G. Devarajan
Encyclopedia
Paravoor Govindan Devarajan , popularly known as G. Devarajan or Devarajan master, was a noted Malayalam music composer, died on March 15, 2006 in Chennai
, at the age of 80.
He has scored music for more than three hundred Malayalam films
, many dramas, twenty Tamil
and four Kannada movies. Many of his compositions remain ever green classics in Malayalam. Besides, his music in the Tamil film 'Annai Velankanni' has received many accolades. Devarajan received Kerala
Government's Best Music Director award for five times, among other honours.
in Kerala
, Devarajan rendered his first classical concert
at the age of 18. He was soon attracted to the Communist movement
and decided to dedicate his creative energy for popular music
. He joined the once famous drama troupe of Kerala, the Kerala People's Arts Club
(KPAC). The work that brought him to limelight was the drama song titled Ponnarivaal ambiliyil kanneriyunnoole. KPAC and its members had a distinctive leaning towards the communist ideology, and their dramas did play a role in spreading the ideology among the Keralite masses. Through his compositions, Devarajan could cast an indelible imprint in the Malayali theatre arena, especially after the famous KPAC drama Ningalenne Communistaakki written by Thoppil Bhasi
in 1952.
in Chathurangam in 1959. His third movie - and the second with Vayalar - Bharya (1962) became a huge hit and made them a popular combination. His captivating music earned him pride of place among those who had relentlessly strived to earn a dignified status for film songs. His combination with Vayalar produced the golden era of Malayalam film music. Devarajan is remembered by legendary singers in Malayalam like K. J. Yesudas
and Jayachandran
as their Godfather. In fact, it was the magical compositions by him that brought laurels to the main singers of that age. Devarajan was at one point of time regarded as the doyen of Film music in South India. He was much feared and respected by all musicians and singers of that period, for his sound knowledge in Classical music. It might be due to this dominance he had over others that he was widely known as arrogant. But he enjoyed a royal status till his death among the music circles.
Devarajan was the one who used maximum number of raaga's in Malayalam film music. His music embraced different styles with the Carnatic
and Hindusthani
melody lines meeting folk idioms and western harmony. Despite being an atheist
, he composed brilliant devotional songs like Guruvayoor ambalanadayil,Chethi mandaram thulasi ,Nithya vishudhayam kanya mariyame etc. which are considered as classics in that genre. Also, he is particularly noted for his remarkable ability to blend the words of the lyrics with the mood of the situation, in his film song compositions. His compositions like Aayiram Padasarangal, Sanghupushpam, Sanyasini, Sanghamam, Chakravarthini, Chandrakalabham to name a few, surely come in as the best and the most popular songs in the Malayalam film music till now. Most of his hit songs were written by Vayalar Ramavarma and the combination of Vayalar-Devarajan-Yesudas was synonymous with beautiful songs. The Vayalar-Devarajan combine proved the most successful team till the death of Vayalar in the mid 1970s. Hundreds of songs contributed by the team are still part of Malayalis' nostalgia. Apart from Vayalar, he has also given tunes to the lyrics by other eminent poets and song writers like O. N. V. Kurup
, P. Bhaskaran
etc.
The name Devarajan master is remembered by Malayalam music lovers all over the world as the composer of deva raagas - divine melodies.
A complete work of Devarajan master Devageethikal composed by himself has released and the book is published by Authentic books.
Devarajan master died of a heart attack at his residence in Chennai
on March 15, 2006 at the age of 80. He was cremated with state honours in Paravur, his hometown.
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, at the age of 80.
He has scored music for more than three hundred Malayalam films
Malayalam cinema
The Cinema of Kerala or Malayalam cinema refers to the film industry in the Indian state of Kerala, which makes films in the Malayalam language. Malayalam movies typically portray social or family issues and are considered more realistic than films from other parts of India. Malayalam cinema has...
, many dramas, twenty Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
and four Kannada movies. Many of his compositions remain ever green classics in Malayalam. Besides, his music in the Tamil film 'Annai Velankanni' has received many accolades. Devarajan received Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
Government's Best Music Director award for five times, among other honours.
