ThiruKural - Part 1

அன்பிற்கும் உண்டோ அடைக்கும்  தாழ் ஆர்வலர்
புண் கணீர் பூசல் தரும் !


Does the sea of love have any flood gates
It gushes out unabashed in the form of tears when seeing ones kith suffer!


An ambulance speeding towards the city of madras driven by a young man named Muthu in his late twenties, occupied by Ramesh the watchful doctor, Catherine the benevolent sister with the Lord's name in her lips flipping through prayer beads, Anbarasan the nervous young city bred man, NallaSivam the wise, cheerful, limping nomadic socialist and a ten year old kid lying on a stretcher with a small cushioning, severely hurt from head injuries. The four strangers initially linked by a common goal to reach Madras, are bonding over the kid.

The Doctor is frequently checking for the vital signs while the sister is soothing the kids pain through gentle embrace of his hand. Anbu and Sivam are fast asleep resting their shoulders on each other's, only to be awaken by the sudden jerk of the vehicle. Ramesh requests Muthu to pull over for a tea break to give the driver the much needed rest from overnight drive. The doctor accompanied by Anbu and Sivam, stroll towards the stall pulled by the aroma of ginger flavored tea, while Catherine is looking after the kid.

Suddenly there is a call for Ramesh's presence in the van by Catherine the sister. Sped by urgency in her voice but slowed by his anxiety of what he could witness, Anbu stumbles his way towards the van following the doctor. A sudden violent shaking of the van makes him sprint towards it. As he opens the door of the van, his eyes flood with tears as he witnesses the doctor struggle in vain. 

War --- Everyone cheered

The pressure was building up and people were unable to bear the discomfort anymore.

Wanted a scapegoat, wanted to let off the steam building up barometer by barometer,

wanted to feed off their animal instincts through a violent, bloody yet brief war. Wanted

to teach them a lesson. 

Who did they refer to as ‘them’? Another set of people who shared the same exact

beliefs, emotions and thoughts as themselves. Yet, no one did realize that they were

falling into a or ‘The trap’. Why were they so willful in making history repeat itself.

Could a whole community be full of fools? – One which contains toddlers, oldies, men

women, fools, dreamers, optimists, practicalists a.k.a. pessimists, novice, experienced,

the good the bad and the ugly. 

Were there any voices which expressed concern? - If there were, were they drowned in

the mass droning?

Nobody would realize that it is not going to be a small bloody war with all their scores

settled, but a long painful drama, until they experience it, which they would soon forget.

If you observe it at a distance, you may either look at it as if it’s a play staged by ‘The

wicked Almighty’, if you believe in one, or the unending dramas in the life of men on

earth – the events happening to give a meaning to the beautiful thing called ‘life’, by

ending it like a full stop to a sentence.

Either way you look at it is difficult to absorb!!!!!!.

Nizhal nijathil paadhi

Kanavu meippada oru kanaa kanden

Pinbu kan vizhikkayil en ethirkaalathai nigazh kaalathil unara

embi kuthithu odum ennangalai pidithu mudichu potten

Adhil kiliambiya pala sagaapthangal

Ovvondrilum naane kadhanayagan

Nija vaazhkaiyil ennai palar gnana kuzhandhai endranar

adhai nijamaagave nambinen

Annaal mudhal kanavulagam endra nizhalil

 nijathai kaana muyandren

adhuvum naanaaga erpaduthiya nijathai

Naatkal aaga aaga suriyan endra arivoli saaya saaya

nizhalum neendadhu en kanavum brammaandam aanadhu

annizhal ennai soozha

thideerena minmini poochi pol

vandhathu oru gnana uthayam

en paadhi vaazhvu nizhalil adangivittadhu

vida matten! en kanavu kalanjiyathil

undaagum oru sagaapthathinaal adhanaal

unadaagum udhvegathilnaal

neruppinaal aana siragugal mulaithu

naalai vinnai nooki selven

Adadaa enna ithu

marubadiyum nizhal ennai suuzha aarambithu vittadhaa ?

Sari! adhanaal enna?

Naan enna nizhal vizhaadha periya kovila?

---- Venkatesh

Source in English: ---- by Mr G. Prashanth (the tamil version was started for this article as something like a translation)

Once i had a really good dream
Before I forgot, I made it heard
Dream along, they all said
And so started the obsession
Bigger and better, i learnt to dream
"Gifted" was what they called me
And happily did i respond
But then each day when i woke up
The world seemed stranger to me
As my dreams grew more wonderful
More witless turned the real
for once I stopped and thought
and then is when it came to me
Through all these years of my life
dreaming seems to be what i had really done..
And that was not what I had dreamed!
Out of the sanctuary of dreams I shall hatch
with wings of fire to ascend me
and launch myself with a conviction
to put me back in my dream.
But wait,I'm still dreaming!

