இரண்டக நிலை
Dear all,
Causality Dilemma is one of the oldest paradigms. This dilemma exists when two or more situations occur in a manner in which it is difficult to determine which of them is the cause and which the effect. The commonest example would be the “chicken and egg” problem – which came first ? Although several methods exists to approach such questions, causality dilemmas almost always make interesting reads.
Some examples from contemporary situations:
“Is the library poorly maintained because not many use it or do people not use it because it is poorly maintained?”
For those financially wise “Has the increasing fund gains caused the increase in the assets under management or has the increase in assets under management caused the increasing gains in the fund?“. One can go on finding several examples around us. It’s easy for the human brain to mistake association for causation.
Kannadasan and MSV worked in such perfect harmony that often one will not be able to say if the tune was composed first and lyrics written later or vice versa. This query was commonly posed to both of the legends and in turn triggered Kannadasan to pen an entire song using the idea of causality dilemma – that too in the form of questions!!!!
The task is as such not an easy one, but Kannadasan had to do it in a love duet using questions that are both unanswerable and simple enough for the common listener.
Movie: பார்த்தால் பசி தீரும்
Music: MSV
Lyrics: Kannadasan
Singers: TMS and P. Suseela
The song starts with a mellifluous flute directly taking us to the pallavi. The hero and his love spend a evening together almost quizzing each other romantically using several queries that all lead to causality dilemma:
“கொடி அசைந்ததும்
ம்ம்..
காற்று வந்ததா
ம்ஹும்
காற்று வந்ததும்
ஓஹோ
கொடி அசைந்ததா”
“நிலவு வந்ததும் ம்ம்ம். மலர் மலர்ந்ததா ம்ஹும் மலர் மலர்ந்ததால் ம்ம். நிலவு வந்ததா”
Violins and flute take over the interlude.
கண்ணதாசன் then brings the issue about his compositions with MSV:
“பாடல் வந்ததும்
தாளம் வந்ததா
தாளம் வந்ததும்
பாடல் வந்ததா
பாவம் வந்ததும்
ராகம் வந்ததா
ராகம் வந்ததும்
பாவம் வந்ததா”
“கண் திறந்ததும்
காட்சி வந்ததா
காட்சி வந்ததும்
கண் திறந்ததா”
(Here I interpret “கண் திறந்ததும்” as having “awareness”. Does the vision come once you have awareness of what needs to be done or does the vision within create the awareness needed?” )
பருவம் வந்ததும்
ஆசை வந்ததா
ஆசை வந்ததும்
பருவம் வந்ததா”
None of the above questions can be answered unequivocally – such is the class of Kannadasan’s imagination.
The next Charanam starts with a question that is deep in its meaning:
“வார்த்தை வந்ததும்
வாய் திறந்ததா
வாய் திறந்ததும்
வார்த்தை வந்ததா
(The first syllable of most languages is “அ” – the sound that emanates on opening the mouth. So did this first syllable lead to evolution of other sounds words, syllables and language ? – “வாய் திறந்ததும்
வார்த்தை வந்ததா”)
“பெண்மை என்பதால்
நாணம் வந்ததா
நாணம் வந்ததால்
பெண்மை ஆனதா”
Somewhere கண்ணதாசன் had to bring the romantic link into this song that so far has been all but that. So in his own style comes with amazing lines to convey their mutual love and liking:
She asks him the reason for all this:
“ஒடி வந்ததும்?
தேடி வந்ததும்?
பாடி வந்ததும்?
பார்க்க வந்ததும்?”
He gives a fitting reply:
“காதல் என்பதா
பாசம் என்பதா
கருணை என்பதா
உரிமை என்பதா”
Every reply so apt and better than the previous – just pure brilliance.
The song leaves you wondering
“பாடல் பிடித்தத்தால்
மனம் இசைந்ததா?
மனம் இசைந்ததால்
பாடல் பிடித்ததா?”
I am sure each of you can come up with a causality dilemma query – can’t you?
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