alapana

[alapana]

The genius of Subramanya Bharathi

(Image courtesy - The Hindu)

Growing up as a student of Tamizh, I was often flummoxed by the complexity of the language. The grammar was elaborate and took forever to figure out. And the classes thrust a ton of material on you. I was blessed to have a fantastic Tamizh teacher, Ms.Kausalya for whom I have the utmost respect even today. She loved the language in a way that was infectious. And she took great interest in her students- as rowdy as they were like me. And over time, she started winning us over on the sheer joy of appreciating the wonders of Tamizh. And no greater was it felt beyond her handling of the epic "Panchali Sabadham".

The brilliant rendition of the episode of the game of dice from Mahabharata where Draupadi (Panchali) is disrobed in the Royal Court and her brothers and her swear revenge by the immortal poet and freedom fighter, Subramanya Bharathi opened the flood gates for me. It made me realize what I had learned by rote but never forced myself to appreciate was a joy to behold. Today, December 11th is Bharathiar's birthday. I wanted to take this brief moment to write a few words about his sheer body of work. It would take a dozen posts to truly cover the breadth of work that Bharathiyaar produced in his short life- from his call for freedom to a remarkable vision of the future to his championing of women's rights and his devotional songs. His command of the language was peerless. Here is a very very small sampling of some of his work in musical form that has inspired me all these years. 

In absolutely no particular order:

1. Velli Panimalai (featured in Kappalottiya Tamizhan):

This song inspires me a lot. Bharathiyaar foresaw a future where communication lines were blurred and global trade was the norm. Today, it is easy for us to take all this for granted. But when it was written, this song was remarkably prescient. In the movie, it features an actor playing Bharathiar and singing the song. On a side note, this movie is truly worth a watch if you have not seen it. 

2. Nalladhor Veenai Seithe (featured in Varumayin Niram Sivappu):

The sheer depth in the words in this song blows me away to this day. It features an introspective and almost frustrated Bharathiyaar. The poet who was known to be a drug addict in his time almost begs Goddess Sakthi for help. Feels at once immediate and earnest. Set to tune by MSV and acted to perfection by KamalHassan and Sridevi in the movie, this song is a keeper.

3. Manadhil Urudhi Vendum (featured in Sindhu Bhairavi):

Bharathiyaar's speciality was words of inspiration. And this song epitomizes that. Set to Thilang ragam by Ilayaraja for the movie Sindhu Bhairavi, this brief song packs a big punch. 

4. Theertha Karaiyinile (featured in Varumayin Niram Sirappu):

Bharathiyaar created an entire category of songs for women- titled "Kannamma" songs. These songs ranging from inspirational to romantic, they captured the writer's emotions at various times in his life with respect to women. This song's lyrics are complex and rich and powerful that you are pressed to hear it over and over again to get the full experience. 

5. Kakkai Siraginile (featured in Ezhavadhu Manidhan):

Yet another genre that Bharathiyaar enlivened was that of devotional music. He focused much of his pieces on his favorite Goddess Shakthi and on Krishna in the form of Nandalala. This song belongs to that category of Nandalala songs. The movie Ezhavadhu Manidhan features some fantastic Bharathiyaar pieces including this one, rendered wonderfully by Yesudas and set to tune by L.Vaidhyanathan. 

6. Sindhu Nadhi (featured in Kai Koduthu Deivam):

There are songs which brilliant as they are, get elevated by an equally fantastic screen performance and delivery. This is one such. A wonderful piece that features a prescient Bharathiyaar ruminating on a free and connected nation that brings people together through trade, music and culture. If only...

7. Aduvome (featured in Naam Iruvar):

D.K.Pattamal had a great run rendering some of Bharathiyaar's classic pieces. One such was this song from Naam Iruvar, "Aduvome". The original piece written by Bharathiyaar on the joy of being independent and free features simple lyrics that talks of a young nation that needs to get to work in becoming truly great. 

8. Aasai Mugham (sung by D.K.Jayaraman):

Romance was one of Bharathiyaar's favorite genres. He wrote lyrics that made that special one, loved and appreciated. One such piece is this gorgeous piece "Aasai Mugham". This version set to Ragam Jyonpuri and sung by the inimitable late D.K.Jayaraman is a sheer joy to listen to. 

9. Chinnanjiru Kiliye (sung by Maharajapuram Santhanam):

Another classic Kannamma piece by Bharathiyaar is Chinnanjiru Kiliye Kannamma. One of the most popular pieces rendered by many classical artists, this song has Bharatiyaar writing to a small child but with words suitable for every adult. This particular Raagamalika version by the late Maharajapuram Santhanam does great justice to the song.

10. Odi vilayadu Pappa (featured in Kappalottiya Thamizhan):

One of the most popular kid songs growing up, this was the song you refered to when you wanted your parents to allow you to play a little more. A great set of instructions to the child and to the parent, this song is why Bharathiyaar is so revered. He knew how to capture the right emotions and thoughts in the simplest and most impactful of words. In an age when most kids are hunched over smart devices, the poet asks kids to just go out and play with other kids. This particular rendition in gorgeous Sahana by TMS for the movie "Kappalottiya Thamizhan" is just the perfect vehicle for such a gorgeous piece.

11: Dhikku Theriyadha Kattil (sung by G.N.Balasubramaniam):

Bharathiyaar's words in this song capture the feelings of a young and newly married girl in search of liberation from harmful distractions. The parallel context is of the poet looking for his own freedom of thought and from his inner demons. This particular rendition by the great GNB is a Ragamaalika which immensely pleases the listener. In this case, me. 

12. Theeradha Vilayattu Pillai (featured in Vedhala Ulagam):

I wanted to reserve something special for the final selection. This song has a special place in my heart. My mother used to be a Bharathnatyam dancer in her younger days and this was one of the songs I have seen her dance. And what a song. It captures everything about Lord Krishna that makes his appealing to one and all. Bharathiyaar teases, tantalizes and delivers in spades with this wonderful piece.  Featuring the voice of the one and only D.K.Pattamal and the wonderful Kamala Lakshman's moves, this song is perfection. Bliss.

I will end this post with three lines that I strive to live to. I have not succeeded yet but someday hope to. To the great poet who has been a source of inspiration to millions, hats off.

Achamillai, achamillai, acham enpathu illaye,

Icckathulorellam yethirthu nindra  pothilum,

Achamillai, achamillai, acham enpathu illaye.

Youtube playlist of songs featured in this post. 

[alapana]

Remembering Manna Dey

Growing up, I was fed a regular dose of old Hindi film music. My late uncle used to live in Delhi. Those were the days when an upstart music company called T-Series led by a daring entrepreneur, the late Gulshan Kumar was challenging established stalwart HMV. T-Series released compilations of old Hindi songs for Rs.18 and completely upset HMV’s applecart. T-Series tapes used to be sold on the streets at Nehru Place. My uncle used to pick up a whole lot of these and send it to us by mail. We listened to them over and over again until the tapes started getting worn out and eventually totally done. One of the artists who I did not get exposed to quite as much then was Manna Dey. 

Years later, as I expanded my horizons listening to Hindi music on TV and with my old music crazy uncles and aunts, Manna Dey saab entered my world. And having missed out on his music all those years, I caught up with his music rapidly and came to admire his remarkable talent. This past week, on Oct 24th, Manna Dey saab passed away leaving us with his rich legacy of music. Here is my humble selection of a very small list of songs that I continue to  listen to this day. This is by no means a representation of his sheer breadth of talent but just a small sampler.

1. Jhanak Jhanak Tori

This song set to tune by Shankar-Jaikishan for the movie "Mere Huzoor" is a good starting point for Manna Da's voice. The song set to the beautiful Raag Darbari Kanada (Darbari) showcases his classical side. 

2. Laaga Chunari mein daag

This song carries some wonderful lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi for the movie "Dil Hi To Hai". Music is by Roshan. Another piece with a strong classical bent and set to Raag Bhairavi, the visuals and Manna da's voice create wonderful symphony that has to truly be experienced. 

3. Ae mere zohra jabeen

This song from Waqt featuring the brilliant Balraj Sahni in a career defining role is remembered by the younger generation courtesy its reprisal in DDLJ by Amrish Puri. The original song is a sheer joy to watch and listen to and Manna Dey brings a playfulness to it that elevates the song to a different level.

4. Yaari hai imaan meri

This next song is an iconic ode to friendship featuring the versatile Pran and a young Amitabh Bachchan from the movie Zanjeer. Kalyanji-Anandji offer a complex tune with varying tempo that Manna Dey does full justice to. 

6. Yeh Dosti

In a remarkable coincidence, Manna Dey and Amitabh Bachchan feature in the other iconic Hindi film music piece on friendship that has withstood the test of time from "Sholay". Kishore da voices for Dharmendra while Manna Dey offers an excellent counter balance for Amitabh Bachchan in this rollicking composition by Rahul Dev Burman.

7. Ae mere pyare watan

So this song is a personal favorite. Everything about this is so rich- the poignant lyrics by Prem Dhawan, the sensitive composition by Salil Chowdhary, spectacular acting by Balraj Sahni and of course the subtle rendition by Manna Dey. Every time I hear this song, it triggers this instinctive response that is indescribable.

8. Poocho Na Kaise

A remarkable composition in Ahir Bhairav that touches like no other. Ashok Kumar emotes to perfection as Manna Dey brings out the depth and pathos in the scene through this composition of Shailendra set to tune by Sachin Dev Burman.

9. Ek Chatur naar

As an excellent counterpoint to the pathos in Poocho na kaise, Manna Dey lets it all go with Kishore Kumar in the laugh riot, Ek Chatur naar from Padosan. Manna Dey offers his voice for Mehmood. The song starts off in classical Kalyani and then devolves into a creative oneupmanship piece in Brindavana Saranga. The singing battle is as awesome to hear as it is to see. 

10/ 11. Dil ka haal / Mud Mud ke

This entry formally kicks off the Raj Kapoor section of this list. Manna Dey gave his voice to some megahits for R.K. This song impresses with its sheer simplicity of composition and rendition. In the movie, it is symbolic of all things simple and pure just as "Mud mud ke" represents all things dark and powerful. Coincidentally, Manna Dey is the voice of simplicity in Dil Ka Haal and the transformed one in Mud Mud ke. And the transformation has to be seen to be believed. 

12. Jahaan main jati hoon

A playful number from Chori Chori featuring Raj Kapoor and Nargis in the background and a set of puppets in the front. In due course, Raj and Nargis become the puppets. Music is by Shankar-Jaikishan and features Manna Dey at his playful best with Lata.

13. Aaja sanam

No old film music collection is complete without a song featuring Raj Kapoor and Nargis. And Chori Chori is up there in the pantheon of musical albums that last a lifetime. Featuring unforgettable music by Shankar-Jaikishan, every song is worth a thousand listens. Here is one such- watch when Manna da first enters the piece with "Bheegi Bheegi raat mein" and you'll fall in love with the piece.

