A disturbing
morning today, to have begun with!
And one of my
most cherished poems came to mind.
It was a pity that in the curriculum that was
dished out at school & the university (in Kerala) I was denied the nectar of Subramania Bharatiyar’s
great mind. It was Keats, Shelly, Tennyson, Wordsworth and that genre, besides
the poet laureates of Malayalam, my mother tongue.
Here is one
of the few gems I cherish of Bharatiyar, who like many prodigies was denied
a full life’s time. He died young at 39 in 1921.
I get goose bumps
when I recite these lines, but will it transfuse into the blood in my veins? I do
not know. Have I ever borne these words in my veins,did I ever try to imbibe? I guess I’m not greatly satisfied.
I have tried
in the best possible way to transliterate the verses. I wonder if it justifies
remotely, if it does, well I’m content.
”Achamillai,
achamillai, acham enpathu illaye,
Icckathulorellam
yethirthu nindra pothilum,
Achamillai,
achamillai, acham enpathu illaye,
Thuchamagi
yenni nammai thooru cheytha pothilum,
Achamillai,
achamillai, acham enpathu illaye,
Pichai
vangi unnum vazhkkai pethu vita
podhilum,
Achamillai,
achamillai, acham enpathu illaye,
Ichai
konda porulellam izhandhu vita pothilum,
Achamillai,
achamillai, acham enpathu illaye.”
“Kacchanintha
kongai mathar kankal veesu pothilum ,
Achamillai,
achamillai, acham enpathu illaye,
Nachchai
vayile konanthu nanbar ootu pothilum,
Achamillai,
achamillai, acham enpathu illaye,
Pachai
yooniyaintha ver padaigal vantha podhilum,
Achamillai,
achamillai, acham enpathu illaye,
Uchi
meethu vaan idinthu veezkindra pothilum,
Achamillai,
achamillai, acham enpathu illaye.”
Fear not oh
soul. Fear not
Fear not
when the world arrange against
The derisive
stares and the faces cold,
Fear not oh
soul. Fear not.
When fated
to implore by the vagaries of life
When you’ve
lose possessions cherished
Fear not oh
soul. Fear not.
Fear not oh
soul. Fear not
Fear not the
seductress’s charms
Fear not the
venom of kith and kin,
Fear not the
hordes of men in arms
Fear not oh
soul. Fear not.
And when the
heavens above come flaming down
Fear not my
soul. Fear not.