Monday, October 20, 2008

Kannadasan Endra Kadalai Thondrum Neyram - ( Digging into the well of wealth called Kannadasan)- A Tribute to the ever green Poet

Ponal pohattum poda - intha poomiyil nilaiyai vazhnthavar yaarada. Vanthathu theriyum povathu enge vaasal namakke theriyathu, Vanthavarellam thanki viddal - intha mannil namakke idamtethu, Vazhkai enpathu viyaparam - varum jananam enpathu varavahum - athil maranam enpathu selavaahum.

Meaning - Let the passions and bonds pass-by Who has lived in this land forever? Path of arrival is known - but Path of departure and the route unknown. If all who came opt to stay Where's the space in this sphere? Life is just a business -in which the birth is credit and death is debit

It was in the October 3 rd week, in 1981, that a poet and lyricst Kavingnar Kannadasan left this world at the age of 54. What is left behind is a well of wealth, the wealth of tamil literature in the form of 5000 movie songs, 4000 poems, 30+ novels, and 109 volumes of publications and his children claim that there is much of this great poet which is not published. Looks like an ocean of knowledge. As a poet and writer, I am in a kind of an obsession to the words in his poems, the indepth meaning that makes us go awe in appreciation of his great writings. One more example given below

Veedu varai uravu,Veethi varai manaivi, Kaadu varai pillai, kadaisi varai yaaro? Meaning- The kin, till the house, The wife, till the street, The son, upto the cemetery, Who will come beyond that?

It may be years and years after this was written, but the truth do not change.. so is the one given below:

Aadai inri piranthome - aasai inri piranthoma? Aadi mudikkaiyile alli chenror yaarumundo

Meaning- Though born without a dress, did we come without passions? when we complete the merriment can anyone carry their possessions?

There is one another movie song, that makes you almost silent, for the essence of the lyrics

Ullam enpathu aamai - athil unmai enpathu oomai Sollil varuvathu paathi - nenjil thoonki kidappathu neethi

Meaning - Mind is like a tortoise - in which the truth hides in silence words can bring out only the half while justice calmly sleeps

one more theme that again talks about the sorrows and joys of a common man who still manages to dream, balancing the artimetics of life...

Vazhvil thunbam varavuu suham selavu, iruppathu kanavu kaalam vahutha kanakkai inge yaar kaanuvar?

With my tributes and ardent devotion to a poet who showed a new world in his words.

Thanks to my friend Partha who spent almost 5 hours online to explore Kannadasan over the weekend, translating meaning of his various songs to the otherwise illiterate uma who has no knowledge of Tamil writing. Provoking me to learn the language and explore it and make it a continious saga..... this reminds me of Kavingnar Kanimozhi's words "Ethanna nalla analum, theru en veediyil varavillayey" describing the pain of the poor that the god's chariot has not made to his street.

Poets are not made, they are born!!!.