SOTD #658: Three songs from dhikkatRa parvathi

[bb]

Song of the Day: The title music and two songs from dhikkatRa parvathi.

http://www.dhool.com/sotd2/658.html

- Saravanan writes:

The title music and two songs from dhikkatRa parvathi

Sung by Vani Jairam
Lyrics by C.Rajagoplachari
Music by Chittibabu
* * * *



‘Bharat Ratna’ Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari (1878- 1972) was a great man in every sense- a zealous patriot, a trail-blazing social reformer, perceptive thinker and profound scholar. And all these facets of Rajaji came to the fore when he put his pen to paper. Many of his literary efforts have won critical acclaim; Rajaji, the writer, had even been chosen for Sahitya Akademy Award. Most of us would have read some short story of his as part of what went by the name ‘Non-detailed’ (!) in our school days. Rajaji’s lucid translations of the Ramayana and Mahabharata will find place in most Indian households. His other popular works in English: “Hinduism- Doctrine & Way of Life” and translations and interpretations of Baja Govindam, ThirukkuRaL, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Geeta. His book on Marcus Aurelius is held as a celebrated treatise. His ‘Stories for the Innocent’ makes irresistible reading. He has written around 30 books in both English and Tamil. Many of his stories had social messages, espousing eradication of evils like untouchability and dowry. And in dhikkatRa parvathi, he advocated total prohibition, by detailing the havoc caused by drink.

It was this novella dhikkatRa parvathi that impressed Singitam Srinivasa Rao, and he decided to craft it in celluloid. Born on 21.9.1931 in Udayagiri in Nellore District, Singitam Srinivasa Rao graduated in Physics from the Presidency College, Madras. He had his tutelage in direction under the legendary K.V.Reddy, the director of classics like Maya Bazar. He made his debut with the President’s Gold Medal-winning Kannada film, Samskara (1970/ Ramamanohara Chitra) Though Pattabhirama Reddy was the director, most parts of the film were actually directed by Singitam (billed as “Executive Director!”) His first film as a full-fledged director was the Telugu film Neethi Nijayithi (1972/ Sri Sanjeevi Movies).



dhikkatRa parvathi (1974/ Navtharang) was his next venture. Rajaji’s novella was a poignant propagation of prohibition, and the young idealist Singitam was moved by Rajaji’s tale of the miseries that a woman faces due to her alcoholic husband. He was eager to make a movie of it, and in 1972, approached the doughty Rajaji for his approval. Singitam recalls that momentous encounter thus ``The general notion those days was that Rajaji hated films. So I told him I wanted to convert a story by somebody who hated films, into a film. Pat came the reply from Rajaji, ``Who said I hate films? I hate only bad films!'' Then he gave me permission to make my film”

Having secured the grand old man’s blessings, Singitam set about excitedly to work. Not content with merely giving his nod, Rajaji evinced keen interest in shaping the screenplay and then made Singitam’s cup of bliss full by writing the lyrics for the two songs that Singitam had planned on. Karaikudi Narayanan wrote the dialogues. Singitam picked on Srikanth and Lakshmi to play the lead roles. This was the first film in which Lakshmi got to essay a complex role, and Singitam extracted a memorable performance from that talented artiste. In the coming years, taking the cue from Singitam, Jayakanthan and Bhimsingh would also pick Srikanth and Lakshmi for their avant-garde collaborations- sila nErangaLil sila manithargaL and oru nadigai nadagam paarkiRaaL.

After knocking at a few doors, Singitam found in N. Lakshmikantha Reddy and H.V.Sanjeeva Reddy producers who were willing to fuel his enthusiasm and he made the movie well within the modest budget and envisaged timeframe. However, he could find no takers for his austere, brooding tale, and the film sat in the cans till 1974 when the Film Federation of India (as NFDC was previously called) came forward to buy the movie and distribute it.

Though the film, released on 14.6.1974, didn’t stay long enough to make a mark at the marquee, it earned critical acclaim in abundance. It won the National Award for the Best Tamil Film of 1974, and also won the Film Fare Award in the same category. And it also fetched Singitam the Film Fare Award for Best Director of that year. Singitam’s only regret was that Rajaji had passed on by the time the movie was made.

