Smanu's Corner
Happiness is the default state of a being
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Music after 8 years!
I am happy to share that I've created a cover after a whopping time gap of 8 years.
Here it is!
"Bangaru" from Jawaan.
Hope you enjoy...
Saturday, March 25, 2023
Lord! Give me your command!!
So, here comes my first translation this year.
(Recap: The six songs I translated last year are here...
- "Sadaa Siva Sanyasi Taapasi Kailaasa Vasi" song from the movie "Khaleja".
- "Tharali raadha thane vasantham" song from the movie "Rudraveena".
- "Needa padadhani mantananagalaraa" song from the movie "Jersey".
- "Manasu palike" song from the movie "Andaala Rakshasi".
- "Maanasa Veena" song from the movie "Hridayanjali".
- "Hare rama, hare rama" song from the movie "Okkadu".)
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
Groove to the trance and say, jai jai jai...Sing along and sing, Shiva Shambho, all the way!
So here comes the sixth song that's being translated on my blog (in the current year).
(Recap: My five earlier songs here:
- "Tharali raadha thane vasantham" song from the movie "Rudraveena".
- "Needa padadhani mantananagalaraa" song from the movie "Jersey".
- "Manasu palike" song from the movie "Andaala Rakshasi".
- "Maanasa Veena" song from the movie "Hridayanjali".
- "Hare rama, hare rama" song from the movie "Okkadu".)
- https://chaibisket.com/sada-siva-song-meaning/
- https://recoveredintranslation.wordpress.com/tag/khaleja/
Saturday, November 5, 2022
So, what IS a gentler economy?
So...What is a gentler economy?
An economy that lets you BE. That lets you be 'you'!
An economy that does not corrupt you, that does not torture you, for it to sustain its exponential acceleration.
An economy that is self-sustaining more or less, given that the basic contribution from you is taken care of.
An economy that does not need you full-time.
An economy that may not always need you in the first place.
That is an economy you need!
So...What again is a gentler economy?
An economy that allows you to live your life. Contributing to that economy should not be the major part of your life!
An economy that can wait for you. That can wait for you to fall and come back, while it can sustain itself for a while.
An economy that does not lead to a zero-sum-game! It is not an economy that "always" has a debt trap no matter how much you produce, how much you consume, how much you save and retain, how much ever money is in excess in some other part of the chain!
An economy that grows for you! Not an economy that requires you to grow for itself!
An economy that serves you! An economy that is a servant to you, not your master!
An economy that you will dictate the terms of! Not an economy that will dictate the terms of your soul and life!
An economy that you will feed! Not an economy that feeds on you!
Well, at the end of the day, an economy is an economy! Not your life!
Tuesday, October 4, 2022
Aatane maatakardham ninu nuvve geluchu yuddham !
So I said I might get on a translation spree, didn't I? So yeah, I'm on it now, already...
So here comes the fifth song that's being translated on my blog (in the current year).
(Recap: My four earlier songs here:
- "Tharali raadha thane vasantham" song from the movie "Rudraveena".
- "Needa padadhani mantananagalaraa" song from the movie "Jersey".
- "Manasu palike" song from the movie "Andaala Rakshasi".
- "Maanasa Veena" song from movie "Hridayanjali".)
Sangraamamlo geetaa paatham.. telupamaa!
Sangraamamlo geetaa paatham.. telupamaa!
सह नौ भुनक्तु ।
सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Om Saha Naav[au]-Avatu |
Saha Nau Bhunaktu |
Saha Viiryam Karavaavahai |
Tejasvi Naav[au]-Adhiitam-Astu Maa Vidvissaavahai |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||
Sangraamamlo geetaa paatham.. telupamaa!
Edit(Oct-04): Made trivial edits in the translation (missed translating some conversational phrases earlier, eg: 'mitrama' --> friend) and added the Sanskrit sholka sung in the chorus too.
Friday, September 30, 2022
Kotha swecchaki andinchaali naa hridayaanjali !!!
I mentioned a while ago that I might get into translation spree, but it took a backseat for whatever reasons. So, here I translate two of my favourite songs. They are songs with deep lyrics, so even a mediocre translation would probably mean a job well done. Wish me luck :)
"Manasu Palike" from the movie "Andaala Raakshasi" (2012):
Lyrics by: Rakendu Mouli
Composed by: Radhan
Rendered by: Rakendu Mouli
So, when we watch this song in the movie, it's actually set in a poignant and somber setting. The hero is waiting for the heroine to forget her ex-lover (who is assumed to be dead at that time) and accept his love. And the heroine is still in the grieving period...in the transition so to say, and is unresponsive to his feelings.
But, when you listen to the song devoid of the context in the movie, it seems to come from a place of peace, stability and balance. It talks about love per se. It's a very satisfying feeling listening to this song at any point in time for me. Whether I was deep in void, or in waiting, in anticipation, or in pain, or in apathy or in stability...irrespective of my situation, it's always a great feeling listening to this song.