14. Yeh Raat Bheegi Bheegi

This song is from the same movie, Chori Chori as the previous song. I thought hard about which song to finish with. This one was a close second. Lata and Manna Dey take the song to such heights that it deserves multiple hearings.

15.  Pyaar hua

There is Raj Kapoor and then there is Nargis. There is rain (in the sets atleast). That lone umbrella does its job pretty poorly as expected. But there is magic. Shankar-Jaikishan weave a song that represents romance to an entire generation. Indeed, love happened. In my case, with the voice of Manna Dey. 

Manna Da, you will be missed. 

Entire playlist featured on this blog can be found on youtube here. 

[alapana]

An evening with Shankar Tucker and group

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to hear Shankar Tucker and group, live in concert at Chabot College in Hayward, CA. For those who havent heard of Shankar, he is probably the first Internet musician of the Indian music genre. His claim to fame is covers and original compositions made popular on his YouTube channel, ShrutiBox over the past couple of years. Some of them have racked over a million views and going strong. From the response in the sold-out auditorium yesterday, it does seem like his star is on the rise.

The concert's proceeds went to a pioneering charitable organization in the US, Association for India's Development (AID). If you have not heard of them, please check out the stellar work their doing on their official website. 

What follows is not as much a concert review as much as my experiences at the concert. This genre of music is new to me. It is an experimental and occasionally western take on Indian music which stretches the boundaries of what is considered the traditional concepts of raga and tala. Nevertheless, the fundamental elements of any good musical performance namely shruti, voice and overall confidence in execution is worth inspection. So here goes.

The evening started at 6:00 pm but I did not make it to the venue until 20 minutes later. I caught the end of the opening act by local music group, Eastern Brew. Of what I heard, the instruments were great especially the guitar and the group was very much in sync. Hope to hear more of them in the future.

The First Half

Shortly after, Shankar and team took the stage. Shankar started with a clarinet solo which nicely set the stage for the evening. He exuded a calm but definitive command over the instrument and the medium. At once, he was at ease.

Shankar was accompanied by 4 singers- Rohan Kymal, Mugdha Hasabnis, and local Bay Area singers- Iyer Sisters (Vidya and Vandana). T

The first vocal piece was by Mugdha which is from Shankar and her new album. Unfortunately I didnt pick up on the title of the song, just that the repeating words were "Sawan aaya hai". The song was good but it felt as if Mugdha was holding herself back.

The next vocal piece was the popular "Munbe Vaa" piece featuring local talent Iyer Sisters. The song is a cover of a popular A.R.Rahman song from "Sillunu Oru Kadhal" where Shreya Ghoshal did wonders with the original song. The song was well done but I wish there was more to it. It felt clean and executed without the magic of going live. Maybe that was the intention but it felt like opportunity lost with all the talent in place.

This was followed by a nice clarinet solo by Shankar in what felt like Brindavana Saranga to me. Brought his mastery over the instrument to the fore and it was a pleasant experience.

The next vocal piece was another Youtube release "Caught in the Rain", the first by crowd favorite Rohan Kymal. The song is a mellow Hindi-English composition that plays well. Rohan was a tad hesitant to hit the higher notes but showed a lot of promise.

We went into a break after this piece. The first half felt like the singers were still not fully warmed up. They showed a lot of promise but didnt reach the capabilities that their fantastic voices offered them. Hopefully the second half would take care of it.

The Second Half

The first song after the break was another popular Youtube piece and Shankar's first major claim to Youtube fame- "Nee ninaindhal" featuring the Iyer sisters. Set to beautiful Darbari Kanada, the song was well sung and well received. 

The next song-an original composition by Mugdha and Shankar was an ode to the women of India to stay strong and positive after the recent multiple incidences of rape. Mugdha started to flex her vocal chords with this one and it was a joy to hear her this time over. 

Mugdha was finally her true self with the next song- I caught the word "Banjaara" and thought to be the title of the song. She let it go and it was by far her best piece and the best song of the day in my opinion. Her full throated voice reverberated all over the auditorium to great applause.

The next song was probably one of the most anticipated of the evening- Rohan Kymal's Youtube hit, "Ore Piya (rolling in the deep)". Rohan who was relatively mellow in the first half turned things around and was fantastic this time around. It was almost as it Mugdha and Rohan needed the first half to settle down to their true selves.

The next song was a cover of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's song from "Luck by Chance" titled "Sapnon se bhare naina" rendered by Shankar Mahadevan himself. The song set to wonderful Sindhu Bhairavi was sung by Mugdha. The ShrutiBox Youtube cover features Rohini Ravada. Mugdha did good justice to the original.

The Iyer sisters came back in for an original composition celebrating Holi- "Rang Lo". The song featured some nice beats with a distinct folksy nature to it. The song also brought the hardworking organizers for an extemporaneous dance. 

The final piece of the day was something of a mish mash of Indian folksy tunes that had a nice uptempo feel to it. Particularly of interest was the singers (Mugdha, Iyer sisters) segueing to the traditional kummi tune towards the end of the piece. A fitting finish to an interesting musical night. 

I walked away convinced that Shankar was a real talent who brought in some interesting young artists to showcase that their great voices. His understanding of the medium and his audience at such a young age will surely take him places as will it for his singers.

If you liked the concert, here is a link to Shankar's official website and to all his music.

[alapana]

A playlist for August 15th

It is the 15th of August. That day when 66 years ago, India became free from British rule. It has been 13 years since I left India. I miss my country all the time. Every trip I make back home reminds me how much of the country is in me. On days like today, I soak myself with all the music that fits the mood. Today, in keeping with the theme of India's Independence Day, I have been listening to some really fantastic patriotic music. It has been a while since I posted something on this blog. If you are not aware, I recently published a book titled "Mahabharata for Kids"(you can buy it here) and that kept me busy. I have been slowly getting back to my blogging routine. So here goes one on patriotic songs. All the songs are in Hindi- just so you know in advance.

This list is in no particular order. Each song is special. This list can go on and on. Indian film makers have been smart enough to capitalize on the strong feelings that such songs can evoke. I am also sticking purely to film songs. I had once written a post on some excellent patriotic compositions made by Doordarshan for television. You can find that here. This one is all film music.

1. Vande Mataram - Anand Math

Yes, ARR made a version of it that went down very well with the public. But there is something inherently pure about this song. Bankimda's composition is brought to life by Hemant Kumar in his inimitable voice. Pure gold. Here is the alternate version by Lata which is equally brilliant- listen to her take it to brilliant peaks. 

2. Nanha Munna Rahi Hoon - Son of India

This song more than anything else captures the innocence and purity of the freedom struggle. This song brings a lump to my throat everytime I listen to it. I had to dig up the name of the singer- Shanti Mathur but that doesnt take away the joy that it offers to the listener.

3. Chodo Kal ki Baatein- Hum Hindustani

A movie that I have never seen but the song is one that I have heard over and over again. Mukesh does a stellar job on this song. It talks about taking baby steps after Independence. 

4. Aaye mera pyare watan - Kabuliwala

Absolutely brilliant song by Manna Dey from a fantastic movie- Kabuliwala featuring the fantastic Balraj Sahni. There is so much in this song and in the movie that it is worth multiple listens. Another tear jerker song that just echoes long after it is over. 

5. Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna - The Legend of Bhagat Singh

Goosebumps. ARR's music and Sonu Nigam's soulful rendition weave magic here for Raj Kumar Santoshi's hidden gem. The song is just gorgeous. Every word is filled with the spirit of the freedom fight and Bhagat Singh's unique place in the pantheons of Indian history. The entire album is fantastic. One other personal favorite is "Desh mere".

6. Mere desh ki dharti - Upkar

Manoj Kumar made this very jingoistic movie inspired by Lal Bahadur Shastri. But the song in itself conveys the spirit of the rural India. And yes, it got a lot of TV time during Independence Day's past.

7. Yes Desh Hai Veer- Naya Daur

Very similar in tone to Upkar, this movie was all about the farmer and what he meant to the young country. Dilip Kumar emotes to the voice of the fantastic Rafi in a rollickingly fun movie even by today's standards. It is hard to not get a kick out of this song and the movie.

8. Aao Bache Tumhe Sikayen- Jagriti

This is an unheralded gem that was introduced by AIR for me. Hemantda's beautiful and inspiring composition is voiced by Pradeep and is a lesson for kids of today. 

9. Bharat Humko Jaan Se - Roja

The tamizh version from Roja is better IMHO but that doesnt take away from this piece. Hariharan is brilliant as is ARR's composition. Watch it start peacefully and reach a crescendo and the backing vocals for that section. 

10. Yeh Jo Des hai mera - Swades

One of my all time favorites that I saved for the end. SRK delivers a bravura performance, one of the best of his career. Ashutosh Gowarikar weaves a modern tale of patriotism that rings very close to home. And what a composition and vocals by ARR to match the words of Javed Akhtar. I chose the MTV Unplugged version of the song here for two reasons- it elevates the song and the tamil words in the end (at 3:58) give a solid punch. Bravo!. Here is the movie version for those interested. 

A couple of mentions that tie into the theme without explicitly representing it. The fantastic piece from Guddi, Hum Ko Man Ki Shakti dena, gives me strength even today. And then there is the eternally optimistic piece- Hum Honge Kamiyaab that was inspired by the Pete Seeger piece but went on to become a parallel anthem in India. 

We live in a cynical world and corruption is rampant in India. But it should not be forgotten that this country was built on the sacrifices of millions of people in the hope that we will learn to respect and appreciate one another.

Happy Independence Day.

[alapana]

A.R.Rahman's Maryan - Music Review

I finally got a chance to listen to the much anticipated album by A.R.Rahman for the upcoming movie "Maryan". Maryan is Bharat Bala's (of Vande Mataram fame) first full length feature. I have high expectations from the album given that the ARR-BB combo has made glorious music and visuals in the past. The trailer for Maryan shows a lot of promise. Here is my review of the album after a couple of listens. ARR purists note- I have not given it the AML (ARR Minimum Listen) of 5 times. If my opinion changes, I will update my post. With that said, here we go.

Nenje Ezhu:

The album starts with Nenje Ezhu, a rousing motivational track by ARR himself. ARR's voice by no means is perfect but when it comes to rousing and impactful  pieces that propel a movie forward, ARR's voice is unparalleled. "Dil Se Re" from Dil Se,  "Vellai Pookal" from Kannathil Muthamittal, "Jana Gana Mana" from Aayidha Ezhuthu, "Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera" from Swades, "Jaage Hain" from Guru, "Khwaja mera" from Jodhaa-Akbar and many more stand testament to the uniquely powerful nature of ARR's voice. "Nenju Ezhu" fits that billing. The instrumentation is operatic at times and when it rises to a crescendo, ARR does full justice with his raw vocals. Great song.

