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

Miscellaneous topics on Carnatic music
Post Reply
arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

I am filled with awe and excitement, sharing what follows with my fellow rasikAs here at Rasikas.org. Let me fill you in on what this is all about.
A dozen years ago, Dwaraki Krishnaswamy, a musician, teacher and composer in Bengaluru gave me a wonderful gift. She happens to be the grand daughter of Mandayam Srinivasa Iyengar, a freedom fighter and friend of Bharathi. When she told me that her mother Yadugiri Ammal had written a book about her childhood memories of the poet called bhArathi ninaivugaL, my first question was: where can I find this book? She said it had been out of print for many years but she kindly offered me the only old copy she had for me to read. I was so moved by the book that I asked her permission to photocopy it. Thanks to her, I could share the copy with relatives and friends. She said at that time that they were trying to get the book reprinted and I was happy. I don't think it happened :(
Soon after I translated Sanjay Subrahmanyan's interview from KAlachchuvaDu here at Rasikas.org and it was well received, I felt that I should translate a precious book like this so that others will get a chance to read it. A pity, I could not locate my copy anywhere :( I felt sad.
Recently, while looking for old memorabilia, I came upon this little treasure and am I thankful!
Bharathi is mighty. A child is precious--a sensitive child, more so. The families in the community were one during the freedom movement. Great adults figured in the lives of children. Their lives were simple but their thoughts and imagination were fueled by the fervor of the adults around them.
Many books have been written about Bharathi but this one is unique. A fine-tuned mind of a child who was filled with curiosity and verve had the good fortune to interact with Bharathi!
Yadugiri Ammal wrote this book in 1938-39. It was not until 1954 that it got published by Amuda Nialyam. She knew the book was coming out but did not live to see the book.
Amuda Nilayam is very much there in Chennai's publishing world. How I wish to see this book in reprint!

I will type her introduction to the book as an epilogue since I prefer the child telling her story first!

As I did with the interview (and our young Srinivasaraghavan did with his grand story of Shreya and Hari, the CM idols), I will bring this translation in installments).
Last edited by arasi on 06 Jul 2011, 10:31, edited 3 times in total.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

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.
Bharathi, Chellamma and six of us (children of both families) were walking on the beach of Puduchery. The fishermen had come ashore, their boats filled with fish. They were singing happily. Bharathi interrupted our jovial conversation with several shabhAsh-s in response to their singing.
I asked: This is funny! There is neither rAgam nor any sense to their singing. What makes you appreciate them so much?

Chellamma: You know him! He gets all excited when that man who carries the MAriamman image and beats that uDukkai (mini hand drum) comes to our street. He starts dancing! He loses his senses. This evening, hearing the sound and beat of the waves and their nonsensical music thrills him!
Bharathi went to the fishermen with a paper and pencil and asked an old man to sing the song line by line. He corrected some of his words and came back to us.

Bharathi: You make fun of me as usual--but listen to this. That old man taught me the fundamentals about this Universe.

Chellamma: Indeed! You are the student of every paRaiyan and fisherman. Yet, you refuse to be a Sishya of the guru at the maTam!

Bharathi: I do not want to believe in superstitious, far-from-the-truth dogmas. The fishermen do their work and we are not any different in the way we are made.
Me: Let not our fun-filled outing end in an argument! Oy BharatiyAre! Why don't you explain the meaning and the beauty of the fishermen's song?

With that piece of paper in hand, Bharathi started singing the song. His singing went on for more than half an hour and we were all lost in it. I can still hear that tune now...
My brother Sami said, "You haven't given us the meaning of the song yet. It's eight o' clock already!"
None of us were aware of the time.

Bharathi: Sami, before God, before the creation of this universe, what do you think existed?

Sami: We ask a question and you ask us for an answer?

Bharathi: I'm a crazy man who is both a guru and a student. If I am to tell you everything, how may I learn the things that you know?

Me: nAlAyira divya prabandham says there was water before everything came into existence.Our perumAL was afloat on a banyan leaf.

Bharathi: Yadugiri! You say your perumAL and ours are different? When are you going to give up these silly notions?

Me: I'm still young. I do not have that much knowledge. It's late. Give us the meaning of the song.
I tugged at his shirt.

Bharathi: At the very beginning, God took on the form of a fish.Then a turtle which lived both in water and on land.
He then changed into a boar which stayed more on land and less in water. As Narasimham, He was half man, half beast. How much relevance there is in this to our lives is what this ElElO song beautifully describes. Yes, bhAgavatam, purANam, pATTuk kachEri, but how oblivious you seem to be to the joy there is in this song!

Chellamma: Tell us more.

Bharathi: Aha! You seem to like this song now!

Chellamma: How could I make all this out in their garbled words!

Bharathi: By paying attention! To continue the story, Mahavishnu was born as a dwarf and then took the form of a human, the father of all men, an inspiring model--Rama, representing justice and righteousness. Then on to Krishna,
illustrating action which was carried out in dharma. He did so in this avatAr and also through Arjuna. As BuddhA, he taught renunciation and ahimsA. Now, as Kalki, he is going to unify all religions. We may not live to see it, but our descendants will. This is the meaning of the song.

Chellamma: Why isn't there the name of SivA in all this?

Me: VishNu is the one who took on the ten incarnations. He is the beginning.

Bharathi: SivA? VishNu? They are the same. Chellamma, you say SivA and Yadugiri says VishNu, I say they are all oneI
It's getting late. Let's go home.

How many years is it since this happened? Yet, I see it as if it is happening now, like a day dream...

* * * * *
Last edited by arasi on 07 Jul 2011, 21:54, edited 4 times in total.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

TWO

ViTTu ViDudalaiyAgi...
(To Feel Freedom...)

One Friday evening, Swaminatha Dikshitar's daughter Meena and I went to Bharathiyar's house in Easwaran Dharmaraj Koil Street. Chellamma was not her usual self. It was the end of the month. Meena left at six. Bharati was out. Chellamma and I were alone in the house.
A silence prevailed. After a few minutes, I started the conversation.

Me: Chellamma, what's bothering you? Are you not well?

Chellamma: Nothing ails me, Yadugiri. It's just as if a worm is eating through my heart. I need to share this with someone but you are a mere child. I don't want to burden you with all this.

