Singing for the gods
K. PRADEEP
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T.S. Radhakrishnan's devotional album in Malayalam, `Harisri Prasadam,' was perhaps the first of its kind in Kerala.
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Photo: Mahesh Harilal
TUNES OF DEVOTION: T.S. Radhakrishnan.
The transformation was unbelievable. For eight years T.S. Radhakrishnan, in bell-bottomed trousers and long hair, played the guitar for `Hijackers,' a popular Western band. He had also played the drums for `Stone Age,' a group he had formed along with his friend K.V. Prasad.
One song, Radhakrishnan's first attempt at composing music, changed all this. Radhakrishnan rarely touches the guitar nowadays; Western music has been put on the back burner. He is now immersed in devotional music, a trend he began nearly 25 years back.
"There was nothing turbulent about this change, everything happened quite smoothly. It was like some power was guiding me. How else can I explain all the vicissitudes of my life?" asks Radhakrishnan.
This urge to sing was always there. Radhakrishnan even formed a ganamela group while in school and was the lead singer in it. But all the while there were indications of his preference for devotionals.
Link with devotionals
"Looking back yes, it was always there, this link with devotional music. Every evening, after school I used to be a regular at Bhoothanatha Bhajana Sanghom at Ernakulam Shiva Temple. This group does not exist today. But I make it a point to go there every day and sing on the first day of the holy month of Vrischikam."
Radhakrishnan, whose ganamela group was to sing at the Ernakulam Temple festival, wanted to have a new song to kick off the `big' event.
"Almost a year before this, Maharaja's College, where I was doing my graduation, was celebrating its centenary. The students planned to stage a play, inspired by the genre popularised by Kavalam Narayana Panikkar. That was the first time that I associated with R. K. Damodaran. The play was well received and our friendship grew. So, when I thought of a song for my ganamela I asked for Damodaran's help. He penned the lines `Chandrakala poochoodi... ,' I set it to music and it was sung by Kanhangad Ramachandran. That turned a big hit. It was then I began thinking seriously about music direction."
This song, along with 10 others, written by Damodaran, was included in the album `Harisri Prasadam,' (1980), perhaps the first devotional album in Malayalam.
"We had P. Jayachandran singing three songs. Among the others who sang in this album were Kanhagad Ramachandran, Kavalam Sreekumar, Junior Mehaboob and Usha Manoharan."
That was the beginning of a trend. Radhakrishnan has to his credit more than 150 devotional albums. Hehas the honour of having worked with almost all the leading singers and has the privilege of introducing singers like Biju Narayanan and Radhika Thilak.
"I have been fortunate to have singers from Dasettan to P. Leela, Susheela, Janaki, Jayachandran, Chitra, Hariharan and Manjari sing my songs. My only regret is not having S. P. Balasubramaniam sing one of them. In fact, nine tracks in Tamil, which were done for SPB, are ready. But the producer has not been able to carry the project ahead owing to some financial problems.
"Most of these great singers, especially Dasettan, remember to sing my compositions, for their concerts or other devotional programmes. This is ample reward for my work."
Music for films
Radhakrishnan had a short stint as a music director for films. He composed music for two films, `Ithirpukkal,' and `Geetham.'
"The films did not do well and so the songs went unnoticed. Now, after more than 20 years I have done the music for another film. The songs for the film `Valmeekam' has already been recorded. It has come out well."
In 1983, Radhakrishnan formed `Tyagabrahmmam,' a nine-member group that has performed in almost all the temples and pilgrim centres of India, as well as the Middle East and Africa.
"After my initial training in classical music from Kalyanasundaram Bhagavathar, for nearly two years I studied music under S. Ramanathan in Chennai. It was this revered guru who suggested that I name my troupe `Tyagabrahmmam.' With his blessings this group has flourished. In 1984, with the `Hijackers' I performed in Kenya. Recently, I was in Kenya again. This time it was with my devotional music group. That divine power still leads me."
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