Gange Thudiyil – Vadakkumnathan

Singer – KJ Yesudas

Lyrics – Gireesh Puthencherry

Composition – Raveendran

Prelude – The song from the film Vadakkumnathan invokes the grace and serenity of the river Ganga as she gushes down the matted hair of Lord Shiva . Starting from the beginning of the song ,  in which the beats of the hour glass drum or damroo of Lord Shiva can be heard , takes us into the limitless vastness of the sky,  where God is performing his cosmic dance . The song is picturized on the character of Bharatha Pisharodi , the character played by Mohanlal when he is wandering on the bank of the holy river Ganga seeking salvation. 

Gange !
Thudiyil thripuda kettu thuyil unarnnu padi ente
Nadana mandapam thurannu vaa

Oh river Ganges ! Awake from your slumber hearing the beats of the hourglass drum . 

Soorya nalam oru swara mazhayude thiri
Manthra theertham ozhukiya pulariyil
There is the flame of the sun .  The wick is the downpour of musical notes .The holy water gurgles along, singing hymns in the morning .

Anuragamarna shiva shaila shringa mudi
Nedi vanna pursuhartha saara shiva gange
You are the river filled with love originating from the mountain peak of Lord Shiva's matted locks . You give salvation to the ones who committed sins while seeking objects of human pursuit, which include right conduct , economic prosperity , emotional well-being,  and liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth .
 
Mangalya mani kunkumam ninakkai
Maaleya sandhya orukki
The beads in the sacred thread and the vermillion powder arranged an evening as cool as the sandalwood paste .

Kaar koonthal churulil ariya vara varthinkal
Thulasi thirukki oru shree raga shruthiyil arike varu vara mozhi Parvathi nee
Oh Goddess Parvathi ! like the letters used to write a language  ! Adorn your curls of black hair with basil leaves. You look like the beautiful, noble full moon .  Come near me with your footsteps producing the pitch of raag Shree Ragam .

Poo nilavil adum arali maram pole
You sway like the oleander tree in a moonlit sky. 
 
Ekantha padayatrayil manasinte
Mankoodu pinnil vedinnu
I renounced the mud dwelling of my mind when I began this solitary journey on foot

Nin pattin pranaya mazhayil oru
Ven pravayi chiraku kudayumiru
Pon thuval pakalil eriyum oru
Kanalinu kavilumayi

I become a white dove fluffing up my feathers when your song produces a shower of love . My precious feather burns guarding the cinders . ( I guard my pain in the heart without sharing it with anyone ) 

Njan thiranjath ente japa laya jala theertham
I am searching for my rhythm in the repetitive chants of hymns as the waves of the river Ganges' holy water flows in the background . ( The hero is on a spiritual quest of salvation ) 

Postlude – The sanctity and purity of the holy river Ganga emanating from the words of Gireesh Puthencherry cannot be described .  I want to thank composer Raveendran for bringing forth the ebb and flow of the river Ganga,  like the cyclical nature of human life in the melody . This song is an ode to the river Ganga and her piousness . 

Ararum kanathe – Chandrolsavam

Singer – P Jayachandran , Sujata

Lyrics – Gireesh Puthencherry

Composition – Vidyasagar

Prelude – I have spent days listening to this tuneful song from Chandrolsavam . Even though the film was released in 2005 , I got time to listen to it calmly after engineering . The song is composed in raag Shuddha Saveri , which is playful . The song begins with the sound of chirping birds . This song celebrates the rekindling of love between Chirakkal Srihari and Indulekha, the names of the characters played by Mohanlal and Meena

Ararum kanathe aromal thai mulla pinneyum poov idumo ?

Will the dearest jasmine flower bloom in the month of Capricorn unseen by all  ?

Poonchilla thumbin mel chanchadum poomott enn nenjodu chernidumo ?

Will the swaying flower bud on the branch- tip cling to me ?

Kalapura meyyum kanni nilave inniyum varumo thiruonam ?

Please tell me , virgin moonlight , grazing over the barn !  Will the festival of Onam come again ?