Me: I don't mind at all. I will ask Bharathiyar--"is it mere lip service that you pay for the freedom of women? Can't you show it in your actions at home?"

Chellamma: My dear child! It's the month end and we still owe money to the milkman from last month. He demanded it yesterday and I could not appease him. Bharathiar was supposed to send his article to Swadesamithran today. I got his coffee and betel leaves after he bathed and kept the ink bottle, pen and paper ready on the desk for his writing. I picked the rice and then went to change into my maDi sari. I knew he wasn't in a mood to write. When I went back to fetch the rice, I found that he had scattered a portion of it to the sparrows. He was singing to them. I was in tears. He says, "Come Chellamma! Look how happy these sparrows are! Why can't you and I be just as happy? You nag me and I get impatient with you. Don't they teach us unity? What fools we are!"
I couldn't bear this. "why do you provoke me like this?", I burst out. I wanted to finish my cooking before the children returned from ANNi Amma's (Ponnu Murugesan Pillai's wife) house. You have scattered away part of the rice to the sparrows. How long is it going to be before we see some money? You haven't even started your writing yet. The milkman puts me to shame. The maid hasn't turned up the past two days. Shouldn't you be thinking about these? Instead, you ask me to be as happy as the sparrows! God is unkind. He punishes me by giving me children to take care of..." Then I went away to make the meal. When I came out of the kitchen, he was singing 'viTTu viDudalaiyAgi' to baby Shakunthala and she was jumping with joy. He was in a blissful state. The sparrows were pecking away. When they were all so happy, i did not want to spoil it and so I kept quiet. The dancing and singing came to an end around noon. Baby Shakunthala said, "Appa, come, let's eat. I'm hungry." Bharathiyar sat down for the meal in silence.
Then he said, "Chellamma, are you still angry with me? Look, I'm sending the sparrows song to the newspaper. You will have the money on the Ist of the month. Don't fear!"
Yadugiri, he's a good man, an innocent soul. When he gets the money, he will give it to me. But they won't pay him if he does not send his articles to them and it frets me."
I did not respond to it straight away. Then I said this to make her feel better: "What if it's a poem, so long as he has sent it away today?"
Chellamma said, "No wonder that you're his favored child! You come to his defense very easily!"
"You make me feel much better, anyway!", added the good woman.
Bharathi came home and asked, "Yadugiri, have you read my new song?"
"No, but Chellamma told me abut it. May I have a look?"
Bharathi fetched me the paper.

Chellamma: Every little word that comes out of your mouth is picked up by Yadugiri. She's a little child, but when I told her what happend this morning, she asks, "What difference does it make, a poem or an article, so long as it has been sent away today?"

Bharathi: She's absolutely right. You may not relish it now Chellamma, but wait and see. Yadugiri, I don't know if I will live to see it--you surely will. You are going to see that they will sing praises of me and revere me for these little verses. This land of tamizh hasn't opened its eyes yet. If it has, it is still in its infancy."
Saying this, Bharathi gave me the piece of paper. The last line of this song which I knew by heart, I remember to be 'vAnoLiyennum maduvin Suvai' which in the printed version reads as ' vAnoLiyin maduvin SuvaiyuNDu'. Did Bharathi change it? I don't know...
* * * * *
Last edited by arasi on 07 Jul 2011, 21:56, edited 2 times in total.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

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

Post by rajeshnat »

Arasi
This is just wonderful , keep it going . When you post one after another with right spacing , we just get to know a lot about Mahakavi. Keep all your posts together in one document , we can even publish yours as a small book bit later.
Sorry for this little intrusion , mainly wanted to say what I underlined.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

Rajesh,
Thanks for the encouragement, cheer leader!
I'm not making any copy of this--just want to continue typing with the book in front of me so that I don't get distracted. I hope one of you transfers these posts into a file so that we don't lose what is written. I'm sorry to repeat this--I'm no good at these things.
Another rasikA wrote to me with concern and wondered if I should use the word 'paRaiyan' from the original text. Iwant to keep everything as they were uttered nearly a century ago by those who lived then. We do not change that word in GKB's song, do we? Some do, I notice. I don't choose to airbrush the words...

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

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

Post by CRama »

Arasi, Your translation is most touching. I regret that I have not read much about Bharathiyar other than seeing in Tamil movies and hearing the stories about him and of course, enjoying his songs. Pl keep this coming and as Rajesh has said, it deserves to be published. Thanks from the bottom of my heart for your excellent work.

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

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

Post by rshankar »

Arasi - Thank you so much...this is wonderful service for people like me - you make this hero (and heroic figure) come alive for me.

mahavishnu
Posts: 3341
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 21:56

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

Post by mahavishnu »

Arasi: Thank you for your wonderful translation.
I can imagine that this is very big time commitment.

smala
Posts: 3223
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:55

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

Post by smala »

A refreshing read on the sweet personal moments of a great patriot and poet. Thank you for undertaking this venture w/ the translation and making it accessible.

A glimpse into childhood years of the times of parents who grew up then, as well... looking forward to instalments.

cienu
Posts: 2387
Joined: 04 Feb 2010, 11:40

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

Post by cienu »

Absolutely wonderful read. A close insight into the mind of the genius. We can only look forward to the next translated episode from Arasi with childlike eagerness & enthusiasm :)

sridevi
Posts: 121
Joined: 10 Feb 2006, 20:22

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

Post by sridevi »

Marvelous indeed. I am waiting for the next post.

I volunteer to compile all the posts to a word document, format it and send it to interested folks. I would like to read the entire book end to end again and again and am sure some of you would like to do the same.

Sridevi

PUNARVASU
Posts: 2498
Joined: 06 Feb 2010, 05:42

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

Post by PUNARVASU »

Arasi, what enthusiasm! Beautiful translation! YOU are an inspiration to all of us! :clap:

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

Rajesh, CRama, Ravi, Mahavishnu, smala, Cienu, Sridevi and Punarvasu--and those who are with me in spirit and to those who sent E-mails, thanks! And thanks to Rasikas.org, my cosy nook. Thanks to technology.
Bharathi inspires--as always. Here, Yadugiri makes it even more pleasurable for me to work on this translation . Even better--I'm able to share this delightful work with you all. I only wish I had more time each day for this, and the busy rasikAs, more time to read!

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

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

Post by rshankar »

Arasi - we're hanging on to your every word like generations before did with Kalki's serialized plots!

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

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

Post by cmlover »

Arasi
Only just saw this thread. I know the novelist in you quite well. But this is your journalist avatar. Lively translation. Keep it coming at your leisure. Some of the events narrated (scattering rice for the sparrows) were also captured in the movies which it was claimed was an authentic biography of Bharathy. At any rate your authentic translation is a valuable addition and worth publishing for wider circulation. I am glad at the offer of sridevi who will put it together as a word/pdf document. Of course you retain the copyrights! Outside of the translation tell us more about this 'child' who had the previlege of hobnobbing with the Great Soul!

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

THREE


BhArata dESam enRu peyar SolluvAr
(This land called BhAratam)

On Sunday mornings, the 'svadESis' in Puduchery went for a dip in the ocean--leaving home for the beach at seven and returning by ten. My father, Bharathiyar, Iyer (Va Ve Su), Tirumalachari and Nagaswami (he worked at The India Weekly which was run by my father. He lived with the Iyer family at that time and moved to AravindAshram later).
Four or five of us (children) were part of this Sunday ritual. Then there were the plain clothesmen from the police, keeping a distance of a furlong from us, but shadowing us.
One Sunday, we were traversing Gowrla St where we saw a snake charmer in front of a house who was given a kAlaNA coin by the servant of the white man who lived there, asking him to move on.
"kAlaNA is enough for me to buy milk for the snake. DoraiyE! (addressing the owner of the house), offer me a handful of rice, so that I can eat too!"
Then he saw us approaching and played his maguDi again. The snake started dancing. As we passed him, he called to us: generous ones! I'm shivering with cold. I haven't eaten in two days. May God bless you!
We knew from our mother that the sea is a king (samudra rAjan).You don't go empty-handed when you go to see him.
She usually gave us a quarter aNA piece and a little packet of turmeric powder before we left for the beach. The snake charmer saw the kAlaNA in my hand and pleaded: Amma, give me that money and I can buy some iDlis and not go hungry!
I held on to my kAlaNA and walked on saying that it was meant for the samudra rAjan. Bharathi who was walking ahead of me stopped in his track. He pulled his anga vastram (top cloth)from his shoulder, wrapped it round his waist, drew his new vEShTi away and gave it to the snake charmer who blessed him and praised his generosity with all his heart. The man was also cross with me for my miserliness, I could tell.
We walked on to the beach. I threw the kAlaNA into the sea and smeared myself with turmeric. The elders held on to our hands once we stepped into the sea. Bharathi was holding my hand this time.

Bharathi: Yadugiri, why did you throw the coin into the sea?

Me: Samudram is a king. You have to throw a coin or a lemon in it before you step into the water.Otherwise, he gets angry.

Bharathi: Who told you this?

Me: My mother who knows everything. My brother gave away his kAlaNA to the snake charmer. You better hold on to him in case the sea gets angry with him!

Bharathi: Iyer is holding his hand. As for you, are you going to listen to what I'm going to say?

Me: Tell me.

Bharathi: Had you given the kAlaNA to the poor man, he could have fed his children with it. What's the use for this coin which is going to be buried in the sand? Had you offered some food to the sea, the fish would have eaten it. What can they do with the money?

Me: You are right, but my mother told me to do this. Doesn't she know?

Bharathi: These are meaningless gestures. In old times they threw money into ponds and tanks so that the karaiyALars who cleaned them got the money. Your throwing the coin into the sea is of no avail. The sea cleans itself with its waves. It does not need your help.

Me: BharathiyArE! In that case, find that kAlaNA. We can give it to the man on our way back.

Bharathi: Never mind. Don't do this again, though.

Me: By the way, what have 'you' done, giving your brand new vEshTi away to the man? What's Chellmma going to say? You could have given him the worn upper cloth instead!

Bharathi: Others give me things. He has no such luck. I didn't mind giving it to him, why does it bother you?

I could not answer him.
We went further into the ocean, up to our chests, holding on securely to the hands of the elders.
When we were home, the children went to the back courtyard (muTRam)to bathe in warmed up water which awaited us. Bharathi, AiyyA (my father) and others drew water from the big toTTi (rectangular tub where drawn water gets stored) in the front courtyard and bathed.
They were putting on dry clothes when we were back.
Bharathi: AnnA! Yadugiri was upset that I gave away the vEshTi to the pAmbATTi. (turning to me) Yadugiri, I gave away one and got two back from your AiyyA! Now, tell me who is the generous one among us?

Me: Fine! Bharathiyare!I loved the tune which the pAmbATTi played. If only you can sing in that rAgam!

Bharathi: I will teach you one tomorrow. Once again, tell me. Who's the most generous among us all?

Me: Aren't you all one? So, both of you are generous! I'm sorry I threw away the coin. I will not do it again.

Bharathi was very happy to hear this. He started relating what transpired that morning to others--in English.

He came the next evening and we assembled upstairs and heard him sing vandE mAtaram first. Then,
bhArata dESam enRu peyar SolluvAr--miDip,
payam kolluvAr tuyar pagai velluvAr
bhAratap pOr venRa kaNNanaruLAl--tuyar
bhAramaRuvar Selva bhAramuRuvAr.

He sang fourteen stanzas of this song.
I'm known for asking questions all the time. Iyer and Bharathi answered me with patience every time. I asked a few questions now: This is fine, but when will all this happen? Do we really need machines for making needles and nails? I think arms are important (Ayudam) and you make only a fleeting reference to them in this song!

Bharathi: The child raises tough questions. Let me think. How can we sew without a needle? Clothing is as essential as food for the people. You need nails to make boxes, hang pictures...

I notice that in the printed versions of Bharathi's verses, four of the following lines have been omitted:

bhAratap pOr venRa kaNNAnaruLAl--tuyar
bhAramaRuvAr, Selva bhAramuRuvAr

and later on in the poem,

bhArata rANiyin, kaNNanaruLAl--tuyar
bhAramaRuvAr, Selva bhAramuRuvAr

* * * * *
Last edited by arasi on 07 Jul 2011, 23:47, edited 5 times in total.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

CML,
Thanks!
Yadugiri Ammal passed away just before the book was published in 1954. I will ask her daughter more about her when I see her again. All that I had gathered from her was that she was a great person, special in many ways...

