Fairy, a year ago, I had spoken of the similarity between two Tamil songs – ‘Uyire Uyire‘ and ‘Enge Enathu Kavithai‘ – in one of my blog posts. These two do have blue as their dominant colour, with their respective heroines bedecked in ocean blue. I had also written that I will write an article on the likeness these songs have in their lyrics. Only this day, life has let us see what it is! But in this article, I am going to quote the lines of three songs against my assurance. Consider this as a penalty that I am going to pay for being late or a bonus that you’re going to get for the long wait!
The added third song is ‘Santhosha Kanneere‘ from the film ‘Uyire’. Within the lyrics, these three songs have one thing in common. Yes, there is a mention of the creeper growing in a crevice in all this. You may wonder what this has to do with these three grief-stricken songs. Accept or not! For an answer to be born, there must firstly be a question. I, too, doubted how creepers can dwell well in the crack of a rock. Therefore, I did a google search on this and then found out that a few plants that can survive with little nutrition and soil do pierce the crevice.
Now, it is time to know how this characteristic of these creatures has been used to convey human emotions in the quoted songs.
“நான் கரும்பாறை பல தாண்டி வேராக வந்தேன் கண்ணாளன் முகம் பாா்க்கவே”
These fine lines are an extract from the emotional reunion song ‘Uyire Uyire’ from ‘Bombay’, in which a relaxed lady conveys that she has traversed lots and lots of hard, grey rocks like a rootstock, only to behold her beloved’s beauteous face. If you notice cautiously, the creeper in a crevice is used as a symbol of courage. Using this phrase, the woman says that she endured hundreds of hard guards and hardships to be with her man. Now, let us look closely into the second set of lines of the song ‘Enge Enathu Kavithai’, one of a few songs that explicitly details how a woman feels when the man she ‘loves’ leaves.
“பாறையில் செய்தது என் மனம் என்று தோழிக்குச் சொல்லியிருந்தேன் பாறையின் இடுக்கில் வேர்விட்ட கொடியாய் நீ நெஞ்சில் முளைத்து விட்டாய்”
Here, a woman admits that she had once told her confidant that her heart is made of a rock that nobody can break, and even so, breaking that, this man has germinated akin to the creeper in a crevice. In this song, the creeper is used as a symbol of fortuitous love. This is not something she foresees, and also, she is not out on the pull, but love sprouts in her rock-like heart as it does in all. But who knows that sometimes love can be heartbreaking itself? Let us move on to the next song!
“கல்லொன்று தடை செய்த போதும் புல்லொன்று புதுவேர்கள் போடும் நம் காதல் அது போல மீறும்”
A man in love confidently sings to his beloved that like grass that never stops growing, although a stone stops that from doing so, their love will overcome all the stumbling obstacles. Here, the grass is used as a symbol of success. The man believes that evergreen love will eventually prevail akin to a little grass that stands between the cracks of a crevice.
Three songs! Three loves! But the lyricist managed to portray all the feelings with one thing! A creeper in the crevice defines endurance, grievance and also tolerance. Isn’t it that nature is the best dictionary? It does have a meaning for everything!
To be frank as Anne Frank, I have been infected by these songs lately. If you had read my first book ‘I have an interview tomorrow’ published in November 2020, you would have noticed its desperate protagonist walking in the rain like the one who was dead – just like Aishwarya did – while she was rejected in an interview. I hear you say, “Oh, it is just an interview!” No, a loss is a loss irrespective of what we lose, isn’t it? Udhira got rejected! And I did not think that this was something to be rejected.
“Despite being burned in the fire of tears, a corpse walks.”
~ I Have An Interview Tomorrow, Reshma Selvaraj
Like that, if you had read my second book ‘Aval Oru Maram’ which was published in April 2022, you would definitely have taken notice of the sun highly eulogising a tree for being so self-assured thus far.
“கற்களை எதிர்த்தெழுந்து நிற்கையிலும் தற்கொலை செய்து கொள்வதில்லையே நீங்களும்!”
~ மரத்தை நோக்கி சூரியன் சொல்வது, அவள் ஒரு மரம்
Thus, I assure you that a song we listen to today will enlighten something in our life tomorrow. So, listen to songs! No, don’t just hear them! Listen to them, I say! And grab a little chance akin to the creeper that firmly stands in a crevice as the lyricist of these songs has written!
