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.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Monday, December 18, 2006
Land, simplicity and a dream
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)
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)
Friday, December 15, 2006
சுட்டும் விழிச் சுடர் தான் Part IV
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.
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
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.
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.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
சுட்டும் விழிச் சுடர் தான் - Part II
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.,)
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.,)
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
சுட்டும் விழிச் சுடர் தான் - Part I
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.,)
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
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
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
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.
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.
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