Bombay - Malarodu Malar Ingu

This song from the movie Bombay is hardly of note in the movie and I don’t think it pictured in the official soundtrack. But it’s simple and relevant. The setting is after the riots in Mumbai, following the Babri Masjid demolition, have subsided. Arvind Swamy the Hindu husband and Manisha Koirala playing his Muslim wife, already having found out a little earlier that both their fathers died during the riots, have been searching for their missing sons Kabir and Kamal. The song starts at the point where they catch sight of each other across the street after a frantic search. At the same time there is a spontaneous outpouring of people of different religions onto the street forming a human chain of solidarity. For a scene like that, I could have gone “pffft, what over-the-top-jingoistic-feel-good-drama” … but somehow that didn’t happen. I still continue to be moved by this song. The father wails in relief on seeing his children, while the mother rushes forward to gather them. And in that meeting of different religions and families … that union is what is depicted and yearned for in this song.

The tune of this song is however super famous as the theme music for the movie. I was also pleasantly surprised to see it being used in the Nicolas Cage movie, Lord of War.

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மலரோடு மலர் இங்கு மகிழ்ந்தாடும் போது

Malarodu malar ingu magizhnthaadum pothu

When flowers here dance happily with each other

மனதோடு மனம் இங்கு பகை கொள்வதேனோ

Manathodu manam ingu pagai kolvatheno

Why must a heart here hold vengeance against another?

மதம் என்னும் மதம் ஓயட்டும்

Madham ennum madham oayattum

May now the separation of religions disappear

தேசம் மலர் மீது துயில் கொள்ளட்டும்

Dhesam malar meethu thuyil kollattum

May the nation now sleep on a bed of flowers

வழிகின்ற கண்ணீரில் இனம் இல்லையே

Vazhigindra kaneeril inam illaiye

Shed tears are not separated by caste

உதிரத்தின் நிறம் இங்கு வேறில்லையே

Udhiraththin niram ingu vaerillaiye

The blood in our veins is not different in color

காற்றுக்கு திசை இல்லை தேசம் இல்லை

Kaattrukku dhisai illai dhesam illai

The wind has no direction, nor a country

i.e. The wind does not blow in a particular direction for one particular group, nor for a particular region

மனதோடு மனம் சேரட்டும்

Manathodu manam serattum

So allow one’s heart to connect with another’s

மலரோடு மலர் இங்கு...

Malarodu malar ingu...

துளி எல்லாம் கை கோர்த்து கடல் ஆகட்டும்

Thuli ellaam kai korthu kadal aagattum

May little drops join hands and become a sea

கடலோடு கடல் சேரட்டும்

Kadalodu kadal serattum

May the seas themselves join with each other

துகள் எல்லாம் ஒன்றாகி மலை ஆகட்டும்

Thugal ellaam ondraagi malai aagattum

Let the pebbles unite and become a mountain

விண்ணோடு வின் சேரட்டும்

Vinnodu vin serattum

Let the skies join with the heavens

விடியாத இரவொன்றும் வானில் இல்லை

Vidiyaatha iravondrum vaanil illai

There is no night sky that will not become dawn

ஒளியோடு ஒளி சேரட்டும்

Oliyodu oli serattum

May song join song