The maestro's music

I wanted to post this post for a long time but to frequent incidents being witnessed i couldn't proceed upon with this.I said to myself that i will write this for sure. The monotonous nature of life doesn't give me ample opportunities to get excited at the drop of a hat. But there was this incident that happened 4 months back that I would like to post.

I boarded a crowded bus from Airport Rd. Nal to JP Nagar at 8.00 p.m. The trip will easily take more than 1 and half hour. The commuters were junta who were heading home after a tiring day's work. So, there wasn't much noise or chatter. 2 people X and Y boarded together and asked the conductor " rendu Jayanagar tickets Kude"(give 2 Jayanagar tickets). After getting the tickets they started discussing about the music collection in X's mobile phone.

X turned out to be an Ilaiyaraja fan( like me .. hmmm like many). On Y's request, he started playing 'Unnakena Melae Ninrai' (Shimla Special). The sound of Bangalore traffic and an Ilaiyaraja song blazing away in an otherwise silent bus. I found it quite amusing...

"Nilavey vaa.."
"vaa Venilla.."
"Idhu oru pon maalai pozhudhu.."
"Rathiriyil Poothirukum Thamarai.."
"Raasathi unna..."
"Vazhvaae Maayam.."
"Kalivaaniyae.."
"Raama Naamam oru.."
"Valiyosai.."
"Singalathu Chinna Kuyilae.."
"En Iniya Pon Nilavae.."
"Mounamaana Neram.."
"Sangeetha jaathi mulai.."
"Sa Sa Sani Da sa ni.."
"poovey sem poovey.."
"Ilamai ennum Poongatrae.."
"Adiyae.. Manam nilu na.."
"Vachikava Unnna Mattum Nenju kulla.."

Many more songs followed, accompanied by animated discussions as to which song is better. There were no technical comparisons of the songs. Plain arguments. Just the songs and the movies they are from. If the songs were hit or not..

'Then Madurai Vaigai Nadhi' (Dharmathin Thalaivan) was queued and I couldn't stop myself from humming along. To my surprise, I found that many others were humming along too... It was the same sight around me. A pleasant smile and a tune on their lips and a stare far away into the Bangalore traffic. X and Y mentioned how this particular song elicited an encore in the Ilaiyaraja Live shows.. Oohs and Aahs.. They were so engrossed in the song that they skipped their stop.

The driver turned around, sensed the problem and halted the bus even though there was no official bus-stop. Before X and Y could get down, the driver managed a few words in Tamil 'Paattu nallaa irukku. Thanks.' (The songs were nice. Thanks.) Silence ensued.

The maestro's music has been appreciated technically in so many forums and ways, of course by a millions. Many Legends, his counterparts and living greats have hailed the complexity of the genius' compositions. But his music is much greater than those words because it touches so many people who do not know to appreciate shruthi, sangathi,ragam, thalam,dynamics, harmonies, scale changes, bass effects, etc.

This is another instance of the Maestro's power that caters to the tastes of music scholars and simple souls simultaneously......

Now, that's music ! (Illayaraja................... nothing can get better than his music)