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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: sankar (@ 203.124.138.34) on: Sun Feb 23 23:23:00 EST 2003
  
  Dear Mahendraraj-- regarding your lines about KANNAE KALAIMAANAE writen with a ' Famous Artiste' in mind ;
  is it true that the lines
  
  KATTI THANGAM VETTI EDUTTHU
  KAADAL ENNUM SAARU PIZHINDU
  THATTI THATTI SIRPIGAL SEIDA URUVAMADA - AVAL
  THALA THALA ENDRU ARUMBI NIRKKUM PARUVAMADA
  was also written with a FAMOUS ARTISTE of yesteryears who is famous and popular even today -but no more in films but now in politics ?? do you have some news on this pl. I think this song is from THANGA CHURANGAM
  
  
• From: Visiri (@ 61.6.38.132) on: Sun Feb 23 23:42:57 EST 2003
  
  Mahendra Raj
  
  >>>But in person Kaviarasar was a devout Krishna bakthar.
  
  The Tamil world knows that Muthaiah changed his name to Kanna-Daasan due to his immense love for Krishna. Yet, there are many people who trivialised Kannadasan's love for Kannan. I am reminded of the Kannadhasan Vizha that was organised by Pandi Thurai in Malaysia recently. When speaking about bakthi paadalgal, Pandi Thurai, a fanatic Saivite, purposely avoided all mention of Kannan in Kannadaasan songs!
  This is tantamount to talking about Thiruvalluvar and not talking about Thamizh.
  Naturally, the entire vizha was a complete fiasco, scratching Kannadasan only at the surface. In fact, this very page has more intellectual discussions on Kannadasan than in that vizha with greats such as MSV and TMS!
  Congratulations to all participants of this thread for your good work.
  All I ask of you, is please do not trivalise Kannadasan.
  Kannadasan would have turned in his grave at the insult by Pandi Thurai.
  
  
• From: geeth (@ 195.226.230.37) on: Mon Feb 24 00:36:51 EST 2003
  
  mahendra raj, appreciate your time and work in this thread. its a been a great time each day to come and see whats written new. interesting information and very well presented. i am sure admin will put this thread as a permanent one soon in the home page itself.
  i referred this thread to my friends in Qatar, Kuwait and US(Chicago) - they are all enjoying it too.
  
  
• From: OISG (@ 193.188.97.152) on: Mon Feb 24 02:32:05 EST 2003
  
  Mahendra raj
  
  I feel that there must be some incident related to "Nilavai paarthu vanam sonnadhu" from Savale Samali.Though the song is supposed to depict JL s dislike for Sivaji after their marriage,i find this song more deeper than that.
  
  Particularly the lines
  
  "Pudhiyathallve theendamai enbathu,Puthumai allave athai neeyum solvathu" - Could it be relating to Kamaraj-Rajaji feud?In the movie there would be NO caste factor involved ,only the economic status and persoanl traits of JL would be the factors.
  
  
• From: R. Mahendra Raj (@ 203.106.49.59) on: Mon Feb 24 10:05:34 EST 2003
  
  Thanks for the wonderful feedback folks. It is indeed heartening to note that Kaviarasar still lives globally.
  
  There is a history as to how Kaviarasar christened himself 'Kannadhasan'. When he applied to join a publication way back in the forties the editor who interviewed him asked whether he had experience in editorial work. Kaviarasar replied in the affirmative. The editor then asked under what pen name did he work to which Kaviarasar spontaneously replied 'Kannadhasan'. That name just came to his mind instantly it seems. The truth was he had no experience at all in editorials save for the occasional poems he wrote under different pen names! Just to get the job he had to tell a white lie. Of course, the name stuck to him permanently overshadowing his maiden name and the rest is history. Kaviarasar recollected this incident to youths much later when he was reigning supreme to take up challenges in an unknown field just like what he did.He also advised them to make the best of their respective jobs to carve a name for themselves.
  
