மலர்ந்தும் மலராதவை # 18

Saravanan Natarajan writes:

மலர்ந்தும் மலராதவை # 18:

ஆனந்த சங்கீதமே…

‘Keshaadhi paadham thozhunnen, Keshava, Keshaadhi paadham thozhunnen…’

Lines that floated serenely in the air in the temple precincts and made me stand still with inexplicable rapture when on a pilgrimage to Guruvayoor. My friend from Cochin who accompanied me informed that this famous devotional song could be heard every day, not only in Guruvayoor, but also in most temples all over Kerala. I was particularly fascinated, for the piety-soaked voice that had sung those lines was that of S. Janaki.

And later my search for the song unfolded the fact that this was originally a movie song (Pakal Kinaavu/ 1967), composed by B.A. Chidambaranath and sung by Janaki. But the composition had long outgrown the cocoon of a film song, and over the years has metamorphosed into one of the best-loved hymns in Malayalam!

This led to my search for other compositions by the intriguing B.A. Chidamabaranath, and I discovered that his was the baton behind many a treasured Malayalam film song of the 60s and early 70s! ‘Karayunno puzha chrikkunno’ (Muraponnu/1965), in the melancholic voice of a young Yesudas, would suffice to enshrine the name of BAC in the annals of Malayalam Film Music. BAC is credited with giving Jayachandran his first ever film song opportunity- ‘Mullappo malaiayumai’ (Kunjali Marakkar). Some other popular Malayalam film songs composed by Chidambaranath are ‘Kunnilmel nee enakku’ (S. Janaki/ Rajamalli), ‘Kaatte vaa’ (P. Leela/ Rajamalli), ‘Kadavuthoni’ (S. Janaki & Shanta P. Nair/ Murapponnu), ‘Kungumappoovukkul poothu’ (S. Janaki & Yesudas/ Kayamkulam Kochunni), ‘Karthikavilakku kandu’ (Kayamkulam Kochunni/ B. Vasantha), ‘Ponnambalamettil’ (Kottayam Kolacase/ P.B. Srinivas), ‘Oru thulasipoo’ (Station Master/ S. Janaki), ‘Kanyaka mathave’ (Madatharuvi/ B. Vasantha), ‘Daivam Njangalkeenthinu’ (Pavappettaval/ Renuka), ‘Premaswapnathin’ (Chekkuthaante Kota/ Latha Raju), ‘Vannan vannallo’ (Viruthan Shanku/ Yesudas)…. Gentle, caressing tunes festooned with orchestration that enthralls even while remaining unobtrusive; arrangements that embank and canalize the flow, facilitating the beauty of the lyrics bloom unhindered, picking the right singers and getting them to sing within their comfort zone….

Like Vijayabhaskar and MBS, BAC (Boothapandi Aruchanachala Annavi Chidambaranathan) was a Tamil who could find opportunities to showcase his talents only in another language- in his case Malayalam. He was born on 13 October 1924 in Nagercoil and learned the rudiments of music from his erudite father Arunuchala Annavi who could play with finesse many instruments, including the Nadaswaram. Arunachala Annavi was the Guru for many, including N.S. Krishnan, Karukurichi Arunachalam, S.D. Subbiah and K.V. Mahadevan. BAC then learned violin from Nagamani Marthanda Nadar who would come to teach him riding a Bullet Motorbike with his violin strapped behind! BAC thereafter became a disciple of the revered Harikesanalloor Muthiah Bhagavathar. It was while BAC was under the tutelage of Kumbakonam Rajamanickam Pillai that he traveled to Madras.

He was playing the violin for M.M. Dhandapani Desikar when he elicited the notice of composer C.N. Pandurangan- he then joined the troupe of CNP, thus beginning his tryst with cinema. He worked thereafter for a few years in the ensemble of S.V. Venkataraman. BAC’s first assignment as an independent composer was a Singhalese film and then came the Malayalam movie ‘Vellinakshatram’ (1949). With singers of yore such as Cherai Ambujam and Gayaka Pitambaram, the 25-year old BAC came out with some popular numbers. He then composed songs for ‘Stree’ (1950) in which Alappuzha Savitri and Medayil Sukumari sang some noteworthy numbers.

Despite this success, BAC did not find any further opportunities coming his way. He then joined AIR at Trivandrum, and then moved to the AIR at Kozhikode, where he worked for more than a decade, producing music programs of the highest standards. It was then that noting his talents, P. Bhaskaran escorted him back to cinema, with ‘Rajamalli’ (1965) and there was no looking back. From ‘Rajamalli’ to ‘Ashachakram’ (1973), BAC composed some of Malayalam cinema’s most endearing and enduring songs. After a long sabbatical, he worked with his talented son Rajamani to compose the songs for the 1996 movie ‘Aranmanaveedum Anjurekkakarum’- this time singers such as Chitra, M.G. Sreekumar & Arundhati lent their vocals for the veteran master. He continued to teach music to generations of students.

BAC passed away on 31 August 2007. At the time, I was in Gurgaon on an assignment. Good friend Kumaraswamy Sundar noticed the announcement of BAC’s demise in the obituary column of 'The Hindu' of 2 September 2007 and shared the sad news with me. The announcement had also given the residence telephone number of the late composer and after much deliberation, Sundar called the number the same night. BAC’s son Rajamani came on the line and spoke at length about his father and his works. Some of the information that I have given above is what I recall from Sundar’s repetition to me of that conversation. We came to know that Ilaiyaraja had played the organ for BAC and R.K. Sekhar (father of ARR) had also worked under him. Rajamani had himself composed the music and background score for several Malayalam movies. In the early 80s, Maragathamani and Rajamani had worked as ‘Mani-Raja’ and composed music for a few movies such as the 1983 Tamil movie ‘கிராமத்து கிளிகள்’ (Remember the lovely Jayachandran- Shailaja duet ‘கன்னிப்பெண் கன்னத்தில் காயங்களே’?). Rajamani invited Sundar to come over some day for a more leisurely conversation.

