Sreela Vasantham - Nandanam

Sreela Vasantham – Nandanam

Composition – Raveendran

Lyrics – Girish Puthenchery

Singer – KJ Yesudas

Prelude – The song “ Srila Vasantham “ from 2002 movie Nandanam has captivated my imagination due to its sprightful melody set in raag “ Yaman Kalyan “ . It’s a vibrant song which showcases the nuances of the dance of divine love between the couple Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha . Composer Raveendran has brought different hues of raag Yaman Kalyan with its vigour and vibrancy analogous to the dance steps of the maidens of Vrindavan and Lord Krishna .

Srila vasantham pili uzhinnu

Mathurayil pournami ayi

When the auspicious spring strokes the peacock feather , a full moon rises in Mathura.

Gopi hridayam tharilathamayi

Gopi's ( cowherd maiden ) heart trembles in Vrindavan  ( grove of holy basil plants)

Madhava sangamam ayi

Radha Madhava sangamam ayi

The union of Goddess Radha and Lord Krishna takes place .

 

Nin neela kannil nanam mashi ezhuthum yamam

Ee mayakannan neeyam madhu nukarum neram

Oh Goddess Radha ! – The shyness applies collyrium in your eyes in the night . The illusionary Lord Krishna kisses your honeyed lips .

Akasha kadambil viriyum our nakshatra kurunnum

The small star blooms above the burflower tree , spreading in the sky.

Yamuna yile neer ola parappil

Theliyum our ra thinkal thidambum

The moon's reflection glimmers upon the Yamuna,like the temple deity carried in procession.The reflection of the moon, which is like the replica of the deity taken out during festivals and everyday rituals of the temple, appears in the expanse of the Yamuna river's water. 

Shruti murukum amrita sangeeta layavum onnavum

Athiya rasoltsavam

There is immense joy in the dance of divine love between Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha as the musical pitch gets tightened . The nectarean music embraces the rhythm,  and they become  one . 

 

Ee sandhya ragam kattin chirakaniyum yamam

Ee venna Kannan ninnil veen aliyum neram

Oh Goddess Radha ! – This is the night when the evening melody develops wings of air . This is the time when the butter thief Lord Krishna lays his forehead on your lap and melts in your embraces .

Nin pattin swarangal

Manasil our then vandayi parannum

Oh Lord Krishna ! - The notes of your song fly like bees drinking nectar.

Pranayalaya sindhuram nukarnum

The rhythm of your music kisses the vermillion in my forehead

Muralikayil anandam thirannum

I search for joy in the music of your flute. 

Rasa bharita sugandha sammoha

Vasantha magantam ananda maroltsavam

The dance of divine love between Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha is filled with the fragrance of nectarean flowers and is enchanting . It is filled with joy and splendour just like the festival of Kamadev( the god of desire and love )  when he strikes nature with arrows made of flowers from the sugarcane bow in the spring season when mango trees are in full bloom . 

Postlude – The amorous pastimes of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha have enthralled poets and minstrels since time immemorial . The songs and poems written about the divine dance of love between Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha are infinite,  each unmatched in beauty to the other . Lyricist Gireesh Puthencherry brings a song as colourful as the spring from his repertoire of words . The first stanza brings out one of the pastimes of Lord Krishna and maidens of Vrindavan when they splash water against each other in the river of Yamuna . The second stanza describes how the spring season synchronises with the festival of colours “ Holi “ when the squirt gun of Lord Krishna sprays water into millions of streams filled with vermillion , pollen powder , camphor , musk ,etc., at the maidens of Vrindavan . The lyricist speaks of the spring season as the festival of Kamadev ( god of desire and love )when he strikes  nature with his arrows made of flowers from the sugarcane bow to set the stage for the dance of divine love between Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha .

Varmukile Vanil Nee - Mazha

Varmukile Vanil Nee – Mazha

Composition – Raveendran

Lyrics – Yusuf Ali Kecheri

Singer – KS Chitra

Prelude – The song “ Varmukile Vanil Nee “ , composed in raag Jog, describes the pangs of separation of Bhadra from Ramanuja Shastrigal,  played by Samyuktha Varma and Biju Menon, respectively,  in the film “ Mazha “ . This song is directly taken from the story of the separation of Goddess Radha from Lord Krishna due to the curse from Sridama, who was the guard of the chamber of Lord Krishna in Goloka ( abode of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha ) . 

