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KAVIYARASU KANNADASAN

Topic started by On behalf of Sankar (@ 210.186.51.129) on Mon Dec 30 07:11:34 EST 2002.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Kaaviyathayin Illaya magan
Kadhal Pengalin Perun thalaivan
Paamara jaadiyil thani manidan – naan
Padaippadhanal yen per Iraivan

Naan Manida jaadiyai aati vaipen – avar
Maandu vital adhai paadi vaipen
NAAN NIRANDARAM AANAVAN AZHIVADILAI
ENDA NILAYILUM ENAKKU MARANAM ILLAI

These are the great lines of Kaviyarasu Kannadasan in the movie Ratha Thilakam where he acts in the movie singing these lines. ( Song.. Oru Koopayilae yen kudiyiruppu)

What a visionary he was ? Indeed, he is NIRANDARAMAANAVAN.

I share some of my observations about Kavingyar. I want all the fans of HIM to join this discussion and add more quality material in praise of his great works.

This is the only way we pay tributes to this GENIUS.

a) Raga Gyanam of Kavingyar

In the file ‘ Thiruvarutchelvar’, no one can forget the great song ‘ Mannan Vandhanadi’. This song was penned by Kannadasan and music by legendary KVM and sung by P.Suseela. I do not think we can ever get a better song in the Raga Kalyani in our tamil movies when compared to this song . This song has all the nuances of Kalyani in a capsule form.

In the Charanam, look at these lines,

Viraivinil Nee… Ni
Mana malar Tha .. tha
Thiru Marbaa… Pa
Thamadhama… Ma
Mayil ennai Ka… Ga

Ni.. tha.. Pa.. Ma.. Ga….
The words end in the avorahanam of Kalyani ( descending order of the musical notes)

Similarly, there is one stanza which will have the first letters in the arohanam ( ascending order).. I do not recollect the exact lines..

Sa…
Ri.. ri ga ma pa da ni sa..
Ka.. karunaiyin Thalaiva
Ma.. Madhi migu Mudhalva..

Do we have any such poet today ?

b) Kannadasan’s command over Language

Also, can any one forget the ‘Then’ song in Veera Abhimanu.. This duet is again a KVM song in Raga Sahana by PBS and PS.

Paarthen Rasithen pakkam vara thudithen
Unai then ena naan ninethen – andha
Malai then idhu ena malaithen

What about the ‘voor’ song in the file Oorkkaval.. PBS is the singer

Endha voor endravanae
Irundha voorai chollava
Andha voor neeyum kooda
Arindha voor allava

The great ‘ Kai’ Song ‘ Athhikkai Kaai kaai’ in Balae Paandiya.—About this song, I will dwell in detail subsequently.

c) Kannadasan’s knowledge of Litreature:

(i) There is one tamil poem in ‘Pura Nanooru’, the old tamil literature.

To know the meaning of this poem, you also need to know about the philanthrophist tamil King Paari. He was so noble and kind hearted that on one occasion, when he found a jasmine creeper without a support, he let his chariot as the support for the creeper so that it could grow. His fame and wealth was an eyesore to cheera , choola and Paandya kings and they waged a war against him and killed him. They also want to marry his daughters who were too young and the marriage proposal was stopped by Tamil Sage Avvaiyar.

The poem is written to a situation where, the daughters of Paari, on a full moon day, recalls that their father was with them on the last full moon day and he is now more now and they were grieving for his death.

The poem in chaste tamil starts as

Attrai thingal Auv Vennilavil…

Kannadasan has taken this incidence to write his song

‘Androru Naal Idhe Nilavil
Avar irundar en arugil’ in the film ‘Nadodi ‘ ( wagabond)

(ii) In Kamba Ramayanam, the poem which describes Kaiykeye seeking two boons from Dasaratha starts as

‘Aazhi sooz ulagelam Bharathanae Aaala’ and ends as ‘ Theeyavai yaavinum Sirandha Teeyal’
whereby kambar describes Kaiykeye as the worst of the worst for her act .

I think Kannadesan must have been inspired by these lines and in the movie ‘ Karnan’, there is a song by SG, Tirchy Lokanathan, PBS, TMS which is penned to the situation of Karnan performing pooja to his father Suryan ( the Sun God). There the stanza

Mannavar porulgalai Kai kondu…. Ends with ‘ VARUMAIKKU VARUMAIYAI VAITHTHOR MAAMANNAN VAZHGAVE…VAZGHA VAZGHA.

Here, he used two negatives ‘ Varumaikku Varumai’ to elate Karnan’s noble charity that there was no poverty because of his abundant charity.

Also, I feel vairamuthu must have been inspired by Kannadasan’s lines that he had sai ‘ maanatthin Maanathai vaangi vittan’ in the song ‘Poo Malai Vaangi Vanthan’ in Sindhu Bhairavi.

