One Song at a time: 47. Jummandi Naadham
There were two ways to get to my school, St.Mary's, from Secunderabad Railway Station. One was the straightforward way crossing SPG school, taking right at Manohar theatre, crossing St.Francis School and taking left to reach my school. The other was a short cut. Who in his youth can resist a short cut? This was through a very very narrow lane behind SPG school, in the Regimental Bazar area. The lane had enough width for a couple of scooters to pass each other, or maybe not. The house on both sides had the traditional raised platform and very low roofs. The door size was such that any adult, whatever his height, had to enter respectfully. The houses were a two room affair and each house was joined to its neighbors at the hip. There was no gap between the house and after around 15 to 20 houses, the perpendicular road would provide the break, after which the house again stretched holding each other. There was no space for a compound wall and if an house did not have the platform outside, the front door would be adjoining the road. The road was not really a road but a path paved with shabad stones. The distance of this lane, with one road cutting it in the middle was around 200 mts at the most. And this was the route I always took during my walk to and from the school.
Till I arrived at the entrance of this lane in the morning, I would walk briskly. At the entrance I would almost always slow down my walk. I generally would arrive here around 8:30 or so in the morning and that would be the time when Vividh Bharathi would start broadcasting movie songs. And every, I mean every, house in this lane would have their radios tuned to Vividh Bharathi, the doors would be open and you could hear the songs clearly. When the sound faded from one radio you could pick it from the radio of the neighboring house. Most of the house didn't have the concept of volume control and their knob was always set on high. My pace through this lane would vary based on the song being played. If it was favorite song I would walk slowly, even stopping at certain points so as to listen to the complete song. The idea was to walk in such a way that I can hear the full song by the time I had crossed this lane and arrived at my school. (The evening though would be opposite. I use to rush through the lane so as to get home before 3:45pm, when the songs would started playing on Vividh Bharathi.)
One song in those days which invariably slowed down my progress was 'Jummandhi Naadham' from 'Siri Siri Muvva'. This was a 'hit' song and only someone who has lived in Hyderabad during those times can tell you the magnitude of that 'hit'. The song was on Vividh Bharathi's playlist on almost daily basis. So when I entered this lane and if there was an ad going on, I would pause, wait for the announcement of the song and if it was 'Jummandhi Naadham' I would crawl. I was so fascinated by the song that it was impossible for me even to leave a small piece of it behind. I had to finish listening to the song and only then would I worry about getting to school.
Before "Shankarabaranam' happened, the biggest hit of K.Vishwanath - K V Mahadevan combination was 'Siri Siri Muvva'. One of the early hits of Jayapradha. Vishwanath had this knack of making her look beautiful as in this movie and later in 'Sagara Sangamam'. The movie got made in Hindi as well, as 'Sargam', pairing Jayapradha with Rishikapoor. (Chandramohan did that role in Telugu.) "Sargam' was also a massive hit and was responsible for propelling Jayapradha to her North Indian stardom. 'Siri Siri Muvva' had superb songs. While 'Jhommandhi Naadham' was the biggest hit beyond doubt, other songs in this movie, 'andaniki andham', 'raa digi raa', 'evarikevaru e lokam lo' also got lot of air time and appreciation.
Some songs don't age well and as you grow older you may drop them off your favorite list. I can think of many such songs which I liked then and am not too keen on now. Luckily for me, 'Jhummandi Naadam' is enjoyable even now. A few reasons for that could be Susheela's superb voice, SPB accompanying her well, the words of Veturi. The way Veturi uses words loving in this song is a joy to behold.
A couple of years back when humming this song I suddenly realized that this song is based on Revathi. (Dr. Venugopal had also mentioned this in a comment of my earlier blog post.) Revathi is known more as a ragam which is in the 'shoka rasam' mode. In this song KVM converts it into a lovely melody and one doesn't hear any 'shokam' in this at all.
