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

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

Post by smala »

Arasi, is chapter 22 missing or is the numbering off - your post 219 had chapter 21 and in post 226 - it jumps to 23!

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

Post by arasi »

Mala,
Thanks for letting me know! Yes, with all my going back and forth with the chapters (working on them and posting them at the same time) and with Punarvasu needing a break from her tears being on my mind ;) I missed the previous one. Let me post 22 tomorrow and then 23 once again. Let me erase this now.

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

Post by smala »

thanks, arasi - hope the files are saved on your hard drive.

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

Post by rshankar »

smala - I think PB's chronology is a bit off...the mahAkavi's flirting with hallucinogens happened before the issue of the marriage came up. I do not think that it was his wife and other family member's refusal to accomodate his wishes regarding the choice of a son-in-law that set him off. The mahAkavi was a man who was constantly trying to push the boundaries - he did not need external forces to move him in any direction, and his choices were (in his mind at least) very well thought out. It is eminently possible that the frustrations of constant poverty and the need to lead a responsible householder's life in the mundane existence of daily life was like a millstone to him, holding him down, when all he wanted to do was soar where his imagination and intellect lead him to, may have pushed him towards the temporary relief offered by the hallucinogens. Viewed from that point of view, his wife's anxiety about money to put food on the table, lead a respectable life etc., may be interpretted as 'nagging' that pushed him along certain paths. But she was a product of the times, who recognized how unforgiving society would and could be, helpless in many ways, and, financially dependent on the men in her life (her husband or father and brother). Regarding the wedding, I am sure that going against his wishes would have been heart-breaking for her, but the whole existense of living on the run from the law (which was the lot of many a svadESi, especially the ones branded as terrorists) must have been so difficult for her to put up with that she would not have wanted to visit it on her enemy, let alone her beloved daughter.

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

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

rshankar wrote:I think PB's chronology is a bit off...the mahAkavi's flirting with hallucinogens happened before the issue of the marriage came up.
I realise that bits of information offered here and there do create confusion.

His 'experiments' with abin started long long before the issue of marriage came up. He was hooked when he started moving with Kulla-sami and many other panDarams and sAmiyArs.

Later on, when family and social pressure mounted regarding the marriage of his daughter, he tried to find a way out and decided on his close associate. Chellamma did not agree to this suggestion and was worried that things would go out of her hands. She confided with her family members who came down to Pondicherry. The family went back with them leaving Bharati alone at Pondicherry.

The marriage was arranged, Bharati was intimated. Bharati was terribly upset and left Pondicherry. Before leaving, he gave away everything. The sword and Kali picture which he was using for Pooja was gifted to one of his local admirers. (In due course these changed hands. The sword went to France through an antique dealer.) The terracota idol of Bharata Mata was left with a leading personality. (The proud owners allowed me to see this.)

His family was not sure of his participation in the marriage function. But, Bharati did attend to perform his duty.

The versions of his close associates and friends reveal many details. Naturally the versions of admirers and family members are different. It is easy and advisable to accept acceptable versions.
Last edited by Pratyaksham Bala on 23 Aug 2011, 21:50, edited 1 time in total.

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

Post by smala »

"...he tried to find a way out and decided on a fellow terrorist..."

P.Bala, please consider editing the last two words - freedom fighters/rebels during the British Raj were what they were.

What is abin?

"...Bharati was terribly upset and left Pondicherry. Before leaving, he gave away everything..."

Where did he go?

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

Post by cmlover »

abin = Opium

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

Post by arasi »

TWENTY TWO



Inda daivam
(This God)


Chellamma was arguing with Bharathi when I entered their house.

Chellamma said to me, "Yadugiri, he's supposed to be a brahmin and he isn't one bit bothered about getting his daughter married! Isn't it shame enough? On top of it, he goes all over town and broadcasts all that happens in our house! Even if he doesn't bother, shouldn't he at least care about what other people will think? How can I face them? What will my parents say? (I have not heard Chellamma mention her mother before and I wondered if she was living--Arasi).

Bharathi: Yadugiri! You came at the right time! Why should Chellamma scream like this? Has the world come to an end?
I'm not a brahmin at all. I don't wear the holy thread. I don't do sandhyA vandanam, no SrArdham. I'm a SUdrA. The man of the house is SUdrA--how can his woman be a brAhmin? What I am, she is too! What's the big deal?

Chellamma: You may not care to observe traditions, but why shouldn't I?

Bharathi: Come, Chellamma! Do you perform aupAsanam and agni hOtram every day? How many orphans do you feed? Do you observe japam and tapam? Do the dEvatAs come directly and partake of your offerings? Tradition is just an empty word which is still with us. True traditions left us a hundred years ago! We have the left-over shell. In twenty years, that too may disappear.

Chellamma: All that you are supposed to perform, you make it seem as if I'm the one who has to do them! On top of it, you tease me as well!