Mudithumbil eran thulasiyum ayi eniyum varumo dhanumasam ?

Will the season of Sagittarius come with a tuft of hair adorned by wet basil leaves

Onnu thottal thane mulamo manasil ullil mouna veene ?

Oh silent lute inside the heart ! Will you hum a tune alone , by a single touch  ?

Our pattin shruthi avan our moham mathram

I wish I were the pitch of a song.

Pazhaya kinavin munthiri neeril pavam hridayam aliyunnu

My heart is melting in the wine of the old dream .

Thalukal mariyum mizhikalil oro moham veruthe viriyunnu

As I turn the pages of life, a desire is blooming in my eyes.

Doore etho pakshi padunnu katharam sneham geetham

A bird is singing a poignant love song from afar.

Oru neelambari ayi njan athil manje poyi

I became Raag Neelambari and got merged in the song sung by the bird.

Postlude – Gireesh Puthencherry’s breathtaking lyrics show us the syncing of nature with the emotions of the lovers . The hero is asking the moon whether the joyous times will return in his life as he was released from jail for a crime he had not committed. The demureness of the heroine is described as the one performing fast for the longevity of the beloved or husband by the arrival of the season of Sagittarius when the festival of Thiruvathira is celebrated. The whole movie is summarised in the last lines of the song when the love, which could not end in marital bliss, only got richer with time like wine . As the hero and heroine are both singers in the movie,the lyricist had used different musical themes to show how music unites them.

Ekakiyam Ninte Swapnangal – Ente Hridayathinte Udama

Singer – P Jayachandran

Lyrics – ONV Kurup

Composition – Raveendran

Prelude – The song Ekakiyam Ninte Swapnangal takes us through the travails of the solitary traveller . The pathos brought by the melody creates a contemplative mood when we think of our unfulfilled dreams . The sound of the flute and veena ( lute ) pierces right through our heart, which keeps us lamenting about our past . 

Ekakiyam ninte swapnangalkokeyum ezhu swarangal chiraku nalkki

The dreams of a loner like you were given wings to fly by the seven notes of the octave.

Snehaksthangalal novum manassil chekkeruvan pari parannupoyi

Padi padi parannu poyi

The dreams floated away yearning to dwell in the heart wounded by love  . The dreams floated away singing

Poyi varoo venale ennu cholli

Poovaka thoo vala vishi

I bade goodbye to the summer by waving a handkerchief made of May flowers ( Gulmohar ). 

Venalil pookunna chillakalil

Thanerunn adunna kilikal padi

Van anayath vasantham

Kanni manninte paaz kinavelle

The birds,which were swinging alone in the branches of the trees blooming in summer, said that the thought of the unending spring season was the pointless dream of the virgin earth.

Kattinte kayyil prasadam ayi

Kanath poovin sugandham

The fragrance of the unknown flower is the sacred religious offering to the breeze .

Padheyamayi our pattu tharu

Pathira pullukal kenu cholli

The birds flying in the sky at midnight requested a roadside meal in the form of a song so that they could complete their journey.

Sundara vagdhath theeram nammal kanunna paaz kinavelle

Our desire to reach the promised beautiful shore of the sea unhurt and without hardships is a pointless dream .

Postlude – ONV Kurup focuses on the tumultuous journey of life that every human has to undergo . The changing seasons indicating the transient mode of life with its ups and downs always fascinate me . The lyricist points towards the desire of human beings to always experience happiness, which is a pointless dream . Who could have thought ,  other than ONV Kurup, that the fragrance of the flower is a sacred offering to the breeze . I feel the birds refer to travellers of this human life waiting for divine blessings in the form of a roadside meal to reach the shore of life unhurt .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parayath Mozhikal Than – Ente Hridayathinte Udama

Singer – KS Chitra , Biju Narayanan

Lyrics – ONV Kurup

Composition – Raveendran

Prelude – The tranquil song "Parayath Mozhikal Than " has captivated my mind for a long time . I came across this song in Doordarshan Chitrahar on Fridays when I was in 9^th standard . I was totally glued to the tune but never realized the literary prowess of ONV Kurup until I was in my mid - twenties . The song delves into the beauty of unspoken love.

