Lyrics: Vairamuthu Ragam: Ritigowlai
Music: Sujatha Vijayaraghavan Talam: Chatusra Ekam
I Shall Sing of Trees
Tree
Creation’s painting
Exclamation mark of the earth
Contemplating the tree
A heart warming experience
Boughs
Angling for the stars
Leaves
Wherein laughter is poured
Blossoms
Brimming with life
Wisdom that Man gives not
Tree will give me.
To birds and animals
Assurance the tree gives
Do we humans give?
Fruit to eat – Shade to rest
Balm for the body – Feast to the senses
Hovel for haven – Door to bar
Fence beauteous – A hammock to swing
Unguent to smear – Oil to season
Paper to write on – Fuel to burn
It is the tree (Maram Thaan)
It is the tree (Maram Thaan)
All from the tree
Forgotten (Maran Thaan)
Forgotten (Maran Thaan)
Man has forgotten
Ah man!
Do you wish to turn human?
Come unto the tree!
Everyone is a Bodhi tree.
- Excerpts from the poem in Tamil by Vairamuthu
- Translated by Sujatha Vijayaraghavan
(The song is an extract from the Pudu Kavithai “Marangalai Paduvane,” by the famous contemporary poet Vairamuthu. The poet describes the beauty and utility of trees and their role in the cycle of life. Man has forgotten the bounties he has received from trees
and indulges in large scale felling and destruction of his benefactors. Every tree is a Bodhi tree, says the poet, punning on the word “Bodhi”, which as an adjective means “one who gives precepts.” The unequal lines of the poem have been set to Chatusra Eka
talam, the easy flowing rhythmic cycle of four beats and the ragam chosen to bring out the meaning of the lines is Ritigowlai. The repetition of the word “Maranthaan,” which is a pun denoting the tree and man’s ingratitude, is sung like a chant.
This was the first Pudu Kavithai to be performed in BharataNatyam and was staged for the first time on 27th December, 1992. It was set to music by Sujatha, choreographed by Rhadha and danced by Sunanda for the Nrityagitaanubhavam Prakriti
See clips from this performance at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrhgJytYXXQ