Classical Illayaraja - 13
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A.R.Rahman is the number one copier in the world. My friend is very much
convinced on this matter. He called A.R.Rahman as a mammoth recycling bin
that takes its own previously tuned songs and polishes it and presents it
in a different form. How dare he copy the great "kowsalya supraja" tune
and use it as the interlude music in "margazhi poovae" (may maadham). My
friend boils with anger. How dare the freshmen music director of the movie
meendum savithri (Ravi Devendran) copy the interlude of margazhi poovae
(which is itself a copied bit from kowsalya supraja) and present it in his
song. A chain of copying! My friend has lost his peace and is now a terri-
bly agitated individual. His head is hot with anger!
Is it correct to call the flute interlude in "margazhi poovae" as a copy of
kausalya supraja? A.R. Rahman has tuned his margazhi poovae in the ragam
Hindholam. Subbulakshmi's Kausalya supraja is in the ragam Sudha Saveri.
If Rahman indeed copied willfully, how could he present a Sudha Saveri tune
in a Hindholam song?
The concept of Sruthi is very illusory. We know that if we sounded a note
with any frequency (X) and another note twice its frequency (2X), then
there is an entire octave between these two notes. Be X = 1 hertz, and
2X = 2 hertz, or be X = 100,000 hertz and 2X = 200,000 Hz, there is one
and only one octave inbetween these two respective sets of notes. Thus we
will have an entire Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Da Ni Sa between these notes. So, you
can take any frequency (Sa) and play the 2X frequency of that fundamental
frequency (upper Sa) and make a shruthi. Additionally if you played
X x 2 * 7/12 (read this as X times 2 to the power 7/12) with X and 2X, then,
you are adding the panchamam to the two Sa's and you get panchama shruthi.
Instead, if you played X x 2 * 5/12 (X times 2 to the power 5/12), you are
adding madhyamam to the two Sa's and it is called as the madhyama shruthi.
Shruthi forms the territorial boundaries in music. Any swara derives its
identity only with reference to the shruthi. A single note when played
alone is probably meaningless in classical music without the Shruthi. Shruthi
by itself is pleasant music. In katcheris you may often see somebody sitting
on the stage and playing the thambura. The thambura just gives the Sa Pa Sa
notes to the Katcheri. That is the SHRUTHI!! Illayaraja has many times
just used the Sa Pa Sa shruthi as the background score in cinemas and lilted
the audience by the magical effect of the SHRUTHI! Rahman also has used the
drone of the Shruthi conspicously in many of his songs and added great
melody to the songs (eg: the panthuvarali song in Rangeela sung by Swarana
Latha and Udit Narayan. What a classical piece!!)
The swaras of Sudha Saveri are: Sa Ri2 Ma1 Pa Da2 Sa; Sa Da2 Pa Ma1 Ri2 Sa.
If we played Kausalya Supraja the tune goes like this: Sa Ri Ri (kausalya)
Sa Ri Ri (supraja), Sa Ri Sa Ri (Rama poorva), Sa Ri Sa Ri Sa Sa (Sandhya
pravarthadhae). The above swaras have meanings only within their respective
Shruthi. If you viewed these notes from within the boundaries of a different
musical territory, then it might have a different meaning. What if you
viewed these notes from the reference shruthi of "Ri2-Da2-Ri2"?! The ragam
might change totally. It is like Pandiyarajan and S.V.Sekhar travelling
overnight and going to Kerala in Kadhanayakan!! Though Thamizhnadu and
Kerala are adjacent states, words might have totally opposite meanings
there! If a Thamizh doctor prescribed a sleeping pill to a Malayalee and
told him "ee guligai ravilae kazhicho!", he will be in trouble. Because,
"ravilae" means night in Thamizh and morning in Malayalam! See how
different the meanings are?!
