Ballads that the backwaters sing

Time to post another song! Rendered by K J Yesudas to the tune set by the legendary Salil Choudhary, this is from the film "Ee Ganam Marakkumo" ("Will you forget this song?"). Well, the fact is that I did forget this song, and Youtube helped me rediscover it. So, here goes!

(Image Courtesy)

And here are the lyrics, courtesy Pattupetty:

Movie : Ee Ganam Marakkumo (1978)
Singer: Yesudas
Music : Salil Chowdhury
Lyrics: O N V
Director: Sankaran Nair

"Kalakalam kaayalolangal paadum kathakal
Kalakalam kaayalolangal paadum kathakal
Oru muthu polaam penkidaavin
kuttanaadan penkidaavin
Kathum novukal pookkalaay
Narum thechi pookkalaay
kannuneer vaarkum kathakall

Kalakalam kaayalolangal paadum kathakal

Virahini nee vaarkum kannuneer
Kathir maniyaay mannil veezhave....
Virahini nee vaarkum kannuneer
Kathir maniyaay mannil veezhave....Athu
vayalkilikal koythu poyii
valakilukki koythu poyii
Aanem keraa kaatilum pinne
aaluum keraa mettilum chennu vithachuuu

Karutha penne ninne kaanuvaan....
Kadalthira pol kezhum kaamukhan
Karutha penne ninne kaanuvaan....
Kadalthir pol kezhum kaamukhan
Aaa pavizha malli pootha dikkil
avane engo kanduvo nee
etho swapanm kannilum pinne
ethoo gaanam chundilum ninne pothinjuu

Kalakalam kaayalolangal paadum kathakal
Kalakalam kaayalolangal paadum kathakal
Oru muthu polaam penkidaavin
kuttanaadan penkidaavin
Kathum novukal pookkalaay
Narum thechi pookkalaay
kannuneer vaarkum kathakal"

A thousand anklets clinked!

I have been hearing this song from the times when I was a tiny tot, when blaring radios from neighbourhood households and every corner shop piercing through your ears was a well-acknowleged part of life. Everybody who was exposed to Aakashavani (All India Radio) during that age was too familar with the announcer's bassy voice saying: 'rachana Vayalar, sangeetham Devarajan master, paadiyathu Yesudas'. (For those non-Mallus - it means: 'penned by Vayalar, composed by Devarajan and rendered by Yesudas')

And, obviously, this one becomes a favorite for an attempt at translation! I've noticed it's when I get too many things to do that my mind diverts to non-priority stuff like blogging to while away my time. And, when I'm in no mood to write on my own, I can easily get lost in translation! Here's the original lyrics for now, just to remind me to post the translation on a later date. And once more, kudos to the late genius of Vayalar for his imagination, which needs to be appreciated outside the O-circle (literal translation of another Malayalam usage: 'tta'-vattom) of Kerala.

"Aayiram paadasarangal kilungee..
Aaluvaappuzha pinneyumozhuki
Aaarum kaanathe olavum theeravum
Aaalinganangalil muzhukee (Aayiram paada)

Eeeranaaya nadhiyude maaril
Eee vidarnna neerkkumilakalil
Verpedunna vedanayo…
Eeridunna nirvrithiyo..
Omale..aaaromale…onnu chirickoo
Orikkal koodii (Aayiram paada)

Eee nilavum ee kulirkaattum
Eee palungu kalpadavukalum
Odiyethum ormakalil
Omalalin gadhgadavum
Omale..aaaromale…onnu chirickoo
Orikkal koodii (Aayiram paada)"

Film: Nadi (1969)
Singer: Yesudas K J
Lyrics: Vayalar
Music: Devarajan (Also see: Kaumudi Article)
Lyrics Courtesy: DearOnline Lyrics Forum
Video:

Hey Honeystream!

Song:Poonthenaruvi
Movie: Oru Penninte Katha (1971)
Singer: Susheela P
Music: Devarajan
Lyrics: Vayalar
Year: 1971
Language: Malayalam

"Poonthenaruvi ponmudi puzhayude anujathi
Namukkore prayam namukkore moham
Namukkore daham

Oru thazhavaryil janichu nammal
Oru poonthanalil valarnnu
Poonilavalakkiya puliyila karayulla
Pudavuyduthu nadannu
Nammal pookal iruthu nadannu
Ormmakal marikumo olangal nilakkumo
Aha..ahaha..oho oho..

Poonthenaruvi ponmudi puzhayude anujathi
Namukkore prayam namukkore moham
Namukkore daham

madiyil palunku kilungi
neela mizhikalil kanavu thilangi
kamini manimaril pulakangalunarthunna
kadhakal paranju mayangi
nammal kavithakal padi mayangi
ormmakal marikkumo
olangal nilakkumo

Poonthenaruvi ponmudi puzhayude anujathi
Namukkore prayam namukkore moham
Namukkore daham"

Here's my humble attempt at recreating the magic of these words by Vayalar in English. Hope this attempt, if it doesn't help to create, doesn't destroy either!

"hey honeystream, golden river's little sister
don't we have the same age, the same dreams,
the same thirst?

born in the same valley were we,
brought up in the same leafy shadow;
didn't we walk wearing dark-bordered
dresses washed white like moonlight?
didn't we walk plucking wayside flowers?
do memories die,
do ripples stop?
Aha...ahaha...oho..oho...

hey honeystream, golden river's little sister
don't we have the same age, the same dreams,
the same thirst?

with clinking gold around our waists,
with luminous fancy in our eyes
we'll fill our daydreams
with stories that arouse our senses,
we'll sing songs and fall asleep.
do memories die,
do ripples stop?

hey honeystream, golden river's little sister
don't we have the same age, the same dreams,
the same thirst?"

UPDATE: Jan 08, 2008: Poonthenaruvi video embedded from Youtube: