KURUMBINILUM ORU EZHIL THONRUM - MANIDHAN MARAVILLAI

THAAMADHAM THAGADHAYYA - LALGUDI GOPALA IYER

Thamadam thagadhayya lyrics
iyaRRiyavar: laalguti V.R. gOpaala aiyar
raagam: mOhanakalyaaNi
thaaLam: aathi

pallavi:
thaamatham thakaathayyaa
thayaaparaa thuNai murukayyaa

anupallavi:
thaamasa guna thInanaana
thamayEnai aaLa tharunamithayyaa

charaNam:
maalum ayan kaanaa mahaathEvan main-thaa
maatu' vaLLi thEvamaatu' makil' kaNta
vElum mayilum ennaaLum ennaik kaakkavE
vEkamaaga vaarum varam thaarum

VARUVAI VARAM THARUVAI - SANJAY - DORAISWAMY KAVIRAYAR

V.SRIRAM WRITES:

DURAISWAMY KAVIRAYAR

Doraswami Kavirayar, referred to here after as Kavi, was born on 15th August 1867, at Muthu Vinayagar Street, George Town Madras. His father was Samiappa Kavirayar, a poet of merit in the retinue of Pathai Sriramulu Chetty, a dubash of the East India Company. It is said that Samiappa Kavirayar did not have children for long and so he prayed often at the Karukkatha Amman Temple at Spurtank. 

One night the goddess appeared in his dream and promised him a son the next day. And so it proved. At the time of his birth, the patron Sriramulu Chetty declared that the prosperity of the times owed itself to the Dorai (the Englishman) and Swami (God). He was therefore named Doraswami. There is no record of Doraiswami having a mother or of Samiappa kavirayar having married. Indeed, we must attribute Kavi’s birth to a miracle.

Kavi was found to be completely disinclined towards learning and this was a sorrow to his father, who in true Carnatic tradition was fated to pass away when Kavi was merely five. Thereafter, Kavi was brought up by his father’s patron, who lavished his best attention on the boy but to no avail. One day, Sriramulu Chetty expressed his frustration by remarking “solla solla varamaattengude” (despite repeated telling, he wont learn). 

That was the turning point. Doraswami Kavi ran away to the Tiruporur Murugan temple where he spent the night. Lord Muruga appeared in his dream and wrote on his tongue. When he woke up, he found he had become a poet. Thereafter he had to only open his mouth and poetry poured forth. His first creation is said to be Solla Solla (now sung in Behag).

Eschewing material wealth, for he realised that to be remembered by posterity he had to be poor, Kavi spurned all offers of patronage. He became an itinerant poet, visiting temples. One day he arrived at Kozhipidichanpalayam to see a crowd. A man had fallen into a well and was declared dead. Immediately he sang innum parAmukham (now sung in bEgaDa) and the man bounced back to health.

Kavi’s talents came to the notice of the Zamindar of Eppodumtolvi who demanded that Kavi sing in his (Zamindar’s praise). This was sternly refused, whereupon the Zamindar ordered the Kavi’s arrest. In prison Kavi sang Harahara Sankara (now sung in Mukhari). That very night the Zamindar had severe stomach ache and realised his folly. He ordered the release of Kavi and honoured him with todas and shawls.

Kavi was particularly attached to Dandayudhapani, the deity of Palani and sang several songs in His praise. Kavi was also referred to as Kaliyuga Dandayudhapani as he wore only a loincloth and carried a staff. Kavi was tall, with a bright forehead that always sported the sacred ash. He had a broad chest and there was effulgence about him. It is not known if he had six pack abs.

Now that all the important details of his life have been covered, we need to document his end, which like that of most Carnatic composers, is inordinately well-recorded. In his last years Kavi came under the patronage of the Governor of Madras, ME Grant Duff. This was by way of a ball of butter to be left at his doorstep every morning. One day he was given a vision and sang kathirvaDivEla (now sung in Jayantashree).

 It is likely that he had a premonition of his passing thereafter and really looked forward to it. But then God delayed His arrival and exasperated with this, Kavi embarked on innum enna Ezhai mEl. It is said that during the singing of this song, God appeared on a peacock and danced before him and vanished at the end of every verse and reappeared only if he composed yet another. That is why this song has a slow pallavi and four fast-paced caraNams. At the end of it, there was a burst of light and Kavi shuffled off his mortal coil. From the heavens came the singing of a mangaLam (saravaNa), which was quickly noted down by the Governor of Madras, ME Grant Duff. On his return to England, the Governor named his estate Doraiswamipuram, which is now known as Dorsey.

