(Translation on request for RA)
Rithu, a song about seasons and their defining characteristics from the album Project Malabaricus.

To listen to the song, click play:

Oro rithuvin ullil aaro swarappeduthi oro nirathil ulla sangeetham
Rasaraagam vividham, athi gaadtam, prakruthiyude naadam pranayamayam aanandam
[In each season someone composed music in each different color
Beautiful ragas are many and intense, these sounds of nature brims with love and happiness]
Layam aekam samabhaavam shubhageetham!
[Blending into one equipoised great song!]

Oro rithuvin ullil aaro swarappeduthi oro nirathil ulla sangeetham
Rasaraagam vividham, athi gaadtam, prakruthiyude naadam pranayamayam aanandam
[In each season someone composed music in each different color
Beautiful ragas are many and intense, these sounds of nature brims with love and happiness]
Layam aekam samabhaavam shubhageetham!
[Blending into one equipoised great song!]

Greeshmam chudu veyilil aadi kothippeduthum laavu kanal churathum sangeetham
[Summer swaying in hot sunlight makes enticing music which emits embers]
Pookkum ilavu* maram chokkum manassu, madagandham vithachu arachu maaleyam
[The flowering ilavu tree reddens the heart, sandalwood grinds and spreads intoxicating smells]
Venal puzha ozhuki premaardam aayi, thelinja kannadi pol minnum neerodi
[The river in summer flows lovingly with water running like a sparkling clear mirror]

Harsham hrudaya mekha varsham pranaya minnal chinnum, pathanju ozhukum aapaadam
[With the content raincloud showers, the Monsoon strikes the lightning with love, and it foams and flows all over]
Saamam dwani mrudanga thaalam, prakruthi malhaar paadum swarajathithan aaroham
[With the euphonious sound of mrudanga drum beats, the nature sings a song in ascending malhaar raaga]
Maano marathalirinaale harithamaaya kaadaake oadunnu soltsaaham
[The deer, with a twig of new shoots, runs excitedly all over the green jungle]
Layam aekam samabhaavam shubha geetham
[Blending into one equipoised great song!]

Oro rithuvin ullil aaro swarappeduthi oro nirathil ulla sangeetham
Rasaraagam vividham, athi gaadtam, prakruthiyude naadam pranayamayam aanandam
[In each season someone composed music in each different color
Beautiful ragas are many and intense, these sounds of nature brims with love and happiness]
Layam aekam samabhaavam shubhageetham!
[Blending into one equipoised great song!]

Chennellu pazhuppu niram cherum tharuniyude chenthaar mukha sadrishya laavanyam
[With ripened color of the red rice, like the beauty of the lotus face of the young woman…]
cherum sharathu anaye oro sarithum ila meenin pulakamodu shaaleenam
[when the Autumn comes near, each placid stream is teeming with small fishes]
Paadum dhavalakhagam oro manalparappil aamodam aalunnoru ee kaalam
[The white bird sings on each sand banks in this happily flaming season]

Putthan yavangal thalir choodi, uthirnnu mulla manjil kulichu ninnu hemandam
[New barley stalks adorned sprouts, jasmines fell, stood bathing in fog this Fall season]
Krouncham pozhikkum madhunaadam sukham pakarnnu graamam thelinju ninnu saanandam
[The sweet call of the heron gave comfort and the village stood glowing happily]
Paachotti** chilla malar thaalam pidichidunnu, maarante kelithalam chittham
[The paachotti shrub branch holds a plate of flowers, the heart becomes cupid’s playground]

Mohakarimbu paadam chealil vilanju ninnu, baale shishira kaalam vannallo!
[The desirable sugarcane field has ripened beautifully, girl, the winter season is here!]
Vaathaayanangal pootti thee kaayum parisaramaake akil*** puka than sourabhyam
[While sitting around the fire with windows closed, the surroundings are fragrant with agar wood smoke]
Thaane ila pozhinju shaakha, kilikal paadi jeevaanuraagathin eenangal
[The branches rid themselves of leaves, the birds sang notes of love and life]

Maampoo sugandham, kuyil paattin marandam, malar maarante hrudayam ee vaasantham
[The fragrance of mango flowers, the cuckoo song’s sound, this Spring is the heart of cupid]
Oro njodiyum pranayaardram, pramadavanam saandram bhramara sama sanchaaram
[Each moment is filled with love, the lonely forest is dense with beetle flight]
Laasyam madhura mandahasam ezhuthi vechu mannu aake mangaathe pookkaalam
[A leisurely sweet smile was penned all over the earth brightly by this season of flowers]
Layam aekam samabhaavam shubha geetham
[Blending into one equipoised great song!]

Oro rithuvin ullil aaro swarappeduthi oro nirathil ulla sangeetham
Rasaraagam vividham, athi gaadtam, prakruthiyude naadam pranayamayam aanandam
[In each season someone composed music in each different color
Beautiful ragas are many and intense, these sounds of nature brims with love and happiness]
Layam aekam samabhaavam shubhageetham!
[Blending into one equipoised great song!]

*Ilavu tree or Malabar Silk-Cotton is native to tropical climates and produces red flowers during Summertime in Kerala
** Pachotti is a medicinal tree native to Kerala which flowers during Dec-Feb months with white flowers.
***Akil/agarwood/oud is a tree with fragrant bark which is then smoked to release the fragrance. The smoke is used for worship and medicine.

++ This beautiful poem by B.K. Harinarayanan is about the 6 rithukal/seasons in Kerala and their defining characteristics. They are Greeshmam(Summer), Varsham(Monsoon), Sharath(Autumn), Hemandam(Fall), Shishiram(Winter) and Vasantham(Spring)

+ Image copyright to the original uploader.