[Kamal Kavidhai – Manidha Vanakkam] thaaye, en thaaye!

Heard this song recently in a TV show on Paapanasam where Na.Muthukumar brings up this poem in a chat and Kamal goes on to reveal this poem “மனித வணக்கம்” (“Human greetings”) written by him some time back. Quite well written! The first 2 paragraphs are missed in his rendition but are present in the original.

 

தாயே, என் தாயே!
நான் உரித்த தோலே அறுத்த கொடியே
குடித்த முதல் முலையே,
என் மனையாளின் மானசீகச் சக்களத்தி, சரண்.

thaayae, en thaayae!
naanuritha thoalae aRutha kodiyae
kuditha mudhal mulaiyae,
en manaiyaaLin maanaseega chakkaLathi, saraN.

mother, oh my mother!
the one whose skin I tore to see the world, the cord that I cut when I came into the world,
the first breast that I drank from,
you are my first love and hence for my wife, you are like her metaphorical joint-wife, I surrender to you!   

தகப்பா, ஓ தகப்பா!
நீ, என்றோ உதறிய மை
படர்ந்தது கவிதைகளாய் இன்று
புரியாத வரியிருப்பின் கேள்! 
பொழிப்புரை நான் சொல்லுகின்றேன்.

thagappaa, oa thagappaa!
nee, endRoa udhaRiya mai
padarndhdhadhu kavidhaigaLaay indRu
puriyaadha variyiruppin kaeL!
pozhippurai naan sollugindRaen.

father, Oh my father!
the ink that you spilt that day,
has spread and grown into a living poetry today,
if you do not understand these verses, ask,
I will paraphrase and tell it again!

தமயா, ஓ தமயா!
என் தகப்பனின் சாயல் நீ
அச்சகம் தான் ஒன்றிங்கே
அர்த்தங்கள் வெவ்வேறு.

thamayaa, oa thamayaa!
en thagappanin saayal nee
achchagam thaan ondRinggae

arthangaL vevvaeRu.

brother, oh my brother!
you have the looks of my father!
we may be from the same mould (printing press)
but the meanings of our lives are different!

தமக்காய், ஓ தமக்காய்!
தோழி, தொலைந்தே போனாயே
துணை தேடிப் போனாயோ?

thamakkaay, oa thamakkaay!
thoazhi, tholaindhdhae poanaayae
thuNai thaedip poanaayoa?

sister, oh my sister!
friend, you seem to have disappeared,
did you go in search of another support?

மனைவி, ஓ காதலி!
நீ தாண்டாப் படியெல்லாம்
நான் தாண்டக் குமைந்திடுவாய்
சாத்திரத்தின் சூட்சமங்கள் புரியும் வரை

manaivi, oa kaadhali!
nee thaaNdaap padiyellaam
naan thaaNdak kumaindhdhiduvaay
saathirathin sootchamangaL puriyum varai.

wife, my lover!
to the steps (aspirations) that you never crossed (achieved),
be my backbone (support system) and I will cross them for you (I will achieve them for you)
until the time that you understand the nuances of our ceremonial knot,

மகனே, ஓ மகனே!
என் விந்திட்ட விதையே
செடியே, மரமே, காடே
மறு பிறப்பே
மரண செளகர்யமே, வாழ்!

maganae, oa maganae!
en vindhdhitta vidhaiyae
sediyae, maramae, kaadae
maRu piRappae
maraNa seLagaryamae, vaazh!

son, oh my son!
the seed sown by my sperm,
who has grown from a plant to a tree to now a forest,
you are my reincarnation,
you are the comfort I have in my death (who will carry my legacy forward), live well!

மகளே, ஓ மகளே!
நீயும் என் காதலியே
எனதம்மை போல
எனைப் பிரிந்தும் நீயின்பம் காண்பாயா?
இல்லை காதலித்த கணவனுக்குள் எனைத் தேடுவாயா?

magaLae, oa magaLae!
neeyum en kaadhaliyae
enadhammai poala
enaip pirindhdhum neeyinpam kaaNpaayaa?
illai kaadhalitha kaNavanukkuL enaith thaeduvaayaa?

daughter, oh my daughter!
you too are my lover
just like my mother,
will you too find happiness in our separation?
or will you search for me in your lover turned husband?