I had my stint as a journalist too. All so long ago, like that coin buried in the sand!

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

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

Post by cmlover »

Very touching as to how Bharathy wanted to help the poor even in his penury. I wish that scene was included in the movie. He was more Rational than those DKs who call themselves rational these days using it as a ploy to put down Hindus and Brahmins!
Thanks arasi ...you are on a roll..

smala
Posts: 3223
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:55

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

Post by smala »

I find it all SO moving - Bharathiyar is present before me when he speaks, I am blown off by the transcendence of his thoughts, replies, I see him clearly, as much as I see Yadugiri, a sensitive intelligent observant child, curious and ahead of her time, asking the right questions...

srkris
Site Admin
Posts: 3497
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 03:34

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

Post by srkris »

Very interesting Arasi, and many thanks. Pls continue. The original Tamil would be a fine read too I suppose.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

Very much so! Hope Amuda Nilayam considers reprinting it. Nearly half a century has gone by.

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

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

Post by cmlover »

How many pages? It can be scanned and made into a PDF document..

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

A hundred and fifty two.

thanjavooran
Posts: 2972
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:44

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

Post by thanjavooran »

Arasi avl,
Excellent! wonderful ! Looking forward for more such episodes from You.
with wishes,
Thanjavooran 08 07 2011

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

FOUR


Manadil uRudi vENDum
(Fortitude, O Mind!)


After Christmas, in the tamizh month of Thai (January-February), KoDiyAlam Rangaswamy Iyengar and C.Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) came to Puduvai--both were close friends of my father. After spending some hours with Bharathi, Iyengar could guess that the poet was living in a state of penury.Tamizh annai's grace and Iyengar's enchantment with Bharathi's poetry brought a bounty. Iyengar gave the poet a few hundred rupees to help out.
They were critical times. Bombs went off in Delhi. It was a trying time for the svadESis. When the gift came, Chellamma got some jewelry made. With the rest of the money, she bought provisions for a whole year--paddy, lentils, tamarind, chillies and so on. There were no mechanical grain-processing mills in Puduchery. Womenfolk came to our houses to pound the paddy and winnow it to get the rice ready for cooking. For very twelve sErs of rice they pounded, they were paid a quarter paDi of rice and a paDi of broken rice (noi).
On the day a woman came to pound the paddy, Bharathi was writing a story--Golden Tailed Fox or A Fox which Lost its Tail about Annie Beasant, I'm not sure (the editor's note says that the title was The Fox with A Golden Tail).
Bharathi could not continue writing and Chellamma sensed it.
Chellamma: I will ask the woman to come tomorrow to pound the rice.
Bharathi: Let her do her work.
Chellamma: The sound of the pounding might distract you.
Bharathi: That sound prompts me to ask parASakti for a boon. Don't stop her.
Chellamma: First of all, ask parASakti to feed us well.
Bharathi: You like to see me enslaved? I have already given you the money I had. Do not burden me anymore.
Chellamma: Am I forcing you to do anything? You wanted to publish a book and I am saying, do it when we have the funds.
Bharathi: Chellamma, if you trouble me anymore, I will go away.
Chellamma: If you walk away, I will take a walk in another direction. Let someone else bring up the children.
Bharathi: You mean to say I'm not capable of bringing them up?
Chellamma: I'm not capable of asking parASakthi of any boons, as you do. I can only ask you for boons. Is that wrong?
Bharathi: Don't I know my responsibilities? And, why drag the innocent children into all this?
Chellamma: Am I blaming the children? If you say that you want to walk away, I'm saying that I can do that too.
Bharathi: Don't agitate me. Go attend to your work.
Chellamma went away to mind her work.
Bharathi was writing but his mind was not in it. His attention now turned to the paddy-pounding woman's song. She finished each line of her song with a 'hum!' in rhythm. Bharathi's mind lingered over it and he picked up his pen and wrote a song:
manadil uRudi vEND 'um'. He also finished writing the story and went out to dispatch them both.
In the evening, Bharathi said to me: I found a new mantra today.
Me: Teach me that mantra.
Chellamma: He asks parASakthi for her boons and we all have to ask him for boons!
Bharathi started singing the song. At first, the woman was stunned. Then she questioned him: SAmi, are you teasing me? We sing while we pound to distract ourselves from the hard work. Are you poking fun at me and my work?
Bharathi: AiyyO ammE! Don't get angry. Your song is different and novel from the ones I've heard. I have a magic song born out of your singing. Should you be angry?
The woman wasn't convinced. She said, "If the children do this, you are supposed to tell them off! Who is to reprimand you if it's you who makes fun of me?"
Chellamma: aDiyE! Iyer did not tease you at all. He made up a song like yours because he liked it and wanted to remember you and your tune! Don't fight like a mad woman. Go home happy with your rice.
The woman widened her eyes and asked: Does Iyer make up stories and songs (kadai kaTTuvArA?)? How surprising! He even sings like me! How soon he got the drift!
She left in wonderment.

To be continued...
Last edited by arasi on 10 Jul 2011, 23:54, edited 2 times in total.

maduraimini
Posts: 477
Joined: 22 Sep 2009, 02:55

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

Post by maduraimini »

Arasi,
I have been reading your translation of Bharathiyar. Your writing brings him to life. What a generous man, he was! How fortunate Yadugiri was to ask him the doubts she had and to be taught to be a kind,caring person by Bharathiyar himself! Your translation is wonderful and thanks for your dedicated service.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

Thanks Srkris, Thanjavooran and maduraimini for your encouragement...

