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{{Sangam literature}}
{{moresources|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}

'''Sempulapeyaneerar''' ([[Tamil language|Tamil]]: செம்புலப் பெயனீரார், literally "he of water that has rained on red fields") was a poet of the [[Sangam period]], to whom a sole verse of the [[Sangam literature]] has been attributed.

==Biography==
Sempulapeyaneerar is said to have hailed from a geographic region with an abundance of [[red clay]].<ref name="SangaIlakkiyam_2"/> With the Tamil literary tradition's practice of identifying a poet by a phrase or word from his or her poem, Sempulapeyaneerar came to be known so owing to his usage of the imagery "red earth and pouring rain" to denote the union of loving couples in his Sangam verse.<ref name="SangaIlakkiyam_2">{{cite book
| last = Kowmareeshwari (Ed.)
| first = S.
| author-link =
| title = [Kurunthogai, Paripaadal, Kalithogai]
| publisher = Saradha Pathippagam
| series = Sanga Ilakkiyam
| volume = 2
| edition = 1
| date = August 2012
| location = Chennai
| pages = 436–437
| language = Tamil
| url =
| doi =
| id =
| isbn =
| mr =
| zbl =
| jfm = }}</ref><ref name="Hindu_KuranthogaiLondonTube"/>

==Contribution to the Sangam literature==
Sempulapeyaneerar wrote a sole Sangam verse, verse 40 of the [[Kurunthogai]], and also compiled the Kurunthogai anthology.<ref name="SangaIlakkiyam_2"/> It is arguably one of the most renowned and oft-quoted of the Sangam anthology. It speaks about two lovers uniting, with the man reassuring his ladylove of his love.<ref name="Hindu_KuranthogaiLondonTube">{{cite news
| last = Baskaran
| first = S. Theodore
| title = Red earth and pouring rain: Powerful imagery
| location = Chennai
| pages =
| language =
| date = 1 July 2001
| url = http://www.thehindu.com/2001/07/01/stories/1301067c.htm
| newspaper = [[The Hindu]]
| accessdate = 17 March 2018}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
| யாயும் ஞாயும் யாரா கியரோ, எந்தையும் நுந்தையும் எம்முறைக் கேளிர், யானும் நீயும் எவ்வழி யறிதும், செம்புலப் பெயனீர் போல, அன்புடை நெஞ்சம் தாங்கலந் தனவே. (Original verse by Sempulapeyaneerar) || What could be my mother be to yours? What kin is my father to yours anyway? And how did you and I meet ever? But in love our hearts are as red earth and pouring rain: mingled beyond parting. ([[A. K. Ramanujan]] translation) || My mother and yours, what were they to each other? My father and yours, how were they kin? I and you, how do we know each other? and yet like water that has rained on red fields, our hearts in their love have mixed together. ([[George L. Hart]] translation)
|}

==Legacy==
Verse 40 of the Kurunthogai inspired many down the centuries, chiefly by its powerful imagery in the words "red earth and pouring rain" which is considered very evocative. It is the inspiration behind the title of [[Vikram Chandra (novelist)|Vikram Chandra]]'s award-winning English novel, ''Red Earth and Pouring Rain.''<ref name="Hindu_KuranthogaiLondonTube"/> The poem was exhibited in the [[London Tube|London metro train service]] in 2001.<ref name="Hindu_KuranthogaiLondonTube"/>

The original lyrics of the Yayum poem was part of the album [[Sandham: Symphony Meets Classical Tamil]] by American composer [[Rajan Somasundaram]] and was featured in Amazon's Top#10 International Music albums in July 2020.

The poetry has also inspired several Tamil film songs, including 'Oru Thanga rathathil' from ''[[Dharma Yuddham]]'', 'Narumugaye' from movie ''[[Iruvar]]'', 'Solai poovil malai thenral' from movie ''[[Vellai Roja]]'', 'Pattam poochi' from movie ''[[Chithiram Pesuthadi]]'', 'Munbe Vaa' from movie ''[[Sillunu Oru Kaadhal]]'', 'Yaayum'
from Movie ''[[Sagaa]]''.

==See also==
{{Portal|Tamils|India|Literature|Poetry}}
* [[Kurunthogai]]
* [[Sangam literature]]
* [[List of Sangam poets]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://karkanirka.org/2010/06/10/kurunthokai-40/ A blog on Red Earth and Pouring Rain—Kurunthokai 40]
{{Tamil language}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sempulapeyaneerar}}
[[Category:Tamil philosophy]]
[[Category:Tamil poets]]
[[Category:Sangam poets]]

Sempulapeyaneerar - Revision history

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