Enge Pona Raasa:

The second song from the album is "Enge Pona Raasa". This is sung by "Nejukkule" fame Shakthisree Gopalan. The song talks of a woman waiting for her loved one. The guitar strumming in this song is very well done as is the mellow humming-like take by Shakthisree Gopalan. The song is pretty short and is hummable without many ups and downs. Good song but Nenjukkule was better.

I Love my Africa:

This is a very reggae/Afro-beat themed piece from ARR and Blazee. The beats are pretty engaging and addictive. There is a distinct local rhythm feel to it. The kids (Madras Youth Choir) vocals in the background and Blazee and ARR in the foreground and some African local artists contributing with their ramblings all make for a fun piece. 

Innum Konjam Neram:

Starts very much like "Nenjukkule". There is a very Kadal-ish feel to the start of this song. Coming soon in the heels of Kadal, that feels a tad disappointing from ARR. I am sure they were composed at different points in time. Nevertheless. The song itself is different but the instrumentation very much feels like a melange of Kadal songs. Deja vu` for sure. Vijay Prakash and Swetha Menon sound great and their delivery on this song is very tantalizing. This is a nice melodious number without anything spectacular about it.

Netru Aval:

This song starts with some tepid lyrics - "Netru aval irundal. Naan avalodu irundhen". Suffice to say this could have been conveyed better. The song aims for very simple lyrics but it is almost too simple that it comes across as hastily written. It also feels awkward at times. Coming from Vaali, this is disappointing. Vijay Prakash and Chinmayi do the vocal honors. Vijay does a good job with the words he has been given especially when he elevates the tempo with the "Agayathin..." section. Chinmayi has quite a bit of vocal support for the first part of the song and wherever she sings, her voice shines. Overall, the lyrics make it not too exciting.

Sonapareeya:

Questionable lyrics plague this song's start. I am sure "Sonapareeya" has context within the movie and in the song. It feels like an item like song - sonapareeya directly translated means gold angel. The song is interesting in terms of arrangement, voices and packaging. I could see this becoming popular. Some of the voices identified in the album for this song are Javed Ali, Haricharan and Nakash Aziz. I found it interesting but not captivating. 

Kadal Raasa Naan:

This song is an interesting collaboration between A.R.Rahman and Yuvan Shankar Raja. Yuvan does the vocal honors for this song. I really liked the music composition here. Very addictive beats. Yuvan belts it lustily and his voice actually suits the piece. Just one exception. His pronunciation mars what is otherwise a fun song. It is jarring because if the voice is supposed to represent a rustic fisherman in the movie, the pronunciation is pretty bad. I am liking this piece very much. If only...

Overall album:

I would rate this a notch below Kadal in terms of overall music quality. It is still a good album- significantly better than most albums out there. But it could have been greater if some small things had been worked on. I found the lyrics a tad lacking in half the album. A bunch of lyricists contribute their words for the movie. Not much stood out. Some of them felt awkward.  The movie's exotic locales and brilliant creative vision from Bharat Bala should ensure that the songs look great on screen. And to that effect, ARR's music complements the movie. Time will tell how the movie and the album fare. But as a standalone piece, Maryan is not among ARR's best works.

[alapana]

The voices of devotion - Part 1

I recently started a Facebook group dedicated to Tamizh Isai (tamil music) where members post interesting Tamil songs based on a specific theme every day. A few weeks ago, the theme was devotional music. That got me thinking. Some voices and artists are just brilliant as devotional singers. It is almost as if they were placed in this Earth to eloquently deliver God's music. A few of these are equally adept at Carnatic music. Others not so much. But the thread that connects them is the sheer devotion their voices inspire in listeners. Here is the first of a two part series that looks at the small list of such artists with a sampling of their music. This is by no means a comprehensive list nor is it objective. If you the reader feels that more artists need to be featured here, feel free to drop me a line and I will do my best to profile them too. Music by nature is subjective and a topic like this is even more so. With that minor caveat, here we go.

M.S.Subbulakshmi:

Any devotional list has to start with MS amma. Many of us woke up to her Venkatesa Suprabhatam or Vishnu Sahasranamam and heard Bhaja Govindam following one or both of them. It was the staple morning piece in most houses in our neighborhood. If someone kept track of how many tapes of the Sahasranamam and Suprabhatam were sold, I am sure it would warrant a place in the record books. Many artists have tried to release tapes of  the aforementioned shlokas but M.S.S voice is the only one lodged firmly in our brains.

When it came to Bhajans, M.S amma was extraordinary. There are innumerable bhajan pieces - compositions of Tulsidas, Meera, and many others where her utter devotion elevated the listener's experience. Some of the pieces that come to mind are Sri Rangapura Vihara in Brindavana Saranga, Annamacharya's Dolayam and Srimannarayana, Meera Bai's Giridhara Gopala in Mohanam, Meera Bai's  More To Giridhara in Behaag, the spectacular Hari Tum Haro composed by Meera in Darbari Kanada, Rajaji's tamil composition Kurai Ondrum Illai, Tulsi Das's Shri Ramachandra Kripalu in Sindhu Bhairavi and Shri Kanchi Periyavar's Maitreem Bhajata. There are countless others but this small list gives you an idea of the breadth of composers M.S amma covered.

M.L.Vasanthakumari

It would be unfair to compare MLV with MSS and there is a good reason for it. They were both incomparable peers who pioneered the way for classical music singing by women in the mid 20th century along with D.K.Pattammal. It can be argued that MLV had a wider carnatic repertoire compared to MSS amma but that doesnt take away the fact that MLV also did wonders with some devotional pieces. On top of that list is MLV's definitive rendition of Sri Andal's Thiruppavai. There is a Thiruppavai version by everybody today but none so that matches MLV's version. Ariyakudi's version is more elaborate and is less devotional and more carnatic music. MLV makes it more accessible to the common man and it is a joy to hear. It is my go-to version every Margazhi. Listen to the entire album here. 

She also had a wide repertoire of Purandaradasar Krithis and some of them standout for the depth and devotion they offer. Here is MLV singing the Dasar krithi "Venkatachala Nilayam" in Sindhu Bhairavi. Here is MLV using the same wondrous Sindhu Bhairavi on a Swathi Thirunal composition, "Vishweshwar Darshan Kar". 

Here is a song on Murugan in Behag that a much older MLV sings with a young Sudha. And then there were the movies. MLV was the voice du jour for all the wonderful dance pieces in old tamil movies. They were steeped in Carnatic ethos with the lyrics praising the glory of the Gods. 

K.J.Yesudas:

K.J.Yesudas is best known for his contributions to Malayalam and Tamil cinema but his devotional songs should very much be a part of any conversation of great devotional singers. While he made his chops with Hindu and Christian religious music, his collection for Lord Ayyappa are quite special. And it all starts with "Harivarasanam".

Harivarasanam is probably the most heard and most loved Ayyappan song and Yesudas's voice is inextricably linked to it. I have heard a few other versions of the song but nothing comes even close. Here is another piece from the 1972 movie Chembaruthi - Saranamayyappa worth a good listen. Yesudas has sung a lot of Lord Ayyappa's songs over the years and I remember hearing them every November and December as friends prepared to go to Sabarimala. The devotional fervor whipped up in the evenings at Ayyappan Puja Sangham in Coimbatore is something I will remember all my life. 

Outside of Ayyappan songs, KJY did very well with popular devotional songs in Sanskrit, Tamil and Malayalam. Here is a beautiful rendition of Venkata Kavi's "Swagatham Krishna". Youtube offers very many devotional songs of Yesudas that have moved devotees over the decades.

Mohd. Rafi

Here is my outside pick for voices of devotion. If you are a fan of Rafi saab, you know why he is here. We live in a world torn by religious conflict. But music has no barriers, no boundaries. A.R.Rahman is an excellent example of that. ARR has composed some wonderful Bhajans in the last few years. But Rafi saab was the first in that list to make music universal. And his bhajans are a testimony. Here is my small pick of Rafi songs that deliver a devotional punch unlike any other. 

1. Man Tarpat Hari dhar - Baiju Bawra. This song will move you. You have my word for it. The Malkauns/Hindolam is gorgeous and Rafi's voice just wafts like a breeze at the temple. I am transported. Simple as that. And if you wanted more secularism in music- this gorgeous Hari bhajan was written by Shakeel Badayuni and set to tune by Naushad saab. 

2. O Duniya ke Rakhwale - Baiju Bawra. Another classic piece composed by Naushad for the same movie and Rafi saab makes you feel every word of it. The Darbari Kanada is phenomenal and the song makes a strong impact.

3. Madhuban mein radhika - Kohinoor. What a song. The listener is transported to Brindavan on Rafi saab's voice, Naushad saab's tune and the wonderful lyrics of Shakeel saab. The song is set in Hameer and how lovely it sounds 53 years later. 

4. Badi der bhai nanda lala- Khandaan. Rafi saab does this Krishna bhajan beautifully.

5. Mujhe Apni Sharan - Tulsidas. Rafi again does a wonderful rendering of this Ram bhajan set to tune by Chandragupt. 

I have a different set of artists lined up for the next part of this musical journey on the voices that inspire devotion in us. Until then, enjoy the wonderful songs in this post and here is the public Youtube playlist with most of the songs. 

[alapana]

A Balamurali Krishna concert through the eyes of a five year old

This post is not a review of a Sri. Balamurali Krishna concert at ICC, Milpitas, CA on April 13, 2013. It was an enjoyable 3 hours for us but I wanted to do this post differently. This concert happened to be the first Carnatic concert that my five year old son fully sat through. I wanted to frame his experience through this blog post. The rest of this post is my attempt at capturing my son’s thoughts, words and reaction to the whole concert.

Let me introduce myself

I am V, a five year old boy living in San Jose, CA. My parents and grand parents love music and they tell me I have been listening to it since I was in my mom’s tummy. How can I listen when I am in my mom’s tummy?. Dad’s kidding, right?. Anyway, appa makes me listen to carnatic music and Ummachi music every morning on the way to school. One day, he made me listen to this song “Ramachandraya Janaka” by this mama called Balamurali Krishna. I loved this song so much I made appa play the song every morning. I listened to it this morning also.

A few weeks ago, amma told me that Balamurali Krishna mama was going to give something called a “concert” and we were going to go. I was so excited. But two days later, appa told me, Balamurali mama was sick and could not come. I was so sad. Last week, appa told me Balamurali mama went to the doctor, got medicine and was feeling better and was coming to give the concert. I was excited again.

The concert

It was a Saturday morning. I woke up late and didnt feel like brushing my teeth. Amma told me, if I didnt brush my teeth I couldnt go to the concert. The concert- I forgot all about it. I got ready and was waiting for 6:30 to arrive. I kept asking amma, “Is it 6:30 yet?.”. Amma said, soon.

Evening finally arrived and we left home for the concert. We parked the car and entered this nice building. There was a big room and there were lots of people coming in and sitting. We took our seat in the back and waited. Soon, Balamurali mama came in. It was so cool. Appa lifted me and showed me. He looked old, had a flat head- not round and was wearing a glittery dress.

