Some friends started this movement of allotting music enthusiasts different letters of the alphabet. Then the task is to find a band/artist that starts with that letter, then post it on your timeline to keep it going.
Dinesh Jois allotted to me the letter 'R'. And I needed no prodding to grab this opportunity to write about the highly talented (Soolamangalam) Rajalakshmi. Good friend Kumaraswami Sundar wished to celebrate the 25th year of Ragapravaham by presenting a special program. He wanted to present some not so frequently heard composers. He took 3 for himself, and allotted me 3. And in my lot fell Rajalakshmi.
I am copying here what I spoke about Rajalakshmi at the program which was held on 23 August 2014 in Chennai:
https://youtu.be/8YuMRAzyDV4?si=7A6zu64v6g8CviUV
A full voice; a timbre that breathes life into every note. A tone as distilled as the still of dawn. A song that sends you into the day with a calm that conquers all. Ladies & Gentlemen, may we present the one & only Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi as the next composer for our evening.
Last week when I was in Sri Lanka, I visited the Kadhir Velayudha Swami temple in Pettah. Strains of Kandhar Sashti Kavacham were audible throughout the hallowed precincts of the ancient temple. A Sri Lankan friend told me ‘Ungalukku theriyuma, enga veedugalilellam avangaloda Kandha Sashti Kavachathodu thaan pozhuthe vidiyum’. And I wondered anew at the widespread popularity of that immortal devotional album, and at the genius of Rajalakshmi, both as a singer of singular merit and as a composer of some wonderful albums- both film and devotional.
Muruga Ganamritha, Kuyil Isai Thilakam, Isaiarasi, Naadhakanal, Kalaimaamani Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi was the younger of the famed Soolamangalam Sisters, and was born to Karnam Ramaswami Iyer and Janaki Ammal on 6.11.1940. Jayalakshmi was elder to her. Saraswathi and Sethuraman were her younger siblings. The sudden death of their father forced the family to move from Soolamangalam to Madras to eke out a livelihood. The sisters started rigorous training under Pathamadai S. Krishnan, and soon captured attention with their classical and devotional concerts.
Rajalakshmi’s first film opportunity came when she was merely 8 years old- the song was ‘Kanavil kandene kannan mel kaadhal kondene’, a dance number filmed on Kusalakumari in the 1948 movie Krishna Bhakthi. And the film songs that she sang over the years are all pristine paradigms of perfection, standing testimonials to Rajalakshmi’s intuitive mastery.
The youthful sweetness in songs like ‘Inithaana thendral’ ‘Azhage anandam’ and ‘Sammadhithaal endrum sandhoshame’; the soft mellifluousness that comes across so bewitchingly in ‘Maiyai thottu ezhuthiyavan’, ‘Chithiram pesudhadi’, ‘Unakkum enakkum isaindha porutham’, ‘Kannipparuvam aval’, ‘ kuyil koovi thuyilezhuppa’ and ‘Oorukkum theriyaadhu’; the evocative feelings that find moving portrayal in songs like ‘ Jaalam sevathu niyaayamaa’, ‘Naan aada nee paadu kanna, ‘Nee sirithaal naan sirippen’, ‘Poi vaa magale poiva’,‘Illadha pillaikku naan’ and ‘Kaveri maandhoppu kaniyo; the lessons in diction in classics like ‘Vellai kamalithile’, ‘Kaakai chiragainile’ ‘Thalaiye nee vanangaai’, the breathtaking precision of time and tone in classicals like ‘Kaanakkan kodi vendum’, ‘Varugiraal ummaithedi’ nd ‘Vetkkamaai irukkudhadi’ wherein Rajalakshmi matched giants like MLV and P. Leela line to line, note to note; and of course, the impressive line-up of devotional songs like ‘Thirupaarankundrathil nee sirithaal’, ‘Varuvaandi tharuvaandi’ , ‘Thodudaya seviyan’, ‘Thiruthani Muruga’, ‘Thiruppugazhai paada paada’ and ‘Ezhuthi ezhuthi pazhaga vandhen’ (Gumasthavin Magal) showcase Rajalakshmi’s prolific contribution to Tamil Film Music.
https://youtu.be/Xs40d0hTl50?si=i-V9_RgP-ZSsF8K5
https://youtu.be/fVG8Xsk1k00?si=O04TT6cqB9Pe_nq0
https://youtu.be/jjjfP55bWc8?feature=shared
https://youtu.be/l_CcTnWhblA?si=yPxqZc_nCjUiD4yf
https://youtu.be/rt-v0jn5yzA?si=CB-zwwgdVt49fVT_
https://youtu.be/68wAiHjpp0s?si=FyG5sSWexOT6IGF4
It is matter of regret that from the 60s, she was heard more often only in songs that needed more than one female voice like ‘Kungumam mangala mangaiyar kungumam’, ‘Thulli thulli vilayaada’, ‘Manamagale marumagale’, ‘Aani muthu vaangi vandhen’, ‘etc. I have often been wonderstruck at her sustained brilliance - even in an unknown film having an impossible name like Ragasiya Penn 117 released in 1972 with music by C.N.Pandurangan, Rajalakshmi dazzles in an uncharacteristic seductive song ‘Aasai roja paaru’.