Varmukile vanil nee vannu ninnal

Ormakalil shyama varnan

When the beautiful cloud comes in the sky , the dark- hued “ Shyamasundar “ ( Lord Krishna ) appears in my memories.

Kaliyadi nilkkum kadanam nirayum

The divine dance has stopped, and my heart is filled with grief.

Yamuna nadiyay mizhi neer vazhiyum

The course of the river Yamuna has its gurgling water made of my tear drops.

 

Pandu ninne kand nalil pili nirthi manasam

The time I beheld you in the past , my heart spread like a peacock feather .

Mandahasam chandanam ayi

Hridaya ramana

Oh lover !  , charming and pleasing to the heart – My gentle smile has cooled like sandalwood paste .

Innante vaniyil kozhinnu pushpangal jeevante thalangal

The flowers which shed from the branches in my garden are like the beats in the music of life .

 

Annu nee en munnil vannu poovaninju jeevitham

My life bloomed like a flower when you came in front of me.

Thenkinakal nandanamayi

Nalina nayana

Oh lover whose eyes are like lotus ! – My honeyed dreams have become like the divine garden of heaven .

Pranayama viraham niranja vazvil porumo veendum ?

Will you come back to this life filled with love and separation ?

Postlude – This story of film “ Mazha “,based on “ Nashtapetta Nilambari “ by eminent writer Kamala Das, is a tribute to the mythological story of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha and their separation of 100 years . In this film, just like Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha got separated , Bhadra and Ramanuja Shastrigal get separated due to opposition from Bhadra’s parents to their alliance . Just like Goddess Radha had to marry Abhimanyu even though her eternal love was Lord Krishna , here Bhadra had to marry a software engineer, Chandran ( played by Lal ) according to her parents’ wishes . Just like Goddess Radha pines for Lord Krishna , here Bhadra remembers Ramanuja Shastrigal , her first love . The lyricist Yusuf Ali Kecheri had done justice to the song by bringing the themes of the Braj Bhoomi ( land on the banks of river Yamuna ) like the flowing of the river Yamuna , the divine dance of love , the pleasure gardens of Vrindavan ( Grove of basil plant ) . This is a song to look out for those who want to immerse themselves in the divine love of Lord Krishna and Goddess Radha . 

Padayatra - Job Kurien and Harish Sivaramakrishnan

Padayatra – Job Kurien and Harish Sivaramakrishnan

Composition – Job Kurien

Lyrics - Engadiyoor Chandrasekharan

Singers - – Job Kurien and Harish Sivaramakrishnan

 

Prelude – The song “ Padayatra “ by Job Kurien is a dedication to his friend Ajay, who went on a journey to the Himalayan mountain ranges searching for the divine and uniting with the supreme soul, leaving the past .

Ennile chudu thalamayi our yathrayi padayathrayi

A beat ignites in my heart . I start a journey on foot .

Gathakalame kulir ormayi our yathrayi padayathrayi

The times that have passed by come as memories cooling my heart .

Parayan maranna vakumayi manatharil arida

Who has come in my flower- like heart to speak what has been left unsaid ? 

Nira deepame kinavu pol enn kannil ekuvan

You give my eyes the sight of the lamp's light burning brightly like a dream.

Nizhal pole , azhal ale , vel nile padayatra

I am accompanied by my shadow , burning heat  and salubrious rays of the sun on my journey.

 

Kalam arivukalale , alivukalale , poo mazha pole

Time with its knowledge and mercy outpours on earth like rain laden with flowers. 

Mannil nila nilavin ponalayale nadalayangal

The earth is lit by the blue moonlight .The golden waves of the ocean create a rhythm of music . 

Varadayakamayi swarasagaramayi

I am being blessed by the ocean of notes of music. 

Janimokshamavumayi puthu jeevanumayi

I have been released from the cycle of death and rebirth, and I awaken to new life . It means my soul has united with the divine .

