Varamanti Manase Pondi from Badri

A background song is a versatile weapon in the director's armory for effective story telling. Background songs are generally used to present a perspective of the 'Eye-in-the-Sky', a third party's objective commentary on the proceedings. Given the scope that such songs can afford, they can be a lyricist's delight appearing at some critical junctures in a movie - in contrast to duets, which are primarily aimed at providing relief (read 'eye-candy') to the audience.

Background songs were liberally used, at times even overused, in the '50s and '60s when directors had the luxury of time and a captive audience at their disposal! They now appear less frequently due in part to the relatively shorter length of the present day movies and an audience that has many choices.

Varamanti manase pondi, a poignant ditty from the soundtrack of Badri and an apparent casualty at the editing table, makes a compelling argument for a background song. A thought provoking song, inasmuch as a situational one, Varamanti manase pondi, seeks to inspire and motivate a despondent soul to lift itself from the depths of despair and gloom. The song is a wake-up call to take charge of one's destiny.

Seen in the context of the movie, one can only speculate that Sirivennela must have written this song to chide a despondent lover (and his first love?) for wooing and later trifling with the love of a sensitive woman - all in the name of a bet with, quite literally, heart rending consequences.

Varamanti manase pondi is Sirivennela's wry response to a tragic unfolding of events, where the perpetrator of the crime is also an inadvertent victim himself.

The song oscillates between two emotions - one trying to empathize with Badri's plight and another pointing out the inherent fallacy of letting fate decree his future. Sirivennela uses words like nesthamaa or praanamaa to commiserate with him, but does not seem to lend an unconditional shoulder either.

The first two stanzas of the song, quite evidently, do not mince any words in what they wish to convey. It's the wake-up call that we alluded to earlier; a gentle rap on the knuckles of an errant soul (parihaasamavadaa jeevitham). These two stanzas set the tone and tenor for the rest of the song to follow:

Varamanti manase pondi
Visiresukuntaanante
Parihaasamavadaa jeevitham ||

Udayaalu yeduruga undi
Kanu moosi adugesthunte
Padadosi podaa jeevitham ||

However Sirivennela, aware of Badri's craving for sympathy (odaarpu), chooses a metaphor that has shades of Karunasri's "Pushpa Vilaapam".

Puvvanti manasunu kosi
Aapaina jaaliga choosi
Odaarpu kore nesthamaa ||

After acknowledging his apparent plight, Sirivennela's pen quickly turns impatient and takes a well deserved dig at Badri's recourse to fatalism (thala raatha):

Dehaanni jwaalaga chesi
Jeevithaanni chithilo thosi
Thala raatha ante nyaayamaa ||

One can truly rely on Sirivennela to come up with appropriate words like jwaala and chithi to describe the guilt that's burning Badri from within.

Edaarantha parigedathaava
Dari daari ledantaava
Thadi leka alase praanamaa ||

The desert and its implied barrenness, seems to evoke a rather haunting specter of a soul thirsting for love (Thadi leka alase praanamaa). Once again, one perceives traces of sympathy flowing from Sirivennela's pen.

The last two stanzas are easily Sirivennela at his vintage best. He uses paadaalu and payanaalu as inseparable metaphors for action and its outcome - and how one cannot be divorced from the other.

Paadaalu neevantaava
Payanaalu maathram kaava
Pai vaadi painaa bhaaramaa

Kaalaanni kavvinchelaa
Pani leni panthaalela
Atu pai vidhi pai nindalaa

With amazing simplicity, Sirivennela pens an effective message for those relying on the proverbial divine intervention instead of assuming responsibility for one's own actions. Kaalaanni maatrame kaadu, Sirivennela 'kalaanni' kooda kavvinchina mana andariloni Badri ki, idi oka chakkani 'geetha sandesam'!

Prasad Varma and Surya Kumar

Also read other lyrics of 'Sirivennela Saraagaalu
Alupannadi Vunda from Gayam

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