Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

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cmlover
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by cmlover »

Punarvasu
That was a gem of a quote. I love the play on the word 'Suka'....

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

Ponbhairavi,
Rest your eyes, get better and then give this a reread!
The name of the street is Kowrla, perhaps? In tamizh script it is written as gow as in Gowri or kou as in kousalya and rlA as in Birla. Or a typo? I have no clue. As for translating his poems? I have wanted to, at various points in my life, but every time, it seemed like an insurmountable task. I do remember seeing some translations a few decades ago, appearing in journals. A.K. Ramanujan did not get round to it :(
From the musical point of view, our Ravi (rshankar) has come up with some excellent translations of the songs of Bharathi which are sung. His sensitivity to lyrics, particularly to those of Bharathi is something I admire. Bharathi's namesake who has been with us off and on, is another one I know who has the capacity to do this. Let's not forget you! Your translations of the French poems are noteworthy.

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

CML,
You are another candidate!
We haven't come across any dates so far in the translation. For your sake, I looked a little further in the book and found out that Yadugiri got married in 1913 (she would have been in her early teens, is my guess). We can figure out all the details after I finish my work. For my part, I will ask Dwaraki to answer the questions that she can. Someone in Bengaluru can help me tape what she says and put it on the forum.
My image of Yadugiri is based on the face of Dwaraki!I will also ask for photographs, if there are any.
Last edited by arasi on 11 Jul 2011, 01:36, edited 1 time in total.

PUNARVASU
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by PUNARVASU »

arasi ,cml, I have been 'wanting to' translate the sanskrit subhASitaS for a long time. But it remained 'a going to do' task. My interest was rekindled when I saw that Ramkriya has translated them in kannaDa. Let me see how motivated I am in doing it.

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

Motivators are many here. Get going!

cmlover
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by cmlover »

Super Arasi
Let us wait till all the chips are down and keep the life line with Dwaraki (you must keep up the links with her or better introduce her to the Forum). The book may even win a Sangeetha Natak Academy Award and both of you can share in the glory!

Punarvasu
Do start a separate thread and populate with the choice shubhaShitas (like our kavithai thread). I will join you adding my own (my health permitting :D We will have a good audience. Alert Ramakriya if you can...

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

CML,
paTTam padavi peRap pADavillai aiyyA!

cmlover
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by cmlover »

OK!
you are just arasi(kaSirOmaNi!)

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

Oh dear! Iget demoted to an arasikA by this! :(

cmlover
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by cmlover »

Of course anarasika = one who is not arasika = The rasika SirOmaNi!

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

Sigh...;)
You forget Nageswaran (and others) who deserve that title (you suggested it). If there is going to be an event for that, if not the welcoming speech which he missed in Bengaluru, he can give a speech thanking us. He'd be happy too.

vasanthakokilam
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by vasanthakokilam »

I just caught up with this thread. Amazing content!. Great translations, Arasi. Let us collectively work on getting the book reprinted or put up in public domain.

vasanthakokilam
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by vasanthakokilam »

A search for this book reveals that it can be bought online..

http://www.tamilbooksonline.in/searchbo ... e=TA009740 ( Rs. 35 )

And another write up in Tamil about this book: http://angumingum.wordpress.com/2006/09 ... inaivugal/

Arasi, please continue with the translation, even if we manage to get copies of this book. Your translation is so engaging and interesting to read. Your translation is a contribution to the literature and it has a much wider appeal than those who can read Tamil.

I tried to place an order with tamilbooksonline. It looks like it is more convenient if someone in India orders this. They want to call and work out the payment. Here is their info. One of you can contact them and make sure the copies of the book are available.

Tamil Books Online,
C/o New Book Lands
52c, Basement Shop, Near Panagal Park
North Usman Road, Opp Tanishq Jewellery,
Near GRT Jewellery, T Nagar,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600017

Voice : +91 44 42012133, +91 9840430906.

