ILaiyaraaja – The Extemporaneous Musician

 

Have you all seen the white clouds in the sky? Have you noticed some beautiful patterns that keep changing now and then, and also reminding us of some figures familiar to us?

Have you seen a flock of birds fly? Have you noticed the different formations?

Have you seen the waves in the sea? Have you noticed the undulating motif?

Have you seen different flowers in a garden? Have you noticed the floral design?

How do these happen? Is it that the clouds think and form patterns? Is it that the birds talk to each other and make the formations? Is it that the waves plan and follow the motif? Is it that the flowers draw a design on a paper and then bloom?

The answer is simple – It just happens. And when it ‘just happens’, it is naturally beautiful. Not just beautiful but meaningful as well.

This applies as much to poetry and music.

That child was just around 3 when it started composing verses. Not just simple verses but ones pregnant with meaning with layers and layers of hidden beauty.

His very first verse was this:

தோடுடைய செவியன் விடை ஏறி ஓர் தூவெண் மதி சூடிக்

காடுடைய சுடலைப் பொடி பூசி என் உள்ளம் கவர் கள்வன்

ஏடுடைய மலரான் முனை நாட்பணிந்து ஏத்த அருள் செய்த

பீடுடைய பிரமாபுரம் மேவிய பெம்மான் இவனன்றே.

 

Rajendra Kumar · Todudaiya Seviyan

This what is its meaning at the surface level:

The One who has an ear stud; The One who rides on a Bull; The One who wears the pure white crescent moon on His head; The One whose body is smeared with the ashes from the crematorium; The One who stole my heart; The One who blessed Brahma- who is seated on a lotus.

Scratch the surface and you will find the layers.

As per Shaiva Siddhanta, there are 5 deeds of Shiva – Creation, Protection, Destruction, Hiding and Blessing.

Here, the first two phrases – Ear stud and the Bull -define the Creation, the second one- Crescent Moon- defines Protection, the third one – Ashes- defines Destruction, the fourth one – stealing the heart – Hiding- and the last one – blessing Brahma – Blessing.

Would that 3-year old child -who went by the name Thirugnanasambhandar- have thought all these before composing? ‘These’ include the description and the inner meaning? Would he have thought that he was giving the ‘Shaiva Siddhanta’ in a capsule form?

Not really.

At the same time, did he not know all these?

Yes, he did. But the difference is – the thought and the output overlapped. In other words – It just happened.

What we are going to see now is another case of things ‘just happening’ and falling in place. In fact, it just not ‘falls into place’ but makes it extraordinary.

‘Unai thedum neram idhu’ from ‘Ponmekalai’(2005) is a composition based on a very classical raga. This raga which goes by the name Naattai, is considered a ghana raga (meaning ‘heavy’). It finds a place in Tamizh paN as Nattapaadai. Note that Tamizh music has been in existence for more than 2,000 years. Most importantly, the verse I quoted sometime ago was also set in this paN (is it a coincidence or did it ‘just happen’?).

Even a causal hearing would suggest that the sequence involves a music teacher and a student. But what is to be noted is something else. Let us go step-by-step.

It starts with an exquisite akaaram (Bombay Jayashri) which impacts our full sensorium. The student (no idea about the name of this singer!) repeats the akaaram. The akaaram continues, touches the higher-octave, and gives a sketch of the ragam in a matter of seconds, giving way to the Pallavi. But there is magic just before this.

Towards the end of the akaaram, the mrudangam starts playing. Before I go further, let me mention certain things briefly.

As is well-known, a composition in general follows a time signature called ‘taaLa’ in the Indian classical system. There are many taaLaas but let me confine myself to this composition and say things that are pertinent to this.

This composition follows the 8-beat taaLa, known as ‘Adi taaLa’. This 8 can be subdivided into many multiples. Here, it is subdivided into 16. This 16 can be played in different ways.

Composers who are different, think differently, a fact known to many. Here, the Master divides that 16 as –

1/ 3/ 3/5/4.

But it does not end there. He gives ‘kaarvai’, which can be called a gap or just ‘silence’.

Therefore, it goes like this-

-/ 1 - - / 1 - - /- 2 3 4 5/ - - - -.

If represented in the language of Carnatic music, it is

(ta)/taangu/taangu/(ta) te e ta a/ (ta ka dhi mi).

The ones in the brackets are the kaaravai(s).

This is just during the akaaram.

The Master that he is, he changes the pattern in the Pallavi:

3/3/2/3/5.

