Kavya Janani U.'s Blog, page 15

Moon Song #1

Hi, friends.

It’s been a long time since I have blogged. I have written lots of poems, quotes and prose, which are published in writing platforms like YourQuote and Mirakee. I would be sharing a few of my write-ups here. I am obsessed with writing moon poetry. So, let me begin with my moon poems.

When I look at you,

words rupture from every

nook of my body.

To write your resplendence.

To pen the chaos 

that you do to me.

But you fascinate me so much,

that I end up feeling alexithymic.

You are not just a 

white ball in the sky.

You are the source of comfort

for all the torn beings, oh moon!

 

~Kavya Janani

Ghost Sticker

Hey, friends!

Today I am gonna share with you a short story that I had written as a 8-year-old. It’s my first short story. I had written it on a rough notebook’s pages. Luckily, my mom had preserved it inside one of my diaries. I have taken snapshots of it with my phone.

Here they go. Hope you enjoy my innocent writing.

Redamancy (From the lost pages of a love-struck dame #1)

Hey friends!

‘From the lost pages of a love-struck dame’. I have planned this as a series. Redamancy is one of the poems. I’ll be posting the already written ones soon. Also, I’ll be writing new poems on this theme.

Go ahead. Enjoy the poem.

20 Must-Listen Soundtracks of A.R.Rahman for Beginners

Yes, I know this is weird. There CANNOT be someone called as ‘beginner’, when it comes to A.R.Rahman. Almost everyone would have listened to at least one soundtrack from this list. Yet there are few people who ping me asking for Rahman’s best soundtrack recommendations. And when I list the suggestions out, they move on to the next question. They require albums where each and every song is a gem. Okay, there are about 38 albums of Rahman, where each and every song is a cult classic. But then I thought that throwing 38 albums at the face of a beginner is too much. Yes, I am a hardcore Rahmaniac. But that doesn’t mean I should enforce beginners to become one. The process of becoming a Rahman devotee is gradual and it should happen naturally.

So, here are 20 albums that would lead you to your ‘Rahman Awakening’:

1. Roja (1992)

Well, this is mandatory. There’s no escape from this soundtrack. Just plug in the headphones and listen.

2. Bombay (1995)

Yet another highly recommended soundtrack. Variety is this album’s specialty. Sufi-esque Kannalane, mellifluous pathos Uyire Uyire, rustic folk Kuchi Kuchi Rakkamma, uber stylish Humma Humma, inspirational Poovukenna Poottu and what not!

3. Rangeela (1995)

Rahman’s groundbreaking soundtrack this is! He established himself in Bollywood and garnered much attention with this wonderful album.

4. Minsara Kanavu (1997)

This is one helluva soundtrack that can cater to listeners of all age groups. An enchanting mix of melodies and upbeat numbers.

P.S: I didn’t find a damn jukebox in YouTube. Anyway, here’s the link to the album: Minsara Kanavu

5. Dil Se / Uyire (1998)

A mesmerizing soundtrack in both the languages. If you wanna realize Rahman’s richness, this is the perfect album.

6. En Swaasa Kaatre (1999)

This is one of Rahman’s underrated soundtracks. Only a true-blue Rahman fan can appreciate the beauty of this soulful album. But I’d strongly recommend beginners to listen to this one right away.

7. Taal (1999)

I hope this soundtrack makes you awestruck as much as it made me. If you want to hear Rahman at his melodious best, this is the one to go for.

8. Sangamam (1999)

Rahman took a different route with this album. And the end product was a classical extravaganza. Just go for it!

9. Alaipayuthey (2000)

Touted to be Rahman’s best soundtrack ever (even by non-listeners). Only Rahman can encapsulate a couple of romantic melodies, a wedding song, a pathos, a peppy number, a dashing hero entry track, and a classical rehash into a single album.

10. Kandukondein Kandukondein (2000)

Another musically rich album. Dominated by melodies, this beautiful soundtrack is a must-have in your playlist.

11. Rhythm (2000)

The year 2000 was a revolutionary year for Rahman. After Alaipayuthey and Kandukondein Kandukondein, he was back with the utterly mellifluous album Rhythm. Listen to this and lose yourself in some good music.

12. Lagaan (2001)

A trademark soundtrack in Rahman’s career, Lagaan boosted Rahman to the top notch in Bollywood. Highly recommended for those who wanna listen to some rustic numbers.

13. Rang De Basanti (2006)

Energetic title track, inspirational Roobaroo, mellifluous Tu Bin Bataayein, heartrending Khoon Chala, soulful Luka Chuppi and much more. Just plug in and listen to some experimental music.

14. Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008)

This one is an out-and-out urban soundtrack with some upbeat numbers to pep up your spirits. Perfect listen for the millennials.