What A.R.Rahman has done is, he has skillfully "copied" the Sudha Saveri
swaras and transliterated it into Hindholam as Ga2 Ma1 Ma1, Ga2 Ma1 Ga2 Ma1
and so on. We don't know if he purported to copy or if it was a strange
co-incidence. But, the fact is that a Coke can got recycled and came back
to us as a Pepsi can! Sometimes, Coke cans can get a new sticker on its
face (with no shruthi change and stuff!) and can be sold as Goli soda locally.
That has happened in the background rhythm guitar score in "kuluvaliyae"
(Muthu) song. The same piece comes in Sister Act. Illayaraja too has got
incriminated many times for such blatant similarity of his songs to other
popular songs ("en purushan thaan enaku mattum thaan" in Gopurangal
Saivadhillai was called as a copy of "dham maerae dham").
Aandholika is a pleasant janyam of Harikaambodi ragam. Its arohanam and
avarohanam are Sa Ri2 Ma1 Pa Ni2 Sa; Sa Ni2 Da2 Ma1 Ri2 Sa. Thyagaraja
swamy has got a terrific krithi in this ragam, which is mostly sung as a
thukkada in Katcheris. The krithi is "raga sudha rasa". I have heard a
story long ago. That Padma Subramaniam had a song tuned for her dance
performance in this Ragam. At that time Illayaraja was in someway conected
with Padma's troup to earn his daily bread (probably as a "mike" boy or
something!). Then, later he became picked up by "Ms. Luck" after he made
his debut in Panchu Arunachalam's film "Annakili". He had lot of chances
flowing in his way then. Mullum malarum is a terrific movie. It must be
within first 50 films of Illayaraja. He gave a great musical support to the
director, Mahendran, tuning few totally unheard kinds of lilting tunes then.
But, he also got his name spoiled in that movie because of "copying"
Padma's Aandolika ragam tune.
The song is "raaman aandalum raavanan aandalum". That is a very crucial
song in the movie. Rajni looses one of his arms in the climax of the song
in an accident. The song is actually a tappanguthu. But, in the interlude
of the song the chorus sings a bit which goes like "samiyai kumbitta namaku
nalladhu thaan varumae". The tune is supposed to be in pure Aandholika (the
same tune that Padma used in her Dance performance earlier). Reportedly
she complained in some interview about how Illayaraja had "copied" her tune.
We know that music directors like Illayaraja and Rahman have got very fertile
mind and they have proved it by generation of wonderful tunes. The judgement
that these eminant people copied other people's work cannot be passed so
easily. It is in the innermost conscience of these personalities that the
secret dwells if they are felon or not. Perhaps, it can never be known
to the outside world unless they frankly admit like Anand Milind ("yes, we
are fans of Illayaraja, we do use his tunes in our songs")!
Madhyamaavathi is a grand janya ragam of Karaharapriya. Perhaps it is the
greatest of the pentatonic ragas (oudhuva oudhuva ragam). Its arohanam and
avarohanam are: Sa Ri2 Ma1 Pa Ni2 Sa; Sa Ni2 Pa Ma1 Ri2 Sa. Illayaraja
liked this ragam so much that he has atleast tuned 40 to 50 songs in this
great ragam. Madhyamavathi is distinct among other pentatonic ragas. It
is a very much gamaka oriented ragam. It is like the Thodi of janya ragas.
You can just play the notes of the 45 melam (subhapanthuvarali) in the
harmonium and make the ragam evident. Similarly you can just play
Sa Ri2 Ma2 Pa Ni3 Sa in the harmonium and make Hamsanadham ragam evident,
but, you cannot get Madhyamavathi by just playing the notes in a plain
"bland" way. You have to make the notes spicy! Gently make the Rishabham
and Nishadham oscillate above their baseline frequency, there comes the
unparalled beauty, Ms. Madhyamaavathi!!
Illayaraja has tuned a great Madhyamavathi in Mullum malarum ("adipaennae").
