Top melodies of Ilayaraja

Ilayaraja is my favorite musician and unarguably the greatest musician tamil cinema has ever or will ever have. Its is never easy to list or grade his songs for each one is different. I have tried to list some his unforgettable melodies.

1. Nillavae Vaa

Movie : Mouna Ragam

Singer : SPB

This song is an unforgettable one by the unforgettable duo S.P.B and Ilayaraja. You can hear this song forever and never get tired. And Mohan's acting in the song is so good, its his face that will be always remembered with the song. The sadness in the tune never really makes you to cry but leaves you with hope, just like the character in the film who is hopeful that he will win his wife's love.

2. Ithu oru pon malai pozhuthu, Poongathave Thal Thirayai

Movie: Nizhalgal

Singer: SPB

A gem of a song by S.P.B, the music is so refreshing and the lyric by Vairamuthu is like a perfect colored pearl. It’s an evergreen song, which always lifts my spirits. The visuals are wonderful too. All the songs in this film are beautiful, who can forget the harmony of the song “Poongathave Thal Thirayai”, especially the opening of the song or the white angels dancing in beach for the enjoyable “Madai Thiranthu”.


3. Thenpandi Seemaiyilae

Movie : Nayagan.

Singer : Ilayaraja

Although there are two renditions in the film, the one by Ilayaraja is soul stirring, whats more to say?

4. Chinna Thai Aval

Movie: Thalapathi

Singer : Janaki

The song leaves u moist eyed and wondering, the songs in this film are all different and very popular. I like the “Yamunai Attrile” one too ( But the singer's pronunciation of tamil is terrible).
5. Malaiyil yaaro Manadhodu pessa

Movie: Chathriyan

Singer: Swarna Latha

This song is too good…………..and the voice of Swarnalatha is pure gold.

Every song of Ilayaraja is special and I will not be able to stop myself if I keep on commenting like this so will hereafter only mention them.

6. Karpoora Bommai Ondu
7. En eniya pon nilave
8. Poonthalir Adda
9. Kathalin Deepan Ondru
10. Kathal Oviyam

The Waiting Period

"The Waiting Period" book is authored by Eugenie Price, and is a romance (rather a staid one) in the times before the American civil war period. The book is not very compelling, but offers valuable insights into the thinking of the women of that era. And offers the other side of the story (The story of the southeners). One thing i like the most in the book is the friendship between the lead character and the her maid.

Its a good read.

The Shell Seekers

The last book I read was called "The Shell Seekers" by Rosamunde Pilcher’s. I picked the book from a junk store for thirty rupees. I had read a story of Pilcher earlier and found it refreshing; hence I bought this book even when the back cover synopsis didn’t offer anything exiting. (Read happy endings, Romantic, Thrilling...). Well, the book was a beautiful surprise! I didn’t get that feeling until I was introduced to some three characters in the book. Then it became so overwhelmingly life like. There are few books that present humans as humans, they either portray a character as good, bad or grey but never show them in their skin. This book does that. All the characters are so real.  The book revolves around "The Shell Seekers" ,a painting which has suddenly become very valuable and its owner - the daughter of the painter himself. It’s a common story of how the children conspire to get their mother's inheritance, but told from heart.  The common perception of the children, that there parents should only take care of their wellbeing, should provide her possessions only to them is brought out with the portrayal of the Nancy and Noel. They being the eldest and youngest children of Penelope Keeling desperately want their mother’s money for various reasons. Nancy's character is particularly real, a women who was once pretty and never satisfied. Noel’s character is that of an opportunist, a kind who spend more time thinking how to use other’s resources than thinking of earning them. Penelope's second child Olivia's character is fairly normal, the independent career woman. However, she is too independent and has no two way about it. She dabbles in a relationship (with Cosmo) and at that point you wonder she will become another of those “career woman who gave all for real love” type. But she is too practical minded for that to happen. She is willing to help the daughter of a man she loved, but not at the price of her privacy and independence.Initially, I thought of Penelope's character as boring and normal and I was wrong. She has a flashback dating to World War II (And the predictable affair too...) but what makes the character admirable is her outlook. She takes practical decisions, but her thinking is advanced. Her decision to go back to her roots, her decision to help Antonia and Danus are all are all admirable and makes her strong. I was not help but feel that she was the almost ideal mother, a kind who gives only so much to her children, and lets them acquire the rest (both in character and wealth). She is unhappy the way her children turn out, but not to the extent of chiding them for it, she in a way accepts them as they are. She wants them to treat her as a person and treats them as individuals. She strongly reminded me of a person I have met in real life, an old woman who lived near my grandmother’s house.All in the entire book was a very very satisfying read; it gave me a feeling of serene feeling when I finished it. Even the predictable flashback with Richard was not bad. (Considering the tragedy that Richard dies in the war..)

I am blogging too.....

I am a serious reader, but not a serious writer. Thought its high time i start writing.