15. Delhi – 6 (2009)

I have bragged about this album for a thousand times in my social media accounts. Though this one is entirely for hardcore fans, beginners can give it a listen for the sheer versatility of this soundtrack. Remember Masakali?

16. Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya (2010)

I don’t even need to mention this album. This is for all the hopeless romantics out there. Fall crazily in love after listening to this!

17. Raanjhanaa (2013)

Rahman unleashed his classical side once again in this soundtrack. Though you can revel in the classically inclined Tum Tak, Raanjhanaa Hua, Banarasiya, Piya Milenge, and Ay Sakhi, give a listen to Tu Mun Shudi, Aise Na Dekho, and Nazar Laaye as well.

18. Highway (2014)

One of Rahman’s experimental soundtracks of recent times. Highly underrated, yet highly recommended.

19. OK Kanmani (2015)

This is Alaipayuthey of the next decade. It was a runaway success among the youngsters. Why don’t you just give it a listen right away?

P.S: There’s no direct jukebox in YouTube. You can listen the songs here: OK Kanmani

20. Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada (2016)

From the high-on-energy Showkali to the semi-classical Rasaali to the meditative Avalum Naanum to the pathbreaking Thalli Pogathey to the scintillating Idhu Naal, this soundtrack is an experience.

 

Other must-listen albums:

Gentleman
Thiruda Thiruda
Duet
Indian
Jeans
Mudhalvan
Pukar
Kadhalar Dhinam
Boys
Kangalal Kaidhu Sei
Sillunu Oru Kadhal
Azhagiya Tamizh Magan
Jodhaa Akbar
Ada…A Way of Life
Rockstar
Jab Tak Hai Jaan
I (2015)
Tamasha

Listening to Rahman is an experience in itself. Grab the headphones and get submerged in some Rahmanism!

Love,

Kavya Janani.U

A dream to remember

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

Hi, friends.

I am back with an actual blog post after a long time. Well, the WOW prompt by BlogAdda is really interesting. But, there’s a glitch over here. BlogAdda has asked me to write about ‘A’ dream to remember. Seriously, I don’t have just one dream to remember. I have an handful of dreams to remember. These dreams have been mysterious. They have even driven me to madness, that the very mention of the themes in my dreams makes me shudder. Yes, they’re almost near to nightmares. But, you know, the nightmares too have limitations. That’s the only good thing about these recurring mysterious dreams.

The themes which repeat in my dreams are Tsunami and Airplanes falling down from the sky. I have even tried to find out the significance of these dreams. When I Googled about significance of a tsunami in dreams, I got this, “To see a tsunami in your dream means that you are being overwhelmed by some repressed feeling or subconscious material that is rising up to the surface. You are experiencing some unhappiness and emotional instability in a waking situation” (src: dreammoods.com).

The significance of airplanes falling from the sky is still more absurd. “Dreaming of an airplane crashing may be a metaphor for some aspect of your life that is in danger of ending quickly and unexpectedly; may be an indication that your goals or ideals are too high and unattainable; or it may symbolize your self-doubt and lack of self-confidence in attaining these goals” (src: dreamscloud.com).

Okay, I can partially accept the significance of tsunami. I have had phases of unhappiness and emotional instability. But I just don’t understand about the repressed feeling or subconscious material. And in every tsunami dream, I have miraculously escaped. People around me would have been engulfed by the deadly waves, but I’d be walking directly into safe arms. Well, does that mean that I am escaping from a problematic situation that really needs attention? There was one exceptionally surprising tsunami dream. I was enjoying the gentle sea breeze along with one of my friends (I don’t remember the friend, though). The peculiarity of this dream is that the sea was not situated in a place where seas must be situated. The sea was in my primary school playground! All of a sudden, the center of the sea began creating ripples and there emerged one huge wave. Of course, we screamed, my scream being louder than my friend’s. But when I opened my eyes, I found the sea to be calm and my friend gone! I was like ‘What the hell just happened?’ and boom, I woke up. This dream boggles my mind to this day.

Coming to ‘airplanes falling from the sky’, this is yet another nightmare that’d have me gasping by the end of it. But that doesn’t mean that I have unattainable goals. All my goals are perfectly attainable, though they may take some time. I will explain one of these. I was at the terrace of my apartment, watching the sky. And why was I watching the sky? Because some kind of airplane show was going on. Can you imagine that? I mean, can you really imagine some kind of an EVENT happening in THE SKY? Well, that was actually happening. Different kinds of planes were displaying their flying tactics enthusiastically. And I was watching the show with the same enthusiasm. Suddenly, there came a plane out of nowhere. A huge one that swallowed up the entire event area. And then it started descending. Descending with such speed, that I didn’t even have time to scream. It was charging right towards my apartment. I ducked at the right moment, only to find the plane going past our apartment and blowing up the house next to ours! Well, the blast woke me up.

