Sindhu Bairavi - Paadariyen

Sindhu Bairavi - Paadariyen



paadariyaen padippariyaen pallikkoodandhaanariyaen
aedariyaen ezhuththariyaen ezhuththuvaga naanariyaen
aettula ezhudhavilla ezhudhivechchup pazhakkamilla
elakkanam padikkavilla thalaganamum enakku illa

(paadariyaen)

arththaththa vittupputtaa adhukkoru baavamilla
pazhagina bhaashayila padippadhu paavamilla
ennavoa raagam ennannavoa thaalam
thalaiya aattum puriyaadha koottam
ellaamae sangeedhandhaan...aaaaaa...
ellaamae sangeedhandhaan saththaththil porandha sangadhidhaan
sadjamamenbadhum dhaivadhamenbadhum panja parambaraikkappurandhaan

(paadariyaen)

kavala aedhumilla rasikkiraen kaettuppadi
chaerikkum saeravaenum adhukkoru paattap padi
ennayae paaru eththana paeru
thangamae neeyum thamizhp paattum paadu
sonnadhu thappaa thappaa...aaaaaa...
sonnadhu thappaa thappaa raagaththil pudusu ennudhappaa
ammiyarachchava kummiyadichchava naattupporaththula sonnadhappaa

(paadariyaen)

(SURAS….)
mari mari ninnE moraliDa nI manasuna dayarAdu
mari mari ninnE moraliDa nI manasuna dayarAdu
mari mari nine
mari mari nine….

I came across a nice discussion on this song and it's creation on the web and give below the same here for your reading:


There are some established norms and values in the Indian tradition. In many cases these are not to be questioned, but simply to be followed. Carnatic music is one such area. Our forefathers had said that there are raagas for different parts of the day, and likewise for different moods and events. For example, the morning raaga is said to be Poobaalam; raaga for noon is Saaranga; raaga for evening time is Vasanthaa; raaga depicting mercy is Neeelambari; raaga used to declare war is said to be Kambeera Naatai; raaga for happy mood is Danyaasi; raaga for composing Venbaa is Sangarabharanam; raaga for composing Agaval Paa is Thodi; raaga that is most appropriate for Tamil music is Kalyani etc. This is very much explained in the movie Sampoorna Ramayanam. However Ilayaraja begged to differ, with what he considered valid reasons, of course. He said in many concerts that he does not believe in such rigid principles. He took a bold stand to affirm that what you compose in the morning is morning raga, and whatever you compose in the evening is raga for the evening. Likewise what you compose in the afternoon is afternoon raga, he said. He went against such norms. In many of his concerts Raja had mentioned that he was not in favour of subscribing to blind imitation of old thoughts.

Sindhu Bairavi (1985) is a film where Balachander was able to reflect the thoughts of Raja. That was not pre- planned, but just happened to be a mere co incident.

One may recollect the film Unnal Mudiyum Thamby which has some controversial messages hitting at hard proponents of carnatic music who never welcomed modernisation in the carnatic music. Kamal’s dialogue with Gemini Ganesan is quite thought provoking. That film has nothing to do with Raja, other than that Raja composed music. But Sindhu Biaravi is one which by a strange coincidence reflected his own thoughts, which very timely concurred with the thoughts of Balachandeer as well. Perhaps Balachander never harboured such thoughts on carnatic music. He could have invented such controversial thoughts for the movie.

The one scene where Suhashini challenges Sivakumar at a carnatic concert very much seem to reflect the thoughts of Ilayaraja. Compared to any other MDS of recent times, Raja had fathomed into the very bottom of folk tunes as no one else. He had mastered the field of folk tunes and was unearthing the old and untold intricacies of folk music. Therefore he was more than the only qualified MD in recent times to compare and contrast carnatic music with folk music. Deep inside, Raja felt that all the emotions, feelings and depth found in the carnatic songs are adequately, if not, equally available in the folk tunes. This movie was produced at a time when Raja was extremely busy. He had no time to sit with big banner producers like K. Balachander to discuss song creation. But he availed himself for this Sindu Bhairavi. Balachander told the situation where Suhashini sings folk song and suddenly, and most unexpectedly switches to Carnatic tune. Raja understood the concept and went home to work on his imagination. Within 24 hours Raja came with what became the biggest controversy in his career. What Raja came out with was simply mind boggling. He not only captured the thoughts of Balachander, but also created a great controversy.

The song was picturised. The same musicians who played for carnatic song, played for folk tune, using the same instruments. Chitra starts with folk tune alright. But when she switched to singing suras she starts to sing Mari Mari Ninne, the Thiagaraya Keerthanai. All along this keerthanai was sung in Kamboji raga. But here Raja changed it to Saaramathy Raga. There was a volcanic eruption in Tamilnaadu. The proponents of Carnatic raga erupted with emotions, alleging and accusing that Raja was killing the very foundation and roots of carnatic music. They argued that while Thiagarayar had sung the keerthana in Kamboji raaga, Ilayaraja had switched it to Saaramathy raaga. Raja immediately retorted and replied, and even questioned them. He asked if any one could prove to him beyond any reasonable doubt if Thiagarayar did actually sing Mari Mari Ninne in Kamboji raaga. He threw another open challenge. He asked them to provide a list of all keerthanas and prove if they had been sung in the specific raagas as understood for ages. He threw an open challenge asking anyone to come forward to prove that. That challenge was not taken up by anyone until this day. Raja broke blind imitation.

Ilayaraja received national award for this film (and also for Saagara Sangamam and Rudraveena). Chitra too received national award, though I believe this was only her fifth Tamil film. Chitra had to decide between her MA final examinations and the recording of this song. Finally she sang it and bagged the coveted national award. It was not usual for Raja to appear for victory celebrations. But he did turn up for the victory celebrations of Sindu Bairavi. When he spoke, he said he turned out all for the respect he had for K. Balachander.