Kurai Onrum Illai

Kurai Onrum Illai (Tamil: குறை ஒன்றும் இல்லை, meaning No grievances have I) is a Tamil devotional song written by C. Rajagopalachari.[1] The song set in Carnatic music was written in gratitude to Hindu God (Venkateswara and Krishna visualised as one) and compassionate mother.

C. Rajagopalachari

Kurai Onrum Illai is one of the few songs written by Indian politician, freedom-fighter and Governor-General of India, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari. According to Gopalkrishna Gandhi the song is a euphemism for the bhakti of untouchables (also known as Adi Dravidars or Harijans or Panchama).[2]

The song was sung by M. S. Subbulakshmi in the Sri Venkateswara (Balaji) Pancharatna Mala LP-2 (Long Play Record) (1979/80). This song is unique because it does not assume the tone of devoted prayer as most Hindu devotional songs but one of thankfulness to God. The song comprises 3 stanzas each set in three different ragas.

Kurai Onrum Illai is a very popular song in South India and is a regular in most Carnatic concerts. It became very famous after it was sung by M. S. Subbulakshmi.

History

Rajagopalachari, or Rajaji as he was popularly known, was a religious Hindu and a devout Vaishnavite.[1][3] Apart from his illustrious political career, he is also known to have authored books on history, religion, politics and Hindu mythology.[3][4] His translations of the Ramayana and Mahabharata are considered classics[4] and are used by American universities as a part of their syllabus on "Oriental Studies".[3]

However, Rajaji is not a popular composer of Carnatic music and "Kurai Onrum Illai" is his sole Carnatic composition (with some help from Tamil scholar M.P.Somasundaram ( மீ.ப.சோமு) ) that has gained widespread recognition.[3][4] The song depicts his intense devotion to God.

The composition was published in the Tamil magazine Kalki in 1967. The song became popular after it was sung as one of the pieces in the Long Play Record set, known as Sri Venkateswara (Balaji) Pancharatnamala by M. S. Subbulakshmi in 1979/80. Since then, the song has been widely appreciated and sung in most Carnatic concerts.[3][5][6]

Explanation and interpretation

This composition by Rajaji is one of its kind, in the sense that the author does not elicit any favour from God but only maintains that he has no regrets or dissatisfaction about anything in life.[3] In this song, he regards both Lord Vishnu or Venkateswara of Tirupathi and his incarnation Lord Krishna to be one and the same and uses the names interchangeably.[3]

Rajaji's grandson Gopal Gandhi believes that there were multiple factors that led to the composition.[1] He also suspects the presence of hidden meanings in the song.[1] He believes that the song had been inspired by an incident which took place in the shrine of Tiruchanoor in 1925, when Rajaji had defended the right of an untouchable to enter the shrine of Tiruchanoor.[1] Gopal Gandhi believes that Rajaji compares the untouchable's inability to have a glimpse of his favorite God to his own inability to have a glimpse of the invisible creator.[1]

The same song was reused with slightly modified lyrics and instrumentation by Vidyasagar for the film Arai En 305-il Kadavul (2008).[7]

The song was used with telling effect in Mudal Mudal Mudal Varai (M3V) an International Award Winning Tamil film by Krishnan Seshadri Gomatam. Music was composed by Aslam Mustafa and the song sung by Ms. Jaya.

Notes
  1. "Rajaji's unknown collaborator". The Hindu. 22 December 2002.
  2. http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mag/2002/12/22/stories/2002122200220100.htm
  3. "Rajagopalachari". Chennai Online. 31 March 2004. Archived from the original on 25 January 2010.
  4. Kesavan, C. R. (2003). Unfolding Rajaji. East West Books (Madras). p. 49. ISBN 8188661104, ISBN 978-81-88661-10-7.
  5. Jeshi, K. (21 August 2004). "Song night". The Hindu.
  6. K. JAYANTHI, ASHA KRISHNAKUMAR (2004). "ENDURING MUSIC :M. S. Subbulakshmi 1916 - 2004". Frontline. 21 (26).
  7. http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-music-reviews/review-1/arai-music-review.html
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