And yes, there is kaarvai here too:
1 - -/ 1 - -/1 -/ 1 - -/ 1 - - - -.

t(aangu)/t(aangu)/dhi -/ta - -/ ta - - - -.

The enticing bass flute and the graceful violin combine together in the first interlude giving a soothing experience. But what adds to the beauty is the mrudangam which follows the first pattern.

The CharaNam follows a normal pattern, playing all the syllables. Suddenly, the pattern shifts to the one in the Pallavi until the swara segment.

The twin-violins move assiduously giving the essence of the raga in the second interlude. Needless to say, the rhythmic pattern is the first pattern.

The different structures in the two charaNams cannot be missed. Nor the fact that it ends with the saahityam and the mrudangam following – ta ka dhi mi/ta ka/ ta ka dhi mi/ta ka/ ta ka dhi mi.

It just happens!

If you do not believe it, ask the One who wears the stud, the moon, sits on the bull, smears the ash on His body and gives His blessings.

If you do not believe in Him, it is perfectly understandable.

Just listen to the song multiple times, and you will agree with me and say ‘Oh, yes! It just happens!!’.

 

 

ILaiyaraaja – The Refulgent Musician

 

What gives us happiness?

What gives us a sense of joy?

What gives us bliss?

I know this is subjective as each one has his/her own list of things, but not many things can equal this.

What is this ‘this’?

It is the sense of gratitude; the sense of being thankful to others and things; the sense of being grateful.

There may be hundred reasons for us to complain. But there are thousand reasons for us to be grateful. When we are thankful for what we have, what we do not have, disappear and become what we have.

Here is an example. The poet says he never had the sense to even worship. His heart was as hard as steel. Yet, he says his heart melted the moment he saw the One which is as sweet as the sugar cane, the One who resides in the place which is surrounded by the bee-humming groves, the place which goes by the name Thiru Arangam. He goes on to say that his eyes rejoice seeing Him and that the bliss can not be described.

 

விரும்பி நின்று ஏத்த மாட்டேன், விதி இலேன் மதி ஒன்று இல்லை

இரும்பு போல் வலிய நெஞ்சம் இறை- இறை உருகும் வண்ணம்

சுரும்பு அமர் சோலை சூழ்ந்த அரங்கமா கோயில் கொண்ட,

கரும்பினைக் கண்டு கொண்டு, என் கண்ணினைக் களிக்குமாறே!

 

If this ThoNdaradippodiyaazhwar finds it difficult to control his extreme amazement, the child prodigy who goes by the name Thirugnasambandhar, goes a step further and says that that ‘gentleman’ whose matted hair has both the river and the crescent moon and who lives in this eternal place called Brahmmapuram, simply stole my heart and I realised it when the beautiful bangles became loose and fell down.

 

நீர் பரந்த நிமிர் புன்சடை மேல் ஓர் நிலா வெண்மதி சூடி

ஏர் பரந்த இன வெள் வரை சோர, என் உள்ளம் கவர் கள்வன்

ஊர் பரந்த “உலகின் முதல் ஆகிய ஓர் ஊர் இது” என்னப்

பேர் பரந்த பிரமாபுரம் மேவிய பெம்மான் இவன் அன்றே.

 

The Lords the two poets address may be different; the wordings may be different; the expression may be different; the mood may be different. But what are common between the two verses are amazement and gratitude.

Amazement gives Gratitude. Gratitude leads to Amazement. And this is a continuous process.

It is an undeniable and ineluctable fact that great music gives us amazement and this in turn leads to gratitude.

Let us take the special song of this special day. When one listens to the composition, one is amazed by the way it sounds. But this is just at the surface level. When one goes deeper, one finds layers after layers and the simple amazement leads to great amazement which leads to the sense of gratitude which in turn gives that bliss.

What is special about ‘NandRi solla veNdum nalla naaLile’ from the movie ‘Chittiraiyil Nila Choru’?

It is based on a raga called Hamsadhwani. Can this fact alone make it special? It is used in its pure and pristine form. So what? Can this make it special?

Rather than answering these directly, let me choose to peel the layers and showcase each layer. Pudding, Eating and Proof. Do I need to say more?

Bubbling with energy and buoyant with joy, two flutes play together. Do they play the same notes? No. Do they play in a similar way? No. Notes from one flute goes in a spiral while the ones from the other flute moves horizontally. If the first mentioned is like a bumble bee, the second mentioned is like a sparrow. If the first one is a trill in western classical music parlance, the second one plays a sustained melody. Even as this is on, the synth guitar sounds the notes of Hamsadhwani with poise and the strings follow with finesse. All these combine together towards the end, to make us visualise a rainbow.

