The 'Kanavan' Conundrum (2/3)

(continuation from The 'Kanavan' Conundrum 1/3)

in Indian arranged-marriage practice, family gets the priority to choose the bride/groom. in most cases, consent from bride/groom is just a trivial peremptory head nod. 

regardless of his character (good or bad), Tamil culture urges woman to soulfully accept their spouse and indirectly tells them to live with 'it'. from fable of Nalayani to Sangam culture of Kannaghi, monogamy is a part of Tamilians practices (whether true or false, it up to your discretion) 

now, imagine a persona who is a young Hindu virgin. being taught of that marriage is life's ultimate goal. sentimental and psychological warfare of the society towards the virgin to get married fast and accept any kind of husband only after the family/relatives consent. the persona in poem is grudged over the feeling to accept unknown guy as her spouse.

She enters temple during the festival of Navarathri, looking at majestically adorned Goddesses. with hope of getting good husband she prays to the three Holy Sumanggali (married woman); however her mind ponders, could any of these Goddesses grant her wish, taking into account that their own spouse themselves are not in perfect nature (though being Almighty!)

thinking all that in her cluttered mind, she decided to just accept 'whatever' that will come in future :D

indulge.... 

புருஷ லட்ச்சனம் - PURUSHA LATCHANAM

varna malargal
வர்ண மலர்கள்
ayiram mantiranggal
ஆயிரம் மந்திரங்கள்
nei vilakughal-udan mupperum theviyargalai
நெய்  விளக்குகளுடன், முப்பெரும் தேவியர்களை
pottri paadum kanniyargal,
போற்றி பாடும் கன்னியர்கள்
urughi valibaadum onbathu iravughal
உருகி வழிபாடும் ஒன்பது இரவுகள்


kuruthi kasiyum sathaigalai unna marutthal
குருதி கசியும் சதைகளை  உண்ண மறுத்தல்
muundru theivangalaiyum pottri paaduthal
 மூன்று தெய்வங்களையும் போற்றி பாடுதல்
onbathu iravukkum kolu vaitthal
ஒன்பது இரவுக்கும் கொலு வைத்தல்
alaviilla bakthiyudan vaenduthal
அளவில்லா பக்தியுடன் வேண்டுதல்
ivai yaavum seithu vara, tirumanam kittum yena, amma sonnaal..
இவை யாவும் செய்து வர,  திருமணம் கிட்டும் யென அம்மா சொன்னால்..


sattru neram manam urughi vendum pothu
சற்று  நேரம் மனம் உருகி வேண்டும் போது
yevvitha kanavan vendum-yena naan yosittaen...
யெவ்வித கணவன் வேண்டும்யென நான் யோசித்தேன்...
paazhil uuri, panatthil puralum kaarmegha polivudan,
பாலில் ஊறி, பனத்தில் புரலும் கார்மேகக் பொலிவுடன்
paampanayil palli kondey paatha sevai ketkum
பாம்பனையில் பல்லி கொன்டே  பாதசேவை  கேட்கும்
irupennai manam seithavanai pol vendam!
இருபெண்ணை மணம் செய்தவனை போல் வேண்டாம்!


pothiya arivu sirantha kalvi irupinum,
போதிய அறிவு, சிறந்த கல்வி இருப்பினும்
uunathirku oppaagha vinothamaai naanghu talaiyudan,
ஊனதிற்க்கு ஒப்பாக வினோதமாய் நான்கு தலையுடன்
arpa pughalukku poi pughalntha oruvan vendam!
அற்ப புகழுக்கு பொய் புகல்ந்த ஒருவன்  வேண்டாம்!


sambaal puusi, idukaadu kadanthu,
 சாம்பல் பூசி,  இடுகாடு  கடந்து,
avvappothu agoramaai , kaiyaenthi tirinthu kondey,
அவ்வப்போது அகோரமாய் , கையேந்தி திரிந்து கொண்டே
thirumudiyil poo ondru, mathi ondru, pen ondru-yena maraithu
திருமுடியில் பூ ஒன்று, மதி ஒன்று, பெண் ஒன்றுயென மறைத்து,
ooraar kisu-kisu pesum padi vaazhum kanavanum enakku vendam!
ஊரார் கிசு கிசு பேசும் படி வாழும் கணவனும் எனக்கு வேண்டாம்!


