SUSWARAMALA
Music Composer Beethoven once said that ‘music is higher
revelation than all wisdom and philosophy’ and philosopher Plato said that
‘music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to imagination and
charm and gaiety to life’.
Music is something that always lifted my spirit and made me
happy and whenever I listened to music I always hoped that it will have the
same effect on whoever listened to it. There were music composers who felt that
Indian music suited best for Telugu lyrics and King Krishnadevaraya asserted
that Telugu language is the best among Indian languages for poetry and lyrics
when he stated ‘desa bhashalandu telugu lessa’. The Indian classical music with
its structured ‘raga system always fascinated me. I always held a view that
ragas are daughters and heavenly angels for they have lasted in Indian music
for centuries whereas names of human beings in India are changed after each
generation. Being born in Vizianagaram where the noted singers Smt. P Sushiela,
Sri Ghantasala and the doyen of Telugu Film Music Saluru Rajeswara Raom who
were trained by the legendary violinst Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu, my curiosity
to inquisitively follow music was a logical and natural desire.
The contribution of Saluru Rajeswara Rao, Ghantasala and
Sushiela to Telugu film music was significantly different and matchless in
scope and content. The mellifluous and memorable songs from these other noted
music directors of telugu films like Pendyala and KV Mahadevan were mostly
based on Indian Classical ragas. Noted Film Directors like Pullaiah, Kamalakara
Kameswara Rao and K Viswanath utilized the rich potential of the ragas and
skill of the music directors in enriching the scope and content of Telugu film
music and taking the connoisseurs to untenanted areas of musical bliss.
The present generation is fortunate, in being able to listen
to these songs, at no cost and at their home at a click of a button, unlike the
previous generation which had to wait for All India Radio and radio Ceylon to
broadcast.
As Saint Tyagaraja in his ‘sri’ raga Pancharatna composition ‘Endaro Mahanubhavulu’ states ‘telivitho chelimitho karuna galgi jagamellanu sudha drishtitho brochevaaru endaro mahanu bhavulu, andariki vandanamulu’. This feature featuring select gems of songs from telugu films based on various ragas like ‘amritha varshini’ to ‘hindolam’, uploaded by connoisseurs on the web is a salutation and humble tribute to all those great souls who enriched our musical bliss.
The first song is in raga ‘amrithavarshini’ from the film Swathi Kiranam. Raga Amrithavarshini is a janya raga of ‘chitrambari’ with arohana ‘SG3M2PN3S’ and avarohanam ‘SN3PM2G3S’.
Music
: KV Mahadevan
Director : K Vishwanath
Lyrics: Sirivennela
Singer : Vani Jayaram
The second song is ‘namo naarasimha’ in raga ‘aarabhi’ from
the film ‘Bhaktha Prahlada’ composed by S. Rajeswara Rao and sung by P Sushiela
and Dr Balamuralikrishna. It is a strange coincidence that he was the music
director for the film ‘Chenchu Lakshmi’, which had the same theme of Bhaktha
Prahlada. Music lovers would recall the song ‘palakadalipai’ from the film ‘chenchu
Lakshmi’, mellifluously sung by Smt Sushiela. S Rajeswara Rao composed equally
meliflous song for Bhaktha Prahlada, ‘jeevamu neevekada’. What a coincidence
that he composed different songs for Narada in both these films in the same
raga Behag,viz., ‘Neelagagana Shyama’, sung by Ghantasala in’ Chenchu Lakshmi’
and ‘varamosage vanamali’ by Dr Balamuralikrishna in ‘Bhaktha Prahlada.’ In the
film Dr Balamuralikrishna played the role of ‘Narada too’. In the link below
the lyrics of the song are also given along with the video of the song, a rare
virtuosity’. Raga ‘aarabhi’ is a janya raga of ‘Dheerasankarabharanam’ with
arohana ‘SR2M1PD2S’ and avarohanam ‘SN3D2PM1G3R2S’.
Dr Balamuralikrishna asserts
‘sogasu nee sommu kalyani ragini, essaying ‘meoldic charm is your asset,
kalyani ragini’. Though there are many film songs composed in raga kalyani, one
song that stands out is ‘salalitha raga sudharas’ from the film ‘Narthanasala’
sung by Dr Balmuralikrishna and Bangalore Latha for the legendary actor, NT
Rama Rao and legendary dancer, L vijayalakshmi. Hats off to the music director,
Susarla Dakshinamoorty and director Kamalakara Kameswara Rao for a treat, never
to be seen again. Raga kalyani also known as ‘mechakalyani’ is a melakartha
raga with arohana ’SR2G3M2PD2N3S’ and ‘SN5D2PM2G3R2S’ as avarohanam. In the
link below is the video of the song ‘salalita raga’ elegantly choreographed and
a rare treat for connoisseurs.
