Happy Navarathri season!

Navarathri is celebrated from the first to ninth date of Ashwin Shukla Paksha of the Hindu Calendar for the worship of the Goddess Durga. The name “Durga” means “inaccessible”, and she is the personification of the active side of the divine “shakti” energy of Lord Shiva. In fact, she represents the furious powers of all the male Gods, and is the ferocious protector of the righteous, and destroyer of the evil. Durga is usually portrayed as riding a lion, and carrying weapons in her many arms.Nine different manifestations of Durga are worshipped over the nine days:

• Durga :Goddess beyond reach
• Bhadrakali the auspicious power of time
• Amba or Jagadamba: mother of the world
• Annapurna: giver of food and plenty
• Sarvamangala: auspicious goddess
• Bhairavi: terrible, fearful, power of death
• Chandika or handi: violent, wrathful, furious
• Lalita: playful
• Bhavani: giver of existence.

In the south , during Navarathri, friends, relatives and neighbors are invited over to one's home to look at Golu-the arrangement of the dolls symbolizing Gods,Goddesses and people on a 3/5/7/9 tier step. We find dolls dressed in traditional costumes from the various Indian States. There's also a kids' edition attached, which spans themes like jungle, park, school, sports and is a major factor of attraction for young ones.Each day of the festival starts with reciting the stotras and singing devotional songs. In the evenings, offerings of fruits and flowers are made to the decorated Golu. Also, daily puja is done by lighting a lamp. Celebrations are complete when friends and neighbors visit and enjoy seeing the beautiful arrangement of the Golu and eat the delicious sweets and snacks prepared by the hostess. This year's Navarathri season begins on Sep 19 and ends with Vijayadashami on Sep 28.

Today's posting is a devotional song in Telugu on Sri Rajarajeshwari composed in Kaanada scale. I performed this song at Mahaganapati Temple of AZ this year, during their anniversary celebrations.

Album: Ugra Roopam

Language: Telugu

Sung by: Karthik R

Sri Chakra Simhasini | Online recorder

ആലിപ്പഴം പെറുക്കാന്‍...Aalippazham Perukkan!!

This month's post is an evergreen fun song from a movie that created history in Indian cinema. Exclusively made for children in the mid-80s, the film deployed 3D technology, which was a wonder at that time. Released in multiple languages, various state governments exempted entertainment tax on the ticket prices as a pleasant bonus. Music was scored by Maestro Ilayaraja. With an interesting mix of instruments and a fun-filled tune, the song became a popular hit and featured at various occasions where kids performed. Let's relive the nostalgic times yet again!!

Album: My Dear Kuttichathan
Year: 1984
Language: Malayalam
Music: Ilayaraja
Cover version by Karthik R


Aalippazham Perukkan(My Dear Kuttichathan-3D) | Music Upload

Mere Dholna

This month's post is a classical-based song from the movie Bhool Bhulaiyya, a Hindi remake of Fazil's Manichitrathaazhu(Malayalam). The movie won accolades in all languages it was remade in-Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. This song appears in the climax. With the variable tempo in the composition, beautiful harkats and jugalbandhi in the sargam part, the song soared up in popularity immensely in the year 2007. I've performed this song atleast 4 times in various occasions, the last of which was AID benefit show in Feb 2009. The response to this song has remained tremendous till date-once again re-inforcing that it is bound to be evergreen.


Album: Bhool Bhulaiyya
Year: 2007
Language: Hindi
Sung by: Karthik R and Mayuri Ray



Mere Dholna Sun from Bhool Bhulaiyya | Upload Music

Kaatrin Mozhi

Mozhi-the pleasant blockbuster of 2007 holds a special place in Tamil film history. It is credited with a neat storyline, skilled starcast and above all..music with melody ruling the roost after a really long time in Tamil films. The title song was a chartbuster hit with meaningful lyrics and a simple yet fresh tune by Vidyasagar. Here's a recording of this song performed by Mayuri and me at Arizona Tamil Sangam in August 2007.


