# L. R. Eswari

Lourde-Mary Rajeswari, better known as L. R. Eswari, is an Indian playback singer who has sung many songs in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Tulu and English. She was awarded with the Kalaimamani, an award for arts and culture in Tamil Nadu, for her contributions to the film industry.

## Early Life

She was born in Chennai into a Roman Catholic family to Anthony Devraj and Regina Mary Nirmala. Her ancestors were from Paramagudi near Madurai. Her full name is Lourde-Mary Rajeshwari. Since there was already another established singer with the name of M.S.Rajeshwari her name was abbreivated into L.R.Eshwari. She did not have any formal training in singing. Her mother was a chorus singer in films. Eshwari used to accompany her mother to the studios and soon began singing in the chorus herself, but quickly got a break to lend her voice as lead-singer. Her first break came from Sri K.V.Mahadevan in 1958 in the movie ‘Periya Idaththu Sammandham’, her first solo song recorded in this movie was ‘ivarey thaan avarey’. But major recognition came from the song ‘vaarai en thozhi vaaraayo’ from the movie ‘paasa malar’ (1961) sung under the baton of Viswanathan-Ramamurthy, which composers explored and exploited her vocal abilities to the maximum extent possible over the next 20 years.

## Career

L.R Eswari gave her first song "Inbanaalidhe Idhayam Kaanudhe" for the movie Manohara(1954) along with Jikki. She sang under the direction of famous composers like M. S. Viswanathan, T.K. Ramamoorthy, K. V. Mahadevan, Veda, V. Kumar, Shankar-Ganesh, G. K. Venkatesh and Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan. Her voice was considered to be suited for peppy numbers in the movies.
She has also recorded many devotional albums in praise of the Goddess Amman. She sang Christmas songs like "Varuvai Varuvai" and "Deivam Thantha Divya Kumaaran". She has won the Kalaimamani Award and other state awards.
P. Susheela and she sang with Unadhu Malar, Chiththira Poovizhi, Ninaithaal Sirippu, and Thoodhu Sella. She sang a duet "Gudilona Naa Swamy Koluvai Unnadu" with S. Janaki in the Telugu movie Idalokam, with music by Chakravarthy. She rendered several duets with S. Janaki in Kannada movies as well.
She sang various duets with Ghantasala, in the Telugu doyen in his own music direction in the Telugu movie Pandava Vana Vaasam, and in K. V. Mahadevan's music direction in Prema Nagar, T. M. Soundararajan, A. L. Raghavan, P. B. Sreenivas, S.P. Balasubramaniam, K. J. Yesudas, J. P. Chandrababu, C. S. Jayaraman, S. C. Krishnan, Thiruchi Loganathan, A. M. Rajah, Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Malaysia Vasudevan, and Jayachandran. She also sang duets with female singers, most notably with P. Suseela, S. Janaki, Vani Jayaram, K. Jamuna Rani, M. S. Rajeswari and Soolamangalam Rajalakshmi.
She sang "Kanda kanmaniye ammana araginiye o raja", a Kannada song for the movie "Balanagamma" in the early 1960s.

## Re-entry

After a long break, she made her re-entry through a rocky peppy Tamil song, "Kalasala Kalasala", in the 2011 movie Osthe, starring Silambarasan. She sang the song "Naa Poondamallida" in the film Thadaiyara Thaakka in the following year. She has also recently sang a Kannada song for the movie Victory, named "Yakka Nin Magalu Nanage", with Kailash Kher. In 2013, she sang a duet song called "Thagadu Thagadu" along with T. Rajendar in the movie Arya Surya. In 2014, she sang the song "Jaipuril Jaipuril" in the movie Athithi, with music by Bharadwaj. In 2020, she sung a song for the film Mookuthi Amman named "Aadi Kuthu".