I think the singer is Jency. Each time I listen to this song it creates
an inexplicable feeling in my mind. The song is so romantic, so sexy,
so well sung that it directly stimulates some unknown erogenous zones in
the psyche. Illayaraja has reasonably used the gamakas well. This was
probably his second Madhyamavathi, the first one being "solaikuyilae" in
Ponnu ooruku pudhusu. Solaikuyilae starts like Pa Pa Ri Sa Ri.... A lofty
jump from madhyama sthayi Pa to tharasthayi Rishabam. Maalaikadhirae goes
like Sa Sa Ni Sa Ni.....Pa, such a prolonged nishadham. Most of the
melody of this ragam resides with the Ri and Ni. The gamakam is absolutely
important, period! Look at the beauty of Papanasam Sivan's opening in
Madhyamavathi in "karpagamae kadai kann paarai" - Sa Ri Sa Ri.... Actually
the gamakam of Ri encompasses the sadharana gandharam too. It is like
RiGa, RiGa...! Illayaraja's use of impeccable gamaka adorned Rishabam at
the very opening of the song is too classic. It is like Krishnamachari
Srikanth sending the first opening ball to the boundary!
Illayaraja has given few more Madhyamavathi's in quite pure form. En
kalyana vaibhogam in the movie "azhagae unnai aradhikkiraen" is one early
number. Sridhar's first venture with Illayaraja. Vani Jayaram has sung
this song. Then, aagaya gangai in Dharma Uddham, nee thaanae endhan
ponvasantham in Ninaivellam Nithiya, thulli thulli nee padamma (Chirpikul
muthu), thalattu pillai ena thaalaatu (?Achchani), thazham poovae vaasam
veesu (Kai kodukum kai), kuyilae kuyilae poonguyilae (Aan paavam), anandam
then sindhum (Man vasanai), azhagiya thirumaganae (Rajarishi), eeramaana
rojaavae (Illamai Kaalangal), kavidhai paadu kuyilae (Thendralae Ennai Thodu),
malargalil aadum illamai (kalayaraman), nee kaeta naan mataen (?movie) etc.
A.R. Rahman has used small bits of Madhyamavathi in the interlude of his song
"then then thithikkum then" (Thiruda thiruda). Some singer called Jadhiraja
has sung some fast swaras with pungent electric guitar sending shocks of
Madhyamavathi vibrations with his voice! (I heard that Mr.Jadhiraja is none
other than Rahman himself!) Madhyamaavathi by earlier music directors include
Ponnondru kandaen, Muthukkalo kangal, aagaya pandhalilae, etc. Can we
forget the great presentation of Devarajan in Swamy Iyyapan "hariharatmajam
viswamasrayae" sung by Jesudoss. It is a divine feast to listen to this
slow song.
Madhyamavathi is supposed to be a Mangalakaramaana ragam. Tradionally
when we end the katcheri, it is customary to end the katcheri in one of the
three ragas: Madhyamavathi, Suruti, or Sowrashtram. Illayaraja used
Madhyamavathi to end the song in one of his ragamaalika songs! enna samayalo
in "Unnal Mudiyum Thambi". The song starts with mohanam and ends with
Madhyamaavathi. When SPB sings "illayai podadi", Madhyamavathi starts.
Ofcourse, each of the raga change in that ragamalikai is made by the
accompanying nadhaswaram.
If we change the kaisiki nishadham (Ni2) of madhyamavathi in the arohanam to
kaakali nishadham (Ni3) then the raga form changes drastically. It is
Brindhavana Saranga. It is a bhashangam because of double Nishadham. Sa Ri2
Ma1 Pa Ni3 Sa; Sa Ni2 Pa Ma1 Ri2 Sa. Some of Illayaraja's song in this
ragam are fantastic. Poongatrae poongatrae (kunkumachimizh), kannukullae
anbin eeram enna (unakaaga vazhgiraen) are both enthralling songs. I cannot
forget how I used to tune to Coimbatore radio station between 10 to 11,
Trichi - 1 to 2 PM, Madras - 4 to 5 in the mid 1980's to listen to these
great songs. These Brindhavana Saranga's are as captivating as Subulakshmi's
"Sriranga Pura Vihara" or Balamurali's "kamalaptakula". The later songs
that he tuned in this raga are Penn onru thai aanadhu (Pudhiya Ragam)
and indha jilla muzhuka nalla theriyum (Priyanka). Brindhavana Saranga
by earlier music directors are Kattithanga rajavukku (?movie), thottilil
thodangidum (nilavae malarae). In the latter song MSV has used double
Nishadham in the arohanam itself (like Pa Ni2 Ni3 Sa)! It is one of the
best songs that he has ever tuned, sung by Vani Jayaram.
