In Search of Music

Music is the only thing that fascinates any soul in whatever mood of emotion they be, music always feels the upper hand. In Continuation to my series of fascination of songs in Indian Films with usage of Traditional Music (Hindustani/Carnatic) this songs ruled the most of my life’s last half a decade.

It has to be undoubtedly appreciated that Indian Music Directors in whatever language the compose , they rely more on traditional Ragas. Right from Bade Ghulam Burmans MSV ARR Illairajaja Keeravani Devarajan Jayachandran to any one you name it , They rely on Traditional Music for composing in films. When I get fascinated to listen Sufi songs in Hindi Movies , I feel the inspiration of Traditional sufi and Qwualliis . Each and Every Gharana style can be attributed to the songs we hear in day to day life , if we venture closely into it.

With a basic knowledge in traditional music , I always get dragged to the depth of music composition its inspired Raga , no of tracks mixed and the level of acoustic brilliance mastered that makes me to listen a song in loop. Sometimes my friends and relatives accuse me of making them bored if I use the Repeat button in my pod. That happens because only my in loop I’m able to get the complete nuances of any song.

As said, my recent lunatic madness being getting looped to this song. This song has a unique blend of Hindustani and Carnatic Music with beautiful lyrics and feel , mesmerizing voice. A complete composition that can shake you.

Song : Raakili Than Vazhi Marayum

Movie : Perumazhakalam (Malayalam)

Music Director : M.Jayachandran

Lyrics : Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri

Singer : : M.Jayachandran

Raga : Ahir Bhairav (Hindustani)

Ahir Bhairav is a Hindustani Classical Raga and Chakravakam can be said as its equivalent in Carnatic Music.

Arohana and avarohana

Arohana

S r G m P D n S'

Avarohana

S' n D P m G r S

My Favorites in the same raga sect are :

Albela Sajan Ayo re from hum Dil Chuke Sanam and Pibare Ramarasam by Sadasiva Brahmendra.

There can’t be any music lover who listens Hindi Songs(Film) who doesn’t like Albela Sajan (HDDCS). That is really a classic Composition by Ismail Darbar.

This song stars with a Hindustani alap with these Hindi Lines

“Baras baras badraa

 aasa ki boonden bankee baras”

Which to my knowledge can be translated to the asking of the author for drops of rain in the form of his wishes.

I have always fascinated whenever a Hindustani composition attacks the heart of a traditional south Indian Carnatic Music Listening soul.

Malayalam Lyrics of the song :

raakkilithan vazhimarayum novin perumazhakkaalam

kaathirippin thiri nanayum eeran perumazhakkaalam

oru venalin viraha baashpam

jalathaalamarnna mazhakkalam

oru thedalay mazhakkalam

raakkilithan vazhimarayum novin perumazhakkaalam

ri…ri..na…na

piya… piya….

piya ko milan ki aaz re

kaga kaga sab thani khaiyyo

kha moriya……………..

ormakal than lola karangal

punarukayanudal muruke

paathi vazhiyil kuthariya kaattil

viralukal verpiriyunnu

snehardramaro mozhiyukayavam

kaathiloraathmaswakaryam

thengalinekkal parichithametho

perariyaatha vikaaram

raakkilithan vazhimarayum novin perumazhakkaalam

ehh…. rasiyaa…

neelaraavin thazhvara neele

nizhalukal veenizhayumbol

ehto ninavin vaathilppadiyil

kaalpperumaattamunarnnu

aalunna mazhayil jaalakaveliyil

minnalilethoru swapnam

ee mazha thorum pulkkathirukalil

neermani veenu thilangum

raakkilithan vazhimarayum novin perumazhakkaalam

kaathirippin thiri nanayum eeran perumazhakkaalam

oru venalin viraha baashpam

jalanaalamarnna mazhakkalam

oru thedalay mazhakkalam

 

Certainly only a Malayalam learned fellow can translate the meaning of these lines, but whatever my Co-traveller in Infosys bus explained me is as follows.

