by Michael S. Kaplan, published on 2010/07/03 07:01 -04:00, original URI: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/michkap/archive/2010/07/03/10033502.aspx
So I have had a song stuck in my head since the start of the World Classical Tamil Conference and I find I really don't mind that fact very much. I am just really liking the song.
Maybe it is because the song is in Tamil, and that I understand some of it.
Or maybe because it is sung by famous Tamil singers with some truly wonderful voices.
It might be pe in part due to the video, though that can't be the only reason since I liked it before I saw the video.
You can see the video on YouTube like here and here and here and so on -- there are like a ton of uploads.
I admit the lady who is singing at 4:40 (Shruti Haasan, or I should say ஷ்ருதி ஹாசன், right?) who belts out:
செம்மொழியான தமிழ் மொழியாம்
தமிழ்மொழி, தமிழ்மொழி, தமிழ்மொழியாம்
is one of the reasons I love the song, but this too was true before I saw the video. Though I'll admit I feel better when I am not just in love with a voice (that has gotten me in trouble in the past!).
I have been told ஷ்ருதி ஹாசன் is single. Though I doubt she has interests in a geek who doesn't speak Tamil even if he knows a lot about Tamil and was able to type her name in Tamil just after knowing the English transliteration. That and the fact that I do not know how I would ever be able to find her to see her and make my case pretty much makes her single status still give me even worse odds of accomplishment than Ross Gellar had with Isabella Rosselinni in Friends!
Which is not say she isn't on my list now!
The complete lyrics, if you know Tamil, are:
பிறப்பொக்கும் எல்லா உயிர்க்கும் -
பிறந்த பின்னர்,
யாதும் ஊரே யாவரும் கேளீர்
உண்பது நாழி உடுப்பது இரண்டே
உறைவிடம் என்பது ஒன்றே என
உரைத்து வாழ்ந்தோம் – உழைத்து வாழ்வோம்
தீதும் நன்றும் பிறர்தர வாரா எனும்
நன்மொழியே நம் பொன் மொழியாம்
போரைப் புறம் தள்ளி
பொருளைப் பொதுவாக்கவே
அமைதி வழி காட்டும்
அன்பு மொழி
அய்யன் வள்ளுவரின் வாய்மொழியாம்
செம்மொழியான தமிழ் மொழியாம்...
ஓரறிவு முதல் ஆறறிவு உயிரினம் வரையிலே
உணர்ந்திடும் உடலமைப்பை பகுத்துக் கூறும்
ஒல்காப் புகழ் தொல்காப்பியமும்
ஒப்பற்ற குறள் கூறும் உயர் பண்பாடு
ஒலிக்கின்ற சிலம்பும், மேகலையும்
சிந்தாமணியுடனே வளையாபதி குண்டலகேசியும்
செம்மொழியான தமிழ் மொழியாம்...
கம்ப நாட்டாழ்வாரும்
கவியரசி அவ்வை நல்லாளும்
எம்மதமும் ஏற்றுப் புகழ்கின்ற
எத்தனையோ ஆயிரம் கவிதை நெய்வோரும்
புத்தாடை அனைத்துக்கும்
வித்தாக விளங்கும் மொழி
செம்மொழியான தமிழ் மொழியாம்...
அகமென்றும் புறமென்றும் வாழ்வை
அழகாக வகுத்தளித்து
ஆதி அந்தமிலாது இருக்கின்ற இனிய மொழி -
ஓதி வளரும் உயிரான உலகமொழி
நம் மொழி, நம் மொழி, அதுவே
செம்மொழியான தமிழ் மொழியாம்…
தமிழ்மொழி – தமிழ்மொழி – தமிழ்மொழியாம்
தமிழ் மொழியாம் – எங்கள் தமிழ் மொழியாம்
வாழிய வாழியவே… தமிழ் வாழிய வாழியவே...
செம்மொழியான தமிழ் மொழியாம்...
If you don't know Tamil, then you might have to wait for someone to translate or for me to learn more Tamil since I only understand some of it, so far.
Maybe it is the random Tamil letters to spot, like something out of Animalia.
Like the Tamil Letter Nna (ண) drawn with a tractor at 2:36.
Or maybe the chorus they put up on the sign at 1:21 that I saw later when I was there:
Or maybe it is the bit of "rap" style singing by Blaaze at 3:42.
Or maybe it is the wedding at 2:05.
Or maybe the face jewelery on the girl at 2:55.
A part of me thinks maybe it's the priests at 4:04 -- I want to party with them, they are awesome. Aren't they?
I think my initial instincts were right though. It is that bit at 4:40:
செம்மொழியான தமிழ் மொழியாம்…
தமிழ்மொழி – தமிழ்மொழி – தமிழ்மொழியாம்
I just want to take her home, give her a nice place to sit down, and have her sing to me. Often.
And maybe sometimes to other people... :-)
I'll settle for taking the video home, I got a copy on disc from Sri while I was at the conference. She may have raised her eyebrows but she got me the copy.
She is a brave one, Sri is. Wiley, but brave....
Anyway, I hope you like the song and I haven't wasted your time. This song summarizes the hint of what I have seen bits and pieces of over the last decade about a language that I really enjoy and am starting to love as I begin to learn it....
Tom Gewecke on 4 Jul 2010 5:33 PM:
Fascinating, Thanks! With iOS 4 the iPhone/iPod Touch finally can display correct Tamil.
Michael S. Kaplan on 4 Jul 2010 6:30 PM:
Uh oh Tom, now you've gotten me wishing I had an iPhone. That's a bad thing! :-)
Saravanan on 5 Jul 2010 9:17 PM:
I was traveling a bit over the weekend could not comment on your previous post. Congrats, you found out your favorite singer's details. Shruthi is daughter of famous Tamil actor Kamal Hasan. She is a budding actor/musician/singer. She is available in twitter handle @shrutihaasan You can try your luck there ;) You can listen to some of the songs sung by Shruthi at www.musicindiaonline.com
Michael S. Kaplan on 5 Jul 2010 9:31 PM:
I am sure she can easily find many more appealing than I, but I'll follow on Twitter, sure!
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