Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Translation...New York Nagaram...

One of the best songs of A.R. Rehman written by Kavingar Vaali.


New York nagaram urangum neram thanimai adarndhadhe
paniyum padarndhadhe kappal irangiye
kaatrum karayil nadandhadhe
naangu kannaadi suvargalukkulle naanum mezhuguvarthiyum
thanimai thanimayo thanimai thanimaiyo
kodumai kodumaiyo

(New York)

oooooooo

Pechellaam thaalaattu pola ennai uranga vaikka nee illai
Dinamum oru mutham thandhu kaalai coffee kodukka nee illai
Vizhiyil vizhum thoosithannai naavaal edukka nee ingu illai
manadhil yezhum kuzhappamthannai theerkka nee inge illai
naan inge neeyum ange indha thanimayil nimishangal varushamaanadheno
vaan inge neelam ange indha uvamaikku iruvarum vilakkamaanadheno

oooooo

(New York)

Naatkurippil nooru dhadavai undhan peyarai yezhudhum yen paena
yezhudhiyadhum erumbu moikka peyarum aanadhenna thaena
Jil yendru boomi irundhum indha tharunathil kulir kaalam kodai aanadhaeno
vaa anbe neeyum vandhaal sendhanalkooda pani katti pola aagume

(New York)

Its my attempt to translate the song without spoiling the spirit of the song. If there is any disconnect between the tune and the translation or interpretation anomalies please forgive me.

Situation.

The hero of the story is in New York, away from his beloved. (they have not stayed away from each other in their 5 ~ 6 years of marriage)

The song goes like this….

As the New York city sleeps,
Loneliness creeps (like) the fog (that) spreads,
(like) the (cold) wind (that) strolls.
Trapped in the four glass walls,
Me and the candle...

Oh (this) loneliness, Oh (this) loneliness
(It’s a) tyranny, (It’s a) tyranny.


I miss the way you rock me to sleep with your sweet nothings,
I miss the way you wake me up with a kiss and a cup of coffee,
I miss the way you wipe my tears with your lips,
I miss the way you clear my insecurities,

(This) Loneliness masks the minutes to (look like) Years.
Alas, we have become the explanation for the metaphor of separation!

As the New York city sleeps,
Loneliness creeps (like) the fog (that) spreads.

My pen writes your name, my honey,
Only to be swarmed by bees for the honey.
Despite the chillness of the winter air,
I feel the heat of summer.
Come to me, my love
With you around, burning coal feels like a cube of ice.

As the New York city sleeps,
Loneliness creeps (like) the fog (that) spreads.
(like) the (cold) wind (that) strolls
Trapped in the four glass walls,
Me and the candle…

Oh (this) loneliness, Oh (this) loneliness
Oh (this) loneliness, Oh (this) loneliness
(It’s a) tyranny, (It’s a) tyranny.

-G

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is probably one of the best translations I've read. Nice one. :) Love this song.

Anonymous said...

wow giri.....translation kum niraiyya thiramai venum..athu un kitte irukku nu nirubichutey!!..

i have not listend to this song yet..will sure do after such a poetic effort from you.

Anonymous said...

Wow ,Amazing translation , my heart felt thanks and congratulation to you for this work.. Keep it up ..

Long Live Tamil ! and its society !

Anonymous said...

it is as beautiful as a piece of poetry...the words seem to gel well with each other...lovely.
kudos!

Arun Sundar said...

Pretty good translation....searching for something else, I googled this out...good effort :)

Anonymous said...

very very superb dude........u worked hard i suppose ..thanks for the translation if u r in orkut add me youralbert@rediffmail.com

Unknown said...

U r amazing gireesh, u have made the best effort to present the aroma of TAMIL and the song in a foreign language.

Please do not stop only with this song....

Kailash said...

One of the best translations without losing the actual feel and meaning of the song. Wanted to have a look at it after you told me. Keep them coming in, and I'm sure you can translate many other Tamil songs.

Unknown said...

Kudos to the effort put in to bring the poetic essence of this song in words that gels really very well with the Tamil version. Thank you and hope that you find the time to translate " Munbe vaa en anbe vaa" some day.