I wrote this series of articles in the 1994 and 1995 while at grad school @ University of Houston college of Optometry. Thanks to www.tfmpage.com/ci who have stored these articles for nearly 2 decades thinking it had some value. Now I brought them back to my own blog.
The invincible AIDS virus is fast spreading in India. That is news!
(Accidentally turned) bigamist Thamizh writer Balakumaran once stated in
an interview that women are like masturbating bowl to men in India. Yeah,
lorry drivers acknowledge that statement candidly! They will take the
"sarakku" from Chennai to Thirunelvelli by their overnight lorry-borne
express. In the gloomily lit bus-stations in-between, they will stop not
only for "barota kuruma", but also looking for their in-expensive bowls
of masturbation! There... will come the familiar figure of the betel-nut
chewing red-mouthed sexy queen! Our driver's mouth will twist into a lusty
leer! The indomitable Freudian force will drive the male instrument to do its
procreative job in few minutes. There... will go our night queen, having
earned few bucks to support her indigent family of innumerable malnourished
children. In the above encounter between the two beings, not only the
rapturous joy of sex, and money will have transacted, but possibly, the
seemingly indolent "HIV" fellow too!
Illayaraja writes in his "nila adhu vaanathu maelae" song, "pasikkudhu
pasikkudhu dhinam dhinam thaan, pusicha pasiyadhu theerndhiduma?" Good
question, boss! The hypothalamus in the brain is a "dhammathoondu"
structure! You can place it on your nail top and squeeze it, like your
grandmother used to squeeze the helpless lice from her hair! But, it is
this "thammathoondu" structure that orchestrates the various vital functions
of the body. When you have not eaten for a while, and when your blood
sugar concentration falls, it is your hypothalamus that feels your hunger
and instructs you to eat! When you've not drunk water for a while, and
when your blood sodium rises (dehydration), it is this hypothalamus that
senses it and drives you crazy to drink! But, Illayaraja tries to equate
"hunger for food" to "hunger for sex and pleasure"! It is true that
TTC bus driver gets free food at those unhygienic hotels in Thindivanam
for bringing lots of customers and business for the hotel. Maybe, that is
the reason why he eats three days worth of meal when he stops for those 20
minutes during your trip from Chennai to Srirangam! That is an unusual case.
Most of us eat because our hypothalamus commands us to eat after sensing
our low blood sugar concentrations! But, why does the lorry driver seek
courtship in the shady towns of India during his long distance operation?
Nothing decreases in his blood, making the hypothalamus "hungry for sex".
The hypothalamus simply feels like having sex!
Illayaraja showed an abnormal choice of ragam (Reethigowlai) when he tuned
"thalayai kuniyum" in Sridhar's oru odai nadhiyagiradhu. He had done that
earlier in choosing the same ragam for his "chinnakannan azhaikiraan" in
kavikkuyil, and then in tuning "raamanin kadhai kaelungal" in chippikkul
muthu. It is a very easily identifiable, very classical janya ragam that
was relished by composers like Thyagaraja. But, none in the cinema arena
seems to have used it in the pre-Illayaraja period. In mid seventies, here
comes the uneducated music director from Madhurai jilla....! He tunes a
couple of "tappanguthu" that marks his initial success! Within 2 to 3 years
after his debut, he calls one of the most memorable geniuses of Carnatic
music, Shri Balamurali Krishna to sing one cinema song for him. "Alright
thambi" says Balamurali, and goes to the recording theatre.....
Was Balamurali surprised initially when Illayaraja played the tune for him
in his harmonium? If I were him, I would have been! First of all, out
of the blue, why Reethigowlai? Why not the hackneyed Hindholam or Mohanam?
This absolutely classical raga selection shows his desire to venture into
pure, traditional ragas! It is like A.R.Rahman springing a surprise by
tuning purely classical Yadhukula Kamboji interludes in kuluvaliyae (muthu)!
Reethigowlai is the janyam of Karaharapriya (22nd melam). It is a vakra
ragam and hence with a convoluted arohanam and avarohanam. Sa Ga2 Ri2 Ga2
Ma1 Ni2 Da2 Ma1 Ni2 Ni2 Sa; Sa Ni2 Da2 Ma1 Ga2 Ma1 Pa Ma1 Ga2 Ri2 Sa.