Well, this is just the beginning; that is, surface level.

What then is the next layer?

With the backing of the synth guitar, the female voice renders the Pallavi in Hamsadhwani, a raga with just five swaras- sa ri ga pa ni. We see the different permutations and combinations of this pentatonic raga in the Pallavi itself, which finally ends with the avarohaNa swaras- Sa ni pa/ Sa ni pa.

What is the next layer?

The twin-flute now plays in tandem, defining the two words- soft and supple. The tabla follows. The flutes appear again, but this time playing a different set of notes, that is, different from the previous melody, though both play together. After the sound of the tabla again, the flutes give way to two sets of strings, with one set playing a dominant role and the other set playing second fiddle, literally. With relentless assiduity and incontrovertible melodic power, the guitar continues the interlude backed by synth instruments. The strings and the flute combine again and take us to the CharaNam, not before playing that signature ‘Sa ni pa’.

As if to indicate for the nth time that listening between the lines is always preferable to reading between the lines, the flute appears between the lines rendered by Karthik and Priydarshini in the first segment of the CharaNams. And as if to show that apart from listening between the lines, listening along the lines is good as well, the strings play along the lines in the next segment. The signature ‘Sa ni pa’ appears at the end again even as the percussion takes a break.

Can a pure Carnatic raga have western flavours as well? This indeed is the next layer. The flutes play Hamsadhwani in western classical style with bewitching charm with the cello moving with an unearthly elegance. The strings follow and allure us with their grace and elegance. The guitar plays with sobriety. The strings enter again, but this time blending the East and the West, moving like a clear stream. The notes descend towards the end like the water falls.

Are these the only layers?

Well, we saw only the melodic layers so far. Isn’t it time to see the rhythmic layers?

Before I get into these layers, let me briefly explain the basic rhythmic structures.

Ta ki ta – Three – Tisram.

Ta ka dhi mi – Four – Chatushram.

Ta ka/ ta ki ta – Five – Khandam.

Ta ki ta/ ta ka dhi mi – Seven- Mishram.

Ta ka dhi mi/ Ta ka ta ki ta – Nine – SankeerNam.

The beats in a song are further sub-divided into micro-beats. For example, a composition set in 4-beats or 8-beats can be subdivided into 16 or 32 or even 64 micro-beats.

This song is set in the simple 8-beat aadi taaLam. Generally, composers divide this as just 4 and 4. But not this Master. He has used different combinations in various songs. But what he has done in this composition is something uncommon, something unique and something extraordinary.

He has divided 16 as – 4/3/5/4.

Now, the first half can be called Mishram but it is the reverse of Mishram and is called vilomam- Ta ka dhi mi/ta ki ta instead of ta ki ta/ta ka dhi mi. The second half is SankeerNam but this is again in the reverse pattern. Though there is vilomam in Mishram, there is no vilomam in SankeerNam as far as I know.

This is not the only layer, though.

The prelude has no percussion absolutely. Nor does the Pallavi when the first line is rendered. The magic starts after this.

The pattern – ta ka dhi mi/ ta ki ta/ ta ka ta ki ta/ ta ka dhi mi- is sounded by the percussion. But there is magic here as well. Only the first, third, fifth, eighth, tenth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth and the sixteenth are sounded leaving other beats blank. The blanks are called ‘ kaaravais’ in Carnatic music parlance.

In the first interlude, there is no percussion when the first melody is played. It is only the percussion then and this time it sounds ‘ta ki ta/ ta ka ta ki ta/ ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi’, and not the pattern played in the Pallavi. This happens twice after which the melodic instruments and the percussion join together.

However, when the guitar plays, the percussion sounds ta ka dhi mi four times, another variation.

The CharaNams follow the unique pattern again.

But again, the first part of the second interlude which sees the western contours, has no percussion. The second segment has the percussion but it is again plain ‘ta ka dhi mi’. For a change, it is played by the western percussion and not the Tabla.

The variation in the pattern is not in percussion alone. It is seen in the lines in the CharaNams as well. One sees – Ta ki ta/Ta ki ta/ Ta ki ta/Ta ka dhi mi- in the middle part of the CharaNams.

How many layers did you count?

Well, even I have lost count.

Amazement and Gratitude- Are these Countable or Uncountable?

Ask ThoNdaradippodiyaazhwar.. Ask Gnanasambandhar.. Ask Gnanadesikan..