Kanmaniye naan un mel konda kaadhalinaal, nee ennudan pesa marukkaiyil, undaana viraga dhaabam

En vaazhvu uruvam prathibalikkum kannadi endraal
nee adhil adangi otti irukkum paadharasam polae
Nee irukkaiyil naan unnaal ennai kaangiren !

Naan kaarmegam endral
ennai suuzhum velli valaivugalin
moolamana muzhu nilavae .

un azhaginal un oli perugiyatha ?
allathu kannai kulirum oliyinal
un azhagu milirnthadha ? .

Orr pon maalai pozhudhil
Neela kadalin karaiyorathil
Maanira man thugalgalai unthanpaathangal kolamida
Ap paadha suvadugal en veetin suvaril chithiramaaga padhindhadhu

Sattendru avoviyam uyir-kondu ennai paarthu pesida
vaarthai vara thavariyadhadi
Aiyahou Solladi en thozhiye naan en seiven ?
Aanaal oru nodi adhai sinthikkayil
Verum vaarthaigal dhaana nam ennangalai parimaara
Kangal kooda pesum enbaargal
Un paatha suvadugal kooda ennidam pesiyadhe

En ennangal vaarthaigalai urumaari kaatralaigalin vazhi
unnai santhikkum velaiyil siridhu sevi saaithaal
Naan ul magizhven !!


Translated version:

En vaazhvu uruvam (figure) prathibalikkum (reflecting) kannadi endraal
nee adhil adangi otti irukkum paadharasam (mercury) polae
Nee irukkaiyil naan unnaal ennai kaangiren !
(If my life is like a mirror you are like the mercury stuck to it, I am able see myself within (into my soul) only because of you :)

Naan kaarmegam (blackish cloud/heavy cloud) endral
ennai suuzhum(surround) velli (silver) valaivugalin (curves)
moolamaana (the core reason behind...) muzhu nilavae (full moon).
(If I am like the cloud, you are the moon providing the silver curves surrounding me.)

un azhaginal un oli (light/brightness) perugiyadha ?(increase/magnify)
allathu (otherwise) kannai kulirum antha oliyinal (eye soothing moon light)
un azhagu milirndhadha ? (sparkle).
(You being the moon, did your beauty increase your the brightness of your halo or was it the eye soothing light emanating that increased your beauty)

Orr pon maalai pozhudhil (dusk time........golden tinge of the fading sun covering the sky... connect the dots for the description of the scenario :)
Neela (blue) kadalin karaiyorathil (sea shore side)
Maanira (brown) man thugalgalaii (sand particles) unthanpaathangal kolamida (her feet are drawing rangoli while walking on the sand :))
Ap paadha suvadugal (foot steps) en veetin suvaril chithiramaaga (potrait) padhindhadhu

(imagine that I have been trying to talk to her for a long time but in vain. I follow her at a disreet distance and take a photograph of her beatiful footsteps, frame it and hang it in the wall of my house)

Sattendru (suddenly) avvoviyam (beautiful painting) uyir-kondu (getting life) ennai paarthu pesida
vaarthai vara thavariyadhadi (words failed to come out of my mouth / dumbstruck)
Aiyahou (Oh my God!) Solladi en thozhiye naan en seiven ? (tell me my friend what shall I do ?)
(Suddenly that potrait spoke to me and I was out of words, surprised pleasantly. tell me my friend what shall I do ?)

Aanaal oru nodi (one sec) adhai sinthikkayil (ponder)
Verum vaarthaigal dhaana nam ennangalai parimaara (Are these words, the only means of communication ?)
Kangal kooda pesum enbaargal (people say that even eyes speak)
Un paatha suvadugal kooda ennidam pesiyadhe (even your footsteps spoke to me)

En ennangal (thoughts) vaarthaigalai urumaari (transform) kaatralaigalin (air waves) vazhi
unnai santhikkum velaiyil (at that time) siridhu sevi (ear) saaithaal (listen)
Naan ul magizhven !!

