RIFLE RANGE BOY: Kanadasan

Some people eat to live. Whatever comes their way, they would eat, mindful of the calories and ensuring their nutritional values. Others live to eat. They do not mind toiling in the blazing sun or braving the heavy traffic to savour his prized street food, flaunting it in his social media page and insisting that his choice of food is to die for.

While some would hum to a tune, listen to it for a while, then forget about it altogether. Then it would be another song and another obsession. Some of us would dissect and analyse its lyrics, musical composition, ragaa, and taala just for the kick of it.

Pandi Durai is one such character. Malaysians first knew him as a Tamil newscaster on Malaysian TV. He was later heard on RTM Channel 6 radio at noon on Sundays, discussing Tamil culture and language through Tamil cinema songs. It came to be quite a hit among Tamil language connoisseurs. He later organised annual conferences to appreciate the compositions of Poet Kannadasan in Tamil cinema. Kannadasan can easily be crowned as the most creative and erudite composer of Tamil. His knowledge of Tamil grammar, vocabulary, and poetry is beyond compare. His ability to pen beautiful, poetic lyrics filled with wordplay and smart innuendoes is undoubtedly genius.

Juggling between his job as an advocate in the Malaysian Courts, his passion for the Tamil Language and his keen interest in Tamil cinema songs of the yesteryears, he started this function to appreciate the lyrical genius of Poet Kannadasan's songs. These events have been held annually for some time now. I recently attended one such event in a packed auditorium in Kuala Lumpur. Equipped with an excellent sound system, a live band, and three excellent singers and musicians, the function lasted close to five hours on a Sunday afternoon, bringing joy and contentment to people who appreciated the Tamil language and culture, as well as the hidden messages behind Kannadasan's evergreen compositions.

Amidst the song renditions, Paandi Durai interjected with his understanding of what Kanndasan was trying to say in his songs. He went on to unveil some of the cryptic messages Kanadasan may have intended to convey. There were also some innocent-sounding songs that, if decoded, may be X-rated and not suitable for a general audience. Yet, kids of the 60s and 70s were happily singing them away without an iota of clue of their lewd messages that a sex-craved lover would signal to his equally receptive partner.

Like that, Paandi went on analysing a couple of songs under the categories of love, social message, philosophy and devotion. All in all, it was an evening that left its audience in a state of literary inebriation. They returned to the real world with the comfort that their ancient language has stood another generation of assault from other lingua francas of the world.

One particular song that intrigued me that evening, that I have been listening to throughout my life without knowing its deeper meanings, was 'Paarthen Sirithen' (பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன்) from the 1965 movie 'Veera Abhimanyu' (வீர அபிமன்யு). The film revolves around the title character, Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son, the teenage warrior extraordinaire of the Kurushtera. When the director summoned Kannadasan to pen a sweet love song for Abhimanyu and his on-screen love interest. Kanadasan decided to be cheeky and composed a love song with the word 'then' mentioned 65 times. 'Then' in Tamil means honey. In it, he used 'then' as honey, the essence in the lover's beauty, the joy of their love, the passion of their union and the ecstasy of their passion. Many things are left to the listeners, but imagination sometimes has no limits. 'Then' is also used as an adverb. Through the programme, I also discovered that the word 'malai' can mean 'stunned' as well as 'mountain'. The poet cleverly uses this wordplay in a verse; the honey from the mountain, she is stunned.

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கத்தில் அழைத்தேன்

அன்று உனைத் தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்
அந்த மலைத் தேன் இதுவென மலைத்தேன்

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கத்தில் அழைத்தேன்

உனைத் தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலைத் தேன் இதுவென மலைத்தேன்

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கம் வர துடித்தேன்

அன்று உனைத் தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலைத் தேன் இவரென மலைத்தேன்

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கம் வர துடித்தேன்

உனைத் தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலைத் தேன் இவரென மலைத்தேன்

கொடித் தேன் இனியங்கள் குடித்தேன் என

ஒரு படித் தேன் பார்வையில் குடித்தேன்

கொடித் தேன் இனியங்கள் குடித்தேன் என

ஒரு படித் தேன் பார்வையில் குடித்தேன்

துளித் தேன் சிந்தாமல் களித்தேன்

ஒரு துளித் தேன் சிந்தாமல் களித்தேன்

கைகளில் அணைத்தேன் அழகினை இரசித்தேன்

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கம் வர துடித்தேன்

உனை தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலை தேன் இவரென மலைத்தேன்

மலர்த் தேன் போல் நானும் மலர்ந்தேன்

உனக்கென வளர்ந்தேன் பருவத்தில் மணந்தேன்

மலர்த் தேன் போல் நானும் மலர்ந்தேன்

உனக்கென வளர்ந்தேன் பருவத்தில் மணந்தேன்

எடுத்தேன் கொடுத்தேன் சுவைத்தேன்

இனித் தேன் இல்லாதபடி கதை முடித்தேன்

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கத்தில் அழைத்தேன்

உனைத் தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலைத் தேன் இதுவென மலைத்தேன்

நிலவுக்கு நிலவு சுகம் பெற நினைந்தேன்

உலகத்தை நான் இங்கு மறந்தேன்

நிலவுக்கு நிலவு சுகம் பெற நினைந்தேன்

உலகத்தை நான் இங்கு மறந்தேன்

உலகத்தை மறந்தேன் உறக்கத்தை மறந்தேன்

உன்னுடன் நான் ஒன்று கலந்தேன்

பார்த்தேன் சிரித்தேன் பக்கம் வர துடித்தேன்

உனை தேன் என நான் நினைத்தேன்

அந்த மலைத் தேன் இவரென மலைத்தேன்

It was a time when personal intentions could not be expressed explicitly. Private desires were often spoken in double-speak, hoping that the intended recipient would get the hint. Kannadasan's song lyrics have always been hailed as poetic, revolutionary and of high literary value. His wordplay in Tamil and additions of scriptural teachings are beyond the imagination of an average man.

Many of Kannadasan's songs and poems end with rhythmic cadences. It is said that when a director repeatedly harassed him to write a song by May, he did so. He cooked up a song ending with 'mei' at every verse (அன்பு நடமாடும் கலைக் கூடமே - Anbu Nadamadum kalaikudame in Avanthaan Manithan, 1975 movie).

Kannadasan can also be cheeky at times. Once, his musical director, MS Viswanathan, did not turn up on time for a composition session. MSV had overslept after a late session. Annoyed, Kannadasan wrote something to mean 'why does he care, he is sleeping. I am the person who will be caught!' Somehow, it was appropriate for the scene they were composing. It became a hit without anybody realising the hidden message. (அவனுக்கென்ன தூங்கிவிட்டான் - Avanukku Enna, Thungivittaan in Periya Idathu Penn, 1963)

The most bizarre story about Kannadasan's ingenuity is supposed to be seen in 1961 Paava Manipu. A Muslim family adopted a Hindu boy. He grew up as a devout Muslim man and is active in religious and charity work. He was seen taking part in an Islamic procession singing praises of Allah. This song, composed by Kannadasan, has every verse ending with 'Om'. This was the poet's subtle way of showing that this Muslim man has Hindu roots. Nobody knew till many years later. Imagine an Islamic song with ‘Om’ at every verse. Integration or what?

The event witnessed a tear-evoking moment when the audience was informed that Kanadasan’s son, Annadorai, was in attendance. He was later honoured in the typical Tamilian way, with a silk shawl and a garland.

A Sunday afternoon well spent.