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

Continuing Chapter FOUR (see post # 25)

Bharathi: I got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Two arguments today...
Me: Who was the other one?
Bharathi: Who else? My wife!
Me: What's the point in your celebrating the freedom of women when you indulge in fights with your wife!
Chellamma: Good question, Yadugiri! Ask him if it's fair.
Bharathi: True. But there are times when you cannot interfere.
Me: What happened?
Chellamma: I asked him--if he can walk away, can't I do it too?
Me: Yes, if you have the freedom to do it, she has too.
Bharathi: You are still a child, Yadugiri! It's tough for you to comprehend all this. A wayward bull can be tamed only by placating it first. If you tug at it mindlessly, it will run out of your grasp. I may be able to leave but she has more responsibilities.
Me: You talk to me in riddles. What did happen?
Bharathi: You tell her, Chellamma. That way, you can unburden yourself.
Chellamma described the incident.
Me: Oy Bharathiyare, you think you love the children more than Chellamma does?
Bharathi: I didn't say that. Yes, we both love them but she's the nurturer and I'm the bread winner. I don't need any rules about how to go about my responsibilities.
Me: Then, Chellamma, you can cook whenever you feel like it!
Bharathi: No Yadugiri. It's not like that at all. Whatever we do, we have to do it well and we have to be understanding.
Chellamma: You say that I am not understanding?
Bharathi: Don't underestimate yourself. Your prodding helped. I've already sent the story to the printers!
Chellamma: I don't like to hear women complain abut their husbands.I get annoyed at them. Yet, there's a limit to everything. When you cannot bear it anymore, you feel like crying to an inanimate door even!
Bharathi: All that prodding this morning has resulted in productive work, after all. Come, let's all go to the beach!

The things that Bharathi spoke about at the beach that evening is something all the people of our land should know about.
Bharathi said: You women work hard at home, wearing yourselves out. It's a sin to look upon you without any respect. You bring up children. You carry out your responsibilities faithfully and are there for us when we need you.
We do not live in old times. Things are changing. If children are irresponsible, we have to guide them, not force or control them.
Yet, Chellamma was right. My kavidaip paiththiyam (Muse) possessed me. In the heat of things, arguments came about. We have tangak kiLis (golden parrots) for children, though we are not rich enough to adorn them with gold.
A poet's poverty is legendary. Tamizh has lost its prestige and pride. If we celebrate the tamizhk kuzhandai Lakshmi, grace will come to us. If the vITTuth thalaivi (the mistress of the house) runs the household in harmony and if the vITTuth thalaivan (the master of the house) can live a happy and healthy life, he will do all that she bids. What the thalaivi needs is some money. My Chellamma is capable of ruling the world, if only she had the means. The lack of it makes her ask me, fight with me. EVen after dealing with all this, she is there to feed me.
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.
Chellamma is my life, my treasure. She's bhAgya Lakshmi...
The land of the Tamizh people should know about Bharthi's angst. Supporting poets is one of the nation's responsibilities. Had we protected Bharathi from such heartaches, he would have lived a little longer...
Who knows of God's ways!

* * * * *
Last edited by arasi on 10 Jul 2011, 23:25, edited 2 times in total.

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

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

Post by cmlover »

All things seem to happen in front of our eyes. It is all too natural. Unless Yadugiri had kept notes she could not write the 'dislogues' so realistically. Let us have a time-line and also get the age of Yadugiri during those events. She seems to be intimately connected with B's family. Is it true? Her daughter can answer that question! Perhaps Ponbhhairavi and PB can comment on the location where all these events took place. B's house at Puduvai is a national monument (I guess..).

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

CML,
I have a feeling she was not sure about the format in which she had to put it all on paper. After all, she wasn't a writer and it was 1937-1938 when she wrote this! How modern it is for those days, I wondered. Then again, it goes with her personality and the world she lived in as a child. She was a full-fledged homemaker herself, and I wonder how she found the time to write all this. She felt impelled, I would think. There were hardly any biographies in Tamizh those days for her to have a guideline as to how to present the life of someone she knew and adored--a giant like Bharathi at that. Complex subject. You and I remember the popular stories vai mu kO (Kothanayaki Ammal) wrote around that time into the forties (her family ran the Jaganmohini press). How sentimental and soap opera-ish those stories were!
I read Yadugiri Ammal's book years ago. Now, I am reading it chapter by chapter as I translate it (to put myself in the reader's place so that it's as if I'm reading it with you all).
Yes, I wanted to know about the locales in Puducheri from PB and PB. Is Gowrla St rue de la Guerre? There was a mayor at one time by the name Guerre too. Did the locals use corrupt forms of French (like Hamilton Bridge morphing into AmbaTTan vArAvadi in Chennai)? I did not want to raise all these questions as I was writing. In this chapter, she employs the dialogue form instead of giving a gist of what she 'heard' about the incident at first. Since I am following every line of hers in my translation, i did not touch it.
Now, imagine this in a conversation: Yadugiri! Don't write your book about BharathiyAr in the third person all along. Throw in some dialogue. Yes, that way, it will be more personal. I don't think she was very conversant with English either to read books written in it.
Since I do not remember (from my reading the book a dozen years ago), I have no clue if her father was still there to guide her. As the story progresses, we will know. Anyhow, in the thirties, for a married woman with children to bring up (joint family too?), it would not have been an easy task to write even a few lines, a chapter--let alone a book!

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

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

Post by rshankar »

Arasi they way you translate, you create three very distinct protagonists - the precociously probing yet precious Yadugiri, the stoic Chellamma who was so anchored in the practical aspects of life that formed the perfect conterpoint to bhAratiyAr's soaring imagination and searing intellect, and the mahAkavi himself. His clarity of thought come through unambiguously in every incident narrated; he answers Yadugiri in all seriousness and doesn't appear in the least bit patronizing (as many others of his intellect are wont to be with 'lesser' mortals, especially children!). And in the final chapter you've translated so far, his love for Chellamma shines forth. What a man!

By the way, I wonder if Sri Rajkumar Bharati's daughter still reads this forum...it will be wonderful to get the family's perspective as well.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

Ravi,
I was thinking about her too!