Lava Kusha is a classic Telugu
Movie directed by C Pullaiah and CS Rao. The music was composed by Ghantasala
with all songs in classical ragas. The movie became one of the highest grossing
Telugu movies of all times mainly because of songs. It was also dubbed in Tamil
and Kannada and achieved similar success there as well. The song ‘jagadabhiramudu’
in raga ‘kanada’ stands out for sheer melody and for vision. It is perhaps the
only song picturized on Valmiki, Sita and Lava and Kusha.
Raga Kanada is a janya raga of
Karaharipriya with arohana ‘SR2G2M1D2N2S’ and avarohanam with ‘SN2PM1G2M1R2S’.
In the video link is the song
‘jagadabhiramudu’ in raga kanada beautifully sung by Ghantasala, Sushiela and
Leela and elegantly picturized.
One of the Hindusthani ragas that
caught the imagination of Telugu music directors is raga Chandrakauns. The
modern and most widely accepted version of chandrakauns is similar to
Malkauns/Hindolam of carnatic music with a small change. In Chandrakauns Suddha
nishad is used instead of komal nishad. The arohana is Sa Ga Ma Dha Ni Sa’ and
‘Sa Ni Dha Ma Ga Sa Ni Sa’ is tha avarohanam.
The film ‘sirivennala’, one of
the most celebrated master pieces in telugu with Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia
playing the flute, one sequence is about moon ‘chandamama raave’. Perhaps the
music director, KV Mahadevan, Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia and K Viswanath
thought befitting that the song be composed in rag Chandrakauns. In the link
below is the visual treat and the song sung by Sushiela and SP Balasubrahmanyam
and B Vasantha.
Anothr Hindusthani raga that is
extremely mellifluous and fondly used is rag ‘tilang’. It is said to have been
Islamic Sufi tradition and later in Gurbani, Thumri and Ghazals. This raga has
mellow, semi-romantic and pleasing mood. Saluru Rajeswara Rao seemed to have
introduced this raga in 1935 in telugu films when he was just 13. It has as
aroha ‘Sa Ga ma pa ni Sa and ‘Sa ni Pa Ma Ga Sa’ as avarohanam.
In the link below is the song
‘jaya jaya Jaya sarada’ from the film “mahakavi kalidas’ composed in rag tilang
by ace music director and superbly sung by nightingale of south india, smt P
Sushiela. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KQwHYElnyA
One needs to compliment the
greatness of director Kamalakara Kameswara Rao for fully utilizing the dance
potential of dancer L Vijayalakshmi to
the full extent unmatched by any other director. Connoisseurs would fondly
recall the dance sequence in the film ‘Gundamma katha’ where he dared to
ptcturize a dance sequence just to the music on L Vijayalakshmi. The way he
brings her to the song’tirumala tirupati venkateswara’ in the film ‘mahamantri
timmarasu’ which can be watched in the link below is just amazing. The song is
so soulfully composed in raga desh by Pendyala and sung by two great stalwarts,
S Varalakshmi and P Sushiela is nostalgic. The arohana for raga desh is ‘Sa Re
Re Ma Pa Ni Dha Pa Ni Sa’ and avarohanam is ‘Sa Ni Dha Pa Ga Re ga Sa’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUZyRWSgn60
It is surprising that
distinguished personalities from other parts enriched the scope and content of
telugu film music for which connoisseurs are ever grateful and thankful. BS
Ranga is from present Karnataka. He made a remarkable film ‘Tenali Ramakrishna’
portrayed by Akkineni Nageswara rao and Krishnadevaraya was portrayed by NT
Rama Rao. Of the many films they acted together this film stands for its virtue.
It is also strange that music was composed by two tamil maestros Viswanathan
and Ramamurty. A song that stands out in the film is a Jayadeva ‘ashtapadi’
composed in raga mohana needs special mention. The song ‘Chandanacharchita’
sung by Smt P sushiela is delight for many youngsters.
Raga Mohana is a janya raga of
‘Harikambhoji’ with arohana ‘SR2G3PD2S’ and ‘SD2PG3R2S’ as avarohanam.
Lord Venkateswara is aarahya
daivam of telugu people. Despite many songs composed on him by noted composers
one film song which is a lullaby stands out. The song is ‘seshasailavasa’ set
in raga Reethigowla and composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao and sung so melodiously
by Ghantasala.
Raga ‘reethigowla’ is janya raga
of kharaharipriya with arohana ‘SG2R2G2M1N2D2M1N2N2S’ and avarohanam
‘SN2D2M1G2M1PM1G2R2S’.
In the link below is the song
where the song is picturized on Ghantasala in the film. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYcykXjCH4c&feature=fvsr
The concluding song in this
feature is a song from the film ‘Manchi Kutumbam’, ‘manase andala brindavanam,
in raga Hindolam sung by P Sushiela. The film is a remake of the Tamil film
‘Motor sundaram Pillai’. The original song was composed by MS Viswanathan and
SP Kodandapani adapted it. The original song was sung by Jayalakshmi of famous
duo Radha Jayalaksmi. In the link below is the song elegantly picturized on
Kanchana.
Happy viewing and listening.