If none of this is possible, just listen to the song!

PS: This post and the previous one in Tamizh were written exclusively for Geetanjali - 2025 and were read out to an invited audience in Chennai on the 31st of August, 2025.

ILaiyaraaja – The Ageless Musician

 

What makes anything everlasting, perpetual, immortal and even beyond time? Do these have some special powers or have these been granted boons? Or is it that ‘it just happens’ without any reason?

By now many are aware that the Tamizh Changam poetry is more than 2500 years old and yet these are alive and kicking(in the tongues of scholars and in the minds of the literati) despite so many things having changed in two millennium. How and Why?

Allow me to quote a poem from one of these works, before I attempt to answer that question:

 

தொடி நெகிழ்ந்தனவே, தோள் சாயினவே,

விடும் நாண் உண்டோ தோழி விடர் முகைச்

சிலம்புடன் கமழும் அலங்கு குலைக் காந்தள்

நறும் தாது ஊதும் குறுன்சிறைத் தும்பி

பாம்பு உமிழ் மணியின் தோன்றும்

முந்தூர் மேனிய மழைக் கிழவோற்கே.

Raja4376 · Kurunthogai - Recited By Raj

Says she:

My bangles are slipping; My arms are getting leaner by the second.

Do I still have any modesty left(to lose)?

The bees spread the fragrance of the Malabar Blue lilies

That resemble the gems spat by the snake

Oh! My man who rules the mountain surrounded by the thorny bamboo fence.

What does this convey to you? The angst of the girl who pines for his man? Her ecstatic reminiscence on the time spent together? Her helplessness?

Forget all these for the time being and look at the way the poem is structured with focus on simile and contrasts. The little bees and the pollen here indicate the union while the snake and the gems(contrasts) depict the separation.

Bees spread the fragrance. Likewise, her man spread good things about her. Or put simply, fragrance here symbolises Love.

‘Bangles are coming off the hands’ – shows her angst.

‘I have no modesty even to lose’- does this need any elaboration at all?

Coming to think of it, each line is a small poem by itself and doesn’t this explain the reason for its immortality? By the way, this poem written by Aasiriyar PerunkaNNanaar, is part of KuRunthogai, which is part of Ettuththogai which is part Tamizh Changam literature, which, as per history and research dates back to BC 500.

Talking about immortality, this composer’s works too will fall under that category though sceptics would jump and comment that it is too early to say and ask ‘where is 2500 and where is 48’? Though they are partly correct, I have my own reasons for my presumption and the collection of posts here would list out that reasons though not in a specific order. But more than anything else, the fact that the compositions sound fresh even after decades at a time when what is considered a ‘hit’, disappears even before one bats an eyelid, is proof enough to suggest that the presumption might turn out to be a reality.

Today, I am taking up ‘EnnuLLe EnnuLLe’ from VaLLi(1993) as one of the examples. A song well-known to many, it is also packed with intricacies, not known to many.

First and foremost, it would disappoint people who look for ragas in each and every song, it I said that the composition cannot be classified under a particular raga. It just follows the minor scale of Western Classical Music. More on this, in a while.

Secondly, there is not a single percussion instrument in the song throughout the Pallavi, interludes and the CharaNams. There is a rider here. The composition starts with the percussion ruling the roost for 1 minute and 45 seconds, but the moment the melodic instruments start playing, the percussion retires. In fact, this segment (percussion) is not part of the normal audio one gets to listen, though it is part of the OST of the movie.

Let us get going and experience the Laya from the Raaja to start with:

Dheem - - ta/dheem - - ta

ta ki ta ta ki ta dheem -/- ta ka ta ki ta dheem (twice)

Dheem dheem ta -(twicw)/ ta ki ta ta ki ta dheem -/- ta ka ta ki ta dheem

Ta ka dhi mi/ta ka jhanu(8 times)

Dheem dheem ta ka ta ka/ki ta ta ka ta ka ta ri ki ta ta ka

Dheem dheem dheem dheem/ ta ka ta ri ki ta ta ka

Ta ka dhi mi/ta ka jhunu(3 times)/ ta ka dhi taangida ta ka ta ri ki ta ta ka

Ta ka dhi mi/ta ka jhunu/ ta ka dhi taangida ta ka ta ri ki ta ta ka (mel kaalam) – twice

Ta- ta – dheem/ ta ki ta dheem/ta ka dhi mi dheem/ ta dhinginnaththom/ta dhinginnaththom/ta dhinginnaththom

