Unveiling the Magic of Ilaiyaraaja's "Kaadhalin Deepam Ondru"

Imagine this scene: A legendary music composer is in the hospital, unwell. Doctors have strictly advised against working.But then, a film director walks in, demanding an urgent song. There's a big star's call sheet to honor, and the shoot has to happen. And the producer? None other than the man who gave the composer his first break, his Godfather. So, a song must be created.

His body might be weak, but his mind? That's always buzzing with ideas. Tunes are bubbling up, ready to burst! He can't pull out a harmonium – the doctor would scold him. So, he calls his assistant and, just by whistling, dictates the tune. He quickly jots down the orchestration on paper, and the song gets recorded.

Do you know what song this was? It was "Kaadhalin Deepam Ondru," the song that, for a whole generation, defined what a romantic song should be!

Kaadhalin Deepam Ondru's Enduring Appeal

The song featured in the 1984 film Thambikku Endha Ooru, directed by Rajasekar and produced by Panchu Arunachalam. It starred Superstar Rajinikanth, Madhavi, and Sulakshna. There isn't an 80s kid who wouldn't know this song. What's more, in this song, Superstar doesn't dance, he doesn't ride a horse, he doesn't perform frantic action sequences – he simply walks. Of course, even just standing still, he exudes style. But here, with that signature head shake, a sidelong glance, and a mischievous smile as he "sings" – it's still incredibly trending today! This was the song that made every young man imagine himself as Superstar, walking down the road, dreaming of his sweetheart.

While Superstar's style played a part in this song gaining immortality, the most important reasons are undoubtedly SPB's voice and Raja Sir's music. Let's now explore what Raja Sir did in this song to infuse it with such a deep romantic feel.

Raga Structure – The Soul of Charukesi

At the very core of "Kaadhalin Deepam Ondru" is the Carnatic raga Charukesi. Charukesi is the 26th Melakarta raga in the Carnatic system. This means it's a parent scale, a complete (Sampoorna) raga with all seven notes ascending and descending. For those who know their music, the scale is:

• Arohanam (Ascending): Sa Ri₂ Ga₃ Ma₁ Pa Dha₁ Ni₂ Sa

• Avarohanam (Descending): Sa Ni₂ Dha₁ Pa Ma₁ Ga₃ Ri₂ Sa

So what, you ask? Ragas aren't just notes. Each note has its own unique character, and ragas – as combinations of these notes – also have distinct moods and emotional flavors. Charukesi is a raga capable of expressing a wide range of intense emotions like devotion (Bhakthi), profound love, and longing (Aekkam). Just two weeks ago, when I discussed the song "Mayanginen Solla Thayaginen," we talked about how Raja Sir used Charukesi to convey both the pain of lost love and the adventure of new love. Similarly, in "Kaadhalin Deepam Ondru," Raja Sir uses the Charukesi raga in a unique way in the Pallavi (chorus) and then differently in the Charanams (verses), creating a distinct mood for the song.

Let's look at the Pallavi lyrics:

காதலின் தீபம் ஒன்று ஏற்றினாளே என் நெஞ்சில்

ஊடலில் வந்த சொந்தம் கூடலில் கண்ட இன்பம்

மயக்கம் என்ன காதல் வாழ்க!

Here, the hero is falling in love with a girl he's just met – this love is new to him. He's surprised that someone could enchant him like this. This is because initially, they were fighting – hence "a bond born from playful quarrels." He realizes their fights weren't real arguments, but a kind of attraction between them. So, he feels surprise, wonder, and the thrill of new love. All this needs to be conveyed in the Pallavi. Panchu Arunachalam penned these lyrics. As a disciple of Kannadasan, he beautifully described the quarrels and unions in simple Tamil. But surely, the tune was his inspiration, right? And what Raja Sir did with this tune is truly astonishing!