 

Parayath mozhikal than azathil mungi poyi

Parayuvan ashichath ellam

Ninnodu parayuvan ashichath ellam

What I wished to tell you drowned as unspoken words in the deep ocean of my heart . 

Oru kuri polum ninakkai matramai our pattu padan nee chonathilla

You never asked me even once to sing a song for you

Parayam njan bhadre , nee kelkkuvan ellathe our vari polum njan padiyilla

Oh , auspicious one ! I have never sung a line of a song for anyone other than you to listen to .

 

Thaliradi mullet nonthapole

malarpuduva thumbu engo thadanjapole

Veruthe veruthe nadikathen arikil ninnu

mohichuru mozhi kelkkan nee kathu ninnu

You stood as if your foot, as soft as a budding leaf , was pricked by thorns.You stood as if the tip of your flowery brocade saree was snagged somewhere .You stood beside me without pretension, waiting for me to say the words you desired .

Thudu thudu viriyumen chembaneer pushpamen

Hridayamanu athu nee eduthu poyi

Tharalamam mozhikalal viriyath snehathin

Porulukal nee athil vayichuvo

The rose that reddened and bloomed is my heart , which you have captured . Did you read the meaning of my unbloomed love in my quivering words ?  

 

Postlude – The line of this poem that bewitched my mind is the usage of the word “ bhadre “ for the lover used by ONV Kurup . I have spent endless nights thinking about how he could come up with that word for the lover , which is so poetic as well as serene. 

Laal Ishq – Goliyon Ki Raas Leela Ram Leela

Singer – Arijit Singh

Lyrics – Sidharth Garima

Composition – Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Prelude – Sanjay Leela Bhansali gives a gift to all the raag yaman fanatics out there with this meditative track . I am fortunate enough to be born in this era where I am treated to the bedecked melodies from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s repertoire. Starting from the alap of Arijit Singh and the magical chorus of “ Yeh Laal Ishq Yeh Malaal Ishq Yeh Aib Ishq Yeh Bair Ishq “ , the track is interspersed with the sound of the temple bells,adding to the spiritual nature of love .

Yeh laal ishq yeh malaal ishq yeh aib ishq yeh bair ishq

This love is red , melancholy , flawed , and a foe .

Tujh sang bair lagaya aisa raha na main phir apne jaisa

My enmity with you has caused me to no longer be myself . 

Mera naam ishq tera naam ishq  mera naam ishq tera naam ishq

Mera naam mera naam tera naam ishq

My name is love , and your name is love .

Apna naam badal doon

Ya tera naam chupa loon

Should I change my name or should I hide your name ?

Ya chodke sari aag main bairag  utha loon

Should I give up all the fiery anger and passion and become detached from the world ?

Bas ek rahe mera kaam ishq mera kaam ishq mera kaam ishq

My only task must be loving . 

Yeh kaali raat jhakad lun yeh thanda chand pakad loon

I want to seize this dark night . I want to hold this cool moon. 

Din raat ke bairi bedh ka rukh mod ke main rakh doon

I want to change the course of hostile differences between day and night . The hero wants to end hostility between the warring families of him and the heroine . 

Postlude – The lyricists Sidharth and Garima had explored the various facets of love in this song . Love may not be a happy affair , but the world without love is meaningless . The song explores the feelings of Ram and Leela when their warring families are keeping them apart from uniting. The word “ bairi ,“ meaning enemy , comes in the lyrics. The hatred between the families of Ram Leela is beautifully shown in the lyrics referring to the stark differences between day and night . 

