அக்னிக் குஞ்சொன்று கண்டேன்

The Song of Freedom's minstrels

noreply@blogger.com (அக்னிபாரதி) — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 07:11:00 +0000

Freedom is a child who is born with every passing day. Evening makes love to the shy silent universe, filling her womb with nascent desire. As dusk falls, the universe's breasts swell with the milk of pure love as her womb grows heavy. Through the night she labours, tossing in her sleep. And just as the twinkling maids withdraw her dark veil, the dawn of freedom, that golden child pokes her head out, the gilded rays stretching and embracing the universal mother.

Freedom is a queen from the time she is born. Morning is her throne, afternoon her royal court and evening her zenana. The river is her sceptre, the breeze her royal seal, fire her army and the sky her palace. And like a true queen, freedom does speak to her people. She speaks through her musical minstrels, who convey her message to the whole universe and listen to the words of her subjects. And when she is born from her own self every night, it is these minstrels who sing songs of her incarnation. The first true poets who sang songs that sprung from their heart when they saw the abundance of joy that was given to them. The sparrows.

So what song do these minstrels sing? What message do they bring from our queen? Of hope? Of blessings, gifts? Of war, glory and fame?

Nay, they sing of truth, freedom and joy.

So,

come thither, take your seat by the yard, the muRRam of my house and listen as dawn brings to your ear this music.

விட்டு விடுதலையாகி

விட்டு விடுதலையாகி நிற்பாய் இந்தச்
சிட்டுக் குருவியினைப் போலே

எட்டுத் திசையும் பறந்து திரிகுவை
ஏறியக் காற்றில் விரைவோடு நீந்துவை
மட்டுப் படாதெங்கும் கொட்டிக் கிடக்குமிவ்
வானொளி என்னும் மதுவின் சுவையுண்டு (விட்டு...)

பெட்டையோடின்பம் பேசிக் களிப்புற்றுப்
பீடையில்லாதோர் கூடு கட்டிக் கொண்டு
முட்டை தருங் குஞ்சைக் காத்து மகிழ்வெய்தி
முந்த உணவு கொடுத்தன்பு செய்திங்கு (விட்டு...)

முற்றத்திலேயுங் கழனி வெளியிலும்
முன்கண்ட தானியம் தன்னைக் கொணர்ந்துண்டு
மற்றப் பொழுது கதை சொல்லித் தூங்கிப் பின்
வைகறை யாகுமுன் பாடி விழிப்புற்று (விட்டு...)

Transliteration

vittu viduthalaiyAgi niRpAy inththac
cittuk kuruviyai pOlE

ettuth thisaiyum paRanththu thiriguvai
ERiyak kARRil viraivOdu nInththuvai
mattup padAthenggum kottik kidakkumiv
vAnoLi ennum mathuvin cuvaiyuNdu

pettaiyinOdinbam pEcik kaLipuRRup
pIdaiyilAthOr kUdu kattik koNdu
muttai tharung kunjcaik kAththu magizveythi
munththa uNavu koduththanbu seythinggu

muRRaththilEyung kazani veLiyilum
munkaNda thAniyam thannaik koNarnththuNdu
maRRap pozuthu kathai sollith thUnggi pin
vaigaRai yAgumun pAdi vizipuRRU

Meaning per word

leave (and)/become free/(shall) stand/this
sparrow/like

eight directions/fly/and roam
climb that wind/with speed/swim
limit/not feeling/pour and lying/
light of the sky/called/nectar's taste/(shall) drink (and)

joy with the female/speak and pleasure happen
without sorrows/one/house/build (and)
egg given young/protect and attain happiness
early food give/make love here (and)

in the yard and/in the canal expanse
front see/grains/those bring and eat
other times/story speak/sleep later
dawn/before becomes/sing/awake happen (and)

Appreciation

The written word can more than often serve as balm to the soul. Weariness, ennui, pain, humiliation, fear - all can be soothed eased and wiped clean by a song. Even as the shadows creep in on the soul a song, a line, a single word can offer a golden ray of hope. Such a song is this.

If Bharathi had just written the first two words of this song, we couldn't have asked for more. "Leave and become free" - as simple and as profound as it gets. In all forms of bondage, it is never the chain the binds the prisoner, it is the prisoner who holds on to the chain; Like the child clinging on to the parent in fear while the entire world spreads ahead of it. All that is need is to leave, to let go of this chain that we grip so tightly with sweat in our arms.

But then, letting go is not so easy. We know what to do but not how. That is why, Barathi says, "like this sparrow". Freedom is found like that - in two lines of poetry. That's all that is there.

Further words to detail and decipher this masterpiece would only sully it. A poem may at times submit to the guiles of prose, but a song shall mate only with another song.

Translation

Stand, you will released and free
Like this sparrow here that you see

In every direction thou shall fly and drift
Climb that wind and swim it swift
This limitless nectar pours all land
This light of the skies drink it and

(Stand, you...)

Revel with the female and of joys you spake
A house without sorrows thou shall make
Guard well your young and attain joy
Feed it early and with love cloy

(Stand, you...)

In the yards in the canals of the fields
gather the grain that your sight yields
Then speak of tales and then sleep make
Then ere the dawn sing and awake

(Stand, you...)

Apologies

noreply@blogger.com (அக்னிபாரதி) — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 06:22:00 +0000

Apologies for the inactivity. There will be more regular posts now.

In the meantime, download the complete translation of accamillai from this link.

The madman's song II

noreply@blogger.com (அக்னிபாரதி) — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 14:49:00 +0000

The syllable pattern followed is 4-4-4 syllable count for the refrain and a 6-6 count for the lyrics. The translation is not 100% sincere to the original. Mostly, there is an extra word at the end of the line which is added for rhyme and meter.

There is no fear
There is no fear
Nothing called fear

People in this world all
When oppose and stand tall

There is no fear
There is no fear
Nothing called fear

Thinking low about us then
When slander be made by men

There is no fear
There is no fear
Nothing called fear

A life thus when we lead
To beg plead and then feed

There is no fear
There is no fear
Nothing called fear

Objects of all desire
When we lose them entire

There is no fear
There is no fear
Nothing called fear

Dames in bosom and robe
When they cast eyes that probe

There is no fear
There is no fear
Nothing called fear

When friends shall poison feed
Into our mouths indeed

There is no fear
There is no fear
Nothing called fear

Armies that raw flesh delight
When they bring spears and fight

There is no fear
There is no fear
Nothing called fear

This sky when it crumbles
And upon us tumbles

There is no fear
There is no fear
Nothing called fear

Download comlpete PDF of this translation from here.

