My Ever Pet Lullabies of Tamil Cinema.

                          

      Maternity  is the main text of human life. Paternity is just an annexure, a supplement. The bond between a child and its mother is much more than the biological base of the umbilical cord. It is the gestational, prenatal  and post natal epic of human life. There are various theories about a child peacefully going to sleep in its mother’s arms. One of them  is an interesting account of the mother’s heart beat theory, that goes into the interpretation of most mothers holding their babies in their left arms. Though this may look habitual, it is scientifically described more as an instinctive behavior,in the sense, that the child having been familiar to the heart beat sound of its mother in her womb, feels more comfortable on the left  arm of its mother and calmly goes to sleep hearing the hearty music.
   But,for that matter, most men also hold their kids on the left side, may be because, they too were comfortable once, being closer to their mothers’ heart beat. However, more than all these perceptions and theories, practically, all children need  rocking movements, accompanied by music not only to go to sleep but also to sleep well. That is why mothers resort to singing lullabies to make their babies go to sleep. In this respect film songs have been quite supportive and Tamil film songs are not lacking in spirit either.

     Being a profound lover of films in general and Tamil films in particular, I have stored in my memory list, some Tamil film lullabies, as my pet songs. Decades ago, as an adolescent  I was deeply moved by the song நீல வண்ண கண்ணா வாடா! நீ ஒரு முத்தம்  தாடா !{Mangaiyar Thilagam} from the soothing voice of Balasaraswathi. The tuning of the notes by the illustrious S.Dakshinamoorthy had a telling impact on my tender feelings. Even now, It can easily carry my thoughts to my distant past.Almost during the same time, there was yet another most popular lullaby that came in the baby like voice of veteran singer M.S.Rajeswari that carried a fabulously soothing effect and the song from the film Thai Pirandhaal Vazhi Pirakkum was,
மண்ணுக்கு மரம் பாரமா?,

மரத்துக்கு இலை பாரமா? ,

கொடிக்கு காய் பாரமா?

பெற்றெடுத்த குழந்தை தாய்க்கு பாரமா ? But before these two songs, there was another very sad lullaby பூமாலை புழுதி மண்மேலே,வந்தேன் பிறந்தாய்.from Sivaji Ganesan’s first film Parasakthi. It was sung by T.S.Bagavadhi for the lip movement of old actor RanjiniJr who could effectively portray pathetic characters and take the audience to the peak of sorrow and despair. Music for this song was composed by Sudharsan and it could always create a melting effect in me. Almost in a similar line T.M.S  sang the song,
ஏன் பிறந்தாய்  மகனே, ஏன் பிறந்தாயோ !

இல்லையொரு பிள்ளையென,

ஏங்குவோர் பலரிருக்க, இங்குவந்து நீ

ஏன் பிறந்தாயோ ! for the film Baagapirivinai.This fabulous song was composed  by Viswanathan Ramamurthy for the precise lip movement of Sivaji Ganesan.

    T.M.S sang another wonderful lullaby for the Sivaji Ganesan film ‘Paarthaal Pasitheerum’ produced under the AVM banner.That song பிள்ளைக்கு தந்தை ஒருவன்,நம் எல்லோருக்கும் தந்தை இறைவன் was one of the sweetest melodies of TMS and for this too, the credit goes to Viswanathan Ramamurthy. The scene of the song showed Sivaji holding child artist Kamalahasan in his arms. The other sweet  and sorrowful  lullaby came from the amazing voice of Thiruchi Loganathan for the film Pangaaligal and the song was சின்ன அரும்பு மலரும்சிரிப்பைச்  சிந்தி வளரும் !

    P.B.Srinivas with his vibrantly soothing tone, has given us immortal numbers like
சின்ன சின்ன கண்ணனுக்குஎன்னதான் புன்னகையோ!{Vaazhkai Padagu} and
காதல் நிலவே கண்மணி ராதா,
நிம்மதியாக தூங்கு;
கனவிலும் நானே மறுபடிவருவேன்,
கவலையில்லாமல் தூங்கு . {Halo Mr.Zameendar}
  Both the songs were for Gemini Ganesan ,one to make his son to go to sleep and the other to comfort his lady love. Some of the other songs sung to make the lovers go to sleep in a romantic  fantasy or pathetic mood,are தூக்கமுன் கண்களை தழுவட்டுமேஅமைதியும் நெஞ்சில் நிலவட்டுமே {by S.Janaki in Padha Kaanikkai under the music of Viswanathan Ramamurthy}’and தாலாட்டுப்பாடி  தாயாக வேண்டும்,தாளாத  என்னாசைச் சின்னம்மா! in the mighty voice of TMS for the film Praptam, and

