The second interlude is caparisoned with beautiful orchestration.

The vivifying Flute is followed by the chorus voices singing with insouciant grace.

It is then the encompassing sweep of the violins as the Guitar plays with stylized musical fervour.

The composition is a continual rain of honey.

It is built on the edifice of beauty.

It gives us an exquisite image of the Raga.

It is a delightful treat.

It is the song of the angel….It opens our Hearts and pierces inside..

தேவதை வந்தது.மனச்சிறைக் கூண்டைத் துளைத்துச் சென்றது.

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.

ILaiyaraaja-Musician with the Third Eye!

Quite often, I wonder as to how some people are very special. By ‘special’, I do not mean the VIP status given to many people(though undeservingly!).In fact , most of the genuinely special people were not even given due recognition during their lifetime.

I am talking about people who were/are extraordinary in one field or the other and are born Geniuses.

A close analysis and observation suggest three things.

One-these people have natural talents somewhat different from the other mortals.

Two-These geniuses have certain common traits. One of the most common traits I find is their propensity and proclivity to think and act differently and not follow the beaten track.

Three-these special people put in lot of efforts in the right direction and though they have/had natural abilities and unnatural powers, they work(ed) very hard and never rested on their laurels.

Let us take the examples of Issac Newton and Albert Einstein.Both these scientists were born geniuses and had the ability and audacity to question things and commonly held beliefs. But they did not stop with that. They spent years in finding out the Truth .

We have read about the Mathematical Genius of Srinivasa Ramanujan whose entire life was focused on inventing new theorems and Numbers Theory.

Subramania Bharathi who gave a new lease of life to Tamizh poetry with his use of words and revolutionary ideas/thoughts was a born genius.He was a voracious reader and was very well versed with many other languages as well.He constantly updated his knowledge and the results are there to see.

I also feel that the Geniuses have a Third Eye.They view things in a different perspective.

Esoterically, the Third Eye is considered to be present between the two brows and one needs constant yogic practice to awaken and open this.But for the Geniuses , it is already open.

For the Genius whose other name is Illaiyaraaja ,this third eye is wide open .He has the three ‘I’s as well-Intelligence, Innovation and Improvisation.

I can cite thousands of his compositions but one composition stands apart because in the History of Music no one had dared to venture into this aspect nor has anyone believed that such an aspect would be in the realm of possibility.

That is composing a song with just the ascending notes.

To go back to the basics,the structure of any raga or a scale is made up of Arohana(ascent) and Avarohana(descent).

But Raja composed a song with the ascending notes only in keeping with the sequence in the movie where a Musician after touching the nadir gets a new life and rises again.

The song is ‘Kalaivaniye..’ from Sindhu Bhairavi.

Usually it is the Director who gets such ideas and requests the Music Composer to give a song as per the sequence.But here it was Raja, the Genius who gave this idea to Balachander.Not only did he give the idea but also that he gave a Masterpiece.

The composition uses the Arohana of Kalyani.

This concept of a song with Arohana alone, the idea and the composition were praised wholeheartedly by none other than the Carnatic Music Legend Maharajapuram Shri.Santhanam.

Let us now look at this great Composition.

The Pallavi itself is so thoughtfully conceived and elegantly put through.It has a total of thirteen words with each one sounding different from one another (different combinations of Swaras!).With a very limited scope for exposition, is it not true this is possible only by a Genius ?

The Charanam shows his refined vision.

If the lines ‘Suram Padi Sirithai..’ is beauteous, ‘Siru Viralgallil Thalai Kodhi..’ caresses us gently.

‘Mugam Kaatta Maruthaai..’ and the sangathis following this has the stamp of superior Craftsmanship as it uses the higher octave Ri and Ga.

In ‘Nee Mun vanthu Poo Sindhu,’ the jump from Poo to Sindhu is wonderful.

The Original Sound Track has a solo Violin interlude here.As per the sequence in the movie, it is the silent interplay of emotions between a mother and a daughter and the Violin gives the essence of their entire relationship in a matter of just 30 seconds.

Here the Maestro does the incredible...

He does Shruthi bedam and the violin plays Sindhu Bhairavi ragam..
Can any other Film Music Composer even imagine doing this?

I doubt............


The second Charanam is constructed differently and is somewhat fast paced.It is a combination of Intelligence and Sensitivity and our hearts melt as we hear ’Ullam Azhuthathu..’.

The hearts begin to cry as ‘Kanneer Perugiyathe’ and the cascade of Janta Swaras are rendered in Akaaram.

The cascading phrases ’Ini Azha Valuvillai’ following ‘Uyire..Uyirin Uyire’ are examples of smooth flow of Improvisation.The phrases use alternate Swaras-saga ,rima, gapa, madha, rima, gapa,madha, pani,dhaSa, madha,pani,dhaSa,niRi-Mark of a Genius!

This composition has a distinctive flavour that lingers on.

This composition stirs us with resounding refrain.

This composition is pregnant with emotions.

‘Swaram Paadi Sirithai..Sirippale Erithaai..
Madi Meethu Marithen Maru Janmam Koduthaai’.

‘You laughed composing and singing Swaras.
I died on your lap. You gave me a new Life!’

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