The songs

The concert started with a song called “Naadha tanumanisam”. It was short and fun. I liked it. Appa told me that Balamurali mama sang it differently than others. I havent heard the song before so how would I know?. Silly appa.

Next he sang a song called “Omkara Pranava” in a ragam appa called Shanmugha Priya. Appa told me that Balamurali mama wrong the song himself. Wow!. I thought he only sangs songs. I didnt know he wrote them too. Cool! The third song was called “Sri Ramam Sada Bhajegam” and that was also written by Balamurali mama. It was in a ragam called Tanarupi that Appa said he had never heard before. Never ever. Really!.

Then Balamurali mama started singing this song Appa called “Nannupalimpa”. Appa said this song was in the same ragam Mohanam as a song he always sings to me- “Ninnukori”. The ragam was fun but Balamurali mama kept on singing it for a long time. I was starting to get bored. Amma gave me my animals book and I started looking at all the little animals. The song kept on going for so much time. I wanted to go peepee. Appa took me out and I said I need a break. Appa got me a samosa in the hall outside- it was so spicy but I ate the outer part of the samosa and appa ate what was inside. After some time, we went inside and the song was over. So long!

A break and after

Everyone took a break after that long song. Amma and Appa had a chai and they didnt give me any. Unfair!. We went in and waited for Balamurali mama to come in. When they came in, I saw him up close. That was awesome. I told amma all about it.

Balamurali mama sang a song called “Hanuma Anuma” that he had written himself. He then sang a song called “Mamava Pattabhi” in Ragam Manirang- it was a nice song. Appa was very excited to hear it- he said that thatha sang the song as did all of thatha’s sisters. The next song was called “Ramudu” in Shankarabharanam. Appa said he was hearing that song for the first time. The next song was called “Pibhare Raamarasam”. I think a lot of people knew the song they were so happy when he started singing it.

After that, he picked a song I knew - “Seetha Kalyana”. Appa and Amma tell me that I used to hear this a lot when I was a teeny tiny kid. It was very nicely sung by Balamurali mama. I liked it a lot. Appa and Amma also liked it a lot.

The kids around me were all sleeping or playing “Angry Birds” on their parents phones. I asked Appa for his phone. He said no games. Only drawing. So I started doing some drawing. The next song was something Appa didnt know called “Rama Rama Janardhana” that was written by Balamurali mama’s grandfather.

Appa said the concert was going to end soon. The next song was a really fast one Appa called “Thillana” in the Ragam Brindavani. It was very fast and Balamurali mama sang it quickly. It was like an express train. So fast.

I was putting my shoes on to get ready to leave- then I heard my favorite song- “Ramachandraya”. I was thrilled. Appa told Amma I was speechless because it was so exciting for me. I started singing the song along with Balamurali mama. Everyone was clapping with the tune. It was so awesome. I was smiling so much.

The end

Appa was talking to Amma in the car about the concert. They said his voice was still so fantastic at this age. He forgot some words in the middle but his voice was still the same after all these years, said Appa.

I had a lot of fun at the concert. Appa asked me if it was ok, good, great or awesome. I said “Awesome!”. I want to go for another Balamurali Krishna concert soon. Appa said he will take me.

[alapana]

The wondrous notes of Raga Nilambari for your nap time listening

In my day to day existence, if there is one thing that offers support and peace, strength and motivation, and pretty much everything in between, it is music. Music has this tremendous power to move. It also has the power to gently ease you into a long and pleasant sleep. 

Growing up, my dad used to play some wonderful music as we drifted off to sleep. It was to the tunes of Rafi and Kishoreda or the gentle violins of T.N.Krishnan and Lalgudi Jayaraman. Often times, it was the sonorous voice of Maharajapuram Santhanam or D.K.Jayaraman. These artists had the ability to move you and give you the feeling of peace and quite, soon to be followed by a gentle nap. Carnatic music, it is said has a tune for everything. And for sleep, there is the gorgeous ragam, Nilambhari. It is the de facto ragam for lullabies, otherwise called "thalaattu" in Tamizh. 

In this post, I am doing the simple job of compiling a Nilambari playlist for everyone to enjoy. Spotify offers an incredible Nilambari selection but that is unfortunately behind a specific subscription service. I did not find Youtube suitably equipped to the task and have used MusicIndiaOnline for this collection.

I start off this playlist with the gorgeous strings of T.N.Krishnan, playing the Narayana Theerthar piece, Maadhava Mamava. The lyrics of the song are here. A different version of the song sung by the brilliant M.L.Vasanthakumari and accompanied by a young Sudha Raghunathan is available here. It is almost TNK's violin and the piece were made for each other. 

The second piece is a Oothukadu Venkatasubbaiyer song "Mani nuupura". Aruna Sairam does a good version of this song here. She gives it her own stamp and makes it a sweet lullaby that almost excites at times than offer the feeling of a "thaalattu". 

The third song I want to offer in this selection is the very soft "Amba Nilambari" by Ponnaiyah Pillai. Smt. R.Vedavalli does a very beautiful version of this song here. This one is a define night time rendition. Very soft and does full justice to the ragam. The talented Sikkil Gurucharan also does a great version of this song here. 

The fourth song I want to present is a Thyagaraja masterpiece, "Laali Yugave". A beautiful song, a version of which sung by Maharajapuram Santhanam (there is more from him in this post) is here. 

Thyagaraja strikes again with a gorgeous piece, "Ennaga Manasuku". I didnt truly learn to appreciate this song until I read the lyrics translation. And then you realise the true beauty of Thyagaraja's words. There is a good version here by Bombay Jayashri but its one upped by a devotional rendition by M.S amma. O.S.Arun does a pretty good version here  but the most interesting version is a duet by the legend, Semmangudi and M.S. amma. 

Some time back, Bombay Jayashri made an album titled "Vatsalyam" featuring carnatic lullabies. I found some songs in that album very interesting and well done. Others were decent. You can hear the whole album here. A couple of other songs I have liked in this ragam are "Mannupugazh Kosalai" - a wonderfully written piece by Kulasekara Azhwar and the Malayalam piece "Omana Thingal" by Iraiyamman Thampi. A shaky camera version of "Mannupugazh" by the maverick geniusT.N. Seshagopalan is here and the one by Bombay Jayashri featured in Vatsalyam is here. 

The next song is a personal favorite- "Uyyala Luga" written and composed again by the master himself, Thyagaraja. I was able to find multiple versions of this song- O.S.Arun offers a good version here; Sanjay does good justice to the piece here; a subtle version by the otherwise buoyant Kadri; and then there is this fantastic version by U.Srinivas playing his wonderful mandolin.  Again, it is as if the instrument and the raaga were made for each other. One version of this song that took a while to find is also one of the better ones that I probably have listened to in concert more than any other, the one by late Maharajapuram Santhanam. Maharajapuram Santhanam's concerts were very repetitive and he visited Coimbatore every year, sometimes multiple times. And he always sang either "Uyyala" or the next song featured in this post. And he never failed to enthrall. 

The final piece of this collection was one also made very popular by the late Maharajapuram Santhanam - "Thalaattu padum" by Krishnadasan. His voice was well suited for pieces like these and he made you experience the wonderful ragam like none other. I have drifted off so many times on this rendition unlike any other. Maybe it is the singer, maybe it is the fact that the lyrics are simple and easy to grasp or maybe just the magic of the ragam. It just works.

Without any further words, I will let you drift off to the gentle tunes of Nilambari. Good night. 

[alapana]

Ilayaraja concert in Bay Area- A review

I wrote a 7 page (yep, no less and definitely longer than what got published here) review of the concert with the sequential listing of all 37 pieces featured. And then, as I was getting out of the place, I lost my notebook somewhere. The concert is still alive in my head. So at 1 in the night, I am typing away everything I remember. I am trying to crowdsource whatever song I dont remember to get a more complete listing for the reader. If you know of a song I missed in this review, please feel free to add it in the comments section. So onto the review.

My wonderfully understanding wife agreed to my D-day wish of going to the Raaja concert. I had decided not to go but I saw Facebook status updates of everyone who was going and was green with envy...So 6 hours before the show, I rushed to the box office to pick up tickets. I had heard stories of a really late start in Toronto and NJ and was expecting the worst. Thankfully, we got a 7:30 start as advertised. Due to my missing notes, the review is not going to be in order. Rather, it is my thoughts from hearing the various pieces in the show.

Raaja started the event with his wonderful hymn like song from "Thai Mookambikai"- the evergreen Janani Janani. I was surprised that the Maestro was able to hit all the right notes with the song without any pisiral. Commendable indeed. 

Hariharan

Hariharan was very present during the first half of the show but pretty much completely out of the second half. Of the songs he sang, the Kadhalukku Mariyadhai piece, "Ennai thalatta varuvaalo" was a standout. The song has special significance to me as I had just met my now wife in college. So I was thrilled to hear it on stage by Hariharan. It was preceded by the Bavatharini version of the song -"Idhu Sangeetha thirunalo" which was OK. Bava does not have a strong voice to deliver on stage. Her voice with the right embellishments is OK for background vocals for specific actresses but on stage sounded weak. Hariharan also sang the Raaja composed Jayachandran sung classic "Maanjolai Kilidhano". For such a complex piece, Hari did pretty decently. 

Yuvan and Karthik

There were three Kamal Hassan pieces sung by Kamal in the movie but voiced by Yuvan Shankar Raja in the concert. Color me very disappointed. Yuvan as a music director has done some good work. I have all respect for him. But as a singer, he is suited for very niche songs and Kamal's songs are not the right ones for him. In the great "Sigappu Rojakkal" song "Ninaivo oru paravai", much of the words were not heard. Yuvan's voice was definitely not doing the trick for me. He also sang "Raaja kaiya vecha" from "Apoorva Sagotharargal" that lacked the punch. Thankfully for the third Kamal piece, "Pottu vaitha kadhal thittam" from "Singaravelan", he was awesomely supported by Karthik and some great accompanying percussion. It ended up being very popular with the audience. 

Speaking of Karthik, I have heard very little of his songs since I have tuned out tamil film music for the most part of the last decade. He sang about 4 songs today- the first was from Naan Kadavul, the "Om Shivoham" piece. The backing vocals and orchestra did a great job with this song. Karthik also did a wonderful job on the "Pottu Vaitha Kadhal thittam" piece. He also sang a more recent song with Bavadharini from Azhagi- "Oliyile Therivadhu". They did a good job on that one.

Mano

I was expecting more pieces from Mano, specifically the brilliant "Nee oru kadhal sangeetham" from Nayakan. Instead we got a melange of songs- many of them telugu. The one standout tamil piece from Mano was the mega hit "Shenbagame" from Enga Ooru Pattukaran. 

The Maestro's voice

Raaja himself delivered a few pieces and I was extremely thrilled to see that the rawness of his voice had not lost its sheen. Age does things to great voices. Not this one. His much expected, "Sorgame Endralum" sung alongside the awesome Chitra was great. The two improvised on the lyrics to play to the audience but the gist of the song was all there. Probably the most popular tamil song amongst NRI audiences, it connected instantly. He also delivered in spades with "Naan thedum sevvanthi poo" from "Dharma Pathini". Just two days ago, I had speculated and wished that this song would be featured and I was thrilled to say the least. 

