Viewers Compose In #707: Sathyam Shivam Sundaram – Balamuralikrishna awes as soon as more

By Jayram Sataluri

Previous yr, a few new music lover close friends questioned me if I had heard Polthinkal Kala Pottu Thotta by Yesudas from the Malayalam motion picture Kumarasambhavam. I replied in the affirmative and that I experienced a concert edition. Then just one of them asked me if I read the Tamil edition of the exact track which was sung by BMK and I claimed, “No.” Later the same individual offered me the recording of it which I promptly listened to. And like generally, I listened to it frequently not ready to get adequate of it. Prior to I start out my assessment, I would like to deliver reminiscences of this edition by my good friend M Rajendran, a longtime lover of muraLi gANam and Dasettan gANam.

“I experienced heard this song once in the sonorous BMK voice, lengthy in the past, it’s possible in the early Seventies of the final century when I was being away from my home working in a nationalised Bank.

I have constantly been a diehard enthusiast of BMK from my schooldays (the sixties) and also of KJ Yesudas fondly named as dear ‘Dasettan’. Any unfavorable comment on the two blessed musicians employed to suffering me nevertheless I applied to fake that I was taking their viewpoints and criticisms in my stride. BMK experienced bitter enemies and Dasettan experienced very few. In my loved ones established up alone nearly all family hated BMK. I was the lone BMK lover in the significant group of musicians.

For the duration of my nationalised bank functioning times, I experienced a group of buddies who applied to meet collectively and focus on topics connected to songs in the former half of the seventies. In that team there was an even a considerably a lot more fiercer supporter of BMK. He was some 25 yrs older than me even though. He spoke to us in the team about the Tamil version of the song ‘Polthinkal Kala Pottu Thotta’, which was a tune in Kumarasambhavam. A single working day he purchased a portable tape recorder and played this tune in the BMK voice. He stated it was available as an LP file and he copied it from someone else. This BMK edition was /is really uncommon. My intellect entered into limitless joy simply because the same tune came from my two dearest singers.

Yrs handed by. I was gaining far more and more listening knowledge. I could observe Devarajan Sangeetham, Dasettan Bani and Muraliganam. All the 3 greats excelled in their parts as Gandharvaas.

I faintly don’t forget possessing read significantly earlier in some periodicals about an interview with Devarajan Maashu. He claimed: experienced he not turn into a music director his appreciate would have been to emulate and come to be one more Balamuralikrishna. Regretably, I simply cannot spot the identify of the publication or its day due to the fact that could possibly have been some 35 or far more yrs in the past.

I now study that BMK and Devarajan Maashu had been thick close friends and they admired each other.

The story that was in the air for the duration of early seventies was that the movie Kumarasambavam was first shot in Malayalam, then transformed into Tamil and consequently it became bilingual. Malayalam lyrics have been completely ready initially. ‘Polthinkal kala pottu thotta’ was in Malayalam as penned by the excellent poet and lyricist ONV. In a person of the Chennai studios, Devarajan Maashu achieved BMK and informed him about the song. BMK appeared at the lyrics and in no time translated the same into Tamil and sang in pure Kalyani. The tale could possibly be the development of some fanciful fans of BMK. That BMK on the place transformed the lyrics into these types of a marvelous and significant Tamil, though I am one of the greatest admirers of BMK, locate it challenging to tummy. Abhayambhika, BMK’s extended time associate and who was a fantastic scholar in Tamil could have helped him in making the translation. I am reminded of some Tamil variations of Thyagaraja krithis: ‘Nannu palimpa, Enthanerchina and so forth.’

The story goes on to say that the composing and the studio recording of the tune got concluded in much less than a day. The Pallavi part reminds us of the Kalyani Kruti Vasudevayani by Thyagaraja Swamigal. I tend to come to feel that the full framework of the composition bears extra of the BMK stamp in it than that of Devarajan Maashu’s 1. I may be wrong possibly.