Ta – dhi -/ta taangu/ ta – dhi /ta taangu/ta – dhi/ta taangu

Ta-dhi – ta

Ta- ta – dheem/ ta ki ta dheem/ta ka dhi mi dheem/ ta dhinginnaththom/ta dhinginnaththom/ta dhinginnaththom

Ta – dhi -/ta taangu/ ta – dhi /ta taangu/ta – dhi/ta taangu

Ta-dhi – ta

Ta ka dhi mi/ ta ka jhunu(12 times)

Ta - ki ta ta ka/dhi- ki ta ta ka/ta - ki ta ka/dhi – ki ta ka

Ta - - -/ta - - -.

 

After these labyrinthine alleys, what we see and hear is something totally different.

There are three layers- one with the lead guitar, second with the rhythm guitar and third with the bass guitar. If the third layer shows the first layer in a different form, the second layer just backs the two layers. If you are confused and even bewildered by this line, let me try and explain.

The lead guitar plays a melody (which very soon we learn, is the melody of the Pallavi) in the minor scale. Interpreted in Carnatic language, this is Nata Bhairavi scale, but there is a catch here too. The entire bit eschews the note ‘ni’, the variant of which differentiates this scale with that of the Gowrimanohari scale, with the former being known by the name Diatonic minor and the latter going by the name Melodic minor.

Now, the bass guitar just plays the notes played by the lead guitar in the lower-octave. This is somewhat strange because generally in his compositions, the bass guitar plays a totally different sets of notes either while backing the lead instruments or while playing along with the vocals. Next, the rhythm guitar keeps playing ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi throughout. Hope the layers are understood now.

The chorus joins and hums the melody of the lead guitar even as the instruments continue to play. Can we call this a fourth layer?

More layers are seen in the Pallavi when the lead singer-Swarnalatha- takes over. The chorus sings in a different octave(lower) giving that effect of Harmony. But what is amazing is that the three different guitars continue in the background, albeit in a subdued tone.

Once layered, will it be possible for these to disappear on their own? Surely not especially if the layering is done by a master composer. We have three layers again the first segment of the first interlude. One set of strings is beguiling. The second set is enticing and the third set, soft and supple.

The double bass joins the set now and there is the fourth layer again. The brass flute interjects vivifying the atmosphere and one sees the different dimensions of the minor scale. The strings play sustained melody now and then even as the flute trots up and down assiduously. It is time for harmony again and as the chorus sings in harmony, the rhythm guitar backs it with continuous 1 2 3 4 with grace.

The layering continues in the CharaNams with the alluring flute and the translucent strings charting their own course with unique melodies, playing along and in between, to make it grandiloquent.

As mentioned, the lines in the CharaNams straddle between the Diatonic minor (Nata Bhairavi) and Melodic minor (Gowrimanohari) with the last two lines following the latter and the first two lines following the former.

The strings play a movement twice. Does it sound pensive? Or does it sound mystical?

If this occurrence in the beginning of the second interlude, what follows leaves us spell bound. The strings go in higher-octave; another set just backs it with sustained melody; the double bass plays with a touch of nonchalance; the chorus sings in harmony with the strings in the background; the cello just follows up with a very subtle touch.

We see the light. Is it the Light of Eternity?

 

 

 

ILaiyaraaja – The Enchanter

If I say that human life follows a pattern, that the Universe follows a pattern, I will be stating the obvious.

How important are patterns in life? Doesn’t following a pattern make our life mechanical? Should we have patterns or should we break patterns?

Well, whether one likes or not, it is an undeniable fact that patterns are intrinsic part of the Universe and are inextricably linked to our lives. The sun rising in the east and setting in the west is a pattern. The onset of different seasons is a pattern. Sleeping during the night and getting up in the morning is a pattern. Blinking eyes is a pattern. Breathing is a pattern. Heart beating is a pattern.

While all this is true, it is the propensity to break patterns which gives rise to creativity. If people were happy with the patterns, we would not have seen any invention in this world. So, this takes us back to the questions in the second paragraph. My answer would be- While patterns are an ineluctable part of our life, breaking the patterns and in the process setting new patterns are what we should aim for.
And that is how many creative works were born..

Take Kamban for example. As all of you know, RavaNa’s brother KumbakarNa was known for his sleep. At the same time, he was a great warrior and his services were badly required to fight Rama’s army. How to wake him up was one of the many quandaries of RavaNa. He sends an army of people to carry plungers, sticks, drums and many other tools. His rationale? The sound from all these would wake his younger brother up from the deep slumber. That RavaNa himself was in deep slumber is a different issue.

