1. Thendral Vanthu Theendum Pothu (Tamil)
https://youtu.be/GrTxNulH6Gc?si=LjJq7KivwranOWj9
I first encountered this song when I was 22, fresh out of college. I was instantly captivated — the lyrics, the visuals, and the musical composition took my breath away.
It’s a masterclass in balance grandeur and simplicity in perfect symmetry.
The song captures the essence of life’s fleeting beauty, the vibrancy of emotions, and the deep, poetic love shared by the characters.
Ilayaraja’s voice adds an ethereal dimension, and the perfectly synchronized chorus makes this composition an enduring classic.
2. Ee Sundara Beladingala (Kannada)
https://youtu.be/UorUj8LNru8?si=TNl9g5M0VkUVcVxI
Whenever I listen to this song, it transports me back to being 17.
The raga, the shruti, and the divine voices of S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and K. S. Chitra make this song nothing short of timeless.
I listen to it multiple times a week it never loses its magic.
It’s not just the melody, but the bhava (emotional depth) with which it’s sung that makes it so unforgettable. The way the lyrics flow into the raga is sheer poetry.
3. Nagu Endide Manjina Bindu (Kannada)
https://youtu.be/ciUV-ppIjIU?si=LVUitgfCibWht3CO
I discovered this gem when I was 17.
The song felt like soft rain on a still lake gentle yet powerful.
Its delicate emotion, supported by soulful composition, introduced me to the subtle art of musical storytelling.
A melancholic beauty, it speaks volumes in silence and soothed the teenage ache of longing and wonder.
4. Ae Ajnabi (Hindi)
https://youtu.be/gga4bIVcA-A?si=sCSurwjs0moFRxuz
I first heard this song at 14 a tender age where everything feels intense and new.
It struck a chord deep within me. The haunting tune, combined with the longing in Udit Narayan’s voice, made me feel emotions I couldn’t yet name.
It introduced me to the concept of distance in love, and how beautifully music can express yearning without needing to say much.
5. Parvashanadenu (Kannada)
https://youtu.be/SKTQMWkimPQ?si=K0QpfL8CWFOZPkFx
This song came into my life when I was 10. At that age, I didn’t fully understand the lyrics, but I was enchanted by the melody.
As I grew older, the song grew with me. Now, I love it for its lyrical richness and the profound way it expresses love.
It’s a beautiful reminder of how music can evolve in meaning as we evolve in experience.
6. Tunturu (Kannada)
https://youtu.be/1xbsleFg3ls?si=0iub9N2LIuZ406jD
I first heard this song at 14, sung by two girls in my class Nisarga and Chandana.
Watching them sing with joy and devotion, savoring every syllable, was a revelation.
It felt like a divine moment as if the song was flowing through them from some sacred source.
Though it’s a female-oriented melody, its universal emotion makes it beloved by all.
That moment sparked my love for old Kannada songs perhaps from a quiet envy of the beautiful feeling they seemed to be immersed in.
7. My Heart Will Go On (English)
https://youtu.be/F2RnxZnubCM?si=8vX2jkqIFGV7kGK8
I encountered this iconic song at the age of 12.
Even then, its emotional depth touched me deeply.
The sense of eternal love, the feeling of loss wrapped in hope Celine Dion’s voice made the idea of love feel vast, like the ocean itself.
It was my first brush with a love song that felt both cinematic and deeply personal.
8. Kanaada Kadalige (Kannada)
https://youtu.be/n66FGCYtWBc?si=kW6zVJQBrvkiv1bQ
I was 15 when I stumbled upon this serene masterpiece.
The song has a calming, almost hypnotic quality it’s as though you’re being rocked gently by waves while staring into the horizon of your own thoughts.
The music evokes longing and surrender, and it became a companion during moments of quiet reflection.
9. Kele Cheluve (Kannada)
https://youtu.be/EM9Xlz9kFHw?si=Hlwx7HMNR7_2jDeV
At 17, this song found me or perhaps I found myself in it.
It felt like a gentle whisper into the soul. The vocals are filled with love and yearning, wrapped in the simplicity of poetic expression.
This song taught me that sometimes, stillness in music can be louder than grandeur.
10. Kanavae Kanavae (Tamil)
https://youtu.be/Q-_cu_78eIA?si=x-8FLXMB0BnbIt9e
I encountered this track at 22 the perfect age to understand it.
Anirudh’s voice, the hauntingly beautiful tune, and the lyrical depth made it unforgettable.
If you’ve ever experienced unrequited love, this song will speak directly to your soul.
Every note aches, and every word feels like a memory. It’s a song that makes every cell in your body feel the ache and beauty of love.
11. Satrangi Re (Hindi)
https://youtu.be/33cQdeFhNgU?si=zCOatmtpqAnDoOIj
This song came to me when I was 16 a time of curiosity, rebellion, and emotional intensity.
It painted love in all its colors, from desire to devotion to madness.
The layers of this song both musically and visually opened a new perspective on what artistic love could look like.
12. Tu Mile Dil Khile (Hindi)
https://youtu.be/jC1dHOCmGxo?si=p2c2t7dUbEM2CZEQ
I heard this when I was 16, and it immediately became a personal anthem for love and longing.
The softness of the melody and the soulful lyrics made me realize how music could mirror the heart’s deepest whispers.
It felt like an invitation to love raw, vulnerable, and completely open.
13. Piya Ghar Aavenge (Hindi)
https://youtu.be/JSLHveDmdjY?si=eiuZx3wvaEXo4DXl
At 25, this song arrived in my life like a quiet blessing.
It isn’t just music it’s prayer.
The depth, the emotion, and the divine quality of the voices make this track a spiritual experience.
It speaks of reunion, of waiting, of surrender it’s about love returning home.
14. Hotel California (English)
https://youtu.be/09839DpTctU?si=Om9PjezDUyAuhQGS
I was 14 when I first heard this classic.
At first, I was drawn to the melody. But as I matured, the lyrics started revealing hidden meanings of freedom, illusion, and the haunting nature of desire.
It’s a timeless piece that grows with you, and you keep discovering new layers, even years later.
15. Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely (English)
https://youtu.be/aBt8fN7mJNg?si=0NMiOx-wZgAxDkUN
This song reached me at 14 a time when emotions were intense but unarticulated.
The Backstreet Boys voiced the exact feeling of longing I couldn’t put into words.
It was my first encounter with loneliness in musical form a safe space to feel, to grieve, and to understand myself a little more.