Email
Business Enquiries : sales@simpleindia.com, General Info : info@simpleindia.com

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

VK,
Sleuth! Great find!
These days, Dwaraki and I meet at concerts (with a hello and a wave to each other). Our paths don't cross that much now. I haven't met her socially in a while. Otherwise, she might have mentioned the reprint to me. I used to drop in at her music sessions. Her love for tamizh was through her mother. I think she has spent most of her life in Karnataka. She presented a lovely program at our place thirteen years ago on Purandara DAsA with her musical group.
I am very happy that the book has been available to tamizh readers for some time now and our bringing it up at Rasikas.org is going to make more readers buy the book!
Last edited by arasi on 11 Jul 2011, 07:01, edited 1 time in total.

vasanthakokilam
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Arasi, Let us see if people can get the book. Yes, you bringing this up here definitely informed a lot of people about this book. And your translations add a wonderful dimension to this which is a treasure in itself.

Lines like this are so motivational and awesome. : "The one who thinks of the past is a fool. As we wash and dry our clothes every day, we should get rid of our own ills and troubles that way too. Just as the Sun rises every morning, we should see everything anew and rejoice."

Wow! It rings so true to me. It is painful to see people in all walks of life and in families carry grudges for so long and sometimes even inter-generational. Human Happiness Quotient will go up exponentially if only we all learn to put this in to practice. And talk about human productivity. If someone had a bad day yesterday, it does not have to reflect on what is happening today. Start anew with all the hope and vigor. Thanks for bringing to light this aspect of Bharathi's world view.

Keep going! As you go through this translation process, you should definitely explore the avenues for publishing your work. We will help with logistics in whatever way we can.

cmlover
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by cmlover »

VK/Others
If any of you can get the book from Chennai do please order a copy for myself...

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

VK,
Thanks for all your kind words.
About publishing it as a book--don't you see? With my short stays in India, I do not have much time to do anything, let alone my knocking at the doors of publishers! I wanted to share this book with others, and what better way than to post my translation here on Rasikas.org? Some years ago, when I had more energy, I tried getting my English novel published here and in India. Nothing came out of it. After that, I put it away and forgot about it.

rshankar
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by rshankar »

Sorry for this digression, but I was listening to Tony Bennett singing one of his love songs, 'The Devil Moon', and there was a phrase in there that went something like 'It's the old devil moon that you stole from the skies, it's that old devil moon in your eyes', and I thought how much more poetic bhAratiyAr's words sound - in his love paen to parASakti - kATRu veLiyiDai kaNNammA where he says 'nilavUri tadumbum vizhigaLum'...

Nick H
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by Nick H »

arasi wrote:ONE



The ElElO Song

Bharathiyar loved the music of snake charmers and washermen--songs which were sung by women pounding rice. He liked listening to fishermen and workers in the field more than he did to musicians in concerts. ... ... ...
Wow. I have no time, today, to read beyond this post, but I can already understand why this man is so venerated and respected.

Thank you, Arasi, for this beautiful eye opener.

PUNARVASU
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by PUNARVASU »

"Lines like this are so motivational and awesome. : "The one who thinks of the past is a fool. As we wash and dry our clothes every day, we should get rid of our own ills and troubles that way too. Just as the Sun rises every morning, we should see everything anew and rejoice."
A parallel in subhASitas:
gate shoko na kartavyo bhavishhyaM naiva chintayeth |
vartamaanena kaalena vartayanti vichakShaNaaH |

Meaning

Do not dwell upon the past, and do not worry about the
future. All intelligent men/women live only according to the present
times and needs.

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

EIGHT


Karumbuth thOTTaththilE
(In the sugarcane fields)


Someone had given a speech on Indian immigrant workers in Fiji, victims of cruelty at the hands of their employers. Bharathi's publisher had asked him to write a poem about it. I went with my father and Va ve su to Bharathi's house.

Bharathi: Welcome! It's trimurthi darSanam for me today!

Iyer: We are here because we hadn't seen you the past few days.

Bharathi: I had a cold. I get one if I bathe in cold water at home. Bathing in the river, pond or the sea doesn't bother me. Chellamma has been ill. The maid hasn't turned up. The journal has been pestering me too.

