Laya Raja-II

பாழ் என, கால் என, பாகு என, ஒன்று என
இரண்டு என, மூன்று என, நான்கு என, ஐந்து என
ஆறு என, ஏழு என, எட்டு என, தொண்டு என
நால்வகை ஊழி எண் நவிற்றும் சிறப்பினை

‘Zero, quarter, half, one,
Two, three, four, five,
Six, Seven, Eight, Nine,
Thus the four eons speak about the numbers’.

Does this sound like a Kindergarten class?
Well.. almost! But is it not a fact that what we read (or for that matter experience) during our childhood stays with us forever?

Foundation.. If this is strong, the building is strong. Otherwise, it collapses.

Going back to the poem quoted- it is from a work called ‘Paripaadal’. Paripaadal was composed by different poets during the 1st Century AD and is part of eight anthologies called as ‘Ettuththogai’. These eight along with the 10 long poems- called as ‘Paththuppaattu’- form the core of Tamizh Sangam Literature.

Sangam means an Academy or Fraternity. It is said that there were 3 Sangams – the first one lasting 4,440 years, the second one lasting 3,700 years and the third one lasting 1,850 years. It is also said that a Great Flood destroyed many kingdoms and a large body of literature.

All the works of the First Sangam have been lost forever. The grammar work ‘Tolkappiyam’(I had quoted from this work in my posts on the music of ‘ULiyin Osai’ where I explained as to how classical dance and music were part of the Tamizh culture) belongs to the Second Sangam while the ‘Eight Anthologies’ and the ‘Ten Long Poems’ are part of the Third Sangam period.

The length of the Sangam poems varies between 3 lines and 800 lines. There are 2381 Sangam poems of course not taking the first and the second Sangams into account.

'Paripaadal’ is the one of the oldest texts that has notes on music. In Tamizh music, a Raga is called as ‘PaN’. Under each group of poems in ‘Paripaadal’, there is a mention about the ‘PaN’ on which it is based on. Similar to our Films, the songs(poems) would be written by one person and would be set to music by another person.

The poem quoted in the beginning was written by ‘Kaduvan iLaveyinanaar’ and was set to music by ‘Pettanaaganaar’. It is sung eulogizing Lord Vishnu and is set to ‘Paalaiyaazh’ which is the equivalent of Shankarabharanam.

This also shows that God has always been part of tamizh culture despite the claim made by the so-called rationalists in Tamizh Nadu.

In a way, ‘Paripaadal’ was a precursor to ‘Naalayira Divya Prabandham’,the sacred book of Srivaishnavas.I find a lot of parallels between the works of ‘Kaduvan iLaveyinaar’ and Aazhwars-Thirumazhisai azhwar in particular.I have quoted some verses of ‘Thirumazhisai Aazhwar’in this thread.Please refer the post ‘Laya Raja’ and ‘ILaiyaraaja’s music is unique’ where I quoted from his ‘Thiruchchandaviruththam’ that talks about the numbers.

Talking about numbers, let us remember that numbers revolve around us always whether we like it or not.

Take the poem quoted for example. It sounds so simple but yet throws up a lot of philosophical pointers. I am not getting too deep into it since it is beyond the scope of this thread. It is enough if I say that the Universe revolves around numbers.Have a look at the paragraphs that follow the poems in my post.

‘1st Century, ‘8 anthologies’, ’10 Long Poems’, ‘3 Sangams’, ‘4440, 3700,1850 years’, 3 and 800 lines’, ‘2381 poems’… well can there be a world without numbers? Can there be a Life without numbers?

Eons, Years, Months, Weeks, Days, Hours, Minutes, Seconds..

We find the numbers in music as well. Though all forms of music have rhythm(and therefore numbers), Carnatic Music gives a lot of importance to numbers.In the Raga system, it is the 72 melakartas and the different permutations and combinations of swaras while in the Tala system, it is the beats/cycle.

There are 108 Talas in Carnatic music.Let us now look at the major Five-patterns(called as Pancha Nadai).
The 3-beat cycle is called as Tisram, the 4-beat is Chatusram, the 5-beat is Khandam, the 7-beat-Misram and the 9-beat-Sankeernam.It is indeed a very vast subject and let us understand these basics as of now (Foundation!).

In a carnatic music concert, during the percussion ensemble-called as Tani avarthanam- the percussion artistes generally play in different nadais.

Almost all film songs follow the 8-beat cycle called as Adi Talam.There are also songs that follow the Tisra gati in this cycle. We will come to that a little later.

However, not many composers have composed songs in Misram and Khandam.

The Maestro is an exception.
In this Blog, we have been seeing his usage of not just the ragas but also the talas.

He has also used cross-rhythms (two patterns running simultaneously-example ‘Endrendrum Aanandame’ and change in gatis-example ‘Innum Ennai Enna Siyya PogiRai’

There have also been a lot of intricate mathematical patterns involved in his compositions.

He often talks about the ‘KaalapramaaNam’ in music.People who have seen him work vouch for his perfect sense of timing especially during the background scores. He would watch a scene, take a piece of paper, write the notes, give it to the various artistes and start recording. The piece of music would exactly fit the scene in terms of the duration.
This is because ‘Kaalapramanam’ is inherent in him.

That is why he is ‘Laya Raja’.

Today, we are going to see a composition of his that reveals his penchant for Laya.

The song is ‘ILamanadinil’ from the film ‘ManjaL Nila’(1982).

The song is based on Mayamalavagowla, the 15th Melakarta.

All basic (foundation) classes in carnatic music are taught in this raga because of its symmetric structure.

Its structure is: sa ri1 ga3 ma1 pa dha1 ni3 Sa/Sa ni3 dha1 pa ma1 ga3 ri1 sa.

The swara ‘ri1’ is very close to ‘sa’, with the ‘ga’ ‘ma’ and ‘pa’ ‘dha’ being next to each other.The last swara ‘ni’ is very close to the upper ‘Sa’. Such a structure is very easy to understand for beginners.

