What makes a poem beautiful?
Is it the words used? Is it
the way these are used? Is it the description? Or is there anything beyond all
these?
Here is a poem from
Kalitthogai, which is part of the Cangam literature:
ஒரு குழை ஒருவன் போல், இணர் சேர்ந்த மராஅமும்
பருதி அம் செல்வன் போல், நனை ஊழ்த்த செருந்தியும்
மீன் ஏற்றுக் கொடியோன் போல், மிஞிறு ஆர்க்கும் காஞ்சியும்
ஏனோன்
போல், நிறம் கிளர்பு கஞலிய ஞாழலும்
தீது
தீர் சிறப்பின் ஐவர்கள் நிலை போல
போது
அவிழ் மரத்தொடு பொருகரை கவின் பெற
நோ
தக வந்தறால், இளவேனில்
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The Kadamba(Oak) tree with clusters of flowers resembles Balarama with a
single ear ring, the Cherunthi (Golden blossom) tree with its red buds resembles
the Sun, with the bees humming, the Kanchi(Portia) tree resembles the one with
the fish flag(Manmatha), the gnaazhal tress resembles Saama, the brother of
Manmatha, the ilavam (Silk cotton) resembles the one whose flag has the
bull(Shiva). With these 5 trees resembling the faultless 5 Gods, the shore
looks beautiful. But alas! The shore is attacked by the waves. Early summer has
set in.
The heroine who is filled with love and therefore filled with thoughts
about her man, describes the different trees and compares each tree with a
God(note that Balarama and even Saama, who is little known and who is
supposedly the brother of Kaama, are considered as Gods here!). But unable to
bear the separation, she says that the summer has set in just to trouble her.
While the beauty of the trees reminds her of the days when she was with
him, the waves and the summer show the reality, that is the separation.
Moreover, Manmatha and his brother are soft while the other three are
aggressive. Can contrasts get any better than this?
What makes the poem beautiful- words, their usage, the description, the
similes or the contrasts?
The answer is - all of the above plus that ‘something’ which cannot be
described but which can be felt by the reader.
It is this ‘something’ which makes a work exceptional and matchless.
On this special day, let us look at one such work which though is not a
poem, has that remarkable beauty. After all, isn’t great music, poetic and
great poem, musical?
Without a trace of doubt,
‘Meenkodi theril Manmatha raajan’ from ‘Karumbu Vil’(1980) is musically poetic.
It is a romantic song of course, but the very mention of Kaama’s name gives it
a special complexion and must have made the composer tune it in Mohanam, a raga
which is happy, romantic and classical. It also has an hidden poignancy which
can be felt only by people who are ultra-sensitive.
Mohanam has always attained a
very special status in the hands of the Maestro and this song is no exception.
The very beginning of the song
is different. It starts with a thunder like sound as if to welcome the Kaamadeva. The bass percussion sounds ‘ta ka dhi’ leaving the last syllable ‘mi’
out. The chorus starts with flourish with an humming which sounds like tribal
folk. In fact, this humming itself is the leitmotif of the song. Even as the
humming reaches a crescendo with the percussion sounding the pattern seen in
the beginning, the shehnai takes over and imperceptibly gives a perceptible
auspicious feeling. The percussion now sounds ‘ta – dhi mi’ giving kaarvai
between the first and the third syllable. The santoor follows and gives the
sketch of Mohanam in a trice.
The Pallavi in the voice of
Yesudas sounds alluringly beautiful with only two swaras -ri and ga- appearing
in the major part of the first line and the individual swaras repeating
themselves- gagagagaga/papapapapa/dhadhadhadha/ giving it a special sheen. The
last line shows the brilliance of the composer with three swaras joining
together and going in a descent-Sadhapa/dhapaga/pagari/garisa.
The eclectic electric guitar
gives some ornate images of Mohanam in the beginning of the first interlude.
The chorus follows and sings the tribal humming which covers Mohanam
exhaustively with the tapering at the end, making it more enticing.
It is the translucent melody
from the flute which gives a kind of tantalising effect, in keeping with the
quality of Manmatha. How this has mesmerised even the other instruments is
obvious from the way the guitar sounds towards the end.
The lines in the CharaNams are
beguilingly beautiful and what gives this quality is the way the swaras are
aligned with the higher-octave Ri and Ga making their appearance. Added to this
is the bewitching melody from the santoor after the first line. The fact that
the first two phrases in the beginning(and this includes the Pallavi as well)
go without percussion cannot be missed.
The shehnai is the beginning
of the second interlude takes us to empyrean heights and this is not just
because it plays in higher-octave but also because of the softness and
suppleness in the sound. The long flute which appears for the first time, is
coruscating and spreads a divine light. There is that subtle sense of poignancy
too which shows the contrast of life.
The chorus continues the
journey in higher-octave with the santoor sounding with a sense of aesthetics.
What makes a piece of music
beautiful?
Swaras? The way these are
used? The instruments? The way these are used? The raga? The way it is used?
Or is there anything beyond
all these?
Perhaps the five different
trees might give an answer. Perhaps, they may not.
Beauty has to be felt.
When words fail, there is feeling.
When words fail, there is Music!
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