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

FIVE


mUnRu kAdal
(Three Loves)


As on every Thursday, the band played in front of the statue of Dupleix for about an hour. The white kids danced around the band and that was a lovely thing to watch.
Bharathiyar did not like crowds that much. He led us away to the beach.
Thangam(ma): Appa, this music sounds strange. They play at such a high pitch. Is it possible for us to sing at that pitch? If we can, you think it's going to sound pleasant?
Bharathi: This music is very different from our music. It quickly jumps from low pitch to the high. In our music, we go up as if we climb the stairs, and descend the same way. They sing one note in the kIzhk kAlam and then they go up abruptly.
Thangam asked again: Appa, if we sing that way, do you think it will sound pleasing?
Bharathi: It depends on how you sing it.
Thangam: It's Sarasvati pUjai tomorrow. Appa! Teach us a song in this tune!
Bharathi: Yes, you can have a song in this tune.
The band started playing a new tune.
I said, "We can sing about Lakshmi in this tune?"
Bharathi said, "Why not? "
Chellamma: In Calcutta and kASi, they worship kALi. If you sing on Shakti, all our troubles will come to an end.
The band then played four lines in kIzh sthAyi and four in mEl sthAyi notes.
Bharathi: Chellamma, what you all say sounds good. Thangamma asked for a song about Sarasvati, Yadugiri wanted something on Lakshmi and you want one about kALi. I will sing on all the three of them tomorrow.
Thangamma: Appa, three songs in three different rAgams? You sing your verses in noNDich chindu, kAvaDich chindu,Anandak kaLippu and tunes in which the ANDis (mendicants) sing. I think I'm going to like a song where each verse is in a different rAgam!
Bharathi: You tell me how you want me to tune them.
Thangamma: We like the tunes this band plays!
It was mOOla nakshtram the next day. Some celebrate Sarasvati pUjA on that day (as we do in our house) and others on MahA navami day. We had a small kolu (dolls display for navarAtri) and we were just finishing our singing and were nearly ready for the finale,the Arati--when Bharathiyar arrived.
He said, "I'm going to sing for your kolu and you can observe your shAstrams afterwards."
We all sat down in a row, eager with expectation.
As he had promised us, Bharathi sang a verse about Sarasvati, Lakshmi and KALi, starting with the line 'piLLaip pirAyattilE'. These verses are known as mUnRu kAdal. He sang them in sarasvati manOhari, sri rAgam and in punnAga varALi.
We were thrilled to hear him sing our requests!
I think we can get a glimpse of Bharati's life in this song...
Last edited by arasi on 10 Jul 2011, 23:39, edited 6 times in total.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

SIX


Sentamizh nADenum pOdinilE
(By the mere mention of my great land's name...)

Some Sangam (institution) in Chennai had announced in the papers, a contest and prizes for the best poems about our land.The cash prizes were three hundred, two hundred and one hundred rupees for the winners. We were all very keen that Bharathi should enter the contest.
He agreed. He composed Sentamizh nADenum pOdinilE and sent it away. Each word in that poem is worth a lakh of rupees (akshara laksham). Why? For each one of those ten verses, he should have been awarded ten crores, ten lakhs, ten thousand--at least a thousand? The Chennai sangam placed him third among the winners and sent him a hundred rupees. It didn't worry Bharathi. Va ve su was most upset. "Neither of the other winning poems were worth a line of Bharathi's poem which has sweetness, chandam, finesse and depth of meaning", he moaned. "They are poles apart from Bharathi's verse (malaikkum maDuvukkum uLLa vityAsam). They are like strewn flowers (the words), no strand binding them together! This land does not know the value of great poetry!"
Bharathi: As if you didn't know! They would have decided on the winners even before they announced the contest. All this is just for public display. Why do you rue? It's just our luck!
Iyer's constant regret was that there wasn't a figure in our times like RamanujA who spread the poetry of the AzhwArs--a giant like him to popularize Bharathi's poetry and to bring him into prominence.
Iyer nevertheless was thrilled when Bharathi's songs got popular, at least after his death--that the third prize winning song was heard in every corner of tamizh nADu, in several different rAgAs at that. There is no trace of the other two songs or the poets--the first and second prizes winners...

(The second part of this chapter continues...)
Last edited by arasi on 10 Jul 2011, 23:41, edited 3 times in total.

smala
Posts: 3223
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:55

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

Post by smala »

Bharathi's life narrated through your dignified translation, Arasi, underscores the fact that there are so so many unknown, unsung geniuses that languished (and still languish) especially in a British India when neither talent nor the arts were suitably encouraged. But then the world over some have been "discovered" only after they've been gone. There is an element of sadness in the narrative - that Yadugiri the sensitive child felt and expressed as she wrote.

It seems corruption and nepotism prevailed even during the great bard's times...when he says "They would have decided on the winners even before they announced the contest. All this is just for public display."... while he was an idealist, a romantic visionary, and even as he towered above them all he was equally aware of mundane practicalities in life, it seems.

How many children did Bharathi have and their names? Is there anything known about each of them and their descendants? Maybe P.Bala can access some library materials in Puducheri to share and add to this touching tale of a sensitive genius?

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

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

Post by rshankar »

I have reached out to Vidya (Sri Rajkumar Bharati's daughter) and asked her to add in details as well as post her dad's reactions....I can't wait!

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

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

Post by rshankar »

We discussed piLLai pirAyattilE earlier - here's the link.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

SIX
Continued from Post # 34


Around this time, we lost my little brother. He was just two. It was a stomach ailment. The medicines did not work. My father was broken-hearted. Losing money in the svadESi ship venture, the banning of his beloved journal India and all the atrocities of the British government had not shaken him. He was brave. The loss of his little child shook him up. He became weak. To divert his mind, Va ve su and Bharathiar spent most of their time with my father, conversing with him and playing chess. They will all go to Arabindo's house in the evening to discuss the VEdAs and upanishads, returning home at ten or eleven.
On the day my baby brother died, they buried him and returned home. Bharathi was perturbed. He pleaded with dEVi for a boon.
He wrote nalladOr vINai SEidE (under the heading kETpana) and sang it to the children.
My mother got sick with grief. The medicines did not work and they tried to heal her with herbal medicine. To get her out of the house, Chellamma and the children took my mother to a kuzhAik kiNaRu (huge well fitted with a giant tap--like a shower) called pATALa gangai to bathe. On some days, we left early at six and had our oil baths.
Chellamma insisted that my mother should join us every evening to spend some time by the sea. We were at the beach until nine at night.
Va ve su kept my father company. On a cardboard chess board, they played with chess pieces which were made out of cardboard again, with the first letter of the piece's name printed on them. My father ailed from headaches and chest pain. Iyer and Bharathi stayed by him.
One evening, we left for Villianur to bathe in the river. It was on the day of a festival at the temple. ArudrA dariSanam? A lad called Swaminathan came with us as our guide. We stayed at his relative's home there. The next morning, we bathed in the river, looked round the place and had lunch there. Around two in the afternoon, we engaged a cart and left for Puduchery. The wheel of the cart broke when we were three miles away from home and we could not find another cart. The maid carried my baby sister Ranganayaki and we walked home, chatting all the way.
Bharathiyar was surprised that Chellamma could walk all the three miles. After that day, if Chellamma ever complained about aching legs, he would tease her by asking, "enna Chellamma? Did you go all the way to see ArudrA dariSanam?"
Those were the times when the two families were together all the time. Six more months went by, with pAtAla gangai in the morning, and evenings at the beach.
About this time, Astronomy became a craze among us. There was a telescope in Puduchery. It was available to anyone who wanted to look through it at the skies.
This is how we spent our time...


