Lesson 3 ( ഉ, ഊ, ഋ)

ഉ, ഊ, ഋ - I'm adding a third one to this group whose sound is somewhat related.

The first two are not difficult for people who are familiar with Thamizh - they even look like the equivalent Thamizh characters. Similarly, the equivalents for the first two exist in Hindi as well.

The third one among the above is foreign to Thamizh, neither the letter nor the sound exists in that language. OTOH, it exists in Hindi (comes from Sanskrit I think). That way, for the third one, less effort needed for people who are familiar with vadamozhi.

The 5th letter, another vowel, in our effort to learn to READ Malayalam:

ഉ (v)u / உ / उ

Some words that start with ഉ:

ഉമ്മ - உம்ம -उम्म -umma - kiss (The Malayalam word is also used for "Mother" by Islamic community)
ഉളി - உளி - उलि - uLi - chisel
ഉച്ച - உச்ச - उच्च - uchcha - noon (uchcha bhakshaNam meaning lunch)
ഉപവാസം - உபவாஸம் (உபவாசம்) - उपवासं - upavAsam – Fasting

Two vinyl cover pics for ഉ :ഉണരൂ - உணரூ - उणरू - uNaroo (music by rAsA, directed by Maniratnam, plum has written about in the Malayalam films thread, the Malayalam word means "wake up" or "arise" )


Please note that the second word of the other movie on this disk too starts with this character

ഉത്പത്തി - உத்பத்தி - उत्पत्ति - uthpaththi (one meaning is 'genesis'...also used for "produce child" , so someone please confirm if this was an "A" padam )

The 6th letter,
ഊ

(oo / ஊ / ऊ )

Much like ഇ to ഈ, ഉ to the extended sound ഊ is characterized by an addition of the superscript hook

Some words with ഊ :
ഊണ് = ஊண் = ऊण = oon (Meal / Rice)
ഊഞ്ഞാല്‍ = ஊஞ்ஞால் = ऊंजाल = oonjaal (Swing)
ഊര്‍ജ്ജം = ஊர்ஜ்ஜம் = ऊर्ज्जम = oorjjam (energy)
ഊട്ടി = ஊட்டி = ऊटटी =ootti (Ooty, Nilgiris)

I could locate only one vinyl at the musicalaya site for ഊ. Sharing that picture here:

The word is already listed among the above four (ഊഞ്ഞാല്‍, swing)

The 7th letter,
ഋ
does not exist in Thamizh. The exact equivalent in Hindi is ऋ In Thamizh, we can kind of express it as (ஹ்)ரு / (h)ru. Actually, some say it's Rh. (This gets more relevance when used with other consonants, such as the "thru" sound in mAthrubhoomi, മാതൃഭൂമി). In any case, this letter as a separate entity has very limited use in these languages and still categorized with vowels. (I don't know why!)

Some words using this letter:
ഋതു = ருது / ரிது = ऋतु = (h)ruthu (or) (h)rithu = climate / mensuration
ഋഷി = ரிஷி = ऋषी = rishi = sage
ഋദ്ധി = ரித்தி = ऋदधि = ridhdhi = growth
ഋജു = ரிஜு = ऋजु = riju = straight

It's neither a clear "ru" nor a clear "ri" but in-between, with some h sound embedded

That much is my understanding - HindiwAlAs please correct me

I couldn't find any vinyl's with ഋ at the musicalaya site, so posting (movie related) pictures from elsewhere :ഋതു (movie maker translates it as "seasons")

Also, let me post the youtube of the IR-KJY classic song ഋതുഭേദ കല്പന ('rithu bhEdha kalpana')
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KNILI8ctuUw