Such a sequence is not difficult to describe for somebody who goes by the sobriquet ‘Kavi Chakravarti’. He could have simply gone by the usual way of composing a verse using rhyme words and similes. But Kamban being Kamban, he breaks the pattern and sets a new pattern:

உறங்குகின்ற கும்பகர்ண உங்கள் மாய வாழ்வெல்லாம்
இறங்குகின்றது இன்று காண் எழுந்திராய் எழுந்திராய்
கறங்குபோல வில் பிடித்த காலதூதர் கையிலே
உறங்குவாய் உறங்குவாய் இனிக் கிடந்து உறங்குவாய்.

Simply translated, it means ‘Get up you KumbakaraNa. Your game is over. Now you go and sleep in the hands of Yama’s messengers’.
As per Hindu mythology, Yama is the god of death and it is believed that he, along with his messengers, throw a rope around the neck of the person who is destined to die and thus the body dies.

Here, sleep is used as the LCM and this is not something you don’t expect from Kavi Chakravarti. But Geniuses are too dangerous. They will catch you off guard suddenly and without any warning.

Ulakkai is an ethnic tool used to crush solid things. This was one of the major tools used by Ravana’s battalion for waking his younger up. Now, the entire verse is composed in such a way so as to remind one of the ulakkai and its movements.

Listen to my recital here:




Check this out on Chirbit

New pattern breaking the old pattern..

When ILaiyaraaja was explained about a situation where the hero passes through a forest, gets mesmerized by the beauty of nature and sings with spontaneity, he came up with a tune. But being a nature enthusiast and most importantly being a person who loves different patterns and one who enjoys coming up with new patterns thus challenging his creativity, he decided to use just the percussion in the two interludes.
The result?

A composition with patterns not seen in film music before..

‘ILa Nenje Vaa’ from ‘VaNNa VaNNa PookkaL’ (1991) shimmers with percussive patterns showing us the beauty of rhythm and the brilliance of Laya Raaja.

I am going to slightly deviate from my usual way of describing the song in this thread, by writing first about the melodic aspects in the Pallavi and CharaNams and then list out the patterns in the prelude and the interludes to help you appreciate this unique composition in a better way. By the way, I too love breaking patterns!

The composition, based on Suddha Dhanyasi starts with Yesudas rendering the first few phrases. The flute follows him with panache. First time it plays, there is that majestic touch. Second time, there is that elegance and grace. On the whole, it pierces the heart.
The Pallavi in ateeta eduppu-with the song starting before the taaLa cycle, is subtle, soft and playful too with the swaras sa, ga, ma, pa and ni jumping with joy, the kind of joy one sees on a child’s face while playing. The flute too acknowledges this, and spreads joy.
The lines in the CharaNams are finely etched and are inundated with rich, imaginative ideas. The flute follows the vocals after each line. It is mellow. It is zestful. It is lucid. It is sizzling.

And now for the Laya part. The composition is set in Misram , which is 7 beats/cycle(a k a 7/8 in film music parlance). It goes as ta ki ta/ta ka dhi mi- 1 2 3/1 2 3 4. The Maestro has played around this,weaving intricate patterns and conceiving and executing variegated patterns on different percussion instruments. He also changes the kaalam(speed) at times in the first half, at times in the second half, at times in the second part of the second half and so on.

Let us now look at the prelude. The first half of the prelude, which has the vocals and the flute, goes without percussion as if to prepare us for the treat which is to follow.

1. The drums play ta ki ta ta ka/ta ka dhi mi – It is ta ki ta/ta ka dhi mi. However, the last 2 syllables are in mel kaalam (fast speed).

2. It now plays ta - / ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi- with the first 3 subdivided into 6 maatraas –leaving a gap for the second maatra- and the second 4 being subdivided into 8 (4+4).

1. and 2. are repeated twice.

3.dhi taam ta taam/ta - ta ka ta ka ta ka – again 6 and 8 in mel kaalam.

This pattern goes on 8 times. A new percussion enters during the 5th and 6th giving a special effect and this is replaced by a melodic percussion which plays with a stress during the 7th and the 8th.

The Pallavi then starts in ateetam.

The pattern backing the vocals is the same as pattern 1, except for the addition of rhythm guitar.