Coming back, to BAC, the only Tamil movie that had come his way was the AVM. Rajan-Pushpalata starrer ‘செல்லப்பெண்’ (1969). The breezy TMS- L.R. Eswari duet ‘கண்ணே கொஞ்சம் பாரு’ was a popular number. In fact, it was this song that had brought BAC often into the animated discussions that Sundar and I used to have, over e-mail and phone calls. All the songs of Chellappen were written by the forgotten lyricist ‘Kovai’ Kumaradevan. P. Susheela (‘தூங்கவைக்கும் இரவெல்லாம்’ & ‘ஆடிவரும் தேனிலவைப்போலே’), Seergazhi Govindarajan (‘எல்லாம் இறைவனின் விளையாட்டு’) and M. S. Rajeswari (‘அம்மா சொன்னதுப்போலவே’) were the other singers in the album.

Besides composing music, BAC was also a gifted lyricist who wrote many devotional songs. ‘சகலமும் தருபவள் சங்கீத தெய்வம்’, ‘வாணி வாகதீஸ்வரி வரம் அருள்வாய்’, and ‘நாமம் நல்ல நாமம், ராம நாமம் நல்ல நாமம்’, written and composed by BAC, became hugely popular in the devotional concerts of Yesudas. BAC’s ‘Gangayaru pirakunnu’ sung by Yesudas is a stirring hymn on Lord Aiyappa that one can hear in most Malayali households to this day.

* * * * * *

As I said, the only Tamil movie that BAC had worked for was ‘செல்லப்பெண்’. Or so we thought. It was while going through a pile of LP records in a music center in T.Nagar that I came across a record titled ‘Ragamalika’. Brought out by EMI in 1983, the record had several rare film songs tuned in classical ragas, compiled and presented by the venerable musicologist Sri VAK. Ranga Rao. Imagine my surprise when I discovered nestled therein amidst wonders such as K.N. Thandayudhapani Pillai’s தில்லானா from திருநீலகண்டர் (P.Leela/ C.N. Pandurangan) and 'ஆடி ஆடி அசைந்தார்’ from ‘யார் ஜம்புலிங்கம்’ (Bombay Sisters/ T.R. Pappa), an intriguing song 'ஆனந்த சங்கீதமே’ sung by M. Balamuralikrishna for a movie called ‘நினைத்தேன் வந்தாய்’. Lyrics were by ‘Kovai’ Kumaradevan and the music was credited to BAC!

This movie ‘நினைத்தேன் வந்தாய்’ (not the Vijay starrer of the 90s) seems to have been a

project embarked upon in the late 60s which was never released. This song 'ஆனந்த சங்கீதமே’ seems to be made for a concert sequence. Fashioned in the lines of KVM’s ‘ஒரு நாள் போதுமா’, the lines of this Ragamalika traverses Latangi, Natakurinji, Bilahiri, Charukesi, Mohanam, Saranga… However, this composition, unlike ‘ஒரு நாள் போதுமா’, is more euphonic than strident- a more reflective, unhurried treat, ending with a startling Hindustani twist. MBK has a field day honoring BAC with his remarkable rendition:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLBm7h1uc3w&feature=youtu.be

This song triggered my hunt for other songs from this unreleased 'நினைத்தேன் வந்தாய்’. I ended up drawing a blank. Most recording centers denied any knowledge of this movie or its songs; some pointed to the Vijay starrer of the same name and the songs composed by Deva for the same.

Yet, I refused to remove the album from my wish-list. My perseverance finally paid off, when on a visit to Malaysia in 2007, I submitted my wish-list to the redoubtable Mrs. Thomas of the hoary Colombia Center. I got a cassette having a compilation of P. Susheela solos, and found in it one more song 'நிலவோ முழு நிலவோ' from the forgotten ‘நினைத்தேன் வந்தாய்’.

At times, when calling upon Susheelamma and listening to her casual, enjoyable banter, I have to remind myself that I am actually in the presence of ‘The Voice’ that serenaded generations of Tamils. The voice that I, like multitudes of others, have grown up listening to and taking for granted its ageless sweetness and the loving care with which she brought to life the challenging compositions of the great masters. Listen to how she sings this lilting lullaby crafted by BAC…how she invests in each line the warmth of a mother’s bosom, how she bestows upon each syllable the solicitude it demands, how she traverses the sweep of the tune with nonchalant grace….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS6mdBeKIRU&feature=youtu.be

Sundar and I often spoke about visiting Rajamani to get to know more about BAC and his works. However, every year, during my vacations in India, I found other pressing engagements. We were still telling ourselves that we should make the visit to Rajamani’s residence when we read first of the demise of Mrs. Tulasi, wife of BAC, in August 2013, and then sadly of the demise of Rajamani himself in February 2016.

Wasn’t it Marcus Aurelius who said, ‘He who has a vehement desire for posthumous fame does not consider that every one of those who remember him will himself also die very soon; then again also they who have succeeded them, until the whole remembrance shall have been extinguished…’. The humble musician BAC did not harbor any vehement desire for such fame, yet I fervently wish that his works are remembered and cherished by generations to come. This write-up is a very small step to salute the memory of B.A. Chidambaranath.

Discussion at:
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