****
Manasu palike bhasha prema
The language that's spoken by heart is love
Mounamadige badhulu prema
The response that the silence seeks is love
Maranamaina thodu prema
Even in death, love is our companion
Manaki jarige maaya prema
The magic that happens to us is love
---
Gundelo vyadhalane kaalchu mante prema
The fire that burns the suffering in heart is love
Ragilina segalane aarpunadhi ee prema
It is love that dozes off the burning fire (wounds)
Aadhiyu anthamu leni payanam prema
Love is that journey that has neither beginning nor end
Vekuvai cherune cheekatintlo prema
A morning that dawns in a house of darkness, that's love
Vishwamantha unna prema, iruku yedhalo daacha galamaa
Can we confine (hide) love that encompasses this whole universe, to (in) a constricted heart?
---
Kaatilo kaaladhu thudi leni ee prema
This love that has no end, doesn't burn in the grave
Janmane koradhu, ammerugadhee prema
This love doesn't seek birth, it doesn't know its mother (it has no mother)
Dorakadhaa vethikithe kadalaina kanneeta
Can't this love be found in the tears that welled up into an ocean?
Taramaga daahame neeralle o prema
When the thirst is chasing, love comes as the water
Needaniche velugu thodu, cheekataithe emi kaanu
Light gives shadow as a companion; What will happen if that light turns into darkness?
"Maanasa Veena" from the movie "Hridayaanjali" (1998):
Lyrics by: Sirivennela Seetharama Shastry (Even before checking out, I could say he was the lyricist)
Composed by: A.R. Rehman
Rendered by: Chithra (& Shoba Shankar - intermittent and the ending humming; Along with intermittent chorus of course)
Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam (Repeat)
The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga (bhupalam is also a ragam in carnatic music). (Repeat)
Pachhadanala paanupu paina, ammai nelaa jokodutunte (Repeat)
While earth becomes my mother lullabying me to sleep on the bed of greenery (Repeat)
Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam
The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga.
---
Punnami nadhilo viharinchaali, puvvula valloo pulakinchali
I should wander in the river under full moon; I should rejoice in the lap of flowers
Paavuramalle paikegarali, tolakari jallai digiraavali
I should fly up like a pigeon; And should come down like the first monsoon drizzle
Taarala podarinta ratiri majili, vekuva venuventa nelaku tarali
A night adventure under the envelope of stars; Will reach back to the land immediately after the dawn
Kotha svechhakandinchaali naa hridayaanjali
I should offer salutations from the bottom of my heart to this new-found freedom.
Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam
The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga.
---
(Chorus)
Vaagula nestam chelarege, vegame ishtam manalage
Ningike nityam edurege pantame yeppudu naa sontham (Repeat)
My river friend is surging; It likes speed just like us.
The stubbornness to go against sky, is mine, always. (Repeat)
---
Oohaku neeve oopiri posi, choopave daari o chirugaali
By giving life to an imagination (thought), show (me/us) the path, o wind
Kalalaku saitham sankelavesi, kalimi yedaari dhaatinchaali
By chaining (curbing) even dreams, it should enable (me/us) to cross the rich desert
Tuntari tooneeganai tiragaali, dosedu oosulu teesukuvelli
I should wander like the mischevious mayfly; By taking a handful of gossips (words/conversations)...
Peydha garika poolaku isthaa naa hridayaanjali
...I will give my heartfelt salutations to the poor grass flowers.
---
Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam (Repeat)
The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga (bhupalam is also a ragam in carnatic music). (Repeat)
Pachhadanala paanupu paina, ammai nelaa jokodutunte (Repeat)
While earth becomes my mother lullabying me to sleep on the bed of greenery (Repeat)
Maanasa veena, mouna swaraana, jhummani paade tholi bhupalam
The veena of my heart, on its note of silence, started singing (playing) flamboyantly the first morning raaga.
---
(Chorus)
Vaagula nestam chelarege, vegame ishtam manalage
Ningike nityam edurege pantame yeppudu naa sontham (Repeat)
My river friend is surging; It likes speed just like us.
The stubbornness to go against sky, is mine, always. (Repeat)
Thursday, September 29, 2022
Is "rape" a "woman"'s subject?
So, recently I came across this news - "Even boys are not safe in Delhi..."
I have not been following news much since early 2020 when I started my MBA. And it's been the same till date. I don't follow news on TV anymore. Not just news, I stopped watching TV altogether. It feels too much and suffocating to take in. I have stopped reading newspaper as well. So, basically I've been more or less isolated from the world for the past 2.5 years. The only news I ever checked were the ones on social media or the ones popping up on my phone.
It's strange to realize that I stopped reading newspaper for the whole 2.5 years given the fact that I rarely missed my daily dose of newspaper before that. What's more strange is, I'm now quite OK with it and I'm able to go on fine with life that way. That's probably the power of habits we develop - good or bad, we become capable of sticking to them.
Anyways, that's not the point of this post. Let's come to THE POINT. So, I don't know if the news I was talking about became sensational or not, the way Nirbhaya's case had. At least, nobody around me talked about it in person, on WhatsApp or on social media.
So, I'm just wondering - is rape a woman's subject? If a boy/man is raped, the same crime that was ghastly when done to a girl/woman, is no more a crime enough? Are our gender equality proponents sleeping? Is the D&I consciousness of the society sleeping? And to top it, the women's panel had to take the case forward for cognizance? Is rape a woman's problem alone? I'm truly baffled! Period.