நண்பா, ஓ நண்பா!
நீ செய்த நட்பெல்லாம்
நான் செய்த அன்பின் பலன்
இவ்விடமும் அவ்விதமே.

naNbaa, oa naNbaa!
nee seydha natpellaam
naan seydha anpin palan
ivvidamum avvidhamae.

friend, oh my friend,
the friendship that you gave me
are the result of my affection for you,
the same is true in my case too!

பகைவா, ஓ பகைவா!
உன் ஆடையெனும் அகந்தையுடன்
எனதம்மணத்தைக் கேலி செய்வாய்.
நீ உடுத்தி நிற்கும் ஆடைகளே
உனதம்மணத்தின் விளம்பரங்கள்.
மதமென்றும், குலமென்றும்
நீ வைத்த துணிக் கடைகள்
நிர்மூலமாகி விடும்
நிர்வாணமே தங்கும்.

pagaivaa, oa pagaivaa!
un aadaiyenum agandhdhaiyudan
enadhammaNathaik kaeli seyvaay.
nee uduthi niRkum aadaigaLae
unadhammaNathin viLamparangaL.
madhamendRum, kulamendRum
nee vaitha thuNik kadaigaL
nirmoolamaagi vidum
nirvaaNamae thanggum.

enemy, oh my enemy,
you mock at my nudity
by adorning the costume of your ego,
but what you don’t realize is that the costumes that you wear
are an advertisement of your own nudity,
In the name of religion, In the name of caste (clan),
the costume shops that you have built,
will be destroyed one day,
what will sustain (and remain) is your nudity!

வாசகா, ஓ வாசகா!
என் சமகால சகவாசி,வாசி!
புரிந்தால் புன்னகை செய்.
புதிரென்றால் புருவம் உயர்த்து.
பிதற்றல் எனத் தோன்றின் பிழையும் திருத்து.
எனது கவி உனதும்தான்.
ஆம், நாளை உன் வரியில் நான் தெரிவேன்.

vaasagaa, oa vaasagaa!
en samagaala sagavaasi,vaasi!
purindhdhaal punnagai sey.
pudhirendRaal puruvam uyarthu.
pidhatRal enath thoandRin pizhaiyum thiruthu.
enadhu kavi unadhumdhaan.
aam, naaLai un variyil naan therivaen

reader, oh my reader,
my contemporary being, read,
if you understand my poem, smile,
if you do not understand, raise your eyebrows,
if you think it is pointless babble, then correct the mistakes too,
the poet in me is yours too,
Yes, tomorrow in your verses, I will be seen

people found this article helpful. What about you?

Please let us know what you think of our translation

Sriram

Sriram

Amazing poem, and super translation, thanks!

Gowtham KV

Gowtham KV

Thank you so Much brother..
I would’ve hugged in delight if u were beside me … really your work is delightful . I wish u stay passionate everyday..that u I even think of translating agananooru… Sanga ilaikkiyangal… Thanks brother.

lyricaldelights

lyricaldelights

Many thanks Gowtham, for your kind words.

Raghav

Raghav

brilliant translation! does justice to the original poem!

lyricaldelights

lyricaldelights

Thanks Raghav for your kind words! Urge you to have a look at some of our other translations too.

Suriya

Suriya

தமிழன் என்பதில் கர்வமும்…….தமிழை படிக்க தெரிந்தவன் என்பதில் அகந்தையும் ……..வந்த நொடிப்பொழது………

ceeeni

ceeeni

Where can I find the source of the poem?

Aadhirai

Aadhirai

Hi,

We heard the song recited by him on that talk show and linked it back there. We couldn’t find any other source online.
May we know why is there a search for source, when the author himself presents the poem?

Cheers!

ceeeni

ceeeni

Thank you. Lovely that this was written from his recital. I wanted to blog on this, so I wanted to know the source.

Aadhirai

Aadhirai

Hi,

Happy to know that you are linking the source for your blog. Do let us know of your post on this. Eager to read your view on this.

Cheers!

palanisamy

palanisamy

Hi

This poem was written by Na Muthukumar. Just for info