இரவுத் திருடர்கள்

நேற்று இரவிலொரு திருடன் வந்தான்
ஜனலைத் திறந்தவனும் நோட்டமிட்டான்
கய்யை உள்ளெவிட்டு தேடிப் பார்த்தான்
கழுத்தில் சங்கிலியை இழுக்கப் பார்த்தான்.
கழுத்தை தொட்டதும் விழித்துக் கொண்டாள்
யாருடா அவனென்று கூச்சல் போட்டாள்
அவள் வீட்டுக்காரரும் எழுந்துவிட்டார்
அதற்க்குள் அவனும் கம்பி நீட்டிவிட்டான்.
சத்தம் கேட்டதும் நான் விழித்துக் கொண்டேன்
என்ன ஏதுவென்று வெளியில் வந்தேன்.
அக்கம் பக்கமேல்லாம் மெய்மறந்து
இந்த உலகம்வட்டவர் தூங்கயிலே
நாங்கள் நால்வர் மட்டும் வெளியில் வந்து
திருடனைத் தேட முயர்ச்சி செய்தோம்.
காவலர்களுக்குமதை தெரிவிக்கையில்
அவர்களும் வந்து பேசி சென்றார்
நாங்களும் பிறகு திரும்பிவந்து
கதவை தாளிட்டு தூங்கச் சென்றோம்.
இரவும் பகலும் விழித்திருந்தும்
இங்கே கொள்ளை கொலையெல்லாம் நடக்குதப்பா
காவலர்கள் சுற்றும் திரண்டிருந்தும்
திருட்டுக்களும் இங்கெ தொடருதப்பா.
பசியின் கொடுமை இங்கு தாக்கிவிட்டால்
வேலையில்லாநிலை வந்துவிட்டால்
இங்கு திருட்டும் கொள்ளையும் நடக்குமப்பா.
இதற்க்கு நாமேதான் பொறுப்புமப்பா.
பெண், பொன், மண்ணென்ற விஷயமெனெறால்
அரசியல், சொத்தென்ற வெறிவந்தால்
கொலைகள் கூட இங்கு சகஜமப்பா.
இதற்க்கும் நாமேதான் பொறுப்புமப்பா
மண்ணுக்கும் பொன்னுக்கும் விலைவைத்தார்
இங்கு மனிதனின் உயிருக்கு விலையில்லை
பட்டுக்கோட்டையின் வரிகளையே
இங்கு எடுத்துசொல்லியும் விளங்கவில்லை
அறிவாற்றல் இங்கு அதிகமாய்ப் போக
அறிவுரைகளைத்தான் கேட்ப்பவர் யாரோ?

