#oppari

[eriong]

arivu @ southside story fest 2024

delhi

[edwardpackiaraj]

சோக ஒப்பாரிப் பாடல் || Soga Oppari Padal

[hevosmies]

Kukaan ei oo valmis mun akateemisen comebackiin

[musicverse11]

Dhee’s Global Appeal: How Tamil Music is Captivating the World

In the vibrant and evolving world of Tamil music, few artists have made as significant a mark as Dhee. Known for her powerful voice and distinctive musical style, Dhee has carved a unique niche that blends traditional Tamil folk with modern pop influences. From her breakout hit “Rowdy Baby” to the cultural phenomenon “Enjoy Enjaami,” Dhee has become the voice of a generation. Her ability to connect deeply with her audience through emotive singing and authentic storytelling has positioned her as a transformative figure in Tamil music.

Early Life and Musical Influences

Dhee, born Dheekshitha Venkadeshan, grew up surrounded by music. Raised in Sydney, Australia, she was profoundly influenced by her family’s musical background. Her mother, Meenakshi Iyer, is a Carnatic musician, while her stepfather, Santhosh Narayanan, is a celebrated composer in the Indian film industry. This rich cultural and artistic environment provided Dhee with a strong foundation for her musical journey.

Her early exposure to Carnatic music and Tamil folk traditions shaped her unique vocal style, blending classical precision with a contemporary edge. This duality has become a defining feature of her artistry, allowing her to resonate with both traditionalists and modern music enthusiasts.

The Breakthrough with “Rowdy Baby”

Dhee’s career catapulted into the limelight with the viral sensation “Rowdy Baby,” a duet with actor Dhanush for the movie Maari 2. The song, composed by Santhosh Narayanan, showcased Dhee’s vocal versatility and playful energy. Its catchy melody, dynamic choreography, and Dhee’s vibrant performance made “Rowdy Baby” an instant hit, amassing over 1.5 billion views on YouTube and solidifying her as a household name.

“Rowdy Baby” was not just a commercial success but also a cultural phenomenon. It brought Tamil music to a global audience, proving that regional songs could transcend linguistic and geographical boundaries. For Dhee, this marked the beginning of her journey as a cultural ambassador for Tamil music.

Cultural Impact with “Enjoy Enjaami”

Dhee’s most significant contribution to Tamil music came in 2021 with “Enjoy Enjaami,” an independent Tamil pop song produced by her stepfather, Santhosh Narayanan. The song, featuring rapper and lyricist Arivu, was a tribute to the ancestral stories of Tamil Nadu. Drawing on themes of land, labor, and heritage, “Enjoy Enjaami” became a powerful cultural statement.

The song’s Oppari-inspired melodies, combined with its contemporary beats, struck a chord with audiences worldwide. Its music video, rich with symbolic imagery and vibrant visuals, became a viral hit, garnering millions of views within weeks of its release. Dhee’s hauntingly beautiful voice brought the lyrics to life, making “Enjoy Enjaami” a celebration of Tamil identity and resilience.

The song also sparked discussions about representation in the music industry. While its success was unparalleled, controversies arose regarding the perceived sidelining of Arivu’s contributions. Dhee, however, consistently acknowledged the collaborative nature of the project, emphasizing the shared vision behind its creation.

Dhee’s Role as a Transformative Figure

What sets Dhee apart from her contemporaries is her ability to blend tradition with innovation. Her music bridges the gap between Tamil folk traditions and global pop trends, creating a sound that is both deeply rooted in culture and refreshingly modern. This unique approach has made her a trailblazer in the Tamil music scene, inspiring a new generation of artists to embrace their cultural heritage.

Dhee’s music also speaks to universal themes of identity, belonging, and empowerment. Her ability to connect emotionally with her audience has turned her into a voice for the voiceless, representing stories and struggles that often go unheard. This connection is especially evident in her independent projects, where she takes creative risks to tell authentic stories.

The Global Appeal of Dhee’s Music

Dhee’s rise to fame coincides with the growing global recognition of Tamil music and culture. Her songs have reached audiences far beyond India, with fans from diverse backgrounds resonating with her music’s universal themes. This global appeal is a testament to Dhee’s artistry and the timeless quality of Tamil music.

Songs like “Enjoy Enjaami” have opened the door for more Tamil artists to gain international visibility, making Dhee a pioneer in this cultural shift. By staying true to her roots while embracing contemporary influences, she has shown that authenticity and innovation can coexist to create art that transcends boundaries.

Conclusion

Dhee journey in Tamil music is a story of perseverance, authenticity, and cultural pride. From her early days as a playback singer to her current status as a Tamil pop icon, she has continuously pushed the boundaries of what Tamil music can achieve. Her ability to blend traditional folk sounds with modern pop elements has redefined the Tamil music landscape, making her a voice of her generation.

Dhee’s impact goes beyond her music. She represents the rich cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu and serves as an inspiration for aspiring artists worldwide. Her songs remind us of the importance of embracing our roots while exploring new artistic horizons.

[therukurals]

“A group of women form a circle, lamenting and eulogizing; weeping and beating their chests; wailing and jumping to the beats played on the “Parai” (an instrument made of the cow skin). This is an ancient mourning practice called the “Oppari”, an art form that is predominantly performed in the state of Tamil Nadu and the North-Eastern part of Sri Lanka. The word Oppari is derived from two words “Oppumai” and “Aari” which means to proudly sing about a person using metaphors. Oppari was initially performed in the deaths of the Dalit families, to express the anguish felt at the death of the loved ones, especially the death of parents, husbands, son, daughters etc. but rarely in case of siblings. Throughout the Oppari there are guilty screams, falsetto repetitions, sobbing and raspy inhaling of air. The beauty of the art form is rich words play. There have been no written lyrics that the Oppari singers follow, rather it’s the synchronization of the laments to the beats of the parai, the emotions that are cultivated and the intense expressions. These women are externalizing the sadness, attachment, grief and tragedy, using phrases such as “Aahahahaaha”, “Aamaahahaa”, “Aappaahahaa”, “Aayayayaa”, “Yappa”, “Yamma” etc with other local idioms.”  (OPPARI: An Art of Weeping, Wailing and Lamenting )

Sethum Aayiram Pon (2020) 

[pauliinalattu]

Two spheres

watercolour on paper

2017

[pesapallolehti]

Jonkun aikaa vielä odotettavaa, että lehteä saa tiedustella.

[oocmuumit]

[edwardpackiaraj]

அம்மாவுக்கு ஒப்பாரி பாடல் வரிகளுடன் சோகப்பாடல் | Tamil Gramiya Padalgal...

[mong39]

mong’s qingguang fic recs!

* = multichap

SFW

yuheng day (the legendary sick fic)

There's A Ring In Your House! (domestic fluff)

a formal affair (arranged marriage)

the morning after (the morning after lol)

Cheers to You and Me (fake dating)

the light she grows towards* (roadtrip)

Eight light years to you (reincarnation)

Newfound Respect (mourning for the jade chamber)

kannamoochi (hide-and-seek) (soulmates au)

your lie in april but there is no lie* (pianists au)

NSFW

oppari (song of funerals)* (the bible, just read it — but check the content warnings!)

sweetie (divorce au)

Laws and Finer Things (punishment sex, on the rougher side)

With the insidiousness of a golden light (mommy kink keqing)

Misconduct (office sex but it’s actually wholesome)

smoking break (car sex/stress sex)

jaded amethyst (abo with omega!ningguang)

want me down to the marrow (keqing/ningguang/beidou)

baby, what is your motive? (praise kink)

l'appel du vide (vampire!ningguang)

so full of artless jealousy (jealous keqing)

playing dress up (seggs in the lantern rite skins)

scales of justice* (adeptus!ningguang)

Vampire Masquerade (vampire!ningguang)

it’s the wat you smile that does it for me (sugar baby!keqing)

Disclaimer: These are just my personal faves. There are some works that are quite popular but I haven’t read myself, or works that are still on my to-read list — do check out the tag for yourself if you have the time!

[thozhar]

Bahujans share a rich sociopolitical and cultural history that runs into several centuries. This allows artists from Bahujan communities to tap into this vast history and produce their art for contemporary times. On the other hand, the history of Brahmins and other Savarnas is steeped in oppression and exploitation. Even their relationship with art has only been based on exclusion and purity. There is very little progressive or radical history that Brahmin artists can take advantage of to be relevant for today’s consumption. So it becomes important for Brahmin artists to borrow the radical history of Bahujans to make their art appealing.

This essentially is the case with Enjoy Enjaami too. While Dhee might be a talented singer, as a Brahmin artist she is forced to borrow from Bahujan cultural history (the oppari tradition in particular) through Arivu in order to create something that is both rooted and contemporary. Had the song not evoked Bahujan cultural history, it would have at best only been a catchy and easily hummable song. Its soul and depth without doubt comes from Arivu’s presence in it. Which is why Arivu’s absence in the magazine cover was puzzling when the cover story was titled “Back to the roots”. Because whose roots are they anyway? While maajja might stick to procedural and contractual explanations, it is easy for any listener to see who the primary artist of the song is.

– Can Savarnas work with Bahujan artists without appropriating their heritage?