It is a pleasure to hear it once additional. Muraliganam fans will take care of this a heavenly present for them.”

Now on to my feelings. This is the initial time I am analyzing a movie music, so remember to pardon if I overlook a couple of things listed here and there. I will not review the Malayalam and Tamil versions I will adhere with analyzing the Tamil version only.

If you have read the previous birthday tribute posting, I firmly feel 1968 is the calendar year where the voice has turn out to be “the voice”. It has far more gambeeram than at any time ahead of. The incredible thrIsthAyi is at his command and the GNBness in his voice has faded absent. His briga and gamaka regulate is much better than in advance of and his voice modulation is topnotch as normally. And it is tremendously evident in this model.

When you listen to him from Antara GandhAram/Shuddh Gandhar wherever he sings “Ponthingalenum pottu vaitha …” you’re crammed with an indescribable pleasure. The relaxation of the opening lines far too are joyous especially at “Sathyam Shivam Sundaram”. When he begins singing, “Sathyam Shiva Soundaryangal Niraindha….” you ignore your anxieties and instantly dive in, drowning in the honey-dewed voice singing Kalyani as only he can. Considering that the picturization is on Narada (performed by TK Balachandran), it is as if BMK himself is channeling his possess portrayal of Narada in AVM’s Bhaktha Prahalada a long time previously! The sounds emanating from the kuchi mridangam blend in very well with the tabla.

Just after the first interlude, BMK proceeds to the first section of the to start with charanam: “Aadichudar parandathu inge Annalin veda kalaigal piranthathu”. There is sheer alacrity in his voice in the course of the line. He makes positive not to use the exact same sangatis the next time all over, by singing a PDNRSS NDP at “aadichudar” with a rapidly gamaka in “aadi” in his inimitable method. When he goes to the next portion of the charanam: “Prapancha nidarsana jyothiyathaagiya Paripoornadeepamolindathu, Sudarndathu, thodarndathu” (spl?), the temper changes into speculate as Narada carries on his journey to Mount Kailasa (not the pretend island of program!). It switches back to devotional at the pallavi line ahead of the nextinterlude.

Immediately after the up coming interlude, which is the same as the to start with, BMK sings the upcoming line “Yaagapalan kidaithathu inge Anandamruthagangai udithathu”. Listed here it is completely different each temper and strategy clever. BMK does a SRS RGR G MPM R gamaka at “Anandamruthagangai” which satisfies the devotee and intellectual. It does not sound rehearsed at all. At “Japathapangal engengum thudanguthu Chinmayanaadam muzhanguthu, muzhanguthu, muzhanguthu”, it returns to the devotional method primarily at “Chinmayanaadam muzhanguthu” at tara sthAyi which sounds like a cry for salvation. BMK sings the Pallavi line after and finishes off the piece with “Sathyam… Shivam… Sundaram” with the percussion filling in the areas.

It would be remiss if I did not point out the brilliance of Devarajan. The Kalyani tuning he has performed is basic however so alluring and it is claimed to have been impressed by GNB’s model of “Vasudevayani”. The interludes with flute, veena, tabla and mridangam are partaking. Most importantly just one can listen to and notice the admiration BMK has for Devarajan during.

It is very very likely that the sangathis like “aadichudar”, the lightning quickly ending of each individual charanam, “anandamrutha”, etc. are BMK’s creations and Devarajan would have genuinely been content with all those improvisations. It is also really very likely that the Tamil recording arrived very first and then Yesudas accurately tried to copy what BMK has completed in the Malayalam version.

I would like to request Tamil scholars/authorities to please present the right lyrics. It would also be beneficial for these who have read this edition back again then to share their recollections alongside with additional information that may possibly not have been coated previously mentioned. If you are listening to it for the 1st time, remember to share your feelings. And probably Madan or BR need to do a protect of the music in their personal inimitable way(s) ��.

Here’s the monitor:

Very long stay this edition and Happy 94 th Birthday to Balamuralikrishna!