“A Song without any rhyme” – Bharadhidasan
In those days, if someone spoke wrongly to me, they would say, “What, you are speaking without even an ‘Eganai Moganai’ எகனை மொகனை.” “What the hell is that?” I thought about that for many days. I once asked my father. “He said it means that I speak without ‘Edukai’ and ‘Monai’. That is, one who speaks without regularity is called that. Even in speaking, we should mix Ekuai and Monai. It should be pleasant to the ears of the listeners. Even In folk speech, grammar and sandamam should be roped together. That’s what it means,” said my father.
hen I was wondering how Tamil is intertwined with life in the habits of ordinary people, “If it matters this much to speak then how much discipline do you need to write a song! That’s how someone came to our teacher (Bharatidasan) and asked how it would be to write a song without rhythm.” My father continued.
“Really! Tell me the news,” I said eagerly.
“Bharathidasan would write in the evenings when he came home from work. Lying on his mat, propped up by a pillow, he would write fast. On the other hand, he will be smoking a “Nashianel” cigarette. No one would talk to him while he was writing.
One evening when Bharathidasan was writing, I (Puthuvai Shivam) and Radhakrishnan (Sithan) were sitting in the paddock and talking about Yapu. Then Govindaswamy came. He is younger than us. Comfortable homeboy. He used to visit Bharathidasan’s house from time to time. When he came, he was listening to us talking about yapu, ketkai, monai, suddenly crossed the path, went to Bharathidasan who was lying on the verandah writing, and said “What..”
Without any response, Bharathidasan continued to write. Again and again, Bharathidasan said “Inna” without raising his head. “What would it be like to write a song without a rhyme?” Govindaswamy said. Bharathidasan, who was writing, suddenly raised his head and asked, “What did you hear?” said.
What would it be like to write a song without a rhyme?” Govindaswamy asked again. He raised his voice loudly and shouted, “Mayirattam irukum” (would be like hair) ( A slang in Tamil to describe absurdness/nonsense)Â Bharathidasan said. After saying it, he started writing.
Govindaswamy’s condition has deteriorated. Siddha and I who were sitting on the pad ran inside and took Govindaswamy’s hand and brought him outside. Then he said to him, “Emba! You have been talking to us then why did you go to him and ask like this? He usually gets angry. Leave it here! Go home safely!” We sent him on his way,” concluded my father.
(Mr. Siddan (Radhakrishnan) later told me about this incident in the late 1930s. Mr. Na Govindasamy also told me about the same incident).
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