Dates and documents: not the true essence of history
started by carvaka 1 month agoFlat
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Sri Sri was absolutely the best ever.
I was reading about his early poetry. He wrote his major works before he came to contact with political philosophies.
he was among the few who left an indelible mark on telugu people.
Simple words that have the power of nuclear blast(I am not exaggerating).
He had the ability to ask profound questions in simple everyday words: tAj mahal nirmANAniki rALLettina kUlIlevaru? In that ability, he is nabhooto-nabhavishyati. Actually I hope the future will bring many more poets like him, but I doubt if it will.
how do u compare Sri Sri with Vemana? I have actually read a bit of Vemana and i liked the sharp, stinging element in his verses particularly when he indulges in attacking idiotic behavior (like those sadhus who think they can attain moksha by subjecting their body to extreme pain and discomfort.) and also the iconoclasm like when he protests against the notion of untouchability (and even, i think, the caste system).
Vemana wrote in the common man's language of his time, and Sri Sri did the same. Both were unsparing in their criticism of what they saw as wrong. Vemana wrote strictly within the constraints of aataveladi meter (chhandassu), while Sri Sri wrote free verse and made up his own forms as he went along. In that way, he freed Telugu poetry from a long-established tradition of metric composition. (Other poets also wrote free verse in Sri Sri's time, but he was the loudest and most eloquent voice in that group.)
The big contrast between them is perhaps outside their poetry. Sri Sri was not an ascetic poet; he was an active Communist who acted on his beliefs. All said, I guess Sri Sri was the modern Vemana.
The big contrast between them is perhaps outside their poetry. Sri Sri was not an ascetic poet; he was an active Communist who acted on his beliefs. All said, I guess Sri Sri was the modern Vemana.
thanks for the explaination.
I should have added: given Sri Sri's time, he had the advantage of exposure to ideas from far-away places like Europe, which Vemana did not have access to. Marxist writings and Mao's actions had a profound impact on Sri Sri. Sri Sri also wrote many songs for Telugu movies, which broadened his reach. Vemana's influence on Telugu minds is broad and deep; Sri Sri's influence is less profound, but his movie songs gave him a broader audience than his Communist-minded poetry alone would have done.
For people who like Sri Sri...
he was good poet but such a communist. I wonder if he would have had the honestly to see communism for what it was.
I don't think he would have given up communism. I have friends from my generation who are communists now. Communism, like religion in the words of its first ideologue, is like opium to its believers.
I like Sri Sri for his direct and brutal assessment of the world he saw. Like I try to put aside the religious nonsense when I read Dostoyevsky, I try to put aside the communist stuff from Sri Sri's work. There is a poem called ninnaTi jaTkAvADu in marOprasthAnam. (The poem is the first one at that link.) He describes the travails of an ordinary jatkaa-vaadu in first person in a rustic, educated version of Telugu that most poets would struggle with. Try reading it when you have some time.
I like Sri Sri for his direct and brutal assessment of the world he saw. Like I try to put aside the religious nonsense when I read Dostoyevsky, I try to put aside the communist stuff from Sri Sri's work. There is a poem called ninnaTi jaTkAvADu in marOprasthAnam. (The poem is the first one at that link.) He describes the travails of an ordinary jatkaa-vaadu in first person in a rustic, educated version of Telugu that most poets would struggle with. Try reading it when you have some time.
he was moved by people's plight. When he wrote his early poems there was not much of a movement.
His greatness was not to state the party line but to create the poetic painting of life in simple yet powerful words. His poetry captured the beauty of the language in simple words and conveyed the agony of the people in a powerful way. It never made cry. His poetry was for action. You should read Chalam's preface to his poetry.
From a ANR movie:
kala Kanidi Viluvainadi ...
Agdhamau jalanidhilo animutya munnatule
sokhala maruguna padi sukhamunnadille
Edi tananta tanai ni dariki radu
sadhinchi sodhinchute dheera gunam
He was a non confirmist and a rebel. he was never able to fit into a party mode and moved away from each of the outfits that he was associated with. He was also a man with many personal flaws. But they made him more of ahuman.
he was also very sharp with words.