Interlude 1

4.ta ka dhi mi - -/ ta ta ta – ta ta ta –

5. ta ka dhi mi ta ka/ta ta ta – ta ta ta –

The drums play the first part which is again 3 subdivided into 6 leaving two kaarvais(gaps). Tuned tabla plays 8 maatraas leaving the 4th and the 8th as kaarvais.

The difference between 4. And 5. is that the first part has no kaarvai in the latter..

Now pattern 5 is played 4 times after this.

6. ta ki ta/ta ki ta/ ta – ta -/ - - - -

7.ta ki ta/ta ki ta/ta – ta -/ ta - - - -

Now the Raga Laya Raaja enters the fray with the Tabla Tarang playing in Suddha Dhanyasi, each time playing different sets of swaras.

8. Pattern 5 is repeated twice.

9.ta ka dhi mi ta ka/ta ka dhi mi ta ka dhi mi- twice by Tabla Tarang in pure Suddha Dhanyasi.- Raga Laya Raaja yet again.

Interlude 2

10.ta ta ri ki ta taam/ ta ka ta ka ta ka ta ka

11.ta ka ta ri ki ta taam/ta ka ta ka ta ka ta ka

Again the same division but played differently.

12.ta - - dhi ta -/taa taa dhi taangu( 4 times)
Now, the Pakhawaj and the Jaalra enter giving that classical touch.

13.ta - dhi mi ta - /ta ka dhi mi ta ka dhi mi (twice)- Drums.

14.ta ka dhi mi ta ka/tarikita ta ka tarikita ta ka

Played 4 times but the instrument in the second half alternate..

So, going back to the questions, should one allow patterns to exist or should these be broken?

Enjoy the patterns..and break the patterns. Life will then be full of patterns..




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ILaiyaraaja- The Light- Hearted Musician

While AandaaL is considered to be one of the greatest Tamizh poetesses because of her mastery over the language of tamizh, because of her poetic brilliance and above all due to her eloquence, not many have looked at the sense of humour in her verses. This could be due to various reasons which would include the presence of deep philosophical content in her verses, her spiritual inclination, her devotion, her rather different and unique life- history and most importantly our proclivity to look at Bhakti literature with a tunnel vision.

However, the fact remains that there is enough humour-laced with innocence - in a majority of her 143 verses. As a sample, read her Thiruppaavais from no.6 to no.15 in which she tries to coax her friends to join her in her mission. That ‘coaxing’ is for making them get up from the bed in the chilly mornings of Margazhi and that ‘mission’ is to pray to KrishNa.

Let us look at no.9 as a sample of samples:

தூமணி மாடத்து சுற்றும் விளக்கெரியத்

தூபம் கமழத் துயிலணைமேல் கண்வளரும்

மாமான் மகளே மணிக்கதவம் தாழ் திறவாய்

மாமீர் அவளை எழுப்பீரோ உன் மகள்தான்

ஊமையோ அன்றி செவிடோ அனந்தலோ

ஏமப் பெருந்துயில் மந்திரப் பட்டாளோ

மாமாயன் மாதவன் வைகுந்தன் என்றென்று

நாமம் பலவும் நவின்றேலோர் எம்பாவாய்.

It is a beautiful hall illuminated with lamps glowing all around with incense stick spreading the fragrance. The girl is fast asleep. AaNdaaL and her friends are knocking at the door decorated with the bells. The girl refuses to get up. In fact, she does not move an inch. After making all kinds of noises, AaNdaaL seeks the help of the girl’s mother. ‘Is your daughter dumb? Or is she deaf? Or is she the laziest? Or is it that she is cast by a spell to sleep for eternity?’

Now, look at the sarcasm in each and every line. The first 3 lines talk about the richness and comfort. But it also says, ‘Lights and Sound all around and yet..she is sleeping’. Calling a friend dumb, deaf, indolent and slothful in a normal conversation nowadays is not uncommon. But what sets this verse apart is the suddenness with which these words appear –after describing the house and the surroundings using hyperboles.

And to think that this is a Bhakti poem makes it significantly beautiful.

It also goes to show at least 2 things:

1.Even a serious thing can be said in a lighter vein without in any way diluting the seriousness.

2. We often tend to box people and their works as per our perception, thus missing the wood for the tree.

One of the many false perceptions about ILaiyaraaja is that he is very serious. But contrary to this belief, he has a huge sense of humour which even gets reflected in his works. His background scores in many comedy movies and in comedy scenes in all movies speak volumes of his humorous sense. But the fact that many of his songs too show his propensity for humour may not be known to many.

Today’s song is just one example.

