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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 (@ 203.121.0.9) on: Thu Feb 6 09:51:17 EST 2003
  
  Thanks OSG for the corrections. In my haste I overlooked these facts as I was focussing on Kaviarasar alone.
  
  
• From: R. Mahendra Raj (@ 203.121.0.9) on: Thu Feb 6 09:57:08 EST 2003
  
  Just for the record the song "Aaramba Kalathil" in 'Arangetram'was tuned by MSV although V.Kumar was the music director. the same goes with the song "Thamarai Kannangal" in Ethir Neechal in which V.Kumar was the Music Director. Both are KBalachander's films.
  
  
• From: Sri (@ 172.145.252.188) on: Fri Feb 7 02:54:44 EST 2003
  
  Mahendraraj,
  
  Your postings are interesting to read. Hope you have more. Keep going!
  
  
• From: R. Mahendra Raj (@ 203.106.163.141) on: Fri Feb 7 03:48:03 EST 2003
  
  It was a well-known fact that MGR and Kannadhasan were the best of pals during the early years since both belonged to the same political party.It was Kanndhasan, through his powerful dialoges and screen play in films like "Madurai Veeran", "Mahadevi" "Nadodi Mannan" "Mannathi Mannan" "Raja Desingh" that helped MGR rise to the horizon. MGR acknowledged this fact and this was why he took the unprecedented decision to appoint Kannadhasan as the 'Aasthana Kavingar' to the Tamil Nad State Government when he took office as CM way back in 1978. Of course, the other unpublicised reason is that Kannadhasan was too liberal in his condemnation of the AIDMK Government which was the government of the day then. By coopting him into the government administration it could keep Kanndhasan under wraps, so thought MGR! But MGR was wrong. The morning after MGR contacted Kanndhasan by telephone announcing the appointment to which the latter agreed, he was back again condemning MGR in an evening function the same day! This news reached MGR but he shrugged and laughed it off juast saying "you know Kanndhasan is'nt it, it is typical of him!" When Kanndhasan was admitted in the Chicago hospital MGR made sure that he was given the best of medical treatment. He even requested MSVisvanathan to send a recording of the latter's voice so that Kannadhasan could find some relief in it. But before the casette could be sent Kaviarasar breathed his last. MGR who led the funeral procession in Chennai made a last minute decision to stack the numerous books written by Kanndhasan along with the body.How thoughtful of MGR. This he did personally as photographs taken at that time would testify.At a memorial function later MGR remarked that each time he is depressed or low in spirits he will listen to Kanndhasan's all-time motivating song "acham enbathu madamaiyada". Lo! he gets recharged and boosted. Kanndhasan has written numerous songs describing MGR both in physique as well as reflecting the latter's character. "theaka maram udallai thanthathu, sinna yaanai nadaiyai thanthathu, pookalellam sirippai thandathu, pon allovo niraithai tandathu". These lines are from the song "Maanallovo Kangal Thandathu" (Neethikupin Paasam". You can visualise MGR through these lines! "Seranuku Urava Senthamizhilin Nilava, paarivallar maganaa..." (Pesuvathu Kiliya - Panathottam), "Uravai Solla Oruvan" (Paasam) 'Oruthi Maganai Piranthavanaa' (Thaai Solle Thatathey) etc. He had also subtly condemned MGR in the song "kayile panam irunthaal kazhuthai kooda arasanadi" in his own film "Karuppu Panam"! When MGR was producing his very first ambitious movie "Nadodi Mannan" he requested Kanndhasan to come on time to do the scripting for the film in the studios daily. He also reminded him that he had mortgaged all of his properties and that this film will either make or break his (MGR's) career. As usual Kanndhasan will say okay but will turn up late the following day after late night outs! MGR who was observing this called up Pattukottai Kalyanasundram to pen a philosophical song hitting hard at Kanndhasan so that he must not forget this song throughout his life. Thus the song "Thoongathey Thambi Thoongathey" was born. Did Kanndhasan reform? As usual he took the song in his stride and laughed it off! He, in fact, enjoyed the lyrics and used to proudly announce that this was one song desribing him although he has written for others! The other incident was when MGR chided director Sreedhar for not using Kanndhasan's name in the credits for the song "Vizhiye Kathai Ezhuthu" in 'Urimai Kural. Sridhar being a very close associate of Kannadhasan could not utilise him for this film because of political animosity between MGR and Kanndhasan. In the records it was mentioned as "Vaali". MGR, known for his sharpness, immediately detected Kanndhasan's works and when he confronted Sreedhar the latter admitted. But when MGR insisted that due credits must be given to Kanndhasan although their political animosity is a different matter altogether Sreedhar replied that the records have already been printed and it was too late to do anything now. Thats why you can see Vaali's name in the credits. But did Kanndhasan mind it? Not an iota. Bye for now.
  
  
• From: geeth (@ 213.121.248.170) on: Sat Feb 8 06:35:23 EST 2003
  
  i grew up with the puthukavithai songs from 80s till date and
  once in a while i fall back on the songs of 60s/70s. but no time
  and not much interest to check out on who wrote the song and who
  tuned it etc.
  
  once i read a short novel of Balakumaran and was very much impressed
  by it. Vinnil maraintha kuthiraigaL. The story revolves around a
  lady character who is into puthukavithai and the story ends with
  a short and beautiful kavithai. though not good in memory i will
  try to write it below.
  
  pirapenthu yaathena ketten
  piranthu paar endru paNithaan
  irrapenthu yaathena ketten
  irranthu paar endru sonaan
  manaiyaaL sugamenil yaathena ketten
  maNanthu paar endruraithaan
  ippadi anubavithey thaan
  arivathu vaazhkaiyenil
  iraivaa nee etharku endren
  
  iraivan satre aruginil vanthu
  anubavam enbathe naanthaan endraan !
  
  in the story her akka comes and reads this kavithai and asks her,
  did you write it ? and she replies 'ithu intha ulakathai nallaa
  vaazhnthu anubavichanoda kavithai. kannadhaasanodathu.'
  
  i probably read this novel about 10 years back and since then this
  kavithai is still inside me (though i may not have reproduced in its
  exact form). what beautiful words ! it touched deep inside me.
  made me look/search for KD's songs and very much interested in his
  articles, including this thread.
  
  he is one person who should have lived more years. but as said
  in a posting earlier (OISG i think) we would have told the same
  thing in whichever year he had passed.
  
  

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