I had totally forgotten all about this song and suddenly remembered it yesterday when listening to Sanjay’s Bhageshri RTP.  

Aaromale – Bhageshri, Shreya Ghoshal’s voice, the soothing instrumental background – takes my memories back in time. Back when it offered solace in times of gloom. Back when it simply pulled me into it totally that in those moments when I was listening to this song, it was just music and me and everything else was forgotten. Back when I discovered yet another facet of the raaga Bhageshri. Back when this was the only song that I kept listening to for hours together. Back when there were less confusions in life. Back when every moment of Bhageshri, Shreya’s voice and the soft instruments vying with each other to create an aura so beautiful seemed to effuse an eternal musical bliss and calmness.

Today when I listen to it after several months or maybe even a year, this beautiful Bhageshri piece sounds only more beautiful. More soulful. More soothing. Its effect on me still remains the same, though I am happy to say that there is no gloom around me now.

I wonder how I had even forgotten it all these days!

What a boring song with lines like kanji aari pochu which, by the way, sounds as though it is being recited and not sung and what is it with that sad, melancholic feel oozing out of this song making you too to feel dull? That was the feeling that remained even after a few days of listening to this song.

And then it finally happened today – suddenly the words sung as though in a soft whisper with full of longing and the soft, caressing, minimal music in the background seemed to seamlessly blend together to create a magic, a soothing, melancholic magic sans the feeling of gloominess. And not to forget that interlude with that lovely humming which suddenly has words and humming and chords coming together with the humming and the chords forming a nice backdrop for that non-dramatic-climatic high-pitched enga pona raasa which undergoes beautiful transitions to come back to the initial slow enga pona raasa.

I am now so fully drawn into this song that I just can’t stop listening to it!

Dear Rahman,

As you complete 20 years of composing music for films, I would like to thank you yet again for continuing to giving us such blissful and soul-stirring music that only you can. 20 years is no short time period and to me, from the carefree days of childhood to the big moment of embracing motherhood, it has always been your music which has been an important part of my life, a great companion all through.

Among innumerable happy memories associated with your music, THE most special moment happened last year. As I saw my just-born teeny-weeny baby lying next to me and sombal muruchufying the very first time, it was these beautiful lines made all the more beautiful by your music and voice that echoed through my mind:

malare sombal muritthu ezhugave
kuzhandai vizhikaTTume thaayin kadha kadhappil
ulagam vidiyaTTume piLLayin siru mudhal sirippil

Thank you for making the special moments of my life even more special and aiding me in tough times through your music.

As I often say, I am fortunate that I am able to experience your music. Here’s to more and more special songs from you! Proud to be your fan! Thank you, Rahman!

I finally listened to the songs of Rockstar today! After listening to all the songs once, I can’t stop listening to ‘The Dichotomy of Fame’ now. It starts as a kind of joyous tune and then goes on to evoke a whole gamut of emotions! Blissfully melancholic and bittersweet with a haunting aura to it, it is surely a sheer beauty! Am totally moved by the musical magic created by the guitar and Shehnai! Am moved by it so much that I couldn’t stop myself from coming out of the hibernation and writing about it here. It has been more than half an hour since I started listening to it on repeat mode and I still can’t get myself to move onto the next song!

I recently had to take up some certification. Which meant there was quite a bit of studying to do and that meant what else but having Rahman’s songs for company! The best part about studying for exams for the last several years has been experiencing not just the beauty, but also the motivating power of Rahman’s music! As I listened to song after song uninterrupted, as always, I was transported to that blissful, magical state which only Rahman’s music does and which you can only experience & not describe ever!
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