I mentioned about the Adi-Tala and Tisra nadai.

This composition follows this pattern. But something does happen in the CharaNams and let us see that soon.

I was talking about 8(adi tala cycle) and 3(tisram).The LCM of this is 24.Now, 24 is a multiple of 2, 4, and 6 as well. Using this theory of mathematics, the maestro has divided two lines in the charanams as 2, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6.So Tisram sounds Chatusram in 4 phrases.But the magician does not stop here. He has made the percussion play in ‘Usi’.

Let us understand the concept of Talas a little more.

The place where the Tala begins is called as ‘Eduppu’. A composition follows any of the following three different patterns of Eduppu .

1.Samam-when the tala begins along with the song.
2.Atheeta Eduppu-If the song begins first and Tala cycle starts after this,it is Atheetham.
3.Anaagata Eduppu-If the Tala beats start before the song begins, it is Anaagatam.

Apart from these is the concept of ‘Usi’-that is the stress on the even syllables/beats.

ILaiyaraaja has used all these four concepts rather prolifically.

‘ILamandinil’ starts in samam.However, In CharaNams when he divides the beats, he has applied ‘Usi’ to make it sound more beautiful.

We shall see this again as we go along.

The composition starts with the strings playing ‘ sa pa Sa’ and the chorus following suit. No percussion but still Tisram is clearly perceptible.

The notes are now strung together like a beautiful garland by the flute.We see the gentle curves of the Raga as the violins, viola and the cello peregrinate.

The percussion starts now and it follows
‘Ta ka ta ka dhi mi’ with the stress on the first ‘Ta’ and the second one (ka) not played. It weaves a splendid veil making us more curious.

The Pallavi starts now with the refined articulation and the melodic expression of Yesudass.

The first interlude slowly unveils the beauty.The chorus say syllables-‘ta ri ki ta thaam’ ‘ta ri ki ta dheem’ ‘ta ri ki ta jam’ ‘ta ri ki ta nam’-6 each.

The female voice of Sasirekha hums the raga and the chorus continues in Tisram-‘ta ki ta ta ka dhi mi ta ka’-with ‘ta ki ta’ in slow speed and ‘ta ka dhi mi ta ka’ in fast speed that is the speed matching the first ‘ta ki ta’.

The flute now voyages through the rhythmic patterns while the violins move with a sense of relish.

The chorus sings 6(3x2) 8 times completing one cycle(called as one avarthanam) of adi talam.The male voice sings the words in the same pattern followed by the female voice.

Suddenly there is a change of pattern.

It is now split as ta ka/ ta ka dhi mi/ ta ka dhi mi/ ta ka dhi mi /ta ka dhi mi/ta ka ta ka dhi mi twice making it 24x2.Most importantly the percussion is played in Usi with the stress on the second syllable ‘ka’.

It is like a starburst with thundershowers!

In the second interlude the dainty guitar is sated with delicate swirls with the violins making wide and spectacular sweeps. The languid grace juxtaposed with remarkable arithmetic accuracy is exhilarating.

The pattern of the first charaNam continues in the second and the third charaNams as well.

The Third interlude has the skilful embellishments with the veena , santoor and the bass guitar taking us to the deeper levels of the raga’s beauty. The aesthetically affable chorus adds punch.

The composition is a balance between subtlety and exuberance.
An ingenious work.
An exquisite ornament made of raga and tala.

அவர் மனதினில் எழும் இசையினில் விழி மலர்கிறதே..

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ILaiyaraaja's Music is Divine..

At times we tend to misunderstand or misinterpret certain words. The word ‘sensuality’ is a classic example.

In the Madras Music and Dance Season in Dec 2007, there was a symposium on a very interesting and intriguing topic-‘Sensuality in Dance and Music’. One of the persons ( a senior dancer!) who gave the introduction on the first day went to the extent of defining sensuality with the help of a Dictionary and said the word would also mean ‘debauchery’.

Thankfully, T M Krishna, the young and energetic musician known for his forthright views and comments said the word could be interpreted in so many ways. 'Sensuality' according to him is something that gives him immense pleasure.

Carnatic Music does give him great pleasure.

He went on to play the recordings of stalwarts like Madurai Mani Iyer, GNB, Semmangudi and said these voices are sensual according to him though some ‘purists’ may not agree.

The problem is such topics remain as taboos and even making a mention is considered to be sacrilegious.

Of course there is a thin line dividing between ‘sensuality’ and ‘vulgarity’. In the case of some artistes this line gets blurred and one feels the vulgarity -or even the term defined so well by that dancer who gave the introductory speech- when they perform.

It is the way the artiste expresses the art form.

The fact of the matter is almost all the Varnams, Padams, Javalis in Bharathanatyam are erotic but it is used as a vehicle to get close to the almighty and attain divinity.

We have this in Bhakthi Literature as well. Naalaayira Divya Prabandham, Geeta Govindam are some examples.

Therefore there is nothing wrong if we say classical music is sensuous (provided of course that we fully understand the meaning and say this!).

ILaiyaraaja’s music appeals to our senses and touches the soul. It is Sensual and Divine!

By using very different ragas, he has given new meanings and new dimensions.

One such Raga is Vakulabharanam.

Vakulabharanam is a very interesting Raga.It is the 14th Melakartha and is very close to Mayamalawagowla and Todi.

The variant of ‘ni’ is different in Mayamalawagowla and that of ‘ga’ is different in Todi.

But this is only on paper.

Vakulabharanam has a unique flavour that is unmatched. In fact it would surprise many if I say that this Raga has lot of Arabic flavour.

Yes, this Raga is sensuous in deed.

Raja brought out this flavour wonderfully in ‘Kinnaththil Then Vadiththu..’(ILamai Oonjalaadugirathu).

But what is more amazing is the way he used this Raga in a philosophical song, ‘Aaarum Athu Aaazhamillai’(Muthal Vasantham) bringing out the somber mood of this Raga.

That is why he is called Raga Devan!