Its raga lakshanam is so unique that it gets imprinted in our mind easily.
Beginners in carnatic music identify Reethigowlai rather facilely and this
gives great encouragement to venture into learning other ragas. The
jubilance of identifying a raga by ourselves initially is unparalled and
even a triple 800 score in GRE Pre-Test wouldn't make you that happy!
Oh man, what a joy! In that aspect, Reethgowlai could be compared to a
steroid shot to Ben Johnson! In all his three Reethigowlai songs Illayaraja
presents the ragalakshanam excellently in a very concise 4 minute form.
He starts his kavikkuyil song as Sa Ga Ri Ga (chinnakannanan) Ma Ni Ni Sa
(azhaikiraan). He has just used the arohanam of Reethigowlai without any
extraneous manipulation of the ragam. In his chippikul muthu song he goes
like Sa Ga Ri Ga (raamanin) Ma Ma (kadhai) Ni Ni Sa (kaelungal). A very small
variation to chinnakannan song. He made lakhs of rupees for the former and
lakhs for the latter! That is why he often says in interviews "there are
only seven notes in music. Musicians have made infinite number of songs
only with those seven notes by cheating!". He is in a way right and in a
way wrong. The above two songs are cheating of the first order. He has
cheated less in thalayai kuniyum thamarayae where the pallavi goes like
Da Ni Sa (thalayai) Ni Da Ma (kuniyum) Pa Ma Ga Ri Sa (thaamarayae).
Music is not just the melodious manipulation of different discrete
frequencies of the continuum of "energy" commonly called as the sound. It
is much more than that. There is another important variable in good music.
That is the TIME! If I sing Sa today and sing Ga tomorrow, and Ri day after
tomorrow and so forth sing one by one note of Illayaraja's chinnakannan
azhaikiraan in whatever period it takes to complete the song, will it still
be good music? This tells us the importance of MIND in music! There is NO
music out there in the physical world! It is all in our MIND! When different
swaras are sung, it is the MIND that intelligently concatenates the swaras
and sees it as music. It sees a musical quality that is in actuality non-
existent in the frequencies of sound, and derives pleasure by listening to
it! Following the same concept, the MIND derives "sexual pleasure" from
the physical intercourse of two bodies, or "eating pleasure" from eating
buttered pecan ice cream, when it is set for those appropriate moods.
Behaviourly, the MIND seems to be a big pleasure seeker. Philosophically
it seems to be the greatest fool in the world, constantly seeking the
ephemeral, mundane pleasures that are never-the-less, virtual!
Reethigowlai is in no way related to Gowlai, Mayamalavagowlai, Kedaragowlai
or Narayanagowlai. It is indeed closely related to Ananda Bhairavi about
which we have discussed in our earlier essays.
Other ragas that beginners start recognizing very easily in their journey
through the vast empire of carnatic music are Sahana, Kanada, Atana,
Natai, Gowlai, Anandha Bhairavi etc. All the above are vakra ragas.
We have two popular songs in Sahana that had a tremendous impact on the
common rasika. Parthaen sirithaen (mahakavi kaalidaas) and indha veenaiku in
rayil sneham. The former tuned by K.V.Mahadevan and latter by V.S.Narasimhan.
I hear that there is a song "rukku rukku" in Sahana in ovvai shanmukhi. BTW,
Sahana is a janyam of Harikaambojhi (28th melam) with Sa Ri2 Ga3 Ma1 Pa Ma1
Da2 Ni2 Sa and Sa Ni2 Da2 Pa Ma1 Ga3 Ma1 Ri2 Ga3 Ri2 Sa. Strangely
Illayaraja does not have any Sahana product from his industry! Atana is a
janyam of Sankarabharanam (29th melam) with a complex swara sequence. It is
a bhashanga ragam as it has a double Nishadham. K.V.Mahadevan gave a superb
Atana in yaar tharuvaar indha ariyasanam (?veera abhimanyu). In salangai oli
Illayaraja used balakanakamaya (Thaayagaiyer's Atana composition) in the
scene when Manjubarghavi dances on the stage and Kamalahasan starts dancing
in the kitchen (unable to control his inherent dance flow). Atana is a very
brisk and "gambeeramaana ragam"!
Chalanaatai is the last (36th) melam in the suddha madhyama ragas and hence
using 3rd Ri, Ga, Da, and Ni. Illayaraja is the only one who ever chose
to use this rare ragam in cinema. The song is un paarvai oru varam in the
movie ninaivellam nithiya. Sridhar directed that movie. Oh boy, Sridhar-
Illayaraja combination has given several marvellous songs to Thamizh music!
Vairamuthu's lyrics reached wonderful heights in that song. Illayaraja's
use of this vivadhi ragam is very intelligent and guarded, avoiding any
un melodious use of the vivadhi swaras. This song proved to be a terrific
hit when compared to his use of the last (72nd) melam in the prathimadhyama
ragas, which is Rasikapriya. He used that ragam to tune sangeethamae in
kovil pura. He starts his Chalanatai like Ga3 Ma1 Pa (unpaarvai) Ma1 Pa Ma1
Ri3 Sa (oru varam). Then he goes Ga3 Ga3 Ga3 Ga3 Ri3 Ri3 Ri3 Ri3 (inivarum
munivarum) Sa Sa Ri3 Ri3 Sa Sa Sa Sa (thadumaarum kanimaram). A beautiful
interplay of immediately adjacent vavadhi swaras with an unanticipated melody
that is much more than you could bargain from using such ragas. In the
charanam he starts using Da3 and Ni3. He starts the charanam like Sa Ni Sa
Sa Pa (chelai moodum) Da Da Da Pa (illam cholai) Sa Ni Sa Sa (maalai choodum)
Ri Ri Ri Sa (malar maalai). The tune development is just excellent!
I was in Srirangam when this movie was released (in early eighties). In the
Vadakku uthirai veedhi sandhu, there was a guy called as "paaku cheeni". He
was so crazy with this song that the cassette would be playing all the time
in his house. While playing kabadi or cricket in the streets I used to get
the benefit of listening to this lilting song for free, not knowing what a
rare ragam it was! Look what Vairamuthu writes in that song:
Just being seen by you is a great boon;
even an ascetic to come in future would
loose his hold on celibacy on seeing you;
you are a tree bearing beautiful fruits (breasts)
You are a garden that wears sari
you are a flower that is worn by flowers
twenty moons would shine in your finger nails;
youthful dreams would bud in our eye corners
as our fingers play on each other,
as the distance between us decreases,
the glowing light would dim and our
eyes would close (in the ecstasy of love)
Oh man, what a language he has written! An unbelievable choice of words
and thought in describing the beauty of a women. In a recent song (telephone
manipol in Indhian), look how the poet describes the beauty of a women in
modern terms incorporating the latest technological advances in his poetry!
Is she the one who laughs like a telephone bell
is she the one who is like a Melbourne flower
did lord Brahma use a computer to sketch her figure
has her voice been made up of digital signals
is she the latest cellular phone
A wonderful movie by Shankar with great songs by A.R.Rahman. I think the
above song is by Vairamuthu. It is amazing how these poets get such novel
ideas to describe a simple thing. Grandiosity seems to be an essential
quality of a poet's mind.
Naatai is a janyam of Chalanaatai. The arohanam and avarohanam of Naatai
are Sa Ri3 Ga3 Ma1 Pa Ni3 Sa and Sa Ni3 Pa Ma1 Ga3 Ma1 Ri3 Sa. Notice the
vakram Ga3 Ma1 Ri3 Sa. Often singers sing Natai like Chalanaatai using all
the swaras. Illayaraja used Muthuswamy Dikshidhar's Naatai krithi "maha-
ganapathim" in the movie sindhubhairavi. Apart from that he has tuned one
Natai (peigalai nambadhae - a jolly song in mahanadhi). Only Kamal can make
such daring pictures about paedophiles and sexual abuse of children. In the
early part of the movie, "peigalai" song has been used to show what a happy
family Kamal leads. It has become a common feature in India for the
government to crumble to dust once in two years costing crores of tax-payer's
rupees for re-election! People have gone immune to all these and they
just seem to mind their own business (like finishing B Sc and then studying
a crash course in C language programming at NIIT to become a "consultant"
to come to the USA). Who cares if the government survives or falls! But,
a "mahanadhi" viewer is left with tears rolling down the cheek and extreme
sympathy for Kamal at the horrendous turn of events in his life (even though
it is just a movie). Kudos, to Kamal!
