Tamil and issues

Tamil and issues

Chennai is probably the only big city in India where educated natives refuse to speak in their vernacular and where knowledge of English is so overrated that they do not care for their vernacular anymore.  I do not see this behavior in people coming from Delhi, Calcutta, Hyderabad, etc.  The people coming from these cities speak their vernacular very well, are passionate about it and also possess good English skills.  It is downright pathetic to see the attitude of the current generation in Chennai which prides itself in its ignorance of the Tamil language.  Writer Jeymohan aptly remarked that other than fake "tamil nationalism", the Dravida parties have not done any service to promote the language for the past 50 years and as a result people are also moving away from it.

Tamil is a language which if not pronounced properly even in one syllable, will lead to absolutely wrong and sometimes hilarious interpretations.  Some examples :

1.  If you ask somebody to bless, they better say "vaazh" (வாழ்).  But most of them say vaal (வால்) which is tail.

2.  One must use a vaaL (வாள்) for fighting and not vaal  (வால்) - a tail - to fight.

3.  kaanchanai காஞ்சனை (golden girl) is dangerously close to kaanja naay காஞ்ச நாய் (dried dog)

4.  Crab lives in a hole vaLai (வளை)  and fish are caught by a net valai (வலை)

5.  விளைநிலம் is arable land whereas விலைநிலம் is a land for sale

6.  If you perform பலி (sacrifice), you may invite பழி  (blame)

7.  What can happen in a moment (கணம்) cannot be weighed (கனம்)
8.  And I wrote this using the time (வேளை)  I was idling at my job (வேலை) :)
So it is really important to take time and learn this language the cultural richness of which is no less than that of any other classical language.  What a great cultural loss it would be if the so called headquarters of Tamil (Chennai) is unable to sustain this great language !

Jibon Khatar (Bangla) - A salutation to Shyamal Mitra

Jibon Khatar (Deyaneya) - A salutation to Shyamal Mitra by murali-venkatraman

Song : Jibon Khatar

Movie : Deyaneya

Singer : Shyamal Mitra

Performed by : Murali Venkatraman

Karaoke Track created by : Murali Venaktraman
Mixed by : George Kuruvilla 

Prior to Lalita's arrival in my life, Pandit Ajoy Chokraborty and Manna dey were my only sources of knowledge of bangla songs. Lalita introduced me to 2 important artists later : Haimanti Shukla and Shyaml Mitra.

Classical Performance by Lalita in Sydney - 2011

Lalita performed a classical dance number in Sydney, deriving from various styles for Malayalee and Telugu Associations. Here is a joint video of her performances.

Indian Inflation - A personal experience

Indian Inflation - A personal experience

When I visited India to organize and realize my sister's marriage, I came face-to-face with the ground reality of "artificial inflation". Inflation in a place like Tirunelveli is purely greed driven. I could not find any clear cost-price and definitive profit margin associated with for any commodity. The amount of money that had to be spent on flowers etc would increase by the day. By the time you get quotes from one, compare with another and call the first guy back, the price would have been pumped up. My father and I were flabbergasted and at some point left to wonder how we would pull the wedding off.

My maternal grandmother lived with us for the past 2-3 months. She is next to immobile and my parents were providing her with physical and medical care. Some scan had to be performed and the bill was Rs 3000 for a scan. However, since my father was a friend of the doctor, the scan price was halved to Rs 1500. My father remarked to me : "There must definitely be a profit in that Rs 1500. If so, what is the real cost price and what is the profit margin of such endeavors ?!"

My wife was appalled to know that my sister's make-up woman charged Rs 8000 for a shoddy job ! Lalita was telling me that even in places like Bombay, the branded salons like Lakme do not charge so extravagantly. What was Rs 1500 in Bombay "cost" Rs 5000 in tirunelveli !

It is one thing to note things are expensive and another to note that the quality does not scale proportionately with the price. I witnessed that a brooch that was bought from one of the better stores in Australia for Just $5 (on sale), was miles ahead in quality than the one bought at Pothys for Rs 400. The matter of the fact thus is that, most of these so called "prices" are completely unfounded and only serve to strengthen the retail giants like Pothys and RMKV without much attention to serving customers with good quality products. And all that for a brooch. You can imagine what would have been the state of our minds when we had to shell out money for the maNdapam and other things like sarees.