The brilliant Chitra

I am officially out of praise words for the sheer joy and awesomeness that is Isaikuyil Chitra. The lady is sheer talent and a joy to watch performing her art to utter perfection. I had raved about her from her concert late last year with SPB and this time again, she was outstanding. Be it Ninnukori Varanam which I dedicated a post to sometime ago or "Thamthana thamthana" or working with Raaja on the perennial favorite "Sorgame Endralum" or subbing for S.Janaki in "Sundari Kannal" and the spectacular "Oh Priya Priya" with SPB, she was brilliant. 

SPB, the genius

What can I say about SPB that hasn't already been said. I was thrilled to meet him last fall during his concert with Chitra. He had enthralled the audience that evening.  The man can sing anything and everything and to perfection. In an era when singers are so restricted in terms of what they can do and how long they survive in the industry, SPB is a testament to longevity and sheer talent. He easily delivered the most songs of the evening and transported the audience to a different era. Be it the thrilling "Thakita Thathimi" or the gorgeous rendition of "Oh Priya Priya" he was just brilliant. 

SPB also made up much of the casual and the interesting banters of the evening with Ilayaraja. The two had nuggets of nostalgia to offer to the audience that was priceless. Their collaboration and working styles were very much to the fore and it was a joy to watch. Towards the end of the concert, the two worked on a couple of pieces from Nayakan that was just a sheer bliss to watch. SPB sang quite a few pieces like "Idhazhil Kadhai", "Keeravani", "Ilamayennum Poongatru" , "Maasi Masam", "Naanaga naal illai", "Mounamana neram" and of course, "Sundari Kannal". More on the last one later. 

The Orchestra and Backing vocals

For the first time in my life, I had the experience of seeing and hearing to such a large orchestra as the one that came for this concert. Ilayaraja is renowned for using large orchestras for his melodies and he brought a big one to this concert and what an effect they had. They were the life thread for the concert supporting the vocals extremely well and standing out when needed. The flute by renowned Raaja mainstay Arunmizhi was outstanding and the violin crew was spectacular.

The backing and occasionally supporting vocal team was also very good. Their attempt at doing an entire song- vocals and instrumental all with their voice was very nice. A great support team that went well above their roles and delivered a great performance. 

A responsive audience

Sometime during the concert, the audience started asking for their choice songs. This didnt go down very well with Ilayaraja who delivered a 5 minute long sermon on Indian culture and values and how that doesnt include shouting and whistling and the works. Here is my take on the whole deal. Some musicians dont take well to audience distractions but in the same token appreciate the audience lustily cheering their best pieces. You cant have it both ways. A good audience can and will get boisterous. I thought the audience was extremely polite, decent and engaged. So Ilayaraja definitely over reacted. In the same token, it takes a certain ego to power a genius. And the offset of such an ego is these sermons. I'd not make a big deal of it one way or the other.

Volume Issues

One gripe of mine which was very evident towards the early part of the concert but died down later was the relative volume between vocals and instruments. The first few songs were drowned by the orchestra volume. "Ninnukori" was a case to point. Thankfully the problem seemed to get resolved towards the latter part of the show. 

Bilingual audience was well addressed

So a lot was made of how the organizers and the artists would handle the demands of a bilingual audience. I thought they did a fantastic balancing act. Would I have preferred a 100% tamil concert- heck yeah. But so would a telugu listener have preferred a telugu concert. Given the sheer scale of the event, a bilingual audience was critical for its success. That meant a fine balancing act which was executed well. 

I would have liked to hear my personal favorites like "Ninnukori Varanam" and "Maasi Masam" in tamil instead of telugu. But that was a good thing since I was comfortable with everything about those pieces but for the actual lyrics. Not a bad situation at all. Better than a song I had never heard in my life. Given the above two songs and the songs from Botany class- Shiva/Udhayam, Mounamana Neram, Thakita Thathimi -Sagara Sangamam/Salangai Oli, Idhazhil Kadhai - Rudraveena/Unnal Mudiyum Thambi and Oh Priya Priya -Geethanjali/Idhayathai Thirudadhe I was pretty much listening to very familiar songs in Telugu. All in all, a very fairly balanced affair.

The best song of the show

Undoubtedly, the best song of the show was the epic "Sundari Kannal" by SPB and Chitra. The song, one of my favorites of all time was rendered to perfection. The multitude of violins, the flute and the other orchestra pieces set the stage for the grand song. And SPB and Chitra delivered by spades. Chitra filled the S.Janaki void more than admirably in this song but it was SPB who hit this one out of the part. I am still reveling in the joy that was this song. What a composition. What a performance. 

An epic conclusion

The final piece of the concert was by the Maestro and SPB- Raaja first started off with the Nayakan classic, "Nila Adhu" but soon, SPB convinced him to render the same song as a lullaby. The casual improvisation and banter between the two masters was fantastic to watch. Soon they segued to an equally awesome piece from the same movie, "Thenpaandi seemayile" with SPB singing the song in parallel in Telugu. It was just sheer bliss- at 12 pm in the night. What a finish to a very good show. 

Final Word

For all the hype and mass booking rush the concert generated, it was well worth the price. Could it have been better- sure. Could it have had more hits we are so fond of - definitely. But given the framework and the composition of the audience, it was money very well spent. For someone who grew up listening to the wonderful compositions of Ilayaraja, this was a fantastic trip down memory lane. One that I would gladly take again, and again.

P.S: As always, the full Youtube playlist of all the songs from the concert is here. Enjoy. 

P.P.S: Full list of songs featured (courtesy a friend's friend)

1) Janani Janani - IR 2) Om Sivoham - Karthik 3) Jagadananda Karaka - SPB (Telugu) 4) Isayil Thodangumamma - Hariharan 5) Idhu Sangeetha Thirunaalo - Bhavatharini 6) Ennai Thaalaatu Varuvaala - Hariharan & Priya Himesh 7) Ninukori Varnam - Chitra  8 ) Shenbagame Shenbagame - Mano  9) Mounamelanoyi - SPB & Chitra (Telugu) 10) Idhayam Oru Koil - IR 11) Enno Raatrulostayi - SPB & Priya Himesh (Telugu) 12) Ilamai Ennum Poongaatre - SPB 13) Maanjolai Kilithaano - Hariharan  14) Nee Thoongum Nerathil - Hariharan  15) Lalita Priya Kamalam - SPB & Chitra (Telugu) 16) Naan Thedum Sevvanthi Poo - IR & Chitra  17) Azhagu Malar Aada - Hariharan & Priya Himesh  18) Naanaga Naan Illai - SPB  19) Ananda Then Kaatru - Sathyan  20) Balapam Batti - SPB , Mano & Chitra (Telugu) 21) Raja Kaiya Vacha - Yuvan  22) Naan Porandhu Vandhu - Priya , Anitha & Chorus  23) Jagadi Jagadi Ja Botany - SPB , Mano & Geetha (Telugu) 24) Prati Dinam - Karthik (Telugu) 25) Adhe Neevu - SPB (Telugu)  26) Chukkalu Temanna - Mano (Telugu) 27) Priya Priyathamaaa - Mano (Telugu) 28) Oliyilae therivathu - Karthik & Bhavatharini  29) Priya Oh Priya - SPB & Chitra  30) Sorgame Endralum - IR  31) Ninaivo Oru Paravai - Yuvan & Ramya NSK  32) Keeravani - SPB  33) Katril Endhan Geetham - IR  34) Thamthana Thamthana - Chitra & Anita  35) Priya Priyathamma - SPB & Priya Himesh (Telugu) 36) Sundari Kannal - SPB & Chitra  37) Pottu Vaitha Kadhal - Karthik , Yuvan & Sathyan  38) Thakida Thadimi - SPB (Telugu)  39) Oram Po - IR  40) Nila Adhu Vanathu Mele - IR  41) Thenpandi Seemaiyile - IR & SPB

[alapana]

Music in Manirathnam movies (Part 3- The Rahman years)- From Alaipayuthey to Kadal

This is the concluding post in a trilogy dedicated to music in Manirathnam movies. We embarked on this journey a few weeks ago with the brilliant piece from Pallavi Anupallavi and will wrap it up with the gentle waves of Kadal. For earlier posts see Part 1 (Raaja Years) and Part 2( ARR years).

In what is really a wonderful coincidence, this post starts with Alaipayuthey and ends with Kadal. And here we go.

Love was in the air

It was 2000 and I was very much in love. Manirathnam was trying to bounce back from the financial disaster that was Dil Se. And thus, Alaipayuthey was born. A simple love story told in inimitable Mani style and reminding us of his deft romantic touches once seen in MounaRagam, Alaipayuthey was a runaway hit. And ARR, true to form delivered a great soundtrack where every song struck gold. 

"Endrendrum Punnagai" sets the tone for the movie. A breezy piece that is short on duration but lasting. "Pachai Nirame" is a beautiful number that is gorgeous to look at and wonderfully set to Vairamuthu's words by ARR. Evano Oruvan is a wonderfully melancholic song that captures the mood of separated lovers. "Snehidane" is one of my favorite pieces from the movie with wonderful visuals and a great composition from ARR. And there is another small wonder in the form of "Mangalyam" which redefined the wedding piece for ever. But the best song for me from this great album is "Kadhal Sadugudu". Still fresh after all these years and romantic as ever. Just the strum of guitars at the beginning of the piece is worth it.

After the huge success of Alaipayuthey, Mani decided to take up a serious subject in the form of the Sri Lankan tamil refugee problem. A very serious movie, "Kannathil Mutthamittal", ARR stood by his director with some strong pieces. The "Nenjil Jil Jil" piece featuring the very talented Jayachandran and Chinmayi stays and makes an impact. A male version of the same song packs a solid punch alongside brilliant visuals. But the entire movie is conveyed through the brilliant lyrics of Vairamuthu for "Vidai Kodu Engal" sung by M.S.Viswanathan or VisRa fame. The song that delivers the best punch and universal message of love and peace is "Vellai Pookal". It plays throughout the movie and lasts for a long time. ARR's voice does full justice to the gentle song. 

After tasting multilingual success with Bombay, Mani set about making another truly multilingual movie with dual starcasts and simultaneous shoots in the form of "Aaydha Ezhuthu/Yuva". The movie featured a huge starcast and an intersecting storyline akin to Amores Perros. The movie did average business but the soundtrack made it big thanks to some foot-tapping and youthful numbers from ARR.