Bharathi: Ah! Now that you have brought the question up, listen to what I have to say, without interrupting. You may not be as angry with me then.
In the times of the vEdAs, they were eating fruits and roots. Women did not have much work to do. They swept and mopped their parNa sAlAs and brought water from the river. Since the celestials were supposed to come in person to accept the offerings, women who had their periods were kept away from the sanctified parNa SAlA where the rituals took place. Even then, the women would take their baths, wash their linen and kept themselves clean--unlike the way in which I see you women now, not bathing for three days but sweating in your dirty clothes!
Only the infants they nursed stayed with them and they relaxed. They were not fit for religious rites at that time, or to be with their husbands. So, it was a sensible custom in those days. Even then, if there were philosophical discussions with women, they let them participate with a screen between them.

As centuries passed, women started doing hard work at home--from the pounding of the rice to the cooking of it. They had to do it because they wouldn't let women from other castes come into the house. It wasn't a good thing to make the woman of the house work so hard during those three days. So, they were kept away from the house and from all the heavy work.

Later, when they settled in the cities, there were no facilities for them to bathe during those menstrual days. There was not enough room for the women to move about. To isolate them, they put them in a little cell-like room and made them suffocate and stay there, even without a wash!
In a joint family, men had no problem about getting fed, If not, they did the cooking themselves. They did not go to a an eatery. Nowadays, the SudrAs cook and the brahmins eat there.
There aren't that many joint families anymore in the cities. When the woman of the house is not in a position to cook, the food prepared in restaurants by kitchen maids is fine by them, but at home, the same maid is not allowed to come into the kitchen!
The food in those eateries are not at all sanitary like the home-cooked food. Yet, they don't mind. What they don't see is fine by them!

Brahmin girls tend to mature sooner these days. It wasn't so before. Even if they got married at eight, they did not mature until sixteen or so. They don't seem to bother about marriageable age when it comes to boys. Why does this rule apply only to girls? It should be the same for both boys and girls. The boys have to finish their studies and then get a job. They are twenty or twenty five by then. Only eighteen or twenty year old women will be right for them, not a child!
We live in the British RAjyam. We do servile work. After hard work, we return home with dinner on mind--not on japam or tapam. Whatever is done, is just for show. I don't like hypocrisy.
Yes, I did mention our Thangam entering womanhood to others.What's wrong about it? I'm going to find a good man for her. Why do you worry?
I don't want Thangamma to feel imprisoned during these three days! She can rest and if you don't want her to, she needn't come into the kitchen or to the pUjA nook.
It's a good thing for her to shower in running water every day. We have the tap water now, which is like the falls! Let her bathe on all three days. It's stupid to make her stay in a cell!. Give her warm water to bathe in if you want--separately in a pail if you wish, Chellamma. She should be happy, be clean and wear fresh clothes.The only things she can't do is lift heavy things or walk too far. That's all.
All the things you seem to observe are like taking the skin of a snake (which it has shed) for the snake! These so-called traditions have become larger than life, but they make no sense at all.

Chellamma: You got shaved yesterday, on an inappropriate day! How many more transgressions!

Bharathi: Silly! The barber used to handle corpses. He does not deal with them now. So, there were those specified days for his coming to our houses to give us a shave. Now, it's just the upper class brahmin boys who do what the barbers did, in the medical schools! Those who work, can't observe vizhuppu (that this is not acceptable; this is untouchable). It' s only the ones who are idle who indulge in the habit of observing all this nonsense!

The kOmuTTis, mudalis and nAiDus have changed their ways to suit the times. When it comes to marriage, it's only the brahmins who follow the customs of the dark ages!
We will get to be more civilized when things change with the brahmin community too.

Chellamma: Is bathing in the pond not good for you? Or, is that also a superstition? (Yadugiri's mother sticks to this custom even after the calamity of the worst storm! Anything new was taboo, and running water from a tap surely was!-Arasi).

Bharathi: It's good to bathe in clean ponds. It will cool you down, more so on such days. The old custom of immersing yourself in the water for specified number of times, makes a lot of sense. We find that in the cities, there are no clean ponds. Instead of getting sick by bathing in filthy ones, it's better to shower with the running tap water. White people fill water in wide baths and soak in them. That's a good thing too. Luckily, we have plenty of clean ponds in Puduvai. You may bathe in them to your heart's content.
By the way Yadugiri, how's your little baby brother Valimai maindan?

Yadugiri: He's fine, but why do you call him that?

Bharathi: Chellamma told me that when he was born, it was stormy and windy. So, I call him 'the mighty wind's son'! (You find this expression valimai maindan in one of his verses-Arasi)

Yadugiri: With your blessings, may he be as mighty as HanumAn! Let him live a hundred years!

Bharathi: Yadugiri, don't think of your lost child and cry all the time. Plead with Sakti. At dawn, meditate upon her. She will bless you. You are young. Don't groan and moan like an old woman. What's the use of your reading the gItA? Your prayer to Sakti shows that you are brave in asking her to give back what has slipped out of your hands. Only worthless people groan and moan. You may ask me, 'how do you know my grief?' and you have a right to ask me that. Yet, it's not a good thing to cry over it. Be strong!

Chellamma: What do men know? What would you know about how the mother who gave birth to the child feels? Will gItA and vEdAntA come to her aid? However much you may beg of Sakti, will the child come back to Yadugiri? Will her sorrow disappear?

