EOL 5: Professional Weeping (Greene) 

Appendix 1. Text of M.G.R.'s Oppari 
  

Eight varieties of rose flower,
eight varieties of rose flower,
I grew fruit for you,
eight varieties of rose flower.
[drumming] 

You are going away,
the Yama's world has blossomed,12
my dear parrot!13 Appa! 14
for you, the Yama's world has blossomed,
I reached for ten varieties of rose flower in the land.
[drumming] 

For you, for you heaven has blossomed,
ten varieties of rose flower,
ten varieties of rose flower.
you, the rose flower that I brought up,
heaven has blossomed.
[drumming] 

Did God call you, my dear parrot, that I brought up?
did God call you?
[drumming] 

Beyond the river,15 for you, beyond the river.
you have fertile lands,
five lands.
[drumming] 

The flower snake has bitten you,
the flower snake has bitten you,
you who I brought up,
for you is there a place to go?
[drumming] 

I traveled in a train of time
and stood in the entrance of this world,
my dear, who I brought up,
because I didn't wave to you,
it's an ill omen.
[drumming] 

In this unhappy station
for you, in this unhappy station,
in that inauspicious land,
I brought you black color.16
[drumming] 

It is pure black color
it is pure black color
in the entrance of Indra's world,17
for you it is pure black color.
[drumming] 

I traveled in the train, Indra's world,
in the entrance of that world, for you
I went to Trichy station. 

[drumming] 

In Trichy Station, in Trichy Station,
for you my dear parrot, who I brought up,
for you I brought a blue color car.18 

[drumming] 

For you it is a pure blue color car,
for you it is a pure blue color car,
for you. 

[drumming] 

I got in the evening train,
I got in the evening train,
And got off at Aiyaluur,
that is beyond the station steps. 

[drumming] 

In Aiyaluur station,
for you my dear parrot, who I brought up, 
I bought a cloth for which I spent much money,
and ordered them to sew. 

[drumming] 

I made them sew the way I had ordered,
and bought a piece of silk for your sleep, 

[Wail 1] Aaaahahahaha! Aamaaaaaaahahahah! 

I paid money, I ordered them to sew in my pattern,
for you to wear in the entrance of Tarumar,19
for you to sleep. 
haven't I bought this for you? 

[drumming] 

My parrot, who I brought up,
you were affected by evil, so you died. 

[drumming] 

In the bordered cloth,
in the bordered cloth,
in this unjust land, 
my father who produced me, 
you are affected by [stomach] disease. 

[drumming] 

I bought nice bamboo, 
I bought nice bamboo for you,
I bought a carnation for you, 
how beautifully I cared for you, sir. 
in the entrance for you I bought kasaru silk. 

[Wail 2] Aaaaaahaha! [Drumming] 

I got in the Mayirum [city] train, 
in this unjust land, and got off 
in Uluntur station, 
in Uluntur station. 

[Wail 3] Appaaaaahahahaha! 

I shopped for you, 
at Uluntur station, 
at Uluntur station, 
for you. 

[drumming] 

In this unjust land 
to whichever side you turn,
it is your land,
it is your land. 

[drumming] 

You, who I brought up,
is your land,
wherever you turn. 

[drumming] 

I tied together three hundred bamboo rods, 
I tied together three hundred bamboo rods, 
and made the bamboo stretcher 20 for you. 

[Wail 4] Appaaaaahahahaha! 
Appaaaaahahahaha! Naaah. 
Aaaahahahaha! 

I tied four hundred bamboo rods for you,
I made the bamboo stretcher for you. 

[Wail 5] Appaaaa! Ayaaaahahahah! 

I cut the coconut coir 
and in the center placed a chain. 

[drumming] 

In front of this easy-chair, sir, 
in this unjust land. 

[drumming] 

The musical instruments were playing in the street. 

[drumming] 

For you the coconut tree will yield like pearls. 

[Wail 6] Ammaaaahahahaha! Ammaaaahahahaha! 

For you, who I brought up, in the entrance, 
the coconut tree that I brought up will
bear coconuts for you like kalkandu [rocks of sugar]. 

[drumming] 

The coconut trees in the entrance 
I brought up in clusters. 

[Wail 7] Ayamaaaahahahah! Aamaa! Aamaa! 

Amaaahahahahahahaha! 

Only now people are hitting themselves on the chest,
only now are they noticing. 

[Wail 8] Aamaaa! Ayamaaa! 

If you are poked by a golden needle, 

[Wail 9] Aamaa! 

[sobbing:] you are poked by a golden needle!
I'm a woman.
my son, the tears will fall even over the brows. 

[drumming] 

In the cursed street, 
for you the smoke will go away.
for you it will go away. 

[drumming] 

If I boil over and come out,
for you who I brought up,
the milk will ooze out.21 

[Wail 10] Yamaaaaaaa! Yaamaa! Yaamaa! ahahaha! 

[drumming] 

The village is sleeping well,
having faith in you. 

[drumming] 

When sleep comes to me,
the yearning for you comes in
and wakes me up. 

[drumming] 
 

"Professional Weeping" | EOL 5 | email Author