Bommai - engO piRandhavarAm - meaning & composer

[knandago2001]

I heard this song for the first time when Ravi posted the audio clip on the favorite songs thread and liked it a lot - was very surprised to learn that my great grandmother used to sing this song! I didn't realize this song was that old.. would appreciate it if someone can tell me more about the composer of the lyrics and the tunesmith. Ravi will you please edit the lyrics and provide a translation and... thanks a million....


engO piRandhavarAm engO vaLarndhavaram
eppadiyO en manadhai kavarnthavarAm
singAramAga vandhu sirithu mayakki pEsiavar
sittAga paRandhu vittArE - mullai
mottAga irukka vittArE

vizhi vAsal thanai kadanthu
vazhi muzhudhum therinthavar pOl
kuzhaivAga manakkOil
kudi pugunthArE

mozhi Edhum pEsAmal
mOga valai veesi ennai
mOna nilaiyAkki vittu
vazhi maRanthArE

nilavu thannai pazhithoru nAL
en mugathai avar pugazhnthAr
nilavum ennai veRuthadhammA
thuNaiyum illaiyE

malarai minjum azhagi enRu
magizhndhu sonna vArthaiyinAl
malarum kObam koNdathammA
thoodhum illaiyE

thenRalai pOl Adi varum
thirumagaLE enRazhaithAr
thenRalukkum pagaiyAnEn
vazhiyum illaiyE

onRu sErnthu kalanthapOdhu
nadanthadhellAm kadhaiyum illai
uNmai enRu solli kEtka
yArum illaiyE

(engO)

[rshankar]

WOW, Nandagopal, I did not realize the provenance of this composition..I alwasy assumed that it was a movie song...L. Vijayalaksmi had the misfortune to come to the industry at a time when the Travancore sisters ruled the roost, and her gentle beauty and dancing were completely eclipsed by the former's brilliance. Nevertheless, this song, and the dancing that accompanies it stand testament to her looks and abilities. I have no clue about the composer, but I am not surprised that Sri S. Balachander was the music and movie director of this movie.

Here is my attempt at translating this - corrections and comments welcome:
pallavi
engO piRandavarAm engO vaLarndavarAm
eppaDiyO en manadai kavarndavarAm

(He is) a person of unknown antecedants - born (pirandavarAm) and brought up (vaLarndavarAm) in unknown places (engO)! But, in some unsuspected way (eppaDiyO) he has charmed his way into, and captured (kavarndavarAm) my (en) heart (manadai).

anupallavi
singAramAi vandu sirittu mayakki pEsiavar
cittAga paRandu vittArE - mullai
moTTAga irukka viTTArE

But alas! After having come (vandu) here with sentiments of love (SingAramAi) and intoxicating (mayakki) me with sweet nothings (pESi) and suggestive smiles (Sirittu), he (avar) has disappeared/flitted away (parandu viTTArE) like a bird (ciTTAga), leaving (irukka viTTArE) me languishing, an unopened (moTTAga) jasmine (mullai) flower [1].

caraNam 1
vizhi vAsal tanai kaDandu
vazhi muzhudum terindavar pOl
kuzhaivAga manakkOil
kuDi pugundArE

Stepping across (kaDandu) the threshold (vAsal tanai) of my sight/eyes (vizhi), with the familiarity (pOl) of someone who totally (muzhudum) knew (terindavar) his way (vazhi) around, he tenderly (kuzhaivAga) established (kuDi pugundArE) himself in the temple (kOil) of my heart (mana).

caraNam 2
mozhi Edum pEsAmal
mOga valai vIsi ennai
mOna nilaiyAkki viTTu
vazhi maRanthArE

With out speaking (pESAmal) any (Edum) words (mozhi), he cast (vISi) his net (valai) of infatuation (mOga). But, after reducing (Akki viTTu) me (ennai) to a state (nilai) of speechless (mOna) helplessness, he appears to have forgotten (marandArE) his way (vazhi) here.

caraNam 3
nilavu tannai pazhitoru nAL
en mugatai avar pugazhndAr
nilavum ennai veRutadammA
tuNaiyum illaiyE
Because he praised (pugazhndAr) my (en) face to the detriment (pazhittu) of the moon (nilavu tannai) one (oru) day (nAL), the moon (nilavum) now hates (veRuttadammA) me (ennai), leaving me without (illayE) a companion (tuNaiyum) to bemoan my fate to.

caraNam 4
malarai minjum azhagi enRu
magizhndu sonna vArtaiyinAl
malarum kObam koNDadammA
tUdum illaiyE

