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God’s Own Raaga_Ilayaraja Sir_The God of Music: 
It was 1993 or 1994, I do not remember exactly.  The first time I had an opportunity to see the God of Music in a live concert. It was a unique concert as it was Raja sir’s First Carnatic Vocal Concert which announced him officially as a Vaageyakkara – Vaak (Word), Geya (Musical), Kara (One who makes) that is a “Composer who is a Poet, Musician and Grammarian” – All in One.  Sri Thyagarajar, Sri Muthuswamy Dikshithar, Sri Syama Sasthri, Tansen, Papanasam Sivan are some of the most famous Vaggeyakkaras. 

There was a thundering standing ovation when Ilayaraja Sir entered the dais at Kamaraj Arangam, Chennai which had close to 2500 strong audience.  
Raja sir sung his Sanksrit Keerthana “Eka Dhantham” and we were told it was composed in a Raaga discovered by Raja sir which he had aptly named as “Raaja Lahari”. 

Arohanam & Avarohanam:
Sa Ri2 Ga3 Ma1 Pa Sa” 		Sa” Dha2 Ma1 Pa Ma1 Ga3 Ri2 Sa
Later in 1994, AVM released the album titled “Mandolin Srinivas plays Maestro Ilaiyaraaja's classics” which had the following accompaniments:

S.D. Sridar, violin; 
Guruvayur Durai, mruthangam; 
Madurai Srinivasan, ganjira;
 E.M. Subramaniam, ghatam; 
Sathyaveni Varalakshmi, Thambura

Listen to Mandolin U. Srinivas play Ekadhantham composed in Raaja Lahari Ragam by The God of Music. 

Note: The Audio CD which was initially released by AVM is now available in few shops at Chennai like AVM Sound Zone and the currently available CD has been released by Kosmik. The Audio CD has 5 Carnatic Compositions of Raja sir including Ekadhantham along with the speech of Late Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer who had consistently hailed Raja sir as a Genius Par Excellence. 

The soundcloud link features a portion of the covert art which was released in the first edition audio cassette in 1994 portraying Ilayaraja Sir as a traditional vaggeyakkara. I have the priceless cassette as part of my collection. 




God's Own Raga_Ilayaraja Sir_The God of Music

Movie Name : Sigaram
Cast : SPB, Anand Babu, Ramya Krishanan 
Music : SP. Balasubramaniam 
Direction : Anandu

Vannam Konda Vennilave ( SIGARAM )

Sundari Kannal
Thalapathi (1991)
Music : Ilayaraja
Singers : SP. Balasubramaniam, Janaki 
Lyrics : Vaali 

Sundari Kannal

Vaan nila - SP Balasubramaniam and MSV

Sangeetha Swarangal
Azhagan ( 1991 ) 
SP. Balasubramaniam, Sandhiya
Music by : M.M. Kreem
Directed by	Kailasam Balachander
Starring : Mammootty,Bhanupriya,Geetha,Madhoo Babloo



Sangeetha Swarangal

Agni Natchatiram - Thoongatha

Movie-Ninaivellam Nithya(1982)
Artist(s): SP. Balasubramaniam 
Lyricist: Vairamuthu 

Reused in Movie-Nee Neethaane En Ponvasantham(2012)

Sriram 1

sriramg