Va ve su: Before you bathe in cold water, walk two hundred or three hundred paces briskly. You won't catch a cold.

Bharathi: I could as well go to the pond to bathe, look at the beauty of Nature around me rather than having to stare at an ugly wall at home, IyerE!

Va ve su: Yes, it's good to be out. If you have to bathe at home, walk first. What are they pestering you about?

Bharathi: They wanted me to write about the plight of the slaves in Fiji.

Va ve su: What's the title of the poem? If you have included the country's name in it, Fiji will come into focus.

Bharathi: karumbuth thOTTam is the title.

My father: You did the right thing! 'India, our Mother' is how our anthem goes. Somehow, I don't think the word India goes well with tamizh words! I'm glad you left Fiji out of the title.

Bharathi sang that song to us. I got upset hearing it and started crying. Bharathi consoled me."This is happening a thousand miles away. Don't cry!"

Va ve su: When we grown ups have tears in our eyes, what will the child do? It's not surprising. Alas! The government refused to take action!

My father: That's why Bharathi is invoking the Gods!

Va ve su: What nastiness! The mEstri (leader of the work crew) lures those innocent men away to Fiji, only to subject them to such inhumane treatment!

Bharathi: IyerE! You speak like a hundred year old man (nUTRuk kizhavan)! Don't you see? We can only stop the shipping of more such slaves. It's impossible to do much for the ones who are already trapped there. I saw it in the newspaper today. When a husband was away at work, a man went to his door and gave his wife a chit. The street was deserted. She read it. "Your husband is dying. Come immediately!" She panicked, locked the door and with the child on her hip, followed the man who took her to a ship which was ready to sail away at one in the afternoon. The beserk woman asked, "Why are you taking me to the ship?". The man said, "because your husband's boss asked him to take a message to the captain and while he was climbing up the steps, he got giddy, fell down and broke his head." The woman ran into the ship and before she reached the upper dek, the ship left the port. There were more women there, all crying. "We are slaves now. We're going to an island for the pleasure of the men who work there."
How many such families have been ruined like this!

Va ve su: What about the husband?

Bharathi: He found a note by the window when he got home. It said: I'm going on to better things. I can't live with you in poverty. Forget that I existed." He went to the police. What could they do when the ship had sailed away? End of the story.

My father: Can't they do anything by legal means? This is wrong. There is no justice in this!

Va v su: I don't get this. However poor and miserable, men might opt to go away to earn money, but will not think of letting their women go afar. The reason why this is happening is because there aren't many women among Indians in Fiji. That's the reason for the island's government to indulge in such atrocities.

Bharathi: If there's just one such incidence like this, we can do something about it. Here's a phenomenon which is beyond control.

Yadugiri: If all the women begged of the captain, won't he let them go ?

Bharathi: He's a demon.He's ruthless in taking them away.If they ever open their mouths, he'd whip them.

Yadugiri: Will he do that? What if the women jumped into the sea?

Bharathi: Some among them are orphans who are starving. Some are illiterate.He rounds them all up and ships them away every few months. He sweet talks them into it, describing hell as paradise.

My Father: Yadugir is an innocent child. Don't frighten her!

Va ve su: Children should know a bit about suffering too. If they're protected too much, they may find it difficult to cope with life.

Bharathi: We needn't expose them to all the problems we face, but we have to instil courage in them. That way, they'll be granted the strength to face the difficulties in life.

Va ve su: Yes, they have to be brave.

Bharathi: Yadugiri, go get some water from Chellamma for us. Look! All are fine in our families. Don't fret your little head over something which is happening far far away! Now, let's see you smile!

Bharathi sent me away and the conversation continued until nine at night.

* * * * *

thanjavooran
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by thanjavooran »

Arasi Avl,
In one word. Excellent !
Thanjavooran 12 07 2011

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

Since we are curious about dates and clues (which may help us while we read this narrative), I decided to post the publisher's Introduction and Yadugiri Ammal's Foreward before continuing on with the book...