thattam veetil purusha latchanam ippadi irukkaiyil,
தத்தம் வீட்டில் புருஷ லட்ச்சனம் இப்படி இருக்கையில்
entha theviyaridam, naan kai kuuppi ketpen?
எந்த தேவியரிடம் , நான்  கை கூப்பி கேட்பேன்?
arpa ulaghil siranthavan irupaan-yena yenni,
அற்ப உலகில் சிறந்தவன் இருப்பான்யென யெண்ணி
maangalya baaghyam tharuvaayena kettaal taghumo?
மாங்கள்ய பாக்கியம் தருவாயென கேட்டால் தகுமோ?


shristikkum naanmughan, pothiya nalla aanmaghanai padaikkavillaiya?
சிருஷ்டிக்கும் நான்முகன், போதிய நல்ல ஆன்மகனை படைக்கவில்லையா?
alla, muuvulagilum siranthavan yarenum illaiya?
அல்ல, மூவுலகிலும் சிறந்தவன் யாரேனும் இல்லையா?
vanthavan eppadi irunthaalum,
வந்தவன் எப்படி  இருந்தாலும்
aravanaithu sevai seivaithey
அரவனைத்து சேவை செய்வதே
pennin tharmam (vithi)!
பெண்ணின் தர்மம் (விதி)!


manjal kunkumam yena
மஞ்சள்  குங்குமம்யென
maangalyam saubaagyam yena
மாங்கள்யம் சௌபாக்கியம்யென
pathi bakthi kartpai kaattu
பதிபக்தி கற்பைக்  காத்து
tavamum sevaiyum seithu
தவமும் சேவையும் செய்து
sarvam irai avan oruvaney
சர்வம் இறை அவன் ஒருவனே
vantha kanavan pokkatthavan-ayinum
வந்த கணவன் போக்கத்தவனாயினும்
avan paathamey gathi deva deva!
அவன் பாதமே கதி தேவதேவா!

please feel free to comment or give feedback or correct the grammar/poem itself. do send your valuable comments :D
ps : pictures attached for illustration purpose only :-)

The 'Kanavan' Conundrum (1/3)

marriage in modern terms has become a thing of style; it is a trend for marking social statuses with intricate ceremonies/rites and lavish reception. for Indian society, marriage is a huge constitution worth thousands of dollars in which most Indian family put it as a 'life's goal'. most will understand by the cheesy term of 'settling down'. marriage is exaggerated as if it a liberation for happy life.

being as complicated as it is, women is a core 'center piece' of marriage. especially Indian marriages. with the rules and rites that one must follow, it does not stops right there. the regulations and social conduct on 'how woman should behave' after marriage also pre-destined on woman's fate.

since the times of Mahabrata till now, i would say, women are regarded as baby-making-machine and less traces of self respect is given. in Indian cluster, freedom of woman ends with humble notion of Thaali/Mangal Sutra. it is very hard for Indians to look at women as equal to men. worst to say, maybe in any other culture too.

Women fast for betterment of children and husband. they only allowed to marry once. re-marrying is considered filthy. dowry seem to be 'predetected price listings with social status'. they wear Thaali, they wear pottu as a sign of belonging of another man. to me all these seems like psychological arrest to show inferiority to a man.

being clutched in such manners, women are not encouraged to go out on her own accord without husbands regards. in total contrary, men as husbands don't fast for women, able to remarry or practice polygamy without social distress. more we talk, the more we will digest it as double standard-ness.

People tend to barricade a woman's freedom and here life after marriage totally changes into new perspective. Society puts mental pressure on woman that, they are bound to their husband no matter how corrupted he is. talking about that, a perfect example come to my mind. The story of Nalayani.

