Isai naadiyE - இசை நாடியே - An Alternate Composition to KalaivaaNiyE of Sindhu Bhairavi

Song : Isainaadiye - இசை நாடியே 

Ragam : Hindolam
Singer : Pradip Somasundaran

Lyrics : Udhaya KulandaivElu

Composed By : Murali Venkatraman

Orchestration and Mixing : Sibu Sukumaran 
Cover Design : R.S. Arun Prakash


Alternate composition for : KalaivANiyE from Sindhu Bhairavi (1985)

This song is an attempt for an alternate composition to an existing superhit - kalaivaaNiye from the movie Sindhu Bhairavi (1985) with the intended view "if I were the music director" for that cinematic situation.

Sindhubhairavi had a repertoire of songs from the Maestro Ilaiyaraja still hummed incessantly by tamil music lovers all over the world.  Shrimati. K. S. Chitra got her first national award for this movie.  But the real highlight of the movie was the golden voice of Shri K. J. Yesudas who delivered stunning numbers like 'poomaalai' and 'mOgam ennum'.

The climax song 'kalaivaaNiyE' which showcases the comeback of a talented classical singer who had succumbed to alcohol and was unable to give up/ forget his extra-marital love.  This amazing song from the Maestro had the brilliant idea of every line being constructed using aarohanam (ascending scale )  swaras only of ragam kalyaaNi. Envisioned by Balachander, enacted by Sivakumar and energetically rendered by K. J. Yesudas, the song was the culmination of a complex movie which traverses a great length to portray the vulnerability of the artistic mind.

Concept of Alternate Lyrics 

Enamored by this song, my good friend Udhaya wrote an alternate set of lyrics for this song which ran exactly in the tune of Kalaivaaniye.  Around 2003, I was just beginning to try my hands on composing and Udhaya had gladly sent his entire portfolio of poetry to choose from.  Some of the poetry he had written were originally "alternate lyrics" for some established songs like kalaivaaNiye, however he did NOT mention the original song to me when he gave the portfolio.  Unaware I randomly picked this song and gave it a new tune for the pre-written lyrics.  However in my enthusiasm, I had consumed the lines of both the charanams fully to create a long first charanam for the new composition.  Hence I needed one more charanam to "culminate" and Udhaya came up with brilliant lyrics for the tune I gave for charanam 2 (ஆகாயமே ஒளியில் ).

Now, the tune and lyrics were ready.  I sang a version much better than the scratch version (listen  here) and Sibu helped me with the orchestration.  But the song needed a  classically emphatic voice with the oomph that is comparable to Shri. K. J. Yesudas's.

Who else but Pradip Somasundaran ?

This is my second original work with Pradip (first was udalin thiriyaale) and my respect for his prowess only grows with time.  A singer with a voice powerful enough to thunder in or gentle enough to lull you flat.  In this song he has provided and stolen the thunder.   Thank you Pradip - No words will sufficiently capture my gratitude towards you.

And lastly :  Every note of music I have picked up and every beat cycle I have come to understand in my life is purely - courtesy - a self-study on Maestro Ilaiyaraja's compositions.  While all the other great music directors have impacted on my learning heavily, the core of my self-designed musical curriculum has been Maestro's works.  I was born a fan, I live a fan and will die as one.  This song is a kid's attempt to walk in a giant's shoes.  And to him, I dedicate this effort on his birthday.

Lyrics:
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இசை நாடியே இங்கு உனக்காகத் துடிக்கும்
உயிர்காற்றைச் சுரக்கும்
விழிநீரை உகுக்கும்
முகமிங்கு அகமங்கு
அறிவால் அறிவாய்
உடலால் பிரிவாய்
எனை தினம் தொடர்ந்திடு நிழலென

சரணம் 1:
=======
கலையாலே கிடைத்தாய் வரம் கொடுத்து எடுத்தாய்
சுய நினைவின் திசை மாற்ற மது ரசம் வசம் இருந்தேன்
வழிவகுத்துக் கொடுத்தாய்
கலையை விட உயர்ந்து நின்றாய்
கலையினும் உயர்ந்தாய் கலைஞனுக்குயர் தாய்
சேய் என்று அழ நான் நன்றி சொல்ல
கரை தோய்ந்த குறை மறந்து திரை எடம்மா

ma,ga,ma ,mdmgmdm ga,ga,ga, gamadam
sa,sa,n#s ga,ga,sg mama ;; mama ;gm
dada dndm sada dnda SGMGSGSn Sndni mdn
sn# gs mg dm nd Sn GS nS sssdad mgma Snd mdn

(இசைநாடியே)

சரணம் 2:
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ஆகாயமே ஒளியில் மலர்ந்திடினும் மேகம் கதிரை மறைக்கும்
சாமானியனின் கலைச் சரிவினிலும் கலையின் சாரம் தவிக்கும்
ஆதார ஷ்ருதி அந்து போனதடி அன்று உன்னைப் பிரிந்து
ஆவேச நிலை இன்று போனதடி உந்தன் வருகை தெரிந்து
பருகிடப் பெருகும் அமுத சுரபி
கலைஞனின் மனதில் இசை எனும் அருவி
காணாத இன்பமேது கலையின் மடிமீது வாழும்போது
காட்டாறு கலையின் பாதை கருணை என்றென்றும் காட்டிடாது
கானம் போயும் எந்தன் மானம் போயும்
என்னைக் காப்பாற்றிட வந்தாயே

Translation
========

The pulse of  music beats for you and sheds tears.
My body is here but my soul with you.

You came as a boon from the arts, but also as a curse.
To divert myself from meditating on you, I sought solace in alcohol
But you disciplined me.
A mother to me, you stand taller than the art.
I am grateful to you. Please overlook my errors, remove your veil and show me your love.

A lit sky can be darkened by clouds.  The art stumbles even with a common man's failure
The notes of music were gone with you.  But today you are here and I am calm.
You are the nectar-cup that never dries.  And music is gushing through my heart.
On the laps of art, one has gets all the pleasures. But walking the path of art is treacherous
I lost my dignity. But you came to rescue me !