Thread by @MarioArul

Growing up in the 80s as Eelam Tamil refugees in rural Germany, our only connection to Tamil popular culture was Tamil Nadu’s movie industry. My parents had to go to this uncle’s house in another village, from which he ran a VHS racket to get movies and cassettes lol.

We were the 1st generation growing up in Germany. And for many Eelam Tamils in the diaspora, Ilayaraja’s music defined that era of forced displacement. From hearing it on the radio in Jaffna, to getting bootleg tapes from Nathan mama in Mettingen. His music travelled with us.

And as problematic as the Tamil cinema industry is..for many of us growing up isolated in villages, that was all we had in terms of a connection to the Tamil people outside our immediate families. So I want to pay tribute to those artists who gave us that - especially Ilayaraja

If you’ve ever travelled on a CTB bus in the homeland, you’ll know the nostalgia these songs evoke. So here is my Tamil CTB bus playlist, in no particular order. For the culture:

Puthu Puthu Arthangal: Guruvayurappa
SPB and Chitra

Geethanjali: Oru Jeevan
Ilayaraja himself and Chithra

Unnai Ninaichen Paaddu Padichen (1992): Ennai Thottu Allikonda

SPB, Swarnalatha

Rettai Vaal Kuruvi (1987): Raja raja cholan naan

KJ Yesudas

Muthal mariyathai (1985): Antha Nilaavethaan

Ilayaraja, Chitra

(We watched this as kids with our parents?!?)

Nadodi Thendral (1992): Maniye Manikuyile

Janaki, Mano

Solla thudikkuthu manasu (1988): Poove sempoove

KJ Yesudas

Mann vaasanai (1983): Poththi vaicha mallaigai mottu

Janaki, SPB

Paadum Paravaigal (1985, dubbed from Telugu): Keeravani

SPB, Janaki

Vaidhegi kaaththirunthaal (1984): Rasaththi unnai

P Jayachandran

Engal ooru paattukkaaran (1987): Shenbagame

Mano

உன் பாட்டுக்காரன் பாட்டு
உன்ன விட்டுப் போகாது 😊