Suttum Vizhichudar Dhaan | Bharathiyar Poems

 SUTTUM VIZHICHUDAR DHAAN..

It is more than 100 years since this great poet left us. History has shows that a a few of his dreams have been realized. I am honored and gifted to sing his songs. One of the heart capturing poem from "MAHA KAVI SUBRAMANYA BHARATHIYAR' is Suttum Vizhichudar Dhaan Kannammaa.

This is a very popular love poem by the Mahakavi Bharathiyar, so appealing because of its simplicity. The poet is engaged in an argument with his silent beloved, who holds herself back. But the poet's passion is awakened by her very presence as he admires her eyes, her voice, her youth and he helplessly plants a kiss on her cheek.

This post chooses to elaborate on one of my two favorties, suttum vizhi chudar, the other one being chinnanjiru kiliye. Kannamma is a recurrent theme in these poems, sometimes lover, sometimes child, sometimes companion.

This poem illustrates passions so unabashedly, it makes one want to fall that much in love with someone. I was of the though that Indian culture and how it conditions us, keeps us from expressing fully how we fell about someone. While we have no issues expressing feelings of hatred we almost never vocalise or even accept to ourselves how much we love someone. I have found, half way around the world, that this seems true in America too.

What keeps us from expressing that passion? Are we afraid ? Conditioned ? or simply incapable ?

Here is the Beautiful Lyrics...

Suttum vizhichchudardhaan 

KaNNammaa 

Sooriya chandhiraroa

Vattak kariyavizhi kaNNammaa 

Vaanak karumai kolloa

Pattuk karuneelap pudavai 

Padhiththa nal vayiram

Natta nadu nisiyil theriyum

NatchaththirangaLadi

Soalai malar oLiyoa

Unadhu sundharap punnagaidhaan

Neelak kadalalaiyae 

Unadhu nenjin alaigaLadi...

Koalak kuyil oasai 

Unadhu kuralin inimaiyadi

Vaalaik kumariyadi kaNNammaa 

Maruvak kaadhal koNdaen

Saaththiram paesugiRaay 

KaNNamaa 

Saaththiram yedhukkadi

Aaththiram kondavarkkae kaNNamaa 

Saaththiram uNdoadi

Mooththavar sammadhiyil 

Vadhuvai 

MuRaigaL pinbu seyvoam

Kaaththiruppaenoadi idhu paar 

Kannaththu muththam ondRu

TRANSLATION

Oh, my dearly beloved Kannamma - 

In whose eyes I see the luminance of the sun and the moon combined;

their depth as unending as the darkness of a pitch black night - 

You wear a dark silk saree, with diamonds sparkling on it

Not unlike stars shining in the vast expanse of a dark sky.

I see you smile in a blooming flower,

I hear your heartbeat in the rhythm of the waves,

And I hear your voice in the call of the cuckoo.

I have fallen hopelessly in love with you.

You talk of tradition, Kannamma, and society's rules.

But I ask of you, what use are rules to those who are in the throes of passion ?

Permission from the elders, Rituals.. Those can wait.

But for now, a kiss on your cheek.

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