subbramanya bharati

Bharati's Poetry

His poetry expressed a progressive, reformist ideal. His imagery and the vigour of his verse were a forerunner to modern Tamil poetry in many respects. He was the forerunner of a forceful kind of poetry that combined classical and contemporary elements. He had a prodigious output penning thousands of verses on diverse topics like Indian Nationalism, the National Flag, the Mahabharat, love songs, children's songs, songs of nature, glory of the Tamil language, and odes to prominent freedom fighters of India like Tilak, Gandhi andLajpat Rai. He even penned an ode to New Russia and Belgium. His poetry includes works on Allah and Jesus. His insightful similies have been read by millions of Tamil readers.

His poems are brimming with a vigour which is unmatched by his contemporaries in Tamil Nadu. If it is love that oozes through his Kannamma songs or valour which breaks through the lines in his patriotic songs he managed to capture the imagination of generations of Tamilians. Like a fire that lights up anything which comes in touch with it, his poems aroused the passions of Tamilians and gave them the impetus to participate in the national freedom struggle with gusto. His poems stand out for beauty in both the form and content.

அக்கினிக் குஞ்சொன்று கண்டேன் அதை அங்கொரு காட்டிடை பொந்தினில் வைத்தேன் வெந்து தணிந்தது காடு தழல் வீரத்தில் குஞ்சென்றும் மூப்பென்றும் உண்டோ

Translation- not exact- I found a tiny little flame and put that in a hole in a forest. The forest was burnt down. Is there youth or age to valour?

The economy of words, the tightness of the construction, the vividness of the imagery and the fierceness that comes through the meaning.... that is quintessential Bharathi.

Or take the case of the song where he describes the dance of Shakthi in the following lines:

சக்திப் பேய் தான் தலையொடு தலைகள் முட்டிச் சட்டச் சட சட சடவென்றுடைபடு தாளம் கொட்டி அங்கே எத்திகினிலும் நின்விழி அனல் போய் எட்டித் தானே எரியும் கோலம் கண்டே சாகும் காலம் அன்னை அன்னை ஆடுங்கூத்தை நாடச் செய்தாய் என்னை

The holocaust of the dance of destruction that happens at the end of the world, life and everything that human mind knows or can imagine comes through in the vivid lines.

His poetry stands out for many facets of his love for his motherland. His love for his motherland knew no bounds. He passionately dreamt of the day his country would lead the world in culture, trade, literature and every other aspect of life. And penned those dreams in living words. Here is a sample:

பட்டினில் உடையும் பஞ்சினில் ஆடையும் பண்ணி மலைகளென வீதி குவிப்போம் கட்டித் திரவியங்கள் கொண்டு வருவார் காசினி வணிகருக்கு அவை கொடுப்போம்

Here he imagines a scenario where the country has produced the finest dresses in cotton and silk and selling them to traders who are coming to India from all over the world .

He berates his countrymen for many social evils. He chastises them for a fearful and pusillanimous attitude towards the rulers. He sound a clarion call for national unity, removal of casteism and the removal of oppression of women. He calls for the British to leave the motherland in forceful ways at one point saying "Even if Indians are divided, they are children of One Mother, where is the need for foreigners to interfere?"

Even in the period 1910–1920, when freedom was far away and with Mahatma Gandhi as just an emerging force, with a tremendous sense of positive expectation, he talks of a new and free India where there are no castes. He eloquently imagines all-round social and economic development. He talks of building up India's defence, her ships sailing the high seas, success in manufacturing and universal education. He calls for sharing amongst states with wonderful imagery like the diversion of excess water of the Bengal delta to needy regions. He talks of a bridge to Sri Lanka earlier Ceylon. He even desired greater co-operation between India and her neighbours a vision realised more than 60 years after his death through the SAARC agreement. Truly a visionary.

Bharati on Feminism

Bharathiyar advocated greater rights for women. His verses called Prem for women and put a premium on their education. He visualised a modern Indian woman at the vanguard of society. He was of the strong opinion that the world will prosper in knowledge and intellect if both men and women are deemed equal.

Poetic extract - (The new age women will learn many intellectual texts. They will set the base for many scientific discoveries that facilitate human life. They will expunge all backward superstitions in the society. They will, all the same, be devoted to God and present all achievements of mankind as a tribute to God.They will earn good name from men.)

Bharati on Caste System

Bharati also fought against the caste system in Hindu society. Although born into an orthodox Brahmin family, he gave up his own caste identity. He considered all living beings as equal and to illustrate this he even performed upanayanam to a young harijan man and made him a Brahmin. He also scorned the divisive tendencies being imparted into the younger generations by their elderly tutors during his time. He openly criticised the preachers for mixing their individual thoughts while teaching the Vedas and the Gita.

சாதிகள் இல்லையடி பாப்பா!-குலத் தாழ்ச்சி உயர்ச்சி சொல்லல் பாவம்; நீதி உயர்ந்த மதி,கல்வி-அன்பு நிறை உடையவர்கள் மேலோர்.

(There is no caste system. It is a sin to divide people on caste basis. The ones who are really of a superior class are the ones excelling in being just, intelligent, educated and loving.)