* * * * *
Last edited by arasi on 10 Jul 2011, 23:42, edited 4 times in total.

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

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

Post by rshankar »

How wonderful to see the camaraderie between these families! I have a question - were little children not cremated?

rajeshnat
Posts: 9906
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

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

Post by rajeshnat »

rshankar wrote:Arasi they way you translate, you create three very distinct protagonists - the precociously probing yet precious Yadugiri, the stoic Chellamma who was so anchored in the practical aspects of life that formed the perfect counterpoint to bhAratiyAr's soaring imagination and searing intellect, and the mahAkavi himself.
rshankar
Very beautifully expressed and to an extent I can say arasi = (chellamA + yadugiri + mahakavi ) /3 , a rare blend .Arasi must have started as a yadugiri , moved on as a chellamma not losing yadugiri's psyche and all along developing the mahakavi passion within her. :clap:

I am assuming yadugiri must have written a small journal when she was growing up , recollecting all her days in every day basis and then used that journal to pen the book when she was in her thirties.

Just a small digression, keep moving Arasi.

smala
Posts: 3223
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:55

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

Post by smala »

AFAIK, infants and children up to a certain age (five? seven ? ) are buried, not cremated, among Hindus - brahmins and others as well.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

Ravi,
smala is right. The expression is: kuzhip piLLai--the one you have lost as an infant who was interred.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

Rajesh,
We do not know if Yadugiri kept a journal. Possible. A diary was not an uncommon thing in those days. Her father was a publisher which means she had an access to (was given?) one. I have a feeling the family would have beenthe source to cross check her memory about her childhood days and events--to fill in the blanks about certain happenings. More than that, she would have heard the elders in the family talk about their days in Puduvai and about Bharathi and other friends of the family all the time..

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

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

Post by cmlover »

Has bharathy mentioned Yadugiri anywhere in his poems or biography?
It appears she was quite close to him and chellamma...

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

CML,
Didn't every person who came into his life mean something to Bharathi? I'm going through two more chapters now--and so have read up more pages than you all have. Ofcourse, he adored Yadugiri because she comes across like a very special child. Bharathi loved all the children, without thinking that only his own were special ones. We all know that a child's innocence and sense of wonder is something worth worshipping. Chellamma, Yadugiri, Thangamma, Shakunthala and all the good women around him inspired him when he wrote about Shakti, KaNNan and other dieties. Nature inspired him no end. So, my guess is that he did not have to write songs individually in praise of those who loved him and were loved by him. They were his inspiration for writing in another way too. They demanded songs of him! He did pen songs about his heroes. That we know.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

SEVEN

PeNgaL viDudalai
(Freedom for women)


