இசையாய் தமிழாய் இருப்பவனே- Part 2

Saravanan Natarajan writes:

8 September marked the death anniversary of the great Kunnakkudi Vaidyanathan... Presenting the second part of the series on KV today...

இசையாய் தமிழாய் இருப்பவனே- Part 2

Enthused by the success of 'Vaa Raja Vaa', APN now set about recounting the story of a pilgrimage tour commencing from Tirupathi and ending at Kanyakumari. Families from different walks of life, comprising of members in various age groups and speaking different languages find themselves traveling together in a bus, and their common faith helps them realize their unity in diversity. APN interposed the narrative with interesting mythological vignettes and slices of humour, the tour covered the famous temples of Tirupathi, Tiruthani, Mysore, Madurai, Guruvayoor and Kanyakumari, and the resultant narrative was engrossing.

Led by Seergazhi Govindarajan who played the role of Sivachidambara Bagavathar, 'Thirumalai Thenkumari' (1970/ Sri Vijayalakshmi Pictures) had a varied cast comprising of Sivakumar, Sasikumar, K.D. Santhanam, Surulirajan, V. Gopalakrishnan, T.N. Sivadhanu, Chandranbabu, Typist Gopu, Manorama, Kumari Padmini, Ramaprabha, CID Shakuntala, Sailasri, Usha, Kanthimathi, Master Prabhakaran, Master Dasarathan, Baby Sumathi and others.

KV had a field day composing the album- devotional numbers were his forte, and he came up with an outstanding album.

The songs were:

1. Thirupathi malai vaazhum Venkatesa: written by Ulundurpettai Shanmugam and sung by Seergazhi Govindarajan. KV imaginatively employs the lilt of Venkatesa Suprabatham in the interludes with the clangour of the temple bells envelop the song in a halo of stirring piety.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR0l_ja1qUA

2. Sindhanaiyil medaikkatti Kandhananiye aadavaiththen: written by Thenkanchi Bharathisami and sung by Seergazhi Govindarajan & Sarala.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBnJW-wnqMw

3. The famous multilingual song that begins with the lines 'Azhage thamizhe nee vaazhga' (written by Poovai Senguttuvan and sung by Seergazhi Govindarajan & Sarala), followed by the Malayalam lines 'Kannugal pootti njaan oru nimisham' (written by Job and sung by Madhuri), Kannada lines 'Krishnaa.. daasi naa karaiyuve baa' (written by Sailasri and sung by M.R. Vijaya), Chennai thamizh lines 'Paadanunu manasukkulle assai neraya keethu' (written by K.K.S. Kumar and sung by a boisterous Manorama), Telugu lines 'Naa bangarayya naa singarayya' (written by Ramsri and sung by L.R. Eswari), ending with the zestful 'Oorellaam paaru, ullaasa touru' (written by Poovai Senguttuvan and sung by A.L. Raghavan, Tharapuram Sundararajan, L.R. Eswari and L.R.Anjali).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1suNIBbS3M4

4. Abiramani Andhadhi beginning with 'Kalayaadha kalviyum kurayaatha vayathum' sung by Seergazhi Govindarajan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2Zr9gVpYX4

5. Madurai arasaalum Meenakshi written by Ulundurpettai Shanmugam and sung by Seergazhi Govindarajan, L.R.Eswari and M.R.Vijaya.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NODZPDBR2Eo

6. Guruvayoorappa thiruvarul tharuvaai neeyappa written by Poovai Senguttuvan and sung by Seergazhi Govindarajan.

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

7. Thiral mani kathiragal veesi (Neelakkadal vegaththile nilamkondu sellaamal): written by Nellai Arulmani and sung by Seergazhi Govindarajan & L.R. Eswari.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ab0w0hPuC0

Incidentally, this was the album in which M.R. Vijaya made her debut in film music. She was learning music from KV at that time. Though earlier she was part of the chorus voices in the song 'Aadi paadi sirikka vaipathu enga oorunga' in 'Vaa Raja Vaa', it was in 'Thirumalai Thenkumari' that she made a memorable mark.

The songs of 'Thirumalai Thenkumari' won widespread acclaim and earned for KV the prestigious Tamil Nadu State Government Award for Best Music Director for 1970- a remarkable achievement for a composer in his very second year in cinema. To add to the happiness, Seergazhi Govindarajan won the State Award for the Best Male Playback Singer for 1970 for his work in 'Thirumalai Thenkumari'. The movie itself was another 100 day affair, and also won the State Government's special award for the Best Feature Film.

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The other movie of 1970 that came out with KV's music was G.N. Velumani's 'Namma Veettu Deivam' (Kamakshi Agencies). Veteran producer Velumani made his debut as director with this movie. The cast consisted of Muthuraman, K.R. Vijaya, Jayabharathi, Nagesh, V.S. Raghavan and others. 'Vietnam Veedu' drafted the screenplay and dialogues for the story written by M. Lakshmanan. The story revolved around the womanizer Rangadurai, the poor Bhavani who falls a victim to his lust and her sister, the devout Devi whom he finally weds. He murders Devi in order to obtain a key handed over to her by his father, but is shocked to find her alive at home. How the Goddess brings Rangadurai to justice forms rest of the tale. This movie was the first of the many in which K.R. Vijaya donned the role of the Goddess, and celebrated a 100 day run in most centers.

Velumani was very particular about the music in his movies- all his movies had wonderful songs. M.S. Viswanthan & T.K. Ramamoorthi and later MSV alone had been entrusted with the music for Velumani's movies hitherto, save 'Naanal' that gone to V. Kumar. Therefore it was a great honour for KV that he had been selected by Velumani to compose music for directorial debut. And it to KV's credit that his music contributed in no small measure to the movie's success.

Another interesting factor is that as though to make up for keeping away from the leading pair of singers TMS & P. Susheela in his first two ventures, KV ensured that the Namma Veetu Deivam album was solely theirs, except for a short song by M. R. Vijaya. P. Susheela, in particular, got to sing songs of diverse allure in this album, and all of them became hugely popular.

For the Navaraathiri song 'Ulagamellaam padachavale ongaari', KV got a reluctant Ki.Va. Jagannathan to pen the lyrics. TMS, P. Susheela & chorus render this song with apposite fervour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAEa4qdQRCY

P. Susheela dons L.R. Easwari’s hues for a brief while to render the sizzling 'Then malar vannaam' and embellishes the ditty with her winsome sweetness. KV’s rich orchestral interludes are a stunning revelation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp_LCRPSW7I

M.R. Vijaya got to sing verses from the Thiruvempaavai commencing with 'Potri en vaazhmudalaagiya porule'. P. Susheela sang Vallalaar's 'Enakkum unakkum isaindha porutham' tuned to a delightful Charukesi by KV. TMS rendered the rousing 'Engengu kaaninum sakthiyada'.
However, my pick from the album is the haunting 'Aasai manathil kottai katti' written by Thenkanchi Bharathisami and sung by P.Susheela. KV raises the curtain with his humming, and Susheela takes over, her lines soaked in poignant anguish. This song remains my favorite among KV’s movie compositions. Memories of childhood vacations in my village come gushing in as this song was a regular feature in Radio Ceylon's Mandha Marutham.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb0IOzNMYWE

- To be continued.
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Part 1 here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1254354917929565/

Discussion at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1018417744856618/permalink/1718562691508783/