M.D. Manoj, a teacher at Government Higher Secondary School, Mattummal, Athavanad, will have the most musical celebration of the Teachers Day on Tuesday. Perhaps there is no other teacher in Kerala who has interviewed more lyricists, music composers and singers, and authored more books on songs and musicians in Malayalam.
The three dozen books and scores of articles that he published stand testimony to his passion for Malayalam film songs. Holder of a doctorate in Malayalam, Mr. Manoj continues to write books on musicians. He is currently working on half a dozen books of different nature.
Most of his books, including the latest ones on composer Salil Choudhury and lyricist ONV Kurup, have been well received. The Life and Music of Salil Choudhury deals with the 100-odd songs that the Bengali musician contributed to Malayalam cinema. It is a treasure for the Malayali who loves Salil da.
So are Ee Malar Kanyakal and Aaro Madhuramai Padi Vilikkunnu, two seminal works on the songs of ONV Kurup, the late lyricist who displayed a paternal care towards Mr. Manoj. And his upcoming book on composer Ravi aka Bombay Ravi is expected to be a wider hit.
The 52-year-old teacher’s penchant for lyrical titles is evident from the names of his books: Mazhavillin Manikya Veena, Etho Janma Kalpanayil, Pattinte Vaisakha Pournami, Pattinorayiram Kilivathil, and Madhumalar Kalaminnu Hemantham. He has learnt the lyrics of thousands of Malayalam songs by heart, and he remembers who penned and tuned them.
“I used to listen to all Malayalam film songs from radio and cassette shops from childhood. I learned the lines by heart, and could reproduce them for friends. It was such a personal joy that later developed into a zestful passion,” says Mr. Manoj.
It was the adoration for composer Raveendran that made Mr. Manoj a writer about musicians and their songs. When Raveendran died in 2005, the heartbroken teacher took a pilgrimage to Kulathupuzha, the composer’s native village near Kollam.
“The intense pain and emotion I felt for Raveendran Master made me scribble an article, and that got published in a Malayalam journal. After that I thought I should write a book about him because there was so much to tell about him,” says Mr. Manoj.
With the support of many lyricists like ONV Kurup, Kaithapram and Kavalam, he published Raveendra Sangeetam. “But if am to publish that book now, it will be entirely different,” he says.
For Mr. Manoj, the birth and the way of a song is no matter of concern, but its soul is. “I don’t bother how and where a song is written. It doesn’t matter if a song is written on the bonnet of a car or on a cigarette packet. But it matters if the song has a soul that can penetrate the hearts of people.”
He has studied Salil Choudhary and his contemporary M.B. Sreenivasan closely. “Both were geniuses. Sreenivasan was a poetic composer, while Salil da was a man who preferred an array of musical instruments. When Sreenivasan gave music to lyrics, Salil da preferred the opposite. But both enjoy an unparallel beauty.” It was Mr. Manoj’s book on Sreenivasan that endeared him to ONV Kurup.
Shyama Sangeetam, his book on Salil Choudhury’s disciple, is perhaps the only one in Malayalam on musician Shyam.
Mr. Manoj is planning a sequel to his book Priyappetta Pattukal, a compilation of 100 favourite songs of 100 celebrities in Malayalam. His love of Khayam’s spiritual charm and Sufism may transform into a book soon.
He is working on a book on mridangam maestro Mavelikkara Krishnankutty Nair, an anthology on K.J. Yesudas, and a biography of M.K. Arjunan, with whom he spent many days.
“Since I was not a journalist, I didn’t have the habit of pushing myself, and I didn’t get the kind of access that writers and journalists would get. But I’m happy that I have access to almost all lyricists and musicians now,” says the prolific teacher.
