Saturday, November 19, 2005

Subramanya Bharathi's Poem


I am a great fan of Subramanya Bharathi & during one of my trips to Chennai was presented with a copy of Bharathiar's Poem collection by my sister. Though I have not been able to read all the poems in that book, I did read some of them & there are very few words to describe my feeling.(Well, I wouldn't consider myself qualified to describe the poems themselves & hence would like to limit myself to describing the feelings!!!!!!) There is one particular poem that impressed me a lot & hence thought would put that poem here in my blog. Have tried to come up with an english translation so that non-tamil speaking people can also understand and appreciate Bharathiar's poems. (And let me add that it is nowhere close to what Bharathiar has said in Tamil)

Tamil Version

Senrathinee MeeLathu Mudare! Neer
Yepothum Senrathayae Sinthanai Seythu
KonraLLikum Kavalai Yennum KuLLiyil VeeLLnthu
Kumayadir! Senrathanai Kurithal Vendam
Indru Puthithai Piranthom Endru NeeVeer
Ennamathai ThinnaMurra Isaithu Kondu
Thindru ViLayaddi Inbudrinthu VaaLLvir;
Theemai Yellam ALLinthu Pom, Thirumbi Vaara.

English Translation

What has gone will not come back! Do not
Always think of things that has gone
And fall into a pit of sorrow that destructs and kills.
Do not denote things that are gone
Firmly think in your mind that
You were born newly today and
Eat, play & live happily;
All bad things will die, not return.