I cannot remember if I became a fan of Guruvugaaru Sirivennela Sitarama Sastry and so started liking lyrics or if it is the another way. But however it happened, I am really liking this experience over these years. So this article of mine is to share that experience with others. They say a thing of beauty is a joy forever. On the same lines, a song with beautiful lyrics is a life changing experience. There is a common misconception that the songs today lack the lyrical beauty of yesteryears but I beg to differ. I feel we have lesser people that appreciate good lyrics and so a good lyric is never getting its due recognition in this era.
So my attempt here is to get that recognition to the songs that deserve it. And in the process may encourage people to bring closer to our beautiful language, Telugu. A poet’s work, more often than not, contains some abstractness attached to it. I shall try and give that abstractness a meaning.
Today’s song: Daredumdadum
Movie: Mukunda
Lyricist: SirivennelaSitaramaSastry
I know what you might be thinking. Yes, we have heard this song so many times and we do not think there are any great lyrics in this. I was under the same impression for almost a year. But I listened to the lyrics in the song only recently and discovered how magical it is. This is a very busy lyric. As in long sentences and a magical message that present itself at the end of those long sentences. Sample this…
యుగాలెన్నిరానిపోనిముగింపంటులేనేలేనికథేమనంకాదాఅననీ
సమీపానఉన్నాగానికదల్లేనిఈదూరాన్నిమరోఅడుగుముందుకురానీ
నినుననుజతకలిపితెగాని, తనపనిపూర్తవదనుకోని, మనవెనుకనెతరుముతురాని, ఈక్షణాన్ని
గడిచినప్రతిజన్మయుగాన్ని, మరిచినమదినిదురనుకరిగించేనిజంఇదేనని
మరిఒకసారిముడిపడుతున్నఅనుబంధాన్నిచూడని
దరెదందందదరెదందం
Yugalenni Raani Poni Mugupantu lene leni Kathe Manam Kaada Anani
Sameepana Unna Gani Kadalleni ee Dooranni Maro Adugu Munduku Raani
Ninu Nanu Jatha Kalipithe Gani Thanapani Purthavadanukoni Mana Venkane Tharumuthu Rani Ee Kshananni
Gadichina Prathi Janma Runanni Marichina Madhi Nidarani Kariginche Nijam Idenani
Mari Okasari Mudi Paduthunna Anubhandanni Chudani
Daredumdadum Daredumdum
This is Sastrygaru conveying the logic behind love at first sight. I feel that is one weakness of Sastrygaru, the weakness we all adore. He has to include logic. Here he says, that their love story is not today’s or this life’s. It has been there for ages across their many lives. So they need to cut short the distances between them and unite. He also says that the feeling they are experiencing at this moment is some force trying to remind them of all their past love stories and in turn make them wake up to the reality of their eternal and ageless love. He concludes the stanza by saying that now that they remember it all, their love is rekindled in this life as “Love at first sight”. And that my friends, is Sastrygari magic.
ప్రతిమలుపుదారిచూపదాగంగాసాగరసంగమానికి
ప్రతిచినుకువంతెనెయ్యదానింగీనెలలకలపడానికి
ఏకాలంఆపిందిఆకలయికని
ప్రాయమెపుడుఅడిగిందియెటుఉందీతనతీరంఅనియెపుడెదురవుతుందితానని
Prathi Malupu Daari Chupada Ganga Sagara Sangamaniki
Prathi Chinuku Vanthenaveyada Ningi Neelanu Kalapadaniki
Ee Kaalam Aapindi aa Kalaikani
Pranayam Yepudu Adigindi Yetu Undi Thana Theeram Ani Yepudu Yeduravthundi Taanani
This stanza very beautifully explains how nothing, not even time, can stop fate. He takes the examples of unions of rivers with oceans and sky with earth and how time could not prevent it from happening when the right time (seasons) arrived. He concludes it by saying that, like the river does not ask anyone to find its final destination, the heart, when of the right age, does not need to ask anyone for its companion. Instead, nature conspires to present him/her to you when it is time.
ఏస్వప్నంతనకిసొంతమోచూపించాలకంటిపాపకి
ఏస్నేహంతనకిచైత్రమోవివరించాలపూలతోటకి
వేరెవరోచెప్పాలాతనమనసిదని
గాలిఎవరినడగాలితానెవ్వరిగుండెలగూటిలోఊపిరిగాకొలువుండాలని
Ye Swapnam Thanaki Sonthamo Chupinchala Kanti Paapaki
Ye Sneham Thanki Chaitramo Vivarinchala Poola Thotaki
Verevaro Cheppala Thana Manasu Idani
Gaali Yevarini Adagali Thanevvari Gundela Gutilo Upiriga Koluvundalani
In this last stanza, he explains how one does not need others to show them their soulmate. When you meet them you would just know. He beautifully explains it by comparing with how our eyes do not need our input on which dream it has to see and how a garden does not need anyone to tell it when the spring arrives. They just know and that is nature. When the time comes, they just fall in love without taking permission from anyone, even the one you are falling in love with. Just like, the air we breathe does not even need permission from us to enter our body. That last line has a beautiful meaning combined with beautiful language.
Now listen to the whole song this time and focus on lyrics. They are surely worth it. Below is the youtube link.
– Column by Rohit