Isai Murasu Nagore, a famous Tamil Lyricist, Poet and Playback Singer, who was a legend during his lifetime and who, to this day, remains one of the greats of Tamil music, which has lately been grabbing headlines internationally – notably at the recent Hollywood’s Golden Globe and Oscar Awards.
I had never heard of Isai Murasu Nagore until my friend in Toronto, a staunch Mauritian-Tamil, who is as proud of his Tamil/Dravidian heritage as any Tamil I know, told me that I should find out more about Isai Murasu. He was a legend in his own right in Tamil Nadu, he stressed. Little wonder, I had never heard of him. In fact, in Northern India, he is ‘unknown’ as an artist.
He was a humble man, I would learn who, thanks to his gifted artistic talent, became a folk-hero. In fact, Isai Murasu Nagore was a poet, lyricist and musician, who sang about love and brotherhood. Indeed, although a devout Muslim by faith, his poetry was above the confines of religion. He was very broad-minded in his thinking and outlook and he ever-highlighted, in his compositions, love and understanding among his fellowmen and women. No wonder he was adulated as a poet with a universal message, and when he joined local politics, in the 1950s, the people of Tamil Nadu saw in him a natural folk-hero and leader and accepted him as such unreservedly. His song “Iraivanidam Kaiyenthungal” became a rallying cry and boosted the fortunes of his party “Dravida Munnetera Kazhagam”. Isai Murasu Nagore would be a prominent public figure in the state politics Tamil Nadu for some ten years.
and playback singer of renown of Tamil Nadu (1925-2015).
Isai Murasu Nagore’s full name was Isai Murasu Nagore Esmail Mohammed Hanifa. He was born in Nagore, Tamil Nadu, on December 25, 1925, and he died on April 08, 2015. He was an artist and a public figure who marked his generation with his artistic talents and message, which, combined with his humanity, made him look at the whole world as a stage that had no barriers of ethnicity, faith or religion and which, to him, were, in themselves, elements that enhance fraternity and sisterhood. So much so, he had fans and admirers in all sections of the community, irrespective of the fact, whether they were Tamils, Muslims, Hindus or Christians. People just admired him for who he was and for the universal message of love and peace that he wove beautifully in his compositions and which he delivered in his own inimitable “stentorian voice” that commanded respect and admiration. Isai Murasu Nagore was a people’s person and little wonder the common folks just adored him.
That popular love of the people for him showed up early when he joined state politics and led his party to victory. He stuck to his message of love, tolerance and good will, which still rings a chord with his countrymen. Isai Murasu Nagore is hailed as one of the greatest lyricists and singers of Tamil Nadu of all times. His influence on the present generations of Tamils, is beyond doubt. His records and CDs are still sold in the Music Stores in Tamil Nadu and his songs are played at public events and weddings often accompanied by loud choruses by his admirers.
India is a wonderful country with lots of contrasts and beauty – both physical and artistic. So much so, one remarkable fact an outsider like myself, notices about India – notably about South India, particularly in States like Tamil Nadu, Kerala and others in the region – is that one rarely hears of the kind of inter-communal dérapages or tensions.
Besides, the dargahs in the town of Nagore are a glowing proof of that bon voisinage, where Muslims, Hindus, Christians and others congregate daily to the shrine soliciting favours of the Muslim Sufi Saint. The Shrine – and there are many across Tamil Nadu as elsewhere in India – certainly does stand as a tangible symbol of peace, harmony and love as sung by stalwarts like Isai Murasu Nagore. The other great parallel one can draw with the Shrine of Nagore is the one in Ajmer, in Rajasthan, which also draw thousands of devotees from all faiths every day to his dargah.
As I have said before, I, for one, had not heard of Isai Murasu Nagore until my good friend from Toronto, mentioned him to me and thus sent me on a ‘voyage of discovery’.
“What was remarkable about Murasu is that he was ‘an institution by himself,’” my friend assured me. “If you can understand the Tamil language, you’ll know what I mean! I just love him and I’d like more and more people to know about him and listen to his songs and his universal message, which is for all time. He was a ‘prophet’ of love and compassion that the people of Tamil Nadu loved and admired.”
Indeed, Isai Murasu Nagore had a colourful life as a musician, a lyricist and a singer with a stint in Tamil Nadu’s politics, where he also left his mark. He collaborated with several well-known musicians and composers of the Tamil Nadu film industry.
He passed away in 2015 at the age of 89 but his memory lives on among his countless fans and his message of compassion, love and fellowship through his lyrics and songs. Isai Murasu Nagore was truly an icon of Tamil music in his own right. In fact, it is agreed, as one critic very nicely has put it: he was truly “one of the greatest and the most influential singers of South India and beyond.” Little wonder he still is as popular and revered in Tamil Nadu to-day as he was during his life time.
