Poetic heroism

"Enkitta Modhathae... Naan Raajathi Rajanadaa..." I was listening to this song yesterday. Being so attracted by this number, I played it in a loop and listened it for a couple of hours. After repeated listening something struck me. I was asking to myself-"Is this a heroic song?"

To my despair I couldn't find an assertive response. The song indeed has a few lines about the hero's bravery and his macho skills. So why doubt it? Call it a heroic song. OK I can call it a hero....hold on! I forgot the song also had some words that revealed the hero's political beliefs. Is this necessary in a so-called heroic song? Isn't it diluting the song that praises the valiance of the hero? Something is puzzling me. Getting down a little bit deep into the song, I was reminded that this song is sung by the hero after he turned to a brave man from a coward country person. Technically, this song must throw light on his heroism and not on his socio-political ideas.

Praising heros for their bravery is not a novel theme. Right from Sanga Ilakkiyam, we have poets lauding their king's gallantry with all those Thinais and Thurais in Puranaanooru. Not to forget the greatest bard Shakespeare spent a lot of his efforts in glorifying his Emperors' bravery and achievements. Our old heros were kings and emperors who ruled the world, and they attained those things that were not even visible to the eyes of an average person.

Today our heros do not belong to a great dynasty. They are common people and one among us. How can one call the song that praises the skills and expertise of a welder, auto driver, sickle maker, milkman, henchman, unemployed youth ,.... as a heroic song? It simply shows us how skillful and powerful they are. Nothing beyond that. Such ideas sometimes fail to appear poetic and powerful. I remember someone commenting the lines,
'Kambeduthu Aaduvaen...
Kaththisandai Poduvaen...
Kuthuvathil Sooran Naan...
Gusthigalil Veeran Naan...'
lacked a poetic touch even though they described the skills and the physical power of the hero only due to the simple reason the hero was a common villager who led a simple life. I'm not saying they can't be brave and intelligent. But summing up such successes mostly fail to appear big and often fail to leave an impression on us. Sadly, in due course of time they get closer to that place which is not far from calling them as an object of ridicule. Seems like they are void of something that will take them to the place where they can be considered as a song of heroism.

Surprisingly most of these songs have either a social or a philosphical overtone. This really creates a confusion about whether this song is a tribute to the hero's bravery and skills or a social/political/philosophical discourse set into tunes. Is this part of the verse pulls down to the song or are we missing something else that is essential or am I wrong in my view? Devuda! Devuda!