Let us see the structure of the Ragam:

Sa ri1 ga3 ma1 pa dha1 ni2 Sa/Sa ni2 dha1 pa ma1 ga3 ri1 sa.

The composition?

It is ‘Eee Daha’ from the Kannada film 'Shikari'.

The song opens with Janaki singing a brief subtle aalap mellifluously and the Raga unfolds in absolute astuteness. The strings then play with dash and spirit.

The Pallavi exudes the characteristic charm of the Raga with a built- in interplay of laya.

The first interlude gives the energetic sound patterns imbued with an intensity that makes us dance. The riveting and reposeful chorus is soporific. Suddenly the trumpets leap out at us with vibrancy.

Mark of a Genius!

The Charanam has intricately braided passages as the voice glissades.The Bass Guitar swirls ,twirls and prances.

Exotic..

The second interlude sparkles with the myriad facets of the Raga.The Guitar gives the variegated patterns.

It glides sinuously ..

It whirs past us..

It is plangent ..

It is meditative ..

We see the Musical Intelligence, Integrity and Intent.

It is a state of enlightened mystification.

Sensuous …..Divine….

இசையென்னும் கிண்ணத்தில் இனிமையென்னும் தேனை அள்ளித்தருபவர் அல்லவா அவர்?

Does he not give us cups of honey in the form of Music?

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ILaiyaraaja-The Inimitable Musician

9994 is the Post Box No. of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in all the major cities in Australia.

Can someone guess the significance of the number 9994?

If one adds a decimal point after 99, it could make the guessing game somewhat easier..

99.94?

Does it have something to do with averages?

Maybe a batting average…

But can someone have a career batting average of 99.94?

I am sure Cricket aficionados would have got the answer by now.

Yes, it is the career batting average of Sir Donald George Bradman , the best ever batsman cricketing world has ever produced.

He played 52 tests scoring 29 hundreds..

Out of these, 6 centuries were scored in just single sessions.
He also scored a triple century on a single day in a Test match.

Some of his records have been broken but it will be an insult to the great Don himself if his greatness is measured just by the Records and Statistics.What is of more significance is his batting style, his ability to torment any bowling, his precise footwork, his balance and his timing.

In essence, Bradman is the epitome of Batting and Cricket itself.

Though many batsmen have come and have even succeeded in breaking some of his records, no batsman can even come closer to the Don stands tall among all of them and it is a fact that his name will exist as long as the game of cricket exists!

He is inimitable!

Australian Broadcasting Corporation has honoured itself by keeping his 'Average Figure' as its Address.

In a similar vein I feel that the Sangeet Natak Academy in India or any other Organisation of Music in India must keep its post box no. as 261943 or at least 1976.

I am sure all die-heard fans know the significance of these numbers in this community.The first number is the date of birth of one of the greatest geniuses the music world has seen and the second one is the year he entered the world of Film Music.

I find a lot of similarities between ILaiyaraaja and Bradman.

The records set by him-in terms of time taken to compose and many ‘firsts’-are known to all of us and need no elaboration.These records can never be broken by anybody else.

But again, it will be an insult if he is known just by the records.

His style of composing, his approach, his sense of timing(called as ‘kaalapramaNaa’ in Carnatic Music),his unique blending of many forms of Music make him a composer who cannot be compared with anybody.

During his days, Bradman was criticized by some ‘self-acclaimed denizens’of cricket whose only job was to find fault but the Don stayed clear of all these.

Similarly, Maestro is also being criticized by people who do not even know what Music is.

But little do they know that the Maestro is unassailable and that nothing will affect him.

I am reminded of a ThirukkuraL:

அகழ்வாரைத் தாங்கும் நிலம்போலத் தம்மை
இகழ்வார்ப் பொறுத்தல் தலை.

He is like the Mother Earth who bears with people who dig it.

He is also inimitable because he is a class apart!

Today, we are going to see a composition of his where he has woven his magic.

It is ‘Kattikkidalam’ from Poovarasan.

Though the composition is based on Sindhu Bhiravi, it has traces of Karaharapriya and Nata Bhairavi as well..

But more than the Raga, what is of particular interest is the Rhythmic Pattern..


As I have always been saying, he is not just Raga Raja but ‘Laya Raja’ as well.

The first thing that strikes us in ‘Kattikkidalam’ is the percussion underpinnings.
It is set to the 8 beat Adi talam.

The 8 beat is multiplied by 2 and this is divided as 3 2 3 and 3 2 3-Ta Ki Ta Ta Ka Ta Ki Ta in the first half and Ta Ki Ta Ta - Ta - -.

A Film Song with the pattern of - 3 2 3 -is not unusual.

But in the first half, the Tabla is played with the ‘Gumki’ sound giving a very different feel to the entire song.

And the beauty in the second half is the second ‘Ta a’ and the third-‘Ta a a’-where the ‘a’ s are left blank.

Silence means many things.

For him, even silence is Music!

This pattern is palyed twice for one cycle of Adi Tala.

It is a romantic song and who else can bring sensuality in just one cycle of Tala?

The composition opens with a very peculiar background of a synthesizer sounding just the ‘sa’.

The Violin orchestra appears slowly but with panache. Then it is that wonderful Tabla beats.

The Pallavi thrums with life with the voices of Chitra and SPB with the long flute adding to the romantic mood.

The interlude has the electronic instruments and the traditional instruments playing with flourish and dash creating the right ambience.

The Charanam is sensuous and has an insidious magic. The vocals wallow with glee and zest. One does get to hear the alien Swaras here and there but they are used very subtly.

The second interlude is sequined with gems and jewellery celebrating Love and Romance.

Any composer would have easily got carried away by the situation and would have given a blitzkrieg of sorts but here this composer whose Music is dignity personified gives a very soft effect with the strings and the violins and reels us in.

As mentioned earlier, the sheer beats of the Tabla give the requisite effect.

Delicate, Graceful and with Poise!

அவர் பூவரசந்தானே..இசை என்னும் பூவிற்கு அரசன்தானே!

