Aasai Mugam Marandhu Pochae

 

"Aasai Mugam Marandhu Pochae" is poem written by Subramania Bharathi, or simply referred fondly as Bharathi or formally with his title as "Maha Kavi" Bharathiyar. 

So many of his poems are written with a passion for Kannan. Kannan is an interesting term that used in Thamizh culture. A direct reference to Lord Krishna, who affectionately called as Kannan, specially manifesting as the naughty child constantly upto some mischief. Numerous stories that glorify these acts. But this term therefore also equally applies to that special someone in your life that you love or are fond of.

This poem is written apparently lamenting the loss of a picture of his mother, the only one had (as per numerous sites and references on the web). However he played with words, specially using the term Kannan to allow dual references. Allowing the listener to apply the meaning appropriately. 

I came across this song on youtube quite by accident while i was still recovering from my Covid-19 attack. This rendition by Suchitra quickly caught my fancy. Bharathi words, or maybe because heard a few other poems, are relatively easy to grasp and understand. After playing it on loop for sometime, i had find more on the lyrics, meanings. Thats when i came across the story behind the song. These lyrics below are also thanks to many people on the internet. 

The english means as usual are mine, using my poetic license and ability to choose the most appropriate words to bring the best of the emotion and love associated with the poem.

The youtube video below of Suchi is the best i found. There were other renditions that attempted to fuse new music, or rendered in traditional carnatic style. The purists dont like her rendition, as is noted by a few on the comments. But there are always these egocentric uncles and aunties, who wont allow any freedom. Well, Suchi has done an excellent job, keeping it simple, and allowing the words to express its emotions and warmth, without overpowering music or using those puristic banal tones. More importantly her pronunciation of Thamizh words are also perfect. It still playing in loop. She unfortunately skipped a couple of verses (3rd and 5th), i guess to keep it short and grasp attention of today's music aficionados. Beautiful, i only wish there was a longer and complete version for people like me.

 

Tamil Lyrics	English Transliteration	English Translation
ஆசை முகம் மறந்து போச்சே -இதை யாரிடம் சொல்வேனடி தோழி? நேசம் மறக்கவில்லை நெஞ்சம் - எனில் நினைவு முகம் மறக்கலாமோ?	aasai mugam maRandhu pochae - idhai yaaridam solvaenadi thozhi? naesam maRakkavillai nenjam - enil ninaivu mugam maRakkalaamo?	Lovely face i seem to have forgotten Who will i tell this aching to, my friend? The desire my heart couldn’t forget But then to forget the  beautiful face?
கண்ணில் தெரியுதொரு தோற்றம் - அதில் கண்ணன் அழகு முழுதில்லை; நண்ணு முகவடிவு காணில்-அந்த நல்ல மலர்ச்சிரிப்பைக் காணோம்.	kaNNil theriyudhoru thotRam - adhil kaNNan azhagu muzhudhillai; naNNu mugavadivu kaaNil - andha nalla malarchiripai kaaNom.	My eyes visualizes a form Where Kannan's allure is not complete Contours of a face, i see That blossoming smile is missing.
ஓய்வு மொழிதலும் இல்லாமல் - அவன் உறவை நினைத்திருக்கும் உள்ளம் வாயும் உரைப்பதுண்டு கண்டாய் - அந்த மாயன் புகழினை எப்போதும்.	oayvu mozhidhalum illaamal - avan uRavai ninaithirukkum uLLam vaayum uraippadhuNdu kaNdaay - andha maayan pugazhinai eppodhum.	Without a break I keep thinking about him My mouth chanting constantly this charmer’s glory.
கண்கள் புரிந்துவிட்ட பாவம் - உயிர்க் கண்ணன் உருமறக்கலாச்சு; பெண்கள் இனத்தில் இது போல - ஒரு பேதையை முன்பு கண்டதுண்டோ?	kaNkaL purindhuvitta paavam - uyir kaNNan urumaRakkalaachu; peNkaL inathil idhu pola - oru paedhaiyai munpu kaNdadhuNdo?	My eyes realize its sins, Image of Kannan that it forgets Among all women everywhere A bewitched one like me, nobody will see
தேனை மறந்திருக்கும் வண்டும் - ஒளிச் சிறப்பை மறந்துவிட்ட பூவும் வானை மறந்திருக்கும் பயிரும் - இந்த வைய முழுதுமில்லை தோழி	thaenai maRandhirukkum vaNdum - oLi siRappai maRandhuvitta poovum vaanai maRandhirukkum payirum - indha vaiya muzhudhumillai thozhi	Bee that ignores honey Flower that neglects light Seedlings that disregards sky No where in the world you will see, my friend
கண்ணன் முகம் மறந்து போனால் - இந்தக் கண்கள் இருந்து பயனுண்டோ? வண்ணப் படமும் இல்லை கண்டாய் - இனி வாழும் வழி என்னடி தோழி?	kaNNan mugam maRandhu ponaal - indha kaNkaL irundhu payanuNdo? vaNNa padamum illai kaNdaay - ini vaazhum vazhi ennadi thozhi?	If I should forget Kannan's face These eyes have no value No framed picture to see What will i do with this life, my friend

