By

Dr.N.Anuradha Dr.V.Valliammal.

By

S.Niranjana Devi M.A., M.Phil., DCA

By

Mrs. Saira Banu.M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D Assistant Professor

Fatima College Madurai

Edited by Dr.Mrs.S.Geetha Ravi

India-vin Soththu

Chettinaatin

Azhagiya sitroor

Siruvayal

Ange oru Gandhi aashramam

Arumai thondar Jeeva

Adhan thalaivar

Tamil naatu payanam

Mērkonda adigal

Siruvayadhil vandhaar

Panigal avarai

Paravasapaduthina

Yeppadi ithanai saadhanai

Yenbadhai ariya aaval poondaar

„Jeevaanandham

Ungaluku

Soththu yevalavu

Irukum?‟

- Annal Kēttaar

„palich‟chena vandhadhu

Jeevaavin badhil

„India dhaan

Yen soththu...‟

Arumai thondanai

Katti pidithu

Annalin thiruvaai

Amudham pozhindhadhu:

„illai Jeevaanandham

India’s Wealth

Chettinad‟s

Beautiful small town

Is Siruvayal

There a Gandhi Ashram

Wonderful disciple,

Its head

Gandhiji, on his trip to Tamil Nadu

Came to Siruvayal

Service work made him

Feel excited

How come so many achievements

He was eager to know

“Jeevanandham

How much of wealth

Do you

Possess?”

- Asked Babuji

Prompt came

Jeeva‟s reply

“India is my wealth”

Embracing the wonderful worker

Babuji‟s golden tongue

Showered nectar

“No Jeevanandham

You are

India‟s wealth”

Mahatma Kavidhaigal By Sirpi.

Selection Transliteration Translation

Neengal dhaan

Indiavin soththu!‟

Yedhu Kalai

Sētaiku peyar pōna

Kurangu moondru

Sevipoththi

Vaai maraithu

Kangal moodi

Veetrirukum annalaar

Mēsai meedhu

Seyalaalar Desaiku

China nanbar thandha

Parisu bommaigal

Kurangugalē

Yen Gurunaadhargal

Yenbar annal

Vaaipothum kurangu

„poi pēsaadha

Pazhi kooraadhē‟

Yengiradhaam

Sevi maraitha kurangu

„theeyavai kaadhil

Theenda vidaadhē‟

Yenkiradhaan

Which is art?

Notorious for their mischief

The three monkey with

Ears plugged

Mouth shut

Eyes closed

Will be seated on Gandhiji‟s

Table

Dolls gifted

By a Chinese friend

To secretary Desai

Gandhiji would say

Monkeys are

My „gurus‟

Monkey with mouth shut

Would say

“Don‟t lie

Don‟t blame”

Monkey with closed eyes

Would say

„Don‟t see outrageous evil‟

If eyes are closed

Peace and Power

Will increase many fold

Having said all these, Babu

Would continue to say:

Kanmoodum kurangu

„kadum theemai paaraadhē‟

Yenkiradhaam

Kannai moodinaal

Amaidhium aatralum

Panmadangu koodumaam...

Ithanaium sonna aiyar

Mēlum solluvaar:

„Thathuvam illaadha kalai

Payan tharaadhu

Nanmai sollaadha kalai

Maanburaadhu‟

„Art with no philosophy

Is useless

Art that doesn‟t teach values

Will never achieve greatness!‟

Pencil

Siriyadhellaam siriyadhum illai

Periyadhellaam periyadhum illai

Mahatmakalukku

*

Andru Mumbaiyil

Kōlaagalamaai

Congree maanaadu

Annalum

Kalandhu kolkiraar

Nēramaanadhu

Innum avar purapadavillai

Kaathirukiraargal thalaivargal

Dēsapidhaavukaaga

Vanangi dharisika

Karaipuralum aavalōdu

Makkal vellam

Araikul avar

Athanaium marandhu

Yedhaiyō thēdi kondu...

Pencil

That which is small is not small

That which is big is not big

For great souls.

*

That day in Mumbai

Congress conference

With festivity

Gandhiji

Is participating

It was time

Still he did not start

Leaders were waiting

For the Father of the Nation

To worship him

With overflowing desire

Flood of people

Inside the room

Oblivious to all

He was searching something.

Books are getting scattered

Charka is getting rolled up

Mat spread out

seers who searched for God

Got defeated

*

Kalaikindra puthahangal

Sarihindrana kaahidhakattugal

Charka kavizhhiradhu

Viritha paai surulkiradhu

Aandavanai thēdum

Dhavasigal thōtraargal

Annal mugathil

Kavalaikōdu

Vatta kannaadikul

Melliya sōgam poosiya kangal

*

Kaathirundhu kaathirundhu

Aluthupōna kaakaa Kalēlkar

Araikul vandhadhaium

Avar paarkavillai

Thēdal... Thēdal... Thēdal.

