This is a song which had probably come to me by a blessing. I can't describe in words what this song means to me. This song came to me through my brother. although a Tamilian, I was never very good at understanding the language (something that I repent even now) especially the songs. So when my brother blessed me by giving me this song, I fell entirely in love with the music not understanding a word of the song.
Just as I was crooning in the beauty of the song, my dad told me it was a popular
"Carnatic" Song. It was then that it struck me that my Mom would not only know the song but also what the words meant.
Hence began my first tryst with the depth of this graceful song. Alaipayuthae, the word means Ripples. The following is the literal translation of the song. Thanks to Karthik Ram Ramakrishnan who was gracious enough to include this literal translation on his blog, from which I have so gracelessly snatched it.
God Bless, Hope you like it!
Alaipayuthae -
My mind ripples, O! Kanna,
the joyous bewitching song of your flute.
my mind ripples, O! Kanna!
with your entrancing song
An unmoving statue I stand
time flies by and I know it not
Muraleedhara, the unknowable
my mind ripples
The clear moon blazes as a noon sun
my eyebrows arch, searching the horizon
the breeze brings your ripe melody
and my eyes dizzy, i feel strange
Delight me by granting the place in your difficult heart,
embrace mine, gift it sense and make it bloom
like the ray of the sun that merges with the roaring waves of the ocean
like the anklets in union, make merry
I call you thus with my heart wrenching cries
and you, you revel with other women.
Is this right? Is it proper?
Is it at all just?
While the flute plays, like the dancing foliage
my mind laden with sorrow
ripples, my Kanna, it ripples
with your joyously bewitching song