* * * *

Singitam himself boasts of a rich musical background. His mother Shakuntala Bai was a classical violinist of singular merit and Singitam grew up listening to the great classical masters of yore. He underwent formal training in classical singing under the famed MD Saluri Rajeswara Rao. In later years, Singitam even composed music for two films- bhagyada lakshmi baramma and samyukta.

And for the music for his dhikkatRa parvathi, Singitam approached the venerable vaiNika Chittibabu. Chittibabu was said to be a child prodigy who gave his first full-fledged performance when he was barely 12 years old. He was trained by the great Emani Sankara Sastri, and blossomed into one of the most celebrated veeNai players of his generation. While his traditional pieces are soul stirring, his innovative works like ‘Musings of a Musician’, ‘Solitude’, ‘Rhapsody’, ‘Rendezvous & Old Memories’, ‘Fairy Tale’, ‘Royal Salute’, ‘Temple Bells/Serenade’ etc showcase the genius in all his glory.



Chittibabu was no stranger to tfm- his veeNai was the mellifluous backbone of Sridhar’s kalaikkOyil and he had composed the background music for JK's unnaippOl oruvan. Besides dhikkatRa parvathi, Chittibabu composed music for a Kannada film- Sri Raghavendra Vaibhava (1980/ Jayashri Art International), which had the divine ‘nanna hrudaya veeNe meetti’ (Balamuralikrishna & S.Janaki)

The title track that Chittibabu composed for dhikkatRa parvathi is bewitchingly inventive, embellished with arresting passages of rich and varied fare, conveying so many moods like the seasons that change as the months roll by.

Title track

And Chittibabu sent for Vani to sing the two songs. dhikkatRa parvathi was among the earliest Tamil movies that VJ sang for. When we had a chat with VJ, she was amazed that these songs are still remembered! She said that it was an exciting experience to be singing for Chittibabu, and that she had greatly enjoyed rendering the two songs. She also expressed her distress at Chittibabu’s painstaking efforts going largely unnoticed.



‘aagayam mazha pozhinja’ is a such a joyous anthem of expectant motherhood. Like a bubbling brook, the composition meanders, taking so many delightful twists and turns in its unpredictable progress. VJ pulls this one off with characteristic grace, her ‘puLLa peRum kaalam vandha poNNukku koNdaattam’ opening vibrant vistas of pastoral beauty.

aagayam mazha pozhinja

‘enna kutRam seithEnO’ is a study in contrast, a song of stark, haunting despair. Rajaji was a good writer, as we have already seen, and his ‘kuRai ondRum illai’ is a song that has been immortalized by MS Subbulakshmi. Rajaji’s lines here too are soaked in poetic flourishes. VJ said that it was a great honour for her to have sung Rajaji’s lines.

enna kuRRam seithEnO

So listen to these tracks from this album, forgotten songs from a forgotten film… a coalescence of giants that somehow came a cropper...

[bb]

Song of the Day: The title music and two songs from dhikkatRa parvathi.

http://www.dhool.com/sotd2/658.html

- Saravanan writes:

The title music and two songs from dhikkatRa parvathi

Sung by Vani Jairam
Lyrics by C.Rajagoplachari
Music by Chittibabu
* * * *



‘Bharat Ratna’ Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari (1878- 1972) was a great man in every sense- a zealous patriot, a trail-blazing social reformer, perceptive thinker and profound scholar. And all these facets of Rajaji came to the fore when he put his pen to paper. Many of his literary efforts have won critical acclaim; Rajaji, the writer, had even been chosen for Sahitya Akademy Award. Most of us would have read some short story of his as part of what went by the name ‘Non-detailed’ (!) in our school days. Rajaji’s lucid translations of the Ramayana and Mahabharata will find place in most Indian households. His other popular works in English: “Hinduism- Doctrine & Way of Life” and translations and interpretations of Baja Govindam, ThirukkuRaL, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Geeta. His book on Marcus Aurelius is held as a celebrated treatise. His ‘Stories for the Innocent’ makes irresistible reading. He has written around 30 books in both English and Tamil. Many of his stories had social messages, espousing eradication of evils like untouchability and dowry. And in dhikkatRa parvathi, he advocated total prohibition, by detailing the havoc caused by drink.

