Isaikku Virudhu

Isai endra valzhkaiyilae

Isai yaaga arimughamaayi

Isaiodu engaludan thangi

Isai mel aarvam koduthu

Isai aaraaichikku kaaranam thandhu

Isai paadurathuku paadam pughatti

Isai amaipadharku udhvegamaaga irundhu

Isai ezhuduradhukku munnudharanamaha vandhu

Isaignaani yendru virudhu petru

Isaikke mariyathai seidha

Unga isiayaal, innum etthanai virudhughal upasarikka padumo endru,

Eppozudhum ungal isaimaiyakkathile vaazhthukondum

Ungal palakodi rasigargal acharyapadum samayathil,

Inda Desiyavirudhu avarghalukku samarpanam seidhirghalae

Engal pirappukku idharku melae enna artham vendum.


Enakku Tamil Mozhiyai thandhu,

indha saadharanamaana kavidhaikku

udhvegamaga irundha Ungalukku samarpanam.

In Reverence...

With voice smooth like a soft gel,
And words strong like a brass bell,
Sound alluring as a sea shell,
And expression deep as Honey well,
You came to this earth as an Angel
And showed that your halt in people’s heart is eternal.
As long as the day is bright
And the night is quiet,
Your tone will fill the space
And captivate the entire sphere.

Good Morning Raagas

The wonderful feeling of waking up with a Raaja song is not something unusual for me. The song stays with me through out the day and keeps playing at the back of my mind like a bgm. Even when I wake up with one, I meet the other charms in the latter parts of the day and they allow the bgm to remain at its place.
Often I am greeted by, ‘Idi swathi jallu ’in the morning. A song from ‘Jamadagni’...
For me listening to it is like slowly getting into a pleasant twister that sets me free only after giving extreme delight. The base guitar in the prelude... the second interlude...just feel for yourself:-) and also the rhythm.. Great,fantastic...Are these two words adequate to show our appreciation?
You decide...

Classical music teacher, my eye opener.

When my curiosity was noticed, it was decided to send me to an accomplished classical trainer for upgrading my ability. After formal procedures I was accepted as a learner. With great excitement my face turned bright when the question that I expected came from her. With out frittering away a single moment I took out a jewel from my collection and gifted her, being clear in my mind about the laud I would receive in return. Her stern voice ordering me to discontinue rehearsing film songs in order to continue training lessons came as a revelation. After a short and snappy oration I was introduced to the seven swaras and was told that any piece of music is made up of these swaras and was asked to run through these swaras. There was a sense of innocence in my question when I asked her if the music that I followed also contained these swaras. ‘Yes’ was her answer with an imperious smile. Homewards I couldn’t stop being appreciative of my teacher for she was the one to awaken my mind by giving two options. One was to savor the raw material and the other was to savor the creation. I chose the latter as it was unworkable for me to relinquish the creation and the creator of my music. Now I was able to define melody as something formed of swaras to treat the ears of the listener, even though I couldn’t get any answer to my question, that why I should stop practicing my music to learn her music. When the time came for the next class, it was my people’s turn to take by surprise when I stated that I do not wish to learn her music. It was my fortune that I was not at all required to do something that I did not enjoy.

Mood Progressions!

Raaja’s arrangement of BGM for the movie ‘Sagara Sangamam’ is surely exceptional. It’s so easy to understand the feelings of the characters when His music speaks; this is what I could make out. Not one scene to mention or one movie to recall, there are n number of movies where He has worked wonders with His BG score. I feel, a life time is not sufficient for a detailed study of His music. Tears roll down automatically whenever I listen to this BGM.



These scenes cannot be imagined without His heart squeezing background score. We can feel the music letting us know the dissimilar moods of the characters at each move.
Watch at.0:00 Madhavi (name of the female character) entering with some pictures. At 0:16, the music tells Balu’s (name of the Male character) happiness. When at 0:44 it shows Balu’s gratefulness to Madhavi for the pictures, at 1:39 in a lighter mood, it proves the progress of friendship between the two characters, 3:11 is granting assurance and proceeding towards a stronger relation. 4:45 the chorus shows Madhavi in a mixed mind-set where she is in a state of uncertainity and happiness. At 6:10, it is love acceptance, and at 8:12 it is separation. OMG ! Who else other than Ilaiyaraaja could have created such heavenly music!

Great Apetizers!

When my world was greeted with the tunes from 'Preminchi Pelladu'(Telugu), for a long time it became a practice to sit for meals only after listening to this song. Mom calling out for lunch or supper, but me totally immersed in relishing the first course, it was truly enjoyable. This mind blowing tune spreads tons of happiness in the air and drives us crazy. What a beautiful prelude and the chorus too is splendid.
Songs like this are examples of purity!

Malayalam Pearls

Since my childhood was adorned with more friends from Kerala, Malayalam was always nearer to me. Even though there was a liking for the language, I never tried to explore its beauty unless and until I was greeted with ‘Thumbi Vaa’ from the Maestro, which was my first Malayalam song. In due course, in my pursuit, I came across many Malayalam pearls of Maestro. At all times I had a doubt whether my friends from Kerala had this chance because they too were staying away from their land. I still have the curiosity, and yearn to share these pearls with them.

