MSV Times | The Official Website of M.S.Viswanathan

MMM - MESMERIZING MELLISAI MANNAR
By Ramki

Right from my age 10, I used to enjoy film songs, though I never saw many movies at that time. Later when I was in school finals at Tirunelveli, I came to know that the songs I was enjoying were all MSV’s creations!

I started building collection of his songs from wherever it was available and for specific songs like ‘kavithaiyil ezhuthiya kaaviyathalaivi’ from Kaaviyathalaivi , ‘Azhagiya megangal vaanathil thirala’ from Ganga Gowri (and many more) I had to take great efforts to get them. Every song of his used to impress me in a unique way and every time I hear the song, I see a new dimension in it. The mesmerizing melody, music pre and interludes, the flawless flow delivery by singers and above all this genius’s creativity beyond the boundaries of any raaga - all these are possible only by MSV and none else.

I was longing to see this great creator atleast once in my life time and just walked into his house in mid eightees. I was amazed to see his simplicity and warmth with which I was received.

Sitting quietly on the park-bench of my apartment , after my routine morning walk (of course with MSV’s song on in my walkman - without which I never had a ‘complete’ day) I wonder how I got fascinated with MSV’s creations.

I went back to my childhood when I used to listen to a lot of film music (much against the ruling of elders not to listen to film music) in the ‘National Echo’ radio we used to have (mine used to be one of the very few privileged houses to own a radio those days). All songs from ‘Pa’ series films of Bheemsingh, Chithralaya Sridhar’s and many verteran directors mesmerized me from my childhood and to my greatest surprise I had understood during my school final days that they were all MSV’s.

I started filtering films and songs of only MSV from that point and started drenching in the mesmerizing melidies of mellisai mannar thereafter.

I recalled the college days when I used to enter the auditorium to watch MSV in action with his Orchestra once a year, of course with a forged ticket, since I could not afford a Rs.10 ticket then (which was too high a money for us in 60s) and it used to be a fascinating scene to watch MSV directing his troup to render all songs I liked most in my childhood. Some of his live renderings are evergreen in my mind:

- The title instrument music ‘Naalam naalam thirunaalam’, a song whose melody mesmerizes even today

- The rhythmic ‘paavai paavai thaan’ from ‘Enga mama’, where the bango interlude is unique. (I tried playing this in my college orchestra in vain !)

- Again a bango number ‘ Kankalukkenna kaaval illaiyo’ from ‘Nil gavani kathalee’

- A rich folk from ‘Raman Ethanai Ramanadi’, ‘Ammadi ponnukku thanga manasu’ -
(MSV ethanai MSVyadi !)

- ‘Aalayamaniyin osaiyai naan ketten’ from ‘Palum pazamum’ - a song which awakens midnight for dawn.

- The unique ‘Unnai thoduvathu iniyathu’ from ‘Utharavindri Ulle Vaa’ on instruments

- The way MSV used to introduce his orchestra members at the end of Thani Avarthanam of rhythms etc etc etc .

I always recall how songs like ‘Mayakkama kalakkama’ from Sumaithangi and 'Kalamagal Kanthirappal chinnayya' from Aanndajyothi had given such a featherly touch to my whenever I was worried!

I feel proud to be a crew member in creation of website on this ‘Avathara Purushar’ and I am sure this website will be a great treasure for generations, bring to light our Mellisai Mannar’s unmatchable contributions to music world.

Though a CIO and in the IT profession for the past 30 years, if I say only MSV moulded me to the level of what I am, it is just a blunt truth!

(More to come...)