## Notable songs
### Tamil songs

| Song | Film |
| "Muthukulikka Vareegala" | Anubavi Raja Anubavi |
| "Thagadu Thagadu" | Arya Surya |
| "Kaveri Thanniyil Kulichavadi" | Aayiram Poi |
| "Saaya Veeti" | Paava Mannippu |
| "Mappillai Ragasiyam" | Arangketram |
| "Adi Ennadi Ulagam " | Aval Oru Thodar Kathai |
| "Enna Solla Enna Solla" | Babu |
| "Kangalum Kavadi" | Enga Vittu Pillai |
| "Puthi Sigamani" | Iruvar Ullam |
| "Chithirai Poovizhi" | Ithayathil Nee |
| "Yenna Poruthamadi" | Kanavan |
| "Aadavaralaam Aada Varalaam" | Karuppu Panam |
| "Malarendra Mugam Indru" | Kaadhalikka Neramillai |
| "Enthan Nenjam Yaarai" | Kathalithal Pothuma |
| "Kathal Penney" | Kathalithal Pothuma |
| "Maapillai Vanthan" | Kaveriyin Kanavan |
| "Poottale Unnaiyum" | Lakshmi Kalyanam |
| "Avala Ivala" | Mannathi Mannan |
| "Aval Oru Kathanayagi" | Moondru Mudichu |
| "Singapore Machan" | Naam Moovar |
| "Pirantha Idam Thedi" | Naan Aanaiyittal |
| "Dhukkaththilum" | Nalla Idathu Sammantham |
| "Oh Lakshmi" | Neela Vanam |
| "Nee Ninaithal" | Nilave Nee Satchi |
| "Inimai Niraintha Ulagam" | Ninaithale Inikkum |
| "Naam Oruvarai Oruvar" | Oruvar |
| "En Vaalibam Ennum Mahligaiyil" | Paalkudam |
| "Vaarayo Thozhi" | Paasa Malar |
| "Sonnathellam Nadanthiduma" | Padha Kaanikkai |
| "Ithazhai Virithathu Roja" | Pattanathil Bootham |
| "Kaalgal Nindrathu" | Poojaikku Vantha Malar |
| "Ithu Margazhi Matham" | Praptham |
| "Sala Sala Kathottam" | Praptham |
| "Raja Veetu Pennanalum" | Raja Veetu Pillai |
| "Manamagale Marumagale" | Saradha |
| "Lilli Lali Jimmy" | Selvam |
| "Vennila Mugam" | Selvamagal |
| "Naanoru Kaathal" | Thavapudhalavan |
| "Pennai Parthum" | Shanthi Nilayam |
| "Pushpa Raagam" | Thani Kudithanam |
| "Kulunga Kulunga" | Kai Koduttha Dheivam |
| "Nenaithen unnai" | Thangai |
| "Nurandu Kalam Vazhga" | Pesum Dheivam |
| "Raja rajasri Rani" | Ooty Varai Uravu |
| "Kadavul Thantha" | Iru Malargal |
| "Engal Kalyanam" | Galatta Kalyanam |
| "Uraviniel Fivety Fivety" | Galatta Kalyanam |
| "Munthi Munthi Vinayaganeya" | En Thambi |
| "Sakthi Thannadu" | Thanga Surangam |
| "Nadhieya Madhuvanal" | Thanga Surangam |
| "Muthamidum Neram" | Sivandha Mann |
| "Pattathu rani" | Sivandha Mann |
| "Pathu pathinaru" | Anjal Petti 520 |
| "Adhi Manithan" | Anjal Petti 520 |
| "Hei" | Anbalippu |
| "Kottai Mathir Mele" | Thirudan |
| "Ninaitha padi" | Thirudan |
| "Soragam Pakkathil" | Enga Mama |
| "Ithuthan eanathu" | Vilaiyaattu Pillai |
| "My ledy kad body" | Vietnam Veedu |
| "Unga Nalla manasukku" | Ethiroli |
| "Kalyanama Kalyanam" | Ethiroli |
| "Hello miss" | Engirundho Vandhaal |
| "Nalu kalu sir" | Sorgam |
| "Ivalavuthan Ulagam" | Ulagam Ivalavuthan |
| "Ada Sarithan Podi" | Uyira Maanama |
| "Savale Samali" | Uyira Maanama |
| "Enge Enge En Manathu" | Vaaliba Virunthu |
| "Ammamma Kannathil Kannam" | Vallavan Oruvan |
| "Palinginal Oru Mahligai" | Vallavan Oruvan |
| "Kathodhuthan Naan" | Velli Vizha |
| "Allipanthal Kaalgal" | Vennira Aadai |
| "Nee Emppathenna" | Vennira Aadai |
| "Pondamalli" | Thadaiyara Thaakka |
| "Kalasala Kalasala" | Osthe |
| "Ranipettai Rani" | Tamilselvanum Kalaiselviyum |
| "Elantha Palam" | Panama Pasama |
| "Aadi Kuththu" | Mookuthi Amman |