A pearl from the film Aa Rathri for you. I love the Bass guitar work in this song!

Nostalgic Indeed!

You were not apparent when I was small
As I grew up you were perceptible
I appreciated you for saving scores of things for me
And presenting them when needed
Sometimes it made me proud to have you
Sometimes I preferred staying with you for hours long
Always I adored you for being helpful to me in all ways
I am with you and you are with me
I Thank you ‘My Memory’.

Timeless Song from the Genius saved in my mind's memory, Enjoy!!!

Raaja'Panchakshari'

People seldom try to bother about what is on the other side of the world and try to be happy in their own world thinking that’s what the whole world is. I tried to climb upon the hill to look at the world that is not seen to me from my place. Staying there I could view and appreciate both the worlds. A time came when I had to make a decision whether to stay in my present world and peep into the other world or move to the other side permanently. I preferred the latter and made my world a beautiful place to live in by filling it with His Music.

And when the door to His Tamil music world opened, it was a downpour for me. I was constantly collecting and treasuring every drop....

My first 'Raaja' movie.

‘Sitara’ was my first Ilaiyaraaja movie and it introduced me to the words ‘Re-Recording’ and ‘BGM’. Realizing that His BGM gives life to each and every scene in the movie, I decided to continue with matinee after the morning show and for the first time in my life had to savor the ‘time out’ given by my people to me and to my cousin who obliged to repeat watch the movie with me. Her role was great in keeping me updated with new Raaja releases. It was also the first ‘Telugu’ movie that I could understand fully. There after, I learnt to tune my ears not only to His songs but also to the BGMs. That's what makes a Composer complete, this’s what I could understand. With my little knowledge, I always tried to be a part of the musical discussions that often took place among the family members. When they were busily discussing Naushad and ‘Shankar jaikishan’, I used to poke in with utmost curiosity to introduce Ilaiyaraaja’s name to them. Success adored sometimes and happiness filled me when they appreciated the tunes that I played or hummed for them.

Only my trials to show Raaja to my friends were not as expected since their musical discussions revolved mainly around LP and RD. Even after willingly participating in their discussions, the deep urge to tell them something that they were missing was always there within me. Without leaving a single opportunity I continued my trials. A few of them were intelligent enough to grasp what I wanted to share and they were the ones who later on appreciated me for my discovery and thanked themselves for heeding to my words abating which they thought, they would have lost something in their lives.

After some years, each and every visit of mine witnessed people at my native place swinging in the cradle of Raaja’s music. Those happy faces with natural smiles always looked like good things are continuously happening to them. Now, they were requesting me to croon His numbers.



Enjoy listening to 'Sitara' Back ground score!

Shredding the barricades!

After tasting the sweetness of my language, I sensed the sweetness of other languages too. When I understood that His music has the power to beautify the language He touched I decided to shred the barricades and savour the sweetness of ‘Tamil’ bit by bit. It took me seven long years to become somewhat skilled at understanding and conversing. Lucky am I that I am a Tamil bahu owing to which access to His Tamil music was trouble free. And when I learnt that ‘Sangam’ was the period in the History of Tamil for literature, I concluded that the period when Isaigynaani ruled this earth would be known as Sanga kalam for Music in future.

Savour this song!



Song, Tamil, Music, Isaigynaani

Raining Honey!

Fascination for the local language was so much that I hardly ever took interest in knowing the sweetness of my Mother tongue till I was greeted with this song on a Ugaadi day. Maestro taught me the significance of my mother tongue. For me, this is the best Telugu patriotic song ever composed. And for you?



Telugu, Maestro, Ugadi, patriotic

The Sun Rises Here!

After realizing that it was impossible to reach the peak where His music stayed, they created an artificial peak and started deriving fake satisfaction by climbing it and trying to reach the heights.
There is so much creativity in His music, that nothing more could be done to bring any change except to change the meaning of fine melody, eventually deceiving themselves and also others. Many changes followed a single change. By pushing the masses into a fake world of music and keeping them away from the natural music they derive satisfaction.

Lucky am I that I was sturdy enough and could not be pushed.

Om Shanthi Striking!

One of the many things that make me happy in my life is when the sales boy of the local music store comes to me with Raaja’s new releases, as soon as I enter the store leaving behind all other customers. The store manager updates me with Raaja’s impending projects with a lively face, and the remaining customers put across their eagerness to know more.

This time I was greeted with ‘Omshanti’. With unlimited happiness I returned home for peacefulness.

What a surprise? ‘Chinna polike ledu’ (not even a little similarity), so much versatility. His yester year’s music is so different from today’s music. Raaja once again presents His power and gifts us with tunes that exactly fill the cavities of today’s music world. Only His music helps me to change with the times because, to my mind He is the only Creator who creates tunes by taking care of the period, the situation and the character. I am not the same as I have gradually learnt to change with the times with His music and am ’flying on the moon.’ ‘Ottesi chebuta’(I promise) this is the real meaning of ‘Om Shanti’(peacefulness).