University of Chester: Mathiraj Manohara

Let’s meet MathiRaj!

Mathiraj is a BA English Literature and Creative Writing student who has just finished his first year at the University of Chester.

What part of the commonwealth are you celebrating today?

India

What is your favourite poem? 

A Tamil poem called “yaadhum oorae” from an ancient poetry anthology called “Puranaanooru”, about 2000 years old written by Indian poet “Kaniyan poongundranaar”.

What does the poem mean to you? 

The poem sums up the ideology of life for every person irrespective of their age, the time period they’re living in, their gender, economic strata, physical appearance, or even their mental and physical health.

Here is a copy of the poem below!

Yaadhum Oorae (Tamil Original) 

யாதும் ஓரே யாவரும் கேளிர்

தீதும் நன்றும் பிரர் தர வாரா

நோதலும் தணிதலும் அவற்றோரன்ன

சாதலும் புதுவது அன்றே

வாழ்தல் இனிது என மகிழ்ந்தன்றும் இலமே

முனிவின் இன்னாது என்றலும் இலமே

மின்னொடு வானம் தண் துளி தலை இ

ஆனாது கல் பொருது இரங்கும் மல்லல் பேர் யாற்று

நீர் வழிபடும் என்பது திறவோர்

காட்சியின் தெளிந்தனம் அகலின்

மாட்சியின் பெரியோரை வியத்தலும் இலமே

சிறியோரை இகழ்தல் அதனினும் இலமே

கனியன் பூங்குன்றன்

English Translation

Every village is my village and every person is from my kin.

Like a lot of things in life good and bad cannot be attributed to others … they come from within us.

Likewise, agony and relief of agony come without any external triggers … from within us.

Death is not unheard of or new.  It unnecessary to rejoice that life is sweet or complain in anger that life is bitter.

Like rafts drifting along in the rapids of a great river, dashing over the rocks after a downpour (from skies resounding with thunder and lightning), our lives, no matter how dear, follows its own course.

We know this from the vision of wise seers who can see.

So, we are neither awestruck by the great nor do we belittle the ‘not so great’