I have been around the Regimental Bazar area a few times but I have never been through this lane after I left school. I should try and walk through the lane in the morning hours. Music listening has become an intensely private affair after the coming of mp3 players. I honestly wish in this lane it is otherwise and the music continues to blare out of the radio in the morning hours. Whoever the resident of this small lane were, I record my gratitude to all of them here.
Comments
Did you think of this song yesterday (27th August)? Because- Revati is the 27th and the last star of the zodiac. In the modern thinking, Abhijit (Vega) is also there which increases the number to 28 and still Revati remains the last. That's why you have posted the song today. Well, why KVM (and of coure, Pugalendi) chose this raagam (Revati) for such a beautiful song of Veturi Sundara Rama Murty? Here the dancing girl is dumb and is imagining a new beginning in her life that makes all sounds of nature audible to her. Revati may be the last star but leads to a new beginning of Ashwini, the symbol of horse-power.
Oh, too much no? Good posting on the eve of Anna's victory and new beginning.
Your connect to this song with memories from back to school days.. and those short cut paths taken while listening to Vividhbharathi's streaming cine songs- all Pretty Nostalgic! We all do have such memories! don't we-? But who else can well compose and share such beautiful songs (of Sundara Rama Murthy, KV Mahadevan, K Vishwanath & Jayaprada's combo stuff) plus also snippets synonymous with those songs..? only you, Suresh.
Well written as always, and a nice song u chose to write. Did not know it's had origins of Revathi. Thanks for sharing.
It brought back
Honestly I did not know about Revathi at all. Your explanation is excellent and I wish I could say it was true :) As usual I post when I get time and it coincidentally happened on Rohini natshathiram !!!
I am sure even KVM Mama (and Pugazhendi) may not have thought of this in the way you have put. They would have been very happy to see your explanation!!
I am sure all of us have such memories of listening to songs. As I said, listening to songs was then a public affair. Nowadays no ones ear is unadorned. You can always find a headphone fixed to it, be it that you are in a bus or walking on the road.
I am sure you would have enjoyed this song too when it came out.
Fortunately, I too lived in Secunderabad during that time(and that too hardly a km away from the 'lanes' you have referred to).Even recently, I walked through the lanes(and of course saw 'our' school) and let me tell you that not much has changed there.
I can still feel the stench whenever I think of those lanes but rather than making me flinch, it makes me feel pleasant :).That is the beauty of nostalgia.
That was the time when KVM ruled the Telugu film music and I remember Subbudu's review about this movie where he said in his own inimitable way 'Mahadevanin isaiyil aavakkai vaadai adikkirathu.Adikkattum..nallathu thaan'!
A great immortal composition..
I have been going from near the school multiple times, almost whenever I go to Secunderabad. (Basically to avoid the Sangeeth Signal). Have also passed near St.Francis a couple of times but since I have always been on a two wheeler, never got into these bye lanes.
KVM adapted himself very well to Telugu and provided some wonderful songs which have become staples in Telugu film music folklore.
Nice song, and more than the song, your description of the lane and how music used to waft through the street was very nice. It also brought back memories of my childhood when there used to be a blast of music (all kinds from devotional to film) from very "loud" horn loudspeakers in my town for any functions/celebrations.. As you said, I can't remember of too many houses who will have their front door closed during day time, and music from their radios will be quite audible as you walk along. Only difference is that it used to be Ceylon's Tamil broadcast 90% of the time, which was hugely popular for their film music countdowns those days. Right now, even in an apartment it is hard to hear anything from a corridor (unless someone is having a party :))..
Thanks for taking the time to write and share these nice songs.
Best Regards,
N.R. Ramesh.
To many people in Tamil Nadu Radio Ceylon has been a major influence. Lots and lots of people still nostalgically remember those days.
As I said, nowadays music listening has become a very private affair after mp3 players, both standalone and in phones, have become available. Not much of public listening happens. That is one reason why I don't mind some loudspeaker blaring once in a while.