கண்ணே கலைமானே,கண்ணிண் மனியென, கண்டேன்  உனைநானே !

 was the scintillating lullaby sung by K.J.Yesudas for Balu Mahendra’s Mooraam Pirai ,under the unique composition of the music maestro Ilayaraja that showed Kamalahasan lulling the mentally unsound  heroine,{Sridevi} to go to sleep.Yesusudas sang the other mesmerizing lullaby,  இந்த பச்சைக்கிளிக்கொரு செவ்வந்திப்பூவில்தொட்டிலைக் கட்டிவைதேன்!  adding quality to MGR’s  one of the most valued films Needikku Thalaivanagu.The song was in fact a repeat of the one sung by  S.Varalakshmi who appeared as MGR’s mother in that film. Both Varalaksmi and Yesudas maintained the richness of the lyric and contributed meaningfully for the popularity and remembrance of that lullaby.

    A few fabulous lullabies from the archives of the melody queen P.Susheela are
கண்ணன் வருவான் கதை சொல்லுவான்,

வண்ண வண்ண தொட்டில்கட்டி தாலாட்டுவான் !

வலம்புரிச் சங்கெடுத்து பாலூட்டுவான் .{A.V.M’s Panjavarnakkili},’

அத்தைமடி மெத்தையடி ஆடிவிளையாடம்மா
ஆடும்வரை ஆடிவிட்டு அல்லிவிழி மூடம்மா  {Karpagam} and
காலமிது காலமிது கண்ணுறங்கு மகளே

காலமிதை தவறவிட்டால் தூக்கமில்லை மகளே !  {Chithi} 

both from the traditional film house of K.S.Gopalakrishnan. I would never say ‘no’to these lullabies as also to the immortal ,
செல்லக்கிளியே மெல்லப்பேசு,தென்றல் காற்றே  மெல்லவீசு!  sung  first in a mood of joy and later on the verge of sorrow,by the greatest mood tilting voice of TMS from ‘Petraalthaan Pillaiyaa’ the most qualitative film of MGR under the eminent direction of the duo Krishnan Panju. In a similar vein TMS sang the eternal melody செல்லக்கிளிகளாம் பள்ளியிலே செவ்வந்தி பூக்கலாம் தொட்டிலிலே என்கண்மணிகள் ஏன் தூங்கவில்லை delivered through the precise lip movement of Sivaji Ganesan for Enga Mama,the closest remake of Shammi Kapoor's Block buster Hindi film Brammachari. All these songs, I am sure will be the all time favourites of many film fans like me.

     The latest, most fascinating addition to the list of eternal Tamil film lullabies was the grandest lyric தூளியிலே ஆடவந்த வானத்து மின்விளக்கே ! sung meticulously and meritoriously by the silver tongued S.P.Balasubramanyam for the Silver Jubilee hit film, Chinna Thambi. No doubt, the film was a perfect addition to Tamil Cinema to warrant universal attention and unmatched audience support because it was a story of celebration of innocence transcending the conventional barriers of romance.Story line, direction, acting, music and comedy were all in perfect blend and the film was not found lacking in any aspect of variety entertainment. But beyond all this was Ilayaraja’s music and beyond the might of the maestro’s music ,was the scintillating voice of SPB singing this sterling song.
  Before I conclude,it should be said here that almost all sweet lullabies are embedded in striking similies and metaphors that enrich the poetic value of such genre of songs and make them live long.The two lyrically and aesthetically immortal lullabies in this category are,
  ''மலர்ந்தும் மலராத  பாதி மலர்போல வளரும் விழிவண்ணமே'' from the grand Sivaji Ganesan movie Paasamalar and

''தென்பாண்டிச் சீமையிலே தேரோடும் வீதியிலே மான்போல வந்தவனே'' from Kamalahasan's stupendous film Naayagan.

   I have included  here a few lasting lullabies, that keep enchanting my ears,longing for soul sustaining music. I am sure, I have not mentioned  all pleasing lullabies. My omission might be due to lapse of memory and inclusions are a mark of preference. It is certain that those who chance to view this page, will not frown upon me, for the chosen lullabies.

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