His greatness was not to state the party line but to create the poetic painting of life in simple yet powerful words. His poetry captured the beauty of the language in simple words and conveyed the agony of the people in a powerful way. It never made cry. His poetry was for action. You should read Chalam's preface to his poetry.
From a ANR movie:
kala Kanidi Viluvainadi ...
Agdhamau jalanidhilo animutya munnatule
sokhala maruguna padi sukhamunnadille
Edi tananta tanai ni dariki radu
sadhinchi sodhinchute dheera gunam
He was a non confirmist and a rebel. he was never able to fit into a party mode and moved away from each of the outfits that he was associated with. He was also a man with many personal flaws. But they made him more of ahuman.
he was also very sharp with words.
Yeah, that's another reason I like him. He was the exact opposite of a party apparatchik. His loyalty was always with the poor people he gave voice and hope to. And he was honest about them as well. I am reminded of the song: "evaro vastaarani edo chestaarani eduru choosi mosapokuma, nijam telisi nidura pokuma"... and then he goes on to chide the "duraasa" of the poor that leads them to buy a lottery ticket with kooli-dabbu.
speaking of poor people:
nailu nadi nagarikatalo samanyuni jeevitamettidi?
taj mahal nirmananiki rallettina coolielevvaru?
samrajyapu danadayatralo samanyuni sahasamettidi?
prabhuvekkina pallaki kadoy adi mosina boyavallevvaru?
nailu nadi nagarikatalo samanyuni jeevitamettidi?
taj mahal nirmananiki rallettina coolielevvaru?
samrajyapu danadayatralo samanyuni sahasamettidi?
prabhuvekkina pallaki kadoy adi mosina boyavallevvaru?
Yeah, this was a gem that I really struggled to translate. I promised my wife I would translate this whole poem, but I am nowhere near done. I was hoping to use CH as the testing ground for my translation, so any feedback is welcome :).
Post your translation on a regular basis . We will rip them.
Will do... thanks! Today's pieces:
E yuddham enduku jarigeno
E rAjyam ennALLundO
tEdIlU dastAvEjulu
ivi kAvOy charitra sAram
What were the causes of which war?
How long did which empire last?
These dates and those documents
Aren't the true essence of history past!
nailu nadi nagarikatalo samanyuni jeevitamettidi?
taj mahal nirmananiki rallettina coolielevvaru?
samrajyapu danadayatralo samanyuni sahasamettidi?
prabhuvekkina pallaki kadoy adi mosina boyavallevvaru?
In the civilization by the Nile
How was the common man's life?
To build the grand Taj Mahal,
Who are the coolies that lifted stones?
Amidst the blitzkreigs of empires
What courage did ordinary people show?
It's not the palanquin of the lord;
Who are the bearers carrying the load?
E yuddham enduku jarigeno
E rAjyam ennALLundO
tEdIlU dastAvEjulu
ivi kAvOy charitra sAram
What were the causes of which war?
How long did which empire last?
These dates and those documents
Aren't the true essence of history past!
nailu nadi nagarikatalo samanyuni jeevitamettidi?
taj mahal nirmananiki rallettina coolielevvaru?
samrajyapu danadayatralo samanyuni sahasamettidi?
prabhuvekkina pallaki kadoy adi mosina boyavallevvaru?
In the civilization by the Nile
How was the common man's life?
To build the grand Taj Mahal,
Who are the coolies that lifted stones?
Amidst the blitzkreigs of empires
What courage did ordinary people show?
It's not the palanquin of the lord;
Who are the bearers carrying the load?
Let me chew on this. Translation is OK.
I read the translation after one full day. It looks good.
"These dates and those documents"
may be "Those dates and these douments" (dates were gone and far away and available documents are here)
"Who are the coolies that lifted stones?"
This came out real nice.
I will continue to look for any scope for improvement. But they look good as they are.
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Good to see you too -- enjoy your vacation!
now what is the difference between "fun" and "FUN" ???...
Besides dont waste the madras heat and sun... and please enjoy there and dont bring them here.