The madman's song I

noreply@blogger.com (அக்னிபாரதி) — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 19:39:00 +0000

Re-Posted with corrections from Vidya

Sanity is statistical. If a few thousand people believe that the women must be treated like property and you tell them they are divine and should be treated with due respect, the chances of you being burned on a stake are very high. But that is not the end of it. Fifty years after you've been burned at the stake for asking people to be nice with others, you shall be resurrected, praised, glorified and statues of you shall be erected all over the world. Scholars will debate on your works, associations will be formed in your honour, students will study you and read your poems by rote. Then, two things will happen. Women will be ill-treated and abused, but in a more covert manner. On the other hand, women will be glorified and deified making them into Goddesses who resemble stone idols with no feeling, no life, nothing. In simpler words, you'll be transformed from an insane man who nobody understood and nobody praised to an insane man who nobody understands and everybody praises. Yes, a life of insanity is interesting!

But the fact is insanity is truth. Insanity is the ultimate bliss. I remember this guy I used to see at the bus stop everyday I went to college; a scraggly man with a straggling beard, matted hair and two balls of dark fire in his sockets instead of eyes. His only means of livelihood was the mercy of those around him - a few stray coins tossed, a packet of food thrust because the kid in the car wouldn't eat it and so on. His very survival depended upon the pity that he evoked in his fellowmen, a supplicant begging for favours. And yet, he had rejected all the conventions that these men had laid. If he walked about exposing his body, someone rushed with a cloth for him. If he let loose a string of obscenities, he would get a kind look.

Don't you see the point? Here's a man who is living life in a fashion that ridicules all of us and yet he is not unhappy. His laugh, his insane laughter is that of courage. அவன் சிரிப்பு வீரச் சிரிப்பு, வெற்றிச் சிரிப்பு. He celebrates his mad victory over sorrow, over avarice, over covetousness. He laughs a laugh that will send fear into all false hearts. He laughs and dances. He laughs and dances. The dance of destruction, the laughter of chaos. He is in reality, the truth, the Shivam that sits still in the midst of everything while dancing a dance of frenzy on the outside. He is the brave, the fearless mad mendicant, the (ANdi) ஆண்டி (paNdAram) பண்டாரம். And he...has a song!

அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை (பண்டாரப் பாட்டு)

அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்பதில்லையே
இச்சகத்துளோர் எல்லாம் எதிர்த்து நின்ற போதிலும்
அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்பதில்லையே
துச்சமாக எண்ணி நம்மைத் தூறு செய்த போதிலும்
அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்பதில்லையே
பிச்சை வாங்கி உண்ணும் வாழ்க்கை பெற்று விட்ட போதிலும்
அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்பதில்லையே
இச்சை கொண்ட பொருளெலாம் இழந்துவிட்ட போதிலும்
அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்பதில்லையே
கச்சணிந்த கொங்கை மாந்தர் கண்கள் வீசும் போதிலும்
அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்பதில்லையே
நச்சை வாயிலே கொணர்ந்து நண்பரூட்டும் போதிலும்
அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்பதில்லையே
பச்சை யூனியைந்த வேற்படைகள் வந்த போதிலும்
அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்பதில்லையே
உச்சி மீது வானிடிந்து வீழூகின்ற போதிலும்
அச்சமில்லை அச்சமில்லை அச்சமென்பதில்லையே

Transliteration

accamillai accamillai (paNdArap pAttu)

accamillai accamillai accamenbathillaiyE
iccagaththuLOr ellAm ethirththu ninRa pOthilum
accamillai accamillai accamenbathillaiyE
thuccamAga eNNi nammaith thURu seytha pOthilum
accamillai accamillai accamenbathillaiyE
piccai vAnggi uNNum vAzkkai peRRu vitta pOthilum
accamillai accamillai accamenbathillaiyE
iccai koNda poruLellAm izanththu vitta pOthilum
accamillai accamillai accamenbathillaiyE
kaccaNintha konggai mAnththar kaNgaL vIsum pOthilum
accamillai accamillai accamenbathillaiyE
naccai vAyilE koNarnththu naNbarUttum pOthilum
accamillai accamillai accamenbathillaiyE
paccai yUniyainththa vERpadaigaL vanththa pOthilum
accamillai accamillai accamenbathillaiyE
ucci mIthu vAnidinththu vIzuginRa pOthilum
accamillai accamillai accamenbathillaiyE

Meaning per word

Fear no/Fear no/Fear called no
(belonging to)this world (who)are/all/oppose/(and)stand/even then
Fear no/Fear no/Fear called no
Lowly/think(and)/us/slander/done/even then
Fear no/Fear no/Fear called no
beg/get/life/life/(we)got/even then
Fear no/Fear no/Fear called no
desire/had/objects/all/lost/even then
Fear no/Fear no/Fear called no
Corset/wearing/breasts/women/eyes/throw/even then
Fear no/Fear no/Fear called no
venom/(in) mouth/bring/(and)friends feed/even then
Fear no/Fear no/Fear called no
raw/flesh/desiring/spear armies/come/even then
Fear no/Fear no/Fear called no
top/upon/sky crumble/(and)fall/even then
Fear no/Fear no/Fear called no
The word by word translation for this will be posted later.

Appreciation

One of my friends says that everything in the world is driven by two things - 1. Fear 2. Greed. It does sound like a plausible theory for me, although I would replace greed with desire. All through history, all battles, both on the field and in the mind have been fought only against these two enemies. It is always either fear of defeat or desire of victory. And how much has been said about these? Fear especially. One crowd says fear has to be conquered, must be fought against and won. Another says you must surrender to your fears and overcome them accepting them. A third says courage is merely acting as if you are not afraid. And amidst all this the truly fearless man laughs!

The only truly fearless man in this universe is he who is insane. He does not fear the dark. Fear shame, insult, defeat, death, disease - nothing frightens him. And why is it that he does not fear anything? There is only one secret to overcome fear. The seer of Kanchi, Maha periyavAL Chandarsekarendra swamigal says in one of his discourses "Fear happens only when there is something different from you. So does desire. Fear and desire are negative and positive reactions to something that is different, something that doesn't belong." So when does fear disappear? It disappears when one is in unity with everything, when one sees nothing different from oneself; when one achieves that complete perception where the surface of distinction and the underlying soul of unity present themselves at the same time. It is from this kind of a perception that Barathi, my insane poet proclaims his fearlessness.

At first look this poem has no trace of insanity or underlying thoughts that Vidya suggests in her translation. It appears like a simple positive song that exudes confidence and courage in a frightened soul. But then, the common man's soul is not frightened by the things described in the poem. He is scared by more mundane things. This poem was definitely written for a common man's fears - nenjcu porukkuthillaiyE (நெஞ்சு பொருக்குதில்லையே) will possibly qualify as a poem written upon seeing a common man's fears.

