Itramel Manamulla - Mazha

Ethramel Manamulla – Mazha

Composition – Raveendran

Lyrics – K Jayakumar

Singer – KJ Yesudas 

Prelude – The lyrical poetry “ Ithramel Manamulla “ set to tune in the raag “ Mohanam “ from the film “ Mazha “ has enchanted Keralites for a long time . The song appears when the character of Ramanuja Shastrigal  renders the poem written by Bhadra when it gets published in a magazine . Ramanuja Shastrigal and Bhadra are played by Biju Menon and Samyuktha Varma, respectively . Bhadra is really mesmerised by the first shower of love in her teenage years that she feels for the musician Ramanuja Shastrigal . Her love takes the form of words and music in the film . 

Itramel manamulla kudamulla poovukkalku etra kinakkal undayirikkum ?

How many dreams would a bunch of fragrant flowers have ?  

Sandhyambarathinte manda smithangalil ava etra azhagu ullath ayirikkum

?

How beautiful would they look when the evening sky gently smiles at them ? 

 

Poovinte swapnangal pookelekalum mridulavum soumyavum ayirikkum

The dreams of a flower will be softer and gentler than those of a bunch of flowers .

Thamara nool pol pozhiyum nilavilum yadukula kamboji ayirikkum

The moonlight which sheds like lotus silk, will be like the raga “ Yadukula Kamboji “

 

Nitya vilolamam swapnangalum njanum ellam rahasyavum pankuvaikkum

The permanent restless dreams and I share all secrets with each other.

Atmvavinullil vannu ariyathe padarunna aa raga parimalam ayirikkum .

A melody unknown to me imbues in the heart like the scent of flowers . 

Postlude – The lyrics written by IAS officer K Jayakumar transcend the realm of worldly love and dive into spiritual love . The turning point of this lyrical piece of poetry is when the raga “ Yadukula Khamboji “ gets mentioned in the song . That was a masterstroke by the lyricist to bring the recurring theme of divine love between Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha . The “ Yadukula Khamboji “ raga is derived from the parent raga “ Hari Khamboji “ whose Hindustani equivalent is the raag “Khamaj “ . The raga “ Hari Khamboji “ is usually sung while performing thumris and horis . Thumri is light classical music which has its roots in eastern Uttar Pradesh and is often sung in accompaniment with the dance form of Kathak . The undeniable heroine of thumri is our Goddess Radha, who brings forth along with her the dichotomies of pain and pleasure , love and longing, and union and separation from Lord Krishna . The different vagaries of emotions in love will be an eternal subject which will evolve in the literary world as long as the universe exists.