(iii) In one of the Sirappu Then Kinnam ( remember the yester years in Radio… Chennai Vaanoli Nilayam !!), Kannadasan himself had said that he wrote the song

Thookkamum Kankalai Thazuvattume
Amaithiyum Nenjinil Nilavattume

Since he was inspired by the lines of shakesphere in ‘Macbeth’

(iii) The famous song in ‘Vaazhkai Padagu’

‘ Neetru varai nee yaroo naan yaroo
Indru mudhal nee vaero naan vaero’

Is based on the ‘Pura Naanooru’ padal

‘ Yanum neeyum yaaraa giyaro
yendaiym numadiyum evan kollo
Sembulap peyar neer pola
Anbudai Nenjangal Tham Kalandaduvae’

(iv).. One Sanga kaala illakkiya padal was the inspiration for Kavingyar to write the famous song in “Balae Paandiya’ – ‘ Atthikkai Kai Kai’

One newly wed bride is separated from her husband since he need to be in the battle field shortly after the wedding. On the full moon day, the lady, is thinking about her husband and feeling lonely without him on a romantic night. She requests moon ‘ I am always remembering him but not sure about how he feels.. Already I am sore without him… you also do not add to my suffering with your full radiance.. instead of glowing here, you shower your moon light on the direction where my husband is so that he also gets romantic mood and gets back to me’

This is what the song

‘Athikkaai kaai kaai
Aalangai Vennilavae’

Athikkai is fig. Also it means glow in that direction ( thikku in tamil means direction / side).

What a great song.. full of name of various vegetables. At the same time, has got a different meaning in chaste tamil.



d) Ability to convey his message through his songs.

(i) Kavingyar came out of Congress but had great admiration for Kamaraj. He wanted to convey his respect and desire for an ever lasting association with Kamaraj. Hence

‘Andha sivagami maganidam sedhi solladi – yennai
serum naal parka solladi’

came in the movie ‘Pattanathil Bhoodam’. In the movie , the song was set as it to praise Lord Muruga..

Kamaraj’s Mother’s name is Sivagami !!

(ii) Similarly

Nalandana … Nalandana…
Udalum Ullamum Nalandana..

Nalam Pera vendum nee Yendru
Naalum Yen Nenjil Ninaivundu
Ilai marai kaai pol porul kondu
Yevarum ariyaamal sol indru….

Was written in ‘Thillana Moganaambal’ for as the meeting song between Sivaji and Padmini after sivaji’s injury.

But, this song is actually written with C.N. Annadurai in mind when he was ailing in the hospital and kavingyar was away from him .

One more great song by KVM in the raag Sivaranjani.


WILL WE EVER GET BACK A KAVINGYAR LIKE KANNADASAN ??

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: R. Mahendra Raj (@ 203.106.163.177) on: Wed Feb 19 04:31:38 EST 2003
  
  Geeth, incidentally this song still remains banned in Radio Malaysia due to the controversial line "...iraiva nee kooda kudikaaran". The line was tantamount to belittling God, so felt the authorities.It was deemed that it goes against one of the five principles advocated by the Malaysian governrment amongst which spirituality takes the lead.
  
  Where have the others who showed interest in this thread earlier have gone to?
  
  
• From: s0 (@ 139.95.250.2) on: Wed Feb 19 10:57:31 EST 2003
  
  R. Mahendra Raj: Please do not stop writing about Kannadasan. The lack of activity in this thread does not in anyway mean that we, the silent observers are not interested. So, please share your knowledge about the late genius Kannadasan with us. We are all ears.
  Let there be atleast a few good threads in newtfmpage.
  Thanks.
  
  
• From: anwarm (@ 12.94.173.35) on: Wed Feb 19 11:22:19 EST 2003
  
  Mahendra Raj: Thanks for a very informative thread. Did Kannadasan had any affinity for any playback singers in particular, P Susheela. I believe she had been associated with his lyrics for a very long time (in fact the vast majority of the songs went to her including many memorable ones). Any comments from Kannadasan on P Susheela as an artist?.. Would like to hear if you have some on record....
  
  
• From: R. Mahendra Raj (@ 210.186.1.4) on: Thu Feb 20 05:25:22 EST 2003
  
  Thanks So!
  
  Anwarm, I must be frank with you re- P. Susheela.
  
  Kannadhasan once commented that his lyrics were well conveyed through the expressions and vocubalary of P. Susheela although the latter was a Telugu. I have seen countless interviews with PSuseela in the tv as well as in weekly and monthly magazines, but sad to say, never came across even a passing reference of Kannadhasan by her.
  
  Kannadhasan introduced K. Jamuna Rani as well as promoted L.R. Easwari. For his film "Karuppu Panam" the song "ammama keladi konjam" MSV recommended PSusheela but Kannadhasan insisted that LREswari be given the opportunity. The end result was more than expected. The same goes with the song "Pattathu raani..." in 'Sivantha Mann' where Kannadhasan insisted that LREaswari sings this piece. That song was a hit too. Could this favouritism be the reason as to why P.Susheela refuses to comment about Kannadhasan?
  