This song , I feel , is the description of sad and helplessness explaining the beauty of rain , description of pain.

For those who still find themselves in Greece and feel I’m speaking in Latin , this movie Perumazhakalam directed by Kamal (Kamaluddin Mohammed) one of the directors from Malayalam industry who still upholds the industries Classical Way of movie making. For others , he is the fellow who directed the original version of Nuvve Kavali(telugu) Piriyada Varam vendum (Tamil). He also directed Zameer (Hindi).

Dor by Nagesh Kukunoor is the remake of this movie Perumazhakalam. Mr.Kukunoor sahib didn’t even felt the courtesy to give credits to this director. People who would have liked the Hindi version (Dor) , Vaithee suggests them to watch Perumazhakalam.

This film (Perumazhakalam) Won National Award for the Best Feature film on Social Issues.

From Ek Dewaana tha / Vinnaithandi Varuvaya / Yem Maya Chesave , there is a song called Aaromale, the Malayalam Lyrics was written by Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri , the same lyricist who wrote the above described song.

When ever I say I m looped to a song, there is something more than just a song that makes me to get looped. This is one such song.

When listening to music

When listening to music is a passion and acquiring knowledge about any song is an hobby , you get involved too much. Such is the passion which makes me to select and re discover the songs which are buried in the name of last generation. I’m sure greatest fanatic of Illairaja sir himself cannot recognize all the songs of the maestro and such is the case with that of all the masters. With respect to my earlier series of posts talking about my favorite songs this post indeed shall differ in the approach. This approach made me to rethink why we like a song. When shuffling in my pod , call it coincidence or what happened to listen two songs of different era language and geography , how could possibly people can create two different numbers based out of same raga giving it a touch of differentiation in its composition and presentation.

My interest of writing this post just looped in my mind post my conversation with my sister in law about a song which we confronted of what raga what it was. She being a Carnatic singer herself missed a chance to win over me with this number which I feel is one of the best composition of my friend ARR.

Narumugaye song from the movie Iruvar is one of the magnum opus of ARR. In this song ARR has used Naatai as well as Ghambeera naaai ragas. The male voice sings in Naatai, while the female voice sings Ghambeera Naatai. Raaga sivaranjani is usually used for pathos moods, but the ARR has used raga Sivaranjani for the song Kannum kannum in the movie Thiruda Thiruda. ARR has composed the song Ghanan ghanan in the movie Lagaan in his usual (innovative) manner. He has used the raga in a beautiful way to give great appeal to the song. Others are like here … Piya haji ali (Fiza) Maand ,Pachai kilighal (Indian) Kapi ,Thenmerku (Karuthamma) Kanada ,Ni main samajh gayi (Taal) Ahir Bhairav ,Kannamoochi (Kandukondein Kandukondein) Natakuranji/Shahana

Illairaja not only re-creates a magic of the raga which the song is based on , he has the capacity to invent a new range of composition which becomes a difficulty in itself to identify the raga. Thoongatha Vizhigal Rendu - K J Jesudas and S Janaki for ‘Agni Nakshatram’ is based on Amirthavarshini Raga and KJY voice is immortal. Aadal Kalaye Devan Tanthathu – K Jesudas for ‘Sri Raghavendrar’ is based on charukesi.

Sometimes for an amateur as me it’s easy to identify some basic ragas but it takes effort by asking experts to know all these songs are based on some raga.

The basic fact of a person if he likes a raga he might tend to listen all the songs of the particular raga is also true.

kathal Pyar Vairamuthu Gulzar

Love  is defined the best  in Tamil: தன்னை  மறந்த  நிலையில்  உருவாகும்  உணர்வு .

Meaning : Love is a feeling which happens only when one cant realize himself.

A spontaneous feeling of (overpowering earnest longing) attachment  (to God, a being, an object or an idea) that shapes up while you are in a state of forgetting yourself  and contemplating on the beauty and perfection of  God, the object, being or an idea. True love is a surge in feeling of becoming one with a being, an object or an idea.

