It is the 50th year of the iconic Ayyappan song ‘Harivarsanam’, which is played at the Sabarimala temple every night, as the last ritual of the day, at the concluding time. Sung by KJ Yesudas, the song. Was tuned by Devarajan, honor was honored as Devarajan as Master.
Devarajan naturally gravated for music. His father Parvur N. Kochu Govindan Asan, a famous Mrindangist and singer of his time, trained under Lea Wizard Pudukottai Dakshinamurthy Pillai. Govindan Asana ensured that Devarajan learned vocal, veena and mridangam. Devarajan’s first Karnataka concert was 17 years old and he soon became a busy musician with stage and radio concert.
With the aim of taking classical music for all, Devarajan Master set up several poems written by famous writers to tune and also included in his concerts programs. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Set to tune popular poems
Devarajan wanted classical music to reach everyone. Therefore, he called Owl Parameswaran Iyer, Kumaranasana, Changampuzha ji. Kumarapillai, Onav Kurup and P. Famous writers such as Bhaskaran prepared poems to tune, and include them in their concerts. He joined Kerala, Kerala People’s Arts Club (KPAC) famous drama troupe in Kerala. ‘Ponorval’, a song, which was tuned by Devarajan and sung for KPAC, also found a place in his concerts.
He entered cinema with a 1955 film Column maurunnuHis songs are popular, even after years of composing him. ‘Lehari Lehari’ (from the film Filled, 1962) And ‘Parakkum Thaligaiyil’ (from the film Manvati, 1964) There are unprovoked Jouni tunes. ‘Manwati’ A female script writer – Aswathy is the first Malayalam film with Mathen.
Innumerable styles
The background music of ‘Chumathiri Ende Ponelia’ (by singer Al Raghavan) suggests a tips of a raveler to waver. The ‘Kuttanadan Registration’ brings to your eyes, which is a frenzied rowing of the champkulam Vallam Kali (snake boat race) and a frenzied rowing of knife -knife boats through the backwatters of boats. Darbari Canada (film Nadi; 1969) is a painful raga ‘Ayiram Padasarangal’, which shows how powerful the emotional language of music can be.
The iconic Ayyappan song ‘Harivarsanam’, sung by Yasuda and tuned by Devarajan is still played at the Sabarimala temple every night. , Photo Credit: Sampat Kumar GP
‘Thiruparkadalil’ (from Tamil film Swami Ayyappan) There is a classic Bhairavi. ‘Cheti Mandaram Thulasi’ (in Raga Anandbhairavi) is a prayer for Guruvayurappan. This is an example of why sometimes it is less. Devarajan has used minimal musical instruments here, with flute prominent, ending the song with an ether quality.
‘Sangam Valarta Tamiz’ (from Tamil film Tulabram)) In Changeurutti, Punnagavaralali and Kavadichindu Mettu There is a mixture of classical and folk music. ‘Chandrakalabham’ (film Coatram wilkanundu) There is a salute for the Earth. And as Yasudas sings, “Is there any other place like this earth with such divine music?” No one can help think that it is a song written for Devarajan Master, which composed music for 343 Malayalam films and 12 Tamil films.
Classical raga in film songs
A student of Hindustani and Karnataka music, Navanith Annikrishnan, maintains a website on Devarajan, with the help of PJ Sebastian (as a main conductor for Devarajan) and Rex Isac (the chief violin player in his orchestra). Navinath says, “Master learned from Hindustani to PT. Krishnanand had learned before using Hindustani raga in film songs.” “I am amazed in such a way that he used Kedar raga in the song ‘Chakravarti’ without a mark of Hamirkalani. ‘Pottukuthan’ (Mia’s Malhar) is some of the raga-based songs.
Stalwarts
Devarajan Master with TM Soundarajan and RK Sekar during a recording. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Many musicians have played for their film songs, including Mridajistaguru Dorai and Madurai T. Srinivasan, Flotist N. Ramani and Prapancham Sethram, Violin player L. Subramaniam and L. Shankar, Venika Chittabbu, Sitlerist Janardan Mittar, Ghatam Khiladi. RK Shekar (father of AR Rahman) was a conductor in his orchestra and Ilaiyaraja played guitar and combo instruments for some of his songs. Devarajan Master composed music for about 2,221 (film and non-film) songs and wrote a book musicWhich is the study of all forms of classical music around the world. ,
Devarajan’s daughter, Sharmila, says, “If the song is asked to give a tune before it is ready, my father would refuse. He felt that it was unfair to the lyricist.” This, perhaps, describes chemistry that he shared with lyricist Vyler Ramvarma. Some of Devarajan’s best tunes were for his songs.
Sharmila says, “He will compose music between 2 pm and 4 pm, will come with three or more melodies and then sleep. She was remembered whenever he woke up.” “His argument was that if he could not remember a tune himself, the audience would not find it attractive.”
Sargeta Shastra NavasudhaYes. Book written by Devarajan. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Devarajan left an indelible mark in all the styles of music. He founded the songs of Shaktigarh songs, translated the major Indian ragas for cord progress and composed 162 centuries Pallavis, some of them were in Apoorva raga. At his 75th birthday celebrations in Kochi, his century Pallavi ‘Sarawana Bhava Guhen’ was performed in Shanmukhpriya by Mavalikkara Prabhakar Verma and his disciple Mawlikar Subramanam. After this, singer Krishnakumar presented his Pallavis. Krishnakumar says, “His century Pallavi, ‘Prapanodbhav Karrana’ (Raga Vinodini), in Sankern Jati Ata Taal, expresses his gratitude for his life,” Krishnakumar says. The master prepared some songs of Narayan Guru to tune, and 10 singers including me have presented him.
Paravur, Fine Arts Society, Devarajan Master Museum and Study-Independence Center in Kollam, are being established. The museum will give home to their musical instruments, in addition to its awards, song notation, gramophone, 78 RPM records and music.
Published – August 23, 2025 04:03 pm IST