A Man's Tribute To Womanhood!

sunkan · Nov 18, 2006

read ur poem......thuditthu ezhuvadu ennangal....

dear sridhar,
mannippom mannippom idupol kettal nichayam mannipom manidanin izhivugalai....regards sunkan

varalotti · Nov 18, 2006

English Translation Of the Poem!

[FONT=&quot]The Confessional Statement[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](English Translation of Abdul Rahmans Poem From the Book “Aalapanai”)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Woman![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]From the days of yore, [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You have risen out of the fires [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]That have burnt you and [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Taken a form of awesome splendour![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You have come to the Court Of Justice[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]With rage to break the anklet 1[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]That was both your witness and your bond![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]With your wounds as mouth and[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Your tears as your words,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You argue![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We are guilty![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] We confess![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We were the leeches that[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Drew Blood from the breasts[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]That fed us![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]It was you who gave birth to us![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And It was you who lost on our account![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You were our eyes,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] And we were your tears![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You were our dress[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] And we your nakedness![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You were our bearings![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] And we were your purdah![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You were our wings,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] And we your, cage![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You were our dawn[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] And we your sunset![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You were the God’s word,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] And we made you an obscenity![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You were the sanctum sanctorum[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] And we made you the privy![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You were behind all our successes,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] And we, behind all your failures![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

varalotti · Nov 18, 2006

Part 2

[FONT=&quot]Goddess Shakti![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We obscenely and unfairly lifted our legs2[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]To score a shameful victory over you, [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And so our history is stained![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]In the life’s game of chess,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We pawned you for our progress![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]While we ourserlves are your alms,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We made you beg at our house-gates![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]You attain puberty to become a mother![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And we are vultures who prey on your flesh![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We laid down the rules of grammar for you,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And we kept ourselves beyond those rules![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]If you sell yourself, we call it prostitution,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And we routinely sell ourselves but[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Glorify it as ‘marriage’[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We laid the rules,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]That we should worship,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]While you should become a ‘Dasi’ 3 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]To serve us all![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We were both the Indras who raped you 4 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And the Gauthamas who cursed you![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Truly we were your curse![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Even the love we have for you[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Is a subtle snare[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And marriage, a permanent bond[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Mother, sister, beloved, wife, daughter[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Concubine and the hooker[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We made you dolls in the silly games [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Of our selfish lives![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Of you are born the incarnations and the Prophets![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]But we called you as the origin of all sins![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We thought we could put you off for ever[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And in the process became lost in darkness![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And now, we stand before you [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]With a heart laden with guilt[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And our head hung down in shame![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]And let the fire of your womanhood burn[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Our sins and make us pure[/FONT]

Footnotes:

1. This refers to the story of Silapadhikaram where Kannagi came with a single anklet and proved before the Pandya King that her husband is blameless.

2. This alludes to the Puranic story where there was a dance competition between Shiva and Parvathi. Here Shiva takes the form of Urdhava Thandavan and lifts his leg high. Parvathi being a woman could not do that. The poet says that this victory is unfair.

3. This reference is to the age old system of devadasis where women born of a particular caste are made God’s brides. Practically they become prostitutes and every one in the village from the priest to the landlord can call them up.

4. This is again a puranic story where Indra lusting after Gauthama’s wife Ahalya, takes the form of her husband and has relationship with her. Rishi Gauthama on coming to know of this curses Indra to be born with a thousand eyes. And the pity is he curses his own wife to be a stone. (Reason: She was so insensitive that she could not distinguish between her husband and a stranger, though the latter was in the former’s guise)

sudhavnarasimhan · Nov 18, 2006

Dear Sridhar,
That was a fantastic translation of the original...and of course it felt good to read two times, first in Tamil and then your english translation. I must say you have done a great job! Shows how much u had relished the original poems....
And of course thanks for he praises you have showered on us WOMEN....(brrr....i feel too chill,"ice, ice" though it is winter here, the temp is as high as 16 or so, but inspite of it i am freezing! :mrgreen: )