Ancient Tamil poet and scholar திருவள்ளுவர்   (Tiruvalluvar) has described the Concept of Love in different stages in his collection of 1330 Thirukurals. Namely the chapters that explain Love are  களவியல் ( Surreptitious Love.  Verses 1081-1150) கற்பியல் (Monogamous Marital bliss. Verses 1151-1330) காமத்துப்பால் ( Treatise on Sexual love -  Verses 1081-1330 )

According to Arabic literature, there are seven stages of love.

हब – attraction, उन्स  – Infatuation, इश्क -  Love, अकीदत – Reverence, इबादत – worship, जूनून – obsession, मौत – death

The philosophy of Love mentioned in any form of literature and by anyone in any generation is common and substantial to any generation and walk of life. The language might be different but the glory of Love remains same.

Hub as defines as attraction is defined as   desirability, Lure or a pull towards you.  “Annalum nokinal avalum nokinal ” from the famous kambaramayanam is an exact example for this stage. The attraction of desire , the lure is sophisticated by the pair of eyes, intensity in the feel and the beauty beyond imagination.

The Lines of Vairan (Vairamuthu, My Teacher) is best suited here.

கைகள் நான்கும் தீண்டும் முன்னே

கண்கள் நான்கும் தீண்டிடுமே

மோகம் கொஞ்சம் முளை விடுமே ,கண் பார்வை முதல் நிலையே

Translation : Before the quartet of hands collage, two pairs of eyes meet. Seldom passion sprouts up, attraction with eyes is the first stage.

The similar lines of Gulzar says, the touch of eyes (sight), created slight attraction. The heart started feeling the attraction.

आन्खोने  ने  कुछ  ऐसा  छुआ  हल्का  हल्का  उन्स  हुआ

हल्का  हल्का  उन्स  हुआ  दिल  को  महसूस  हुआ 

Powerful lines of Mirza Ghalib has been used here. He compares the feeling of love as uncontrollable fire which is very difficult to be lit and once lit cannot be extinguished.

इश्क  कर  जोर  नहीं  है  ये  वोह  आतिश  ग़ालिब

जो  लगाये  न  लगे  और  बुझाये  न  बने 

Second stage of Love is infatuation. What I feel is no one can understand love who has not experienced infatuation. And no one can understand infatuation, no matter how many times he has experienced it. Vividly described by Vairan as 

ஆருயிரே என்னுயிரே உள்ளம் கொண்டது  ஊர்  மயக்கம்

இன்னுயிரே காதலில் இரண்டாம் நிலை தான் பால் மயக்கம்

And Hence people feel this as highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, blood pressure to rise and the lips to wrinkle.

Gulzar Challenges Vairan here saying 

छूती  है  मुझे  सरगोशी  से

आँखों  में  घुली  खामोशी  से

मैं  फर्श  पे  सजदे  करता  हूँ

कुछ  होश  में  कुछ  बेहोशी  से   

Acme of Life is Love, says Vairan. These lines vividly describes the summit the person shall be reaching in his feeling. Vairan arues with Gulzar stating “Amrith (sacred water) flows thr my veins , my life is experiencing a new kind of pain unique only to me”.

மெய் தீண்டும் நேசம் தொடங்கியதோ

இது  காதலின்  மூன்றாம்  படி  நிலையோ

என்  உடல்  வழி  அமிர்தம்  வழிகொன்றதோ    

என்  உயிர்  மட்டும் புது  வித  வழி  கொண்டதோ

This stage is most heavenly and zenith of all stages. Post this stage the concept of advaita peeps in. The Feeling of oneness starts to flow and the process of destruction of self is started. 

“நாங்கம்  நிலை”(Fourth stage) is clearly depicted by Vairan in these lines.

என்  நறுமலரே  உன்னை  தொழுது  விட்டேன்

என்  சுய  நினைவென்பதை  இழந்து  விட்டேன்

அந்த  சூரியன்  எழும்  திசை  மறந்து  விட்டேன்

கண்கள்  தாண்டி  போகதே  என்  ஆருயிரே  என்  ஓருயிரே

ஒரு  காதலிலே  மொத்தம்  ஏழு  நிலை

நாம் இது  வரை  கண்டது  நான்கு  நிலை 

Having said that, I have serious questions here. Why does Love between the Genders of Homo sapiens is difficult to reach way point beyond the Stage three unless in seldom cases where the motive is of self-destruction of ego?