So much is clear with the title and the first line (the refrain rather). A paNdAram is a mendicant of the saivite sect, a mystic. So a song of this mystic would appear trivial while hiding deep thoughts inside. Further Barathi says accamillai accamillai accmenbathillaiyE. Why say "There is no fear" and then "There is nothing called as fear"? Perhaps I can give an answer to this, but I want this one to be a discussion. Leave your thoughts about this in the comments section.
Now, look at the first thing that Barathi uses to say there is no fear. He says even if thhose who inhabit the world entirely stand opposing, there is no fear. Opposition of this sort comes in many ways. Let us analyze this from the unity and harmony idea suggested earlier. Imagine thousands of millions of people united standing against Barathi with flaming torches, fuming faces, shouting oaths and ready to lynch him. They stand separated from him and hate him. What does Barathi do? He laughs; laughs a laugh of compassion. And then he says "I have no fear". Why does he have no fear? Because he is not different from these people who are opposing him. Why so? Because all these people opposing him are imagining that they are opposing him when in reality he is one with them; one as a human, one as a child of God, one as a unique piece in this wonderful Creation. See further, Barathi who is supposedly insane here is sane when he looks at everybody with harmony in his heart, while the sane people opposing him are imagining that they hate him in their actual insanity.

Now, Barathi has said "I have no fear" to those who oppose him. What do they do next? They are not able to attack him directly because his laugh has disarmed them. They attack him from the behind. They think low of him and spread that slander. They say "This Barathi here, he is a heretic. He goes around singing the praise of love, rebelling against our established customs, mingling with the untouchables and praising some Dark Gods". They say this in the hope that everybody would then shun Barathi and then he would have no way left but to accept his defeat and accept their ideals.

What does Barathi say again? He laughs with his "I have no fear". What? No fear even when your reputation is soiled? When your society is being forced to shun you? Yes, I say! What reputation do I a madman have? What society do you speak of to me that separates people from one another? Don't you know I'm one, one with everything that is seen, heard, smelt, tasted, touched, known, felt, thought and even with the unknown, the unthought and the unseen? What fear do I have form myself?

The people scratch their head. This doesn't seem to make sense. But their slander has taken effect. Barathi has no work, no means of livelihood. He is not allowed to teach children for he will spoil them. He is not allowed to publish his works because they enrage the British. He is now a beggar. He lives of the mercy of others. The people gather around his emaciated form and say "Now you shall know fear." For if we don't give you food, you shall die and that will worry and frighten you." "Listen my dear people, I still have no fear. This is a mere body that survives by food. And what mercy will you show to me who is one with the ocean of mercy, the very source of all compassion. You think you feed me? Nay! I feed from myself! I'm one. I know no fear."

Now Barathi is a beggar forced to live off the streets. His house is eaten away by termites. His treasured books of Shelley's poetry lie rotting in a corner. The cittukkuruvi (சிட்டுக்குருவி sparrow) that comes everyday to his terrace to give him company with his dinner comes no longer. "Barathi has lost all that he had" say the people. "He has only his desire left. All that he desired, treasured, even his ideals are lost". "Ho! What do you speak of this losing? If the clouds in the sky move from East to West will you say the sky lost its clouds? Don't you know that my house is still the biggest in the world - my heart? Don't you know that my poetry still lies in golden words carved on my mind? Don't you know that my dear sparrow still visits me in the moonlit nights for the sparrow is my parAsakthi? Don't you know my friend that in the depths of myself, in my own stillness, I still have everything, that I am still everything? Don't you my friend, still know that I have no fear?"

This won't do they say. This insane man must be brought to his senses. Humanity has till now mostly known only two ways of achieving its means. The first is by threats and the next is by temptation. "Let us ask our pretty women to trap Barathi in the lust of the flesh" they scheme. And how do these women seduce Barathi? They use the most wicked weapon of theirs - their eyes. They think, "This same Barathi who sung that the breasts of a women are sivalingams to be worshipped and who sung that if there is no love there is only death, how can he now shun these women? How can he say that desiring these women is wrong and they are traps? Then he'll go against his ideal."

"Heed ye men and women. Love is that which springs to union. These women here tempt me with possession. They wish to become mine and make me theirs, when in reality I'm them and they are me. You who see them different from you, fear them thinking they shall lead you unto sin and temptation. But I shall not fear them for they are not different from me. I know no fear." See how subtly Barathi differentiates between the kinds of fears - when the people oppose him, it is fear that stems from survival instinct; when they slander him it is fear that is caused out of revulsion for the slander; when he is tempted by women, it is fear caused by desire.

And now comes the fear that is the worst of them all. This line to me is the climax of this poem in one way. When in fear, you curl up against those you love and seek their protection. And your worst fear is that they should betray you. "People, you kindle my friends against me. They come here now and offer me poison. Nay, they take the venom and thrust it into my throat. Shall I fear now? Never! For I'm one with my friends through the path of love and if they offer me venom, it shall become nectar. For even if they offer it with hate, I take it with love. So like the nIlakaNdan (நீலகண்டன் blue-throated shiva), I shall stay immortal even after drinking poison for my friends because my beloved Sakthi shall stop it from eating my life. Therefore, I have no fear"

Now, the armies come. Kingdoms rise against this man's insanity. They take up arms and siege him. And he welcomes them with open arms and mad laughter. "Come here my comrades who wish to differentiate yourself from the rest with your spears and your valour. Come and drive your points into me, for if that gives you happiness, I shall live in your happiness forever. Come here, kill me, slaughter me and see if I shall die then. Come you fierce soldiers who eat the flesh of the dead. Come and eat my corpse raw while I eat my death raw. Know me now in your hearts - I shall die a thousand deaths and yet live on because, I know no fear!"

And then the end. The Gods too can't stand this man's rebellion. They look upon him with fury and jealousy. And that crashes the skies. It comes crumbling down on him. And at the end of it all he stands there laughing his mad laughter that echoes to eternity. He laughs "I'm one. I have no fear."

(Translations and adaptation in the next post)

Land, simplicity and a dream - II

noreply@blogger.com (அக்னிபாரதி) — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 04:24:00 +0000

Appreciation

Poetry is the art of painting with words. A true poem paints an image in the mind of the reader, a new image for every reader and a new image everytime the reader reads it. This poem here is one such painting.

Observe the images in this poem. A big expanse of land, a single building standing erect in it, coconut trees, a well with clear water, cool moonlight, a very gentle breeze... this is painting of rest. This is a painting in which the background is work and the image is rest. This poem speaks of rest after a hard day's work. It shows very clearly how rest blends into work instead of the two being opposing entities.

And what rest! A rest that is absolute stillness. The coconut trees do not sway, the breeze is gentle, the cuckoo too shouts from a distance. Everything has an ethereal stillness about it. Even the lover, the lady with our poet is still. She just sits there with Barathi and his songs. Observe the subtle change in the word vENdum (வேண்டும்). Once Barathi asks for the coconut trees and from there on goes towards the breeze, the moon and the other natural aspects, the word becomes vENum (வேணும்) a rustic version. It is thus that Barathi the sophisticated poet becomes the rustic man seeking rest.

I spoke about work being the background. Let us reconstruct this background. Barathi wakes up early in the morning, to the chirping of the sparrows. He goes out into the field with his plough and toils in the earth. His sweat shines in the glow of the afternoon sun. His sinews gleam and twist as his arms push the plough lovingly into the field. Then finally, the sun goes down on the Western horizon.

Barathi comes home. A single lighted lamp welcomes him. He sees the idol of parAsakthi in this light. It is then he decides to ask boons from Her. He does not ask for mere rest - that is there in his hut. He asks for rest that brings peace.

A vast tract of land, open and unbound like the soul itself. In this land he asks for a building, a pure white building with strong pillars. And even this building he says 'kattith thara vENdum', Sakthi must build this building and give it to him, meaning it is She who shall build and destroy. Action is Hers alone. Only rest belongs to man.

And then, he seeks coolness. His body and soul are sweating from the heat generated from sheer action. He is a man of fire. He has kept the tAmasic fire of the night alvie in his sleep. Then the day has fed his wild rAjasic fire driving his action. Now in the evening, he seeks from his sakthi the cool sAttvic fire of love. And this fire of coolness comes from the moon, the coconut trees by the well, the breeze and above all the love of his Goddess.

Look at this - siththam magiznththidavE nanRAy iLanthenRal varavENum (சித்தம் மகிழ்ந்திடவே நன்றாய் இளந்தென்றல் வரவேணும்). The breeze touches and pleases his siththam, his mind not his body. It is thus that everything in this kANi nilam of his touches the soul and cools it.

It is thus that man should act and rest. When he works, the sun, the land and the stream should aid him in his task. And when he rests, they should touch his soul and lead him to harmony. He should work when the world around him rests in peaceful harmony. He should toil when the birds sing in joy, when the morning sun looks at him with calm, when the breeze around stands in rapt stillness. And then he should come home and rest when the breeze plays, when the moon shines forth with purpose, when the jasmine toils hard in spreading Her fragrance. Then his work blends with nature's rest and his rest with Her work. It is then that the land that he walks on truly becomes his. It is then that the earth holds him in Her arms like a mother holding a child. It is thus that Barathi lived and wrote. It is thus that life must be lived.

Lyrical translation has not been attempted as it might be difficult to adhere to the original poem. Any attempt by readers is very much welcome.

Adaptation

My dear Mother,
These I need from you.
Land, a vast expanse of it
Free and open like the mind you gave me.

In this land,
a home you shall build.
A home with pillars strong and pristine.
A home you shall build.

In this land,
a few coconut trees with cool leaves and sweet water
Placed at your will
near the well.

In this land,
you shall give me the moon,
the distant bird and the gentle breeze
to touch my soul.

Thus when I lay,
a woman you shall give
a woman for my songs
of beauty, freedom and union.

In this land,
my Mother,
you shall stand protecting me.
Me and this sooting peace.

Give these my mother.
And then I shall in return
Save this world of yours
with the magic of my songs.

Read Chenthil's translation of the same poem here.

Download the entire translation (Complete with word by word meaning) of this poem as a PDF here.

Land, simplicity and a dream

noreply@blogger.com (அக்னிபாரதி) — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 14:46:00 +0000

Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough,
A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse--and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness--
And Wilderness is Paradise enow. - Omar Khayyam

I read somewhere, 'It is very simple to be happy, but so difficult to be simple.' Perhaps it is because simplicity is something so fundamental and omnipresent that we always lose it - the same way breathing goes unnoticed because of its ubiquity. But the fact is, be it breathing or simplicity (or breathing simplicity), practising both leads to a better life.

The human soul, in essence, has a very organic and basic connection with the earth, mud, sand, rock and clay. That is where we came from and that is where our body finally goes. As a child we play on the sand, when we grow up we write the names of our beloved on it, then we trace lost footprints and finally become food for the same, perhaps some day blooming as a flower or as a blade of green grass. Land is possibly the most basic reason for all human actions after love. Wars have been fought, leaders have been born and struggles have been faced-all in the name of land and its freedom. Even today, when people speak about the real estate boom, what they essentially mean is that we are still attached to mud and clay...but we've lost the innocence of playing with them.

Today we seek electronic gadgets, talk and reality shows, shopping experiences and planned vacations to free the mind, to relax. But no relaxation was needed as long as man worked on land, as long as he let his bare feet touch her as he tilled Her with his plough. There he toiled while listening to the song of the birds, while bathing in the glorious sunlight, while beads of sweat dazzled like diamonds on his body, while the breeze caressed and kissed him. He toiled with the knowledge that a loving wife would bring him food at mid-day. He toiled knowing that the gurgling brook nearby would refresh him soon. He worked in freedom. His work found expression in the world around him. There was a self sufficiency in everything he did. His art reflected this.

And even as we move away from this idyllic peace, it is this art of the bygone era that still holds us back. A few of us, when we read these poems of simple desire,close our eyes and dream of a silent tranquil world where work, effort and toil blend seamlessly into the background of silence and peace. We think of this dream, the dream of a promised land, and sigh. Then comes a poet who writes the same words, but this time more from the heart, more truly. Then we see the promise is not altogether false. For even here in our own everyday rut, these songs come as a waft of a gentle breeze and wake us into a world of serenity. And, even if only for a moment, we realize the perfection where action meets purpose and they unite in the calmness of absolute knowledge.

In this translation, I hope to introduce you to one such work and lead you by my hand to this world of eternal peace, to this land...

காணி நிலம் வேண்டும் பராசக்தி காணி நிலம் வேண்டும் - அங்குத்
தூணில் அழகியதாய் நன்மாடங்கள் துய்ய நிறத்தினவாய் - அந்தக்
காணி நிலத்திடையே ஓர் மாளிகை கட்டித் தர வேண்டும் - அங்குக்
கேணியருகினிலே தென்னைமரம் கீற்றும் இளநீரும்

பத்துப் பன்னிரெண்டு தென்னைமரம் பக்கத்திலே வேணும் - நல்ல
முத்துச் சுடர் போலே நிலாவொளி முன்பு வரவேணும் - அங்குக்
கத்தும் குயிலோசை சற்றே வந்து காதிற் படவேணும் - என்றன்
சித்தம் மகிழ்ந்திடவே நன்றாய் இளந்தென்றல் வரவேணும்

பாட்டுக் கலந்திடவே அங்கே ஒரு பத்தினிப் பெண் வேணும் - எங்கள்
கூட்டுக் களியினிலே கவிதைகள் கொண்டு தர வேணும் - அந்தக்
காட்டு வெளியினிலே அம்மா நின்றன் காவலுற வேணும் - என்றன்
பாட்டுத் திறத்தாலே இவ்வையத்தைப் பாலித்திட வேணும்

Transliteration

kANi nilam vENdum parAsakthi kANi nilam vENdum -angguth
thUNil azagiyathAy nanmAdanggaL thuyya niRaththinavAy -anthak
kkANi nilaththidaiyE Or mALigai kattith thara vENdum - angguk
kENiyaruginilE thennaimaram kIRRum iLanIrum

paththup pannireNdu thennaimaram pakkaththilE vENum - nalla
muththuc cudar pOlE nilAvoLi munbu varavENum - angguk
kaththum kuyilOsai saRRE vanththu kAthiR padavENum - enRan
siththam magiznththidavE nanRAy iLanthenRal varavENum

pAttuk kalanthidavE anggE oru paththinip peN vENum - enggaL
kUttuk kaLiyinilE kavithaigaL koNdu tharavENum - anththak
kAttu veLiyinilE ammA ninRan kAvaluRa vENum - enRan
pAttuth thiRaththAle ivvaiyaththaip pAliththida vENum

Meaning per word

Measure of land/(I)want/parAsakthi/Measure of land/want/ - there
In pillars/beautiful/good storey/pure coloured - in between that
Measure of land/one mansion/built and give/want - there
Near the well/coconut tree leaves/tender coconut

Ten twelve/coconut trees/beside/want - good
Pearl/lustre/like/moonlight/front/come/want - there
Shouting/cuckoo sound/little/in the ear/touch/want - my
Mind/to be pleased/well/young breeze/come/want

Song/to be united/there/one/chaste woman/want - (in) our
Union's joy/poems/bring/give/want - in that
Land expanse/mother/your protection/be/want - (by) my
Song's ability/this world/cherish/want

I happened to realize not everybody might be interested in the detailed word by word translation fo the poem going into grammatical and semantical details. So the same is available here as a PDF file for those interested.

(Detailed explanation in the next post)

சுட்டும் விழிச் சுடர் தான் Part IV

noreply@blogger.com (அக்னிபாரதி) — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 14:54:00 +0000

Lyrical Translation

The sun and the moon kaNNammA
are they the light of your eyes?
Dark round eyes kaNNammA
Are they the dark of the skies?

In the violet silk sari
The dainty diamonds embower1
They are the stars seen
In night's darkest hour

The light of the garden flower
Is it your beautiful smiling art*?
The blue sea's waves
Are they the waves in your heart?

The graceful koel's sound
Is it your voice's sweet?
I've fallen in love kaNNammA
with you a virgin so sweet*

Rules you speak to me kaNNammA
wherefore do we need rules?
Those who are impatient kaNNammA
What do they have as rules?

If the elders agree kaNNammA
Later we will rites marriage seek*
Shall I wait more? Look
Here,a kiss on your cheek

[1] - The actual word must be embed. Embower has been taken for the sake of rhyme.
* These words are not present in the original.

Adaptation

(This doesn't confirm to the orignal completely)

Is that sparkle of the eyes the dual light?
Is that black sphere the dark night?
Your indigo saree with diamonds sown
Are they the stars that night has shown?
The halo from the wild flower
Is that thy smile my lover?
The waves that the sea does hold
Are they thy bosom's sweet fold?

The cuckoo's sound of soulful note
In thy voice sweet does it float?
A maiden like a budding grove
Kannamma I have fallen in thy love.

Of rules do thee to me speak
Do rules stand for passion's peak?
Later I shall do the laws elders seek.
How shall I wait? Here, a kiss on thy cheek.

Download entire translation of this poem as a PDF from here.

Read another version of the translation here.

சுட்டும் விழிச் சுடர் தான் - Part III

noreply@blogger.com (அக்னிபாரதி) — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 14:11:00 +0000

சாத்திரம் பேசுகிறாய் கண்ணம்மா சாத்திரம் ஏதுக்கடீ
ஆத்திரம் கொண்டவர்க்கே கண்ணம்மா சாத்திரமுண்டோடீ
மூத்தவர் சம்மதியில் வதுவை முறைகள் பின்பு செய்வோம்
காத்திருப்பேனோடீ இது பார் கன்னத்து முத்தமொன்று

Transliteration

sAththiram pEsugiRAy kaNNammA sAththiram EthukkadI
Aththiram koNdavarkkE kaNNammA sAththiramuNdOdI
mUththavar sammathiyil vathuvai muRaigaL pinbu seyvOm
kAththiruppEnOdI ithu pAr kannaththu muththamonRu

Meaning per word
rules/(you)speak/kaNNammA/rules/wherefore
impatience/(those who)have it/kaNNammA/(do) rules exists
elders/if agree/marriage/rituals/later/(we shall) do
will I be waiting?/here/look/of cheek/kiss/one

Word by word translation

sAththiram - Rules. The word is a vadamozi col (வடமொழி சொல்) taken from the Sanskrit word shAshthram. The word has other meanings such as Science or any work of authority.
pEsugiRay - you speak. The root word is the verb pEsuthal (பேசுதல்). The word should be differentiated from the word solgiRAy (சொல்கிறாய்) which means talk. This word has a more conversation related connotation.
kaNNammA - The name
sAththiram - Rules
EthukkadI - Wherefore. This word is a distorted version of ethaRku (எதற்கு) meaning wherefore or 'for what'. The actual distorted word is ethukku (எதுக்கு) in which the initial 'e' (எ) gets elongated as 'E' (ஏ) for the sake of metre.

Aththiram - Impatience The word has two meanings - Anger and impatience. The first meaning is the more often used one. One other place where the meaning of impatience occurs is in the proverb 'AththirakkAranukku puththi mattu' (ஆத்திரக்காரனுக்கு புத்தி மட்டு) meaning The impatient have little brains.
koNdavarkkE - This is the third person form of the verb koLLal (கொள்ளல்) explained in the previous stanza.
kaNNammA - The name
sAththiram - RulesuNdOdI - This word comes from the root uNdu (உண்டு) a verb meaning existence. The O (ஓ) suffix makes the word a question and the dI (டீ) is a intensifier used to refer to the second person female.

mUththavar - Elders. This word comes from the adjective mUttha (மூத்த) which in terms derives from the noun mUppu (மூப்பு) meaning aging.
sammathiyil - If agree. This comes from the verb sammathi (சம்மதி) meaning to agree. The il (இல்) suffix brings about the if in English. With the previous word this will read as 'If elders agree'.
vathuvai - Marriage. A rather chaste tamil word that is not used anymore. The word has many more meanings all related to marriage - bride, conjugal union, etc.
muRaigaL - Procedures. The root word is muRai (முறை) of which this is the plural form. The actual meaning of the word is order/arrangement from which the meaning procedure stems.
pinbu - Later
seyvOm - First person plural form of the verb 'to do'. The exact meaning of this word in English is 'We shall do' (Perhaps that'll hint at the natural brevity of Tamil). The root verb is seythal (செய்தல்).

kAththiruppEnOdI - This is another compound word which means 'Will I be waiting?' The word splits as kAththu (காத்து) meaning wait + iruppEnO (இருப்பேனோ) meaning 'Will I be?'. ithu pAr - Look here. Literal translation would be 'this look'. However, the two words together, as a phrase mean 'Look here'.
kannaththu - of cheek. The root word is kannam (கன்னம்) to which the suffix athu (அது) is added to get kannaththu. The meaning comes out with the next word as 'kiss of the cheek' rather than 'kiss on the cheek'.
muththam - kiss
onRu - one

Appreciation

My dear reader, I wish I could explain this part to you sitting on an easy-chair in the lanes of a thanjAvUr street with the evening breeze and moon for company. These last few lines seductively push the kaNNammA in our minds into a complete acquiescence. Here She is sitting opposite to our Barathi. She is already enchanted by his sweet words describing Her beauty and Her smile. Her face sports a gentle blush as Barathi says vAlaik kumariyadI kaNNammA maruva kAthal koNdEn. And then, Barathi springs this. Yet, Her heart protests feebly. And that is when Barathi speaks.

'Who needs rules?', he asks. Observe how the question comes in the poem. He speaks to his beloved kaNNammA like a mother very gently reasoning with her kid. 'Yes', he says, 'You speak of rules, but why rules? Do we, who have been driven to madness by passion, have to worry about rules?' The word he uses for impatience is an excellent choice. Besides bringing out a rare usage of the word Aththiram, he also manages the perfect rhyming with sAththiram and Aththiram. Also, notice how he repeats the name kaNNammA kaNNammA in both these lines to completely thrall the attention of his beloved. Do you notice his subtle guile? Do you notice how like saying to a kid 'My dear child, yes you think so. But my dear child it is not so.' he entices kaNNammA into his arguement?

And then comes the promise. The heart of a man longs for union above everything else. It is blindly led by desire into action, like a mad river hurtling towards the sea. The woman comes here as the guiding light. She harnesses and leads man into better action and better desire, like tha banks of the river. Hence, when it comes to the soft drama of love, men always desire union while women always desire the rules of tradition be met. Barathi here promises his lover that he shall marry Her. But he adds an 'if elders agree'. To understand this addition we need to understand the age in which Barathi lived. This was an age when the Tamil community, especially the brahmins had coiled up themselves in meaningless tradition. It is perhaps surprising to believe that a community that once laid down separate rules for love poetry had gone through a period when they considered love between a man and woman sacrilege. Hence, Barathi says 'if the elders agree'. But what if they don't agree? Barathi provides no answer for that. Because kaNNammA, already enchanted by his words, does not ask such questions.

Besides Barathi does not say he will marry kaNNammA. Rather he says he shall do the rites, the rituals and the procedures of marriage. He does not say vathuvai seyvOm. Instead he says vathuvai muRaigaL seyvOm. Why? Because marriage, which is the union of two loving hearts, is already over between Barathi and kaNNammA. It happened the day their eyes met; the day their hearts met. All that is left is now mere procedures and rituals - external actions to be done for the sake of the society.

Enough of words Barathi says now. Observe those last lines, savour them completely. First comes the rhetorical question - 'Will I be waiting?' This is very different from the question 'Will I wait?' The former is more assertive and clearly suggests our Barathi is not the man who shall wait. And then a gentle pause. And then Barathi brings out supreme magic by saying ithu pAr. Close your eyes and read through again; visualize the lines. 'Will I wait?', he asks and then with his hand turns her face to present her cheeks as he says 'Look here' and then comes the kiss. The 'Look here' takes kaNNammA by surprise as does Barathi's turning of Her cheek. The kiss then completes the magic for the lovers that evening as a blushing kaNNammA folds into Barathi's arms.

சுட்டும் விழிச் சுடர் தான் - Part II

noreply@blogger.com (அக்னிபாரதி) — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 14:45:00 +0000

சோலை மலரொளியோ நினது சுந்தரப் புன்னகை தான்
நீலக் கடலலையே நினது நெஞ்சின் அலைகளடீ
கோலக் குயிலோசை உனது குரலின் இனிமையடீ
வாலைக் குமரியடீ கண்ணம்மா மருவக்காதல் கொண்டேன்

Transliteration

sOlai malaroLiyO ninathu sunththarap punnagai thAn
nIlak kadalalaiyE ninathu nenjcin alaigaLadI
kOlak kuyilOsai unathu kural inimaiyadI
vAlaik kumariyadI kaNNammA maruvak kAthal koNdEn

Meaning per word

Garden/flower's light/your/beautiful smile?
blue sea's waves/your/heart's waves
Graceful koel/sound/your voice/sweetness
young virgin/kaNNammA/charmed love I got

Word by word translation

sOlai - A flower garden. This has to be contrasted with the word thOttam (தோட்டம்) that can mean a garden, an orchard or a grove.
malar - Flower. Rather a full blown blossom.
oLiyO - Light? The root word is oLi. An interesting aspect of the Tamil language is that the word oLi (ஒளி) meaning light also means hiding as in the verb oLiththal (ஒளித்தல்).
ninathu - your. The root is the word nin (நின்) to which the expletive athu (அது) is added for metrical purposes. This meaning of athu is not to be confused with the pronoun meaning 'that'.
sunththarap - Beautiful. The actual word is sunththaram (சுந்தரம்) which with the suffix lost becomes a qualifier.
punnagai - Gentle smile. The root of this word is nagai (நகை) meaning smile. The word nagai also means a jewel possibly hinting that the best adornment in this world is a smile.
thAn - Intensifier. Not to be confused with the first person pronoun spelt the same way.

nIlak - Blue. This word come from nIlam (நீலம்) meaning the blue colour. The loss fo the final 'm' (ம்) makes it an adjective.
kadalalaiyE - Waves of the sea. This is formed from the two words kadal (கடல்) and alai (அலை). The actual word should be kadalinalai (கடலினலை) with the 'in' (இன்) acting as the vERRumai urubu (வேற்றுமை உருபு). The non-appearance of the 'in' (இன்) conjunction is called as vERRumaith thogai (வேற்றுமைத் தொகை). The yE (யே) suffix at the end is an intensifier.
ninathu - your. As explained above.
nenjcinalaigaLadI - Heart's waves. The word nenjcu (நெஞ்சு) refers both to the heart and the bosom. The conjunction 'in' appears clearly in this word.

kOlak - Graceful. kOlam (கோலம்) has multiple meanings like form, appearance, the geometrical patterns drawn in front of a Tami house (referred to as rangOli in North India), graceful, beautiful, etc. The meaning graceful appears most suited here.
kuyil - Koel or the Indian cuckoo. The koel is to Indian poets what the nightingale is to English poets.
Osai - Sound.
unathu - Your. This is another form of the second person possessive pronoun.
kuralinimaiyadI - Sweetness of your voice. Another example of vERRumaith thogai with kural (குரல்) and inimai (இனிமை) joined by the absent 'in' conjunction.

vAlaikkumariyadI - A combination of the words vAlai (வாலை) and kumari (குமரி). vAlai refers to a girl who is very young, one who has possibly not attained puberty yet. Kumari means a vrigin.
kaNNammA - The name of the lover as explained in the previous section.
maruvakkAthal - Charmed love. This is a combination of maruva (மருவ) and kAthal (காதல்). maruva has many meanings like confused, modified, etc. It comes from the root maru (மரு) which means to change in form. The word is used here in similar connotation with maynggu (மயங்கு) meaning to be allured.
koNdEn - I had. This word comes from the root verb koLLal (கொள்ளல்) meaning to have.

