Eternal Happiness

Its just an amazing feeling - eternal to be exact - when you enjoy a music piece - how ever small it might be. I amn’t sure if most people feel so, but I just love the feeling when I enjoy some piece of music. I have been hearing to some classic telugu movie songs, these songs are some of the best compositions that have been screened on the telugu movie screen. Though they have been composed by people who have not been born in The land of Telugu, the personalities behind the music are definitely among the top three people who have ever rendered music for telugu films. - Sri Illayraja and Sri K.V.Mahadevan.

Now coming to the songs that I have been enjoying so much -

The first one is Rama Kaavemeera by Sri SPB. This is a harikatha kind of song. Harikatha is a form of music which is (or should I say ‘was’, thanks to the modernization) very famous in Andhra Pradesh. This form of music is basically based out of very simple words with music which is all accessible to people in general with not much of knowledge of music required to enjoy that song. Many famous people have been such Harikatha renders. This song is from a classic “SWATHIMUTHYAM” by Sri Vishwanath, one of the very few directors who has made sure that his story telling is very neat, clean and more importantly where near to Teluguthaanam. The song basically explains the Swayamvara of Sri Rama. Sri SPB has made sure that there is no way a person listening to the song, miss seeing the Swayamvara him selves before himself - no matter what mood he is in. Such is the beauty with which he has sung that song. Add to it some really good lyrics by Sri Veturi ( I amn’t sure of this, so am assuming. Any mistake will be corrected in future). The way the lyricist and the singer have made sure that the audience don’t loose the essence of the song is commendable. Illayraja, needless to say the maestro, has given it the very Telugu touch. Though, this song is not that famous compared to the other songs of the movie, you should definitely listen to it to appreciate it. The lyricists has made sure that no point of the swaymvara goes off the hook. And the tender way in which Sri SPB has given the twists (I think they call it Aaarohana’s and Avaarohaana’s in the music terminologies) is out of the world. I really suggest this song to all the people who understand Telugu, who know that Sri Rama had married Sita in a swaymvara - that basically accounts to all the Telugu people.

The second one in Pranati Pranati sung by Sri SPB and Smt Vani Jayaram. This is a pure classic song based out of swaras etc. It is again from a classic of Sri Viswanath “SWATHIKIRANAM”. The song is sung by a character in the movie who is a highly acclaimed singer. Hence, the importance has been laid on the classical touch for the song by Sri K.V.Mahadevan. The singer basically is trying to do a vandanam (A Namaskar) to all the good beautiful things that the world has offered. Its that simple. But listen to the lyrics, I think most people would be amazed with the complex words been used to explain such simple idea. The use of “samaasalu” in the song is laudable. I have tried to put the three lines of the second stanza ( I am using this word because I amn’t sure if you say antra).

Pancha bhutamula pravishvangamuna prakruthi pondena padaspanda, aadhi kavana ma

Antragamula aalletheene sarvaanga sanchaalana khelaana, aa naatana ma

kanti tudaala harivinti pudaala taalukaandena saavarna lekhaana aadee chitraa ma

People who understand Telugu would definitely agree with me that these words penned by Sri Srivenella Sitrarama Sastry are really difficult to say leave alone singing them in a beat that is fast and classical. But Sri SPB has made sure there is nothing lost when you hear it. Also that his voice in the song should suite someone who really has a very deep tone like Sri Mammuty doesn’t make his job any easier. People who don’t know both the songs I have mentioned so far have been sung by Sri SPB, would definitely think that they are really by two different singers with very varied ways of singing. Such is the greatness of Sri SPB. There is an aaalap in between the above lines I have mentioned which is worth listening innumerable number of times.

The third song is again “Pranathi Pranathi” from the same movie. But this time is done alone by Smt Vanijayaram. Composing different tunes to the same lyrics would should be a difficult task because we ourselves can not say a sentence in two different tones easily. But Sri.K.V.Mahadevan has done it with ease. This song is sung by a 12-something guy who is a student at a renowned classical singer. And so he sings this song after he listens his master singing the same. When I heard this version of the song, I felt a strange thing - the vandaanam that the guru was doing (the song Sri SPB sung) had a bit of aham in it, which is absent in this version by the student. That gels well with the movie and you would appreciate this difference when you watch the movie. The greatness of Sri SPB comes to light again and again.

I am going to fall on his feet at the first chance I get to meet him. How can some one sing so many songs in different languages and for such a period of time would still remain a question not only to lesser mortals like me but also to the privileged ones who have been singing along with him. For people who don’t know the greatness of Sri SPB, his voice used to be the other name for music in Telugu music till not long ago. The songs are still ringing in my ears...and the happiness is ETERNAL.