Bharathi: We should strive to do what we are supposed to do, and have the grace to accept what God deals out to us.We should do all that is humanly possible. Beyond that, we should not kill ourselves with grief. When trouble comes, we cry, and we should.Yet, we shouldn't cry all the time and be a tragic figure. The saying goes: Console yourself in sorrow by looking at those whose suffering is greater than yours. And with wealth, look at those who have less than what you have, and take heart. Some face sorrow when they are young, others in their old age. Yadugiri, you are going to see only better things from now on. Don't pine for what is not there. Look forward to all good things which are going to be yours, and meditate upon Sakti.

He then said, "Let me sing to you the poem which came to me on the day pApA Thangamma entered womanhood!
He gave me a copy of the song:



* inda deivam emakkanukUlam
ini kavalaikkiDamillai (inda daivam)

1: mandirangaLai SOdanai SeidAl
vaiyagattai ALvadu daivam
anda deivam gatiyenRiruppIr--
AkkamuNDenRanaittumuraikkum (inda deivam)

2: marattin vEril adaRkuNavuNDu
vayiTRiniIE karuvukkuNavuNDu
tarattilotta darumangaL uNDu
SaktiyenRilO muktiyuNDu

3: ulagamE uDalAi adaRkuLLE
uyiradAgi viLangiDum deivam
ilagum vAnoLi pOl aRivAgi
engaNum parandiDum deivam

4: Seigai yAvum deivattin Seigai
Sindai yAvum deivattin Sindai
uygai koNDadan nAmattaik kURin
uNarvu koNDavar dEvargaLAvAr

5: nOyillai vaRumai illai
nOnbizhaippadilE tunbamillai
tAyum tandaiyum tOzhanumAgi
tagudiyum payanum tarum deivam

6: achchamillai mayanguvadillai
anbum inbamum mEnmaiyum uNDu
michcham illai pazhanduyar kuppai
veTRiyuNDu viraivinil uNDu

inda deivam namakkanukUlam
ini manak kavalaikkiDamillai


*This poem has not appeared in any of Bharathi's anthologies so far (the publisher)



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

Post by smala »

rshankar, I would seriously hesitate to say Bharathi was constantly pushing the boundaries. He was a man far far ahead of his times, his was a lofty progressive vision beyond the immediate and the mundane, while he was mired in it, anchored by Chellamma. It was not as if she shared or looked up to his ideals in anyway even as she tolerated his writings, hoping it would bring money in! As he flouted some meaningless conventions, he was a man who thought outside the box while being within the box! [He lived within bounds, had an arranged marriage, accepted the hand that the powers dealt him, lived an acceptable lifestyle even while close to penury in Puducheri.]

Penury often sharpens the mind as it forces the best minds to look inwards to tap resources. Some of the workings of his genius seems to have poured out during Bharathi's stay at Puducheri. Chellamal a product of her times, circumscribed within the circle of her middle-class immediate world, someone who also leaned on her birth-family whenever needed, seems to have been a limiting factor in her partnership with Bharathi !

*****
Chapter 22 is a clear presentation of the depth and breadth of the sheer genius workings of his mind - the man who thought ahead of his time and sought to live it! - questioning and rejecting shackling brahmanical orthodoxy, born a Brahmin himself - he saw the hypocrisy of ways by Brahmin men - towards women, Brahmin men vis-a-vis other caste men. His mind gushed like a fountain, soaring, onward bound, yet Chellamal could not absorb even a fraction of his outpourings, fathom at least some of his depth, leave alone translate some of his yearnings into real life !

That act of taking off with her daughters along with her parents and then getting Thangamma's marriage fixed by herself - AFTER having listened to these outpourings straight from his heart, his love and poetic recognition of his first child blossoming into a young woman -- that was severely clipping his wings by a Chellama, who could not have suffered or even seen his anguish.
Last edited by smala on 24 Aug 2011, 02:30, edited 4 times in total.

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

Post by rshankar »

Why would you hesitate? I happen to admire the ones that do push boundaries - IMO, what the mahAkavi pursued can be described as being miles ahead of his times, or, on the flip side, as having pushed the boundaries of what was proscribed those days. In either case, I am a fan of the man and his intellect, warts, wrinkles and all - and would not want him to be any different, because I think his life expereinces made his writing fantastic.
I think any woman of those times would have had the same issues being married to a man like bhArati, just as kastUrbA did with Gandhiji. While men such as they were pioneers and did not care much for what happened to them, the women unfortunately could not; and certainly their children could not, because, then, as now, society was cruel - it boxed people in and allowed very little leeway. The role of the woman was to find a way of making everything fine in the end, and not to really aim to be different or be a pioneer; and sometimes, the pressure of that burden was probably unbearable. Decades later, even women like Smt. RDA had trouble with society, and prefered to travel abroad for years instead of forcing society to accept their choices.
And yes, his writing was a way to make money for Chellamma - how many women of her generation even knew or were interested in knowing what their spouses did outside the home? At least she had the distinction of having some of her ideas worked on by none other than the one and only mahAkavi!

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

Post by smala »

...At least she had the distinction of having some of her ideas worked on by none other than the one and only mahAkavi!"