Appreciation

The very first line of this stanza presents Barathi to us as a perceptive poet. A flower like lotus, dahlia, chrysanthemum or marigold brings to our mind the idea of colours. Other flowers like rose or jasmine suggest fragrance. But to see light in a flower is just amazing. மலரிலே மணமல்ல, நிறமல்ல, ஒளி கண்டவன் பாரதி. But why light in a flower especially here? That comes when we see the complete simile. The light of a flower he asks is it your beautiful smile kaNNammA? Close your eyes and imagine how kaNNammA's smile would be. Radiant? Perhaps. But if Her smile had a glow would it be like that of a thousand resplendent suns? Nay, says Barathi, it is that of a flower, so subtel that you wouldn't notice it. Also observe the change in the subject as well. The first stanza spoke of kaNNammA's physical beauty in terms of Her eyes, Her sari. But here Barathi gently moves into more subtle aspects of Her beauty.

Now from the wonderous exclamations made in the previous lines, Barathi changes into a more assertive tone. He says the waves of kaNNammA's heart are that of the seas. The nenjcin alaigaL can refer to the waves in kaNNammA's heart (thoughts) and also to the waves of Her bosom. However, since Barathi has finished Her physical beauty in the previous stanza, the first interpretation seems more appropriate.

The next line shows how exact Barathi is in the usage of words. Why does Barathi say the sound of the cuckoo (kOlak kuyilOsai) and not the song of the cuckoo (kOlak kuyilisai)? One of his famous poem anthologies is kuyil pAttu (குயில் பாட்டு) meaning the Song of the Koel. He does not even say it is the voice of the cuckoo here. It is plain sound. So why does he say the sound of the koel here? Because however sweet it maybe, when compared to kaNNammA's voice, that is what it is, a sound.

The last lines are a declaration of love. The love declared here is not the spiritually supreme love of ninnai saraNadainththEn (நின்னை சரணடைந்தேன்) or the highly mature love of kARRu veLiyidai (காற்று வெளியிடை). It is the fresh and virgin love of one young heart with another. This is all the more emphasized by the detail of kaNNammA's attractiveness. This is the love that is the result of gAndhdham (காந்தம்). The entire poem shows a fever, a burning passion that is characteristic of the mad first love that strikes a young heart, somewhere between the age of fifteen and seventeen. The fever that burns the tender heart like flames swallowing spring's blossoms. This love is the love of youth towards itself.

When the young man stands in front of the mirror and sees his tender moustache, the arumbu mIsai (அரும்பு மீசை) there is a gentle admiration that blooms along with the moustache. So too with the maiden who sees her first pimples. Now, when this young man and maiden see each other, their own hearts act as a mirror reflecting the budding youth in each other's body and mind. Their minds leap with the joy of mutual recognition. This is the love that helps the bees and the buds of spring recognize each other. This is the love that is primal to the very universe, the simple nascent love that springs from seeing your own self reflected in the other person. This is the love that sustains the very universe, for when God sees His creation He sees His own youth reflected in Her. And in Her nenjcin alaigaL, in the waves of Her heart sees Her youth and beauty reflected in Her Creator. And thus does life become immortal.

(To be contd.,)

சுட்டும் விழிச் சுடர் தான் - Part I

noreply@blogger.com (அக்னிபாரதி) — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 16:34:00 +0000

சுட்டும் விழிச் சுடர் தான் கண்ணம்மா சூரிய சந்திரரோ
வட்டக் கரிய விழி கண்ணம்மா வானக்கருமை கொலோ
பட்டுக் கருநீலப் புடவை பதித்த நல்வயிரம்
நட்ட நடுநிசியில் தெரியும் நட்சத்திரங்களடீ

Transliteration

suttum vizic cudar thAn kaNNammA sUriya canththirarO
vattak kariya vizi kaNNammA vAnakkarumai kolO
pattuk karunIlap pudavai pathiththa nalvayiram
natta nadu nisiyil theriyum natcaththiranggaLdI

Meaning per word

Indicating/light of eyes/kaNNammA/(are they)sun and moon?
round black eyes/kaNNammA/sky/dark/like?
silk/violet/sari/embedded/good diamond/
very middle/night/seen/stars?

Word by word translation

suttum - Adorned or indicated. The root of the word is the verb (viNai விணை) suttu (சுட்டு). The ம் suffix transforms the verb into a peyareccam (பெயரெச்சம்), a relative participle that needs a noun to make complete sense.
viziccudar - A compund word formed from vizi (விழி) meaning eye and cudar (சுடர்) meaning flame. Thus the word denotes the light of the eyes shining like the flame of a lamp.
thAn - An intensifier used to highlight the meaning.
kaNNammA - This is a repeated name that appears on the poem (and most of Barathi's poems). kaNNammA is Barathi's fictional lover, the Beatrice to his Dante. The name literally translates as eye-mother.
cUriya canththirarO - Another compound word that translates as the sun (cUriya சூரிய) and moon (canththirarO சந்த்திரரோ). The 'O' (ஓ) suffix added to the word makes the sentence an excalamatory one.

vattakkariya - Adjectives for the follwing word. Formed by combining vattam (வட்டம்) meaning round and kariya (கரிய) meaning black.
vizi - EyevAnakkarumai - Another compound adjective.
vAnam (வானம்) means sky and karumai (கருமை) means black. Constrast the words kariya (கரிய) which is an adjective and karumai (கருமை) which is a noun form denoted in Tamil as paNbuppeyar (பண்புப்பெயர்), a name for a characteristic.
kolO - A conjunction used to complete the simile (of comparing the eyes with the sky). Can be equated to the word 'like' in English. In Tamil, this is a uvamai urubu (உவமை உருபு) or a simile participle.

pattuk karunIlap - Adjectives for the follwing word. Formed by combining pattu (பட்டு) menaing silk and karunIlam (கருநீலம்) meaning blackish blue or violet.
pudavai - sarIpathiththa - Embedded. This word comes from the root verb pathiththal (பதித்தல்). The loss of 'l' (ல்) suffix makes it a peyareccam. This is one of the standard rules for deriving a peyareccam from a verb.
nalvayiram - Good diamond. The nal (நல்) prefix acts as a qualifier. This comes from the root நன்மை, another paNbuppeyar meaning goodness.

nattanadu - The very middle. The actual word for middle is nadu (நடு). The distored form of the word - natta ( நட்ட) intesifies the word giving the very middle meaning.
nisiyil - In the night. The word for night is nisi (நிசி). The yil (யில்) suffix acts as the adverb.
theriyum - Seen. The root is the word therithal (தெரிதல்) meaning to be seen.
natcaththiranggaLadI - A slightly complex word. The word natcaththiram (நட்ச்சத்திரம்) means star, the plural form being natccaththiranggaL ( நட்ச்சத்திரங்கள்). The suffix adI (அடீ) is an intensifier used with female second persons.

