Celebration through Music

Most of my blogs are based on music, cinema and books, because these three are the lifelines of my life. This blog is all about connecting music and the supreme power which is described by three letters as GOD. Songs and prayers have always co-existed. I have enjoyed the Christian hymns that were sung in our church and also the devotional songs on Lord Ayyapa and Guruvayoorapan.
Recently, I came across four songs which celebrated unbridled devotion and support to the supreme one. Music composer undoubtedly was A.R Rehaman and the movie is Jodha Akbar. I feel that the movie is all about celebration (religious sense), an ecstasy filled atmosphere where something is worshipped. There are two songs in the movie which celebrates something that is mundane i.e. Love for the Kingdom and the King and the emotion of love between Akbar and Jodha. The other two songs are purely devotional and they are my favorites.

The song Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah celebrates the magnificence of the Emperor Akbar. The crowd sings eulogies to him and refers to him as Shahenshah; they welcome him and enthrone him in their heart. The song is fast paced with the drum beat kind of reflecting the fact that Akbar is the heart throb of the people. The movie, as the title indicates also talks about the attraction that Akbar had towards Jodha Bhai and later it became mutual. Besides celebrating the oneness of Hindu-Muslim community, the movie celebrates love between individuals. The song Jashn-e-bahaara gives a musical expression to this universal emotion.

The other two songs which as I have mentioned before are my favs is pure classical music and one is sung by Rehaman himself. The song is Khwaja Mere Khwaja and it is based on Sufi rhythms. It begins in a humble & simple way and then gradually picks up tempo as if the song, singer and the listener are caught up in a trance like state. I am reminded of the dervishes who dance to the tunes of Rumi music. The song is meditative, melancholic and it speaks about the total surrender before the ultimate one. A.R Rehaman has got that pure magic in his voice which is so evident in the song Vellai Pukkal from the Tamil movie – Kannathil Muthamittal. The next song is Man Mohana sung by Bela Shende. She is a treat and I feel that she will dominate the Indian cinema when it comes to classical music. The voice is tantalizing and the lyrics penned by Javed Akhtar is meaningful. The song worships Shi Krishna and there is a stage in the song where she sings the Man Mohana in four different ways. WOW – that’s indeed a treat, amazing voice. God bless her…