Nizhal pole , azhal ale , vel nile padayatra

I am accompanied by my shadow , burning heat and salubrious rays of the sun on my journey

Postlude – The first stanza of the song describes the journey on foot to the Himalayan mountain ranges by Ajay ( singer’s friend ) . As he starts his journey , the memories of the time gone by appear in front of his eyes . The unspoken words of those people who wanted to speak to him appear in his heart . He is only accompanied by his shadow , the gurgling rivers that he passes by and the sunlight . Based on the theme of karma ,time with its knowledge of the deeds of humans in their past lives grants them happiness , sorrow and benevolence in the current life . Ajay happens to be a singer or a musician who is blessed by the goddess of performing arts with the knowledge of music , melody , rhythm and beats in this current life . Finally, as he reaches his destination,  he leaves his current life and unites with the divine . This song speaks about liberating oneself from materialistic desires and spiritually uniting with the supreme soul, which is the ultimate goal of human life .  

Kalam - Job Kurien

Kalam – Job Kurien

Composition – Job Kurien

Lyrics – Engadiyoor Chandrasekharan

Singer – Job Kurien

Prelude – The song “ Kalam “ by Job Kurien is a haunting melody which is a tribute to his great- grand aunt, who led a respectful and dignified life being a spinster in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, which was a tough decision to make at that point of time . She was a teacher and toiled hard in the land to grow crops . Half of the fortune she had was given to charity, and the other half was passed on to her kith and kin . This song is picturised on the theme of the spirit of the great-grand aunt who comes to visit the home which the singer had built on the land which was passed on to him from her through his father . The singer shows his respect to his great grand aunt and welcomes her into his home to show that her riches were taken care of with love and the singer has immense respect towards her . 

Kalam

Kalam pon poovin kalam

Season, season of the spring with golden blossoms . 

En nejin eenam thedunith are

I don’t know whom the tune in my heart searches for.

Elelam padanai varavai mayathe oro janmangal bandangal nirvale

Various lifetimes and relationships come abound unerased to sing together.

En kannil parunnoru alayale teliyunne etho nalangal thalangal nirayale

Rising waves ,  flames and beats of music are formed in a line before my eyes.

En jeeva nalam ennile nalam alunu nile kannun en chare

The flame of my soul , the flame of my life, burns bright and is seen near me .

 

Kalam pon poovin kalam

Season, season of the spring of golden blossoms.

En nejin eenam thedunith are

I don’t know whom the tune in my heart searches for

Mele mukil adum nerath niram ezhum manath kanavellam cheloth

The dreams are nearby when the cloud swings and the rainbow shines in the sky.

Ariyathen athmavil aliyunne

Marayathen akathalril theliyunne

You unknowingly  melt in my heart .You shine , undying , deep within my mind.

Ariyathen athmavil aliyunne

Oro tarayum nerayum theliyunne

You unknowingly melt in my heart . You show me the honest way to lead life and to differentiate between what is right and wrong .

Postlude – The song “ Kalam “ is a celebration of relationships, which are primary for the well -being of any human being . The first stanza of the song reminisces about the various relationships and lifetimes which pass with the seasons of time . The rising waves and the igniting flames are compared to the heartbeat of the singer . The singer is indebted to his ancestors with whom he shares the relationship of blood,  and he senses their presence near him always . The second stanza of the song shows how the singer is indebted to his ancestors for instilling good values in him and showing him the right way to lead life by setting a high benchmark with the way they led their lives during their lifetimes . 

Ab Ke Hum Bichde - Mehdi Hassan

Ab Ke Hum Bichde – Mehdi Hassan

Composition – Mehdi Hassan

Lyrics – Ahmed Faraz

Singer – Mehdi Hassan 

Prelude – “ Ab Ke Hum Bichde “ is a poem penned by Ahmed Faraz and sung by ghazal maestro Mehdi Hassan . “ Raag Bhupeshwari “ to which the song is set,  brings out the pangs of separation of the lover from the beloved . As the withered flowers inside the pages of a book are a testimony to the saccharine feeling of love when they were in full bloom and full of life , this song brings out the lamentation of the beloved in memories of the past . 