"Loot and Live" is the Mantra ! And this goes in circles. If people buy stuff at higher prices, they will end up balancing their losses by increasing the prices of their goods and services. I see a potential zimbabwe like situation where INR would be scrapped and a new currency will be floated on par at least with the "25 cents" of USA ! Or else in the future, one may have to stack up Rs 10,000 in his pocket only to go to a restaurant and pay for a couple of dosas and come home empty-handed.

A fundamental change in the mindset is needed else this economy will go down the drain.

Mother's Choice - 5 - OmalaaLE kaNdu njaan

Song : OmalaaLe kaNdu
Movie : sindhooracheppu
Artist : K. J.Yesudas

Performed by : Murali Venkatraman



Was recorded in 2009 but never did feel like releasing it. Just a simple attempt at this lovely song.

SooraavaLiyil - சூறாவளியில் - A semi-classical

Song : SooraavaLiyil -  சூறாவளியில்

Singers : Unnikrishnan KB, Murali Venkatraman

Lyrics : Murali Venkatraman

Composed By : Murali Venkatraman

Orchestration and Mixing : Sibu Sukumaran 
Special thanks : Rahul Soman

Inspiration
======== 

சலதி உலகத்தில் சராசரங்களை ஈன்ற தாய் ஆகில்,
     எனக்குத் தாய் அல்லவோ? யான் உன் மைந்தன் அன்றோ?
     எனது சஞ்சலம் தீர்த்து, நின்றன்
முலை சுரந்து ஒழுகு பால் ஊட்டி, என் முகத்தை உன்
     முந்தானையால் துடைத்து, மொழிகின்ற மழலைக்கு
     உகந்துகொண்டு, இள நிலா முறுவல் இன்புற்று, அருகில் யான்
குலவி விளையாடல் கொண்டு, அருள் மழை பொழிந்து,
     அங்கை கொட்டி, வா என்று அழைத்துக்,
     குஞ்சர முகன், கந்தனுக்கு இளையன் என்று எனைக்
     கூறினால், ஈனம் உண்டோ?

-அபிராமி பட்டர் அருளிய "அபிராமி அம்மைப் பதிகம்" 

Meaning 

கடல் சூழ்ந்த உலகினை ஈன்ற தாய் நீ தான் என்றால் , எனக்கும் நீ தாய் அல்லவோ ?  நான் உன் மகன் அல்லவோ ?  எனது மனதின் இடர்களை நீக்கி, உன் அன்பெனும்தாய்ப்பாலைச் சுரந்து, வேலன் மற்றும் வினாயகனுக்கு நான் இளையவன் என்று என்னைக் கருதி விளையாட்டுக் காட்டக் கூடாதா ?  அதில் என்ன குறைந்துவிடப் போகிறது ?

 If you are the great mother who created this world with seas all around, are you not my my mother as well ?  Am I not your son ?  Why would you not feed me your love? Would considering me as a younger sibling of both Karthik and Ganesh and playing with me belittle your reputation ? 

Abirami Bhattar was a poet and devi upasaka.  His unshakable bhakti towards Devi can be compared with Meera's towards Krishna although unlike Meera Abirami Bhattar considered himself to be a child of Devi.  In that state of mind he composed many devotional hymns many of which have been tuned and sung by carnatic experts.

My inspiration for the song comes mainly from the imaginary dialogue he had with Devi.  I usually like to write songs as a dialogue with certain deep emotion rather than calling the God by a bunch of names.  In fact, that is how a prayer generally is - highly personalized.  Thus I have conceived a situation similar to that imagined by Abhirami Bhattar and have composed the song which I present today.  This was written by me in a language much simpler than Abirami Bhattar's language.


While Abhirami may be referring to an invisible Mother, the undercurrent of love expressed in poem can easily invoke the thoughts of our own mothers and their affection thus enabling a strong connection with the poem.  Similarly all gopika-radha-krishna themed songs have wonderful undercurrent of love and flirting that they can be enjoyed even by non-religious people.