Early life
Born at Paravur, near KollamKollam
Kollam , often anglicized as ', is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. The city lies on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake on the Arabian sea coast and is situated about north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram...
in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, Devarajan rendered his first classical concert
Indian classical music
The origins of Indian classical music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. Indian classical music has also been significantly influenced by, or syncretised with, Indian folk music and Persian music. The Samaveda, one of the four Vedas, describes music...
at the age of 18. He was soon attracted to the Communist movement
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
and decided to dedicate his creative energy for popular music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
. He joined the once famous drama troupe of Kerala, the Kerala People's Arts Club
Kerala People's Arts Club
Kerala People's Arts Club is a theatre movement in Kerala, India. It was formed in the 1950s by a group of individuals having close ties with Left-wing politics parties of Kerala. This political theatre was very influential in propagating communist ideas in Kerala.In 1951 KPAC staged its first...
(KPAC). The work that brought him to limelight was the drama song titled Ponnarivaal ambiliyil kanneriyunnoole. KPAC and its members had a distinctive leaning towards the communist ideology, and their dramas did play a role in spreading the ideology among the Keralite masses. Through his compositions, Devarajan could cast an indelible imprint in the Malayali theatre arena, especially after the famous KPAC drama Ningalenne Communistaakki written by Thoppil Bhasi
Thoppil Bhasi
Thoppil Bhasi was a Malayalam playwright, screenwriter, and film director. He was associated with the communist movement in Kerala and his play Ningalenne Communistakki is considered to be a groundbreaking event in the history of Malayalam theatre.Thoppil Bhasi was born in Vallikunnam, a small...
in 1952.
Film career
The first movie for which he composed music was Kaalam Maarunnu (1955). He teamed up with poet-lyricist Vayalar RamavarmaVayalar Ramavarma
Vayalar Ramavarma , often known as Vayalar, was a modern Malayalam poet and lyricist. His famous works include Sargasangeetham, Mulankaadu, Padamudrakal, Aayisha, Oru Judas janikkunnu.-Biography:...
in Chathurangam in 1959. His third movie - and the second with Vayalar - Bharya (1962) became a huge hit and made them a popular combination. His captivating music earned him pride of place among those who had relentlessly strived to earn a dignified status for film songs. His combination with Vayalar produced the golden era of Malayalam film music. Devarajan is remembered by legendary singers in Malayalam like K. J. Yesudas
K. J. Yesudas
Kattassery Joseph Yesudas is an Indian classical musician and playback singer.Yesudas sings Indian classical, devotional, and popular music. He has recorded more than 50,000 songs in many languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya, Marathi, Punjabi,...
and Jayachandran
Jayachandran
Paliyath Jayachandran, popularly known as P. Jayachandran is an Indian playback singer. He has won one National Award, four Kerala State Awards and four Tamil Nadu State Awards. He has recorded songs in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi languages...
as their Godfather. In fact, it was the magical compositions by him that brought laurels to the main singers of that age. Devarajan was at one point of time regarded as the doyen of Film music in South India. He was much feared and respected by all musicians and singers of that period, for his sound knowledge in Classical music. It might be due to this dominance he had over others that he was widely known as arrogant. But he enjoyed a royal status till his death among the music circles.
Devarajan was the one who used maximum number of raaga's in Malayalam film music. His music embraced different styles with the Carnatic
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
and Hindusthani
Hindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
melody lines meeting folk idioms and western harmony. Despite being an atheist
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
, he composed brilliant devotional songs like Guruvayoor ambalanadayil,Chethi mandaram thulasi ,Nithya vishudhayam kanya mariyame etc. which are considered as classics in that genre. Also, he is particularly noted for his remarkable ability to blend the words of the lyrics with the mood of the situation, in his film song compositions. His compositions like Aayiram Padasarangal, Sanghupushpam, Sanyasini, Sanghamam, Chakravarthini, Chandrakalabham to name a few, surely come in as the best and the most popular songs in the Malayalam film music till now. Most of his hit songs were written by Vayalar Ramavarma and the combination of Vayalar-Devarajan-Yesudas was synonymous with beautiful songs. The Vayalar-Devarajan combine proved the most successful team till the death of Vayalar in the mid 1970s. Hundreds of songs contributed by the team are still part of Malayalis' nostalgia. Apart from Vayalar, he has also given tunes to the lyrics by other eminent poets and song writers like O. N. V. Kurup
O. N. V. Kurup
Ottaplakkal Nambiyadikkal Velu Kurup , popularly known as O. N. V. Kurup or simply O. N. V., is a Malayalam poet and lyricist from Kerala, India, who won Jnanpith Award,the highest literary award in India for the year 2007. He is considered one of the finest living lyrical poets in India. O. N....