INTRODUCTION

I write the introduction to Smt. Yadugiri Ammal's book with two opposing emotions. I am delighted that this book which for fifteen years has awaited a publisher, is in print today. Alas, just when her desire to see it in print was nigh, the author of this book left us which fills me with sadness. Yadugiri Ammal had done everything she had to, to get this book ready for the publisher. She was very happy when things started moving and even exclaimed: this book is going to be ready by the coming Bharathi Day!
She passed away on August 2nd. For someone who was ailing for a long time, she perhaps waited a bit more to make sure that her book about Bharathi was going to see the light of the day, after all.

Bharathi arrived in Chennai in 1904 to be a sub-editor at SvadESamitran. Within two years, he became the editor of the weekly INDIA, the thunderous voice of Chennai Jana Sangam, a youth brigade. Its members considered Lokamanya Tilak as their leader. The leading among them were Bharathi, va vu chi (kappalOTTiya tamizhan, Chidambaram piLLai--Arasi), Mandayam Srinivasachari, S Duraiswamy Iyer and others. It was the Mandayam family which financed the publication. INDIA had fire-breathing articles, editorials and cartoons which ridiculed the British Raj and those who fawned on it. The journal created a revolution in Tamizh nADu politics.
It was feared that Bharathi would be arrested. The police did come with a warrant but something unexpected happened. Since the official editor for the journal was M. Srinivasan, he got arrested and went to jail.
The youth decided that they should run the paper from French India and fight for freedom. Bharathi escaped the police and reached Puduvai. Within weeks, Srinivasachari followed him. So did the press. INDIA which was silent for a few weeks, started its work with renewd energy. Bharathi's idea that they could fight the British Government from Puduvai worked and brought two more political leaders, Arabindo Ghosh and Va ve su to Puduvai.
The unity among these men who had left their land was very much evident among their families too. Srinivasachari's family was a support system for Bharathi's family. This was mutually so. After Va ve su arrived with his family, they became part of this family of friends.
Va ve su Iyer's wife Bhagyalakshmi has said this: Chellamma, Bharathi and Srinivasachari's families and our family were like one family. We went to the beach almost every day. Sometimes, Bharathi, on seeing the sea and the sky, would forget himeslf and start singing...

Yadugiri Ammal who is the author of this book is the eldest daughter of Mandayam Srinivasachari. When Bhaarthi was in Puduvai, she was a little girl. She moved intimately with Bharathi and gained his affection. In this book, she describes Bharathi as she had knew him then.
Bharathiyar's political friends like Va vu chi and his disciples like va rA and Bharathidasan, Bharathi's wife Chellammal and his daughter Thangamma have written books about him from their perspectives. Here, we see a child's perspective of the bard and the freedom fighter. She brings to us Bharati the man and the householder. Her homespun style of writing gives this work a distinct flavor.

A genius can be compared to a diamond's sparkle. It is difficult to discern its thousands of rays of light with the help of just one individual. Each sees its play of color from his or her own point of adoration. Some times, they may aver that their points of view alone count! It's possible that they are right, but an opposing point of view may not be invalid, either! To fully understand a genius like Bharathi, you have to bring together all perspectives and then try to understand him. Yadugiri Ammal has spoken of some important and valuable incidents in Bharathi's life from 1912 to 1918 in this work which contributes to our fully understanding the life of Bharathi.
Though it is a pity we have lost the author, we are fortunate in that her old father Sri Srinivasachariar, Bharathi's friend and publisher is still alive at this ripe old age, and lives with his son in Delhi. Bharathi's friends Parasu Nellaiyappar and Doraiswamy Iyer are too. It is the duty of the lovers of Bharathi to seek their help by asking them to describe the Bharathi they knew and publish a book about it.
This way, we will know all the facets of Bharathi's life.

3-9-54 rA. a. Padmanabhan

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

Thanks, Nick and Thanjavooran (again!)...

Pratyaksham Bala
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

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Last edited by Pratyaksham Bala on 13 Jul 2011, 21:40, edited 2 times in total.

