Oothukadu

For most people trained in Carnatic Music, he is just Oothukadu. For some, Oothukadu Bhagavathar. Very few identify him as Oothukadu Venkata Subbaiyer. And yet, if you have been in the South and heard any music at all, you have definitely heard "Alaipayuthe Kanna".. (I hope the connection is obvious- he was the composer.)

I am not going to go into the details of what a genius in composition he was- he used quite a few less known ragas in wonderful ways, he has composed in a variety of thalas, and has composed different types of songs (kavadi chindu, thillana, kirthanams etc).

I only want to talk about his sense of tunes and lyrics.

Tunes- Just think of a song like "Asainthadum Mayil Ondru Kandal" and the line..
"Oru padam vaithu maru padam thooki nindrada
Mayiliniragaada, Makara kuzhaiyada, Madivadanamaada,
Mayakum vizhiyaada, Malaranigalaada, Malarmagalum Paada,
Idhu kanavo ninaivo ena mana nirai munivarum magizhndu kondada" 
For those who think Carnatic music is boring, I can only say you have not listened to Oothukadu. The gamakams he used and the rhythm of the song, and the way the mood blends with the tune is amazing.

And look at the lyrics... the amount of alliteration and imagery that goes into those lines is mindblowing. Though if I must talk of alliteration, I must quote "Neeradasama Nila Krishna" (On a different note, this song is in the raga JayanthaShri) 'Naravara Sthuthi Roopa Vesha, Nava Vraja Yuvathi Samedha' and 'Makara kundala Dharitha Mahaniya Vesha, Sakala jana Muni Gana Samooha Mana moha, Karakataka karathala Jalajwalitha jaala"...
I have only one word for it- Wow!

Anyway, the really striking thing beyond use of language and music, is his poetry. The different emotions he thinks of in relation to Krishna- Instead of simply saying I surrender to you krishna Vasudeva Govinda Madhava and so on, he actually imagines how Gopikas and Radha would have thought.. He actually makes a Krishna materialize in front of you.. A dark blue skinned boy with curls of hair on his forehead, playing the flute mesmerizingly, charming everyone with his talk and his mysterious smile, surprising people with his adorably scandalous actions, and yet with the depth to grant us as philosophical a statement as the Bhagavad Gita.
Imagine a boy like that among a group of simple villager folk- "What can a mere woman do to resist that?" And Oothukadu captures the beauty of the feelings Krishna evokes in people around him. From the girl (Radha's friend) who tells her not to believe in that prince, (Andha maayan vaaku ellam man thindra vaay dhaane), to the devotee who feels that Krishna should be careful lest kan pattu poyividum, (not just that, unnai kaana varum adiyar EVARaayinum .. kann pattu ponaal manam punn pattu pogudhe!) to the different types of lovers- the lover who is tempted and is unable to control the heart, (on a different note, Arjuna says the same thing as Alaipayuthe kanna in his Chanchalam hi manah Krishna), the lover who is at the ecstasy of having found her perfect love and desires no more (Kurai edhum enakedhadi!), the lover who pines for her beloved and sees him in every object her eyes fall on.. -each has a story to tell.. .And Oothukadu gives each of their stories full justice... 
Of course, the best yet is "Thaiyalai keladi Undan paiyalai polave Indha vaiyagathil oru pillai Ammamma Naan kandadhillai!" .. But that song deserves a separate post.. 
Some other day....

P.S: Yes, I have not talked about non-krishna Oothukadu compositions.. I haven't heard too many, and of course, I love Krishna songs more than the others... And yes, I heard Sudha's rendering.. By far the best (even compared to MS and MLV who are lost too much in the technicalities and bhakthi to render the lost lover of krishna)