But really very kind or should i say bold of you to praise your Wife in public, daughters and mothers are always praised, but Wife , uhm um, no no never....
So i thank you on behalf of Indhu and all the women, for having given a moment to think of the entire womenhood and also for giving us the chance to read these poems by A R, and of course your translation too!
Like Chitra always says, where will we be without the other half...( and what will happen to the PC and LNL, )

anjana · Nov 18, 2006

Thanks Sridhar for the translation

Dear Sridhar,
Was waiting for the man in my life dear hubby to do your job, you have done it!!!!! Now with the translated version I appreciate you even more. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks to Chitra and Safa for their inputs.
Love,

Chitvish · Nov 18, 2006

I hava a hesitation, Sridhar !

To call it a translation, I feel, is not giving you full credit for your work.
You have captured the essential core of the subject, just beautifully.
I reiterate - in my preference, you still score first, with A R coming second !
One of the best things I did recently, seems to be the suggestion I gave you to read the book "alapanai".
You will excel yourself if you attempt translating A R 's ghazal book, Miminikalaal oru kaditham.
All the best Sridhar.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

meenaprakash · Nov 18, 2006

great work!!!

Hello Sridhar,

the translation seems so perfect. I'm going to share this one with some of my non-tamil friends. thanks for taking all the pain to share this wonderful poem with the world.

Chitra, thanks for suggesting this wonderful poem to Sridhar.

Love & regards,

ambika ananth · Nov 19, 2006

wonderful...wonderful...wonderful

Dear Shridhar

Kudos to you..hearty wishes to you...you have become closer to my heart because I am a translator and your translation reads so wonderful and you so adroitly made it read like 'the original'...I felt such a pride rising in me to read your work as a translator.
A translator 'transcreates' the original and thats where the creativity and intelligence of the translator shows....truly wonderful work Shridhar.
I felt wonderful reading it, I felt wonderful for being born as a woman..
Your tribute to the women in your life sounds so genuine and heart-felt, more so because I have met the two important women in your life....your dear wife and your darling daughter. You deserve them and they deserve you..that is all I can say...My deepest love to you and your family
warm regards
ambika

Kamla · Nov 19, 2006

I am thriving!

Dear Sridhar,

Again, I have stolen a few minutes of sleep to spend it here. I was looking forward to these few minutes all through the hectic day. I am sure that my relatives think I am addicted to computer and may even think that I am going crazy
Let me tell you, everything is worth it because reading your Tribute to Womanhood was a thrill and pleasure. I too am included in your tribute, it felt good.
Like others have mentioned, I have often heard man praising and respecting his mother, even his sister. But to praise his wife so generously, he needs to be a very generous soul, no doubt. Besides, he should also have a great self confidence to do that. Unless the man himself is a gem, he will not be able to praise the gem of a wife so openly. Hats off to you.
Your daughter too must be one lucky girl to have such a chivalrous dad.
Once again, glad to know you sir!
As for the translation, I need not add anymore to what Ambika has written so aptly and beautifully. My heart is full of sweet pride at being a woman having read what was written not only by AR in such a soulful manner, but also by you in such a wonderful translation which gives another shining facet to the same diamond of a poem. Thank you.

Love and Regards,
Kamla

varalotti · Nov 19, 2006

I owe it to you, Chitra

Dear Chitra,
But for you I would not have even known about the existence of that book. It was your SMS that gave me the impetus to buy the book and read the first verse. And after reading I could not go any further. My mind was so full that I have not touched the book yet to read the next verse.

The beauty is I met Abdul Rahman in the recent book fair at Madurai. I had known about him and wanted to go and talk to him. But I was also afraid that poetic geniuses may have bad moods at times. And if he uses some strong words I might develop a prejudice against him. Hence I kept away.
But it took you to travel the entire 491 kms to Madurai, go to the bookshop here buy the book and then sms me about the book.

As to the women in my life nothing I have stated is an exaggeration. I might have underplayed my wife's role in my making.

I am sure very few men in the world would have this rarest privilege of being pampered by some 1700 of the world's finest women. My penance in my past lives has given me this blessing. I am ready to do the same kind of penance again and again to retain this blessing.

regards,
sridhar