  
• From: Sankar (@ 203.124.138.34) on: Fri Feb 21 04:33:53 EST 2003
  
  Dear All, about the famous song "ponaal pogattum pooda' in Paalum Pazhamum.. This is what Visali, daughter of kavingyar told in an interview. When the situation for this song was being explained to him, he got the news that he is put to some hardship due to some personal problem ( not sure whether it is due to income tax raid or some court case) and he said ' PONAAL POGATTUM POODA'. Since the situation in the movie aptly matched the lines, then came the song. Even today, when I listen to the lines of this long, I get moved with tears..
  
  
• From: R. Mahendra Raj (@ 210.186.1.180) on: Sat Feb 22 00:46:03 EST 2003
  
  Yes, he was having some personal problems at that time. During the composition of the music MSV pointed out to Kaviarasar that the words "podaa" does not reflect well on the hero (Sivaji) who is a doctor in the film. Kaviarasar told him off by saying that any man irrespective of his status when depressed or angered will use such prefixes. MSV reluctantly composed this song. It became a very great hit even till today.
  
  Incidentally, years later MSV recollected in an interview an actual incident relating to this song. On a hazy early morning a vehicle crashed into the pillar of his house and before he (MSV) could come out to investigate the driver bolted from the scene. While inspecting the damage to the pillar a goat heard, a small boy at that, snidely sang the song "Ponaal Pogattum Podaa" and scooted off. MSV thought that the song was meant for him even after three decades of composing the same. He felt Kaviarasar's prophecy chilling his spine because a small boy has used "podaa". Irrespective of status? Thats Kaviarasar!
  
  Thereafter, when Kaviarasar penned the song "Ullam Enbathu Aamai" for "Paarthal Pasi Theerum" there were protests from many including MSV for using "aamai" which was considered taboo amongst Hindus. But AVM Meyappan Chettiar accepted the song and that too became a hit because it reached the masses. Kaviarasar's speciality is that it must reach the masses which is why he used layman's terms and words.
  
  Subsequently he used so many songs containing 'vaada' 'podaa' etc. which became hits.
  
  See you again.
  
  
• From: R. Mahendra Raj (@ 203.106.49.213) on: Sat Feb 22 10:11:38 EST 2003
  
  I could't resist writing again lest I forget!
  
  As fans will know the Non-Aligned Movement Convention is being held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 20-25 February 2003. The whole city is abuzz with this great international event where heads of the third world countries have converged to deliberate important issues.
  
  It was apt for Radio Malaysia to broadcast the song "Oru Thaai Makkal 'NAM' Enbom" on the morning of 20.2.03. Kaviarasar has decreed that his songs will continue to live for generations to come for all people and situations. The opening line of the song incorporates the word "NAM" which is the popular abbreviation for the Non-Aligned Movement in English. The NAM seeks peace and world order. Was'nt our Kaviarasar a visionary by giving words like 'samarasam engal vazhvenbom'in that song for a universal cause?
  
  Incidentally this was the first song to be mouthed by Kamalhassan when he was a child artiste. I remember an interview in Ananda Vikatan some years ago when Kamal was trying his hand at poetry .He paid tribute to Kaviarasar. He admitted that he grew up with Kannadhasan's vocubalory along with guys from his generation. Perhaps this may have influenced him to go into serious poetry. I understand he is about to release his works shortly.
  
  I also saw a tv interview conducted by Kamal with Sivaji somewhere in 1984 where Kamal praised the latter for his superb acting in the song scene "ponaal pogattum podaa". Sivaji, in all humbleness, corrected Kamal by saying that the credit should go to Kannadhasan for his penmanship of the said song. In the next breath he said with emotion that "namakellam thathuvam sonna kavingar ippo avare thathuvum aagivittaar" and wiped away his tears which was rolling down his cheeks when speaking of Kaviarasar.
  
  Kamal should consider himself lucky for he acted as Kannadhasan in "Varumayin Niram Sigappu" and the following year mouthed the latter's last song "Kanne Kalai Maane" in 'Moondram Pirai'.
  
  Did anyone notice that the words "ka" has been magically entwined in Kannadhasan's's life? His first song was "kalangathiru maname" from the film "Kanniyin Kaathali". His last song was "kanne kalai maane" mouthed by Kamalhassan. Of course, there is one other analysis for whom this song was unwittingly meant for. Sorry fans, I can't share this confidential piece as it will be tantamount to invading the privacy and origin of an All-India cine artiste who reigned supremacy in both Madras and Bombay! I hope you will understand my reluctance.
  
  Bye for now and hope to hear from many as possible so as to keep my spirits going. Until now no one has guided me as to the splitting of this thread which I find quite irritating. Can anyone out there help?
  
  

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