MINNAMINUNGUKAL
April 5, 2013
I read SK's latest poem,'Minnaminungukal' only today because Leelamma and I had
gone to Mafikeng,130 kms from here,to visit some friends,and stayed there overnight.
Mafikeng is the capital of North West Province,which is also known as the Platinum
Province,because it is the centre of platinum mining in South Africa.
When I read this poem,immediately a golden hit of Dasettan came to my mind."Madhumathi
iniyunarru,indupushpaharamaniyu.....Madhumathi....from "Gandhrva Kshethram'.It's a unique
song that evokes the senses.To listen to that song is a dream-like experience.
I have similar,dream-like experiences when I read SK's poem.Pranayathinte soundarya sankalpangale
aswadakante manasilekku avahippikkunna imageriyanu ee kavithayil SK valare thanmayathwathode
varachu vechirikkunnathu.Oru Malayaliyude manassil ettavum sexy aaya oru sankalpamanu
eeranuduthu mudiyazhichitta oru pennu."rathriyam sundari mudiyazhichidunmbol'.Do you remember
the lyrics of Thikkurissi,"karkoomthal kettinenthinu vasana thailam?"
SK has created very sensuous,romantic images of the night.He conjures the fragrance of
the palapoovu,even though he hasn't mentioned it.The imagery of the doves perfectly
suits the atmosphere created by the poet.
The second stanza goes a step further in creating the picture of the night,giving a total effect
with the image of flowers,snow,stars and minnaminungu.When I read this poem,I remember
Keats's poem,'The Eve of St.Agnes,which is famous for its unique imagery of the night.
The power of poetry is like magic.I had studied 'The Eve of St.Agnes' in 1969,but that
forgotten poem resurfaced from the depths of my memory,due to the magical effect of
SK's beautiful lines.
St.Agnes Eve-Ah bitter chill it was
The owl,for all its feathers was a-cold
The hare limped trembling through the frozen grass
And silent was the flock in wooly fold
Numb were the beadsman's fingers,while he told
His rosary,and while his frosted breath....
I'm quoting these lines because SK has followed the footsteps of Keats,in creating the
atmosphere of the night.
I like the line
Aakasakovilil minnunnu tharakal
because 'kovil' is a word associated with our psyche,regardless of religious beliefs
Kovil' shows the sanctity he gives to love.
The first line of the 3rd stanza reminds me of of the lines of an old hit.''neeyum njanum
nammude premavum kaimaratha vikaramundo.."
''pradakshnam veykkunnu kattin karangalil"
I thnk,in the above lines,the poet hints his apprhensions about his pranayam.Kattu (wind)
here is a metaphor,meaning fate.Love ,in some cases,is under the unpredictable control
of Fate,as in Romeo and Juliet.
The poet concludes with another sensuous imagery,that of the 'mulla' flower which is
associated with the charm of South Indian women.Again,the imagery of the kavu,a favourite
of SK,is effectively used in ,''nee padivannoreekkavu neele''.This evokes the sense of a
'gandharva kshethram''.Nigoodathakal olinjirikkunna kavu.
The title ,'Minnaminungukal" refers to the lovers.The minnaminungukal appear in
the night,and they are short-lived,mysterious and beautiful like pranayam.Perhaps
there is a feeling that,like the minnaminungukal,pranayam is a mirage.
The visuals are perfect.The letters represent 'minnaminungukal' and the black backdrop
the night.
* * * *
April 5, 2013
I read SK's latest poem,'Minnaminungukal' only today because Leelamma and I had
gone to Mafikeng,130 kms from here,to visit some friends,and stayed there overnight.
Mafikeng is the capital of North West Province,which is also known as the Platinum
Province,because it is the centre of platinum mining in South Africa.
When I read this poem,immediately a golden hit of Dasettan came to my mind."Madhumathi
iniyunarru,indupushpaharamaniyu.....Madhumathi....from "Gandhrva Kshethram'.It's a unique
song that evokes the senses.To listen to that song is a dream-like experience.
I have similar,dream-like experiences when I read SK's poem.Pranayathinte soundarya sankalpangale
aswadakante manasilekku avahippikkunna imageriyanu ee kavithayil SK valare thanmayathwathode
varachu vechirikkunnathu.Oru Malayaliyude manassil ettavum sexy aaya oru sankalpamanu
eeranuduthu mudiyazhichitta oru pennu."rathriyam sundari mudiyazhichidunmbol'.Do you remember
the lyrics of Thikkurissi,"karkoomthal kettinenthinu vasana thailam?"
SK has created very sensuous,romantic images of the night.He conjures the fragrance of
the palapoovu,even though he hasn't mentioned it.The imagery of the doves perfectly
suits the atmosphere created by the poet.
The second stanza goes a step further in creating the picture of the night,giving a total effect
with the image of flowers,snow,stars and minnaminungu.When I read this poem,I remember
Keats's poem,'The Eve of St.Agnes,which is famous for its unique imagery of the night.
The power of poetry is like magic.I had studied 'The Eve of St.Agnes' in 1969,but that
forgotten poem resurfaced from the depths of my memory,due to the magical effect of
SK's beautiful lines.
St.Agnes Eve-Ah bitter chill it was
The owl,for all its feathers was a-cold
The hare limped trembling through the frozen grass
And silent was the flock in wooly fold
Numb were the beadsman's fingers,while he told
His rosary,and while his frosted breath....
I'm quoting these lines because SK has followed the footsteps of Keats,in creating the
atmosphere of the night.
I like the line
Aakasakovilil minnunnu tharakal
because 'kovil' is a word associated with our psyche,regardless of religious beliefs
Kovil' shows the sanctity he gives to love.
The first line of the 3rd stanza reminds me of of the lines of an old hit.''neeyum njanum
nammude premavum kaimaratha vikaramundo.."
''pradakshnam veykkunnu kattin karangalil"
I thnk,in the above lines,the poet hints his apprhensions about his pranayam.Kattu (wind)
here is a metaphor,meaning fate.Love ,in some cases,is under the unpredictable control
of Fate,as in Romeo and Juliet.
The poet concludes with another sensuous imagery,that of the 'mulla' flower which is
associated with the charm of South Indian women.Again,the imagery of the kavu,a favourite
of SK,is effectively used in ,''nee padivannoreekkavu neele''.This evokes the sense of a
'gandharva kshethram''.Nigoodathakal olinjirikkunna kavu.
The title ,'Minnaminungukal" refers to the lovers.The minnaminungukal appear in
the night,and they are short-lived,mysterious and beautiful like pranayam.Perhaps
there is a feeling that,like the minnaminungukal,pranayam is a mirage.
The visuals are perfect.The letters represent 'minnaminungukal' and the black backdrop
the night.
* * * *
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