I lived most of my life in north India. But we had relatives in south. And we would go to south during summer. So south India was never alien to me.
Also I did my education in Coimbatore. I spent four years there.
Initially during engineering, I secretly loved only RDBurman, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Kalyanji Anandji, Ravindra Jain and others.
But gradually I started to love Ilayaraja songs. Probably he is the only music director who was able to blend folk type of songs for cinema so well. Anyway, that is what I liked about Ilayaraja. His folk type of songs. He was a genius and had a great variety. He was experimental too.
Ten favorite songs of Ilayaraja are
1. Poonkathave
2, En iniya pon nilave
3. Ithu oru pon malai
4. Madhura marikozhunthu
5. Rasaathi unnai kaanatha
6. Aracha santhanam
7. Mandram vantha
8. Kaadhal kavithaigal
9. Oru nallum unnai
10 En jeevan paduthu
Many of my blog friends down south may not know that I love his songs so much. And also the fact that I am able to recall them.
Good wishes to Ilayaraja sir. His music is way too far ahead when compared to the person Ilayaraja. And that is what I feel. And it is meant to be a compliment.