Is he not the King of that Flower called as Music!

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 Vibrant Musician!

Our life is full of vibrations.

These vibrations are very subtle and most of the times, they are sensed only by the subconscious mind.

But sometimes the vibrations are so powerful that we sail to a new world-a world that is blissful, a world that is peaceful, a world that is tranquil.

It is a different feeling altogether.

We feel a sudden burst of energy entering us, ripping through us, and permeating each and every cell in the body.

This could happen to us while seeing some people.. while reading a book.. while meditating.. while listening to music..

What is it that that gives us such powerful vibrations?
The Subject? Or our reaction?

Now, take this Thyagaraja Krithi. ‘Sujana Jeevana Rama Suguna Bhushana.‘ Bhujaga Bhushanarchita ‘

Don’t we feel the vibrancy of each word even if one does not understand the meaning?

Let us look at the meaning.

Addressing Rama, Thyagaraja says,

‘’O Immaculate Lord! You are the indispensable support of men (“budhajana”) who walk the path of righteousness (“sujana jeevana”)’’

“All virtues adorn you (“arcchita”) like priceless ornaments (“ bhujaga bhushanaa”)”.

We feel the vibrations when the words are properly uttered and rendered well.

It is because of the way the entire song has been conceived and composed.

Now let us look at this verse:

வெள்ளைநுண் மணற்கொண்டு தெருவணிந்து
வெள்வரைப்பதன் முன்னம்துறை படிந்து
முள்லுமில்லாச் சுள்ளி யெரிமடுத்து
முயன்று உன்னை நோற்கின்றேன் காமதேவா!
கள்ளவிழ் பூங்கணை தொடுத்துக் கொண்டு
கடல் வண்ணனென்பதோர் பேரெழுதி
புள்ளினை வாய் பிளந்தான் என்பது
ஓர் இலக்கினில் புக என்னை எய்கிற்றியே.

It means,

“Oh!Kamadeva!ardently do I penance,and beseech you,
Bathing in water courses, in early dawn,
Decorate beautifully, the streets with fine sand-white,
And also offer twigs, sans thorns, in the kindling fire,
Oh!Cupid! Throw me unto Him,
By your flowery arrows with odorous pollen
And nectarine driblets, inscribing Lord’s name
Who in hue like bluish sea
Tore asunder the beak of ‘Baka’ the demon!”.

Thus sang AndaL in her Naachiyaar Thiromozhi.

Consisting of 143 verses, Naachiyaar Thirumozhi -which can also be translated in English as ‘the beautiful sacred utterances of the Lady’ reveals Bridal mysticism in exquisite lyrics.

In the aforementioned verse,, she prays to Manmadha, the God of Love to make Krishna her husband.

Though the entire verse sounds beautiful and vibrant, just look at the two phrases:
Kallavizh poongaNai thoduththu and Pullinai vaai piLanthaan .

Rhyming words Kallavizh and Pullinai sound musical but there is more to it than meets the eye (or is it ears?).

Though Krishna is known by hundreds of names, ANdaaL refers Krishna as the one who killed the Demon who was in the form of a bird.

We all know that the weapon of Manmadha is the flowery arrow. Arrow symbolizes aggression and it is bedecked with flowers that symbolize tenderness.

In a similar vein, Crane is a soft creature but the demon took the form of this bird only to be killed by Krishna.

AandaaL conveys that we mortals have both the qualities in us –good and bad-and once we surrender ourselves to the Lord, we retain only the good.

Thaygarajar and AandaL..

Their works are powerful and give us vibrations because each and every word they use are thought-provoking, meaningful and special..

As a matter of fact, these are people with extra ordinary talent and such things happen to them spontaneously and naturally.

It is not that one has to go back centuries to find such powerful and vibrant works.

One of the greatest film music composers born in Tamizh Nadu is also capable of such magic.

He gave a new identity to Film music in general and Tamizh film music in particular. His music resonates because of the ragas he chooses and the tune he composes. It reverberates because of the talas and the rhythmic patterns he sets. It vibrates because of the way the orchestration is conceived and executed.

On this special day we are going to see a beautiful composition of his.

The song is ‘Maargazhi Maadam mun Pani VeLaiyile’ from the film Panchami.
It is based on Khamas.

Khamas is derived from the 28th Melakarta Harikamboji and its structure is
Sa ma1 ga3 ma1 pa dha2 ni2 Sa/Sa ni2 dha2 pa ma1 ga3 ri2 sa.
There is also a school that uses the bhashanga swara Ni3-the Kaakali nishadam.

Though on paper, Khamas is very close to its parent raga(it misses only the ‘ri’ in the arohanam), the ragam has it unique flavour and beauty.It gives peace and tranquility and at the same time gives energy to be more active.
Khamas has a deceptive simplicity.It sounds so simple but yet it has a lot of intricacies.

There are a lot special prayogas in this raga,'Ganidhanipadhani' 'sagamapadhani', 'dhapamagari' being some of them.
The raga is also widely used in Tamizhisai and is called as Panchchamaram PaN.

Let us now look at the composition.

It starts with a meticulously uplifting musical rhythm. We feel the vibrations. It is intensely vigorous but at the same time stirs our finer instincts. We breathe khamas even before a single swara is played or sung.

There is a pleasant surprise here as the Sitar plays. Sitar is generally considered to be a Hindustani instrument.But here it plays in Carnatic style reflecting the quintessence of the raga.

The violin now enters gracefully with all the ingredients of classicism. The euphonious Jalatarangam moves very subtly with the violin.The Sitar now welcomes the violin and the violin reciprocates.

..And the western instrument wallows in sagaciously.

It is dawn and the month is margazhi.We feel the salubrious and serene atmosphere as the sweet voice of Janaki renders the pallavi. Khamas poetically adorns the charming face of Margazhi.

In the first interlude, the Sitar gives gentle flowery strokes with the vivifying Mridangam responding energetically. The Sitar now continues its regal mien.