‘VandaaL Mahalakshmiye’ from ‘Uyarndha ULLam’(1985) oozes with humour. What stands out is not just the humour but also the classicism inherent in the composition. It is indeed tough to say if humour runs as the undercurrent in the classical song or that classicism runs as the undercurrent in a humorous song.

One sees a host of multifarious elements in this composition based on KalyaNi in which SPB shows his multi dimensions as a singer yet again.

What strikes us first is not just the absence of a prelude but the presence of the upper ‘Sa’ in the very first phrase, an occurrence which is somewhat uncommon. The second phrase –Mahalakshmiye (Sani riSa nidhaniSa)- itself gives a sketch of KalyaNi even without using the prati madhyama. The two swaras-ri and ni- are the jeevaswaras(ones which give life) to KalyaNi.Is it for no reason that he is called the Isaignani?

There  is one more subtlety in the Pallavi. After SPB renders ‘VandaaL Mahalakshmiye’, he pauseS for half aavarAtna(taaLa cycle) and the mridangam plays ta - - -/ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi/ ta - - - giving kaarvai in the first and the fourth parts with the jaalra playing the last syllable and this pattern is repeated in the next two phrases-EndRum AvaL Aatchiye. He then renders the full line, this time adding ‘en veettil’ between the first two and the last two phrases. In tamizh there is a word called ‘kuRumbu’ which can be loosely translated as ‘mischief’ and isn’t it apparent here?

After a soulful ‘akaaram’ for 2 cycles by SPB, the Veena-VeNu starts painting the canvas with classical KalyaNi in the beginning of the first interlude.It is tender and mellow and is embroidered with simple and yet intricate patterns. The percussion too responds in style and it is a raga-laya delight. What is to be noted is silence of the percussion when the VeeNa-VeNu plays.

The Guitar enters suddenly and tee-hees in KalyaNi. Here too, the suddenness is striking. The Guitar internalises the charms of the raga and externalises it in its unique style with the Bass guitar and the Indian percussion backing it with glee. After exactly 3 aavartanaas in western KalyaNi, the Indian KalyaNi reappears with the VeeNa, Sitar and the VeNu. With smile written on their faces, these seem to tell each other- ‘We have had enough fun.Let us continue later and watch the CharaNam'.

The first half of the CharaNam is dominated yet again by the higher octave swaras(Ri, Ga and Sa) and in a way this is responsible for the mood which is further enhanced by the rendering of SPB. The composer’s grip on Laya is well-known and one gets to witness this again here as the first line of the CharaNam starts after the Samam with the last line ending in the last beat of the taaLa cycle.. The change of gait of the percussion (from the third and the fourth lines), the penultimate line going as ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi/ta ka dhi mi and the last line going as ta dhee ta/ ta dhee ta/ ta dhee ta/ta dhee ta in a very typical classical style are not unexpected from the master of Laya.

But what is unexpected is something in the following CharaNam.

 Before that there is the second interlude where the West and the East meet. First, the Guitar and the Bass guitar sound repetitive notes with the VeeNa giving a very brief repartee. Even as the Guitar brothers continue the same repetitive notes, the VeeNa expands the melody with gentle nobility of involvement. It is an entrancing portrayal of the hidden beauties of KalyaNi in particular and music in general.

The first part of the second CharaNam starts and is totally different from the first CharaNam. The swara ‘ma’pairs with ‘pa’ and ‘ga’ and this janta prayoga shows yet another dimension of the raga. What happens after the first two lines is what makes ‘Ee laya Raaja , a musician par excellence. The lines now are rendered in ‘usi’. Note that I am not talking about the percussion which goes normally. But the vocalist is made to render the lines giving stress in the even syllables. Honestly, I haven’t come across such an innovation even in any classical concert.

After ‘Mayanginen’, the composer and the singer decide to mesmerise us with a claasical swara korvais- an incredible array of swaras.  The group of upper ‘Sa’s following the group of mid-octave ‘sa’s, with the lower octave ‘ni.’ in the ‘sarisani.’ group which follows in the second line, the higher octave group of ‘Ri’ s following the mid-octave ‘ri’s and the ‘pa ma dha ni.’each in a group of  4 first and then in a group of 6 towards the end shows the mischievously beautiful musicality of the composer.

And the ‘mischievous musicality ‘ continues till the last line of the CharaNam where one hears the akaaram which giggles, chortles, sniggers, titters and sneers.

Humour makes a genius, a super genius-whether it is AandaaL or it is ILaiyaraaja.

Does anybody disagree?

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