Mullum Malarum has another fantastic song. Senthazham poovil is a kinda
try in Bowli ragam (with lot of foreign notes in the interlude). Bowli is
one of the early morning ragas. Other early morning ragas are Boopaalam,
Revagupti, Malayamaarudham etc. When your cousin is getting married,
you are very tired during the night of Janavaasam because you went out
with your other cousins and had a "thanni" party and came back to the
Kalyana chathiram only at 4 AM to sleep. You have hardly slept for 30 mts,
and you hear the irritating Nadhaswaram vidhwan playing "pee pee" to wake
up everybody. He is playing one of the above ragams! Boopalam is Thodi
janyam: Sa Ri1 Ga2 Pa Da1 Sa; Sa Da1 Pa Ga2 Ri1 Sa. Bowli is Mayamalava
Gowlai Janyam with Ga3 instead of Ga2 in Boopalam. I have heard of one
good Bowli in the movie called as Kuzhandhai Yesu (kannae vaa, kanmaniyae
vaa).
I don't know who is the music director. Recently I heard Illayaraja's
another (probable) Bowli: Kozhikoovum naerathulae... (?Movie). I don't
remember the tune very well. But, the best Bowli came from T.Rajender.
Salangai ittaal (Maidhili Ennai Kaadhali) was a tremendous success at that
time. It is unfortunate that Rajender, a guy with full potency to challenge
big time music directors, got lost in the political imbroglio, loosing his
place in the cinema. He gave such a wonderful Kaapi ragam in his very first
movie (idhu kuzhandhai paadum thaalaatu in Oru thalai Ragam), superb
Gambeera Naatai in Pookalai Parikaadheergal (kaadhal oorvalam ingae).
Those are unforgettable tunes.
Madhyamaavathi is closely related Sriragam (Sa Ri2 Ma1 Pa Ni2 Sa; Sa Ni2
Pa Ma1 Ri2 Ga2 Ri2 Sa) and Manirangu (Sa Ri2 Ma1 Pa Ni2 Sa; Sa Ni2 Pa Ma1
Ga2 Ri2 Sa). There is one film song in Sriragam. Thoda thoda vaa mella
has been tuned by Malayalam music director Ravindran. I think the movie
is Rasikan oru rasikai. Two years ago, I heard another Sriragam song
(andhi maalai) that has been exactly tuned in the tune of Thyagraja krithi
Entharo mahaanu bavulu. That song was in a music album. I don't know who
realised it. But do know that it was someway connected with Rahman. As far
as I know, there is only one Manirangu song in cinema. Music director:
Illayaraja! "Isai rajanae un illam veenai naanae" comes in Kanni Rasi
(first film directed by Pandiyarajan). Malaysia Vasudevan has sung in two
voices (his normal voice for Prabhu, and Chidambaram Jayaraman's voice for
Janakaraj), accompanied by VaniJayaram. The fact that Illayaraja used
such rare ragas during his carreer is a standing testimony to his classical
interests.
Now, coming to the original discussion about shruthi, look what happens
to our Madhyamavathi when you start viewing it from different angles.
Increase the reference shruthi by two notes, ie., Ri2-Da2-Ri2, then the
raga changes to Hindholam. Increase by 5 notes, ie., Ma1-Sa-Ma1, then
the raga changes to Sudha Saveri, by 7 notes, ie., Pa-Ri2-Pa, the raga
changes to Sudha Dhanyasi, by 10 notes, ie., Ni2-Ma1-Ni2, then you get
Mohanam from the same swaras!! Is it not wonderful! It is like the same
man being a son, brother, father, and as uncle to different people by virtue
of different relationship.
