Lyrical Love - Part II

 

It’s nostalgia season now, since I’m briefly separated from the land I love. As I listen to songs at work, the sweet strains, bells and percussion of the music takes me into a land of my dreams… a world, a piece of which, I’d like to share with you all, right here, right now. As ever, my obsession is still Love.

So here’s another iteration of Lyrical Love. Enjoy!

1) Theeram ThedumoLam (Vandanam - Malayalam)

This is one of my ever-favorite songs in Malayalam. One that brings me visions of the green fields, the silvery green water in the ponds and the warmth of the traditional, Hindu ancestral homes in Kerala. Theeram thedumoLam is from the malayalam movie Vandanam, which is set in Bangalore. Strangely, my visions are quite different from those shown in the actual movie visuals - and yeah, I have a reason for the contradiction :).

The first time I heard the song, when I was in the 6th or so, was in Kerala during my summer vacations. The thrill of being in the beautiful natural environment, with my family around, coupled with adolescence and romance slowly creeping into my being, was like magic. I and my cousin sister (a year older than me) - more best friends than relatives - were in a world of our own… secrets, mystery, music and the first set of cupid’s arrows being pierced through our childlike hearts. Listening and humming the songs around, playing secret games with each other and discussing movies, our first crushes and our awakening to the beauty - of the world and people, around us.

Today when I hear this song, I still feel my heart tugging with the same emotions…Innocence is bliss, Love is divine.

Here is the lyrics of the song… sung by M. G. Sreekumar and Sujatha, written by Shibu Chakravarthy and set to tune by Ouseppachchan. Spare some time to listen to the song whenever possible.

[Chorus]
Dheem thana nana nana nagruthanithom,
Dhirana dhirana nana nagruthanithom.

[Male]
Theeram thedumoLam premageethangal thannu
EeNam cherthu njaan innonnu kaadhil paranju

[Female]
Ee raavil nee enne thottu thottunarthi
MinnumkuligaLil LaaLikkum
Njan oru chithra vipanjikayaay…

[Male]
Theeram…

[Paragraph]
[Female]
Pon thaazham poonkaavukaLil,
Thannaalaadum poongaatte,
Innaa thirayude thirumuttam
Thoothu thalikkaan nee varumo

[Male]
Mungi kuLi kazhinjeththiya pennin
Mudiyil choodaan poo tharumo…

[Female]
Aaa…

[Male]
Venn thaaram poo mizhi chimmi,
Mandam mandam maayumbol
Innee purayil poomanjam,
Ninne urakkaan njaan virikkum

[Female]
Swapnam kandoru poovirimaaRin,
Pushpathalaththiyil, njan urangum

[Male]
Aa….

[Female & Male]
Theeram…

2) Un Samayal Arayil (Dhill - Tamil)

This is a crazy song indeed :). When I heard it the first time, I wondered what the lyricist was thinking of… But over time, and with the proper translation of the lyrics, it occurred to me how much the simplest of lyrics can hit you in the softest spots :). See the lyrics below- I’ve given the translation alongwith each line, since it makes much more sense that way… The song is tuned beautifully by Vidyasagar, worded by Kabilan and sung by Unnikrishnan and Sujatha.

[Male]
Un samayal arayil, naan uppa sakkaraiya? (In your kitchen, am I the salt or the sugar?)

[Female]
Nee padikkum arayil, naan kangalaa pusthakamaa? (In your study, am I the eyes or the book?)

[Male]
Nee viraLkal enraal, naan nagama modirama? (If you are fingers, am I the nails or the ring?)

[Female]
Aaa, nee idalkal enraal, naan mutthama punnakayaa? (If you are lips, am I a kiss or a smile?)

[Male]
Nee azhagu enraal, naan kaviya oviyana? (If you are beauty, am I a poet or a sculptor?)

Un samayal arayil…

[Paragraph]

[Female]
Naan vekkam enraal, nee sivappa kannankala? (If I am shyness, are you the reddishness or the cheeks?)

[Male]
Naan theendal enraal, nee viralaa sparisangala? (If I am the touch, are you the fingers or the sensation of it?)

[Female]
Nee kuzhanthai enraal, naan thottilla thalaatta? (If you are a child, am I the cradle or the lullaby?)

