Moongil Thottam – A life changing composition that has emerged from the sea’s vast depth.

December 28, 2012

It has been a fortnight since “Kadal’s” music released and since then I’ve been devoting an overwhelming amount of time listening to “Moongil Thottam”. What initially seemed like an ordinary attraction has now become a fatal attraction. Do first impressions count? Well, “Moongil Thottam” had swept its charm on me from the start but this has happened to me with numerous songs and I’ve near enough forgotten some of these after two or three days of hearing them. “Moongil Thootam” on the other hand is still intact with my brain as well as my body.

When you approach someone you like, you initially are compelled by their looks and it is only after a while you realise what their personality is. This same logic can be applied to this song as the acoustics of this composition are its looks and the more you spend time with it, more and more magic is exposed from it. So, love at first sight doesn’t really exist because love is something that has to be sedimented into the core of an individual’s system. “Moongil Thottam” has been loyal to me the same way that I’ve been loyal to it and our bond just gets stronger and stronger every time.

When a day begins, depending on the situation, one can witness the sun’s rays casting a divine aura or one can witness a misty sensation thanks to the enigma of fog. Morning dew, Rain, etc. too give some sort of pleasure. When a day ends, it’s time to snuggle up with a cuppa, read a book, watch television, or listen to music.

At the present moment my day begins as well as ends with “Moongil Thottam”. This song exhibits a morning’s sun’s rays as well as the feeling of snuggling up with a cuppa. I can see a whole day in this song and this is definitely due to George and Keba Jeramiah’s Guitar, Sekar’s Chelo, Kiran’s flute and Rahman Ji’s Accordian. Yes, that’s it! It only took four instruments and singing to get me over the top excited about this duet.

We often hear people recommending other songs, stating that they’re fresh, breezy, soulful, easy on the ears, etc. “Moongil Thottam” is all of these but has a further X factor which can only be felt when heard.

The Guitar dons the role of unimaginable instruments and musical genres right in this song’s prelude. Only after a while, was I able to decipher the Waltz pattern in it hence it seems like Rahman Ji wanted to give birth to the composer and improviser inside us, the listeners. Though these instruments are not in the prelude, I’m hearing Strings, Harp, Horns, Timpani and a whole lot of other orchestral ensembles but when I come back to reality, I realise that nothing is there apart from a guitar.

Before I proceed, please visit these links –

Passage Suite – The Waltz (Lux Aeterna) – Classic Incantations and Kya Hai Mohabbat – Ekk Deewana Tha

The above songs are enough to prove Rahman Ji’s prowess in Waltz. “Moongil Thottam” though having the pattern of Waltz doesn’t really quite fit the rest of the sensibilities of this musical genre. However the second interlude tells us otherwise and it wonderfully displays an ethereal image.

It feels like snow is falling and a staircase to heaven is being built. They are various fairy tales which share an enchanted place where everyone is stress free and feels ecstatic. “Moongil Thottam’s” second interlude is exactly this and Rahman Ji uses this interlude to venture deep in to the listeners mind to plant the seeds of nirvana. He succeeds, succeeds and succeeds! Though on face value, the second interlude seems very Western Classical in its approach, I’m in fact getting a tribal sound from it. The percussion and choir presents this tribal atmosphere and its grandness vaguely shines through because the melodic instruments are gracefully more potent.

“Moongil Thottam” translates to Bamboo Garden! What is this Bamboo Garden? Is it heaven? I believe so!

Happy Listening!