There has of late been a persistent rumour that the place where Doraiswami Kavirayar shuffled off suffered a severe subsidence thereafter and necessitated the construction of a subway known as the Doraiswami Subway. But we vehemently state that there is no truth in this.

A week after his passing, Kavi appeared in a dream to Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar. This was interpreted as a command that his songs be set to music. The task was entrusted to VS Gomathisankara Iyer who notated them. A contemporary historian however states that he has seen notated songs of Doraswami Kavi in the notebooks of Durguniammal, the hereditary Devadasi of Adigaprasangiamman temple. He is of the view that the first attempt at notation was by one Kosapettai Iramasami Nattuvanar.

A good Professor from the past, who got a lot of anecdotes converted into fact has opined that Doraiswami Kavirayar, along with Pallavi Doraiswami Iyer and Puliyur Doraiswami Iyer can be collectively termed the Doraitrayam or the Doraiswami Trinity of Carnatic Music.

NB: This is an unofficial biography and its factual accuracy is suspect at best. You could call it a stub. Caveat Emptor. But it is entirely suitable to make it to University textbooks.

ADHI SAID:

No account of Kavi’s life is complete without a graphical description of the famous contest between Doraiswami Kavi and visiting vidvan Upamaka Urubhanga Kavi in the presence of Eppodumtolvi where he composed on the spot his famous “Sodikka vandayo” (now sung in Athana) and defeated the visiting vidwan. I am somewhat disappointed that the biographer left out this important detail.

http://sriramv.wordpress.com/2012/12/08/doraiswami-kavirayar/

SALAKKU SALAKKU SELAI - SEMBARUTHI

CLASSICAL ILAIYARAAJA -1

 Recently, I watched the movie 'Chembaruthi' on video. One of those unethical, "kuppai" screen printed video cassette, you know, that gives you a vision like that of a "soda-butti" watching TV without his spectacles! Illayaraja has done a fantastic job in that movie. Though I had heared all those songs many times while I was in India, watching that movie created a reminiscent train of thoughts in my mind, about Illayaraja, his music, the dramatic change he brought about in Thamizh cinema.

I thought that it would be worthwhile to discuss his music, particularly the CLASSICAL aspect! I am aware that it is not possible to write about all his carnatic oriented songs, about how he has handled those ragas, how he has deviated from the classical style etc. But it would definitely be interesting to pour out our ideas once in a while in a random order of the ragas covered by him. In "Chembaruthi" there are six songs, out of which 4 are carnatic based. All the songs were "sooper hits". To a guy who knows carnatic music, the ragas are explicit, and to a non-classical rasika, they are just great tunes! This was one of his specialities, to give the raga in almost good shape and also make a good cinema tune out of it. And ofcourse, the rhythm should give scope for good dance movements so that the hero and heroine could share their love by dancing!

Maybe, many of his tunes have to be branded as semi-classical or light music (even though the raga form might be pure) only because of this rhythm factor. "Chalakku Chalakku Selai" is one good number in chakravaagam. There is no impurity in the tune (like any anniya swaram). He has confined to classical 16th, Sa Ri1 Ga3 Ma1 Pa Da2 Ni2 Sa. Ofcourse, not to mention, that the lyrics is very bad, fighting to degrade the song from semi-classical to light music. In the charanam the heroine says "kalyaanam aagama paay poda venam, ennala aagaathu aamaam". You know, some good heroines with morality do say such deterrant, anti pre-marital sex things to the always advancing heroes!

 Illayaraja has only few chakravaagams in his account. In the janya raagas of chakravaagam, he has excellent numbers. Like, Malayamaarutham.... Sa Ri1 Ga3 Pa Da2 Ni2 Sa, Sa Ni2 Da2 Pa Ga3 Ri1 Sa. His first malayamarutham came as a pleasant surprise in Sridhar's movie (for whom he always had a soft corner) "Thenralae ennai thodu". I distinctly remember how the 'Ananda Vikatan' magazine wrote in glowing terms about "kannmani nee vara kathirun- then" song in malayamaarutham. Yesudoss and Uma Ramanan had done a wonderful job in that song. Ga Pa Da Sa Ni Da Pa Da Pa Ga, Ga Pa Ga Sa Sa Ri. What a wonderful start! The sharp rishabam gave a beautiful colour to this song. Maybe Illayaraja's first malayamaarutham was "poojakaana neram" in "kaadal ovium. That was a good song too.