There is the breezy "Nenjam Ellam" by Adnan Sami and Sujatha. There is the interestingly set "Sanda Kozhi" with the brilliant ARR interlude (at 2:10). "Nee Yaaro" is a fast paced romantic piece with some awesome humming by Sunitha Sarathy and Lucky Ali. "Jana Gana Mana" is something I listen to whenever I need to amp myself up. The song delivers with sheer beats and pace. "Yakkai Thiri- Fanaa" is my personal favorite from this movie. ARR packs a super punch with the composition and his raw vocals. And be sure to check out the "sapamapa-nirisasa nirisasa" that ARR delivers in this song.

As with the rest of the career, Mani shifted gears with his next movie from a youth driven movie like "Aaydha Ezhuthu" to a biopic of Dhirubhai Ambani in the form of "Guru". Made in Hindi and dubbed in Tamil, the songs were disappointing to me as a tamil listener and jmuch better to me as a Hindi song listener.

Guru had its share of good songs but the overall soundtrack was not outstanding.  It just felt a step below the ARR-Mani benchmark. The movie though was engaging and turned out a hit. "Barso Re" was pretty popular although I didnt find it that exciting. "Tere Bina" - a soft romantic number that somehow reminded me of "Snehidane" from Alaipayuthey struck a chord with me.

The standout piece, one of my ARR evergreen brilliant pieces was the background piece, "Jaage Hain". It is just fantastically orchestrated and the lyrics truly pack a punch. I often hear to this song and feel completely invigorated and ready to go. The rough translation goes thus:

I have been long awake, let me sleep for some more time.

The night is not yet over, let the morning come.

Incomplete dreams that will never come true

Once more, let me build/weave those dreams again. 

The first real misstep

After the success of Guru, Mani wanted one more bilingual movie for a national audience. He had his own take on Ramayana for this venture titled "Raavanan". The movie bombed. This also was the first movie of Mani I didnt feel like seeing and never did. The songs, like the movie didn't make a big mark. "Kalvare" was a pleasant and soft piece. The only song worth mentioning otherwise is "Kattu Sirukki" which has an addictive tune to it.

Kadal

And all this finally brings us to "Kadal". After the failure of Raavanan, Mani had a lot riding on Kadal. And based on reviews, Kadal doesnt look like it will save Mani's hide. The movie seems to be a flop (although it is too early to call). The songs came in for some praise. It doesnt measure up to the lofty Mani-ARR standards but is still significantly better than everything else out there. It is definitely one of ARR's better albums in the recent past but I would rate "Vinnaithandi Varuvaaya" as better overall.

I tried to like "Magudi" but failed. It was just noise for the most part. "Adiye" is an interesting jazzy piece but doesnt last long after. "Anbil Vaasale" starts very strongly but doesnt finish with the same flourish. Good but not great. "Chithirai Nela" is good and mellifluous. "Elay Keechan" is a fun piece and very hummable. I like it quite a bit as does my 4 year old. Which brings us to the standout pieces of the movie and it is a toss up for the gold. "Nenjukkule" is a fantastic piece and stays with you for a long time. But my vote for the best piece in the movie is the hauntingly beautiful "Moongil Thottam". 

And as the song says, "Idhu Podhum enakku" and very much so. People often times ask me why I blog. It is so I can relive some beautiful songs and cherish the memories that go with them. Hopefully Mani can bounce back from Kadal. ARR will be there to give him all the support he needs.

As always, all the songs featured in this post and the preceding Part 1 and Part 2 posts are in the same public youtube playlist. Enjoy. 

[alapana]

Music in Manirathnam movies (Part 2- The Rahman years) - From Chinna Chinna Aasai to Dil Se Re...

Last week, in the first of now three posts on music in Manirathnam's movies, I talked about the prolific and timeless collaboration that Mani and Isaignani Ilayaraja conjured up. Since then, Manirathnam's latest movie, Kadal has released to average reviews. But we are not here in this blog to talk about the box office prospects of a movie. We are here purely for the music. In that vein, the show will go on. The second post on this topic features the first 10 years of the 20 year old partnership between Manirathnam and Isaipuyal A.R.Rahman. 

The whizkid jingle composer meets the whizkid director

In the early nineties, as Manirathnam was looking for a new music director to replace his faithful Ilayaraja (for reasons we still dont know), he came across a whizkid ad music and jingle composer, Allarakha Rahman. And thus began one of the most celebrated relationships in film music history. The first movie to come out of this partnership was "Roja" in 1992. It took the entire country by storm. Here was a completely fresh take on music with fresh new voices. It felt totally new and unlike anything else we were used to at that time.

From the sweet innocence of "Chinna Chinna Aasai" to the rollicking "Rukkumani" (which explodes in bass in the theater) and the timeless SPB classic "Kadhal Rojave" to the wonderfully touching "Tamizha Tamizha", it was brilliant. To me, the standout piece was the gorgeously shot and wonderfully sung romantic piece, "Pudhu Vellai Mazhai". It was sheer magic. A.R.Rahman had arrived.

Cops and Robbers

The whole country waited with baited breath to see what would come next for the young genius. It was to be the cult classic "Thiruda Thiruda". Critics may have panned the lighthearted caper movie. But to me, it was an excellent masala entertainer with gorgeous visuals and brilliant music. A.R.Rahman delivered a huge hit with "Thiruda Thiruda"- songs that ranged from the sexy to the bombastic. From romantic to sheer fun. A soundtrack for all tastes.

Some dug into the soaring vocals and visuals of "Veerapandi Kottayile". Others were blown away by the powerful voice of Anupama and her rendition of "Konjam Nilavu" (and yes, the visuals). Some (myself included) connected with the sweet and operatic "Putham Pudhu Bhoomi Vendum" while others fell for the dramatic visuals and the earthy sexiness of "Thee Thee" or the boisterous "Kannum Kannum". I fell for everything but more so for the raw vocals of late Shahul Hameed and the almost a capella style rendition of "Rasathi". It felt real and Hameed made it hauntingly so.

Going national

While Roja was a big hit across the country in its dubbed form, Mani itched to make a truly national movie. The 1993 Bombay riots offered a backdrop for a truly patriotic and national unity driven script in the form of "Bombay".  And A.R.Rahman delivered a soulful soundtrack for the sensitive movie. There were the light hearted and fun pieces like "Humma" and "Kuchi Kuchi Rakkamma", the Hariharan breakout piece "Uyire", the Chitra chartbuster "Kannalane". I fell hook, line and sinker for "Poovukkenna Poottu" - a wonderful piece that represents the joy of impending parenthood in entirety. But the real star of the movie was its haunting bgm. Every scene needed its own voice to speak for the unspoken and forbidden love (the epic "pasanipa"), and later the sadness and horrors of the riots. And A.R.Rahman gave it the voice it deserved. He also gave the movie its own theme. One that resonated with everything Mani wanted to convey and more.  

 The politician and the star

Tamil cinema and politics have been inextricably intertwined since the nation's independence. And the relationship that truly shaped the last 40 years of it was that of ex Chief Minister and writer M.Karunanidhi and late Chief Minister and superstar M.G.Ramachandran. Mani built his next movie around their relationship. Iruvar stands as one of tamil cinema and even India's finest political movies and one that truly shines when the viewer understands the context and history. A.R.Rahman had to come up with something that went with the times and still appealing to the current generation. And he delivered. 

Iruvar is like your aged balsamic vinegar (what is the point of using the old wine metaphor when you don't drink). The older it gets, the better it tastes. Iruvar offers the discerning viewer and listener one such experience. The music gets richer with age as does the movie. The choice of singers is also spot on- Asha Bhonsle delivers a sultry "Vennila Vennila" , Hariharan belts the uncannily MGR reminding "Kannai katti kolladhe", Mano belts another MGResq "Aayirathil Naan oruvan" and new voice Sandhya rendering "Pookodiyin" that sounds so much like P.Susheela that you would think its Susheela otherwise. Speaking of Pookodiyin- if this doesnt remind you of the romantic set pieces of 1960, nothing else will. Harini offers a very jazzy "Hello Mister Edhirkatchi" which is splendidly picturised on the gorgeous Aishwarya Rai. To me, the standout piece is the lushly picturized and beautifully written "Narumugaye" sung by P.Unnikrishnan and Bombay Jayashri.

A side note for most of the songs in Iruvar- they are set within the context of the movie. There are frequent interruptions and retakes that make it an engaging and unique experience. And a last note on this movie- just watch this scene. There is some background music but its all about the words. 

 National Stage

By this point, the national stage beckoned Mani and he couldnt ignore it any longer. In 1998, Jhamu Sughandh and Bharat Shah launched what was to be Mani's opus. It featured national stars in Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala with a debutante Priety Zinta. A.R.Rahman and Gulzar collaborated on the music and Mani made his first true Hindi movie in Dil Se and it was dubbed and released in tamil as Uyire. The movie bombed but the soundtrack went to become a classic for the ages. 

Dil Se's soundtrack really starts with "Chaiyya Chaiyya". I fondly refer to it as one of the rare perfect pieces in cinema. A song written, composed, sung and picturised to perfection. Nothing was wrong really and everything just is perfect. Gulzar(Vairamuthu's lyrics) found their voice with Sukhwinder Singh and Swapna Awasti(Malgudi Shubha). SRK and Malaika Arora danced on top of a train and the world seemed to stop to watch it. 

 Sample this:

"unnaal enmanam adaindhadhu paadhi

unnaal enmanam izhandhadhu paadhi

kaadhal joadhiyae vaazhvin meedhiyae

dhaevadhai nee meyyoa poyyoa"

  But here is the kicker. To many Chaiyya Chaiyya was not necessarily the best the film had to offer. The soundtrack and the picturisation was so good, it was hard to pick one definitive best. To some, the enigmatic "Satrangi Re" was the one. Who else could deliver a song that encompassed .To others, Rahman's raw vocals in the title track "Dil Se Re" was the winner. And many a fan fell for the dimpled Zinta in the lush backwaters of Kerala in "Jiya Jale". I love all the songs in the movie. A lot. But I would personally direct you to the rich vocals and the mesmerizing pull of " Ai Ajnabi". It just feels right.

What next?

When I started this series, I was hoping to do all of Mani-ARR stuff in one post. Turns out that would make this too long. So look for the concluding part of this trilogy in a week to ten days.

Until then, enjoy the early part of Manirathnam and A.R.Rahman's collaboration. The public playlist for the songs featured in this post are here. 

[alapana]

Music in Manirathnam movies (Part 1 - The Raaja years)- A journey from Pallavi Anupallavi to Thalapathi

On February 1st, Mani rathnam's latest movie "Kadal" will release all over the world. It features music by A.R.Rahman that has already topped the charts and captured the imagination of millions across the world. But all this is nothing new for Mani, arguably one of the best directors to emerge from Tamil Nadu ever.  Mani has a great ear for music as evidenced by the fact that two icons of tamil film music Ilayaraja and A.R.Rahman have produced some of their best work for his movies. In the first of two posts on the music in Manirathnam movies, I focus on his collaboration with Maestro Illayaraaja. The next post will feature his contemporary hits with A.R.Rahman.