Mohanam is a nice, melodious ragam. Illayaraja is a real Mohanapriyan.
No other music director in India would have given so many Mohanam as him.
Among his hundreds of Mohanam hits we have kannan oru kai kuzhandhai
(Bhadrakali), geetham sangeetham (Kokkarako), malarae paesu (Geethanjali)
vaan polae vannam (Salangai oli), kanmaniyae kaadhal enbadhu (aaril irundhu
arubadhu varai), poovil vandu (Kadhal oviyam), meenkodi theril (Karumbuvil),
naan oru ponnoviyam kandaen (?movie), abc nee vaasi (Oru kaidiyin dairy),
naan undhan thaayaga vendum (Ullasa paravaigal), oru ragam paadalodu
(?Ananda ragam), nilavu thoongum naeram (Kunkumachimizh), aathodu kaathaada
(Murattu kaalai), oru thanga radhathil (Dharmayudham), kasthoori manae
(Pudhumai penn), ninnukori varnam (Agninakshathiram), kaathirundhaen
thaniyae (?Rasamagan), idhayam oru kovil (idhayakovil), kukku koo koovum
(Valli) etc. Some of the recent music directors seem to be handling
Mohanam very well. Manamae thotta chinungi in Thotta chinnungi is a great
piece of Mohanam. Oh God! what a terrific rendition by Hariharan! He is
an asset to Thamizh music industry. In kaadhal kottai, Deva has given two
amazing Mohanams (vellarikka pinju vellarikka, I forgot the other one).
In katcheris, the shruthi is constantly vibrated either by the thamboora
artist or the electronic shruthi. This reminds us the reference shruthi
for that concert and we can identify a ragam with respect to that shruthi.
But, in film music, where there is no background reminder of the shruthi,
how can we identify the ragam correctly? As discussed above, it could be
Madhyamavathi, Mohanam, Sudha Saveri, Hindholam, or Sudha Dhanyasi for
the same swaras. And now comes the "nuances" or "ragalakshanam" issue!
We can still identify by figuring out the kind of treatment that has been
given to the swaras.
While you are singing in one particular shruthi, if you suddenly assume
a different shruthi and sing the same swaras implying a different ragam,
then it is called as shruthi-bedham. It is a highly scientific game that
some muscians like T.N.Seshagopalan relish playing on the dais. He could
sing Thodi and do a 1/2 kattai shruthi-bedham and make it sound like
Kalyani. The Maestro has ingeniously tuned a song recently in which he
suddenly assumes a different shruthi in the middle of the song. This is
in vandhaal vandhal rajakumaari (Oru ooril oru rajaumaari). In the Piano
prelude he clearly indicates the shruthi initially . He starts the song
like Ga3 Ma1 Pa, Pa Pa, Pa Da2 Pa, Pa Da2 Pa, Pa Da2 Pa Da2 Pa Ma1 Ga3
Ri2 Ga3 Ma1 Ga3 Ri.....
If you were to call this pallavi as a ragam
you can call it as Sankarabharanam. It is pukka! In the interlude he
follows the same opening shruthi. But, when the charanam starts, he
suddenly raises the shruthi by 4 notes and assumes the previous Ga3 as
the Pa and develops a wonderful Charukesi from there on. It is ectastic
to listen to this song again and again. Charukesi is the 26th melam with
Sa Ri2 Ga3 Ma1 Pa Da1 Ni2 Sa. His other Charukesi are: amma nee sumandha
(annai oru aalayam), siriya paravai (Andha oru nimidam), aadal kalayae
(Raghavendrar), thoodhu selvadhaaradi (Singaravelan), chakkarakattiku
chakkarakattiku (Ullae Veliyae), poovaagi kaayagi (?movie), and
manamaalayum manjalum (Vathiyaar veetu pillai).
-Lakshminarayanan Srirangam Ramakrishnan,
Internal Medicine Department,,
Brackenridge Hospital,
15E Street,
Austin, Tx 78751.
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en kalyaana vaibovam
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