Because of words (vArttaiyinAl) he uttered (Sonna) in appreciation/happiness (magizhndu) to the effect that (enRu) I was more (minjum) beautiful (azhagi) than even the flowers (malarai), flowers (malarum) have taken (koNDadammA) offence (kObam), leaving me without (illaiyE) a messenger (tUdu) to send a note to my beloved.

caraNam 5
tenRalai pOl ADi varum
tirumagaLE enRazhaitAr
tenRalukkum pagaiyAnEn
vazhiyum illaiyE

He once called (azhaittAr) me a divine (tiru) damsel (magaLE enRu) who glides gracefully (ADi varum) like (pOl) the gentle breeze from the south (tenralai), I have courted (AnEn) the enmity ( pagai) of the wind, leaving me stifled with out (illaiyE) a means (vazhiyum) of existence.

caraNam 6
onRu sErndu kalandapOdu
naDandadellAm kadaiyum illai
unmai enRu solli kETka
yArum illaiyE

It is indeed unfortunate that when (pOdu) we were together (kalanda) as one (onru Serndu), there was no one (yArum illaiyE) around to hear/appreciate (Solli kETka) the fact that all of this, that has transpired (naDandadellAm) between us, is not (illai) a figment of my imagination (kadaiyum), but the truth (unmai enRu).

FOOTNOTE
[1] A beautiful way of describing how passions that were inflamed remained unconsummated

[smala]

......mullai moTTAga irukka viTTArE ......[1] A beautiful way of describing how passions that were inflamed remained unconsummated......

Is this at variance with :


......onRu sErndu kalandapOdu.......when we were together as one ......

[rshankar]

Agreed - a conflict that is inherent in the composition...

[knandago2001]

Ravi: Muchos gracias!

[arasi]

Unrequited love, but not quite so, in one sense. Or, it perhaps speaks metaphorically about the love which could not blossom into a long time relationship. 'sERndu kalanda pOdu' can also mean when we met, our minds and hearts met...
'inda nigazhciyilE kalandu koLbavargal' means those who come together for this event.

[rshankar]

Nandagopal, you are welcome. Do you how many years ago your great-grandmother sang this song? Did she sing in the same rAgas that Sri SB used in the movie? I do hope that the composer's name will surface soon enough. It would be a pity to lose his/her name.

Arasi, I like your explanation, both because it is plausible and because it maintains the 'innocence' of the song. I think it was picturised in that fashion in the movie if IRC.

There is a conflict in the composition - in the ap, the nAyika alludes to the hero charming her with his conversation and sweet nothings, while in caraNam 2, she alleges that he reduced her to a state of mute helplessness with nary a word!

I do love the sequential organization of caraNams 3, 4 and 5 - cutting off the solace of the moon first, and then the flower, and finally, the very air she breathes...

[knandago2001]

Ravi: My mother is unable to confirm whether her grandma sang the same ragas but clearly recalls having heard the song in their home on Eldams Road in the mid 40s. Hope we get to know about the composer..

[vasanthakokilam]

Ravi: One possible resolution to the conflict you cite is to interpret 'mozhi Edum pEsAmal' to be same as 'mozhi Edum pEsAmalEyE' ... Not that he never talked but he does not have to talk to seduce her..

>I do love the sequential organization of caraNams 3, 4 and 5 - cutting off the solace of the moon first, and then the flower, and finally, the very air she breathes...

Nice. I did not get that one. Thanks for bringing that interpretation to light.

[rshankar]

I am resurrecting this thread, because I ran across a clip of this song...It stands testament to what I had said earlier:

L. Vijayalaksmi had the misfortune to come to the industry at a time when the Travancore sisters ruled the roost, and her gentle beauty and dancing were completely eclipsed by the former's brilliance. Nevertheless, this song, and the dancing that accompanies it, stand testament to her looks and abilities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_W5u3U4FYQ

My source tells me that Ms. Vijayalakshmi stopped acting (and dancing) once she got married - her groom (from Bengal) did indeed fly away (ciTTAgi), but unlike the heroine portrayed in this clip, he carried her away with him to far away USA! She is apparently a practicing CPA currently, and a mother of very (academically) accomplished children.

[Pratyaksham Bala]

Song - engO piRandavarAm (Bommai, 1963)
Lyrics - Ve. Lakshmanan
Music - S. Balachander
Singer - P. Susheela

[VK RAMAN]

Thank you Ravi for resurrecting this thread. It is very pleasant to listen to this song and bringing back memories of 1964. Love it.