The Beginning

It all started with Pallavi Anupallavi, a Kannada movie. Mani's first movie features some remarkable talent- Balu Mahendra behind the lens, Anil Kapoor in front of and Ilayaraja delivering the music. To me, the standout piece in this movie is this piece of instrumental music with Raaja's humming. Addictive does not even begin to cut it. The Maestro's magic over the hum is all here. 

His next outing was the Malayalam trade union movie, "Unaru". Featuring the veritable who's who in Malayalam cinema then, it again featured music and some excellent BGM from Ilayaraja. The song I remember most is "Theeram Thedi" which went on to become "Roja Ondru" in Komberi Mookan (thanks MadAboutMoviez for the reference help)

His first tamil movie was "Pagal Nilavu" with Sathyaraj, Murali and Revathi. The movie is best remembered for Sathyaraj's performance and Raaja's music. The standout piece was "Poo Malaye" which features a great intro violin piece. Notice Raaja Sir delivering a completely contrasting voice to S.Janaki. Great song. If you are into Raaja's BGM, here is a sampling from Pagal Nilavu. Violins again. 

 Later that year, Manirathnam delivered Idhaya Kovil with "Mike" Mohan, Radha and Ambika. Raaja delivered a huge hit as did Mani. Mike Mohan got SPB to make his vocals sound magical. "Idhayam Oru Kovil" got a big chunk of radio time for a long long time. "Naan padum mouna ragam" was the melancholic piece that made it big and my personal favorite in the Raaja having fun genre is "Oor Oramaa". The "jum jumka jum" humming in "Oor Oramaa" is something alright. 

Mouna Ragam

Emboldened by the success of Idhaya Kovil, Mani and Raaja delivered what is considered by many as one of the best tamil movies of the era with "Mouna Ragam". A well acted and brilliantly written movie featuring outstanding performances by Revathi, Mohan and Karthik, it was also a highmark for Raaja's music. Every song is fantastic. The standout is the absolutely soulful "Mandram Vandha" by SPB.

From "Nilave Vaa" to "Oho Megam" each song was just fantastic. Even today the album is fondly remembered. While you are it, give the title BGM a hear. At once it is chirpy and introspective. Anyone who has seen the movie can immediately visualize Karthik and Mohan with Revathi caught in the middle. 

Of Kids and Gangsters

One could argue that after delivering Mouna Ragam, both Raaja and Mani were due for a clunker. Instead they gave the world, Nayagan. Arguably India's best gangster movie, it was punctuated by an epic performance from Kamalhassan. Based loosely on the real life gangster Varadaraaja Mudaliar and inspired by Coppola's Godfather, Nayagan was a tour de force. And then there was the music. Every inch of the movie's bgm was painfully crafted by the Maestro and every song conveyed the depth of the moment. Be it the lonely warrior song, "Thenpaandi seemayile" sung soulfully by Kamal himself, or the gangster smuggling run piece "Nila Adhu" with Raaja's rustic vocals, or the brothel piece "Naan sirithal" or the festival piece "Andhi Mazhai", every song was incredibly in sync with the mood of the movie. To me though, the piece de resistance of the movie's soundtrack was the Mano - Chitra duet, "Nee oru Kadhal Sangeetham". I remember Mano in an interview complaining about how many people thought the song was sung by SPB and not him. And for a sampling of the lyrics, "Isai mazhai engum pozhigiradhu. Engalin jeevan nanaigiradhu". Pure gold. 

So how do you top Nayagan. You dont. But you do delivered an action packed family saga that is hugely entertaining and riveting with "Agni Nakshatram". Mani plots then superstars Karthik against Prabhu and asks Raaja to do the rest. Raaja obliges with a brilliant soundtrack. Every song again is a high point for tamil film music and is a complete bag of everything from trippy disco music to songs drenched in carnatic classical music. 

A few months ago in this blog, I had written an entire post about this movie's soundtrack and specifically the outstanding "Ninnukori". There was the signature megahit of the day, "Raaja Raajathi" featuring a nondescript Prabhu Deva. Mani introduced the sultry Nirosha in this movie and Raaja supported this debut with two sensual numbers in "Vaa Vaa anbe anbe" and "Oru poongavanam". Those were some scorchers in those days, believe me. But to me, the best song in the movie is the gorgeous duet "Thoongatha Vizhigal" set to Ragam Amrithavarshini and sung by K.J.Yesudas and S.Janaki. Pure bliss. 

After a solid streak of tamil movies, Mani and Raaja shifted their eyes to Telugu cinema and made "Geethanjali" featuring a young Nagarjuna. The movie was dubbed and released in tamil as "Idhayathai Thirudathey". The songs were blockbusters. Ranging from teenybopper hits like "Vidiya Vidiya" to the moody "Paapa Laali" to the girl power piece, "Athadi Ammadi" and the very popular Mano-Chitra piece "Oh Priya"(watch the pace pick up on this song), all the songs were pretty popular. The standout hit of this movie was the romantic and sensual "Om Namaha" which featured a then notorious smooch. 

In a completely 180 degree turn from all the gangster sagas and romantic dramas he had been delivering till date, Mani made "Anjali"- a kids movie with a lot of heart. The signature theme piece, "Anjali Anjali" achieved iconic status very soon. In Mani's own style, the movie was a social commentary delivered with humor and heaps of love and emotion. "Motta madi motta madi" was a great love in the shadows piece while "Magic journey" was Mani's ode to Star Wars. The real music piece worth mentioning in this movie is the stellar BGM that permeates the entire duration ranging from sheer joy to shock to absolute despair. Raaja's wizardry at its best.

Superstars and the Mahabharata

As if they had one last movie to show the magic of their combination, Mani and Raaja delivered the Mahabharata inspired epic, "Thalapathi" with Rajini and Mamooty. A star studded mega movie that shattered box office records and delivered a musical bonanza for fans, every song of Thalapathi deserves special praise. 

So where do we start?. Do we start with the haunting "Chinna thayaval" or the mellifluous "Yamunai Aatrile". Maybe the foot tapping and beautifully picturized "Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu" with all those synchronized violins or the SPB-Yesudas crowd-pleaser "Kattukuyile Manasukkule". And there is the criminally underrated "Putham Pudhu" . To me, the standout piece in this musical epic is a personal favorite, "Sundari Kannal". I had written an entire piece on this since it truly warrants it. A movie within a movie, hauntingly composed by the Maestro and beautifully sung by SPB and S.Janaki. 

Maestro to Prodigy

And all this was only one half of Mani's output. In the next post, we will look at Mani's prolific collaboration with A.R.Rahman. The public playlist for all the songs featured in this post and more Raaja- Mani masterpieces is here. For now, I will go back to listening to "Sundari Kannal". 

[alapana]

A journey on Doordarshan from "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" to "Jana Gana Mana"

India celebrates its Republic Day on the 26th of January. This is not to be confused with its Independence Day (Aug 15th) which commemorates its independence from British rule. The Republic Day commemorates the framing of the Indian Constitution. This year assumes special significance in the aftermath of the horrific rape of a woman in Delhi a couple of months ago. At times like this, it is important for us to look at what the nation should mean to us, the people and also to those who govern the nation. In this post, I look back at some wonderfully patriotic and beautiful "national unity" pieces from the 80's and 90's that filled the only channel available to us then, India's state owned Doordarshan. 

The first video I wanted to talk about is an untitled piece featuring all of India's then major sportsmen and women. I love this because it evokes a fantastic sense of patriotism. Sports is one of those things that triggers everyone's patriotic bone especially during international events and tournaments. This one showcases some of the very best Indian sportsmen and women of the era and any era for that matter. The sight of late Pataudi and Milkha Singh and Sunny and of course a sprinting Krish Srikanth is one of sheer joy. 

The second one is one that is totally devoid of stars but strong in its messaging quotient.  I remember this charming animated piece "Ek Chidiya...Anek Chidiyan" which stresses on the power of team work and unity. At a time when the country is so splintered, a simple video like this conveys the message of unity better than many others. 

The next piece is probably the most popular one in this list. It created waves when it launched and most folks from that era will remember. "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" was a gem of a piece that boasted not just great visuals and wonderful performances but a strong unity amidst diversity theme. A country with thousands of languages and dialects and unique musical heritages deserved something that celebrated it. This nailed it. Bhimsen Joshi gets to play the anchor for this epic set to Raga Sindu Bhairavi. Even today, I get goosebumps seeing the assemblage of sheer talent in this video.

A couple of years ago, there was an attempt to recreate the "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" magic. This time they crammed it with western music and a ton of stars and very few real musicians. The result is something that is a decent yet short of stellar outing. The original shines when compared to this effort.

Which brings us to my favorite in this compilation. Each of these pieces are great in their own aspect, especially the original "Mile Sur". But if there is one that holds its own and is brilliantly conceived, it is "Desh Raag". I lean towards this over "Mile Sur" purely because of my classical music background. The way the concept of a Raga is woven with its namesake identity of a nation is brilliant. And the artists are breathtaking. Just watch it.

The last featured piece of this post is the most recent too. A.R.Rahman, the genius of Indian music has carved a niche for himself in remaking patriotic pieces to suit current tastes. It started with his immensely popular "Vande Mataram" which deserves a post of its own. But to me, it was capped by this fantastic piece conceived with the brilliant Bharat Bala to celebrate India's National Anthem. The piece titled, "Jan Gan Man" featured an album of vocal and instrumental pieces of the anthem. Experience this piece here.

I cant wrap this post up before I give a shot out to Doordarshan for believing in and funding such ventures. Beyond the nostalgia factor, they not only showcase some of India's greatest and best but deliver the key point home- one of unity in diversity.

I created a public Youtube playlist of all these songs. There are additional patriotic pieces in that compilation that fall outside the scope of this post but still worth a listen.

As a final note, enjoy this really old and low-quality video of the iconic DD theme music. The video quality may be poor, but was this magical or what.

Happy Republic Day folks.

[alapana]

A Pongal Playlist

Technically this post is a day late. By India standards, much of Pongal (Sankranti) is over by now. But there is no harm in wanting to stay in the mood of Pongal- a festival of good food, friends met and movies watched. 

Pongal is probably as big if not a bigger festival in the state of Tamil Nadu than Deepavali.  It offers people a chance to cast away the old and expect the new. It is the most important time of the year for the farmers who will start their harvest officially with the passing of the month of Margazhi and welcome the month of Thai. More on the festival and the significance of Pongal here.  

Given the significance of Pongal, it has prominently been featured in songs in Tamil cinema over the years. Some of them have withstood the test of time and here is a small compilation of some such. This is by no means comprehensive nor in any specific order.

1. Thai Pongalum Pongudhu - Mahanadhi

A festive start to what is an otherwise stark movie. Chitra belts this evergreen Pongal song. The lyrics are great and convey the spirit of the harvest season. 

2. Podhuvaga En Manasu - Murattu Kalai

This song is what started it all for Superstar Rajinikanth. The song happens soon after a Jallikattu, the traditional bull taming event that happens during Mattu Pongal. The song captures the mood on Mattu Pongal and the mood in the village.

