எத்தனை கோடியின்பம் வைத்தாய் - எஸ்.ஜானகி

Saravanan Natarajan writes:

எத்தனை கோடியின்பம் வைத்தாய்...

‘S. Janaki calls it a day’ said a newspaper headline on 22 September 2016. Another newspaper went to town saying ‘Janaki calls it quits’. The meaning was twisted very soon and the rumours spread like wildfire…it was left to Janaki’s dear friend SPB to rubbish the rumour. His tweet set the dreadful speculation to rest. He ended his message with ‘Long live the Queen of Melody!’

Janaki recorded what she declared to be ‘her last song’ on that day, and that was all that there was to the story. "I will not be recording anymore nor will I be singing at any functions. I am old now and I have sung in many languages. I would like to rest, relax and leave my career behind," she reportedly said. An inevitable decision, perhaps one might say. Nonetheless, she has won our hearts, yet again, by cheerfully acknowledging the ravages of age, and expressing her desire to lead a retired life, far from the limelight that has been her lot. Typical of the forthright lady who had the courage of conviction to turn down the coveted Padmabhushan, terming it ‘Too less and too late’ and condemning in no uncertain terms the neglect of South Indians in the National Honours, year after year.

And as for the song, the one that will go down in history as the last song of the legendary chanteuse- it is a soft, lilting lullaby composed by the young Mithun Eashwar for the Malayalam movie Pathu Kalpanakal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLjsLqIwbT4

Yes, the age shows, nevertheless one cannot help a wistful sigh as memories of her glorious innings come gushing in…
* * * * *

Some years back, I was introduced to a gracious Srilankan couple in London by a mutual friend. The aged couple live in a beautiful house in a London suburb, and on every subsequent visit to London, I invariably found myself accepting their kind summons to dinner. While Aunty ensured that I was given a sumptuous meal, Uncle and I would be deeply engrossed in delectable trivia of Tamil film music, particularly from the vintage era.

They had come on a visit to Dubai last December and came home on a weekend. Uncle, who had not returned to Sri Lanka for the last forty years, shared with me his precious memories of growing up in Jaffna and Colombo, and of course, listening to Radio Ceylon. While leaving, Uncle gave me an engraved casket, and said “I know you will value this!”. When I opened it, my joy knew no bounds and my thanks came out in an emotion-choked stammer- for the quaint casket contained in its confines CDs containing recordings from the archives of Radio Ceylon…. Priceless, priceless treasures…

It was in these CDs that I found these two vintage gems, both in the voice of a young Janaki. I jumped with excitement, for I had never heard them or even heard of them before. So much for my knowledge, I reminded myself in sheepish rebuke. I called Uncle and enquired about them. “I was waiting for you to ask about them,” he said with a laugh, “They are from some non-film collections that were hugely popular and garnered significant air-time for a while in Ceylon in the late 50s”. Unfortunately, he could not recollect any details of the composer.

Listening to them again and again, I reveled in the exquisite rapture of the young Janaki of the 50s…the first is the fervent hymn ‘வருவாய் வருவாய் வருவாய் கண்ணா’, where the silken strands of Darbari Kanada find a serene cocoon in the vocals of the Soprano… Hark at the light brigas and dainty flourishes that Janaki embellishes the notes with…revel in the goosebumps that the tremulous high-point ‘கண்ணா’ brings in its wake…. virtuosity redefined!

The second is the classic Bharati verse ‘எத்தனை கோடியின்பம் வைத்தாய்’…Here Janaki engages in a fetching Maand even as she expresses her heartfelt gratitude to the Almighty for the overflowing abundance of bliss that He, in His munificence, has bequeathed to us… Here again, the blessed singer soaks each line in a piety that makes one exhilarate in awe…Little did she know, then in the 50s, of the profusion of joys that she would bestow generously on generations of listeners in the coming decades…ஆஹா...பலப் பல நல்லழுகுகள் சமைத்தாய்....

As 22 April has just gone by, and 23 April has just taken its place….Janakiamma completes 79 and steps into her 80th year…Let us celebrate the joyous occasion with these two vintage treasures, filled with a thankful fulfillment at resurrecting them from unfair oblivion to rightful glory…let them be discovered anew and enthrall afresh, and may they be preserved with pride for posterity…

https://youtu.be/0ctriKHeEHI

https://youtu.be/W3hv-SaIZ1Q

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