This song was composed in Sep 2005. Orchestration started in Dec 2010 by Sibu who was introduced to me by Rahul Soman to whom I owe a special thanks.  Sibu has been wonderful in helping me arrange some of my songs which will otherwise never see the light of the day since the pace of my orchestration is severely hampered by my professional commitments.


Unni has really taken pains to learn this song well and has rendered it with utmost sincerity. As we were making the song, he also got married and he sill found some clever way to continue his music :) Wishing him a bright singing future and a happy married life.


A translation of the lyrics is available in the youtube video above.  Please feel free to comment and let us know how you liked it.

பல்லவி:

=======

சூறாவளியில்  சுற்றும்  இலைபோல்

மனமே  கலங்கின்  வருவாய்  நீயே

அனுபல்லவி:

============

குன்றின்  வேலனை  ஈன்றவள்  நீயே

குழந்தை வேழனை  தந்தவள்  நீயே

அன்னார்க்கு  மட்டும்  தான் அம்மா நீ தாயோ ?

என்னைப் போன்றவர்க்கும் கருணை தாராயோ ?

சரணம் :

=======

வெள்ளி  மலையில்  நாத  வேதம்  பல  முழங்க

அமர்கின்றாய் அருள்  தருகின்றாய்

கண்ணிலே நீர் வடியும் காண்கையிலே - மனப்

புண்ணின் வலி குறையும் உன் சொல்லிலே

என் தாயாகி நின்ற பெருந்தேவி

எனை எடு நீ அம்மா

எனை எடு நீ ஒரு குழந்தையைப் போலே

என் அறியாமையை நீ அன்பாலே மாற்று

SooraavaLiyil - சூறாவளியில் - Teaser of upcoming Semi-Classical

A preview of an upcoming semi-classical number in carnatic style. Currently in my voice for the teaser. Will feature the voices of both Unnikrishnan and mine.

Song : SooraavaLiyil - சூறாவளியில் - Teaser
Singers : Unnikrishnan KB, Murali Venkatraman
Lyrics : Murali Venkatraman
Composed By : Murali Venkatraman
Orchestration and Mixing : Sibu Sukumaran

Two Videos of My 2005 performance with Dr. P Susheela

Managed to upload two videos of my performance with Dr. Psusheela in 2005 in Atlanta for Tamil sangam.

Impromptu Aalaap

Brindhavanamum Nandhakumaranum (Unrehearsed)

வார்த்தையின்றி ஏது கண்ணா - A teaser

Song : வார்த்தையின்றி ஏது கண்ணா - vaarththaiyindri Edhu kaNNa 

Singers : Bhavadhaarini Anantharaman  
Lyrics : Murali Venkatraman

Composed By : Murali Venkatraman , Vijay Rajagopalan
Orchestrated by : Keyboardvijai

A teaser of a joint composition by me and Vijay Rajagopalan sung by Bhavadhaarini in the ragam Gowri Manohari.  Theme : Meera-Krishna

Choolena - छूलेना -A Rain Dance Song

Song : Choo lEna- छूलेना 

Singers : Swati Kanitkar, Kuhoo Gupta, Murali Venkatraman

Lyrics : Sajeev Sarathie

Composed and Orchestrated By : Murali Venkatraman

Mixing /Additional Percussion : Sibu Sukumaran and Bharath Venkatesan

A dense  rain-cloud, with flashes  of lightning can destroy the darkness of the  world.

And can cool the entire burning hot world - Soundarya Lahari - Verse - 40

Available in iTunes : http://itunes.apple.com/au/album/id456679630

Available in amazon : http://www.amazon.com/Choolena-A-Rain-Dance-Song/dp/B005HX70YY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313728149&sr=8-1 

(Please listen in Headphones in a good volume) 

Some photos were provided by Rashmi Nair

Rain brings joy. Especially to the parched souls.  It instigates the festive occasion in India.  The thunder instills hope and the rain fulfills it.  In this monsoon season, we present here a modest musical celebration of rain.  In this song video you will see some trivia about this song and a mention of some inspirations.  We dedicate this song to all those legends whose works continue  to shape our musical life.