History

kaNNammA is one of the prominent fictional characters in Barathi's poems. She can be looked at as the feminine aspect of kaNNan (கண்ணன்), Lord Krishna or as a personification of parAsakthi (பராசக்தி), the Universal Mother. She was Barathi's eternal lover, his permanent muse. She assumes many forms and ages in his poems. She is the supreme Goddess, the cherubic child and the graceful lover. She along with vaLLi (வள்ளி), kaNNan (கண்ணன்), kuyil (குயில்) meaning koel, etc., forms part of the plethora of recurrent characters rendered popular by Barathi.

Appreciation

The first stanza of a poem that oozes with romance. Barathi envisions kaNNammA as his young lover. Barathi's lovers are all very tender juvenile virgin girls. They are pristine girls who have their innocence intact. This is symbolic of his own vision of love - a pure and innocent path that leads to salvation. The primary rasA or emotion in this song is aRputham (அற்புதம்) or viyappu (வியப்பு), the feeling of wonder.

In any Barathi's poem there are two aspects worth noting - the use of his words and his similes. Barathi's usage of the exact word for the exact term is legendary. And in his similes, he shows his true genius as a poet with the breadth of his imagination.

Let us take the first stanza of this poem. The first few lines show an imagination of complete integrity. The light of kaNNammA's eyes has been compared to the sun and the moon. And then he follows up comparing her eyes themselves with the darkness of the skies. Thus, the eye becomes the sky in which the light resides as the sun and the moon. The darkness of the sky hints at a image of a night which is enhanced in the last line where her sari is compared to the darkness of the night.

The height of the imagination however lies in the comparison of the diamonds embedded in kaNNammA's sari with the stars of the night. This completes the entire picture of kaNNammA in our mental eye, a dusky woman who is as intriguing and enchanting as a night sky with the moon and the stars.

Observe that all over the only word Barathi uses for eyes is vizi. This is used to create the contrast with the name kaNNammA. The poem abounds in alliteration with the words 'nattanadu nisiyil', 'pattuk karunIlap pudavai'. It is this ability to create lyrical verse in such a simple form that makes Barathi's poems easily lend to musical compositions.

(To be contd.,)

Greetings

noreply@blogger.com (அக்னிபாரதி) — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:39:00 +0000

In our Tamilnadu, every second person writes poetry. First love, first love failure, poetry upon joining college, poetry when leaving college...in this way we have written poetry for every sneeze and cough of ours. When people say 'I too write poetry.', the truth is it is 'I write poetry too.'

Amongst these many who write poetry there are a few poets. One such poet, our gerat poet is Barathi. His title is that of Vani, She who sits on the white lotus and sustains the four vedas. It has been my impudent desire to translate this poet, this national poet of Tamilnadu to English. With the help of the web, on this auspicious day (Is not this day always auspicious?), I shall start this task.

The translation shall be of this nature. First a word-by-word translation will be provided for the poem. Then, a complete translation will be provided followed by an appreciation of the poem. After this, I shall attempt with my limited abilities to provide a poetic presentation of the same in English.

A few requests to all those who shall read these translations.

1. Share your comments openly. If the comments are criticisms, share them with vengeance - I'm always open to correction.

2. Those who are well verse in HTML, Blogger templates can contact me if you are willing to help in design.

3. Please publicize this site.

4. If you too are interested in providing translations, send a mail to me. I shall send Blogger invites for you to post here.

5. If you wish to share any information about Barathi, send a mail with the same to me and it will published with your name.

Long Live Barathi

வணக்கம்

noreply@blogger.com (அக்னிபாரதி) — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 14:12:00 +0000

வணக்கம்.

நம் தமிழ்நாட்டில் தடுக்கி விழுந்த்தால் கவிதை எழுதுபவர் கிடைப்பர். முதல் காதலால் கவிதை, அக்காதல் தோல்வியுற்றதால் கவிதை, கல்லூரியில் சேர்ந்ததும் கவிதை, கல்லூரி முடிவில் கவிதை, இப்படி தும்மல் விக்கல் முதற்கொண்டு எல்லாவற்றையும் கவிதை படுத்தி விட்டோம். 'நானும் கவிதை எழுதுவேன்' என சொல்வர் பலர். உண்மையில் அது 'நான் கவிதையும் எழுதுவேன்' என பொருள் கொள்ள வேண்டும்.

இப்படி கவிதை எழுதுவோர் பலர் இருக்க, சிலர் கவிஞராய் அமைகின்றனர். அப்படிபட்ட ஒரு கவிஞன், மஹாகவிஞன் பாரதி. வெள்ளைத் தாமரை மலர் மீது அமர்ந்து மறை நான்கையும் வாழச் செய்யும் வாணி அவள் பெயரை அடைமொழியாய் பெற்றவன் பாரதி. அப்படிபட்ட கவிஞனை, தமிழ்நாட்டின் தேசிய கவியை, ஆங்கிலத்தில் மொழி பெயர்ப்பது சிறியேனின் நீண்ட நாள் வேட்கை. இணையத்தின் துணையுடன், இன்று, இத்திருநாளில் (இன்று என்றுமே திருநாளன்றோ?) இப்பணியைத் துவக்குகிறேன்.

மொழி பெயர்ப்பு அமையும் விதம் இங்கனம் ஆகும். பாடலொன்றை எடுத்து முதலில் ஒவ்வொறு சொல்லிற்கும் பொருள் ஆங்கிலத்தில் விளக்கப்படும். பின் முழு பாடலுக்கும் மொழி பெயர்ப்பு அளிக்கப்படும். அதன்பின் பாடலின் கருத்தாராய்ந்து விளக்கவுரை தரப்படும். இறுதியில் என் மூளைக்கு எட்டிய அளவு பாடல் வடிவில் ஆங்கிலமாக்கம் தரப்படும்.

இவற்றைப் படிக்கவிருக்கும் வாசகர்களுக்கு சில விண்ணப்பங்கள்

1. எக்கருத்தாயினும் துணிந்து சொல்லவும். தவறிருப்பின் கடிந்தே கூறவும். திருத்திக் கொள்ள என்றும் விழைவேன்.

2. HTML, Blogger Template ஆகியவற்றில் தேர்ந்தோர் உதவி செய்ய விரும்பினால் என்னை தொடர்பு கொள்ளவும்.

3. இத்தளத்தைப் பற்றிய தகவலை நண்பர்களுடன் பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளவும்.

4. தாங்களும் இம்முயற்சியில் பங்கு பெற விழைந்தால் எனக்கு மின்னஞ்சல் அனுப்பவும். Blogger அழைப்பு அனுப்பப்படும்.

5. பாரதி பற்றி வேறேதும் செய்தியை பகிர்ந்து கொள்ள விழைந்தால் அது பற்றி மின்னஞ்சல் அனுப்பவும் - இத்தளத்தில் தங்கள் பெயருடன் அதனை வெளியிடுவோம்.

வாழ்க பாரதி, வளர்க அவன் புகழ்.