குரு ரமண கீதம், guru ramana geetham

Sri Ramana Maharishi (1879-1950)

In the village of Thiruchuzhi, some thirty miles south of madurai, a boy

was born to Sundaram Aiyer and his wife Alagammal. The day was the

30th of December,and the time of birth auspicious, for the idol of

Nataraja, at that very moment, was re-entering the portal of the ancient

Thiruchuzhi Siva temple, after a ceremonies procession. The boy, named

Venkataraman, was destined to become Ramana Maharishi, the sage of

Arunachala.

Sundaram Aiyer died when the boy was twelve, and the family moved to

Madurai. Venkataraman was an ordinary lad known only for his

indifference to studies. However, when he was sixteen, a visit from an

elderly relative from Arunchala had a strange effect on him. He felt an

inexplicable urge to visit Thiruvannamalai, the hill range that housed the

temple of Arunchaleswar (Siva). Following that, a chance reading of

Sekkilarâs periyapuranam, a book about the lives of great Saiva Saints,

evoked a deep urge to follow a life of renunciation and spiritual search.

Soon after, when he was seventeen, he had an experience that changed

his life forever. At a moment when he was alone, he felt a great fear of

death. He overcome the feeling with extraordinary calm, by posing the

question: what does it mean to die? This led him to realization, achieved

in a flash, that only the body dies, whereas the spirit or true self, is

untouched by death. The same year, the young lad left home and

undertook the arduous journey to Thiruvannamalai, never to return.

Without any formal initiation into sanyasa, venkataraman took abode in the

great temple of Arunchaleswara. He sat in deep meditation, completely

oblivious of the ravages of hunger or vermin. And thus began the new life

of Ramana, the sage of Arunachala.

Moving out of temple, he lived in various spots, all located on the

Thiruvannamalai hills, including shrines, a mango grove, and a cave. His

family beseeched and failed to make him return home. Years later, his

mother donned ochre robes and came to live with him. Until her passing

away in 1922. Her tomb at the foot of Thiruvannamalai marks site of

Ramanasram. From the time Ramana arrived in Thiruvannamalai in 1896,

to the end of life, pilgrims came to him for solace, and scholars came for

enlightenment.

He spoke very little and yet, those who looked into his compassionate

eyes and experience his silence, felt calmed and blessed. His life

embodied total freedom from everything material, complete immersion in

his creator (Siva) and a supreme indifference to physical suffering. When

cancer invaded the body of Ramana, he remained calm and serene until

the end came on April 14, 1950. Pilgrims continue to flock and find solace

at Ramanashram, confirming what Ramana had learned when he was just

a lad: Only the body dies. The spirit of the sage of Arunachala lives on,

providing solace and enlightenment to true seekers.


Ilaiyaraja

Ilaiyaraja is considered a phenomenon for many reasons. He has

composed over 4000 songs and background music score for than 800

Indian films in 8 languages. Then, there is the pace and method, which

have become legendary. ilayarajas compositions outside of films have

also greatly enhanced his reputation, which peaked in 1993, when he

recorded a western classical Symphony with the Royal Philharmonic

Orchestra under the baton of John Scott. The symphony was written in

less than a month. Above all, there is the outstanding quality of the music

itself. Although his musical sensibility is anchored to a bedrock of

recognizable genres '" Indian folk, western classical and Indian classical '"

he has an uncanny ability to separate and unify theses genres at will.


Sri Ramana and Ilaiyaraja

In a world where the pursuit of fame and fortune drives most of humanity,

there are some, like Ilaiyaraja, who feel deeply unsettled when wealth and

renown engulf them. Unable to resolve the conflicts that beset him, the

composer turned to religion. This was in the early 1980s, when he shaved

his head, donned white and was transformed into a recluse.


Track 1
Chinna Paiyan Oruvan (A Young Lad)
The opening song of this anthology is, at once, an experience of

wonderment at the impact of Ramanas life on the composer, and

narration of the main events that transformed Ramana from a mere lad

into a great saint. It tells of how the young lad overcame the fear of death,

made the temple of Thiruvannamalai his abode and withstood physical

ravages in his quest for truth. When, ultimately cancer claimed the body

of the saint, his followers are left with this truth: Ramanaâs soul is

immortal and shines eternally as a guiding light atop Thiruvannamalai.

Track 2
En Ooru Shivapuram (My Place)
Ramana, the Saiva saint, regarded himself as the son of Siva, as does

Ilaiyaraja in this song. The composer asks himself what he is doing in

this world, and agonises over whether or not he will ever return to

his real home which is Sivapuram 'the other world. There he was

free to devote himself to the worship of Siva and free from bonds, joy, pain

and death. What was his purpose in this world? There is no satisfactory

answer.

Track 3
Ippirappil Enna Seithen (In This World)
In answer to the question what have I achieved in this world? the

composer admits that he has been caught up in worldly pursuits and

wiles. Unable to shun the evil or embrace the good, his life seems to be

one of missed opportunities. The only saving grace is his redemption by

Ramana.

Track 4
Ennai Kavarnthizuttha Ramana (Why Ramana?)
Ilaiyaraja invokes Ramanas palpable presence in Arunachala, and

justifies his feeling of devotion for the sage. Not only is he drawn by those

electrifying eyes, bt finds peace by simply gazing upon the spot where

Ramana sat, or by walking the trail that the saint walked . Reflecting upon

the spiritual growth attained by the sage of Arunchala, Ilaiyaraja

concludes that Ramana is peerless.

Track 5
Arunachala
The composer complaints to Arunchala (Shiva) that his favorite son

Ramana has not provided him salvation from worldly bonds. When other

devotees, even birds and beasts have found permanent repose in the

shadow of the saint, why was he being denied the same grace?

Track 6
Indroru Naal (Another Day)
As the days of his life go by, one by one, the composer realizes that the

best day of all would be the one that brings Ramanaâs grace. That day

would give his life true meaning. But there was no time to waste. Why

wait for tomorrow or today? This very moment is the right one, take refuge

at Ramanaâs feet and redeem the remaining days of his life.

Track 7
Annamalaiyaar Mel (Saints Of Annamalai)
In this prayer, Ilaiyaraja extols the supreme sanctity of Thiruvannamalai

by enumerating the Gods, Saints, Yogis and true seekers who have been

drawn to Arunachala. Those who are worldly including himself cannot find

a place in the haloed list. They are urged to pray ad receive the grace of

Arunachala.

Track 8
Enge Sendraalum (Wherever I go)
The sustaining and continuous presence of Ramana is felt by the

composer in the light of the moon. As the moon transforms the searing

heat of the sun into a cooling glow; savants like Ramana turn the

overpowering grace of god into a calming, soothing experience.

Track 9
Arul Thavazhum (Benign Grace)
This Prayer is in praise of Thiruvannamalai's capacity to bless all

devotees. Even those ignorant of the rules of proper worship need have no

fear; the physical and mental reqours of meditation, renunciation, and

self-realization are unnecessary. It is enough to contemplate

Thiruvannamalai, the home of immortal Ramana.


Track 10
Sri Mathru Bhuteshwari
The anthology concludes with a prayer in Sanskrit to Mathru Bhuteshwari,

the Divine mother. She is mother to Ramana and is the protector and

guiding light of the saintâs in Arunachala



All songs written (Tamil & Sanskrit), composed, arranged and produced

by Ilayaraja

All songs performed by Ilayaraja except Track No. 9 & 10