Rajalakshmi was not content with merely singing. Her thirst for exploring new avenues led her to volunteer to assist S.M.S for the music of the classic Konjum Salangai. And, encouraged by her brother-in-law and producer V.T.Arasu and ably assisted by her sister, Rajalakshmi went on to compose music for 4 films.
The first movie that Rajalakshmi composed music for was Sendhoor Films’ Dharisanam, released in 1970. Produced & Directed by V.T.Arasu, the film starred AVM Rajan in a double role, with Pushpalatha, Kumari Padmini, Sailasri, Cho & Manorama in the cast. Lyrics were by Kannadasan. Rajalakshmi was assisted in the music composition by R.K.Shekhar, better known today as the father of A.R.Rehman.
In a unique situational song in the story, Sailasri woos AVM Rajan whom she mistakes for her fiancé. But the person who is now in her house is the other AVM. Rajan who had ran away from his family unable to bear his various burdens. Here Kannadasan came with some lovely lines of longing for the lady, and bitter lines of philosophy for the male. Listen how these contradictory viewpoints merge seamlessly in this song of timeless appeal, composed by Rajalakshmi & sung by TMS & LR Eswari:
https://youtu.be/L0kpuQJLx8s?si=uoZsFLaaf4ovoKPw
The next film that Rajalakshmi composed music for was Sendhoor Films’ Tiger Thathachari, again produced & directed by VT Arasu. Released in 1974, the film starred Major Sundararajan, Sivakumar, Shashikumar, M.Bhanumathi & others. ‘Yezhu malai vaasa’, sung by the sisters along with K.Veeramani is a song that was very popular at the time. We present another number from the movie, this one a quaint duet sung by Rajalakshmi with TMS:
https://youtu.be/VPMEyqBtFVU?si=f2_Da-dGJQ94WQZZ
The third film that Rajalakshmi composed music for was some years in the making. It underwent some change of names and was finally released in 1979 under the banner Shashti Films as Appothey Sonnene Kettiya. Produced & directed by VT Arasu, the film had Jaiganesh & Satyapriya as the lead pair. I am unable to find a video of the song, However, this beautiful song should not be missed. Here is the audio link to this lilting composition by Rajalakshmi, where Kannadasan’s lines are sung by Yesudas & Vani Jairam with their characteristic elegance.
https://youtu.be/j0Eo4BKGFUA?feature=shared
It was in the mid-70s that a wonderful opportunity came Rajalakshmi’s way. MGR, who was always impressed by the musical talents of the sisters, came forward to act in a movie with music composed by Rajalakshmi. The project was titled ‘Ungalukkaga Naan’, and Rajalakshmi composed and recorded 3 songs for the movie. Unfortunately, with the announcement of the 1977 elections, the project was shelved.
The last movie that Rajalakshmi composed music for was Shashti Films’ Pillaiyaar, again produced & directed by V.T.Arasu. Released in 1984, the film had Arunkumar, Satyakala, Yg Mahendran, Vanitha and others in the cast. Asserting her mastery in a mythological subject, Rajalakshmi composed some scintillating devotional numbers such as ‘Yaarai vanangida vendum’ sung by herself, Ongaaramaai vilangum nayagane’ sung by her son, Soolamangalam Murali and ‘kal dhaana nee kadavul illaiaya’ sung by T.K.Kala.
The glittering jewel in the crown is the exquisite duet ‘Maragatha thoranam vaasalil asaindhida’. Rajalakshmi got Pulamaipithan to pen the lines, and Yesudas & P.Susheela to render the song. The lines were sheer poetry, the voices were ethereal, the orchestration was magnificent, the effect was enchantment:
https://youtu.be/aRBSiMCicv8?si=8xycEIx3VvmT_uM1
Pillaiyaar was the last film that had music composed by Rajalakshmi. However, along with Jayalakshmi, she composed and sang countless non-film devotionals such as Engum Muruganai paarkindren, Malaril pirandhu malaril malarndha, Muruganukkoru naal thirunaal, Seval koovum neram, etc which remain hugely popular to this day.
Rajalakshmi succumbed to a severe attack of jaundice on June 12 1992 when she was barely 52 years old. None of the 4 movies she composed music for were great successes. All of them were unpretentious small-budget home productions, now forgotten and buried deep in the sands of time. However, the songs composed by the immensely talented Rajalakshmi ensure a place of honour for her in the pantheon of great film composers.
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