1988

When I first left Sri Lanka for the USA in 1988 Bharathi's poems was one of the three Tamil books I took along with some other English books

Nirpathuve nadapathuve-from Movie Bharathy

pleasure & inspiration

Later in Canada I bought a new copy of his poems & constantly read it for sheer pleasure & also for emotional inspiration

Tamil films

Many of his poems have been sung by eminent singers in Tamil films. I have some CD's of those that I listen to very,very frequently.

greatest

Bharathy praises Thiruvalluvar, Ilango & Kambar as the greatest poets. But for people like me Bharathi is the greatest Thamizh "Kavignan" (poet)

journalist

Apart from being a poet Bharathi was a journalist & edited many journals. He was the first Indian Editor to introduce cartoons&caricatures

French Pondichery

Bharathy refused to support the British rulers&defied them through his poetry& writings.He had to flee British India to French Pondichery

principles

He was born on Dec11th 1882 & died at age 39. Refusing to compromise on principles he led a life of poverty. Only 14 people attended his funeral

AVM

AVM Chettiar bought rights to Bharathi's songs from Gramophone company Surajmal & Sons for Rs 10,000.

free of charge

AVM Chettiar popularised Bharathi's songs by using them movies but magnanimously granted his ownership rights to the Country free of charge

"Shelleydasan"

Bharathi was inspired by English poet Shelley.In his youth he used the pseudonym "Shelleydasan" meaning devotee or disciple of Shelley

a slide presentation with the song "Mangiyathor Nilaviniley"

Byron's

Other English poets who inspired him were Keats & Byron. Bharathi's poem "Mangiyathor Nilaviniley" was inspired by Byron's "She walks in beauty"

"odes"

His"Kuyilpaatu"(koel song)was inspired by "odes" to a skylark & nightingale by Shelley & Keats. Shelley's "ode to westwind" inspired "Kaatru"(wind)

stage & screen

Bharati's songs were well-rendered on stage & screen by DK Pattammal,MS Subbulakshmi, M LVasanthakumari, TM Soundarajan & Seerkali Govindarajan etc

"KappalotiyaThamizhan"

All songs used in films "KappalotiyaThamizhan" & "Elavathu Manithan"were Bharati's poems. G.Ramanathan & L.Vaidyanathan composed music respectively

Velli Panimalayin Meedhulavuvom ~ "KapalotiyaThamizhan"

SVSubbiah

In the bio-pic on him Marathi actor Shayaji Shinde played Bharathi. But in my view SVSubbiah portrayed Bharathi best in"KapalotiyaThamizhan"

censored

Interestingly a film song by Bharathi was censored in Sri Lanka. Two lines from a song in the the film "Kaikodutha Deivam" were slashed

offending

The offending lines were "Singala theevinukor Paalam Amaipom, Sethuvai Meduruthi Veethi samaipom"sung by Sivaji playing Bharathi on screen

"Kaikodutha Deivam" - Sindu nathiyin

bridge

The lines meant"we'll build a bridge to the Sinhala Island. We'll build a road through the sea".It was a bridge of amity he meant but then?

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