  I am sorry, I don't have any background information on the songs "katti thangam" and "nilavai paarthu" except for the fact that the former is still regarded as a gem when comes to description of one's sweetheart in plain Tamil literature. The latter song was from the film "Savaley Samali". Incidentally this title was lifted from Kaviarasar's song 'savaley samali' (film: Uyiraa Maanama). All the songs were penned by Kannadhasan except for 'aanaiku oru kaalam vanthal poonaiku oru kaalam varum therinjiko'. This song was written by Malliam Rajagopal, the producer himself. But then the audience still think it was penned by Kannadhasan due to similiarities. Malliam was indeed proud to be equated with Kanadhasan.
  
  Coming to the "Tribute to Kannadhasan' event which was held in Kuala Lumpur on 28 September 2002. Yes I agree with your observations. Although it was a record turnout of the century for a literary event nevertheless except for Sugi Sivam the rest, especially TMS, deviated from the objective.It appeared that the speakers were using that platform to promote their public speaking ability! Since 1986, Jasmine Productions, a non commercial concern, has been hosting annual tributes to Kaviarasar without fail. Admission is free and the organisers take this opportunity to fete literary figures in Malaysia and occasionally invite speakers from India and Singapore. The credit must go to the late Alan Kandiah, Karu Karthik and Thangamani. It was a pity that the so-called organisers of the grand event never mentioned this good work. For readers info, not even Bharathiyar or Bharathidasan have been so honoured and continued to be honoured in Malaysia.
  
  It will be unfair if I fail to stick to my original objective i.e. background info on Kannadhasan's songs whilst addressing the queries from readers. Okay, here it goes.
  
  When director A. Bhimsing, Viswanathan Ramamurthi and Kaviarasar sat to work on a song for the film 'Paava Mannipu' there was a telephone call for the latter. He excused himself and answered the phone. MSV noticed that Kaviarasar's face which had been hitherto full of life suddenly shifting gears to melancholy. After placing the receiver back on its handle Kaviarasar returned to the spot where all were gathered to compose the song for the situation. MSV did enquire from Kaviarasar whether he was alright to which the latter, with his usual smile, said yes. After listening to the situation of the story he immediately wrote the song and collected his dues and left in a hurry. MSV was curious over the whole incident and decided to play detective.In the evening on the same day he dropped by Kaviarasar's house and asked him the same question. This time Kaviarasar told him all. It seems that his creditors took judgement debt notice and were already in the house to seal the same. That was when he received the phone call from his household. MSV was further shocked to understand that the song he had written earlier that day was for Kaviarasar himself. The song? "Silar Sirippaar Silar Azhuvaar" (film: 'Paava Mannippu". Whats so great about it? The line "....kaalam oru naal maarum nam kavalaigal yaauvum theerum, vanthathai enni azhugindren varuvathai enni sirikkindren' was a moral booster to himself. He was sad that such an embarassing situation took place ("vanthathai enni azhugindren") but happy that he would resolve this matter after getting the cash for the song. He paid this cash to the notice servers to postpone their action. The words "varuvathai enni sirikindren" was a reference to the cash he is going to get after writing this song to help him out of this predicament!
  
  MSV said that any man in that situation will naturally excuse himself from work to go to his house. But Kaviarasar took it cooly and attended to his work first. Thats Kannadhasan!
  
  
• From: R. Mahendra Raj (@ 203.106.49.59) on: Mon Feb 24 10:15:44 EST 2003
  
  "Katti thangam" is from the film "Thaaye Kaatha Thanayan" (1962). "Thanga Churangam" was released in 1969.
  
  The info which I gathered from Kaviarasar's family members was that many heroines of yesteryears used to frequent his house just to pour out their woes. Kaviarasar was regarded as a true friend, philospher and guide whom one can freely open his or her heart. Even male artistes used to drop by to get his advice. Just to hear him give assurances were enough for them. Those days it was a belief that whatever a poet says will come true. Thats another story which I will narrate later.
  
  Therefore, to my knowledge I do not think this particular song was aimed at any heroine. Conversely, Kaviarasar has been known to be sattirical of Tamil film heroines especially on their waistlines and their figures as a whole!
  
  

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