 

Aaradhike - Song from Ambili - Lyrics and Meanings

A beautiful and touching movie, but this song i think is its biggest highlight. The lines and the tune too, will surely move you. The movie has been out and about for sometime, but i took me sometime to craft this.

 The songs lyrics are as recorded from youtube and tweaked for pronunciation. The english meaning is mine, with poetic license as required, to share the essence of the poem, rather than merely translating the words into their english equivalence.

 

Malayalam Transliterated Lyrics

English Poetic Meaning

Aaraadhike Manjuthirum Vazhiyarike NaaLeReyayi Kaathuninnu MizhiniRaye Neeyengu Pokilum Akaleyku Maayilum EnnashakaL Thann Manthoniyumaayi Thuzhanjarike Njan Varaam Ente Nenjaake Neeyalle Ente Unmaadam Neeyalle Ninne ARiyaan ULu Nirayaan Ozhukiyozhuki Njan Innumennumoru Puzhayayi Aaraadhike Pidayunnorente Jeevanil Kinaavu Thanntha Kanmani Neeyillayenkil ennile Prakaashamillini Mizhineeru Peytha Maariyil Kedaathe Kaatha Punjiri Neeyennoraa Pratheekshayil Erinja Ponthiri Manam Pakuthu Nalkidaam Kurumbu Kondu Moodidaam Aduthu Vannidaam Kothichu Ninnidaam Viral Koruthidaam Swayam Marannidaam Ee Aashakal Thann Manthoniyumai Thuzhanjakale Poyidaam Ente Nenjaake Neeyalle Ente Unmaadam Neeyalle Ninne ARiyaan ULu Nirayaan Ozhukiyozhuki Njan Innumennumoru Puzhayayi Aaraadhike OrunaaL Kinaavu Poothidum Athil NammaLonnu CheRnidum Piraakkalpolithe Vazhi Nilaavil Paaridum Ninakku Thanalaayi Njan Ninakku Thunayaayi Njan Palakanavukal Pakaliravukal NiRramaniyumee Kadhayezhuthuvaan Ee Aashakal Thann Manthoniyumai Thuzhanjakale Poyidaam Ente Nenjaake Neeyalle Ente Unmaadam Neeyalle Ninne ARiyaan ULu Nirayaan Ozhukiyozhuki Njan Innumennumoru Puzhayayi Aaraadhike Manjuthirum Vazhiyarike

Oh my beloved Dew covers up the path These many days Waiting, my eyes tearing up Where ever you may go Even disappear in a distance My desires Filling up a boat Rowing toward you I will come My heart is filled with you My happiness, that is you To know you, You fill me up Overflowing Now and forever like a river Oh my beloved In my very disturbed life Love, you present hope If you weren’t, with me Light will desert me Even while raining tears My grace guarded, undying Just that one hope in you Keeps the flame burning Share our thoughts Envelop us with naughtiness Closer together Craving in anticipation Letting our fingers touch Daze ourselves Filled with these desires In a boat Lets row away to a distance My heart is filled with you My happiness, that is you To know you, You fill me up Overflowing Now and forever like a river Oh my beloved The dreams one day will come true We will be together then Like love birds, Soar in the moon’s light I’ll be a shelter for you I’ll be a partner for you In your many dreams In day and in night Adorned with many colors Writing memories together Filled with these hopes In a boat Lets row away to a distance My heart is filled with you My happiness, that is you To know you, You fill me up Overflowing Now and forever like a river Oh my beloved Dew covers up this path…….