„Babuji kadigaarathai

Marandhu viteergalaa?‟

„illai Kalēlkar

Oru pencil kaanavillai

Thēdukirēn...‟

„yenna Babuji... ivvalavu dhaanē

Nēramaakiradhu appuram thēdalaam

Indhaarungal innoru pencil‟

„adhu pencil mattumillai

Kalēlkar

Chennai G.A Nadēsan magan

Chinnapillai thandha parisu

Adhai yeppadi naan

Thavaraviduvadhu?

Porupillaamal tholaipadhu

Sariyaa?‟

„naanum thēdukirēn Babuji‟

Kalēlkarum ippōdhu

Thēdum paniyil.

Viyarthu nanaindhu

Ven kadharaadai

Arai akkanathil

On his face

Streaks of sorrow

Within the round pair of spectacles?

Eyes moistened with sorrow

He hardly noticed

The wearied Kaka Kalelkar

Entering the room

After endless waiting

Quest. Quest. Quest.

“Babuji have you forgotton

The watch?”

“No Kalelkar

A pencil is missing

I am searching”

„What Babuji just that

It is late. Shall search later

Here, another pencil‟

„It is not just a pencil

Kalelkar

Gift given by Chennai G.A.Nateson‟s

Son Chinnapillai,

How can I

Misplace it?

Is it right

To lose it carelessly‟

„I‟ll also look for it Babuji‟

Kalelkar also now

Joins the search

Got drenched in sweat

The white kadhar clothes

Room at that moment

A nonviolent battlefield

„Acha‟ said

Bapu‟s voice

Standing upright, Kalelkar

Happened to witness a divine spectacle.

A radiant smile

That could discern the world

Permeated his face.

„In his hands

A blunt

Short pencil

Just an inch and a half‟

That which is small is not small

That which is big is not big

Agimsai pōrkalam

„achchaa‟ yendradhu

Annalin kural

Nimirndhu Kalēlkar

Nērndhadhu oru kadavukaatchi

Vaiyathai vasamizhaka vaikum

Punnagai vilaasam

Podhindhirundhadhu adigal mugathai

Avar karathil

Ondrai angulathil

Mazhungi pōna

Kuttai pencil!

*

Siridhu yellaam siridhum alla

Peridhu yellaam peridhum alla

Mahatmaakaluku

*

For great souls.

Pagai Naduvinil

Adigalai muzhuvadhaai

India

Ariyaadha kaalam

Neela saayam seiya udhavum

Avuri pairidum

Bihar uzhavarai

Vayitril adithu

Laabam kuvithanar vellayar

Sirai, kasaiyadi,

Vari... yena

Vellam aadhikam

Vilayaadi theerthadhu...

Sudhandhira pōrin

Mudhal oththigaiyaai

Sambraanil pōraatam

Adigal thalaimaiyil

Vilaivu?

Vellayar saayam veluthu

Uzhavaruku kidaithadhu

Vidivu.

*

Amidst Enmity

The days when

India

Had not known Gandhiji fully

For profit the Whites

Exploiting

Bihar farmers

Who plant indigo

That help in making blue dye

Prison, whipping,

Tax-thus

White man‟s regime

Played havoc

As freedom struggles

First rehearsal

Revolt in „sambran‟

Led by Gandhi

Consequence?

White‟s true colours revealed

Farmers found

Salvation.

*

A spiteful snake

A white landowner

Kankoththi paambaana

Oru vellai mudhalaali

Adiyaal vaithaan

Adigalai kolla...

Nalliravu vēlai

Vellai mudhalaali

Veetukadhavu thattapattadhu

Gandhi tholaindha

Narseidhi kētka

Kadhavu thirandhavan adhirndhaan

Vaasalil

Nindravar Gandhi...

„ingē yedharku vandhaai?‟

-iraindhaan avan

Sandhiyin thirukōvil

Gandhi sonnaar:

„thēdikondirukiraargalaam

Ungal aatkal

Yennai kolla.

Siramam yedhaku?

Naanē vandhuvittēn

Seiya vēndiyadhai

Seidhu kollalaamē..‟

Mannipukōri

Annalai anupivaithaan

Manidha mirugam.

Adutha vinaadi

Adiyaatkaluku sēdhi parandhadhu

„thappi thavari

Kai vaithu vidaadheergal

Gandhiyin meedhu...‟

*

Hired a murderer

To kill Gandhiji;

Midnight

A white lord‟s door

Was knocked at

To hear the good news

Of Gandhi‟s death

He who opened the door, was shocked

At the doorstep

Stood Gandhi.

Why did you come here?

He yelled

The temple of peace

Gandhi said:

It seems you men

Are looking for me

To kill me

Why give them trouble?