Yes. Collateral damage, err...benefits..., for having lived with a genius, someone who could find something outstanding even in a blade of grass. That he could take something from her and run with it, speaks of his greatness, not hers. Any distinction that accrued by proximity or default.

He also took Yadugiri's ideas and ran with it. She, at least, became a public speaker on the emancipation of women till it had to be curtailed by some old women in her family - drawing something from Bharathi's genius, unlike Chellamal. So women of his times, how many chose to differ? At least one did! [This para, I write drawing from Arasi's Chapter 23 which she had posted yesterday out of sequence.]
Last edited by smala on 24 Aug 2011, 01:37, edited 1 time in total.

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

Post by smala »

"...When it comes to marriage, it's only the brahmins who follow the customs of the dark ages!
We will get to be more civilized when things change with the brahmin community too..."

They did not change even sixty years after Bharathi's time.

I can relate to ALL of Bharathi's views, esp. Chapter 22, without exception, but this one, quoted, I have felt starkly in my own times.

My sister, went further and paid a price for it.
Last edited by smala on 24 Aug 2011, 01:39, edited 1 time in total.

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

Post by arasi »

TWENTY THREE



UpanyAsam
(The Speech)

In the month of Chitra in the year kALayukti, on a friday, Bharathi had a gathering at his house.
He started with vandE mAtaram and sang the peNgaL viDudalai kummi. He had asked us to speak on any subject we chose to. I spoke on the rewards of effort. Bharathi published this in svadESa Mitran. In Chennai, our relatives subscribed only to English papers and journals. The women in the family of judge M.O.Parthasarathy used to get the svadESa Mitran.They read it and decried it. 'The world has come to an end!', they moaned. It was the talk of the town in tiruvallikkENi's ManDyam community.

The week after, TiruvaLLuvar Day was celebrated in Iyer's house. They fed the poor. Bhagyalakshmi Ammal and Chellamma did all the cooking. Iyer spoke of VaLLuvar's life and works. Bharathi sang. I spoke about the advancement of women. I quoted Gandhiji and spoke about satyAgrahA. I ended my speech by saying, 'Women are their own enemies in their progress'.This angered the older generation of women no end. My father told me that they read about it in the svadESa Mitran.
Soon after reading both my speeches, my grandmother, my elder aunt and her daughter happened to be in Puduvai. My aunt said that they couldn't show their faces in TrtuvallikkENi because of my women's emancipation speeches! They argued against my taking part in them with my father and finally made me put a stop to my speaking in public.

The week after, we gathered in Bharathi's house. Bharathi had invited my grandmother and aunt. My aunt spoke instead of me and she said that women should not learn English but should stay home and be good housewives. Bharathi spoke after her, with quotes which supported women's education. They did not agree with him. They also asked Bharathi not to print what was said by my aunt that day. Bharathi did not, but in his own essay, he has quoted my aunt without mentioning her name, in a humorous way!


* * * * *

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

Post by rshankar »

Compariong Chellamma to Yadugiri is no fair, since Yadugiri and Chellamma were not from the same generation - it must have been tougher for a woman from an earlier generation brought up in a household much, much stricter (even backward perhaps) than Yadugiri's was. Chellamma's behavior was completely normal for her generation and standing in life - boring perhaps, unintellectual may be, but the norm nevertheless. In comparison to the searing intellect of the mahAkavi she shows up as 'lacking' - which I think is not fair. Given the situation of the days when she got married, I am sure she had no say in it, and probably all she wanted out of it was stability and the ability to perform her duties as she had been taught, or perhaps been indoctrinated. She got much more than she bargained for, and a ride in which the peaks were as high as the troughs were low. I certainly don't feel competent to judge her. I see Yadugiri as a person who saw bhArati at his best, and went home to comfort and security eventually, while Chellamma had to live with him.

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

Post by smala »

" ...Chellamma's behavior was completely normal for her generation and standing in life - boring perhaps, unintellectual may be, but the norm nevertheless."


I am shocked at what Chellamal did, among other things, in taking off with parents, her daughters in tow, that was callous enough. Then fixing Thangamma's marriage by herself - leaving Bharathi out in the cold - that would have cut him deeply and yet she did it. She was certainly bold enough to do something unconventional here!

That he went to attend his daughter's marriage, performing his duties as a parent, leaves me no doubt of his humanity, the extent of his love and gracious humility.
Last edited by smala on 24 Aug 2011, 04:53, edited 1 time in total.

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

Post by rshankar »

Reading between the lines, I bet it was Chellamma's family that orchestrated this whole scenario - I do not think they were big fans of the mahAkavi to begin with. Given the lack of money, Chellamma's father/brother must have been the ones who were going to pay for the wedding. I am sure it was they (the men-folk) who got her to go with them, and agree to the marriage that they arranged for. I agree that bhArati was a loving father who swallowed his pride and performed his duties by giving his darling daughter away - a phenomenally forgiving man.

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

Post by arasi »

TWENTY FOUR



Van tALiNai vaNangi
(At His Mighty Feet)




Chellamma told me that Murugesam Pillai's son Raja Bahadur was coming back to India from Paris after finishing his studies in engineering. The world was still in the grips of the war.