This stage crossing beyond third stage can never be possible unless there are so many obsessions having no means of realness and practicality. Satisfied Love can’t be in search of junoon , the பித்து  நிலை (Lunatic Stage).

As said, the stages superior to Junoon needs high amount of energy and passion to sustain and reach the atman , prime reason to live. Well interesting point is the amount of power of mind to revert back to normal stage is enormous than to complete this stage thus making the completion of stage possible only if there is passion. The Raag-ic sutras explained in Yoga sutras also accepts this philosophy .

A Combined explanation of these stages is very much needed. Reverence and worship goes hand in hand. With respect Comes worship. Sajda is the right word for the same. Conversion of Dvaita to Advaita starts only when there is complete respect for the Being. This being can always be representation of God, Brahminism, Love, Devotion for anything and everything experienced in nature.

என்  உடல்  பொறுல்  தந்தேன்  சரண்  புகுந்தேன்  

என்  உயிரை  உனக்குள்   ஊற்றி  விட்டேன் 

இதுதான்  காதலில்  ஐந்து  நிலை , நான்  உன்  கையில்  நீர்  திவலை

This Line is my favorite of Vairan. "நான்  உன்  கையில்  நீர்  திவலை" meaning I m a vessel in your hands.

मेरा  जीना  जूनून  मेरा  मरना  जूनून

अब  इसके  सिवा  नहीं  कोई  सुकून

“I have forget the direction of rising sun,I started worshiping you”. Worshiping your beloved, god etc means complete oneness , “सजदा”. Submission means Sajda.

“என்  உடல்  பொருள்  தந்தேன் ”. I would regard this as complete submission. Sajda. These lines makes me to quick remark on the language and literature are one and same with different script. The Feel is the same.

Here the stage one achieves has everything to do to with the feel of Existence as Oneness. Here the person actually relates the self-living with the breathing of object in question.

All these stages are infallible and these stages are been carried devout bhaktas and fanatic theists.

Till Here, the author(S) maintain(s) the sacred steps of Love. The stages , people experience in their life.

The torturous journey starts here where the Junoon (Mania) starts the final process of destruction. This destruction can lead to self destruction of EGO or in cases where there is unquenchable madness in can lead to destruction.

ஒரு  மூகதினால்  வரும்  பித்து  நிலை 

இது  மூசமில்லை   ஒரு  முக்தி  நிலை 

நம்  காதலிலே  இது  ஆறு  நிலை 

Vairan says this stage as பித்து  (Lunatic). And also adds by saying that this stage is a stage of முக்தி Salvation and not dangerous.

The Final Stage of Love is Death. Literal meaning can give raise to obvious reasons of lost and depression and sadness. But universal acceptance of this shall be the destruction of Ego(Fanaa) and Advaita (non Dualism).

இந்த  காதலில்  மரணம்  ஏழு  நிலை 

இது  இல்லை  என்றால்  அது  காதல்  இல்லை 

உடல்  மரிக்கின்ற  காதல்  மரிப்பதில்லை  மரிப்பதில்லை

  

If a person chooses these stages for a being , I doubt he can really cross the third stage, As the path thereof with a being shall be too torturous and unquenchable. This path shall be only valid for being if he/ she tries the path of Fanaa the self-destruction of Ego. The non-dualism path and its attainment shall be path of self-enlightenment and the process of Kaivilya (Singularity). The saints of these paths reach the Shirasha of Energy chakra.

Yogic process of attaining Kaivaliya can also be an example of these.

Vairan and Gulzar have impressed me to compare their styles right from Dil se days to Ravaan. They are uncomparable so is the Language they write for.

I would really like to recreate Ghalibs verse here… stating

“He compares the feeling of love as uncontrollable fire which is very difficult to be lit and once lit cannot be extinguished.”