[Male]
Nee thookkam enraal, naan madiya thalaiyana? (If you are sleep, am I the lap or a pillow?)

[Female]
Naan idhayam enraal, nee uyira thudi-thudippaa (If I am a heart, are you the life, or the heartbeat?)

Un samayal arayil…

[Male]
Nee vithaikal enraal, naan vEra viLainilamaa? (If you are seeds, am I the root or the fertile land?)

[Female]
Nee virunthu enraal, naan pasiya rusiya? (If you are a feast, am I hunger or taste?)

[Male]
Nee kaïdi enraal, naan siraiya dhandanaiya? (If you are a prisoner,am I the jail or the punishment?)

[Female]
Nee mozhigal enraal, naan tamizha osaigalaa? (If you are language, am I Tamil or the sound?)

[Male]
Nee puthuvai enraal, naan bharathiya bharathithasana? (If you are Puthuvai (Puducheri), am I Bharathi or Bharathidasan?)

Nee…

Nee thanimai enraal, naan thunaiya dooratthila? (If you are solitude, am I your company, or far away from you?)

[Female]
Nee thunaithaan enraal, naan pesava yosikkava? (If you are my company, should I speak or think?)

[Male]
Nee thirumbi ninraal, naan nikkava poyvidavaa? (If you have your back turned to me, should I stay or go away?)

[Female]
Aa…Nee pokiraay enraal, naan azhaikkava azhuthidavaa? (If you go away, should I call out to you, or cry?)

[Male]
Nee kadhal enraal naan sariya thavara? (In your (if you are) love, am I right are wrong?)

[Female]
Un valathu kayyil paththu viral (On your right hand, there are ten fingers)
En idathu kayyil paththu viral (On my left hand, there are ten fingers)

Dooraththu megham, thooralkal sintha,
Theertha mazhayil, thee kulippoo…

(The far-away clouds, start a drizzle
We will be immolate ourselves in the rain…)

3) Kya Mujhe Pyaar He (Woh Lamhe - Hindi)

One of the recent songs that have caught my fancy. Kya Mujhe Pyaar He from the movie Woh Lamhe, has two versions - a slow one and the remix: The slow version is the one to listen to, although the remix is pretty racy and can get your feet tapping, and your body breaking out into a jig. Pritam’s music, lyrics by Neelesh Misra and sung by Kay Kay. The slow song begins with guitar strings, a slow chorus and within a second, you’re caught, blinded, trapped. Kay Kay’s voice sounds like steel, cutting across your sensations with his unwavering rendition of “Kya mujhe pyaar he, aisa khumaar he”. I cannot desist from mentioning the the song is another of Pritam’s blatant lifts (of the track Tak Bisakah by the Indonesian rock band Peterpan), but its hard to ignore its wonderful music and worse :), its lyrics… Just the song to express the first sensations of love for a person. With this song, love is no longer a soft feather wafting across your face. It is like being under a waterfall, falling in sheets, pricking like needles, bringing with it, a cold thrill inside your body and soaring your senses to newer heights.

Read further for the lyrics. I will try to put up a translation when I have time, later.

Kyoon aaj kal, neend kam, khwaab zyaada hai
Lagtha khuda ka koi nEk iraada hai
Kal tha faqir aaj dil shehzaada hai
Lagtha khuda ka koi nEk iraada hai

Kya mujhe pyar hai… ya..
Aisa khumaar hai…                           (2)

[Paragraph]
Paththar ke in raston pe, phoolon ki ik chaadar hai
Jabse mile ho humko, badla har ik manzar hai

Dekho jahaan main neele neele aasmaan thale
Rang naye naye hain jaise ghulte hue
Soye se khwaab mere jaage tere waasthe
Tere khayaalon se hain bheege mere raasthe

Kya mujhe pyar hai… ya..
Aisa khumaar hai…                           (2)

[Paragraph]
Tum kyun chale aate ho, har roz in khwaabon main
Chupke se aa bhi jao ek din meri baahon main

Tere hi sapne andheron main ujaalon main
Koi nasha hai teri aankhon ke pyaalon main
Tu mere khwaabon main, jawaabon main, sawaalon main
Har din chura tumhe main laatha hoon khayaalon main

Kya mujhe pyar hai… ya..
Aisa khumaar hai…                           (2)