### Telugu songs

| Year | Film | Song |
| 1965 | Pandava Vanavasam | "Mogali Rekula Sigadaana" |
| 1967 | Ummadi Kutumbam | "Jigi Jigi Jigelumannadi Chinnadi" |
| 1968 | Bandipotu Dongalu | "Gandara Ganda Soggadivanta" | 1969 Pratheekaram (Sree Radhakrishna Praductions - Producer & Director - M.Nageswara Rao. Naa choope Pilupura... aa choope kaipuraa | 1970 | Kathanayika Molla | "Naane Cheluve Kannadiki" |
| 1970 | Lakshmi Kataksham | "Andala Bommanu Nenu Chelikada" |
| 1971 | Prema Nagar | "Le Le Le Naa Raaja" |
| 1971 | Amma Maata | "Mayadari Sinnodu" |
| 1972 | Tata Manavadu | "Nookalammani Nene Nee Peekani Nokkettane" |
| 1973 | Devudu Chesina Manushulu | "Masaka Masaka Cheekatilo" |
| 1973 | Jeevana Tarangalu | "Nandamaya Garuda Nandamaya" |
| 1974 | Nippulanti Manishi | "Welcome Swagatam Chesta Ninne Paravasam" |
| 1976 | Anthuleni Katha | "Are Emiti Lokam" |
| 1978 | Maro Charitra | "Bhale Bhale Magadivoi Bangaru Naasaamivoi" |
| 1978 | Pranam Khareedu | "Bandameeda Undi Gundodi Debba" |
| 1979 | Andamaina Anubhavam | "Ananda Thandavame Adenuga Aa Sivudu" |

### Malayalam songs

| Year | Film | Song |
| 1964 | Althaara | "Onathumpee vannaatte" |
| 1964 | Bharthavu | "Kaakkakuyile Cholloo" |
| 1964 | Kuttikkuppayam | "Oru Kotta" |
| 1965 | Rosi | "Kannilenthaanu " |
| 1965 | Subaidha | "Oru Kudukka " |
| 1966 | Anarkali | "Chakravarthikumaaraa" |
| 1966 | Archana | "Ethra Kandaalum" |
| 1968 | Hotel High Range | "Puthiya raagam puthiya thaalam " |
| 1968 | Velutha Kathreena | "Kannil Kaamabanam " |
| 1970 | Dathuputhran | "Wine Glass" |
| 1970 | Nizhalattam | "Devadaasiyalla Njan" |
| 1971 | Lankadahanam | "Kilukile Chirikkum" |
| 1973 | Jesus | "Ente Munthirichaarino" |
| 1973 | Panitheeratha Veedu | "Maaril syamanthakarathnam chaarthi" |
| 1974 | Devi Kanyakumari | "Madhuchashakam" |
| 1974 | Night Duty | "Innu Ninte Youvanathinezhazhaku" |
| 1974 | Aval Oru Thodar Kathai-D | "Edi Enthedi" |
She had sung in around 200 Malayalam films.

### Kannada songs

| Year | Film | Song |
| 1958 | Anna Thangi | "Bandaane Ava Bandaane" |
| 1964 | Chandavalliya Thota | "Suma Baaleya" |
| 1962 | Thayi Karulu | "Dooradinda Bandavare" |
| 1964 | Veera Sankalpa | "Sittyako Sidukyako" |
| 1965 | Mahasathi Anasuya | "Aa Deva Ee Deva" |
| 1968 | Hannele Chiguridaga | "Ide Hudugi" |
| 1970 | Bhoopathi Ranga | "Rasika Rasika" |
| 1970 | Paropakari | "Jokey" |
| 1970 | Boregowda Bangalorige Banda | "Malagova Maavina" |
| 1970 | Mahadiya Mane | "Rambe Ennuvalu" |
| 1970 | Anugraha | "Boraiah Basavaiah" |
| 1971 | Samshaya Phala | "Dooradinda Bandantha" |
| 1972 | Sipayi Ramu | "Kokorekoko" |
| 1974 | Professor Huchuraya | "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" "Hello My Boy" |

## Onscreen appearances

* Thillalangadi (2010) as herself
* Mookuthi Amman (2020) as herself