Though I have had more dreams of tsunami and airplanes falling from the sky, these two are the prominent ones that I can easily remember. They are mysterious. They try to tell me something, which I don’t get, obviously. They rankle my mind each time I try to find the deeper meaning of them. I can never come out of this endless labyrinth of mysterious dreams.

Actually, I have often wondered whether I have become so obsessed with these dreams that I have formed a special relationship with them. And I just keep wondering…..

Readers, I would like to know whether you had any such mysterious dreams. Leave your views as comments.

Z for Zindagi Zindagi (#AToZChallenge)

So I am at the end of the challenge and I feel immensely happy that I was able to pull it off without giving it up halfway. Though Z is a difficult alphabet for many participants out there, I was relieved that I had a few songs in this list. Instead, Q and X were the difficult alphabets.

My pick for Z is Zindagi Zindagi from Yuvvraaj. As I had mentioned days before, Yuvvraaj’s album is a potpourri of genres and Rahman served it well in 2008. This contemporary soundtrack should have received many awards, if two songs (Shano Shano and Mastam Mastam) were not present. This is also the album which influenced my life in the last three months of 2008. Okay, lemme get back to the song. Zindagi Zindagi is a melodious number with a simplistic tune, which is unlike Rahman. But he cleverly buckles up things by setting an innovative orchestration. Woodwinds, bandoneon and some breezy strings open the number. Lilting piano notes are also spread throughout the song.

However, it is Srinivas’ poignant rendition that stirs the soul. He emotes well with his mellifluous voice, though he hasn’t rendered much in Bollywood. Gulzar’s heartrending lyrics are top class and meaningful. My favourite lines,

“Din aaye din jaaye, sadiyan bhi gin aaye, sadiyan re…

Tanhai lipti hai, lipti hai saason ki, rasiya re…

Tere bina badi pyaasi hai

Tere bina hai pyaasi re

Naino ki do sakhiyan re, tanha re

Main tanha re…”

Listen to this beautiful song here:

Other songs in Z:

Zariya from Coke Studio @ MTv (Season 3, Episode 1)
Zikr from Bose: The Forgotten Hero
Zohra Jabeen from Ekk Deewana Tha

Hope you all enjoyed my series of songs for the entire challenge. Let you all be consumed by more and more Rahmania!

Happy Listening!

Love,

Kavya Janani.U

Y for Yenge Enadhu Kavidhai (#AToZChallenge)

Oh! I have mixed feelings now. One part of me is happy that I am at the end of my goal and the other part of me doesn’t want this saga to end. I loved writing about Rahman’s music. Writing about something that has shaped me throughout my life gave me more power to bear many cyclonic situations. I didn’t want to tell about this tomorrow. Just felt like pouring out my feelings a day before the challenge ends.

Okay, lemme get down to business. Y has a fistful of songs. My pick is the evergreen Yenge Enadhu Kavidhai from Kandukondein Kandukondein. I need not write much about this number, as the song speaks for itself. It’s a mellifluous pathos that can sear your soul and tug at your heartstrings. Rahman’s semi-classical prowess is at its pinnacle here. Right from the divine chant ‘Pirai vandhavudan…’ till the last crescendo, this song is a blissful experience. Rahman uses the nadaswaram brilliantly to create a scintillating second interlude, while the first interlude has a melange of piano notes, strings, and beautiful chorus.

I can tell proudly tell that this is nightingale Chitra’s best in the early 2000s. Her soul-stirring voice flows seamlessly along with the tune. The song becomes a pure tear-jerker, when she croons the line ‘Paaraiyil seidhadhu en manam endru…’. Vairamuthu’s heartrending poetry has some soulful lines,

“Maalai anthigalil manadhin sandhugalil tholaindha mugathai manam thedudhe

Veiyil thaarozhugum nagara veedhigalil maiyyal kondu malar vaadudhe…

Megam sindhum iruthuliyin idaiveliyil thuruvi thuruvi unnai thedudhe

Udaiyum nuraigalilum tholaindha kaadhalanai urugi urugi manam thedudhe…”

Listen to this song here:

Other songs in Y:

Yaaron Sunlo Zara from Rangeela
Yaarumilla from Kaaviyathalaivan
Yai Re from Rangeela
Yaaro Yaarodi from Alaipayuthey
Yedho Yedho Ondru from Enakku 20 Unakku 18
Yeh Jo Desh from Swades
Yeh Tara Woh Tara from Swades

Happy Listening!

Love,

Kavya Janani.U

X for Xth Song in His Blissful Voice (#AToZChallenge)

Just when I was puzzled over what to write for X (absolutely no songs or theme pieces), one of the members of Chennai Bloggers Club (CBC) – Kishor Lakshminarayanan – suggested a brilliant idea and I immediately began working on it. The idea was to consider X as a roman numeral which means the number 10. I didn’t want to select Rahman’s 10th album or 10th OST. I didn’t even want to select the 10th song composed by him. So I prodded a lot and selected the 10th song in which he has yielded the megaphone, all by himself. If you go by his discography, it’s a different story. I have selected the 10th song that has his vocals all over (no presence of co-singers).

