My translation of Carnatic music Krithis- One of my achievements

My  translation  of  Carnatic music  Krithis- One of my achievements

By

P.R.Ramachander

     I used to like   to hear  Carnatic music sung  but  I was sad   that  I was not able to understand   the meaning  of the songs that  are  being sung. Accidentally  a very pretty book called  “thyagopanishad”    by Sri.T.S.Balakrishna   Sastrigal fell in to my hands  .It contained   tamil meanings of 57   Thyagaraja  Krithis. This book launched me    as a translator  of Carnatic music Krithis. Compared    to the great translators of Carnatic Music Krithis  , I am just    a big zero  but  , I used my   strength as a   multi linguist to keep  on translating  Carnatic  Music Krithis  .It was  t that  time, I  visited Mumbai   and my  daughter(my elder sisater in law’s  daughter)  Ms Meenakshi Muthuswamy  put in my hand a  tamil book   containing   the meaning of all  Krithis of Thyagaraja. I spent  lots and lots of time    to translate  the great Krithis of Sri thyagaraja  using that book.Side by side  I was translating  Krithis of  OOthukadu, Purandara Dasa, Gopalakshna Bharathi  , Neelakanta Shivan,  Arunnachala Kavirayar  and so on  and so on .Even then I am no where near the  giant like   translators ofdCarnatic  Music. But I realized  that  I have done a great job  , when  I started getting   requests  for English translation of  Krithis    from several   dance schools   in USA, England  , Australia etc and I feel that  this is  one of my great   achievement .

Translation of  compositions of Oothukadu  https://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.com/2017/05/alphabetical-index-of-some-compositions.html

Translation of   Compositions of Papanasam Shivan  https://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.com/2016/11/index-of-some-papanasam-sivan-krithis.html

Translation  of composition of Neelakanda   Shivan  https://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.com/2016/11/index-of-some-papanasam-sivan-krithis.html

Translation of   all Krithis  of Thyagaraja  https://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.com/2016/12/english-meaning-of-685-thyagaraja.html

Annamayya   Krithis  https://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.com/2018/06/translations-of-krithitis-of-annamayya.html

Narayana Thirtha  https://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.com/2016/11/some-compositions-of-narayana-theeertha.html

THangam Viswanathan  https://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.com/2016/11/some-compositions-of-narayana-theeertha.html

D.Pattammal  https://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.com/2013/05/isai-thuvakka-padalgal-by-dpattammal_3171.html

Harikesava Nallur  Muthaiah  Bhagawathar  https://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.com/2016/11/translation-of-few-compositions-of.html

Sadashiva  Brahmendra  https://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.com/2016/10/all-known-krithis-of-sadashiva.html

Prabodha  Chandran Nair  https://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.com/2016/10/all-known-krithis-of-sadashiva.html

Mahakavi Bharathi  https://translationsofsomesongsofcarnticmusic.blogspot.com/2016/10/all-known-krithis-of-sadashiva.html

        I have also translated   several Krithis of Muthuswami Deekshithar, Goapalakrishna Bharathi  (including Nandanar Charitham) , Arunachala Kavi Rayar , Ambujam Krishna , Ashok Madha,  G.N.Balasubramnyam  , Koteeswara iyer   so on and on, totalling to around 3000 Krithis.  I think this is one of my great achievements

Oonjal Paattu -Rukmani

Oonjal  Paattu -Rukmani

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

1.Mangalam cheer  mahimayudaya,

Vidharbha  nagar  thanil,

Pongum Bheesmaka  Puthriyaam,

Mangala Rukhmani  Krishnanudan (  AAdeer  oonjal)

In the   city of Vidhabha  ,

Which has auspiciousness   with greatness,

The  daughter  of the raising Bheeshmaka

The  auspicious Rukmani   along with Krishna( Please  swing)

2,Pankajam pol  mugathu azhagum,

Pavala varna vaayum,

Thanga nira meni thulangum,

Engum  pugazh  krishnanudan  (aaderr  oonjal)

Along with beauty of face like lotus flower,

With mouth of the colour  of Coral,

With golden body    shining,

Along with Krishna  praised everywhere (Please swing)

3.alangaara  panthalile  ,

Anaivarum paarkka,

Asainthu asainthu azhagudane,

Aadi  varum oonjal  (laali0

In the  decorated awning,

With everyone seeing  ,

With moving and moving prettiness,

The swing is coming   swinging(Laali)

4.Malligai poo, Pichipoo,Roja poo maalai,

Mamanmaar kai kodukka,

Manmalai  maththa  (Lali)

Garland  of  Jasmine, rose  and wild jasmine ,

Handed over by  the uncles,

Exchanging wedding  garlands  (Laali)

5.Ketti melangal poda,

Pushpa varsham choriya,

Azhagudane  aadi varum,

Oonjalile  Amrnthaar  (Laali)

With  auspicious drums playing together,

With  shower of flowers  raining,

In the swing    which rocks  ,

Prettily  , they sat (laali)

6.Paalaale  kaal alambi,

Pattale thdaithu  , Ven pattale  thudaithu,

Paal koduthu, pazham koduthu ,

Pachai pidi  chuththa (laali)

After washing their feet with milk,

Wiping them with silk, Wiping them with white silk,

Giving them milk, giving them fruit,

They rotated Pachai Pudi (red balls)  (Laali)

7.Mani thengai kayyil koduthu,

Manjal neeraadi ,

Mana Magalin kai pidithu,

Manavaraikku   Chendraar   (Laali)

After giving gem like   coconuts,

After  taking bath in turmeric ,

After holding the hands of the bride  ,

He went inside the  wedding rom (Laali)

(Shubha laali, Shubha  Laali, shubha laali

Auspicious Laali , auspicious Laali, auspicious Laali