On the morning of the festive day of mASi Magam, women, men and children of our families went to the beach to take a holy dip in the sea when PerumAL Himself--the utsava mUrthi idol from the VishNu temple was at the beach to have a bath in the sea. It is a beautiful sight to see in Puducheri.
That evening we were playing at the beach and Bharathiyar came around with little Shakunthala in tow who is the same age as my sister Ranganayaki. They both loved to play together.
Shakunthala: What did you have for lunch?
Ranganayaki: kottavaraikkAi (cluster beans) kaRiyamudu (vegetable), coconut and curd pachchaDi and paruppup pAyasam (dessert).
Shakunthala: What's so special today?
Ranganayaki: We bathed in the sea, worshipped PerumAL and ate dessert.
Shakunthala: What festival, you think?
Ranganayaki: I don't know!
Shakunthala: Silly you! It's mAsi Magam today! MAsi Magam!
Listening to all this, Bharathi burst out laughing. Then he said: Come here, little ones! You both speak like sweet parrots. One a golden parrot and the other an iron parrot! Who will be which?
Shakunthala: I'm the golden parrot! RangA is the iron parrot.
RangA: I'm the golden parrot, she's the iron one!
Shakunthala: No, it can't be! It was ' my' father who asked us to choose!
Ranga: Let's not fight over this. Both of us can be thangak kiLis (golden parrots)!
Bharathi was exultant. He picked RangA up and went to my father. "I spoke mindlessly, hurting the children's feelings and this little one of yours set everything straight!"
From that day on, Bharathi called RangA thangak kiLi.
Ranga said to my father, "I was right. We both are fair of complexion." Then she turned to Bharathi and asked him: Why don't you pick Shakunthala up too?"
"Come, Shakunthala!" said Bharathi, beckoning to her. "Ranga has turned you into a golden parrot!"
Shakunthala said, "I won't come. If you want, you can come and pick me up!" Bharthi hoisted her up and then put her down so that the children could continue their play.
I finished doing my homework. Then Bharathi asked: Do you want to hear about this hilarious incident which happened this morning? After the festival, I thought lunch was going to be late and thought it was a good idea to take the children to an eatery (hOTTal) when we left the beach. Shakunthala ate like a good girl. Thangamma made a big fuss. "I just had a holy dip in the sea and will not drink at this echcil (polluted) table! I asked the waiter to bring a maNai (plank) for her to sit on the floor and to bring some iDlis. The waiter brought water in a glass and Thangamma refused it saying, too many others have sipped from it. The waiter brought water again in a bell metal tumbler (from which one can drink without the utensil touching one's lips). By this time, the idlis were cold. He brought fresh iDlis again. The eyes of the customers were all on Thangamma. When we came out of the hOTTal, I asked her: ennamma? Why all that drama? I don't want to take you out to an eatery again. Are you an old lady to observe all this maDi (sticking to strict religious codes)? Thangamma replied: Do I have to be an old woman to say I won't drink from a glass which so many others have sipped from? I felt sick in my stomach when I saw the man put all the dirty glasses into a tub to rinse them. I would have happily gone hungry, waited an hour for the meal. I wouldn't have died! He even dropped a glass in it which a leper drank from. These eating places are very dirty. My periamma (aunt) shuns even a piece of jack fruit sold in the bazaar. The fruit has to be cut at home. She would not have approved of this place at all! What Chellamma cooks is fine by me. I think that's the healthy way to be.
Yadugiri: Thangam is not used to hOTTals. Our mother says we can't even buy the cashew and cardomom candy from the hOTTal.
Bharathi: Let grownups be the way they want to be. Children needn't follow such restrictions!
Yadugiri: Isn't it good to cultivate good habits when you are young?
Bharathi: I shouldn't take Thangam to eateries anymore.
Yadugiri: I think what she said was sensible. We needn't drink from a glass contaminated by a leper, those with sores or a man with tuberculosis.
Bharathi: I can't win. You are Thangam's advocate!
Yadugiri: Then, explain it to me. I won't argue.
Bharathi. It was all very well, their laying down the rules in ancient days. It's wrong when you do it on the basis of caste. A brahmin could be afflicted with tuberculosis and that's fine by them. A SUdrA--he's strong and healthy--and it's a taboo to eat with him?
Here's something that happened on the train the other day. It was a small compartment and we were only three of us in it. Myself and a young couple. The husband and I were conversing.The young woman didn't say a word. The man got down at a station to get some coffee. The woman tuned to me and started asking me about my whereabouts, family and so on, and the moment the husband appeared, she turned mute. Then I got down to get some betel leaves and when I got into the train, I found them chatting away merrily. Seeing me, she was silent again! What kind of tradition is this? It all seemed so stupid. I felt like giving them a lecture on it but I restrained myself.
Yadugiri: Yes, it's like being a slave. She does not have the freedom to talk to others when the master is around. She could not contain herself when he went away. So she spoke to you.
Bharathi: Some slave! I would have said something, but didn't want to stir things up.
Yadugiri: Once this changes, women can interact with others without fear. Now they walk in the streets with their heads bent down, not being able to look up even at cattle and carts which come from the opposite direction!
Bharathi: I'm going to write a long article about freedom for women. I will write poems about it.
Yadugiri. Will that mean that freedom will come to women?
Bharathi: Listen, the old rules are of no use now. Other nations have marched ahead of us now. We have stayed behind because women have been enslaved.
Yadugiri: I would say that this nation has been stable because of women. Men wear vESHTis manufactured by mills while women wear saris woven by hand. Habits, traditions, festivals, poetry, history, purAnams and ethical works have all been preserved only because of women. Where is there the time for you English pundits, to take care of all this?
Bharathi: BhalE! You have swallowed every word of what Iyer said in his speech! As for me, I don't mind losing an argument to a child. It's a matter of pride for a guru to lose an argument to his student. There are many instances of it in our history.
Yadugiri: Please don't forget to make up a song for us in a new tune for our shObhanam dance!
Bharathi: Thangamma asked for a song for kummi today. You ask for one now. You both will have it tomorrow.
The song he brought to us the next day was: peNgaL viDudalai peTRa magizhchchigaL( The joys of women attaining freedom)

* * * * *
Last edited by arasi on 10 Jul 2011, 23:49, edited 2 times in total.

PUNARVASU
Posts: 2498
Joined: 06 Feb 2010, 05:42

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

Post by PUNARVASU »

"Bharathi: BhalE! You have swallowed every word of what Iyer said in his speech! As for me, I don't mind losing an argument to a child. It's a matter of pride for a guru to lose an argument to his student. There are many instances of it in our history."

I am reminded of the following subhASita:

युक्तियुक्तं वचो ग्राह्यं बालादपि शुकादपि ।
युक्तिहीनं वचस्त्याज्यं वृद्धादपि शुकादपि ॥
Whatever is consistent with right objective reasoning should be accepted even if it comes from a boy or a parrot, and whatever is not, should be rejected even if it comes from an old man or the great sage Śrī Śuka himself.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

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

Post by arasi »

Thank you Punarvasu for bringing this...
What a beauty it is. Just like you to find it! I have a feeling Bharathi knew this verse too ;)

Ponbhairavi
Posts: 1075
Joined: 13 Feb 2007, 08:05

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

Post by Ponbhairavi »

I have just now gone through this thread that too cursorily.( Since last week i have some eye problem). it is a very good thing that portions of bharathi,s biography are being reconstructed from the scripts of the kids with whom he shared some moments.I am not able at present to clarify readily about the gowrla street. certainly it must be a mispronunciation of some french name.It is very unlikely to be guerre. I will think it over. some streets in the vicinity of beach still keep their old french namesIt will be helpful if you give exactly waht she has written in Tamil script. some poems of bharathi are being referrred in the context of their creations It is my opinion that Arasi should translate those poems also. tamil literature can get world recognition only if it is translated into english. The few pages of Arasi in english are much more useful contribution than many volumes written in tamil. We should showcase the greatness of these poems also which is more important than his biography from a literary angle.
rajagopalan

cmlover
Posts: 11498
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:36

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

Post by cmlover »

arasi
These frank discussions between Bharathy and the children are eye-openers revealing candidly his personailty which is consistent with his poems. As we read some of his poems we can see the inspirations from these kids. Yadugiri apparently played a vital role for stimulating his thought processes. Though your translations are superb I wish I could read the original in Tamil. This book must be published by the TN Govt and some segments included in school texts instead of the 'poisonous' texts injected by the DMK in the garb of 'Samaccheer Kalvi'. How old was yadugiri when these events tookplace? If it is not mentioned make an educated guess....

Post Reply