, P. Bhaskaran
P. Bhaskaran
Pulloottupadathu Bhaskara Menon , better known as P. Bhaskaran, was a famous Malayalam poet and lyricist of Malayalam film songs. He penned more than 3000 songs for about 250 films. He also directed 44 Malayalam feature films and 3 documentaries, produced 6 feature films and acted in several movies...
etc.
The name Devarajan master is remembered by Malayalam music lovers all over the world as the composer of deva raagas - divine melodies.
A complete work of Devarajan master Devageethikal composed by himself has released and the book is published by Authentic books.
Devarajan master died of a heart attack at his residence in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
on March 15, 2006 at the age of 80. He was cremated with state honours in Paravur, his hometown.
Awards
Kerala State Film Awards:- 1969 - Best Music DirectorKerala State Film Award for Best Music DirectorThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Music Director winners:-Trivia:* In 1994, G. Devarajan returned all the awards won by him in protest against the jury who selected Berny-Ignatious for that year's award. According to Devarajan, none of the songs composed by the duo for Thenmavin Kombath were...
- 1970 - Best Music DirectorKerala State Film Award for Best Music DirectorThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Music Director winners:-Trivia:* In 1994, G. Devarajan returned all the awards won by him in protest against the jury who selected Berny-Ignatious for that year's award. According to Devarajan, none of the songs composed by the duo for Thenmavin Kombath were...
- Thriveni - 1972 - Best Music DirectorKerala State Film Award for Best Music DirectorThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Music Director winners:-Trivia:* In 1994, G. Devarajan returned all the awards won by him in protest against the jury who selected Berny-Ignatious for that year's award. According to Devarajan, none of the songs composed by the duo for Thenmavin Kombath were...
- 1985 - Best Music DirectorKerala State Film Award for Best Music DirectorThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Music Director winners:-Trivia:* In 1994, G. Devarajan returned all the awards won by him in protest against the jury who selected Berny-Ignatious for that year's award. According to Devarajan, none of the songs composed by the duo for Thenmavin Kombath were...
- 1991 - Best Background MusicKerala State Film Award for Best Background MusicThe Kerala State Film Award for Best Background Music Director winners:-References:***...
- YamanamYamanamYamanam is a 1992 Malayalam film, directed by Bharath Gopi, and starring Archana, Santha Devi, Syama and Nedumudi Venu.-Plot:A physically girl Ambili is restricted to a wheelchair because of a childhood attack of polio. Unable to move out of home, she has only to fantasize the exteriors...
- 1999 - Kerala State Film Award for Lifetime Achievement - J. C. DanielJ. C. DanielJ. C. Daniel was the first film-maker from Kerala, India. He produced, directed, wrote, photographed, edited and acted in the first film made in Kerala, named Vigathakumaran meaning the Lost Child. He also established the first film studio in Kerala, named The Travancore National Pictures. It was...
Lifetime Achievement Award from the Government of Kerala
External links
- Hindu online, Soaring on the wings of poetry
- Hindu online, Music from the heart
- Hindu online, Ode to a legend
- Songs Composed for Malayalam Movies
- Malayalam music orphaned - (Sunday Kaumudi)
- R.I.P. G. Devarajan Master
- Devarajan Master
- G Devarajan at MSI
- All 1702 songs of G Devarajan at MSI
- http://www.malayalasangeetham.info/php/createSongIndex.php?encode=utf&stype=song_start&stype2=movie&stype3=singers&stype4=musician&stype5=writers&stype6=raga&stype7=genre&stype8=year&stype9=clip_owners&stype10=videos_upl&stype11=lyrowner&stype12=lyrics_avail&stype13=clips&stype14=videos&stype15=state&stype16=comments&stype17=actors&stype19=mal_lyrics_avail&stype20=karaokes&stype21=notations&stype22=karaoke_owner&stype23=song_string&txt=&txt2=&txt3=&txt18=&txt4=G+Devarajan&txt5=Vayalar&txt6=&txt7=&txt8=&txt17=&txt23=&txt12=&txt19=&txt13=&txt14=&txt20=&txt21=&txt15=&txt16=&txt9=&txt10=&txt22=&txt11=&page_size=25&display_singer=on&display_movie=on&display_raga=on&display_musician=on&display_lyricist=on&display_year=on&display_preview=on&display_watch=on&submit=Find+Songs749 songs of Devarajan-Vayalar at MSI]