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

PBala,
Thank you for the information you have collected.
Yadugiri was not 14 to 21 years old when she was in Puduvai! In the days of child marriages, she would have been, let's say, 12, I3 when she got married? She got married in 1913. Her family left for Puduvai in 1904 when she was a little child. You can see it in the publisher's introduction which I have posted. As we go further into the book, we will find out more.

cmlover
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by cmlover »

Thanks PB for the time coordinates.
It appears Yadugiri was not a child but a young woman during her interactions with Bharathy. She sounds quite mature and even if she did not keepa diary her recollections of the dialogues mutatis mutandi are credible!
She appears quite sensitive too as is evident from her emotional response on hearing the Fiji atrocities.

Arasi
Your translations are excellent - almost like reading the original..
This translation must definitely be published. We at the Forum are lucky to read it first hand..
Accept our gratitude.

smala
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by smala »

Fascinating saga...

Found the following worth investigating - PBala please could you list names of the books, with publishing info - dates, whether out of print etc., from these persons as mentioned in the translated Foreword?

*****
....
Bharathiyar's political friends like Va vu chi and his disciples like va rA and Bharathidasan, Bharathi's wife Chellammal and his daughter Thangamma have written books about him from their perspectives....

Pratyaksham Bala
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

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Last edited by Pratyaksham Bala on 13 Jul 2011, 21:39, edited 2 times in total.

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

Bala, I will leave it to you good sleuths to find all the information. Neither have I the capability to research nor do I want to go by my not-so- reliable memory. Carry on your good work. Others too, like smala.

CML,
I cannot believe Yadugiri was not a child when she was in Puduvai. Even in our days, we were not referred to as kuzhandaigaL when we were women. Yadugiri's pATTi was still around. Though I cannot pin the years down, I remember reading that when Yadugiri is engaged to be married, the paTTi says, but for Bharathi and Iyer, she cannot talk to other men because she's now betrothed. Imagine. A traditional woman like her would have let the eldest daughter of her son go unmarried beyond teenage? That too, nearly a hundred years ago? They kept the tradition by marrying her off into a family from Mysore, though they lived in tamizh nADu for a long time (of several mandayam families--those originally from Mandya, karnataka, then in other parts of the state --who had settled down by the Parthasarathi temple in Triplicane).Twenty was the average age for women in the fifties and sixties to get married.If you didn't go to college, it was in their late teens!
A word about Mandayam Iyengars from what I know: they are very sociable and are community minded--modern, if you may call it, but even today, they are very traditional in celebrating festivals and in sticking to certain traditions.
If you want me to, I will go through the book to the end and see if I can find anything out about this. In that case, I don't mind not going along with you all in reading the book, well, a chapter ahead of to translate...
Another thing: you and I have been around freedom fighters in our childhood around Independence. You know how the fervor of adults were catching. Our minds had the fodder of adult thinking. Yadugiri lived in the midst of the most keen minds--intellectual and creative!

Pratyaksham Bala
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

arasi wrote:One Sunday, we were traversing Gowrla St ...
Most probably it is 'Gowrna Street' or 'Governer Street' - the eastern extension of Dupleix Street where Mandayam House was located. From there naturally one has to go through the 'Governor Street' (which had the Governor's bungalow) to reach the sea-front.

smala
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by smala »

P.Bala did you see my post 78 ?

rajeshnat
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by rajeshnat »

I just googled to find out that yadugiri is also known as melkotE. MelKotE is generally known

Pratyaksham Bala
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

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Last edited by Pratyaksham Bala on 13 Jul 2011, 21:36, edited 2 times in total.

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

Yadugiri dedicates this book to the lotus like feet of her father.
(bhArathiyin thOZharAga viLangiya en pithA Sri.SrinivasAchAriyin pAda kamalangaLil ich chiRu nUlai samarppikkiREn)



Yadugiri's FOREWARD

Next only to the love of parents for their children, is the love gurus have for their students. The teacher's love and care for their wards is abundant, indeed.
About forty years ago, I had the great fortune of being Bharathi's disciple and a favored 'daughter'. I'm thrilled to share my experiences with you today.