Ab he hum bichde to shayad khwabon main mile

Jis tarah sukhe hue phul kitabon main mile

Now that we have parted,maybe we will meet in dreams, just like how wilted flowers meet inside the pages of books .

 

Dhoondh ujde hue logon main wafa ke moti

Yeh khazane tujhe mumkin hain kharabon main mile

Search for pearls of loyalty among the miserable and dejected people   . You are likely to find this treasure in ruins.

 

Gham- ye – duniya bhi gham-e – yar main shamil kar lo

Nasha badhta hain sharaben jo sharabon main mile

The intoxication of the wine deepens with each glass of wine, just like the grief of the world is added to the grief of separation from the beloved .

 

Tu khuda hain na mira ishq farishton jaisa

Donon insan hai toh kyuun itne hijaboon main mile .

You are neither God nor my love, like that of the angels . If we both are humans , why do we have to meet each other in veils of secrecy ?

 

Ab na vo main na woh tu hai na vo maazi hai “ faraz “

Jaise do shaks tamanna ke sarabon men milen .

Oh Faraz ! Neither you nor I remain the same . It is not like the times of the past .  It’s like two people meet in the mirage of their desires .

Postlude – The emotive poetry by “ Ahmad Faraz “ in the silhouette of ethereal singing by Mehdi Hassan in “ Raag Bhupeshwari “ brings out the yearning of the lover . From the words of the poetry, it seems like two people who have fallen in love amidst class differences . Due to the resistance from the family of the beloved , the couple had to part ways . Now that they have parted ways, the only possibility for the lover to meet the beloved is in dreams,  just like the withered flowers which meet inside the pages of the book . Red roses have always symbolised love and are usually kept as a souvenir by the lovers inside books as a memory to cherish . 

The lyricist speaks of how fidelity and faithfulness in relationships are found in the unlikeliest of the places, as the lover belongs to a low class of society . The third couplet describes how the world causes grief every day to the lover ,which, along with his separation from the beloved , multiplies the sorrow by leaps and bounds .The lover resorts to drinking to forget his sorrows and is in an inebriated state after drinking wine, one glass after the other .   In the fourth couplet , the lover questions the norms of the society where the lover is barred from meeting the beloved . The meeting between a male and a female was resisted by elders in olden times,  as it was considered against the modesty of a woman to mingle with a man. Men and women were generally segregated into groups considering the safety factor of women . The lyricist questions such strict standards of the society as to why he should meet his beloved in secrecy when they both are not exalted like the God and the angels . 

The fifth couplet tells how the lover and his beloved have undergone changes to the different experiences of life . Their present reflects and is a result of their past experiences . The lover feels like their whole union is just like two people meeting in an illusion of desires . The lyricist wants to convey that there can be plenty of desires in people, but one cannot guarantee that all of them get fulfilled . The lover has lost his hope of uniting with his beloved . The song is really an ode to all the star-crossed lovers who had dreamt of a happily ever after that turned into nights nursing the mental wounds of separation and heartache . 

Bhooli Bisri Chand Umeedein - Mehdi Hassan

Bhooli Bisri Chand Ummedein – Mehdi Hassan

Composition – Mehdi Hassan

Lyrics – Razi Tirmizi

Singer – Mehdi Hassan 

Prelude – The song “ Bhooli Bisri Chand Umeedein “ is a dulcet melody which has captivated me since the time it was performed by Shuja Haider and Aima Baig in Coke Studio Pakistan . It was only recently I came to know the original song was sung by ghazal maestro Mehdi Hassan Saheb . The lyrics are penned by Razi Tirmizi . 

Bhooli bisri chand ummedein

Chand fasane yaad aye

I remembered a few hopes and tales from the past .

Tum yaad aye

Aur tumhare saath zamane yaad aye

I remembered you and the times spent with you .

 

Dil ka chaman shadab tha

Phir bhi khaak si udti rehti thi

The garden of my heart was verdant with greenery, yet the dust of withered petals drifted in the air . 

Kaise zamane e gham e jana

Tere bahane yaad aye

I remembered all the moments of grief of the past because of you.

 

Hasne walon se darte they

I feared people who laughed at me . 

Chup chup kar ro lete they

I used to cry in silence.

