Timeless..

Multi-Dimensional!

This is how one can ‘describe’ Bharati.One can of course keep writing pages and pages about the greatness of his poems but those 2 words define who Bharati is(pl. note I am not saying ‘was’).
Songs on and for:
India
Tamizh Nadu
Freedom
Freedon movement
Freedom fighters and leaders
Major revolutions in other countries
Devotional
Philosophy
Children
Society
Women (with brains)
Nature
Kannan songs
Paanchaali Sabatam(a small but very important portion from Mahabharata)
Kuyil Paattu
Autobiography (in poetic form).

Tell me now if he is not Multi-Dimensional….

What is to be noted is that there are not just few songs in the aforementioned subjects. And most importantly, each and every poem is great and can be cherished by one and all irrespective of the time.

There lies the greatness of the person!!

My salutes to the Mahakavi on his 128th Birthday..

The rare gem of today is a rather short song.

Though it is short, it does convey a lot of meanings, and is contemporarily relevant.

Bharati was a rebel and hated stereotypes and conservatism. One of the major things he wanted to change was the status of women in the society.

He coined a new word ‘PudhumaipeN’(New Woman) and described her attributes.

Today’s gem is taken from the 7th stanza of his poem.

It is ‘Nimirntha Nannadai’ from the film ‘Etthanai KoNam Etthanai Parvai’(1984).

Set aptly in Mohanam by the Maestro, the song enters one’s soul.

The plain ‘Nimirntha’, ‘gamakam’ at ‘Ner koNda Parvai’, the aalap after ‘Iruppathaal’ the sangati for ‘Semmai Maadhar’….who else but Raaja can show such a magic in a matter of seconds?

Malaysia Vasudevan does full justice with his flawless rendering and perfect diction. How beautifully he pronounces 'ற' in ‘திறம்பு’!Is there any singer in Tamizh now who can do this?

The meaning of the song is:

‘With an upright gait, straightforward look, fearless ideals, proud with great knowledge and wisdom, a woman never goes wrong nor does she falter..’

The key words to be noted here are ‘நிமிர்ந்த‌’(upright), ‘நேர்கொண்ட பார்வை’(straightforward look), ‘அஞ்சாத’(fearless) and ‘செருக்கு’(pride).

We all know that women have been branded as inferior since ages and are supposed to possess four qualities ‘அச்சம்’(fear) ‘மடம்’(dependence) ‘நாணம்’(shyness) ‘பயிர்ப்பு’(tolerance).

Bharati breaks these so called attributes with just a single stroke of his pen. He goes one step further and says ‘ஞானச் செருக்கு’(pride of knowledge).

Mind you.. This was written nearly 100 years back..
And how relevant it is even now!

In one of his other poems, he is supposed to have challenged ‘Yama’, the Lord of Death by saying ‘Hey..you..Come near my feet.. I shall stamp you’ -காலா!உனை நான் சிறு புல்லென மதிக்கிறேன்.என்றன் காலருகே வாடா!சற்றே உனை மிதிக்கிறேன்!!

Yes..it shows his fearlessness.. But I feel it also challenges ‘Time’ (‘Kaalam’ in tamizh also means Time).

Are not his poems timeless?