At that time, patriots were called svadESis. Those who moved to Puduvai to escape arrest and those who went to live there even otherwise--were kaviyarasar BharathiyAr, va ve su Iyer, Aravinda Ghosh, the publishers of Bharthi's weekly INDIA--my father and Thirumalachari and others. There were frequent visitors too.
My father and Bharathi were close friends in Chennai, also our families.
Bharathi came to our house often. He would sing or recite his creations to us. There was no particular time or rhyme about his visits. Sometimes, I'd be occupied with my studies or will be reciting the nAlAyiram that my mother taught me. Whenever Bharathi came, my attention would turn to him. If I heard him sing upstairs, I would try to copy singing the first line of the verses. If Bharathi noticed it, he would ask me to come upstairs and give me the piece of paper on which the verse was written. I had safeguarded those in a book of mine. As luck would have it, the book was ruined by getting caught under a broken wall in Puduvai in the terrible storm in naLa varusham on kArthikai 6th (1916).
Since I was a mere child when I knew Bharathi, I did not have the capacity to appreciate his lofty thoughts which sparkled in all that he said. With what I can recollect, I realize that every word of his was precious--his thoughts were something which the world could learn from and some, beyond our comprehension.
It was my duty every time he came to see us, to offer him a Sembu ( little pot ) full of water and betel leaves and areca nuts. Va ve su came with bharathi regularly in the evenings, occasionally in the mornings. It was not so with Bharathi. He appeared at any time of the day.
There were many students, friends, relatives and others who knewof his greatness. They adored him and praised him no end. Yet, all put together, they could not bring him the peace of mind which could have made him sing his heart away without a care in the world. Still, Bharathi mostly spent histime adoring Nature and its beauty and in conversing joyously with others.
Bharathi was a fierce reformer. He used to say: 'tamizh world' has just opened its eyes and is like an infant, learning to turn on its belly and hasn't developed its ability in looking around in all four directions...
He was intense in wanting to uproot many old so-called traditions. Smt. Chellamma often differed from him on this. Chellamma kept her orthodox ways in the kitchen. While she was cooking, observing 'maDi', Bharathi, after washing his hands and feet, would enter the kitchen and handle the utensils. "paTRu! Don't touch them!", Chelamma would object. Bharathi would not care and an argument would follow but Bharathi prevailed. Chellamma would keep quiet after that.

Bharathi ate at anyone's house when he was invited to a meal. Religion or caste did not mean anything to him. Whatever he said in his verses, he observed in his life. His thoughts were translated into his deeds. However tough it seemed, he was tireless in doing this. He did not care what others said about his behavior either.

Bharathiyar sang his songs with such bhAvam. He sang majestically. It gave goose bumps to those who heard him. He has described his life in some of his songs. How many precious songs he has created in simple kummi tunes, folk tunes and in hindusthAni mode!
Nowadays, great artistes sing his songs in many rAgAs and varNa meTTus. Still, those who have heard him sing will not be as thrilled. His majesty and his becoming one with hi ssong is something no one can match.
Bharathi's glory has spread far and wide today. We hear his poems everywhere. I heart often aches to think that he did not live to see all this. Then I console myself. Though he is gone,.he has left behind his greatness in his writings for us to cherish him eternally.
We could not do much for Bharathi's peace of mind then. At least now, tamizh folks should make it their duty to support poets who still live among us.
I felt I should share wha I know about Bharathi with others. These impressions were written in 1938-39. They are going to see the print now. I am not a woman of today, a college-educated one. I was schooled at home by my father. I humbly request that 'periyOrgaL' (lofty readers) forgive me for my inadequacies and see only the essence of what I have presented here.


ma. gO. Yadugiri


Bangalore
28-7-1954
Last edited by arasi on 13 Jul 2011, 01:53, edited 1 time in total.

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

Bala,
Thanks for Governor St! That 'Gowrla' was bugging me!

