M. S. Baburaj

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M. S. Baburaj
Birth nameMohammad Sabir Baburaj
Also known asBaburaj, Babukka
Born(1929-03-03)3 March 1929
Calicut, Malabar District, British India
(present day Kozhikode, Kerala, India)
Died7 October 1978(1978-10-07) (aged 49)
Genres Film score, Mappila songs
Occupation(s)
  • Composer
  • Singer
  • Instrumentalist
Instrument(s)Harmonium pump organ
Years active1957–1978

Mohammad Sabir Baburaj (3 March 1929 – 7 October 1978) was an Indian music composer. He is often credited for the renaissance of Malayalam film music. [1] Baburaj has rendered music to many evergreen Malayalam film songs. [2]

Contents

Early years

Baburaj was born on 3rd March 1929 [3] in Kozhikode, then known as Calicut. His early childhood was spent in destitution and poverty. His father, Jan Muhammed Khan, who was a Hindustani musician from Bengal who frequently held concerts in Kerala, deserted his Malayali mother when he was very young, and returned to his native Kolkata. Baburaj thus became fatherless, often singing songs in trains to make a living. But as luck would have it, a policeman, Kunjumuhammed (he was called Kunjumuhammed ika), an enthusiast of music from his native town of Kozhikode, noticing the boy's vocal talents, decided to virtually adopt him. [4] [5]

Music career

One of his greatest achievements was the introduction of Hindustani strains into Malayalam popular music. He successfully composed melodies based on Hindustani Ragas and blended Malayalam lyrics into them. Most of the lyrics were written by eminent Malayalam poets like P. Bhaskaran and Vayalar. [6]

Baburaj learned basic lessons of Hindustani music from his father from a very young age, but he could not learn it for long due to his father's demise.[ clarification needed ] In search of pure music, young Baburaj visited West Bengal, Mumbai and Sri Lanka. He learned to play the Harmonium during this period.

He came back to Kerala to a precarious existence. He sang on the streets of Kozhikode to earn his livelihood. Police constable Kunju Muhammed, [7] who was a fan of Baburaj's father, adopted him[ clarification needed ] and brought him up.

Later he started composing music for the Malayalam dramas in the Malabar region and thus slowly entered the field of music direction. In 1957, he composed music for the Malayalam film Minnaminungu, by Ramu Kariat, thus entering the Malayalam film industry. Then he worked with director P. Venu and composed classic songs like "Anuragaganam Pole", "Ezhuthiyatharanu Sujatha", and "Kalichirimaaratha Penne" for the film Udhyogastha (1967).

Baburaj was also an accomplished singer and harmonium player.

Baburaj died an early death, on 7 October 1978 at the age of 49. His death occurred in a general hospital in Madras, after suffering from a massive hemorrhagic stroke. He was survived by his wife and children.

Legacy

The Baburaj – P. Bhaskaran – Yesudas combination produced many of the most memorable Malayalam tunes of the 1960s and 1970s. Most of his classic duets were sung by P Leela, K. J. Yesudas and S. Janaki, each recording solo Baburaj compositions as well. Many of Baburaj's songs remain very popular in Kerala, with songs like "Oru Pushpam Maatram" frequently rendered on stage at various events. [8] [9] [10]

The Manorama Music company chanced upon an old audio cassette of Baburaj rendering some of his own compositions in a platform of friends' circle. The cassette named 'Baburaj Padunnu' was re-mixed and became an instant hit. [11] The tracks gave Kerala a rejuvenated taste of Baburaj's music with his unique style of soulful singing. [12] Though a successful composer, Baburaj was never a careerist, but kept his focus on his art. Today, various clubs and musical organisations conduct stage programs in honour of Baburaj ('Babukka' to his friends and acquaintances [13] ), and give the proceeds to his family. During his time, money was not easy to come by for artists, [14] and Baburaj never managed to earn much, dying in poverty. "Thrikkakkare theerthakkare" sung by P. Susheela in the 1978 film Yagaswam, directed by Hariharan, was his last recorded song. [15]

In 1983, Baburaj posthumously received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in Light Music category. [16]

Notable songs

Filmography

The list of Malayalam films for which songs were composed by Baburaj

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "The Magic of Baburaj". The Hindu . 30 April 2005. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  2. ↑ "'Pattupetti' tunes in to Baburaj". The Hindu . 27 October 2008. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  3. ↑
    Baburaj's Original Passport cites his birthday on 3 March 1929 BABURAJ PASSPORT.jpg
    Baburaj's Original Passport cites his birthday on 3 March 1929
  4. ↑ asianetnews (6 October 2012), Interview : VT Muralai (In memory of the late music director M.S. Baburaj), archived from the original on 11 October 2020, retrieved 27 September 2017
  5. ↑ Ibrahim Haroon (8 May 2010), M.S. Baburaj, The Mind and the Mith – part 1, archived from the original on 21 December 2021, retrieved 27 September 2017
  6. ↑ "Baburaj Mehfil to enthral music buffs". The New Indian Express. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2009.[ permanent dead link ]
  7. ↑ Kumar, P. K. Ajith (10 May 2016). "Baburaj, through his wife's eyes". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X. Archived from the original on 10 May 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  8. ↑ abdul khaise (16 March 2011), MS Baburaj Original Voice.flv, archived from the original on 23 November 2017, retrieved 27 September 2017
  9. ↑ Mathrubhumi Kappa TV (23 February 2017), Oru Pushpam – Akshaynath & Rishikesh – Moodtapes – Kappa TV, archived from the original on 11 October 2020, retrieved 27 September 2017
  10. ↑ nithyajith (29 June 2009), Idea Star Singer Season 4 Danny Oru pushpam mathram, archived from the original on 11 October 2020, retrieved 27 September 2017
  11. ↑ Baburaj Paadunnu, 1 January 2005, archived from the original on 28 September 2017, retrieved 27 September 2017
  12. ↑ Nair, Malini. "How Kerala came to embrace the unfamiliar musical genre of ghazals". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 20 December 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  13. ↑ "A journey in search of M.S. Baburaj". The Hindu . 22 August 2006. Archived from the original on 24 October 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  14. ↑ "Yesudas offers help to composer Baburaj's widow". The Times of India. 11 July 2002. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  15. ↑ Kumar, P. k Ajith (9 May 2016). "Baburaj, through his wife's eyes - the Hindu". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 10 May 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  16. ↑ "Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award: Light Music". Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

Sources

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