It was this novella dhikkatRa parvathi that impressed Singitam Srinivasa Rao, and he decided to craft it in celluloid. Born on 21.9.1931 in Udayagiri in Nellore District, Singitam Srinivasa Rao graduated in Physics from the Presidency College, Madras. He had his tutelage in direction under the legendary K.V.Reddy, the director of classics like Maya Bazar. He made his debut with the President’s Gold Medal-winning Kannada film, Samskara (1970/ Ramamanohara Chitra) Though Pattabhirama Reddy was the director, most parts of the film were actually directed by Singitam (billed as “Executive Director!”) His first film as a full-fledged director was the Telugu film Neethi Nijayithi (1972/ Sri Sanjeevi Movies).



dhikkatRa parvathi (1974/ Navtharang) was his next venture. Rajaji’s novella was a poignant propagation of prohibition, and the young idealist Singitam was moved by Rajaji’s tale of the miseries that a woman faces due to her alcoholic husband. He was eager to make a movie of it, and in 1972, approached the doughty Rajaji for his approval. Singitam recalls that momentous encounter thus ``The general notion those days was that Rajaji hated films. So I told him I wanted to convert a story by somebody who hated films, into a film. Pat came the reply from Rajaji, ``Who said I hate films? I hate only bad films!'' Then he gave me permission to make my film”

Having secured the grand old man’s blessings, Singitam set about excitedly to work. Not content with merely giving his nod, Rajaji evinced keen interest in shaping the screenplay and then made Singitam’s cup of bliss full by writing the lyrics for the two songs that Singitam had planned on. Karaikudi Narayanan wrote the dialogues. Singitam picked on Srikanth and Lakshmi to play the lead roles. This was the first film in which Lakshmi got to essay a complex role, and Singitam extracted a memorable performance from that talented artiste. In the coming years, taking the cue from Singitam, Jayakanthan and Bhimsingh would also pick Srikanth and Lakshmi for their avant-garde collaborations- sila nErangaLil sila manithargaL and oru nadigai nadagam paarkiRaaL.

After knocking at a few doors, Singitam found in N. Lakshmikantha Reddy and H.V.Sanjeeva Reddy producers who were willing to fuel his enthusiasm and he made the movie well within the modest budget and envisaged timeframe. However, he could find no takers for his austere, brooding tale, and the film sat in the cans till 1974 when the Film Federation of India (as NFDC was previously called) came forward to buy the movie and distribute it.

Though the film, released on 14.6.1974, didn’t stay long enough to make a mark at the marquee, it earned critical acclaim in abundance. It won the National Award for the Best Tamil Film of 1974, and also won the Film Fare Award in the same category. And it also fetched Singitam the Film Fare Award for Best Director of that year. Singitam’s only regret was that Rajaji had passed on by the time the movie was made.

* * * *

Singitam himself boasts of a rich musical background. His mother Shakuntala Bai was a classical violinist of singular merit and Singitam grew up listening to the great classical masters of yore. He underwent formal training in classical singing under the famed MD Saluri Rajeswara Rao. In later years, Singitam even composed music for two films- bhagyada lakshmi baramma and samyukta.

And for the music for his dhikkatRa parvathi, Singitam approached the venerable vaiNika Chittibabu. Chittibabu was said to be a child prodigy who gave his first full-fledged performance when he was barely 12 years old. He was trained by the great Emani Sankara Sastri, and blossomed into one of the most celebrated veeNai players of his generation. While his traditional pieces are soul stirring, his innovative works like ‘Musings of a Musician’, ‘Solitude’, ‘Rhapsody’, ‘Rendezvous & Old Memories’, ‘Fairy Tale’, ‘Royal Salute’, ‘Temple Bells/Serenade’ etc showcase the genius in all his glory.