Album: Mozhi
Composer: Vidyasagar
Cover version by Mayuri Ray and Karthik R



Kaatrin Mozhi | Online recorder

Konja Neram Konja Neram

Here's presenting a song from Superstar Rajinikanth's hit movie 'Chandramukhi'. With a storyline based on Fazil's malayalam movie Manichithrathaazhu and refreshing tunes by Vidyasagar, the movie went on to be one of the top grossers of 2005. This song was received well at multiple occasions, the most recent being Arizona Tamil Sangam Deepavali celebrations 2008.

Language:Tamil
Album:Chandramukhi
Composer:Vidyasagar
Cover version by Mayuri Ray and Karthik R


Konja Neram Konja Neram | Music Upload

Naguva Nayana

Today's post is an all-time hit duet composed by Maestro Ilayaraja for Manirathnam's debut movie 'Pallavi Anupallavi' in Kannada. The movie featured the hindi actor Anil Kapoor in a lead role. I performed this song at the AID benefit concert on Feb 20, 2009 at Phoenix, AZ alongwith Mayuri Ray.

Language: Kannada
Album: Pallavi Anupallavi
Composer: Ilayaraja
Cover version by Karthik R and Mayuri Ray



Naguva Nayana | Online recorder

Arey Rey

Among the new age music composers, Mickey J Meyer has struck gold with his debut album 'Happy Days' released a couple of years back. Set against an engineering college backdrop, the movie was a pleasant success with attributes like director Shekhar Kammula's fresh and youthful approach, peppy music and brand new starcast. Today's post is a popular song from this album. I performed this song accompanied by the noted Telugu playback singer and composer Shri G.Anand's orchestra 'Swaramaadhuri' on May 30, 2009 for Capitol Area Telugu Society, Baltimore.

Language: Telugu
Album: Happy Days
Year: 2007
Composer: Mickey J Meyer
Original singer: Karthik
Cover version by Karthik R



Arey Rey from Happy Days | Music Upload

Marumallello Ee Jagamantha

Oscar winner A.R.Rahman, the strongest music force spanning close to two decades, needs no elaborate description. His humbleness is as large as his achievements and this is an invaluable virtue not seen in many of his contemporaries. His partnership with Manirathnam has never failed to exceed one's expectations since the days of 'Roja'. Today's post is an ode to peace composed for the movie 'Amrutha' released in 2002. The story revolved around a child's search for her mother in the troubled borders of Sri Lanka. The song conveyed a strong message for the need of world peace. One of the simple yet soulful, serene yet strong compositions of the maestro. Jai Ho to ARR!

Language: Telugu
Album: Amrutha
Year: 2002
Composer and Singer: A.R.Rahman
Cover version by Karthik R




Marumallello Ee Jagamantha | Online recorder

Ambadi Poonkuyile

After a hiatus I'm back with a cover version of a personal favourite from Salilda's Malayalam repertoire. This song was composed for the movie 'Raagam', the Malayalam remake of 'Anuraag' with some obvious classy and trademark techniques of Salilda. Deriving the tune from his own Bengali composition (Jodi Barono), he pleasantly re-orchestrated it to give an evergreen touch. While the Bengali version was rendered by Lataji, the Malayalam version was handed over to 'Lataji of the South'- the undisputed melody queen, P.Susheela. This remains one of her concert favourites till date. Hats off to the magical duo-Salilda and Susheelamma.

Original singer: P.Susheela
Composer: Salil Chowdhury
Album: Raagam
Cover version by Karthik R



Ambadi Poonkuyile | Online recorder

Varu Varu Nee Virunnukaara!

Up next in the Salilda Malayalam series is the following fun song - a totally cool composition from the maestro released in late 70s, albeit being way ahead of its times. I performed this song in a Salilda-exclusive medley segment at a fund-raiser held in Arizona on Feb 21, 2009 alongwith Mayuri Ray, the seniormost female vocalist of our music troupe (titled 'Sur aur Taal'). The benefits from this programme went to help the needy through an organization called AID(Association for India's development), which does a noble voluntary service in this regard.

