The lullaby in Tamil sung by Bombay Jayashri certainly deserves a prize for the Best Original Song category in the upcoming Oscar 2013. Her mellifluent lyrics and tune will certainly put the child to sleep. Here are the lyrics of Irayimman Thampi and some lines from another Thalattu (lullaby song) in Tamil.
One line says: Malaro, malarin amudho, Are you the flower? Or, the nectar of the flower?
Another set of lines say:
Mayilo, thogai mayilo,
Kuyilo, koovum kuyilo
Are you the peacock, plumed peacock? Are you the nightingale or singing nightingale?
While the metaphors of flower, honey, peacock, nightingale are common between Irayimman Thampi's lyric and Jayashri's lyric, I find that the lucid lines of Jayashri are in no way an attempt at plagiarising the famous lines of Thampi. Such comparisons are virtual standards in many lyrics of Carnatic music of which Jayashri is an exponent.
The so-called allegation of plagiarism is NOT warranted and is a diversion from the richly deserved recognition for the beautiful rendering of a lullaby by the Carnatic vocalist who also has made her mark in singing devotional carnatic music. In fact, all Carnatic music is devotional:
Irayimman Thampi: lyrics
Raga Kurinchi
Tala Adhi
Omanathinkal Kidavo,
Nalla Komala Thamara Poovo,
Poovil Niranja Madhuvo,
Pari poornendu thande nilavo,
Puthan Pavizha kodiyo,
cheru thathakal konjum mozhiyo,
Chanjadiyadum Mayilo,
mridhu panjamam padum kuyilo,
Thullumilaman kidavo,
sobha kollunnorannakodiyo,
Eswaran Thanna Nidhiyo,
Parameshwariyenthum kiliyo,
Parijathathin Thaliro,
ente bhagya drumathin phalamo,
Vatsalya ratnathe veppan,
ma ma vachoru kanchana cheppo,
Drishtikku vechoramrutho,
kooriruttathu vecha vilakko,
Keerthi lathakkulla vitho,
ennum kedu varathulla mutho,
Arthi thimiram kalavan
ulla marthanda deva prabhayo,
Sookthiyil kanda porulo,
athi sookshamam veenaravamo,
Vambicha Sandoshavalli,
thande kombathu pootha poovalli,
Pichakathin Malar chendo,
navinnischa nalkunna kalkando,
Kasthuri thande manamo,
perthum sathukkalkulla gunamo,
Poomanametoru katto,
ettam ponnil kalarnnoru matto,
Kachkkurukkiya Palo,
nalla gandhamezhum panineero,
Nanma Vilayum nilamo,
bahu dharmangal vazhum grahamo,
Daham kalayum jalamo,
marga khetham kalayum thanalo,
Vadatha mallikappovo,
jnanum thedi vachulla dhanamo,
Kanninu Nalla Kaniyo,
ma ma kai vanna chinthamaniyo,
Lavanya Punya Nadhiyo,
Unni karvarnnan thande kaliyo,
Lakshmi bhagavathi thande thirunetti melitta kuriyo,
Ennunnikrishnan Janicho, Parilingane Vesham Dharicho,
Padmanabhan Than Kripayo, Muttum bhagyam varunna vazhiyo.
1.Is he the darling baby of the moon?
Is he a very pretty lotus flower?
Is he the honey filled inside the flower?
Is he the soothing light of the full moon?
2.Is he the newly formed coral reef?
Is he prattling of the parrots?
Is he the slowly moving peacock?
Is he the sweet song by the Nightingale?
3.Is he a jumping baby of the deer?
Is he the swan which shines?
Is he the treasure given by God?
Is he the parrot held by Parvathy?
4.Is he the tender leaves of Parijatha?
Is he the result of my lucky streak?
Is he a golden box given to me to store the gem of my love?
5.Is he the pot of nectar kept for taking out an evil eye?
Is he a lamp kept in pitch darkness?
Is he the seed for the creeper of fame?
Is he the pearl that never gets spoiled?
6.Is he the light of the Sun god,
Meant to remove cataract and gluttony,
Is he the meaning of philosophy?
Is he a very lower note of Veena?
7.Is he the flower at the end of the creeper of happiness?
Is he the bouquet made of sweet scented jasmine flowers?
Is he the sugar candy which creates desire in the tongue?
8.Is he the incense of the musk?
Is he the property of good people?
Is he the wind carrying scent of flowers?
Is he that which makes the gold more pure?
9.Is he boiled and condensed milk?
Is he the rose water with sweet scent?
Is he the land from which goodness is reaped?
Is he the house where great charities live?
10.Is he the water which removes the thirst?
Is he the shade which removes tiredness in travel?
Is he the jasmine flower which never fades?
Is he the money that I have earned?
11.Is he the lucky first sight to the eye?
Is he the wishing gem that I have got?
Is he a pretty holy river?
Is he the play of the baby Krishna who is black?
12.Is he the dot worn in the forehead by Goddess Lakshmi?
Is he the baby Krishna who has dressed like my baby?
Is he the gift of Lord Padmanabha?
Is he the luck entering my courtyard?
Life of Pi: Tamil Lullaby by Bombay Jayashree.
KaNNe, KaNmaNiye
KaNNurangai ponne
Mayilo, thogai mayilo,
Kuyilo, koovum kuyilo
Nilavo, Nilavin oLiyo
Imaiyo, Imaiyin kanavo
Rararo…Rararo…
Rararo…Rararo…
Malaro, malarin amudho,
Kaniyo, senkaniyin suvaiyo
Rararo…Rararo…
……..
My dear one, the jewel of my eye,
Sleep my dear precious one.
You are the peacock, the dancing peacock,
You are the koel, the singing koel,
You are the moon, light of the moon,
You are the eyelid, dreams that wait on the eyelids.
Rararo…Rararo…
Rararo…Rararo…
You are the flower, nectar of the flower
You are the fruit, sweetness of the fruit.
Rararo…Rararo…
Compare this with another Tamil lullaby to quieten a crying baby and put the baby to sleep :
Aararo arirao ariraro ararooo….
Athai adichalo aralipoochendaley,
Chithi adichalo shanbhagapoo chendaley,
…
The use of aararo ariraro is in rhythm with iravo (which refers to ‘night’ in Tamil).
The use of the words peacock and nightingale (mayil, kuyil are the Tamil words) is to emphasise the alliteration of the syllable – yil.
I do not find anything to indicate that Jayashri plagiarized the lyrics of Irayimman Thampi.
Bombay Jayashri's nomination for Oscar 2013 for Best Original Song is a richly deserved recognition. She should win the award on January 24, 2013.
Kalyanaraman