In all their pride and excitement, Raja Bahadur's parents had planned a grand welcome for him. They had decorated their home like a wedding house and had invited friends and family from everywhere.

Man proposes and God disposes. The day that Murugesam Pillai thought was going to be jubilant, turned out to be the saddest day of his life. On a day of such joy, a telegram came in place of Raja Bahadur. The ship that he was on was bombed by the Germans and was destroyed, it said.

Murugesam Pillai fainted after reading this. When he came back to his senses, he fell on the ground and wept. Any amount of consoling did not help. He did not get up again.
Bharathi sat by his side to pacify him. He said that Pillai was in the same plight as daSarathA was when Rama was banished.
Murugesam Pillai recalled amid sobs, Raja Bahadur being an adorable infant. He went on weeping, recounting how his son was such a delightful baby who charmed them with his crawling, baby talk and play, and how he grew into a fine man, possessing such a keen mind.
ANNiammAL wailed. When she was pregnant with her child, Pillai had heard from a holy man that the early morning sun's rays were good for a pregnant woman, and that the child she was carrying would grow up to be strong and healthy. Pillai took her every morning to a hill top for her to catch the rays, in spite of protests from the family.

Bharathi tried very hard to console the couple. He sang in a moving way, verses from kamba rAmAyaNam of MaNDOdari's cry when Indrajit was killed--kulaSEkara AzhvAr's van tALiNai vaNangi about daSarathA's grief and dEvaki's Alai nIL karumbannavan tAlO, where she grieves about infant Krishna being taken away from her. Murugesam Pillai and ANNiammAL were quietened for while, but started wailing again.

Pillai was already a sick man. The doctors couldn't help him. His grief shook him up and he got worse. He kept repeating: Has Raja Bahadur come back?

To let him die in peace, family and friends decided to tell him a white lie--that Raja Bahadur had survived, and that he was expected to arrive a week later. They sent a false telegram to this effect and decided that Arabindo should take the telegram to Pillai. This, they thought was bound to convince him. Arabindo, who never left his house, agreed to do this because of his love for Pillai. Even then, Pillai would not believe in the news. After listening to Arabindo calmly, he said: Not that I don't believe you, but my inner being does not believe in it. What I had in hand, slipped away. You took the trouble to come out of your house for my sake! How can I ever repay you?

When this ploy didn't work, they tried another. They found a young man who resembled Raja Bahadur, dressed him up in a suit and brought him to Pillai who was speechless at first. He opened his eyes wide and looked at the man for a while. Then, he looked cynical. His hopes were shattered. He turned in his bed, as if to turn away from this performance. Within a few hours, death came to him.

As if what the holy man had told Pillai was the truth that the rays of the sun would make him grow into a healthy man, to lead a long life, and as if the father's plea to God to bring back his son did work, on the twenty seventh day after his father's death, Raja Bahadur arrived safely in Puduvai. He had floated to an island with the help of a broken piece of the ship, and was spotted by another ship soon after!
He was welcomed with a sigh of relief but with heavy hearts.

Bharathi said, "Murugasam Pillai gave his life away for his son. Had he not died, his son might not have returned. Who knows?"


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

Post by smala »

Beautiful poignant episode.

Arasi, I'm going to be very tearful when you post chapter 26.

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

Post by rshankar »

Arasi - thank you for bringing this 'painting' - no, actually a video of the events that have been so elegantly captured by Yadugiri. She really was a very gifted writer, and your translations are just what she needed. I am amazed at the really lovely, and perfectly appropriate songs/verses that bhArati sang - his was indeed an encyclopedic mind.
After you are done with Chapter 26 (how I want this to go on for ever and ever!), can you please post these songs in the sAhitya section?

veeyens3
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by veeyens3 »

श्री

CML With ref. To your request for a PDF version of ARASI's translation of yadugiris's book, I have been in copy-paste mood of the translation alone with the fond hope one day when I am fed up with watching the squirrels, dove or occasional falcon or kestrel or bairi in tamil, a much hated bird of pigeon lovers in Madras and swallows , ( I understand that swallows are entirely wiped out inMadras. What a sad thing. They will be flitting in and around the house, building their nests behind life size photos of grand parents by the one and only one C.Coomaraswamy Naidu ,photographer, or Vinolia White Rose Calenders depicting RaviVarma's Lakshmi, Saraswathi and sometimes inside the cowl on the rod connecting the ceiling fan to the power point in the ceiling resulting in moratorium in use of fan during evening and morning hours when they return and leave the nest)I will be able to peruse vis a vis the fragmented and heresay information I had especially his attitude to Chellammaal in the early days of their marriage. It is about 86 kbs. As on date and is on the same font as in the Rasikas body. It can be converted to PDF if required. I am only a hammer and chisel techie and if that is passe, I can e.mail it to you May Sri Rama bless you all
Last edited by veeyens3 on 25 Aug 2011, 22:41, edited 1 time in total.

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

Post by smala »

Sri Veeyens, with due respect, the pic above is misplaced in this thread on Yadugiri memoirs.

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

Post by arasi »

Veeyens,
You are simply marvellous! You are inspiration indeed, our revered elder! NamaskArams to you for your interest and effort!

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

Post by arasi »

VeLiyETRam
(The Exit)


When I was in Puduvai, Chellamma went to Kadayam to take part in the preparations of her brother's wedding. Bharathi was observing a month of silence. He did not come to see us and we did not go to his house.

Chellamma came back after the wedding. Within a few days, her father died. She went back, leaving the children behind. They were in our house most of the time. She was back soon after. She now was intent on going back to British India. It was evident that her relatives at home had fortified that wish in her. Bharathi too was getting bored of living in Puduvai but could not go back with all the police vigilance. Chellamma's family had also urged Bharathi's siblings to write to him and persuade him to come back to Kadayam. Yet, Bharathi didn't. Not having the heart to leave Bharathi on his own, Chellamma stayed behind.

In the month of puraTTAsi, she came to our house to see my new baby. She said she was intent on her family returning to Kadayam. She did not say when. We did not think Bharathi could go.

The next morning, Bharathi came to our house to tell us that Chellamma had left for Kadayam with the children, taking some of their belongings, however much he begged of her to stay. "She wouldn't listen to me. I need to get married again, I think," he quipped.

Chellamma came back again after a week with her brother Appadurai. In the month of aippasi, around the fifteenth, they went to Villianallur with Appadurai. The border police arrested Bharathi there and took him to the Cuddalore prison. They released him soon after. Bharathi came to Chennai and stayed with us for a few days. He spoke at public meetings at the beach.

Some of his relatives tried hard to get him back to Kadayam and settle the family there in a place of their own, but it didn't work.

*

For about a year and a half, I was out of touch with Bharathi's family. I used to read his writings in the issues of svadESa Mitran, and that was about all.



* * * * *

veeyens3
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by veeyens3 »

smala, That photo was inserted since a reference had been made in my posting. If it is felt that it does not merge with the main theme, the moderator may delete it as I do not how to do so. . Sorry for any infringement of the protocol May Sri Rama bless you all

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

Post by smala »

"...The next morning, Bharathi came to our house to tell us that Chellamma had left for Kadayam with the children, taking some of their belongings, however much he begged of her to stay. "She wouldn't listen to me. I need to get married again, I think," he quipped."


Much as her family may have suggested that Chellammal return to Kadayam, it was her decision alone to leave Bharathi behind as she took off with the children.

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

Post by arasi »

TWENTY SIX


iRudi
(The End)


In roudra varusham, in the month of Chittirai, my father, Iyer and others returned home. After the end of the war, they were free to come home. My father stayed on until Iyer was free to come to British India. But for Aravindar, the rest of them had left Puduvai.

Soon after, the Puduvai mUvar (Bharathi, Iyer and my father) started living in the same place again--Chennai. Bharathi worked at svadESa Mitran and Iyer at dESa Bhaktan. My father went back to his old business.

At the end of the month of aippasi, I had gone to Chennai from Mysore. Chellamma and Bhagyalakshmi Ammal came to see me. The Iyers lived in George Town then, I think. Bharathi and Chellamma lived in TiruvallikkENi in TuLasingap perumAL Koil street. We lived in PEyAzhvAr kOil street, facing the mantapam in front of Parthasarathy Swamy temple.

Bharathiyar was home only from seven to nine in the morning. Then, he left for work. He came home during the break, occasionally.

Hindi prachAr (propogation of Hindi) had started just then. Devadas Gandhi taught Hindi and national songs in our upstairs hall.

When seeing little babies saying 'Ao, Ao, Ao', BharathiAr had a habit of singing to them, 'AO sakala bhArath kumAr!' (Come, little son of all India!). "The little ones are saying, 'come, let's all be one!', but we foolish adults don't pay any attention to it!"

The political scene then was tense. The Ali bothers, on their way to Chennai were arrested. Their mother was a brave woman. She spoke at the beach meeting. At the end of it when people were starting to disperse, Bharathi got on stage and sang 'jaya bErigai koTTaDA, koTTaDA!' and the crowds came back in throngs. They loved to hear Bharathi's songs and his speeches. His voice and his verses charmed them all. That day, he sang the verses, interspersing them with the sounds of the drums (bERigai ), with his own voice!

*

When I was in Chennai, Bharathi overheard my saying, "Both children that I have are daughters and the one son I had, is no more". He chided me. "Daughters are more affectionate than sons, Yadugiri. You were a little child when you were in Puduvai. You still are the same in your affection for me. Your brother Sami is too occupied with family affairs. He does not find time to come and see me, as you still do".

I was in Chennai until ugAdi. Bharathi came to our house almost every day. Chellamma, Thangamma and Sakunthala came to see us often.
On the day I left for Bangalore that month, Bharathi came by in the morning. "Chellamma said it was an inappropriate day for a shave. So, I came to your house," he said and got shaven in the front of our house .

Bharathi came again that evening. I did namaskArams to him and asked him when he would come to visit us in Bangalore.

Bharathi: What business do I have in Bangalore, Amma? Have a good journey and be well. The next time you come to Chennai, I don't know where I'm going to be. That was why I came to see you again.

That was the last time I saw him.

I was in Mysore. My mother wrote to me that Bharathiar was no more. I could not believe it. Soon, my father wrote a long letter, giving me all the details.

It was the misfortune of tamizh nADu that Bharathi died, and that too, in his prime.

*

In 1923, I was back in Chennai. Chellamma, Thangamma and Sakunthala came to see me. It was a sad moment.

Chellamma: He asked about you even on the day that he passed away. "Where is Yadugiri now? How many children has she?". "Two girls, like us," I answered.
"I don't know when she will come to Chennai. I miss seeing her. Wherever she is, let her be happy," he said. "Chellamma, finish cooking by eight in the morning. I have to go to the office early," he said. He died soon after. What could I do? It all seems like a play, this life of ours!"

*

After so many years of our struggle for freedom, we are now free--because of great patriots like Tillakar, Bharathi, Chidambaram Pillai and V.V.S. Iyer. They laid the foundation for the freedom which we enjoy.

Bharathi was inspired by some unknown force. When he sang, poetry flooded out of him .There were times when he was surprised with some of his own lines of poetry. He didn't go in search of words, style, grammar or rhyme. He was a vara kavi (born with a boon-poet).

Bharathi had the habit of asking himself questions. I used to be surprised by this."Whom did you speak to at the beach?"--I'd ask. He would laugh and say, 'with parAsakti, with the sea!" I did not know the impact of it then. I realize now that to be a great poet, to develop one's sensibilities to that extent, one should do penance of a very high order. Bharathi was a living example of such a poet. Poets like him are born only once in a few centuries. Lucky indeed are the nations which produce such great souls!




THE END

* * *



The translator's note:

I reluctantly take leave of the company of Bharathi, Chellamma, Yadugiri, Iyer and their families. It was an inspiring (and perspiring!) summer for me to journey back with them into the past. If only a few young men and women have been reading this and have started discovering 'their' Bharathi, I'd be delighted. Bharathi's works have universal appeal, but for every Indian, particularly a tamizhan, he is a national treasure which we all own--which we can keep and also share endlessly.
Bharathi sought immortality and he got it. He lives forever in his poetry and his other works.There is immense value and beauty in his verses which are guaranteed to appeal to humanity until the end of the world.

We are stepping into September, the month of Bharathi Day. I am glad I finished the translation well before that special day (as I promised) and now want to go back to his poetry which will feed me with inspiration and offer me renewal, as it always does. No, I revise my statement: go back to his poetry, so that all of us get inspired and are ready for renewal!

We have many performers who are members on Rasikas.org. Those who are not, visit our forum to browse. If they include many Bharathi's songs in their repertoire, kudos to them all. Those who don't--please consider singing his songs, as joyfully as he did ;)

I thank Yadugiri's daughter Dwaraki Krishnaswamy for lending me, and letting me make a copy of her mother's book.

Thanks to those who have been reading this translation and also for their patience when I took a break . Special thanks to friends on the forum who have always been extremely kind to the old lady.

I thank srkris for making this thread a sticky to ensure that it didn't sink to the bottom of the page and disappear. Due to that, many more rasikAs have had a chance to read it.

For those of us who already adore, admire and worship Bharathi, it was good to hear Yadugiri tell her story about him. I hope she inspires the young just as much, so that they can pass on their love for Bharathi to their children and they to theirs and so it goes on and on--Bharathi's immortality is ensured that way.
Thanks again, all!

Arasi
Last edited by arasi on 25 Aug 2011, 07:15, edited 3 times in total.

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

Post by Nick H »

Thanks, beyond words, Arasi ...

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

Post by smala »

A great job, well done. A concise yet moving memoir devoted to the great Bharathi has been made accessible to so many outside the Tamil arena, thanks to your skills in keeping the spirit of the contents and for undertaking this venture.

I thank you, Arasi, for taking me back in time on this remarkable journey, to live the moments with Yadugiri, Bharathi, Chellammal and others. Although written nearly a century back, the events seem like they happened yesterday. The dialogues are relevant even today. The wisdom dripping from Bharathi's razor sharp mind and extra-ordinary macro vision - outlives us all. Bharathi's poetry is truly magical, a work of art and love from a man who knew how to love.

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

Post by cienu »

Thank you so much Arasi for taking us on this remarkable and inspirational journey back in time.

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

Post by rshankar »

Arasi - umakku ananta kOTi namaskAram! Thank you for being Dwaraki's friend, thank you for having taken the trouble to translate the book - but for which, many of us would not have known about it, about Yadugiri (who will remain in my mind forever as the young teenaged friend of the mahAkavi, a man the likes of whom we will never see again), and about aspects of bhArati others have not touched upon. And above all, thank you for being an admirer of bhArati and his poetry and your generosity in sharing with us. And of course, thanks to Krishnan for sharing you with us this summer. I am more a little sorry to see the saga end.

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

Post by mahavishnu »

Thank you, Arasi. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your lovely prose over the last several weeks.

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

Post by vanajan »

Thank you Arasi for letting us into the world of Bharathi,Yadhugiri and Chellammal, through your wonderful translation.

Vanaja

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

Post by Pratyaksham Bala »

arasi:
Thanks.
Great job! Wonderful translation!

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

Post by cmlover »

Speechless! What else can I say!
How can we thank you for this magnum effort!
Somebody should contact veeyens and work on foramtting the collection into a readable book....
Perhaps a publisher should publish it in print for wider circulation and include it in the school curriculam!

Now take a well-deserved break and participate in the ensuing discussions. I will be gone for the next ten days but will be reading them avidly.

Folks

Do continue the discussions in the Bharathiyar thread.
http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... 5&start=50
We will lock this thread in a couple of days after everyone gets the chance to thank our Arasi for her great service...

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

Post by kvchellappa »

It has been a great contribution that took us inside the mind of Bharathi, that was true, compassionate and grasped truth intuitively and poured them out as trail-blazing poetry.
It would be nice if more insights could be offered in this forum continuously to be in touch with that great mind.

veeyens3
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by veeyens3 »

smala Ref your posting #246 I have since removed the photo, not appropriate to to the thread May Sri Rama bless you

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

Post by PUNARVASU »

All good things have to come to an end. arasi, what a great 'labour of love'?
Thanks for taking the efforts. :clap:

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

Post by arasi »

How young can a ninety-one year old be! Our Veeyens has already got it ready in book form and has sent me a copy by E-mail!

Punarvasu,
We are also very proud of your father!

Thanks, Veeyens!

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

Post by PUNARVASU »

arasi, I am proud of him too. Yes , he belongs to the generation which likes things done, not tomorrow, not today but 'YESTERDAY' !

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

Post by CRama »

Arasi madam, I feel short of words to express my feelings. I feel as if I have lived in the neighbourhood of Bharathiyar and Yadugiri and have moved closely with Bhrathiyar, Chellammal, Yadugiri, Iyer, Murugesan Pillai and all. Agan and again I thank you for this great work of yours.

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

Post by maduraimini »

I was sad to see the journey end. What a wonderful human being Bharathi was! He was way ahead of his time with modern ideas and insight. A person with independant ideas doesn't blend with the society which has a standard and common belief. If you differ from them, you are branded as crazy or weird. This is the same all over the world.
Let us give a big hand to Arasi for her beautiful translation of this nice book. Arasi did a fine job ( she is a proficient writer with books to her credit) and I want to thank her for sharing this with us . Thank you,Arasi and you brought Bharathi and Chellamma to life. We lived with them and felt their pain and happiness.

srkris
Site Admin
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Re: Oy BhAratiyArE!--A Child's Eye View of the Poet

Post by srkris »

It takes one poet to bring out the appeal of another, and Arasi has done it with aplomb. Thank you very much.

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

Post by cmlover »

Arasi is not just a poet but a superb novelist.
Coming from a gifted musical family, it will be nice if she starts penning her own memories and experiences on VVS, AK, AS... which will be a significant contribution to our CM history....

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

Post by rajeshnat »

cmlover wrote:Arasi is not just a poet but a superb novelist.
Coming from a gifted musical family, it will be nice if she starts penning her own memories and experiences on VVS, AK, AS... which will be a significant contribution to our CM history....
That is a great idea cml, one can get a glimpse of Arasi as a young yadugiri.

Shri Veeyens,
Wow , that was a great effort for you taking all the posts and passing it to Arasi. :clap: :clap:
Last edited by rajeshnat on 03 Sep 2011, 11:54, edited 1 time in total.

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

Post by rajumds »

arasi

I have no words to describe my thanks and gratitude for bringing this out.

Is it possible to get a copy of the original book. I can scan the pages and upload.

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

Post by cmlover »

Thx rajumds. That will be a great service for us to read the original as well. Perhaps you can borrow one from Dwaraki at Bangalore as directed by arasi.

rajeshnat:
... and AS as Iyer,

smala
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Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:55

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

Post by smala »

rajumds wrote:arasi

...
Is it possible to get a copy of the original book. I can scan the pages and upload.
This info below has been given before by Vasanthakokilam in this thread and I too posted it the other thread but here it is again.

Book seems to be available at :

http://www.tamilbooksonline.in/searchbo ... NINAIVUGAL

Contact:

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 »

After spending time with Irene (and some after-effects of her visit), we are back to civilization, at last. No power until this evening, had some problems to deal with, but we are fine.
It was like going back to Puduvai in naLa varusham ...
Will post tomorrow ;)

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

Post by smala »

Glad that all is well, Arasi.

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

Post by rajeshnat »

All
Few weeks back I went to the shop in T Nagar and tried to get the book. Unfortunately could not get the book as it was out of circulation.Then talked with the book shop manager who connected the publisher . It took few iterations for me , book manager and thru him the publisher to sync and get the details of the book.

As the book was gone out of print , the publisher thru the book shop manager insisted me to order atleast 1000 copies which was hefty amount , negotiated him to print 100 copies@45 Rs each , just today I paid the full advance for 100 copies , the book shop manager has given me the receipt and will be delivering the printed books to me by this month end.

On an interesting note , this order of 100 copies has made the publisher to search the archives and take the original manuscript typesetting , to that extent the payment that I made has possibly raised yadugiri's biography back to circulation.

Once when I get the copies I will notify again and then let us then find a way to distribute to each of you or better yet a group of 10 can take 10 copies each and distribute to your city/area.

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