 

The Living Years

I heard this song one day, just by accident, playing on my radio while driving home back from work. The lines in bold struck me, as it mirrored many things to me. 

I wasnt there the day when my father died. I never spoke to him, like i wished i did. Much much later, i would regret those living years. Every time i hear this and tried to sing along, these words almost always choked my throat. Tears would try to emerge, and like a stupid adult male, i would try my best to resist.

 

Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door

 

I know that I'm a prisoner
To all my Father held so dear
I know that I'm a hostage
To all his hopes and fears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

 

Oh, crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thought
Stilted conversations
I'm afraid that's all we've got

 

You say you just don't see it
He says it's perfect sense
You just can't get agreement
In this present tense
We all talk a different language
Talking in defence

 

Say it loud (say it loud), say it clear (oh say it clear)
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late (it's too late) when we die (oh when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

 

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
It's the bitterness that lasts

 

So don't yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a different day
And if you don't give up, and don't give in
You may just be okay

 

So say it loud, say it clear (oh say it clear)
You can listen as well as you hear
Because it's too late, it's too late (it's too late) when we die (oh when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

 

I wasn't there that morning
When my Father passed away
I didn't get to tell him
All the things I had to say

 

I think I caught his spirit
Later that same year
I'm sure I heard his echo
In my baby's new born tears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

 

Say it loud, say it clear (oh say it clear)
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late (it's too late) when we die (it's too late when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So say it, say it, say it loud (say it loud)
Say it clear (come on say it clear)

- The Living Years by Mike + The Mechanics -

Sampra Thalayan Kupi

Magic words!

This video clip used to play on TV (Doordharsan) when i was a kid. It stuck there, and was lost forever. But never forgotten. I searched for this many years later and was difficult to locate. Apparently it was not necessarily the best of this genius' comedy.

The movie itself is from the 1940s. I think it is a genius of the times.

Literature (Card Game)

This is a card game, i have played but only once or maybe twice in my life. But it was so amazing and mentally intriguing that i have tried every opportunity to play this. The rules are pretty complicated, in the sense that there is a lot of thinking and logical analysis that is required. The rules are just rules, but the play is how this game is defined. In terms of intrigue and challenge, i find this close to another game i frequently play, called the Twenty-Eight. More about the latter, another time.

After first playing it in 1991, i attempted to lay out the rules and play it again in 1994. But the second time, the team being smaller didn't have the same impact as the first one, which had about 8 players. And then many years later, i had another opportunity to play, but then my mind was wiped clear of most rules. A wasted attempt at trying to explain the strategy and process, in a bid to see if some members of the group i was with are able to remember and add to the rules.

I took to the internet soon after, and spend quite a bit of time trying to find this game and its rules. The biggest problem was i didn't know what we called it. I used to call it "Sequence", but that was not the real name by which this game was referred to. Finally, after several attempts that ran over a few days and months, i was able to narrow down to this beautiful site that had a collection of rules and strategy for many different card games. Pagat, showcased the rules of this game Literature, but now the problem was finding a group to play this. A recent visit to this site showed that Wikipedia hosted a page for the game too.

I am still waiting for an opportunity to play this game.

ref: http://www.pagat.com/quartet/literature.html
ref:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literature_(card_game)
 

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge - Varun Grover

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Varun Grover

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Tana Shah Aake Jayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Tana Shah Aake Jayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Tum Aazun Gas Ujaloge

Tum Zeher Ki Chai Ubaloge

Hum Pyar Ki Shakkar Gol Ke Usko

Gut Gut Gut Pee Jayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Ye Desh Hi Apna Haazil Hain

Jahan Ram Prasad Bhi Bismil Hain

Mitti Ko Kaise Batoge

Sabka Hi Khoon To Shaamil Hain

Tum Pulis Se Latt Padadhoge

Tum Metro Bandh Karodhoge

Hum Paidal Paidal Aayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Hum Manji Yehi Bichayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Hum Samvidaan Ko Bachayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Hum Jan Gan Mann Bhi Gayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Tum Jaath Paath Se Baatonge

Hum Baath Mangthe Jaayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge

Hum Kagaz Nahin Dikhayenge