Happy Blogging.

PS: Tamil spelling mistakes are inevitable thanks to editor used. Please ignore.

Dedicated this post to all those who sincere any relationship.

Ravaan Music Review : Behne de jigar mein

Music review are written to express their interest after listening to a music album. Nothing behind me as a musical expert other than being a Producer of Music Album, i wanted to write review of this film and the reasons are obvious. Mani Ratnam , Greatest known director to Vaithee and that's me and ARR maestro . What else you need? Every time ARR composes for Mani , i get to remember AE /Yuva Episode of Mani not allowing to compose songs but wanted only BG Songs. ARR Proved no director in the world can remove his songs even his mentor and guru and founder Mani. Am i right or over expressive? i believe i m not.

Not deviating from the Topic , i m here in my blog to express my first impression on Ravaan (Hindi Version of Bi lingual Film) Music. Before it was set to release on 24th of this month Beera Beera was a block buster. 

Every Film's story line is said to be guessed by the songs. Now , by Name Raavan is the movie is today's adaptation of myth book where Ravaan defeats ram? i guess so when i read directors note in the films website and his own production house website.Well all songs provide us a feeling of chasing involved. Some kind of thriller or to say some kind of a game to be played  between Vikram and Abhisek for AIsh.

Well again rather than reviewing in order i shall order in my fav listed order.

First and  Foremost is Behne De..... Provided yet another Fantabulous lyrical feast and is always true when veteran Gulzar is around and Karthik my favorite singer and it was proved. Most important the music was soothing in ones heart with its tempo and u feel ... its the song to be listening millionth time in a day...Behne de mujhe behne de.. and literally i was thrown of my feat and i was moved with its excellent rendition

Next my favorite is ranja ranja .'Ranjha Ranjha' sung by Rekha Bhardwaj, Anuradha Sriram & Javed Ali has mix sounds of Punjabi folk and remixed beats. Javed Ali sounds so different in this one. 

Rahman's favorite is up next with 'Thok de Killi'. With sounds of bagpipes and more chorus singing, the song is uplifting. Drums and bugles sounds make it seem more of a 'war' song. After 'Rasiya' in Mangal Pandey, Rahman is here again with song of same genre. 'Ranja Ranja' sung by Rekha Bhardwaj, Anuradha Sriram & Javed Ali has mix sounds of Punjabi folk and remixed beats. Javed Ali sounds so different in this one.  

My Picks : Behne De, Ranja ranja and Beera Beera. 

WIth ARR not singing , i m disappointed and i feel with rich composition i m and my desperation to watch this movie has increased....  Waiting to listen Tamil version :-)

Rating : better than Guru... and not the best  4/5 and gulzar proved he is a veteran 

Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan , World’s one of the well known genius of Sufi and Qawalli singer, was born in Faisalabad in Pakistan. He was trained under his uncle Nusrat Sahib which is no mere coincidence but with his virtue of sheer knowledge and born talent, he mastered his born talent of Sufi singing and became world reckoning singer at young age. My intention of blogging on him was to salute his way of singing and mastering which happened to me , to listen some of the songs from Bombay Cinema. 

For MoTA its s well known fact that I have made myself a fan of Rahat , but eventually I wanted to take this opportunity to share my views on him and some of my favorites. I would start with mentioning the first song I happened to get mesmerize was the OSO song ‘Jag suna Suna’. OSO became a musical hit with all the songs beautifully filmed . Particularly I liked the song Jag suna suna which had rahat’s touch of brilliance. With exponentially beautiful style of Sufi singing it was made easy to look, but marvelously laid singing and was equally appreciated by the audience. Ore Piya from Aaja Nachle , Bolna Halke from JBJ and Jiya Dhadak Dhadak Jaaye from Kalyug and songs from Paap : Mann ki lagan are all my desktop favorites. I watched some of his live performance thanks to You tube and was amazed with his style of singing. Seriously he is blessed with great talent and is a genius and come from a family which is world known.