The filigree-rich phrases of Jalataranagam and the flute are very interesting with the former spreading enchantment and the latter bringing out the intrinsic beauty. The violin saunters and breathes life showing us the shimmering hues.

At the end of the first interlude, we see a sudden flash of resplendent light.

The CharaNam is well-chiseled.

The first line ‘Malaiyin mugattil oliththa..’ followed by the sangati is couched in a language of virtuosity. We also notice the subtle change in the nadai-that is the gait- in the mridangam here. Fecund imagination!

The second line ‘Malarnatha Thaamarai’ is rich in aesthetic passion.

The voice of T.V.Goplakrishnan joins now taking us to the crux of the raga.

The lines that follow are finely braided with glistening strands.

The raga’s exalted quality comes to the fore in the swara-singing session in the second interlude. The deftly woven swaras show the variegated facets of the raga. It is an enriching musical experience as the fine and delicate cadences are rendered with uncanny precision.

The Raga and the Tala merge into one another subtly leaving us enraptured.

The exotic flute then captures arresting images.

The composition is a glowing edifice..

We see and feel the spontaneity of musical sentiments..

It is still, is rich with musical content and runs deep..

It is a well spring of tranquility..

It is vibrant..

As fresh as the ozone-rich early dawn of Margazhi..

ps:ILaiyaraaja-The Vibrant Musician and the Tamizh version below were written and read exclusively for an invited audience on the 30th of Aug 2009 in Chennai.

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ILaiyaraaja's Music is Universal!

‘Nadaloludai Brahmananda Mandave Manasa..’

‘Sangeetha Sastra Gnaanamu Saaroopya Sowkyathame Manasa’

These are the first lines of two Krithis(in Kalyanavasantham and Mukhari Ragams respectively) of Saint Thyagaraja.

The greatness of a composer is shown by the way he presents his compositions.Thygaraja Krithis are considered unique not just because of the Bhakti Bhava but also because of the Structure of the Krithis, the Versatility, his use of Ragas and most importantly his approach to Music.

So steeped was he in the Ocean called Music that whatever he gave us are all gems precious enough to last nearly two centuries(and I am sure centuries to come).He also had the audacity to compose in very rare ragas like Gurjari, Rasaali, Veera Vasantham,Sudhha Bangala, Navaroj-just to name a few-apart from the heavy and popular Ragas.

In many of his Krithis, one can find his musings about Music and what Music means to him.The Krithis mentioned above are just two examples.He says ‘We achieve the Blissful state by the Resonance of Music and by having Deep Knowledge of Music’ .

I can find lot of similarities between Saint Thyagaraja and ILaiyaraaja.

Raaja’s Music is also unique because of the way he presents them.He is also very versatile and is known for giving very different structures in terms of the Swaras, Ragas and Talas.He has also composed in very rare ragas-Ragas which none of his predecessors dared to try in Films.

Most important- his compositions have also stood the time and I am sure would last generations to come!

The objective of this thread is to bring out the classical elements in Raja's music as already mentioned in the beginning.

But some of you might be wondering if all Film songs are based on Ragas..

And if so what is the difference between a Film song and a typical Classical song(sung in concerts)..

What is it that separates a pure classical song from a film song..

I shall confine my discussions to Raaja's compositions alone.

I have framed some questions and have tried to handle them one by one:

1.How do we confirm that a song is in a particular Raga and as per the Raga Lakshanam?

2.Are songs like ‘Kaatril Enthan Geetham’ and ‘Mandram Vantha’ based on Western Scale Harmonic Minor, or are they based on the Carnatic Ragam Keeravani?

3.Songs like ‘Vaidehi Raman’and ‘VanthaaL Mahalakshmiye’ sound very pure but a song like ‘Gangaikkarai Mannanadi’ does not give that effect.Why?

4.What makes him (Raaja) choose a Raga for a composition?

5.At times he gives a heavy classical dose-for example the Swaras in ‘Indraikku Enintha ‘ and at times he dilutes the classical elements.One version of ‘Chinnakannan Azhaikkiran’ sounds very classical while the female version has dominant use of Western style Orchestration giving us a feel of fusion.

Let us take the questions one by one.

1.Carnatic Music is unique in having the concept of Gamaka.What is a Gamaka?It can be defined as a smooth and a unique way of moving from one note to the other.In simple words, it is a kind of oscillation of a note (or notes).One can see rich Gamakas(depending of course on the Musician) in a Carnatic Music Concert.

But the difference is that while a Carnatic Music Concert lasts a minimum of one hour , a film song lasts a maximum of 5 – 6 min.Within this stipulated time, the composer has to first fulfill the requirement of the situation(in the movie), think whether the Tune and the Music would be accepted by the audience, and convince the Directors/Producers/Distributors/Heroes .

Not an easy task at that!

Given these constraints, Raja has successfully given Classical Ragas, has experimented with Talams and has also used complex concepts like Shruthi Bedam.

He has given many Ragas in their pure form.However, there have also been occasions where the song would not follow the structure of the Raga..

If the composition more or less follows a pattern, then it can be classified under the particular Raga with the same pattern.

2.’Kaatril Enthan Geetham’ is based on pure Keeravani.

I do not see any reason for this being classified under the Western Harmonic Minor Scale just because both use the same notes.One of the major differences between a Scale and a Raga is the Gamaka aspect.

The notes in a Western Scale would sound plain while each note has a meaning and life in Carnatic Music.(By saying this I am in no way trying to make one system superior to the other since I love Western Classical as well).

How can a song that starts with a beautiful Aaalap be classified as a Western Scale?In fact, there is no usage of any alien Swara throughout the composition.

Similarly, the song ‘Keeravani’(Paadum ParavaigaL) has a lot of Gamaka phrases and cannot be classified as Harmonic Minor.The Orchestration is of course Westernised but this aspect is part and parcel of a Raja composition.

