Celebration of life. Review on Madhushala - Manna Dey

If you're connoisseur of good music, and good poetry, please, please, please get hold of this cassette, and, the text of Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan's epic poem, Madhushala. Of course, the precondition is that you understand hindi!

Madhushala, the album, is a unique combination of the poetic genius of Dr. Bachchan, the enigmatic voice of Manna Dey, and the subtle musical prowess of Jaidev, that translates into a spiritual experience for the listener.

Spiritual? Wait a minute! Isn't Madhushala that famous poem about, well, drinking? In a single word, NO!

The tragedy with subtlety is that, sometimes, it gets too subtle for the majority. Madhushala is a classic example. It gets celebrated as the defense of drinking, when the Arthur himself is never known to have touched the spirits. So what are these references to madiralay (pub), saki (the server of liquor), pyala (glass), haala/madira (liquor)? Through these symbolism, Dr. Bachchan ruminates over various aspects of life. Madhushala, then is the life (jeevan) itself. It really opens itself up to various interpretations. And it's a very subjective experience, to say the least.

Madhushala is a long poem. This album does not include all the couplets from the poem, but is a great compilation nonetheless. The album is divided into two parts, which have a distinctly different tone. The first part has the tone of a vivacious eager youth, while the second part is more like the introspection of a person, who has lived life to the fullest, and is unmoved now by the ephemeral joys and sorrows.

Manna Dey takes the poetry to a different plane, with the help of his divine voice. I cannot think of any other voice, even of that golden generation of hindi music, that could have done more justice to Madhushala. Incidentally, there is also a version of Madhushala, recited by Amitabh Bachchan. But I still haven't got hold of that one, despite an almost frantic effort to search for it, based on some strong recommendations. I cannot recommend that one though, as I haven't listened to it yet.

And I have to put in a word for Jaidev's music, which is composed with an understanding for the underlying meaning, and lets the beautiful lyrics take the center-stage.

Join in, in this celebration of life...