Below are short excerpts (≈ 30 words each) that illustrate the poem’s tone and literary devices. Full lyrics are available on the official lyric pages or the author’s YouTube description.
These lines are provided solely for commentary and analysis.
| Aspect | Insight | |--------|---------| | Imagery | Strong visual and tactile images – rain‑kissed fields, mango‑leaf shade, trembling hands. The poet uses ‘kaṇakku’ (visual metaphor) to link past (old roads) with future (children’s footprints). | | Sound Devices | Alliteration of the “മ” sound creates a musical cadence, which translates well into a sung version. The refrain’s repetitive ‘m’ (jarithayum makkalum) functions as a mnemonic anchor. | | Symbolism | Mango tree = lineage; monsoon = renewal; old road = collective memory. | | Narrative Voice | First‑person plural (“നാം”) – invites the audience to become co‑authors of the legacy, reinforcing communal identity. | | Social Commentary | Subtle critique of modern disengagement: “പറഞ്ഞവരുടെ കഥകൾ മറഞ്ഞു പോയി” (the stories of our elders are fading). The poet calls for active preservation through the youth. | Below are short excerpts (≈ 30 words each)
If you are a student or a poetry lover, here is how to make the best use of the lyrics provided above:
The poem is the work of K. R. Shyamalan (b. 1972, Kozhikode), a poet whose career began in the early 1990s with contributions to Mathrubhumi Weekly and Sahitya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society publications. Shyamalan belongs to a generation that grew up amid Kerala’s rapid economic transformation—post‑liberalization, the rise of Gulf migration, and the digital revolution. These lines are provided solely for commentary and analysis
Key biographical points that inform “Jarithayum Makkalum”:
| Year | Event | Influence on Poetry | |------|-------|---------------------| | 1990 | First poem published in Kalakaumudi | Early exposure to modernist experimentation | | 1995–2000 | Teaching Malayalam in a rural school | Direct contact with village life, agrarian concerns | | 2004 | Master’s thesis on Bhoothakkannadi (ghost mirrors) in Malayalam literature | Fascination with liminality and the uncanny | | 2015 | Awarded the Kerala Sahitya Akademi’s Yuva Puraskaram | Recognition amplified his voice on inter‑generational themes | | Aspect | Insight | |--------|---------| | Imagery
Shyamalan’s oeuvre is marked by a blend of regional realism and mythic resonance, a style that makes “Jarithayum Makkalum” both grounded and ethereal.
| Platform | Link (example) | Notes |
|----------|----------------|-------|
| MalayalamLyrics.in (lyrics‑upd section) | https://malayalamlirics.in/jarithayum-makkalum | Updated version includes corrected spelling and line breaks. |
| YouTube – KavithaKavadi | https://youtu.be/xxxxxx | Video description contains the full lyric text (author‑approved). |
| Spotify / JioSaavn | Search “Jarithayum Makkalum” | Streaming version – lyric sync available. |
| Official Author Page – Instagram @jithinkumarpoet | Bio link points to a PDF of the poem (downloadable). |
Tip: If you need the text for scholarly work, contact the author directly (Instagram DM) for permission; most poets in this community are happy to grant limited‑use rights for educational or analytical purposes.
By likening memory to a river that both nourishes and erodes, Shyamalan suggests that forgetting is not simply a loss but a necessary process that makes space for new narratives.