- Tamil -

When you hear the words "Tamil" and "Poetry", I immediately think of Maha Kavi Subramanya Bharathi.. (one of the greatest poets)

Lately, I have been listening to a lot of his poems that have been rendered by great Carnatic music stalwarts.. The album "Atma" by Bombay Jayashri is awesome! (The name of the complete album is: Atma: Soul - A Glimpse Into The Poetry Of Subramanya Bharathi)..

A specific song that moves me because of its lyrics is "Manathil Uridhi Vendum".. the beauty of this song is that it's timeless..

Here is a translation of this poem..
http://www.cs.utk.edu/~siddhart/tamilnadu/POEMS/poem_man.html

O Mind, be firm in your principles
and Speech be pleasant and refined;
Cherish noble thoughts;
and may your cherished desires be attained;
May your dreams come true
and may you achieve your goals quickly;
Seek Wealth, Happiness,
and Fame in this World.

Awaken the eye of wisdom
and pursue your goals with determination;
Let Women attain liberation
and let God protect us all;
Let the land be bountiful and
let us gaze upon heaven;
Let Truth alone be Victorious
and lasting forever;


--Translated by M.S.Ravisankar