[fishareglorious]

Oh wow Oppari (song of funerals) hurt me while reading it

[lily-learns-finnish]

Oppi- related words

oppilas / opiskelija = both mean "student"

oppilaitos = any educational institution (oppi- =learning / laitos = facility)

opisto = any form of college/institute

-> yliopisto = university

-> ammattiopisto = vocational school

-> kansalaisopisto = adult education centre (literally: citizen's college)

ope is a slang word for "opettaja", meaning "teacher"

oppari is a slang word for "opinnäytetyö" (the final work you do as part of your degree)

[petekaos]

Hi Rahul! So I finally listened to Enjoy Enjaami and I can't believe I listened to it so late!! I'm obsessed with that song. What's your favourite parts about it??? Also as a tamil speaking person can you talk about the wordplays and stuff that a non speaker would not be able to catch?? also in LOVE with Dhee and Arivu. also omg the kuthu version. -vinnaithandi varuvaya and soorarai pottru anon

hellooo friend!!! ENJOY ENJAAMI SONG OF THE YEAR!! it’s been on repeat in my household ever since it came out and we all adore it to pieces to the point where i’m pretty sure my family could cover it lmao! idk if you know/watch cooku with comali but arivu (and dhee) went on there and did it live with absolutely no hesitation or mistakes and it sounded FLAWLESS! also arivu did a cooku with comali version of his rap which was so quintessentially arivu. the fact that it reached like... what is it at now, more than 140 million views? DESERVED! i’m sooo glad that songs like these and especially arivu and therefore also the casteless collective are gaining recognition.

oh my favourite parts? where to even START... i love absolutely everything about it. the wordplay dripping from the lyrics, the symbolism in the music video, the oppari... all of it honestly. i’ve loved arivu since his therukural album and i’ve been following the casteless collective since their birth so to see them gain so much recognition? it’s so wonderful! 

anyway onto the symbolism and wordplay! i think my favourite wordplay in this song has got to be the title itself. enjoy enjaami - the first thing you think when seeing this title is that some elder is dedicating this song to their grandchildren, their descendants. enjoy from english as in ‘to celebrate’ in this case, and enjaami as a term of endearment meaning ‘my lord.’ but again, as arivu talks about in this interview, ‘enjoy’ is also a pronunciation of the tamil ‘yen thai’ or my mother, and enjaami is once again what the slaves used to call their feudal lords when asking for more pay here, holiday there. so the layered meaning of the title itself already sets up the song for what it is - landless dalit people or people of lower caste taking back the land that they were denied by the oppressors but was theirs and celebrating it and their families.

goddd, and the opparipattu that arivu does! oppari is a lament that is sung by women in tamilnadu and in parts of sri lanka that takes place at funerals and expresses one’s grief, normally sung by women. the lyrics of that specific oppari are absolutely my favourite.  நான் அஞ்சு மரம் வளர்த்தேன் / அழகான தோட்டம் வெச்சேன் / தோட்டம் சேழிச்சாலும் / என் தொண்டை நனையலேயே (i planted five trees / nurtured a beautiful garden / the garden is flourishing / but my throat remains dry) is such an interesting thirst metaphor for the lands that they worked on but that they were still denied, which is a theme that runs through the whole song and is directly connected to arivu’s family history as tamil people who were taken as bonded labourers to work in sri lanka and who returned to india around sixty years ago after the sirima-shrasti pact only to find their land taken from them. and how this is all of our land, including animals like dogs, cats, and foxes, given to us by the indigenous people (நல்லபடி வாழச்சொல்லி / இந்த மண்ணை கொடுத்தானே பூர்வகுடி or ‘telling us to lead a good life / the indigenous people gave us this soil/this land).

also, the hands! i am obsessed with the hand that grips the soil throughout the mv. how it reclaims what is rightfully theirs, what they and their ancestors have been denied. and the dancers! their alapadma (blooming lotus hands)! taking back classical dances sometimes rooted in sanskritisation! let’s not even forget the parai drum that has been associated with the dalit community for centuries and used in gaana (tamil folk music) being used in both the mv and also the song... it’s all brilliant, i could go on about the mv for AGES.

i love this song and i think my only qualm about it would be the fact that i believe dhee is an iyer (since her mother is meenakshi iyer)? which... it would have been better for a dalit singer to be a part of this because the song is about the dalit struggle... oh well i guess. anyway if you’ve read this far go and listen to the song because it is GOOD and i’m very surprised it gained this much attention! i do wish that internationally it would be less stripped of its very political message though. like it is not just about environmentalism packaged neatly for the general public, but rather about the actual relationship that indigenous people and landless and bonded labourers have with their environment and the land that was taken from them.

[kaikkimaailmanrakkaus]

Vaihoin yliopistost amkkii akateemisuutta pakoon ja ekat pari vuotta tutkinnosta jouduin totuttelemaan kirjottamaan epätieteellisiä esseitä joiden lähteinä on mutua ja arkikokemusta ja är yitten nettisivuja ja nyt yhtäkkii pitääki tehä oppari ja viitata tieteellisiin lähteisiin menkää ny kotianne sosiaalialan tutkinto-ohjelmaan ei kukaan hae tehdäkseen tiedettä vaan saadakseen sen kusisen paperin kouraansa että saisivat siitä kusisesta työstään muutaman kusisen euron enemmän palkkaa

[pauliinalattu]

Red

watercolour on paper

2018