I mentioned Charukesi raga, right? Well, this Pallavi isn't a complete Charukesi. It's a partial Charukesi, because the notes Madhyamam (Ma) and Nishadam (Ni) are not used anywhere in the Pallavi. The usage only includes: Sa Ri Ga Pa Dha Sa, and Sa Dha Pa Ga Ri Sa. This specific combination even has its own name: Vaasanthi. If you remove Ma and Ni from Charukesi, you get Vaasanthi.

So, why did he compose the Pallavi in Vaasanthi?

Vaasanthi raga is excellent at capturing the feeling of "wonder" or "amazement." If you look at other songs Raja Sir composed in this raga, like "Adho Mega Oorvalam Ange" or "Paruvame Pudhiya Paadal Paadu," both convey a sense of wonder. Similarly, A.R. Rahman's "Kurukku Siruthavale" or Mellisai Mannar's "Anbu Nadamaadum Kalai Koodame" – all these songs capture that same emotion of wonder. So, to capture that very feeling, Raja Sir omitted two swaras from Charukesi and composed this Pallavi in Vaasanthi. The hero, walking alone in a hilly area, sings secretly to himself, "Kaadhal Vaazhga" (Long Live Love), filled with wonder about the girl who has completely captured his attention. And when SPB sings this, it's just something else... in "Kaadhal Vaazhga Hoi," there's a small chuckle... even in such low notes, his voice is beautiful. I talked about his vocal range in a previous video. And that opening humming... "aha aha aha..." (insert humming) – that's the hero's emotion too: "AHA! What a perfect match she is for me!"

In the Charanam, Raja Sir fully utilizes the complete Charukesi scale. Take the line "Netru pol indru illai, indru pol naalai illai…haan". The Madhyamam (Ma) makes its entry in "Indru poyi". Similarly, in "Ponnile Poovai Allum" , the Nishadam (Ni) also enters. (P D Ni D Ni S)

And that aalaap that comes after "Anbile Vaazhum Nenjil" – see how much longing there is! First, he's surprised by love, then he sings with yearning to reunite with his beloved. SPB just kills it here.

அன்பிலே வாழும் நெஞ்சில் ஆஆஆ…….

அன்பிலே வாழும் நெஞ்சில் ஆயிரம் பாடலே

ஒன்றுதான் எண்ணம் என்றால் உறவுதான் ராகமே

எண்ணம் யாவும் சொல்ல வா

In this, after singing "Ennam Yaavum," he transitions back to Vaasanthi for "Solla Vaa" to rejoin the Pallavi.

Some people might wonder why we need to look at this song from a raga angle. When we read literature, don't we enjoy its grammatical beauty? Even in poetry, we look at rhyme schemes (edhugai, monai) or wordplay (siledai). Similarly, there's immense joy in deconstructing and appreciating music. Western music enthusiasts might appreciate it through chord progressions. My understanding of grammar is through ragas, so I enjoy it that way and share it with you.

Orchestration & Arrangement – The Ilaiyaraaja Signature

The orchestra, which plays subtly in the song's opening to highlight SPB's voice, absolutely explodes in the interlude. You hear strings in a dialogue (1:00 - 1:05), followed by his favorite flute with strings backing (1:10 - 1:16).

You can also hear symphonic touches here (1:27 - 1:33). This interlude itself is in Vaasanthi; Charukesi only enters in the connector portion. In the visuals too, Madhavi would be shown during the interludes, suggesting the hero has realized his love, while she's still contemplating.

The second interlude is a bit different; Charukesi is present here. By now, the girl has also realized her love, and there's a yearning in her heart to see him. The guitar speaks here (2:31 - 2:35), followed by strings (2:51 - 2:56), which express the increasing intensity of that emotion.

When we dissect and appreciate it like this, its nuances become individually clear. But even if we just listen without all this analysis, that feeling of longing and romance still hits us – that's the power of music. And when you think that he conceived and wrote all this while sitting on a hospital bed, it fills us with even more wonder than the hero! It makes you want to sing, "Raja Vaazhga Hoi!"

So, what kind of impact does this song have on you? What's your favorite part of "Kaadhalin Deepam Ondru"? Let me know in the comments!

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