(My thoughts will be transformed into words, will flow through air waves and meet you, and if you respond to it I will be the happiest man on earth)

பாலின் சரிதை  (Life of milk)

பால்காரன் மருத்துவச்சியாக ஆக 
கோமாதாவின் புதிரியானவள் 
இப்புவியினில் தோன்றினால்

பிறந்த சில நாழிகையிலேயே
பால் மனம் மாறாத பருவத்திலேயே
பால விவாஹம் செய்யப்  பட்டது
நீரானவன் உடையவன் ஆனான் 

இளம் வயதில் திருமணம் என்பது 
வேதனை - அதனினும் வேதனை
இங்கு நடந்தேறியது 

கணவனை இழந்தவள்  
நெருப்பில் உயிரை மாய்த்துக் கொள்வது 
பழங்காலச் சடங்கு 
எதிர்மாறாக நெருப்பின் வெப்பத்தினால் 
தனது உடையவனை இவள் இழக்க 
மிளிரும் அழகு உடைகளை கலைக்க 
விதவை கோலம் பூண்டு 
வெண்ணிற பால் ஆடையாக புடவையை போர்த்தினால் 

இத்தரணியில் தனது தோன்றலை பற்றி சிந்தித்தால் 
தொன்றாமையே  நன்று என்று முடிவுற்றால் 

அப்பபோது பூகம்பத்தில் கண்ட புதையலை போல 
அவளது வாழ்வை 
குஜால்டி ஆக்க வந்ததோர் கிருமி 

முரட்டுப் பயல் மக்களை மிரட்டும் ஆண்மகன் 
மிரண்டு போன அவ்விளம் விதவைக்கு வாழ்வளித்தான் 

கொழு கொழு வென்று 
அழகு பெண் குழந்தை பிறந்தது 
அதற்கு தயிர் என்று பெயர் இட்டனர் 

பின்பு வெண்ணை நெய் என்ற 
பேரன் பேத்தியையும் பெற்றடுத்தனர்

இருவரும் இறுதி வரை இனிதே வாழ்ந்தனர்

கவிதாயினியுடன்  காதல்   (Love with a poetess)

உன் கவி உலகில் நுழைகையில்
நான் கனா காண ஆரம்பித்தேன்

உண் எழுத்துக்களுக்கு சிறகு முளைத்தது
உண் வார்த்தைகள் வங்காள வேங்கையாய் உறுமியது
உண் சொற்றொடர்கள் தங்கரதமாய் நடைபோட்டது

உனது கவிச்சாரம் என்னை அத்தங்கரதத்தில்
ஏற்றி வேங்கையை சாரதியாக்கி விண்ணில்
உலா வரச் செய்தது.


Whenever I enter your world of poetry, the high definition visual imagery woven all around me
 instantly converts me into a dreamer and carries me from this barren earth to a world of fantasy
giving me an ephemeral surreal experience. Your letters start growing wings, your words roar like
the majestic Bengal tiger, and your phrases morph into a golden chariot. The emotions attached,
the similes, metaphors, alliterations, subtleties, the teasers, stimulants, intoxicants,
and in totality the whole essence of your poem places me in the flying golden chariot driven
 by the majestic felines and rides me through the greatest of lands, seas and skies.

Your words have done the impossible – changed the stubborn minds of the men, whose minds
 were molded all over these years by direct contact with the stark reality and ordinariness of life,
 by infusing a sense of hope of experiencing greatness in this life just like the heaven in the after-life.

Ezhayin kaadhal (Poor mans love)

உண் புன்னகையுடன் பொன் நகை சேர்த்து அழகு பார்க்க
To your sparkling smile I wanted to add some sparkle with some Jewelery
வைரத்தோடும் முத்துமாலையும் தங்கவளையல்களை
A diamond ear-ring, pearl-necklace, Gold bracelet
கடைக்காரன் இடம் வின்னபிதேன் அவனோ தர மறுத்தான்
was all requested from the shop keeper.. However he refused to give
என்னிடம் இல்லாத பணத்தை கேட்டான்
asking for something from me in return, which I did not have - MONEY
ஆதனால் என்ன ?.......என் உணர்வை இவ்வரிகளால் நீ உணர்தால்
So What... If you can understand the feelings I have for you-- through these words
உன் கண்கள் வைரமாய் ஜொலிக்கும் பற்கள் முத்து மாலையாய் மிளிரும்
Your eyes would dazzle like a diamond... your teeth (exposed due to your smile) would sparkle like pearl beads
அவ்வொன்று மட்டும் போதும் என் கண்மணியே !
That smile is enough for me my lady..