Chittibabu was no stranger to tfm- his veeNai was the mellifluous backbone of Sridhar’s kalaikkOyil and he had composed the background music for JK's unnaippOl oruvan. Besides dhikkatRa parvathi, Chittibabu composed music for a Kannada film- Sri Raghavendra Vaibhava (1980/ Jayashri Art International), which had the divine ‘nanna hrudaya veeNe meetti’ (Balamuralikrishna & S.Janaki)

The title track that Chittibabu composed for dhikkatRa parvathi is bewitchingly inventive, embellished with arresting passages of rich and varied fare, conveying so many moods like the seasons that change as the months roll by.

Title track

And Chittibabu sent for Vani to sing the two songs. dhikkatRa parvathi was among the earliest Tamil movies that VJ sang for. When we had a chat with VJ, she was amazed that these songs are still remembered! She said that it was an exciting experience to be singing for Chittibabu, and that she had greatly enjoyed rendering the two songs. She also expressed her distress at Chittibabu’s painstaking efforts going largely unnoticed.



‘aagayam mazha pozhinja’ is a such a joyous anthem of expectant motherhood. Like a bubbling brook, the composition meanders, taking so many delightful twists and turns in its unpredictable progress. VJ pulls this one off with characteristic grace, her ‘puLLa peRum kaalam vandha poNNukku koNdaattam’ opening vibrant vistas of pastoral beauty.

aagayam mazha pozhinja

‘enna kutRam seithEnO’ is a study in contrast, a song of stark, haunting despair. Rajaji was a good writer, as we have already seen, and his ‘kuRai ondRum illai’ is a song that has been immortalized by MS Subbulakshmi. Rajaji’s lines here too are soaked in poetic flourishes. VJ said that it was a great honour for her to have sung Rajaji’s lines.

enna kuRRam seithEnO

So listen to these tracks from this album, forgotten songs from a forgotten film… a coalescence of giants that somehow came a cropper...

[bb]

[bb]

[Anniyan]

Beautiful write-up Sara as usual! Aagaayam mazhai pozhinja is a splendid number like the one another beautiful song again forgotten written by Poovai Senguttuvan Vaanam namadhu thandhai from Dhaagam (MBS). Whenever I listen to former I am reminded of the latter and vice versa. It is sad that Chittibabu was not again called to do a film-a great loss to tfm.

[Da Vinci]

Wow, Chittibabu composed for films too !

I vividly remember his 'kuyil pAttu'. I also still remember some of his innovative renderings reproducing the plucking style of a guitar.

Saravanan, It is like revising one's acquaintance with the music scene of Tamilnadu, that I feel when I read most of your postings here. Most of us, I believe, know such info in fragments, but that only adds more interest, for it has a nostalgic association which gives a warmth in one's life. Keep going...

[Murali Venkatraman]

Sara:

Nice write up and wonderful effort to dig up some long lost songs involving 3 greats. But neither of the songs create a lasting impact. No wonder the film or the songs did not take off.
_________________
MS (Murali Venkatraman)

envazi isaivazi
email - cfdmodeler-dhool@yahoo.com
site - http://swara.blogspot.com

[Murali Venkatraman]

Sara:

Nice write up and wonderful effort to dig up some long lost songs involving 3 greats. But neither of the songs create a lasting impact. No wonder the film or the songs did not take off.
_________________
MS (Murali Venkatraman)

envazi isaivazi
email - cfdmodeler-dhool@yahoo.com
site - http://swara.blogspot.com

[Guest]

Dear Saravanan,
Great write ups!!!! one more point i want to share with you in this time.
Rajaji's birth place was Thorapallai. It is in Dharmapuari Dt. Near HOSUR (HOsur is near to Bangalore). Thorapallai is 3 or 5 kms from Hosur.
Why i said this, because i am in HOSUR. Each and every time we took our friends and realtives to this place.(Rajaji"s house).I proudly share this info to all of u. Rajaji's initial T .S. I think.
With Love,
Usha Sankar.

[vinatha]

What a feast you are offering us!!! How can i put my gratitude to the people bringing SOTD?
All of you are very talented & Classy!!! thanks guys! Love, Vinatha[/b]

[Saravanan]

Thank you for the responses!

Anniyan, 'vaanam namadhu thandhai' is a wonderful song. Will bring it to SOTD sometime.

