(Translation on request for MM)
“Cuba” Mukundan, a staunch believer in Communist Party principles, lives with his father Gopalan who is also an older member of the party in the village they live in. Mukundan organizes strikes against companies in the area which have unsafe practices. Karunan, another party member, does not support Mukundan’s idealistic principles as he is more interested in playing practical party politics. One day Gopalan takes ill while working on a community volunteering opportunity and ends up unconscious in the hospital. It comes to light that Gopalan had taken a huge loan from the party’s co-operative bank. Mukundan feels responsible for paying back the loan and determines to go work in Dubai to be able to make the money, aided by Karunan’s nephew. Soon Mukundan realizes the life of an employee is not so good in a work environment where dissent is not encouraged. He also finds many Malayalis there in different service sectors who shares his woes, but is forced to live and work in harsh conditions in order to support their families back in Kerala. This song plays when one of Mukundan’s apartment mates weeps in anguish because he is not able to visit his daughter for her wedding back in Kerala. A song about how an expat misses his hometown, while reminiscing the sights of his land from the movie Arabikkatha.
To listen to the song, click play:
Thathinthaka theithom thathinthaka theithom
thathinthaka theithom…chankilu kelkkana manninte thaalam
[… hearing the beats of land in my heart]
Thathinthaka theithom thathinthaka theithom
thathinthaka theithom…chankilu kelkkana manninte thaalam
[… hearing the beats of land in my heart]
Thirike njan varum enna vaartha kelkkaan aayi graamam kothikkaarundu ennum
Thirike madanguvaan theerathu adukkuvaan njaanum kothikkaarundu ennum
[To hear the news that I’m returning, my village yearns everyday
To be back and touch its shores, I also long everyday]
Viduvaayan thavalakal pathivaayi karayunna nadavarampu ormmayil kandu
Veyil aettu vaadunna cherumikal thedunna thanalum thanuppum njan kandu
[The ledges where the blabbermouth frogs constantly croak came to my mind
I also saw the shade and coolness which the cherumis* who wilt in the sunlight search for]
Thirike njan varum enna vaartha kelkkaan aayi graamam kothikkaarundu ennum
Thirike madanguvaan theerathu adukkuvaan njaanum kothikkaarundu ennum
[To hear the news that I’m returning, my village yearns everyday
To be back and touch its shores, I also long everyday]
Oru vattippoovum aayi akalathe ambili thiruvona thoni oonnumbol
Oru vattippoovum aayi akalathe ambili thiruvona thoni oonnumbol
[With a basket of flowers, when the crescent moon afar, rows the boat on Thiruvonam day]
Thira pulkum naadenne thirike vilikkunnu
ilaneerin madhura kinaavu aayi
[The land which gets embraced by the ocean waves calls me back
with a dream sweet as tender coconut water]
Thirike…
[To be back…]
Thirike njan varum enna vaartha kelkkaan aayi graamam kothikkaarundu ennum
Thirike madanguvaan theerathu adukkuvaan njaanum kothikkaarundu ennum
[To hear the news that I’m returning, my village yearns everyday
To be back and touch its shores, I also long everyday]
Thuzhapoya thoniyil thakarunna nenjile thudikottum paattu aayi njaanum
Thuzhapoya thoniyil thakarunna nenjile thudikottum paattu aayi njaanum
[In the boat which lost its oar, like beats of a song from a crushed heart, is me]
Manam uruki paadunna paattil
marupakshi pidayunna chirakocha kettu
[In the song sung with a distressed heart,
I heard the pained quivering of a desert bird’s wings]
Thirike…
[To be back…]
Thirike njan varum enna vaartha kelkkaan aayi graamam kothikkaarundu ennum
Thirike madanguvaan theerathu adukkuvaan njaanum kothikkaarundu ennum
[To hear the news that I’m returning, my village yearns everyday
To be back and touch its shores, I also long everyday]
Viduvaayan thavalakal pathivaayi karayunna nadavarampu ormmayil kandu
Veyil aettu vaadunna cherumikal thedunna thanalum thanuppum njan kandu
[The ledges where the blabbermouth frogs constantly croak came to my mind
I also saw the shade and coolness which the cherumis* who wilt in the sunlight search for]
Thirike njan varum enna vaartha kelkkaan aayi graamam kothikkaarundu ennum
Thirike madanguvaan theerathu adukkuvaan njaanum kothikkaarundu ennum
[To hear the news that I’m returning, my village yearns everyday
To be back and touch its shores, I also long everyday]
Thathinthaka theithom thathinthaka theithom
thathinthaka theithom…chankilu kelkkana manninte thaalam
[… hearing the beats of land in my heart]
Thathinthaka theithom thathinthaka theithom
thathinthaka theithom…chankilu kelkkana manninte thaalam
[… hearing the beats of land in my heart]
*Cherumar are dalit people who work on the fields. They are addressed as cheruman for male and cherumi for female.(Malayalam Wiki)
+ Image copyright to the original uploader.