Illayaraja's use of Naatai for that song is quite a surprise. He has
presented a pure Naatai in that song. Ga Ma Pa (peigalai) Pa Pa Pa (namba-
dhae) Pa Ni Sa Ni (pinjilae) Pa Pa Pa (vembadhae). The song ends with
S.Varalakshmi singing the tail piece. Gambeera Naatai is a pentatonic ragam
where there is no vivadhi swaram. So, it is distinctly different from
Chalanatai and Naatai. The aarohanam and avarohanam of Gambeera Naatai is
Sa Ga3 Ma1 Pa Ni3 Sa and Sa Ni3 Pa Ma1 Ga3 Sa. You could call it as a janyam
of Sankarabharanam or Chalanaatai. Illayaraja's innum ennai enna seyya
pogiraai in singaravelan has been tuned in Gambeera Naatai. He has used the
raagam remarkably. S.P.B and Janaki have done wonders in the charanam where
most of the tune is set in thara sthayi! Earlier T.Rajendar scored one song
in the same ragam (kaadhal oorvalam ingae in pookkalai parikkadheergal).
That is also an excellent song.
If we change the 3rd Ni in the avarohanam of Gambeera Naatai to kaisiki
Nishadham (2nd Ni) we get Thillang. Illayaraja has given few Thillangs so
far. probably the first one was kothamallee poovae in kallukkul eeram.
His other Thillang song is manadhil urudhi vendum in sindhu bhairavi (a
fantastic Bharathiyar poem). Look what Bharathiyaar says in that poem:
PERIYA Kadavul kaaththal vendum!! Webster's English dictionary gives the
meaning for God as "the one supreme being, the creator and ruler of the
universe". If so, how can we have a "Periya" Kadavul (big God)? I guess
Bharathiyaar compares God to human beings and says "Periya Kadavul". In
kaiveesamma kaiveesu there is one Thillang (anbae thaan thai aanadhu). MSV
has given a great Thillang "nalladhor veenai seidhae". That is in K.Bala-
chandar directed varumayin niram sivappu. Kamal is a big Bharathiyaar fan
in that movie. Nalladhor is also a Bharathiyaar song. Illayaraja has used
a ragam that is closely related to Thillang in kavarimaan (Thyaagaiyer's
Brovabaarama in Bahudhari ragam).
Because of the unique "vakra" phrases, many of the above mentioned vakra
ragas are very easily identifiable. Vakra ragas are a boon to beginners
as they help to get a start in carnatic music. If there is a vakram in a
ragam, and if that is what gives the important ragalakshanam to the ragam,
then that is how it has to be sung! You cannot go like Sa Ri2 Ga2 Ma1 in
Reethigowlai or sing like Ma1 Ga3 Ri2 Sa in Sahana. These are absolutely
not permissible. Why these strict strictures?
I read in a book recently that there was a Chinese sage called as Li Ling.
He would usually be naked in his house. When somebody asked about it to him,
he said "I consider the whole world as my house and my house as my cloth.
So, why the hell are you entering my trousers?"!! Nature made men to
intercourse with women to procreate and sustain life on earth. That is a
rule. If man tries to enter into another man's trouser ignoring the ordinance
of Nature, AIDS awaits him inside the other man's trouser! If the lorry
driver in India defies the present day societal norms and seek polygamous
pleasure, then AIDS awaits him at the gates of pleasure! Regulations and
rules make our life go smooth. Rules enriched carnatic music and gave rise
to an excellent variety of ragas. Till Nature gives her treatment of gradual
evolution to things, what be now, let be in future!
-Lakshminarayanan Srirangam Ramakrishnan,
Internal Medicine Department,
Brackenridge Hospital,
Austin, Tx 78751.
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