One song at a time: 35. Solla Solla Inikkudhadaa

It was like a ritual for me. I would take the local train on one of the second Saturdays and get down at Dayanannagar Station, close to which my friend Ranganathan used to live. Ranganathan was my class mate who used to be teased a lot in school due to his girth but once out of school we became thick friends in Junior College. One of main reasons was our love for music.

He was one of the few who owned a record player in those days due to his father also being a great music lover. So I used to go all the way to his house in that local train in order to listen to the records which he had. I now don't remember the records I heard at his place except for one, which was part of the ritual that I mentioned. That was the record of 'Kandan Karunai' and the last song that I always listened to before I left his house was 'Solla Solla Inikkudhada'.

'Kandan Karunai' had some lovely songs and it won its music director, K.V.Mahadevan, the National Award for music. The movie had the superb ragamalikai, "arupadai veedu konda", the delicious beauties in 'manam adaithen' and 'thiruparam kunrathil nee sirithaal'. Still it was 'solla solla inikkudhada' which captivated me and still does. A very short song. Sung by P.Susheela at her peak. Kannadasan's lyrics and a seemingly simple tune, which was the forte of Mahadevan. Only after listening to this song would I leave Ranganathan's house. 

Ranganathan moved to Chennai after his B.Tech. I lost touch with him and then hunted him down when I moved to Chennai. When I moved to Bangalore, I again lost touch with him!! That you can lose touch with someone seems a difficult thing to believe in this internet age given that even people you may not want to be in touch with become your 'Friends' in Facebook. I am sure I will ferret out Ranganathan from his lair soon. For whenever I hear the song of today, I cannot but help but think of him. (And also cannot help think that Savithri had seen better days!!! )