The Indian Music Maestro at the Oscar.

      'What passion cannot music raise and quell'? asked the famous English poet John Dryden. For those,who have a passion for music,the musical notes are a dedication,a submission and a tribute to the Will of God. It is again the Will of God that bestows upon a selected few,the power to rule human hearts with their musical compositions.This is how, God chose the tender hands of a young boy to play with musical notes as per divine directions. In his early twenties, his chosen hands performed his first miracle with the most exciting number 'Chinna Chinna Aasai' for his first film 'Roja' from Manirathnam's production house.It was a moment of great curiosity and exultation for the music lovers and they were told that it was A.R.Rehman,God's child of music, destined to charm the human ears with a feather touch of the keyboard.
      Rehman's music has rarely remained a straight course, through the freeway. It is mostly a fascinating journey through many challenging, zig zag, winding, intricate and intermingling exits.It extracts the greatest amount of voice twists, from the singers. In quite a few twisted compositions, the instrumental impact seems to be much less than that of the vocal wield.The freshness in Rehman is chiefly in discovering and rediscovering the newer dimensions of the singer's voice frequency.Those who can effectively play with their voices and reinvent themselves as singers become the best bets for Rehman. Imagine a singer like Hariharan whose voice can travel straight for a while and then take a winding zig zag course like a reptile wriggling with pleasure.It is such singers, who have their hey days with this musical pride of India.
     There was a time when actors could decide which music director should compose music for their films.While Sivaji Ganesan favoured M.S.Viswanathan,MGR shared his films between MSV and K.V.Mahadevan, the latter doing more number of his movies.During the days of Ilayaraja, everybody wanted him to do music for their movies because of the mass appeal his music carried.Whereas Rehman's musical wings fly high to reach national and international territories; hence not all can get him to do music for their movies.However, he has always remained the most desired and invaluable addition to the films of Shankar and Manirathnam.In the case  of Manirathnam, Ilayaraja has of course given him musical hits like Idhaya Geetham, Mouna Raagam, Agni Natchatram and Anjali. But barring Anniyan,Shankar has always resorted to the musical grandeur of Rehman and his pet music director has hardly disappointed him in any of his ventures.
     I am an old timer with my love for music confined to the melodies of M.S.Viswanathan, besides being an ardent devotee of the profoundly penetrating tunes of Ilayaraja.Nevertheless,I have hardly failed to enjoy the reach of  soothing numbers like 'Chinna Chinna Aasai' {Roja} 'Pachai Kiligal' {Indian} Kannaalane Enathu Kannai'{Bombay} 'Kaadali En Kaadali' [Duet] 'Oru Dheivam Thandha Poove' [Kannathil Muthamittaal]'Sahaana Saaral' {Sivaji}'Vennilave  Vennilave' and 'Pooppookum Osai' {Minsaarakkanna},'Kannaamoochi Yenada'  {Kandugondein Kandugondein} 'Snegithane' and 'Pachainirame Pachainirame'{Alai Paayudhe}and 'Munbe Vaa En Anbe Vaa'. { Sillenru Oru Kadhal} My ears are always wide open to his invigorating songs like 'Veerapaandi Koettayile'[Thiruda Thiruda] 'Telephone Manipoel Sirippaval Ivala'[Indian] 'Mudhalvane' [Mudhalvan] 'Hi re Hi re Hireppa' [Jeans] 'Andha Arabi Kadaloeram' [Bombay] Ale Ale {Boys} 'September Madham' {Alai Paayudhe} 'Thee Thee Jaga Jothi' {Sivaji} and 'Thillaanaa Thillaana' {Muthu} and so on.
     High pitched songs with beautifully gliding variations in stretch, are a special attraction of A.R.Rehman. Songs like 'Chandraleka' starting from its lowest ebb, {Thiruda Thiruda}, 'Thangathaamarai Nilave' {Minsaarakkanavu } 'Enna Solla Poegirai' { Kandugondein Kandugondein} 'Aathangara Marame' {Kizhakku Cheemaiyile} 'Minsaarappove Pen Poove' {Padayappa} 'Nadhiye Nadiye' {Rhythm},'Rojaa Rojaa' {Kadhal Desam} and 'Maargazhi Thingal Allavaa' {Sangamam}belong to this category. Rehman's most heart-rending song with a deep philosophical thrust is 'Vidukadhaiya En Vaazhkai' from Muthu. Rehman's magic wand of music has carried on the transmission of trendy tunes with unfailing spell all through his films, including the recently released Manirathnam movie 'Kadal'.
     Beyond film songs, the most energizing, patriotic number 'Vandhe Mathram' in Rehman's own voice, keeps reverberating in all Indian hearts, with a vibration never experienced by any one earlier. Rehhman is a musician with his soul ever longing to find kinship with God, through his modest surrender of the rhythm of love for humanity, as his best offering to the Almighty.The poise in his face, the balanced attitude and behaviour that remain as his supreme assets, place him at the height of glory, winning laurels one after the other.No doubt, his musical magnificence travelled into the Oscar ears, not just for an award but for an affirmative acceptance of what he, as a maker of music, is capable of.His music made Indians proud, without making himself proud, even to the least extent. All slum dogs can not become millionaires.But,joining hands with Danny Boyle,Rehman did rightly pay a musical tribute to the slum dogs, as he succeeded in drawing global attention on their dismal living conditions,by his suggestive musical thrust.
     Rehman's music is always a solace to anguished souls. His 'Jai Ho' will ever remain a source of strength for now and ever.His latest song goes 'Idhu Podhum Enakku Idhu Podhume, Veiranna Vendum Idhu Podhume', ['This will do for me;what more do I want, this will do for me'].What more do we need  than Rehman's fascinating and mind blowing music?. One of the popular songs for which he composed tune says,''all tributes are due only to God''['Ella Pughazhum Iraivan Oruvanukke' from Azhagiya Thamizhmagan].Similarly, all the tributes of music lovers are due to him. Long live Rehman to revive, rejuvenate and resurrect lost hopes and sow fresh ones for mankind, that will sprout as blooms of eternal joy.
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