Aagaaya veNilaave tharai meedhu .. An Ageless melody

Arangetra Velai was a wonderful movie of the 80’s directed by Fazil. His partnership with Raja and Vaali is always the one to watch out for(till Kaatril varum geethame recently). Every music lover adores Aagaya Vennilave song for the sheer brilliance of the melody. What is even more interesting was the point made by Uma in one of the TV shows that the melody follows the 3/4 meter while the percussion is played in 4/4 meter both merging together at 12. Who else other than a genius like Raja could try this?

aagaaya veNilaave tharai meedhu vantha thEnO?
azhahaana aadai soodi arangerum veLai thAnO?
malar soodum koonthale mazhai kaala mEgamai kooda
uravAdum vizhigale iru veLLi meengaLai aada
aagaaya veNilaave tharai meedhu vantha thEnO?
azhahaana aadai sOdi arangerum veLai thAnO?

dEvaara santham koNdu dhinam paadum thendral
poovaaram soodikkoNdu thalai vaasal vanthathintru
thenpANdi mannan entru dhinam meani vaNNam kaNdu
madiyEri vaazhum peNNmai padiyEri vanthathintru
iLaneerum pAlum theanum idhazhOram vaanga vEndum
koduthaalum kaadhal thaabam kuraiyaamal eanga vendum
kadal pOntra Asaiyil madal vaazhai meani thaan Ada
nadu saama vezhaiyil nedu nEram nenjame kooda
(aagaaya veNilaave)

dEvaathi dEvar kootam thudhi pAdum deiva roopam
aadhaadhi dEsamengum oLi veesum kovil deepam
vaadaatha paarijaatham nadai pOdum vaNNa paadham
kELaatha vENu kaanam kiLi pechchi koottak koodum
adiyaaLin jeevan yeari adhihaaram seivathenna?
alangaara deva devi avadhaaram seivathenna?
isai veeNai vaaduthO idhamaana kaigaLil meetta
sudhiyOdu sErumO sugamAna rAgame kaatta
(aagaaya veNilaave)

KJY and Uma have given this number an unmistakable boost with their flawless rendition. These type of songs are typically made-to-taste for Jesudas who has a great command over classical music.

This song is based on Dharbari Kanada raga and the classicism in the song is too good even for the elite musicologists to wonder. Beautiful picturization, measured expressions by Prabhu, Revathi- this song is a delight to hear and watch. This number will be right among the best songs of Raja in my lists.

The bestest part I would pick in this number

iLaneerum pAlum theanum idhazhOram vaanga vEndum
koduthaalum kaadhal thaabam kuraiyaamal eanga vendum
kadal pOntra Asaiyil madal vaazhai meani thaan Ada
nadu saama vezhaiyil nedu nEram nenjame kooda

What do you need more than such songs to smile? An unbelievable number! It took more than a decade for another Dharbari kanada to stand along with this song.. Malare mounama from Karna.. For sure Vidyasagar would go bonkers at this song :) and I do too.. hail Raja !