Mayuri Ray is a very talented singer of Bengali origin and the torch-bearer for 'Sur aur Taal'. This was her debut song in Malayalam and she did try her level best to get a hold of the tricky diction. We enjoyed rendering this song which broke the monotony in the medley to conclude it with a sharp contrast compared to the preceding segments.

Varu Varu Upload Music

Manna Dey - a living legend

Padmabhushan Manna da- the "nonagenarian-in-the-running" musical genius, is perhaps the only living legend among yesteryear male Hindi playback singers. He started his innings back in 1943 and was a consistently sought-after artiste for songs with semi-classical to heavy classical underpinnings. He was a favourite of several composers of yesteryears- S.D.Burman, Salilda, Panchamda to name a few and has made many incredible marks with their compositions. In addition to Hindi, his popularity in West Bengal and Assam is huge. He is a role-model for simplicity, discipline and perseverance. Down south, he is instantly recognized through Salilda's soulful composition 'Manasa Maine Varu' from 'Chemmeen'.

Today's audio posting is a Desh-raag based Bengali song composed by Prabhas Dey. This song was originally released as a part of Manna da's album on seasons and depicts the rainy one. The cover version here was my first(and the most arduous) attempt in Bengali music, performed at a Durga Puja celebration held in Phoenix, AZ in 2007.

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Shaarike En

This is my second audio posting - yet another intricate composition by Salilda. This was the first brainchild of Salilda rendered by Janakiamma. Many a times, she fondly recollects memories of the recording experience. Salilda had recorded the tune without lyrics and sent it to Janakiamma for rehearsing and on the scheduled day, the lyricist Shri O.N.V.Kurup couldn't make it to participate in the tuning discussion but had sent the lyrics across. The Malayalam words wouldn't fit the original tune Salilda had in mind without the words being mis-pronounced and Janakiamma found a middle-ground solution by suggesting a different commencement spot on the affected lines. This is my sincere tribute to the maestro's combination with the great singer.


Original Singer: S.Janaki
Composer: Salilda
Album: Swapnam
Language: Malayalam
Cover version by Karthik R

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Shravanam Vannu

I'd like to begin my audio posting with a classical-based gem composed by Salilda which appeared in the movie 'Anthiveyilile Ponnu' in the early 80s. The tune was originally created for a Bengali song 'Keno Je Kaadaau' rendered by Lataji and re-used in Malayalam. Gaanagandharvan Dasettan rendered the re-created version which had a different orchestration. I have used the track meant for the Bengali version of orchestration, which lent a different pace and feel for the Malayalam one. This version is my humble tribute to the timeless combo.

Original singer: Yesudas
Album: Anthiveyilile Ponnu
Language:Malayalam
Composer: Salilda
Cover version by Karthik R


Shravanam Vannu Upload Music

Immortal Legend- Salil Chowdhary

Timelessness best describes the musical creations of maestro Salil Chowdhary or Salilda as he is popularly addressed as. Hailing from the culture pot of India - West Bengal, the genius of Salilda spread all over the country to cast a magic spell. Salilda weaved golden tunes spanning multiple genres. As he spread his wings from the east, he proliferated with ease into other music cultures albeit re-using most of his masterpieces. With a subtle change in orchestration he could easily recycle a tune previously used in a joyous situation to fit a contrasting one. Next to Bengali and Hindi, his memorable domain was in Malayalam film music. He struck gold with Ramu Kariat's "Chemmeen" - an evergreen classic that no Malayalee( or even a large section of non-Malayalees in South India) can forget. Within 25 films, he established several immortal works in Malayalam. His compositions most definitely exhibit a novelty within the genre they fall under. For example, a classical-based composition would deploy sharp twists and turns across more than an octave. In my personal opinion, most singers who worked with the maestro would have gone through rigorous homework to meet the challenge set by the tunes. For more information on the great composer, please visit http://www.salilda.com/.

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