'Mandram Vantha Thendralukku'(Mouna Ragam) 'Malargalile Aradhanai’(Karumbu Vil),’Thangachangili’(Thooral Ninnu Pochu) are some of the other examples of pure Keeravani which have Western Orchestration .

But it is also a fact that since the notes of Natabhairavi, Keeravani, and Gowrimanohari make Melodic Minor Descending, Harmonic Minor and Melodic Minor Ascending respectively, Raja has used these in a lot of his compositions.

The basic reason is that Raja understands the World Music very well and is striving to give us -ordinary mortals- the taste of Great Music without any boundaries .Let us see some examples of compositions that can be classified under ‘Western Scale’- though not very strictly ..

’Raja Raja Sozhan’ does follow the pattern of Harmonic Minor and in the Charanam, we find the use the other Ni and the other Dha.This is purely a Western concept of modulation.But a close observation and listening would suggest that the song follows the Indian concept of Raga(Keeravani) as well until this point.

‘Uravenum Puthiya Paathai’ based on Natabhairavi (Melodic Minor) is another excellent composition which sounds a lot like Western but again there are Carnatic concepts like ‘Kaarvai’s as well.

The notes of Shankhrabharanam form the Western Major Scale.So can we say that ‘Poove Ilaya Poove’(Kozhi Koovuthu) or ‘Erikkarai Poongatre’ follow the Major scale?

No.....

But ‘Kanavil Mithakkum’(EeravizhiKaviyangal) is very close to being called a Western composition.I would say this is one of his masterpieces somehow gone unnoticed.The modulation in the Pallavi during phrases ‘Ennathin Inbangale’.. is something out of the world.

‘Naane Naana’(Azhage Unnai Aarathikkiren) is another different composition.It is indeed a pleasant surprise that this is based on Harikambodi, a very classical Raga(Melakartha no.28).

However, this is a composition with pure Western orchestration.The Western style of rendering make it unique.But still, the phrase ‘Mella Mella’ in the Pallavi does use ‘Sangathi’.Yes, a ‘purist’ may not accept this as Harikhambodi since the Gamakas are absent.

This different composition without any scale change-except in two phrases in the Charanam where the other Dha is used – can be called as a different Harikambodi!

I am also reminded of my alltime favourite ‘Engengo Sellum’ where the tune more or less is based on Sudhha Dhanyasi but the Orchestration is purely Western Classical.

3.’Gangai Karai Mannan Adi’ may not give the effect of ‘Thaaye Yesodha’ simply because a Todi cannot be sung in such a fast pace in a Carnatic Concert.However, it was composed this way in keeping with the situation in the movie.

That of course brings us to (4).

4.What makes him choose a particular Raga is a question I think even he might find difficult to answer.

People who have worked with him say that as soon as the situation is explained to him, he starts writing the notes and it flows like a river.

I am not sure if it will be possible for a scientist to record as to what happens in his brain when he writes the notes.

What can one say about this genius?

5.Abhogi in ‘Indraikku En Intha Anandame ‘ sounds pure and the ‘Kalpana Swaras’ have also been used .This could be because the Director was convinced about it .

And ‘Kaalai Nera Poonguyil’ in the same Abhogi sounds so different because the situation would have demanded it.

ReethiGowlai in ‘Chinna Kannan Azhaikkiran’ is pure not just because it was Dr.Balamuralikrishna who rendered it.. It is because of the reason that the ReethiGowlai pattern with the necessary Gamakas and the Prayogas were used.

Janaki version-especially the Orchestration-is different because it is a pathos song.In fact, until 1977, nobody had even tried out this kind of an Orchestration in pure Western Classical style.

I also find that the Carnatic Reethigowlai that sounded so pure in ‘Chinna Kannan’, ‘Thalayai Kuniyum’ and ‘Raman Kathai KeLungaL’ sounds somewhat western in ‘Meetatha Oru Veenai’ despite being set to the five beat Khanta Chapu Talam.

Again ..it is because of the various constraints which we have already seen.

The fact of the matter is ILaiyaraaja is giving us the various facets of World Music in each of his compositions stretching the Boundaries but never crossing the Border(of aesthetics!).

‘ Avar Madai Thiranthu Thaavum Nadhi Alai
Manam Thiranthu Koovum Isaikuyil’

He is like the River in Full Flow ..
His Music is the natural music of the cuckoo..

Laya Raja

Human life is very beautiful.

Though there are things that make us sad or angry, there are enough things in life to keep us happy and cheerful.

Why ‘ enough things’? I can even say ‘there are two things in our life that keep us happy and cheerful.’…Yes.. I am talking about Music and Poetry.

In fact, life, music and poetry are inextricably linked.

Sometime back, I wrote as to how musical our life is. And the Bharathiyar’s poem quoted yesterday talks about the music in nature.

Examples galore and one can go on and on…

But one simple example is the heartbeats. How rhythmic it sounds..And how it changes the pattern depending on our mood.
One pattern when we are angry;
a different pattern when we are tensed;
some other pattern when we are happy;
a very different pattern when we meditate.

There is rhythm in life, poetry in rhythm, life in poetry, rhythm in poetry, , poetry in life, life in rhythm.

Thirumazhisai Aazhwaar ,one of the 12 major Vaishnavite saints who lived in the 7th century composed some wonderful verses called ‘Thiruchanda Viruthham’. Chandam means metre , that is an arrangement of strong and weak stresses in lines of poetry that produces rhythm.

I am quoting one of the verses:

‘You are
The Five Elements, The Four Vedas,
The Three Worlds, The Two Feet,
The Stars and the Moon(combining together to become one),
The Sun and The Moon(giving different characteristics),
Are we even capable enough to think about you?’

பூ நிலாய ஐந்துமாய்ப் புனற்கண் நின்ற நான்குமாய்
தீ நிலாய மூன்றுமாய் சிறந்த கால் இரண்டுமாய்
மீ நிலாயது ஒன்றுமாகி வேறு வேறு தன்மையாய்
தீ நிலாய வண்ணம் நின்னை யார் நினைக்க வல்லரே?

