Thursday, June 2, 2011

Udal Mannukku Uyir Thamizhukku - Iruvar

Within the movie Iruvar, this song is picturized as a movie within the movie. The lyrics and the music is an appropriate rendition of a battle cry. Shot in black and white and in a style appropriate to the period that the song is depicting, I should agree that it is, on the whole, befitting and well done even though it is not among the top list of picturizations by Maniratnam. He also tends to use the same shooting locations multiple times - I don’t exactly know where this stone structure is, but it has appeared in almost every movie of his and still he has made it appear different and fitting to the situation each time.

The lyrics and music are again very pertinent. Less of a rendition and more of a passive aggressive screaming my Aravind Swamy, the entire song is a rallying cry with ample touches of violence against the enemy.



Udal Mannukku Uyir Thamizhukku
my body will be claimed by the earth, but my life I submit to my country
thamizhukku literally means for Tamil, which is the language of tamilnadu. I've seen a few states and countries that are very proud of their language that they refer to it synonymously with their country, the French being another. They tend to have a rich culture around their language and are willing to fight even political battles for it, resisting the imposition of other foreign languages and having a rich heritage of prose and poetry.
Ithai Urakka Solvoam Ulagukku
and I shall proudly and loudly shout that
Inam Ondraga Mozhi Vendraga
so that our races unite and our talk is of victory
Puthu Vaelai Eduppom Vidivukku
we shall do what it takes to get us our freedom
Nam Vetri Paathayil Narigal Vanthaal
if wolves appear on our path to victory
Virunthu Vaippom Vinnukku
we shall make a feast of them and serve them to the gods
in Hindu culture it is normal to conduct small rituals to feed and appease the gods and also ancestors who have the power to bless one. Here, the context is more violent and is proclaimed more as a sacrifice.

Pirantha Pillai Nadanthu Pazhaga
so that the new born learns to walk
Kaiyil Velai Koduppom
we shall hand him a sword
I.e. We shall make every child a warrior from the time of his birth
Pirantha Kuzhanthai Iranthu Piranthaal
and if a child dies
Vaalaal Keeri Puthaipoam
we shall bury him with a sword

Yutha Satham Kaettal Pothum
when we hear the call of battle
Mutha Satham Mudipoam
we shall end our lovemaking
Ratha Kulaththai Nirapi Nirapi
we shall wade in lakes of blood
Vetri Thaamarai Paripoam
and pick our victory flower

Engal Mannai Thottavan Kaalgal
the feet that touch our soil
Engal Nilathil Uramaagum
will be buried in our soil
Engal Pennai Thottavan Kaigal
the hands that touch our women
Engal Aduppil Viragaagum
will become firewood in our hearth
I liked the intensity of the challenge in this entire song. It is much more tangible than and hardcore than 'we are going to defeat you'.

Udal Mannukku Uyir Thamizhukku
Ithai Urakka Solvoam Ulagukku
Inam Ondraga Mozhi Vendraga
Puthu Vaelai Eduppom Vidivukku

1 comment:

  1. Vairamuthu sir you are great . hats-off to you...
    congratz to Mr.Sathis VJ ,wonderful translation.
    keep it up. We enjoyed well

    many thanks

    ReplyDelete

The language that the lyrics or song originally is not in my language of regular use. So there are a couple of reasons why the translations might appear wrong: either I understood it wrong, or I utilized my poetic-translation license to interpret it as I saw it in the context of the song and the surrounding lyrics. Either ways I would like to hear your views about it also, and will be updating the translations with ideas that I like or that I find better. So please leave behind your thoughts. Thanks for your time!