Gehri gehri soch main doobe

Do deewane yaad aye

I remembered two lovers who were immersed in deep thoughts .

 

Thandi sard hawa ke jhonke

Aag lagakar chod gaye

The cold mild blow of air left, igniting a fire in mind.

Phool khile shakon pe naye

Aur dard purane yaad aye

Flowers bloomed upon the boughs, and I remembered the old wounds .

Postlude – I tried to travel through the mind of the lyricist, and from what I could decipher , it’s the emotions of the lover who has got separated from the beloved . Love is a complex emotion, and there are only a few in the world who are able to work it through its ups and downs . The first line of the song explains how the emotion of love has its own expectations and desires . The lover reminisces about the moments the lover spent with his beloved . It is not always possible to fulfil all the expectations due to many constraints . In the beginning stages of love , the heart of the lover felt like a garden blooming with vibrant colours of flowers, and there was joy everywhere as he celebrated the feeling of love with nature . But at the same time there was the apprehensiveness of the unpredictability of love, like  the dust of wilted flowers blowing off in the air due to separation from the beloved. 

The lover remembered all the moments of grief felt when the beloved got separated from him . The separation of the beloved from the lover had such a drastic impact on him that he used to get scared when people used to mock and laugh at him in his state . He used to cry silently, dealing with his emotions alone . His plight made him remember about two lovers deeply immersed in thoughts, thinking of bringing their love to fruition and dreaming of a happily ever after . The cold blow of air ignited a fire in the mind of the lover as he recollected all his memories spent with his love . The blooming of the flowers in the boughs made the lover remember about the old wounds . The vicissitudes of nature bring myriad memories into the heart of the lover .  

Baat Karni Mujhe Mushkil - Mehdi Hassan

Baat karni mujhe mushkil – Mehdi Hassan

Composition – Mehdi Hassan

Lyrics – Bahadur Shah Zafar

Singer – Mehdi Hassan 

Prelude – The ghazal “ Baat Karni Mujhe Mushkil “ brings the breeze of the mountain in “ Raag Pahadi “ enthralling music lovers . The song was written by Mughal king Bahadur Shah Zafar who was also a poet . This ghazal by Mehdi Hassan Saheb takes one to a trance with its mellifluent melody . 

Baat karni muje mushkil kabhi aisi toh na thi

Jaisi ab hai teri mehfil kabhi aisi toh na thi

I feel difficult speaking to you - I was never like that  before . Your soiree is so elegant . It was never like that before .

 

Le gaya chin ke aaj kaun tera sabr-o-qarar

Beqarari tujhe aae dil kabhi aisi toh na thi

Oh heart ! Who has taken away your patience and calm ? The heart is restless .It was never like that before .

 

Unki ankhon ne khuda jaane kiya kya jaadu

Ki tabiyat miri maaeil kabhi aisi toh na thi

Only God knows what magic she has done to me with her eyes that I am attracted to it . It was never like that before .

 

Chasm-e – qaatil meri dushman thi hamesha lekin

Jaise ab ho gayi qaatil kabhi aisi toh na thi

The murderous,  intoxicating eyes were always my foes . But now I have been slain by the entrancing eyes of yours .It was never like that before .

 

Kya sabab tu jo bigdata ‘zafar’ se har bar

Khu teri hur- shamail kabhie aisi toh na thi

Oh beloved ! What is the reason that you get offended with Zafar every single time . Your attributes are like those a celestial nymph of exquisite beauty . It was never like that before .

Postlude – The lover speaks about the time when he  realises he is in love and compares it with the time he never felt such an emotion . The lover is feeling shy and nervous to talk to the beloved after he realizes he is in love with her . He starts feeling her soiree is resplendent as never before as he feels butterflies in his stomach . The heart of the lover is always anxious these days,  anticipating and thinking about the beloved every moment . The dazzling eyes of the beloved, which tell many unspoken  stories,  have captivated the lover . The lover says that the beloved behaves like a celestial nymph of unmatchable beauty,  and he doesn't know the reason why she gets offended with him every time after throwing tantrums . Bahadur Shah Zafar’s poem is a playful unspoken tete -e – tete between the lover and her beloved in their minds .