Readers Write In #707: Sathyam Shivam Sundaram – Balamuralikrishna awes once more

By Jayram Sataluri

Last year, a few music lover friends asked me if I had heard Polthinkal Kala Pottu Thotta by Yesudas from the Malayalam movie Kumarasambhavam. I replied in the affirmative and that I had a concert version. Then one of them asked me if I heard the Tamil version of the same song which was sung by BMK and I said, “No.” Later the same person provided me the recording of it which I immediately listened to. And like always, I listened to it repeatedly; not able to get enough of it. Before I begin my analysis, I would like to provide reminiscences of this version by my friend M Rajendran, a longtime lover of muraLi gANam and Dasettan gANam.

“I had heard this song once in the sonorous BMK voice, long ago, maybe in the early Seventies of the last century when I was staying away from my home working in a nationalised Bank.

I have always been a diehard fan of BMK from my schooldays (the sixties) and also of KJ Yesudas fondly named as dear ‘Dasettan’. Any negative comment on the two blessed musicians used to pain me though I used to pretend that I was taking their opinions and criticisms in my stride. BMK had bitter enemies and Dasettan had very few. In my family set up itself almost all relatives hated BMK. I was the lone BMK lover in the big crowd of musicians.

During my nationalised bank working days, I had a group of friends who used to meet together and discuss topics related to music in the former half of the seventies. In that group there was an even a far more fiercer fan of BMK. He was some 25 years older than me though. He spoke to us in the group about the Tamil version of the song ‘Polthinkal Kala Pottu Thotta’, which was a song in Kumarasambhavam. One day he bought a portable tape recorder and played this song in the BMK voice. He said it was available as an LP record and he copied it from somebody else. This BMK version was /is very rare. My mind entered into limitless joy because the same song came from my two dearest singers.

Years passed by. I was gaining more and more listening experience. I could observe Devarajan Sangeetham, Dasettan Bani and Muraliganam. All the three greats excelled in their areas as Gandharvaas.

I faintly remember having read far earlier in some periodicals about an interview with Devarajan Maashu. He said: had he not become a music director his love would have been to emulate and become another Balamuralikrishna. Unfortunately, I can’t place the name of the publication or its date because that might have been some 35 or more years ago.

I now learn that BMK and Devarajan Maashu were thick friends and they admired each other.

The story that was in the air during early seventies was that the film Kumarasambavam was first shot in Malayalam, then converted into Tamil and thus it became bilingual. Malayalam lyrics were ready first. ‘Polthinkal kala pottu thotta’ was in Malayalam as penned by the great poet and lyricist ONV. In one of the Chennai studios, Devarajan Maashu met BMK and told him about the song. BMK looked at the lyrics and in no time translated the same into Tamil and sang in pure Kalyani. The story might be the creation of some fanciful fans of BMK. That BMK on the spot converted the lyrics into such a terrific and heavy Tamil, though I am one of the greatest admirers of BMK, find it difficult to stomach. Abhayambhika, BMK’s long time associate and who was a great scholar in Tamil might have helped him in creating the translation. I am reminded of some Tamil versions of Thyagaraja krithis: ‘Nannu palimpa, Enthanerchina etc.’

The story goes on to say that the composing and the studio recording of the song got finished in less than a day. The Pallavi part reminds us of the Kalyani Kruti Vasudevayani by Thyagaraja Swamigal. I tend to feel that the whole structure of the composition bears more of the BMK stamp in it than that of Devarajan Maashu’s one. I may be wrong perhaps.

It is a pleasure to hear it once more. Muraliganam lovers will treat this a heavenly gift for them.”

Now onto my thoughts. This is the first time I am analyzing a film song, so please pardon if I miss a few things here and there. I will not compare the Malayalam and Tamil versions; I will stick with analyzing the Tamil version only.

If you have read the previous birthday tribute article, I firmly believe 1968 is the year where the voice has become “the voice”. It has more gambeeram than ever before. The tremendous thrIsthAyi is at his command and the GNBness in his voice has faded away. His briga and gamaka control is stronger than before and his voice modulation is topnotch as always. And it is greatly evident in this version.

When you hear him from Antara GandhAram/Shuddh Gandhar where he sings “Ponthingalenum pottu vaitha …” you’re filled with an indescribable joy. The rest of the opening lines too are joyous especially at “Sathyam Shivam Sundaram”. When he starts singing, “Sathyam Shiva Soundaryangal Niraindha….” you forget your worries and immediately dive in, drowning in the honey-dewed voice singing Kalyani as only he can. Since the picturization is on Narada (played by TK Balachandran), it is as if BMK himself is channeling his own portrayal of Narada in AVM’s Bhaktha Prahalada years earlier! The sounds emanating from the kuchi mridangam blend in well with the tabla.

After the first interlude, BMK proceeds to the first part of the first charanam: “Aadichudar parandathu inge Annalin veda kalaigal piranthathu”. There is sheer alacrity in his voice during the line. He makes sure not to use the same sangatis the second time around, by singing a PDNRSS NDP at “aadichudar” with a fast gamaka in “aadi” in his inimitable manner. When he goes to the second part of the charanam: “Prapancha nidarsana jyothiyathaagiya Paripoornadeepamolindathu, Sudarndathu, thodarndathu” (spl?), the mood changes into wonder as Narada continues his journey to Mount Kailasa (not the fake island of course!). It switches back to devotional at the pallavi line before the next interlude.

After the next interlude, which is the same as the first, BMK sings the next line “Yaagapalan kidaithathu inge Anandamruthagangai udithathu”. Here it is completely different both mood and approach wise. BMK does a SRS RGR G MPM R gamaka at “Anandamruthagangai” which satisfies the devotee and intellectual. It doesn’t sound rehearsed at all. At “Japathapangal engengum thudanguthu Chinmayanaadam muzhanguthu, muzhanguthu, muzhanguthu”, it returns to the devotional mode especially at “Chinmayanaadam muzhanguthu” at tara sthAyi which sounds like a cry for salvation. BMK sings the Pallavi line once and finishes off the piece with “Sathyam… Shivam… Sundaram” with the percussion filling in the spaces.

It would be remiss if I did not mention the brilliance of Devarajan. The Kalyani tuning he has done is simple yet so alluring and it is said to have been inspired by GNB’s version of “Vasudevayani”. The interludes with flute, veena, tabla and mridangam are engaging. Most importantly one can hear and observe the admiration BMK has for Devarajan throughout.

It is highly likely that the sangathis like “aadichudar”, the lightning fast ending of each charanam, “anandamrutha”, etc. are BMK’s creations and Devarajan would have really been happy with those improvisations. It is also highly likely that the Tamil recording came first and then Yesudas exactly tried to copy what BMK has done in the Malayalam version.

I would like to request Tamil scholars/experts to please provide the correct lyrics. It would also be beneficial for those who have heard this version back then to share their recollections along with more information that may not have been covered above. If you’re listening to it for the first time, please share your thoughts. And perhaps Madan or BR should do a cover of the song in their own inimitable way(s) ��.

Here’s the track:

Long live this version and Happy 94 th Birthday to Balamuralikrishna!