Da Vinci, I too remember 'kuyil paattu'... Chittibabu was a genius, no doubt!

Usha Sankar, thanks for the additional info on Rajaji.

[Saravanan]

Thank you for the responses!

Anniyan, 'vaanam namadhu thandhai' is a wonderful song. Will bring it to SOTD sometime.

Da Vinci, I too remember 'kuyil paattu'... Chittibabu was a genius, no doubt!

Usha Sankar, thanks for the additional info on Rajaji.

[Guest]

I read the 3 times before actually listeneing to the song. I think You can even write a moving write up on FM's budget statistics supporting it with additional statistics yet leave the reader emotionally disturbed at the end.

I have moved this one and your write up on Balasaraswathi to my documents file.Scintillating ...Thanks.

Despite my reservations on the myopic,cunning politician called Nasagopalachariar.....er.....Rasagopalachariar alias Moodharignar I am fan of his Vyasar virundhu. Singitham is a talented director lest the movie would have been part of the news reel with a voice from the background " Ivar thann paarvathi . "etc.

VJ has sung very well and oh!she always does ....but I feel Chittibabu's music is way of the target. Look at G Devarajan's work for a similar tearjerker like Thulaabaaram. the title track would pass of as a Kunnakudi's effort for a Layer II Bhakthi movies like SamayapurathaLe saatchi or aruL tharum karpagaambaL.

Anniyan,
Since you are associated with the Vintage movie Association I request you to issue small ads to members about Dhool.com with this write-up during the monthly screening.

[OISG]

that was me! Dhool chucked me out during modem malfunction!

[Anniyan]

OISG, ...issuing small ads to members about Dhool... can you further elaborate on this..not clear to me fully.

Samayapurathaaley saatchi is by KVM and Kai koduppaL Karpagambal is by S-G(not arul tharum ...)

[OISG]

Anniyan,

those names like "karpagambaL' just occured....and my idea was to mention some vague names for a II layer bhakthi movie. (Deivam, varuvaan vadivelan,swami ayyappan are my ideas of I layer bhathi movie)

Small ads like

"NeengaL oru Tamizh thirai pada paadalgal rasigara?"
Visit : www.dhool.com

"Tamizh thiraippada padalgaL patRiya arthamuLLa kalandhurayadalgalukku"
Visit :www.Dhool.com

Could be printed on normal labels and you stick to the back side of invitation. It is inexpensive.Some of the builders in Trichy follow this method.You get their stickers on the posts you receive.

I have talked to one Tamil Hotel here to stick such labels to their bills and daily parcels.

However BB needs to put up some declaration like "Not a commercial site. The audio clips provided are in .rm format and provided for discussion purposes only" more prominently to avoid any US legal issues. I felt that the .rm of "putril vaazh " is a dangerous link.

During my visit to india this may i tried to meet some film/press persons with some of Saravanan's write up. But unfortunately i could not.

[Guest]

Neither great lyric nor great tunes. VJ voice is okay, but songs nope

Lyrics has flavour of vasanam, not very apt for songs. I think great instrumentalist like S.Balachandar, ChittiBabu, (even) Kunnakudi and stage singers like Seshagoplan etc should have satisfied within their own territory.

[Anniyan]

Thank you OISG. I will try to do that immediately. A nice idea. Saravanan deserves much more recognition. He should be known to every discerning old tamil film song rasika.

[Udhaya]

Saravanan,
Another worthy excavation job by you. We'll have to call you and your work, "India Jones and the Lost Soundtracks".

I wondered about the compositions and how they weren't readily acceptable to many of our ears. Lyrics were prosaic, but the music? Is it the same thing I felt with Jerry Amaldev's music? Compositions that are certainly out of the prevalent commercial realm? Jerry seemed to have all the credentials. And certainly Chittibabu is no hack! Are we too easily dismissing groundbreaking stuff that deserve to be acquired by us? Or is it an apology for a grand failure? Don't know really. But I will put my faith in these musicians' integrity and their verve to be different. Okay, gotta go for another listen.

[ragothamanr]

It is surprising to read the history of this film making. Kudos! Grand work.
_________________
Ragu - Isai Rasigan