" It is stated that in an earlier birth as Nalayani (also named Indrasena), she was married to Maudgalya, an irascible sage afflicted with leprosy. She was so utterly devoted to her abusive husband that when a finger of his, dropped into their meal, she took it out and calmly ate the rice without revulsion. Pleased by this, Maudgalya offered her a boon, and she asked him to make love to her in five lovely forms. As she was insatiable, Maudgalya got fed up and became an ascetic. When she remonstrated and insisted that he continue their love-life, he cursed her to be reborn and have five husbands to satisfy her lust..." 
- source -                    -click here for more on Nalayani -

the character of Nalayani that appears in Holy scriptures urges woman to become a total devotee to her husband although even he is a leprosy-affected bad tempered guy who gave no pleasure to his wife. that kind of sentimental threat is pressured every now and then on woman, among Indians especially.

though there are men fights for gender equality, rites and practices that undermine woman still exist. what we need is, challenge the old conservative practices with questions. give fresh thoughts to withering old thinking and start to view life from a new perspectives. rites and rituals should reflect our civilization and not our close mindedness.

புதியதோர் உலகம் செய்வோம்

ps : pictures attached are for illustration purpose only. feel free to comment and criticize.

Lonely nights & Sweet Memories

imagine being parted from your sweetheart. life seems like passing through meaningless days and hours. every portion of your routine seems to be lifeless. that is when the memories of fresh love will spur your mind. 

imagine experiencing lonely nights. everything seems to be incomplete. sense of detachment. until you see something around that will trigger your memories about her. could be a mug, lamp, a SMS or even pillow. random things with numerous reminiscence.

this poem written in Tamizh dedicated to all lovers with lonely nights.my attempt on Tamizh poem done with Paint (could be a great Goodnight SMS too  :P ). indulge :-)

ularntha thendral

  kalaintha nitthirai

    veghu tuurathil nilavu

      madi saaya talai anai

        aayiram kurai-yodu iravu iruppinum

          un ninaivu ondrey santhosha kanavadi!

photo :http://solitarysailing.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-nights-tale.html

Tamizh is a definite joke!

from sangam to millenium, barathi to vairamuthu end to end there are folks working into tamil languange and literature. most of the time, their efforts which fruited from pure passion and great sense of knowledge just a time pass or mere hokum. most people forget their mother tongue and fails to treasure it. tamizh especially.
athu yennathu-nu teriyale, palarukku tamil-na avalo elakkaaram.

most people of my age and a certain oldies do not look into Tamizh as a 5000 years well-kept treasure (we may need to consider using the word "well-kept" here!) . from a different angle, Tamizh seems to be a true Indiana Jones mystery with least leftover Sanggam treasures and freelance Tamizh enthusiasts sprouting every now and then. what is the beauty that this language possess? im not sure, but if a language can survive more than 5000 years, it must have some magic in it.

"ennada ivanunggey.. tamil-u pattru punnakku podalangga-nu tensen tensen!"

if my blog post entitled as "Tamizh" or "My mother tongue", there would be tonnes of decent-modern Tamilians to trivially skip the 'lecture'. it will be even more saddening if i put the post title in Tamizh as in : தமிழ் or தாய்மொழி. hard to find another language with extreme knowledge and exposure on spirituality, arts, drama, music, general knowledge and way of conduct for elongated period of thousands of years.

tamizhanaagiyum tamizh ariyaathathu, karum vizhi, azhagiya ithazh, kuurana muukku illatha vathanam polave!

தமிழனாயினும் தமிழ் தெரியாதது, கரும் விழி, அழகிய இதழ், கூரிய மூக்கு இல்லாத வதனம் போலவே!

Tamizh names, greeting others in Tamizh, culture of saying 'Vanakkam', manners of talking, and so much more slowly deteriorating from our homepage. slowly being tarnished and hence leaving us with questions about our own language. sense of belonging is no more for most of us. just like a looking at a pretty face with no eyes, mouth and nose.. no identity.

what it repay us if we show extra passion on our identity? what does it take to show little emotion to our majestically renowned Tamizh? what does it take to make Tamilians deeply care for Tamizh?

ps. : im not well-literate in Tamizh, so please correct/excuse me for any mistake in usage of Tamizh letters

yenggal vaazhvum, yenggal valamum, manggaatha tamizh yendru sanggey muzhanggu!

 எங்கள் வாழ்வும், எங்கள் வளமும், மங்காத தமிழ் என்று சங்கே முழங்கு