This song is based on a real incident recently occurred next door. This can be sung in tune with “Sirithu sirithu ennai sirayilittaay” penned by Kaviarasu Kannadasan from an MGR film. In the internet there is a dispute over which film it is. Some say it is from Thaayay kaatha thanayan. Others say it is from Thaay sollai thattaathe.In fact I am also confused. Anyway, the hero should perform his duty as well as keep her words. Even if TKT and TST are joined together, it will be a box office hit as the story is based on T. But Kaviarsu’s genius brain has worked wonders here. This can be incorporated in any picture where the lovers meet in Brindavan gardens or for that matter at Sattanoor dam site (old timers travel limitations) and for the present generation any foreign location is welcome(no limit)without the knowledge of their parents. Even if one includes the words ‘Chayya chayya chayya” this can be choreographed on the roof top of houses and goods and passenger coaches.SRK will like this song as well. Why stop with this, the Bullet train is there to appear and the hero and heroine can still look at each other through a slit opening at the top and exchange a flying kiss( do not think of Kinau Reaves and Sandra Bullock of ‘Speed”), till then please wait for this everlasting song. Any type of action like rolling on the grass, running around trees and statues, skipping with ropes or even driving a bike or car. What a wonderful setting! No retake necessary. Even the king and queen can sing this song in their sylvan settings and the opulence of palace gardens and courtyards with certain changes. Sempaka paandyan in Thiruvilayadal and the queen (Mr., Muthuraman and Devika), please excuse.
(The king sings first and the queen repeats it)
Sirithu sirithu ennai sirayilittaay
Kannam sivakka sivakka vanthu kathay padithaay
Ninaithu ninaithu nenjil niRaynthuvittaay
Pakkam Nerungi nerungi inpa suvaikoduthaay
King:
Pakkathil unkooda niRkkayile
Koonthalil kamazhumintha naRumaNathinile
Varukindra santhega alaykaLile
Naan silayaay nindren sila pozhuthinile.
(Then the queen chuckles and hisses like hoom hoom.)
King:
Sandegam theera ketten narkkeeranidam
Sandegamtheerkka vanthaan dharmiyume
Kavithaivadivilthanthaan badilayume
Aayiram porkkasai koduthen avanidame.
(Then the queen chuckles and hisses like hoom hoom.)
King: (After few weeks totally upset with his deed)
Sandegam theernthathangu oruvagayaay
Naanum naattai aanduvanthen nimmathiyaay,
Iravil thoongayil meendum kanavalayaay
Athu uRuthikkondirunthathen manathinile.
Sirippuvaravillai enakkathanaal
SiRayil adainthapolathai ninaikkayile.
MaRkkamuyandren athai palapothum
Aanaal mudiyavillai enakkathorupothum.
King: (After few months)
Pazhaga pazhaga varum aRivaale
Dinam raanipakkam serntha uRavaale
Koonthal iyaRkkaimanamillaa porulendre
Arinthukonden naanum muzhuthaaga
(the queen chuckles again sounding hoom hoom)
(King laments his foolishness with his close friend during a night drink)
Aayiram porkkasai appadiye
Naanum kottaivittenendru ninaithidave
Narkkeeran sonnathellaame
Unmayendrunarnthen mudivaaga.
Azhuthu azhthu enthan KaNkaL sivakka
Pulambi pulambi enthan vaay valikka
Raani enthan pakkam vanthu nindrukondu
Naanoru muttaaLendru kaathaikkadithaaL.
Ithai ketkka naanum vekkithalaikuniya
Raani vantha vazhiyaay nokki odimaRainthaaL.
Thalayay soRinthukondu naanum nindren
Athuvum vazhukkayaayvidumo endru naanum bayanthen.
With apologies to Kaviarasu for misbehaving with your lyric and tune. It is just a humour filled poetic interlude. (a temporary amusement or diversion that contrasts with what goes before or after.

THE MOUNTAIN TRAIN

Up to the top like serpentine rings
Winds up the tracks on the mountain brims
Making lots of loops and curves in between
Cutting across many rocks and trenches within
Passing over many bridges ahead
Squeezing through many dark tunnels behind.
On this moves our mountain train
Like a black horse carrying all the strain
Gasping with steam and belching the smoke
Between it makes the screeching sound
While it takes a turn in the curves around.
When it passes through the cloud
It often sounds its whistle aloud.
Inside the deep forest it goes slow
Through the windows the cool breeze flow,
Like a snail at times it goes very slow
One can walk along with it and follow.
Though it takes long hours to reach
Starting from the base station once
Puffing the smoke through all its way
Up through the mountain it winds up in gay
To reach the top hill station abode,
The trails of belching smoke it leaves
Spreads all over the sky it sees.
With myriad lines and curves of black and grey
That the wind on its way draws it in a rush
Will look like the artist’s drawing on a canvas with his brush.
The Sun that plays hide and seek in its wake
Leaves a silver gilt edge on the cloud for its sake
The all around glimpse of beauty it displays
When passing l over the way it plays
The Mountain train journey in its every moment
Make us mix always with the nature in merriment.

By Sundareswaran Date 18th July 2014
The Last Van:
The journey by the Mountain Trains is really a breathtaking experience. I never had an opportunity so far in spite of my visit to Nilgiris and Dargeeling. I must make it once in my lifetime.
Thanks to the untiring efforts by the UNESCO World Heritage Act and to the Indian Railways for preserving the Hill station rail network intact.
The Nilgiri, The Kalka Shimla and the Dargeeling Railways are the few that is remaining just like drops. Let us not wipe it dry.
I hope they will preserve these mountain beauties for many generations to cherish. We have already lost many of such Narrow Gauge rail routes due to economic non viability. They were once the proud of our nation. We can still enact the scene ”Chaiyya Chaiyya Chaiyya” by SRK group. Take care of coal dust entering the eyes.
We are entering into the Bullet Train era. Let us upgrade the coaches of these hill trains to look ultra modern. Let us look at the tourism point of view and for us as well.
Again I have one request. Let us bring back the fretting, fuming and smoky steam engine back to these lines. We must not forget that we are still retaining the logo of the majestic steam engine, just like Bill Gates has retained the floppy disc icon in his operating system to make sure that it is still saved.
Certain good things ingrained in our heart should not be removed.