This song is Ellappugazhum from Azhagiya Tamil Magan. I had also added this number as my soul song in my list for E alphabet. Right from the word go, this song has such power that you cannot detach from it till the last word. It gives you an instant adrenaline rush and energizes your entire day. I would strongly recommend this song to kickstart your day.

Rahman weaves an amazing tune with some heavy percussion and blazing electric guitar strums. Listening to him croon is pure bliss! His sopranos and the way in which he reaches the crescendo ‘Manavan manadhu vaithaal…’ are truly inspiring. Reflecting the vivacity of this song is the video, which has Vijay dancing buoyantly along with a group of trained dancers. There’s also this ebullient chorus which pep up the song even more. With not much instruments, Rahman creates magic, which is unlike him.

Vaali has some motivational lines for us,

“Naalai naalai naalai endru indrai izhakaathey

Nee indrai izhakaathey nee indrai izhakaathey…

Indrai vithaithaal naalai mulaikkum athai nee marakathey…”

Listen to this awe-inspiring number here:

Happy Listening!

Love,

Kavya Janani.U

W for Warriors In Peace (#AToZChallenge)

I am picking up a global number for this rare alphabet. W has just three songs in its kitty. So it was difficult for me to choose a song that can be considered as my soul song. But when I listened to this number – Warriors of Peace from Warriors of Heaven and Earth (a Chinese action film), I instantly fell in love with it.

This number comes in three versions – English, Hindi and Chinese. All the three versions are equally enchanting. Rahman creates an effervescent atmosphere by merging the flavours of East and West. A gentle tambura and divine bells intersperse each other in the background, along with a fascinating rhythm that is foot-tapping as well as trance-like. Rahman’s creativity reaches a pinnacle when he intelligently introduces his signature flute notes and strings in the second half of the song.

Another beautiful aspect of this song is the whispery rendition of the vocals and the haunting humming that appear throughout the number. The English version is handled by Sunita Sarathy. Her flawless pronunciation is to be appreciated. The Chinese version has a stunning rendition by Jolin Tsai. But it is the Hindi version that makes my heart melt. I can’t figure out the reason behind it. Maybe it’s the regional feel or Sadhana Sargam’s honey-dipping rendition.

Listen to all the versions here:

English Version

Hindi Version

Chinese Version

The other two songs:

Waltz For A Romance from Lagaan
Wat Wat Wat from Tamasha

Happy Listening!

Love,

Kavya Janani.U

 

 

 

V for Vennilave Vennilave (#AToZChallenge)

V has a medium list of Rahman’s songs. And nearly all the songs are rich in orchestration and have experimental tunes. My favourite is the ever-mesmerizing song Vennilave Vennilave from Minsaara Kanavu. I would consider this as my lullaby. The gentle flow of the song and the lilting progression make my heart melt each time I listen to it.

Right from the beginning, this mellifluous number has a magical aura spread all over it. Rahman indulges in a trance-like tune with some ebullient string orchestration, clean guitar, mellowed flute, and scintillating piano notes in the interludes. The tune progression has lots of little musical nuances that you should listen delicately to get madly addicted to the number. Hariharan and Sadhana Sargam’s out-of-the-world rendition is the cherry on the cake. They sound love-struck and that gives the song the much needed emotional touch.

Of course, how can I forget Vairamuthu’s poetic lyrics? Here are some of my favourite lines,

“Idhu irul alla adhu oli alla

Idhu rendodum seraadha ponneram

Thalai saayadhe vizhi moodadhe

Sila mottukkal sattendru poovaagum…”

“Yettaadha uyarathil nilavai vaithavan yaaru

Kaiyoda sikkamal kaatrai vaithavan yaaru

Idhai yenni yenni iyarkaiyai viyarkiren…”

Listen to this fascinating song here:

Other enchanting songs in V:

Vaaji Vaaji from Sivaji
Vaan from Kaatru Veliyidai
Vaarayo Thozhi from Jeans
Valayapathi Thavile from Azhagiya Tamil Magan
Varaaga Nadhikara from Sangamam
Varugirai from Ah Aah
Vellai Pookkal from Kannathil Muthamittal
Velli Malare from Jodi
Vennila Vennila from Iruvar
Vennilavin Thaeril from Duet
Vetri Kodi from Padaiyappa
Vidaikodu Engal from Kannathil Muthamittal
Vidukathaiya Indha Vazhkai from Muthu
Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya from Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya

Lemme know if I have missed any numbers (my playlists got deleted due to memory card shuffling and I am tending to miss some songs).

Happy Listening!

Love,

Kavya Janani.U