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

This is what I'm reading now about Yadugiri's marriage they are planning on holding in the month of ChithrA. I reproduce the dialogue:

Bharathi: She's far too young to get married.Srinivasachari is an old-fashioned man. He wants an innocent child to get married. Sounds like a bommaik kalyANam (a doll's wedding ).

Chellamma: Brahmins are supposed to get their daughters married at the age of nine. That's shAstram.

Bharathi: Traditions and shAstrams are umpteen! If you wish, get Thangam married too now. Another meaningless doll's wedding!


More:
Yadugiri gets married, stays back in Puduvai. After a few months, they celebrate her 'rutu snaanam' ceremony (holy bath after her first menstruation). This should make it clear that she was barely a teen when she got married.

Pratyaksham Bala
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

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Pratyaksham Bala
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

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smala
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by smala »

PBala, I loved the info given in post 84, love the bits that Arasi throws at us every now and then, I am now set on a thirsty trail.

Please do add WHATEVER you can to supplement this sparkling personal saga, the private but involved life of this much short-lived Mahakavi is immensely appealing - if there's a book from Chellamal or Thangamma that you too can translate to embellish the personal aspects - we will be all beholden to you and Arasi. I ask this because you have a rich library - possibly a great collection on Bharathi there at Puducheri at your disposal. Do it at your time and pace, but do it please.

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

Bala,
Yes, I did see the question mark. However, your info that she would have been 14 to 21 during the time the svadEsis lived in Puduvai did not make sense to me. That's why I looked in the book for some clues on this. She does say she got married in 1913.

smala,
You have a good idea there. If we can get the facts from Chellamma and Thangamma's books, then we may be able to put them in time frames and of course, learn more about the life o Bharathi.
As I mentioned before, I meant to start it as a child's narration and then go to 'fact finding' at the end. I understand that it will be a long wait for some. So, I changed my mind and have posted the Intro and Foreward. Let me see if I can 'throw a few more bits" into the forum ;) My original intention was to sail through this translation without any sidetracks (perhaps has to do with my way of working--old -fashioned?).

Another thing. It's human nature. Mention a name--and we tend to say, even if we are nodding acquaintances--Oh, we know him very well! In a luminary's case, more so! We all understand that many of the people who knew Bharathi's even slightly, would have felt they were very close to him. Without questioning them, it is possible to get some insight into the poet. The more we read about him, the more we will come to know. Meanwhile, if you forget Bharathi for a moment, this is still a book worth reading about a girl growing up in those times .
Interesting to note that the publisher says, 'ivar kaiyyALum vITTu naDai avar nuLukkuth thanich chuvai aLikkiRadu' . Of course, he had read the works of intellectuals like va.rA.
Something else came to mind. According to the publisher, Yadugiri's father was very much alive (not old either) when she wrote this. Being a writer himself, he would have helped Yadugiri in many ways, suggesting things, filling in details of happenings she had vague memories about...

smala
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by smala »

"Yadugiri dedicates this book to the lotus like feet of her father."

Isn't it more than than that ? considering this significant qualifier,
(bhArathiyin thOZharAga viLangiya en pithA...)" the dedication to the lotus feet of my father, one who moved with Bharathiyar as a dear friend...it seems she never lost sight of the fact that her humble diary "chiRu nUlai" and record was of Bharathi, something she has offered ("samarppikkiREn" has no real English equivalent! ) at the feet of her father -- for befriending this man with the lofty ideals.

Unspoken, but felt from the words of her dedication : her father's friendship, thereby allowing her close opportunities to write of her experiences with this remarkable man ?

.."According to the publisher, Yadugiri's father was very much alive (not old either) when she wrote this.."