It does talk about the Almighty. But people who are atheists or agnostics can consider this as a poem on nature.

This poem has lot of philosophical connotations and let us not focus on that.But what we must focus on are the metre and the way he has used numbers in the poem.

ILaiyaraaja who invented a new paradigm for cine music has done wonders with the Ragas and Talas. He has given us compositions that are classic in quality and refined in taste.

What we hear as his compositions is nothing but the harmonization of the soul’s inwardness with music.

His phenomenal knowledge and grasp of the finer elements in music make him an extraordinary composer.

We have been seeing his use of ragas(rare and popular), application of concepts like Shruti Bedam and his innovative rhythmic patterns in this thread.

Today , we are going to see a composition that can be called a real wonder.

A wonder not because of the raga but because of the Tala structure.

The composition is ‘Endrendrum Aanandame’ from ‘Kadal MeengaL’.

I am going to take up the rhythmic pattern first and try and explain each pattern phrase by phrase. I am also going to number these patterns and while discussing about the melodic aspect and the orchestration, I shall be mentioning these numbers again for an easy understanding.

I am also not going to say anything about the raga now.

The song is composed in Tisram-that is three beats also called as waltz in Western Music. But the beats follow the chathushram(four beats) pattern in most part of the song.

He has used simple arithmetic and has used aksharas that are multiples of both 3 and 4-that is 12, 24, 36, 48 etc.,

Yes, simple arithmetic indeed!

Easily said than done.
The patterns are mind -boggling.

Another beauty is that the patterns (most of them) are played by the Bass guitar , an instrument supposed to add melody to a song.

Let us now look at the pattern.

1.The song starts with the percussion playing

‘Ta ka Ta ka Ta ka Ta ka Ta ka Ta ka Ta ka Ta ka Ta ka Ta’
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
and this is where the bass guitar starts and plays ‘Ta ka Ta ki Ta’(1 2 3 4 5) completing the 24 beat pattern.

2.The Bass Guitar now follows this pattern:

‘Ta - Ta- Ta- Ta - - Ta Taa - - - - Ta Taa - - - - Ta Taa -‘(24 again but the dashes are places that are left blank and these are called as ‘kaarvais’).
This pattern is played 6 times.

3.The Bass Guitar stops and now the synthesizer plays the 24 beats.

4.The pallavi starts and the bass guitar accompanies the vocals in the following pattern:

‘1 – 3 – 5 – 7 8 9 10 11 –‘.

As mentioned earlier, the ‘- ‘ are the karvais.

5.The first interlude starts with three beats ‘Ta ki ta’ in slower tempo(called as keezhkalam).The beauty is that there is neither percussion nor bass guitar here.
The first Ta ki ta is followed by the mild sound of the drums which plays ‘1 – 3 4 – 6 7 – 9’ in a faster tempo that equals the ‘Ta ki ta ‘.

The second ‘Ta ki ta’ is followed by ‘1- 3 4 5 6 7 - -‘ in drums.

Therefore the total count now is 12 (3 + 3 + 3 + 3).

Let me again tell you that though each of the drum pattern plays 9 beats in the faster mode(mel kaalam), it is taken as 3 counts only in the slower mode (keezhkaalam).

6.The Bass Guitar now plays ‘- - 3 4 5 6’.Then the flute plays without the accompaniment of any percussion or Bass Guitar. This is repeated thrice and then the bass guitar plays the pattern again.

7.Then comes a very unique long bass guitar pattern ‘- - 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18’.

8.It is then ‘1 2 3 4’ nine times with more stress on 1 and 2.

The pattern in Charanam is ‘Ta ka Ta ka Ta ka Ta ka Ta ka Dhi mi’(12 beats).

10.Towards the end , it slows down and it is ‘Ta ki Ta’ 4 times(12 beats).

11.The second interlude starts with the bass guitar pattern ‘Ta ka dhi mi’( 1 2 3 4) with stress on ‘Ta ka’ and this is played 12 times.

12.Now the bass guitar plays ‘Ta - -‘ 4 times.

13.It is ‘Ta ki ta’ 10 times by the bass guitar.

14.Finally it is ‘Ta ka dhi mi ta ka’ ( 1 2 3 4 5 6) 8 times..

Let us now look at the raga .

This is based on Sarasangi-the 27th Melakartha.
The structure is – sa ri2 ga3 ma1 pa dha1 ni3 Sa/Sa ni3 dha1 pa ma1 ga3 ri2 sa.
It is very close to Charukesi and only the variant of ‘ni’ separates the two.

Let us look at the composition in full now. As mentioned earlier, I am giving the s.nos. of the various patterns.

The percussion in the beginning seems like pellets of rain. It is (1) now.The Bass guitar starts playing the notes of Sarasangi with zest(2).

The violin now sounds like the breeze. We then see the droplets of rain furrowing down as the synthesizer plays(3).

The voice of Malaysia Vasudevan creates a mellow ambience and the pallavi moves with melodic grace (4).

The first interlude starts in a quiet and meditative way and even the drums sound so subtle.The violin lends an extra special slant to the experience(5).

The flute is agog with excitement and the bass guitar responds with glee(6).

The Bass Guitar now pummels(7).

The Violin and the bass guitar race and it is like the sun rays on the mist!(8).

The Charanam is delectably designed. The violin piece that appears at the end of each phrase adds punch(9).

After the ‘Isaimazhai pozhinthathu kuyile’phrase, it beautifully slows down and the subtlety of the pattern is amazing!(10).

The second interlude is like a quest and discovery.The Bass Guitar and the Violin play with immaculate sensitivity(11).

It is pause and articulation as the violin picks up momentum while the bass guitar watches it(12).

It is then the harmony of the mind, body and the soul(13).

The flute and the bass guitar meet and it is the coalescing of melody and rhythm(14).

And this is the most defining moment..

Beyond the externalized exposition lies the aesthetics of music.