Dheepan chakravarthi had struggled to keep in pace with that tune (like some violinists get into trouble with Sesha- gopalan's pace!). Then came "Thendral vanthu muthamittathu" in malayamaarutham in "Oru odai nadiyagirathu"(another sridhar's movie). Gosh! That was a fast song too. Krishnachandar and S.P.Shailaja tried their best, but probably spoiled it. Particularly, S.P.Shailaja has sung like the shrill sound you hear when you apply the breaks on a car that you bought for 500 $! There are two other songs in which he has deleted both Ni and Ma in chakravaagam. I don't think that such a raga exists in carnatic music with any known name. Those two songs are "amudhae thamizhae" (kovil pura), and "nila kuyilae" (magudi). They are simply excellent. One should be an artist and play those songs to know their quality.

 Amudhae thamizhae starts like Sa Ri Ga,Sa Ri Ga, Sa Ri Ga Pa Ga Ri Sa, Sa Ri Sa Da Sa...Pulamai Pithan's lyrics glorified that song. In the charanam he says, if you listen to and speak Thamizh, " Oon mezhugai urugum, athil ulagam karainthu pogum", such is the beauty of this language! One cannot write any better,about the greatness of Thamizh language. (Those people like Thamizh vendan & co, who have no other job other than inundating the S.C.T with meaningless news about Thamizh Ezham, now, have a point!). I vaguely remember a song "naan irrukka bayam etharku" (kuva kuva vathukkal?) At that time, when I had primitive carnatic music knowledge, I had diagnosed that song as "Valaji" (Rishabam deleted in Malayamarutham, Sa Ga Pa Da Ni Sa, Sa Ni Da Pa Ga Sa, you can say that it is a janyam of chakravaagam too, eventhough theorists might say 'janyam of Harikambodi'). Maybe, that song is indeed Valaji.

Illayaraja has few songs in Revathi, another 16 janyam. Perhaps the best onces are "sangitha jaathi mullai" (kaadal ovium) and "kanavu onru thonruthe" (oru odai nadiyaagirathu). But I personally feel that MSV's melodious use of Revathi is unparalleled in the song "manthira punnagai" (Manal kayiru). So much about chakravaagam and its janyams and Illayaraja. In chembaruthi, two of the 4 carnatic songs, are in Sindu Bhairavi raagam. They are "kadalile ezhumbura alaikalai" and "kaadhalile tholvi". Illayaraja himself has sung the former ( thso, thso rendition ) and Nagoor Hanifa the latter. Both these songs are excellent Sindu Bhairavi's. One in three of all cinema songs are in Sindu Bhairavi scale (one of the commonest cinema melodies, like the 20th mela Natabhairavi). Illayaraja has innumerable songs in Sindhu Bhairavi, a variegated population from valai osai kalakala ena to shenbagame, shenbagame etc. One cannot list all of them. But, probably MSV's Unnakenna Mele Ninrai (Simla Special) is the best of Sindhu Bhairavi.

In "kadalile ezhumbura" the lyrics is unusually good. Probably, muthulingam or whoever was the lyrisict, had a strong tea before writing that song! That song goes to tell the pathetic life of fishermen. The lyrisict says in pallavi "kadal thaneer karikudu kaaranam irukkudu, meenavar vidugira viyarvaikal kadalile kalakudu..." (Sea water is saline because of 's fishermen's sweat). Good idea, ain't it? Lastly,there is one song in Kaapi raaam in Chembaruthi: chembaruthi poalae (after decades, Banumathi Ramakrishna sang a tail piece of this song). His other Kaapi are ada maapila (maapilai), hei paadal onru (priya). As far as I know Illayaraja is the only one who used kaapi in cinema. All of them are good.

He starts 'ada maapila' like, Ma Ga3 Ga3 Ma Pa, Pa Ma Ga3 Ma Ni2 Pa Ga2 Ri Sa Ni3 Sa Sa. Wonderful start! To start kaapi in madhyamam and use its key phrase 'Ga3 Ma Ni2 Pa Ga2 Ri Sa Ni3' at the very beginning is an excellent approach to the tune. This is one of the instance in which his classical 'vidwat' was manifest. Even 'chembaruthi poale' he uses the bashangam of kaapi, in the very beginning, like, 'Pa NI2 Ma Pa Ni3 Sa'. Why did he choose to score tune in kaapi for both these above situations in which the bride and the groom are humoured by the 'thozhan' and 'thozhiyar' on the occasion of their betrothal. Is their any definite pattern that he follows in scoring tunes for situation? Maybe.

 -Lakshminarayanan Srirangam Ramakrishnan. Department of Vision of Science, The University of Houston College of Optometry, Houston, Tx 77204.