I have come myself

„Whatever you want to do

You may do‟.

Seeking pardon

Sent back Gandhiji

That human beast.

Next second

Message flew to the hires men

„even by mistake

Don‟t lay hands

On Gandhi‟.

Vaadiya Nenjam

Ilangkaalai pozhudhu

Erawada sirai saalai

Annal irukumidamdhaanē

Yellaarkum aacharyam

Raataigal suzhandrana

Panju araikapattadhu

Pattai pōdapattadhu

Noorpu vēlvi thodarndhu

Kondirundhadhu

Panjadikum villin

Narambai

Pakkuvam seiya

Pachilai saaru nalladhu

Kaakaa Kalēlkar

Vēpa marakilaiyai

Valaithaar

Odithaar

Oru koththai parithaar

Vetri veeraraai

Vēppang kilaiyōdu

Annal mun nindraar:

Paarthu padhaipadhaithu

Annal pagarndhaar:

„Kaakaa Kalēlkar!

Padikaadhavar neengal

Pandidhar neengal

Drooped Heart

At wee hours of dawn

In Erawada prison

Wherever Gandhi is

That was Ashram for all

Spinning wheels span

Cotton got grounded

Spinning wheels were set

„Yaga‟ of spinning continued

The wire

Of the Spinning Jenny

Could be overhauled

With extracts from green leaves

Khaka Kalelkar

Bent

A neem tree branch

Broke it

Plucked one bunch

Like a victorious soldier

With neem branch

Stood before Gandhi

Tensed seeing that:

Gaandhi said:

“Khaka Kalelkar1

You are educated

A scholar (Pundit)”

Tree is also a life

Have you forgotten that?

Life‟s pain

Don‟t you feel?

Maramum ōr uyir

Marandhuvitteeraa?

Uyirin vēdhanai

Theriyavillaiyaa

Ungalukku?

Thēvaiyaanadhai

Alavaaga

Nōkaamal

Parithu varalaagaadhaa?

Nammai pōl undu

Nammai pōl neerarundhi

Nammai pōl moochuvidum

Marathukku..

Nammaipōl thuyarathai

solla theriyaadhu

Marangalai nēsiyungal

Kalēlkar...‟

Couldn‟t you

Have plucked

And brought

Just what was needed?

Though eating like us

Drinking like us

Breathing like us

Tree

Can‟t express

Sorrow like us

Love tress

Kalelkar.

Payan Therivaar

Adivaanam varai neenda

Kadalai

Amaidhiyaai paarthapadi

Kappal mēl thalathil

Sindhanaikul thamai podhindhu

Nindraar annal

Vattamēsai maanaatukku

London sellum kappal

Payanam.

Maalai veyilil

Manjal kulithu kondirundhadhu

Silently looking at

The sea

Stretching to the horizon

On the ship‟s deck

Buried in thoughts

Stood Gandhiji

For the Round table conference

Towards London ship on its voyage

In the yellow light

Of the evening sun

The deck was bathing

Turning when the shadow was on him

Stood there

A white man.

Pipe between his lips

Sarcasm in his eyes.

“so, aren‟t it you

Our England‟s

Enemy Gandhi?”

Gandhi remined silent

He continued:

“take here

This poem

You read,

And enjoy.”

A bundle of papers

He thrust into Gandhi‟s hands

Mēl thalam.

Nizhal padara thirumbinaar

Nindriundhaan

Oru vellaikaaran

Udhatil pugaikuzhaai

Kangalil ȳelanam

„adadē, needhaanaa

Yengal England-in

Yedhri Gandhi?‟

Adigal mownithrika

Avan thodarndhaan:

„pidi, indhaa

Indha kavidhaiyai

Padi, padi

Padithu magizh‟

Oru katrai kaakidhathai

Thinithaan avan

Adigalai kurithu

Athanaium vasaimozhigal

Yēlanangal, kindalgal

„yeppadi‟

Yendravan yekkalikka

Kuthiyirundha gundusiyai mattum

Viralil pidithapadi

Veesum kadarkaatril

Kaakidhangkal parakkavittaar

Vellaiyan padhaipadhaika

Gunduseeyai kaati

Kurunagai thavazha

Adigal sonnaar;

„nee koduthadhil

Payanulladhai

yeduthukondēn‟

All about Gandhiji

Abuses,

Ridicules, mockery.

„How is it‟

He chuckled

In his fingers

Holding just the plain pin

That secured that papers

He let the papers fly

In the sea breeze that blew

The white man got tensed.

Showing the pin

With a gentle smile

Gandhi said:

“from what you gave

I have retained

Just the useful thing!”

Acknowledgement:

Sirpi. Mahatma Kavidhaigal. Chennai: NCBH, 2010.