Thursday, October 21, 2010

Deivam Thantha Veedu- Kannadasan - With my English Translation

It had been a 12 hour day at work, and then I surely needed something to take off my day's stress...and I found none other than my love for Kannadasan overwhelming me to sit for 10 mins and try one of his ever green lyrics for my level of English translation....I should tell...it wasnt easy...for its too difficult to get equal words that match the depth of original lyrics by the great legend.... hope my attempt is little best than before!

deivam thandha veedu veedhiyirukku


indha oorenna sondha veedenna njaana pennae

vaazhvin porulenna nee vandha kadhai enna

God’s created home is my street

Whats there in the town, whats there in my home

Oh knowledgeable girl!

Whats there in the life’s valuables? What’s the purpose of your life?

naan kaettuth thaaythandhai padaitharaa

illai en pillai enai kaettu pirandhaanaa

dheyvam seydha paavam idhu podi thangachi

kondraal paavam thinraal poachu idhudhaan en katchi

Was I born to my parents with my consent?

Or was my child born after I asked for it?

Are these are god’s plays..oh my little sister!

Sins of killing for food are gone with consuming…

And this is my philosophy

aadhi veedu andham kaadu

idhil naan enna adiyae nee enna njaana penne

vaazhvin porulenna nee vandha kadhai enna

Beginning at home and ending at grave

Who am I or you in between., oh wise girl?

Whats there in the life’s valuables? What’s the purpose of your life?

deivam thandha veedu veedhiyirukku

indha oorenna sondha veedenna njaana pennae

vaazhvin porulenna nee vandha kadhai enna

God’s created home is my street

Whats there in the town, whats there in my home

Oh knowledgeable girl!

Whats there in the life’s valuables? What’s the purpose of your life?

verum koavil idhilenna abhishaekam

un manam engum therukkooththu pagal vaesham

kallikkenna mullil vaeli poadi thangachchi

kaatukkaedhu thoattakkaaran idhudhaan en katchi

kondadhenna koduppadhenna

idhil thaay enna……manandha thaaram enna njaana penne

vaazhvin porulenna nee vandha kadhai enna

Buildings called temples with stone idols in worship

When inner self is hidden in fake dramatic piece

Thorns fencing not for the weeds; go away my little sister!

Where the need for gardener for the forest, this is my view of life

What is that we brought, and what is that we take (When we die)

So in between, why the difference between mother or a wife..oh wise girl!

What’s there in the life’s valuables? What’s the purpose of your life?

deivam thandha veedu veedhiyirukku

indha oorenna sondha veedenna njaana pennae

vaazhvin porulenna nee vandha kadhai enna

God’s created home is my street

Whats there in the town, whats there in my home

Oh knowledgeable girl!

Whats there in the life’s valuables? What’s the purpose of your life?

thelivaagath therindhaalae siththaandham

adhu theriyaamal poanaalae vedhaandham

mannaith thoandith thanneer thaedum anbuth thangachi

ennai thoandi nyaanam kanden idhudhaan en katchi

unmai enna poymai enna

idhil thaen enna kadikkum thael enna nyaana penne

vaazhvin porul enna nee vandha kadhai enna

deivam thandha veedu veedhiyirukku

When everything is clear and known, it’s a canon

When something is unknown, it’s unclear scriptures

Digging earth in search of waters…oh beloved sister

Delving within myself, discovered my eternal wisdom,

This is my view of life 

Where is the truth and where is the false?

In this, where is the honey, or the scorpions bite?..oh wise girl

Whats there in the life’s valuables? What’s the purpose of your life?

God’s created home is my street…..

8 comments:

Unknown said...

One of my hubby's favorite songs. Initially I didnt know but he explained to me. Thus became my favorite too. Really a very sensible and heart touching note.

Ramanan said...

Excellent attempt to translate .
Catching Kannadasan's spirit is well neigh impossible, for his mastery over Tamil words is simply amazing.
Happy to see that , as one who moved with him, some one is attempting to translate his film songs sincerely, not for cash but for passion.
May I suggest that translation of the spirit of the song be attempted, with out worrying too much about the Tamil words used in the original for the feel of Tamil can never be captured in any other language, for that matter no language can be felt through other language?.
Again very laudable attempt
God Bless you,
-Friend and die hard fan Kannadasan's Tamil.

Umasree said...

@Ramanan Sir: Thank you for your inspiring words. I love his lyrics..and try translating when ever possible..writing down lyrics in English,..for I didnt have chance to learn Tamil..though I can speak fluently....Your words inspire alot.

@Mams: This one song is so dear as its the truth...most of kannadasan songs are close to common man,.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the translation! I guess the only link found on google! Keep posting more such, helping someone like me understand Tamil :)

Kishor said...

I am Telugu. For some unknown reason I started liking Tamil from my childhood even I never knew anything about it. I started learning it when I was in 9th class. Actually at first I felt it to be not as sweeter as Telugu. Those words are totally different and stressful, as I felt at that time.

But as years go, I became a big fan of Tamil language... especially of its great vocabulary. This happened only after listening to Kannadasan's lyrics, I am sure. As Ramanan said here in this blog "No Language can be translated perfectly into other". Its true. Its more true with Kannadasan's lyrics, I believe. Translated version never satisfies a person who knows the real feel behind the original words.

Kannadasan "musically" selects some Tamil words that fit perfectly into a great feel which he wants to convey. As per my experience, it is almost impossible to translate especially Kannadasan's songs with the same effect and meaning as of original into any other language. It may not be a wonder those songs can not be translated into a foreign language, like English, but I wondered to know it also applies to neighbor language like Telugu.

As a Telugu writer,I have tried to translate Kannadasan's songs into Telugu many times. If u bring the original meaning you have to sacrifice the musical beauty of the original words. If you want to import the original musical feel into the words, then you have to take some liberty in conveying the meaning, I mean you should take a closer path.

This problem always comes when u want to translate poetry, but its more prominent when you touch Kannadasan's songs. I experienced it. From then I stopped translation and started enjoying the originals.

Kishor said...

I am Telugu. For some unknown reason I started liking Tamil from my childhood even I never knew anything about it. I started learning it when I was in 9th class. Actually at first I felt it to be not as sweeter as Telugu. Those words are totally different and stressful, as I felt at that time.

But as years go, I became a big fan of Tamil language... especially of its great vocabulary. This happened only after listening to Kannadasan's lyrics, I am sure. As Ramanan said here in this blog "No Language can be translated perfectly into other". Its true. Its more true with Kannadasan's lyrics, I believe. Translated version never satisfies a person who knows the real feel behind the original words.

Kannadasan "musically" selects some Tamil words that fit perfectly into a great feel which he wants to convey. As per my experience, it is almost impossible to translate especially Kannadasan's songs with the same effect and meaning as of original into any other language. It may not be a wonder those songs can not be translated into a foreign language, like English, but I wondered to know it also applies to neighbor language like Telugu.

As a Telugu writer,I have tried to translate Kannadasan's songs into Telugu many times. If u bring the original meaning you have to sacrifice the musical beauty of the original words. If you want to import the original musical feel into the words, then you have to take some liberty in conveying the meaning, I mean you should take a closer path.

This problem always comes when u want to translate poetry, but its more prominent when you touch Kannadasan's songs. I experienced it. From then I stopped translation and started enjoying the originals.

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Raja Thatha said...

I have recently translated in to english many of the songs of Kannadasan. Please see http://kannadasanspirituallyrics.blogspot.in/