Since conception, this song has taken more than 2 years to complete.  The first teaser was posted on 3rd June 2009 ! However, the song started taking shape a year ago when Sajeev kindly agreed to write the lyrics.  I cannot thank my team enough for being patient with me till now for its release.  This is my fourth song that I am posting as a fully orchestrated number after  Sendhaamarai, blogswara theme and war theme.  Please scroll down for Lyrics

Please listen and register your valuable feedback. Also please watch this space for more music in the near future.  Thanks.

Swati says :

All I can say is I am proud to be part of ‘The best team’ I have come across in a long time and I have to Thank Murali for giving me the opportunity to be part of the same. This song was quite challenging in many aspects and singing was one of them. I thoroughly enjoyed the Harmonies in it. The tune and orchestration of the song enticed us enough to learn and sing it to our, and mainly Murali’s satisfaction. He is a tough one to please you know :) Bharat and Sibu have done a wonderful job of getting final and satisfactory mix. Only the team members know how much efforts and time have gone into getting the right sound and a feel to the song. Kudos to Bharat & Sibu

So, here is the Recipe of ‘Choo lena’

• Sajeev Sarathi’s superb lyrics.
• Add Murali’s creative composition.
• Let it simmer for a while with Murali’s maddening orchestration.
• For extra sweetness add Kuhu’s Koyal si meethi aawaj (of course with little bit of mine too :P)
• Finally blend and balance it accurately to make a perfect concoction.

Hope all of you will enjoy the song as much as we did making it

Sajeev says:

अपने लिखे बहुत से गानों में "छू लेना" कई कारणों से ख़ास है. पहली वजह तो है कि इस गाने के माध्यम से मेरा परिचय मुरली जैसे बेहद गुणी और प्रतिभाशाली संगीतकार से हुआ. ये हमारा पहला गाना था, जिसके बाद हमने साथ में कई गीत किये जिन्हें आप निकट भविष्य में सुन सकेंगें. दूसरी वजह ये है कि ये गाना करीब ७-८ मिनट लम्बा था, और इसमें धुन की विविधता भी अधिक थी. फिमेल युगल था और उनकी बातचीत थी आपस में. चुनौती ये थी ये बातचीत पूरे गाने में रुचिकर बनी रहे. मगर आप देखेंगें तो दोनों अंतरों में भी एक विविधता है, जहाँ पहले अंतरे में विरह का दर्द है वहीँ दूसरे में होने वाले मिलन की ख़ुशी और उत्तेजना है. बहरहाल मैंने गीत लिखा और मुरली की धुन पर और भेज दिया, करीब एक ढेढ़ हफ्ते तक कोई जवाब नहीं...पता चला कि मुरली और उनकी बेहद संवेदनशील पत्नी गीत के शब्द संयोजन पर गहन विचार में हैं. कुछ दो हफ्ते में गीत फाईनल हुआ, मुझे ख़ुशी हुई कि जो मैंने लिखा बिलकुल वैसा ही फाईनल रूप में आ गया था, अब चुनौती गायिकाओं क़ी थी, मुरली जो ऑस्ट्रेलिया में बैठे हैं उन्होंने चुनाव किया अमेरिका में बैठी स्वाति का और पुणे से कुहू का. मुझे लग रहा था कि दिक्कतें आने वाली है, क्योंकि गाने में संवाद और आपसी छेड़ छाड़ है और दोनों गायिकाएं एक दम अलग अलग छोर पे बैठकर कैसे निभा पाएंगीं ? खैर मुरली ने करीब करीब १ साल का समय लिया, और बहुत सी मेहनत के बाद अंततः गीत अपने मुकाम पर पहुँच ही गया ये मेरे बहुत ही पसंदीदा गीतों में से एक रहेगा हमेशा ही, और उम्मीद करूँगा कि इसे श्रोताओं का भी भरपूर स्नेह मिलेगा. मुरली, स्वाति, कुहू के साथ साथ मैं गीत के संयोजक सिबू का भी ख़ास शुक्रगुजार हूँ जिन सब क़ी मेहनत से ये गीत आज इस रूप में प्रस्तुत हो पाया है.    .