3. Margazhi thaan odi pochu - Dalapathy

Pongal plays a critical element in the Manirathnam classic, Dalapathy. The festival plays backdrop to a major event in the movie and Raaja drives the event home with a small but memorable piece. 

4. Kattukuyile Manasukulle - Dalapathy

To go with 3, here is another song from the same Dalapathy. Brilliantly shot by Santosh Sivan and masterfully weaved by Manirathnam. Isaignani Ilayaraja creates a fabulous piece with two doyens SPB and Jesudas doing the honors. 

6. Vandhenda Paalkaran - Annamalai

Continuing with the Rajini line, here is another massive hit that celebrates Mattu Pongal. It is also the introduction song for the Superstar in the movie and if you are a fan, you know all about it. The Rajini introduction song is by far the most important piece in the movie and will be greeted by the fans in a way unlike any other. Music director Deva does the honors with the tune here but the piece is all Rajini and SPB.

5. Poo Pookum Maasam - Varusham 16

I remember this song vividly as I had a major crush on Kushboo who debuted in this film by Fazil. The Kushboo here is almost not recognizable but she made a splash alright. The movie was a big hit and this song was pretty big too. 

6. Enga Ooru Pongalukku - Chinna Thayi

A less heralded song in this list was nevertheless part of a a big musical hit of Isaignani Ilayaraja, Chinna Thayi. Footage includes actual Pongal celebrations from villages. 

7. Aadungada enna suthi - Pokkiri

And then there is this. A Vijay statement song that is all about him. Less said the better. The song did go on to become popular in a soundtrack that has much better songs IMHO.

All these songs are available as part of a public Youtube playlist I created for the purpose. 

Of interest is the fact that Isaignani Ilayaraaja dominates this list. There is one Deva piece and one Mani Sharma piece. I was unable to find an A.R.Rahman Pongal piece. Anyone knows of one?

To everyone reading this just before, during or right after Pongal, இனிய பொங்கல் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

[alapana]

A welcome to 2013.

[alapana]

The Rain Song

Its monsoon season here in California. We get a lot of rain between now and late Spring. I am reminded of the monsoon back home in South India and the hot tea and samosas and pakoras that came with it. I am also reminded of some remarkable Tamil movie songs that were distinctly defined by the element of rain. And hence this post. I have put together a list of some really nice songs that to me represent the monsoons. So here it goes, in no particular order.

1. Chinna Chinna mazhai thuligal (En Swaasa Katre):

For whatever reason, this is the first song that comes to my mind when I think of rain. The movie was ho-hum. But the song somehow has remained in public conscience for a while. The lyrics are all about rain. And ARR and Vairamuthu combine to deliver a very pleasing experience to the ears.

2. Thenmerku Paruva Katru (Karuthamma): 

Another A.R.R creation, this one has a very addictive beat to it. Unnikrishnan and Chitra do a wonderful job with this subtle romantic piece. In my opinion, this is one of those songs that are good on the first listen but you keep going back to it for a repeat hear. The lyrics and great. Watch out when Unni goes for "Mazhai thuli enna thavam". 

3. Thakita Thadimi (Salangai Oli): And then there is this. In what can only be described as an epic, everything about this piece is brilliant. The situation, the song composed by Ilayaraja fantastically sung by the inimitable SPB and then Kamalhassan. A song that can be done full justice only by Kamal, it delivers a remarkable experience that words fall short of.

4. Evano Oruvan (Alaipayuthey):

This is a beautiful piece by A.R.R for Manirathnam's Alaipayuthey. The song has great lyrics and the late Swarnalatha packs an emotional punch with this. The key element of this piece is how the song moves the story forward while delivering a wonderful audio visual experience in the process. 

5. Megam Kottatum (Enakkul Oruvan):

Another brilliant piece by Ilayaraja+SPB+Kamal combo. This is very different from the Salangai Oli piece in the mood. This is an exuberant dance piece that showcases the Casanova version of Kamalhassan. The dance is fantastic and the set pieces are great. And Raja delivers an eminently tuneful piece that I love to this day.

6. Katril Enthan Geetham (Johnny):

S.Janaki delivers a fantastic piece for Ilayaraja. Sridevi acts very convincingly in this song that is a climax piece for the movie, Johnny starring Rajinikanth. Without going much into the story, the song has a lot of significance. And well beyond the vocals, Raja delivers a BGM that wraps around this song that elevates the whole experience.

7. Vaan megam (Punnagai Mannan):

In an album filled with rich tunes, this one delivers the rain punch. The lyrics and beautiful, a young and vibrant Chitra's voice flows and Revathi looks and acts the part. And then there is Raja's magic. Enough said.

8. Kadhal Kavithaigal (Gopura Vasalile):

A beautiful romantic number composed by Ilayaraja for Pyiradarshan's Gopura Vasalile. SPB and Chitra deliver a song that is very pleasing to the ear and stays long after the track is over. The visuals are equally pleasant.

9. Andhi Mazhai Megam (Nayagan):

Another song as an experience. T.S.Maharajan gives the song a unique voice to go with the deep vocals of P.Susheela. And Velu Nayakar dominates the scene. And like with any Manirathnam song, there is more to it than just the song and the visuals.

9. Sanda Kozhi (Ayudha Ezhuthu):

This song is here for one and one reason only. A.R.R's raw and mesmerizing breakout in the middle of the song. The song otherwise is passable. Nothing to write home about. But ARR elevates it with a 20 second piece in the middle. Worth the price of admission.

10. Oho Megam Vandhadho (Mouna Ragam):

Manirathnam, Ilayaraja, and Revathi. Remember the combo. You should - it was just a few songs ago. This is another peppy song from the combo for Manirathnam's brilliant Mouna Ragam. The only replacement is with Janaki filling in for Chitra. Otherwise, yet another rain song worth remembering for a long time.

There are other rain songs not in the list. Either I missed them completely or they are not to be mentioned in the same breath as the above. Then there are the honorable mentions. Good to great songs that are all about the monsoon season but fall short of a top 10 list. And this is a comprehensive list of which I am only mentioning a few:

Thee Thee (Thiruda Thiruda)

Sil Sil (Arindhum Ariyamalum)

Thanga Thamarai Magale (Minsara Kanavu)

Andhi Mazhai Pozhigiradhu (Rajapaarvai)

Thoda Thoda (Indira)

Mazhai Varudhu (Raja kaiya vecha)

Megam Karukudhu (Ananda Ragam)

Maari Mazhai Peyyadho (Uzhavan)

Un Samayal Araiyil (Dhill)

[alapana]

Rahman's Rustic Rhythms

I am typing this post as I am listening (yet again) to the latest viral Tamil sensation, "Nenjukkule" - a song from the yet to be unreleased movie "Kadal" directed by famed Tamil movie director Mani Ratnam with music by A.R.Rahman. The song premiered on MTV Unplugged (India) and soon became a must share and must listen among the Rahman faithful on Facebook.

  Nenjukkule is a very melodious piece with a very rustic feel to it, befitting the rumored backdrop of the movie. It got me thinking back to some ARR classics I have enjoyed over the years which had a strong rustic flavor to them. Here is my list of some fantastic ARR village themed pieces in the order in which the movies were released.

1. Chinna Chinna Aasai (Roja): No brainer. This launched ARR's signature orchestration and style to the world. I still remember him humming midway in the song as we are treated to some spectacular visuals of Hogenekkal and Banatheertham Falls. Interestingly, my favorite song from the movie is Puthu Vellai Mazhai which is less rural sounding but phenomenal nevertheless. And there is always Rukkumani.

2. Usilampatti (Gentleman): There is something about the late Shahul Hameed's voice that lent well to ARR's village themed pieces. Gentleman was a very urban movie but this song captures the rural visuals and music very well. 

3. Manoothu Mandhayile (Kizhakku Cheemayile): Kizhakku Cheemayile was the first collaboration between "gramathu mann singam" Bharathiraja and ARR. The songs in this movie are fantastic and every one fits the extremely rural nature of the movie to a T. Picking one out of the list is hard but there is something about SPB belting this song over some interesting lyrics from Vairamuthu. Another really rural feeling pick from this movie is Ethukku Pondatti, another Shahul Hameed piece. 

4. Raasathi en usuru (Thiruda Thiruda): One of Rahman's very best soundtracks. Each song rocks and Raasathi stands out with an a capella feel that is dramatically enhanced with some spectacular visuals. 

5. Porale Ponnuthayi (Karuthamma): Another Bharathiraja- ARR collaboration with great music. "Thenmerku Paruvakatru" with more western instrumentation is a great piece but Porale has a very village feel to it. 

6. Nee kattum selai (Pudhiya Mannargal): An interesting movie with an unestablished Vikram featured good music from ARR. This particular song became incredibly popular at that time and I give it a listen even now. A personal favorite in this movie is Eduda Andha. 

7. Odakara Marimuthu (Indira): Suhasini Manirathnam's feature debut as director was little noticed but ARR's music made a mark with the delectable "Thoda Thoda" and a lush "Nila Kaigiradhu" but SPB belts a very rustic sounding and rousing "Odakara Marimuthu". 

8. Pachai Kiligal (Indian): It is debatable how rural this piece is but when you give the whole soundtrack a listen, you will understand why I picked this. Amidst a cacaphony on instrumentation, this Yesudas gem set amidst all the greenery one can see, makes one feel right at home in the gramam (village).

9. Mazhai Thuli (Sangamam): A movie with high expectations that turned out to be a damp squib, it nevertheless featured some great music. Much of the movie features local tamil village music and art and this song showcases it very well. 

10. Uppu Karuvadu (Mudhalvan): The once gorgeous Manisha Koirala takes a lot away from this piece but it is steeped in the rubric of South Indian village life. "Mudhalvane" is a pretty neat song in this movie. 

11. Thirupaachi Arivaala (Tajmahal): Here is another controversial pick. I just love this song. Simple as that. I didnt see the movie. Just love the feel of this song and what it conveys of village clan pride.

12. Adi Nenthikitten (Star): Immensely forgettable movie, passable video but just a wonderfully hummable song. The percussion on this piece is fantastic. Be it the ghatam, thavil or kanjira. 

13. Kummi Adi (Sillunu Oru Kaadhal): Forgettable movie. Some good songs but this one stands out. Sirgazhi Siva Chidambaram delivers the killer punch in this piece. 

14. Ballelakka (Sivaji): This song is designed to give the protagonist and the audience a very rural feel. It might seem contrived but SPB packs a wallop with the song and it does look gorgeous. 

If you have followed Tamil film music for all these years, you will notice that the rustic classics are earlier in ARR's career. As he has become more global in his reach, his rustic projects are not as many and the songs scattered in terms of quality. And this is exactly why "Nenjukkule" is garnering so much attention. It is to many, ARR's return to roots, with a Maniratnam film no less. I cant wait to hear the rest of the soundtrack. Until then, there is always this list.

Enjoy.