More than that, her father lived to see the publication and beyond - from the preface/forward - that at the time of the publication of Yadugiri's book (which came after her demise - at age 56 /PBala), her father was living with her brother in Delhi...

arasi
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by arasi »

smala,
Yes, Bharathi's influence on Yadugiri is immense.
tamizh is not an easy language to translate, the lotus feet is a common expression in the highly ornate vaishNava paribhAshai and all the more complex to deal with. ANDavan tiruvaDit tAmaraiyil samarppikkiREn is still a common expression in vaishNavite Ashramams. If you happen to get hold of nrusimhapriya or any other vaishNavite publication, you will find such paribhAshai even today. Along with all the poems of Bharathi that she heard and sang, Yadugiri was also reciting nAlAyira divyap prabandham diligently. The influence of her vaishNAvite upbringing would have rubbed off on her, and when she went to her husband' s household as a teen bride to Mysore/Bangalore, it woud have become routine for her to lead the life of a typical vaishNavite homemaker and(mother of many children) of her days.
This book is ABOUT Bharathi. She wanted to dedicate it to her father whom she held in great regard. He was Bharathi's dear friend. She might have mentioned him because Bharathi is the subject matter of the book or, because she adored him, or both!
Seems as though we need to arm ourselves with a lot of research material before we continue with the book. Let me take a respite before I come back to this because every chapter will bring more questions to the fore, perhaps. This isn't a thesis which Yadugiri has written--nor are we it a court room for the evidence to be produced pronto! As I said, my age shows in some of my old ways--in this information thirsty world. Nothing personal :) It's a good idea to collect all information, read (and translate too) Chellamma and Thangamma's book.
I will continue with my translation at home and finish it. When you are all ready for more chapters, I will post them again. We can continue our discussions after that as well. By then, enough material outside of this book will be ours and the answers will be found there.


Rajesh,
Yadugiri is another name for MElkOTe aka ThirunArayaNapuram in Karnataka where the vaira muDi sEvai takes place--CheluvarAya giving darSan wearing the diamond studded crown.
Last edited by arasi on 13 Jul 2011, 09:20, edited 2 times in total.

smala
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by smala »

Please do post the translations as you work them - we are ready and waiting for the chapters - maybe skris could have made this a read only thread for everyone except you - maybe it can still be done? That way - you'll have no interruptions.. :)

vasanthakokilam
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by vasanthakokilam »

Yes, let us focus on the translation for now in this thread.

Nick H
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by Nick H »

smala and vk, I appreciate your point of view, but some of the snippets that have been added to this thread have added yet more light, and been very worthwhile to read. Some of us will probably cut&paste Arasis work into documents that we can keep as her uninterrupted work.

Arasi, I am glad you published the introduction. Some of us reading this thread (well, me for now, but the internet is a very public place; who can tell who will stroll by!) are not familiar with the history and times. I had not at all realised that these people were in Puducherri as refugees from my four-bears (shame upon their names). In some ways, the introduction/forward has been one of the most touching and emotional parts of your translation so far.
Yes, let us focus on the translation for now in this thread.
Just so long as we do not indulge in one our great digressions. This is not the place for it. Perhaps the moderation of this thread might be just a liiitle strict?

cmlover
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by cmlover »

In all this hubub let us not forget Dwaraki who is alive and well and who is a good friend of arasi! We may even get third-hand info from her which Yadugiri may have shared which were not put in print. Since arasi is also a seasoned journalist I suggest she does an interview with her on her next visit to B'lore and she can prepare the question-list with feedback from us on the basis of the translations!

Nothing special has appeared so far which we already do not know about Bharathy, but then we still have about ?140 more pages to go....

smala
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by smala »

Nick - did you see Arasi's post 93 - I guess she wanted to just post the translations in installments without interruptions... it is her thread, hence my suggestion maybe VK or srkris can make this thread Read Only for the rest of us.

vasanthakokilam
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by vasanthakokilam »

>Perhaps the moderation of this thread might be just a liiitle strict?
You mean, it can use a little bit more moderation to keep the focus or my statement you quoted is an indication of stricter moderation than usual? :)

On digression, Arasi has indicated in no uncertain terms above that she prefers all the 'extra information gathering' and other sundries to wait. 'Bharathi' is a huge topic and some restraint is needed otherwise the focus on the translation and the stories contained therein will not be optimum.

Nick H
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by Nick H »

OK, sorry: I'll shut up read.

Quite happy with that :D

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