Sometimes creative expressions surprise you from directions unexpected. One such recent occasion was my repeat mode listening of the song Enjoy-Enjaami by Santosh Narayanan, who is my wife’s friend. It is not unusual for non-cine songs getting popular these days. But the speed at which it happened for this song and the theme surprised me. All in all a cross-culture global rap much needed in these pandemic times. Thanks to Santosh.
I call out below some specific SDG thematic lyrical highs in the song.
நல்லபடி வாழச் சொல்லி, இந்த மண்ண கொடுத்தானே பூர்வகுடி…கம்மாங்கர காணியெல்லாம் பாடித் திரிஞ்சானே ஆதிக்குடி…நாயி நரி பூனைக்குந்தான் இந்த ஏரிக்கொளம் கூட சொந்தமடி…
…my ancestors wished well and gave me this land to live, and the first community sang and roamed this land of waters and fields…these ponds and lakes were owned by the dogs, foxes and cats too
This stanza touches upon the providence of having endowed the resources to the current generation it to be shared not just with the community but also calls for the animals having equal rights to the same resources. This is in my opinion the highest form of equity, all beings having rights, access and ownership to the same pool.
முட்டைய போடும் கோழிக்கு…குக்கூ குக்கூ…ஒப்பனை யாரு மயிலுக்கு…குக்கூ குக்கூ…பச்சைய பூசும் பாசிக்கு…குக்கூ குக்கூ…குச்சிய அடுக்குன கூட்டுக்கு…
…who gave all the beauty…For the egg laying hens, for the peacocks, for the green moss and for the nest built with stacking sticks….
The awe for the beauty that naturally occurs sometimes needs to be told to be seen, and this telling has to hit with the same beauty but a different sensory organ. For example instead of seeing the beauty it is heard well equally sung with these lyrics and the next time you see it…you will not only enjoy the beauty but will never act in anyway to destroy it…
நான் அஞ்சு மரம் வளர்தேன்…அழகான தோட்டம் வச்சேன்…தோட்டம் செழித்தாலும் என் தொண்ட நனையலயே
என் கடலே கரையே, வனமே சனமே, நெலமே கொலமே, எடமே தடமே
எஞ்சாய் எஞ்சாமி…வாங்கோ வாங்கோ ஒன்னாகி
அம்மா யி அம்பாரி…இந்தா இந்தா மும்மாரி…
…Even with the 5 trees i grew in my garden, the garden was flush but my throat was still dry…(and with the feeling for)…my seas, shores, forests, people, land, community, places and paths…Come my dearest daughter and son (addressed as mother and father) together…lets just play the game…and let there be rains (thrice a month is considered fertile)
The futile disappointing attempts to emulate the vastness and richness of a forest in a mere garden is shown here as the garden does not provide water even to wet my throat and possibly sing…so goes on to call everything about the ecosystem in awe and tells the next generation to celebrate with the game and have the rains too.
The awe, the hope, the celebration all form parts of the feeling we have for nature and we can celebrate it with a song and a story, the underlying experience is to be with it at all times.
Cognitive Noise 