Kuhoo Says:

This is my first song with Murali and the kind of creativity he has is amazing, and it appeals to me even more after knowing he has no formal training in classical music. Sajeev's lyrics are beautiful but a challenge for the singer because they are tongue-twisting. This was my first song with Swati as well, I have been a fan of her voice when I first heard her on Muziboo. When Murali told Swati and I have to sing this duet, I was happy to be singing with her. Sibu and Bharath have done wonderful job in mixing. It was a challenge singing this song because it is a decently tough composition with tightly fitted lyrics where there is very less space of taking breaths, and also maintain a conversation like singing with a female partner and be thorough expression wise as well. It was great working with the team and hope the listeners like the song.

Kanavu kaaNum Vaazkkai - Cover with Rajkumar Anjan

Song : Kanavu kaaNum
Film : NeengaL kEttavai
Original Singer: K. J. Yesudas
Resung by : Rajkumar Anjan
Karaoke Track by : Murali Venkatraman


Raj Kumar Anjan - Kanavu KaaNum from NeengaL Kaettavai.. 

I made this Karaoke track for myself long time back but never found the time to sing it. I requested Rajkumar Anjan to lend his voice on this and he has done it admirably. Watch out for his clear and subtle sangathis in this cover version and please let us know if you liked it.

Rest in Peace - Dear Malaysia Vasudevan

"என் வானிலே ஒரு 'தேவ' மின்னல் வந்தது
என் நெஞ்சினை அது கிள்ளிவிட்டுச் சென்றது" -

One may write a long obituary for a dear artist like Malaysia Vasudevan but as Vairamuththu says:

" கோடி கீர்த்தனமும் கவி கோர்ர்த்த வார்த்தைகளும்
ஒரு கண்ணீர் போல் அர்த்தம் தருமோ ?"

ஓலைமேல காத்தாக - Lyrics of one of my folk compositions

பல்லவி
=======

பெ: ஓலைமேல காத்தாக – என்
உசிர வந்து ஒரசுறியே

தரிசா கெடந்த என் மனச
தளிர வச்சு பாக்குறியே

எங்கேன்னு கண்ணுதானே ஏங்குறதே (ஏங்குறதே)..
நீ முன்ன வந்து நின்னா தேங்குறதே (தேங்குறதே)..

அட பஞ்சா என் நெஞ்சு..
பறந்தோடப் பாத்தாலும்
ஒரு தீயா உன் பிம்பம்
அதை தீண்டிப் பாக்குறதே..

Ali Ali - A Qawwali (Teaser)

The richness of Sufi music has always inspired me to create some of my own. This is a teaser of an upcoming song which I attempted to tune in qawwali style.

Song : Ali Ali (Teaser)
Composer-Arranger : Murali Venkatraman
Singers : Murali Venkatraman, George Kuruvilla, Unnikrishnan, Eshwar Ravishankar, Deepesh Krishnamoorthy

Lyrics : Vishwa Deepak
Mixing: Sibu Sukumaran

Project Rajam : A Carnatic Documentary (A Teaser)

Song : Paaduvadhaal (Teaser)
Composer-Arranger : Murali Venkatraman
Sung by : Adithi Devarajan
Poet : Harikrishnan
Mixed By: Bharath Venkatesan

Other songs feature : Karthik Nagarajan, Sindhuja Bhaktavatsalam, Pradip Somasundaran

Shri. S. Rajam was a carnatic musician/painter/ actor who passed away in 2010. This documentary by "Lalitharam" Ramachandran focuses on various aspects of his life for which 5 poems were written by Harikrishnan and were set to tune by me More about Rajam here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._Rajam



Or in youtube:

Choo Lena - A rajasthani rain dance song (Teaser)

Song : Choolena (Teaser)Composer-Arranger : Murali Venkatraman
Sung by : Swati Kanitkar, Kuhoo Gupta
Lyrics : Sajeev SarathieMixed By: Bharath Venkatesan and Eshwar Ravishankar