Yoon Shabnami Pehle Nahi Thi Chandini – Sawariya

Singer – Parthiv Gohil

Lyrics – Sandeep Nath

Composition – Monty Sharma

Prelude – The song Yoon Shabnami is as soothing as the moonlight . Saawariya is the debut film of Sonam Kapoor, which started her journey as the next generation belle . The film Sawariya is based on the Russian short story "White Nights" by Fyodor Dostoevsky . I had read this short story, but I was not mature enough to understand the emotions narrated in the story . The film was released during the second year of my engineering . Sanjay Leela Bhansali,  being the master craftsman he is , had chosen the colours of green and blue from his palette for each frame of the movie. This particular song is picturised when Sakina , the character played by Sonam Kapoor, waits to break the fast of Eid on spotting the moon, and Ranbir Kapoor’s character  waiting to meet her . 

Yoon shabnami pehle nahi thi chandini

Chand who bharma gaya

Tujhko dekha toh sharma gaya

Woh churane laga hain nazar

Yuun shabnami

The moonlight was not so dewy before seeing you(The moonlight was not so pure and beautiful like dew before seeing you) .The moon is bewildered seeing your beauty and is shy . He is stealing glances .

Dekho chand aaya chand nazar aaya

Aaya aaya aaya chanda aaya sharmaya

Haanji aaya aaya aaya sharmaya

Tu bhi aaja Sawariya

Aaya aaya aaya dekho chand nazar who aaya

Dekho chand nazar dekho dekho ji chand nazar who aaya

Sharmaya aaya aaya aaya  chand aaya sharmaya

The moon has come . The moon has been sighted . The moon is blushing . You also come , my beloved !

Dheere Dheere aake hawa gungunake har khabar de tumhari

The air comes slowly, humming a tune of your whereabouts.

Kaisa yeh nasha hain nazar main ghula hai har ghadi hai khumari

What kind of drug is this that is dissolved in my sight ? . Every second is intoxicating.

Nashe main kadam mere udhar kabhi idhar , gumsum nazar jayeein kidhar

My steps are helter-skelter in this intoxicated state . My eyes are sad not knowing where to spot you among the crowd . 

Kho gaye tum main hum is kadar

I am so lost in you that I can’t explain it .

Postlude – The moon is known for its aura and beauty . The lyrics are centered around the moon , where the lyricist says that the beauty of the heroine is more than the moon . The imagination of the poet comes when he writes that even the moon got jealous of Sakina’s beauty and was stealing glances . The moonlit night is a central character in this movie ,  where the leading cast meets in the middle of the night and the moon is the testimony to their rendezvous. .

 

Pavizha Mandara Pookal Pirakkumi - Padma

Singer - Rajkumar Radhakrishnan

Lyrics - Anoop Menon 

Composition - Ninoy Varghese 

Prelude – Pavizha Mandara song is like a mist in the morning, which invigorates us with its breathtaking melody . I get the vibe of an old song “Anagha Sankalpa Gayike “ sung by KJ Yesudas , composed by G Devrajan, and penned by P Bhaskaran,when I listened to Pavizha mandara pookal pirrakkumi . This song celebrates the beauty of a woman .

Pavizha mandara pookal pirakkumi

Vidhu vilolamai ravvu ethin marilai

The "Mandara' flowers bloom in the bosom of the night where the moon moves

Nannanu thorumi vinnin dalangalil

Varuvathi eth enthina vashya gathri ayi

Why do you come with a seductive form through the path wet by the rain of sky's petals ?

Thodu viral thalir aambal thodum neram

Athi vimukhamai moolummizhi poovil

Alasamai our pathira kattupol

Priyasakhi ninne njan pulkidunnuvo

Your eyelashes hum a tune reluctantly when the budding water lily touches your finger . I am embracing you like a lazy midnight breeze . 

Padam edarum puzha vakkile payalil

Pazha our pattinte chinthukkal thedave

Nirlajjamai oru swapnadanathil ay

Thalarumo enkilum ninte cholayil

I miss a step in the riverbank with weeds when I search for the traces of an old song . I end up tiredly in the shade of your arms after travelling with an immodest dream.

Postlude – The lyrics of the song take you to an idyllic place where one would like to spend a peaceful evening immersed in one’s secret thoughts .