We get to see the finer facets of this music from a Genius

who is like a veritable ocean..

who upsets stereotypes and controverts assumptions..

who gives us compositions that make us think..

Most importantly he gives us eternal bliss!

என்றென்றும் ஆனந்தமே...

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ILaiyaraaja-The Genius!

The great Tamizh poet Thiruvalluvar said

‘People who have studied and discovered different facets of Nature, enlighten fresh truths and codes not known so far’

கற்றீண்டு மெய்ப்பொருள் கண்டார் தலைப்படுவர்
மற்றீண்டு வாரா நெறி.

It is not just enough to acquire and gain knowledge. What matters is how one applies it.

Illaiyaraaja has studied Music in depth. So have many other composers. But what distinguishes Raja from others is his inclination to experiment and his ability to innovate.

‘Graha Bedam’ as a theoretical concept is known to anybody who learns Carnatic Music but it is the one and only Raja who has used it in Films.

In Carnatic Music Concerts, one gets to hear Ragam Thanam Pallavi . Here the Musician chooses a particular Ragam, elaborates it , sings a small Pallavi(usually in a tough Talam) and then goes on to sing the Pallavi in different Ragas.A knowledgeable and talented Musician applies Shruti Bedam here and changes the Ragas.

Before we move further, let me briefly try and explain the Raga system and the concept of Graha Bedam.


Out of the seven Swaras, Ri, Ga, Ma, Dha, Ni have two basic varaiants(though there are 4 variants , I am mentioning only 2 now so that I sound simple!).With various permutations and combinations of these 5 swaras plus the Sa and Pa , we get 32 complete ragas-Ragas that have all the seven notes in Arohanam(ascent) as well as Avarohanam(descent).

Now, let us take the third variant of Ri,Ga,Dha, Ni(Ma is avoided here and I shall explain this in days to come).Now, with the permutation and combination of each variant , we get 40 complete Ragas.These 40 are called as Vivadhi Ragas.

These 72 Ragas(32+40 =72) are called as the Melakartha or the Mother ragas. Rest of the ragas are derived from these.

For example, Shankarabharanam, Natabhairavi, Keeravani etc.,are Mother Ragas. Mohanam, Sudhha Dhanyasi, Sudhha Saveri, Lalitha are all Janya Ragas(derived ragas).

Please recall that I was mentioning about 4 variants of each of the 5 Swaras. Multiply this and we get 20.Add Sa and Pa to this and we get 22.Thus we have 22 Shrutis in Carnatic Music.

Sa is the basic Swara and all ragams start with this (there are some exceptions and let us not focus on them now).

Now, what happens if we keep the 'Ri' of a particular Ragam as the basic note ?The ragam obviously changes to a totally different one.This is what is called as Shruti Bedam since we are change the Shruti Value.

Let us now see one of Raja's masterpieces where he has applied the concept of Graha bedam wonderfully.

It is ‘Vaidehi Raman’ from Pagal Nilavu,

The composition is based on Kalyani-the 65th Melakartha.Being a Melakartha , it has seven notes.

Ri/ Ga/ Pa/ Dha/ Ni of Kalyani(or for that matter any Ragam) can be taken as the basic swara Sa and each time we get a new raga.Thus we get 5 different Ragas here.This is the theory.

But what amazes me is the way Raja has handled Shruti Bedam in this composition!

Logically, if we apply Graha Bedam to any Melakartha Raga, we get another Melakartha –or a complete Raga.

But in ‘Vaidehi Raman’, we get Pentatonic Ragas(Ragas with 5 notes) like Mohanam, Hamsadhwani, Hindolam, Sudhha Dhanyasi.

How?


But before that let us see the composition very briefly.I am saying very briefly, because my objective now is to expand on his handling of Shrutibedam.

The song starts with the bells and one gets to hear the arohana of Kalyani.The brief Mridangam prelude with a wonderful mathematical pattern straightaway gives the ambience of a Classical Dance performance.

The Pallavi is simple and the first interlude with traditional instruments is attractive.

The second interlude is where we must turn our attention to.The Swara singing phrases start here and the Graha bedam takes place here.

Let us now go back to my earlier statement –

‘ But in ‘Vaidehi Raman’, we get Pentatonic Ragas(Ragas with 5 notes) like Mohanam, Hamsadhwani, Hindolam, Sudhha Dhanyasi.

How?’

The answer is while changing the Shruthi, the Genius uses only some Swaras(and not all the seven swaras!) from the changed Ragam.

Graha Bedam takes place from Ni Sa Ni Ni Sa Sa. That is, Ni is made to act like Sa and what we get is Todi Ragam,the 8th Melakartha.('Gangai Karai Mannanadi' from Varusham 16 is Todi).

This is just an introduction to the beauty which is to follow.

It is like the entrance to a Temple where we have the beautiful RajaGopuram and the huge Dhwajastambham!

He focuses on just 5 notes of Todi-Sa Ga Ma Dha Ni-to give us Hindolam a pentatonic Raga.

From Ni, he shifts his attention to Dha.

If Dha in Kalyani is made as Sa, it becomes Karaharapriya-the 22nd Melakartha- and this is what one would expect the Vocalist to sing when Graha Bedam takes place.

But with a Genius like Raja, we must always expect the unexpected!

He just uses 5 Swaras of Karaharapriya to make it sound like a Pentatonic Ragam Sudhha Dhanyasi.

Then from Dha, he jumps to Ri(again unexpectedly) and uses the five Swaras of Mohanam. Again, logically it should have been HariKambhodi-the 28th Melakartha- but he uses just 5 swaras of that ragam. Coming to think of it, since Mohanam does not have Ma, we can also say that these are the Swaras of Kalyani!

Before Graha Bedam, he uses Sa Ri Ga Pa Ni in some phrases –swaras of Kalyani- no doubt but at the same time Swaras of Hamsadhwani as well!

Kalyani made to look like Hamsadhwani !

What can one say about this Genius!!

Avar Isaikkum Gaanangal Nammai Engengo Azhaithu Chellum Aarohanam…

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