Brian Linebogg stops to think. He has been assigned to do the most difficult task ever: song.

After a few seconds, he starts a sudden presentation of ‘Neenje Un Asai’, it is Rajinikanth’s song which he used to hum many years ago. Rather hesitantly, he says, “Sorry, but it’s the best I can.”

He cannot sing, but can speak. He plays Thirukural by nature. He has read Subramaniam Bharatiyar to some extent and even narrated the popular song, ‘Santamiz Nadu’.

Brian Linebogg is an American data engineer located in California, USA. But that is not all; He has also raised the attraction towards Tamil language for two decades and has presented all of them as a documentary called ‘Beyond Words’ with scenes.

Attracted to language

Brian’s attraction towards Tamil began when he heard the language spoken among Indian children at his school in California. He recalls, “There was something that attracted me.” While other American children of his class used to go for guitar or soccer classes, Brian tried to speak basic Tamil words. “I bought some books to learn Tamil, and even learned to speak words like ‘Manjal’ (Yellow), ‘Sivappu’ (read) and ‘Ganyiru’ (Sunday), but I really want to speak it fluent. Was. I needed immersion for that. I realized that I need to interact with people under social conditions.

Therefore, when Bryan was 19 years old, he took the most revolutionary decision of his life. He packed his bag, traveled a thousand miles alone and landed in Madurai in Tamil Nadu. He remembers, “I am stunned by everything there,” he remembers, “Nazare, Voices and … Language.”

In Madurai, Bryan found a retired Tamil professor to teach Tamil’s basics. While staying in his house and following the traditional Guru-disciple method, from the morning of Bryan, from the alphabet to the creation, he would have been dedicated to the theoretical classes. “But the real magic happened in the afternoon,” he says with a glow in the eyes, “I will try to mix with people.” In a few days, he tried to negotiate for bananas on the roadside, while in the evening, he questioned the drivers in a nearby auto stand about the fare to go to the Madurai Meenakshi temple. He says, “It was important to repeat the language and see how he reacted, was important to reach some levels of merit.”

After a few months, Brian moved back to America to a master’s degree in Tamil under the famous Professor George Heart at California, Berkeley. “Learning both written and spoken languages ​​is a very big venture. For a native speaker, it can not be a big deal because they are the same, but for a foreigner, it is like learning about two different languages.

Brian Linebogg | Photo courtesy: Thhamodharan B

different aspects

All of them have greatly helped Bryan to film his recent documentary, in which he spoke to more than 200 people in four countries (India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore), where Tamil is spoken. “My initial thinking with the documentary was to highlight various spoken Tamil dialects. When we saw the footage, we realized that we have more than the language … The aim of the film became a celebration of Tamil culture and art, in which the participants were talking in the local dialect. ”

Beyond words – Tamil landscape stories, By Bryan and his wife Janaki Sitharaman,Recently, there was a world premiere at the Jaipur International Film Festival and he is eyeing a streaming deal. It is in Tamil with English subtitle. “What we bring to life are regional arts Therukuthu (Street theater) Tholpavakuthu (Shadow puppet). We should see and encourage these art forms, ”Bryan is also a fan of Tamil cinema, who has followed the works of Bharatiraja and Bhagyaraj.

If there is one aspect of Tamil culture which is the most special for Bryan, then it is Virgin (hospitality). “Even if you are stranger, you are treated like a family. During the filming of the documentary, we were in a remote village in the Kongo region and wanted to interview an old woman who was making cubes with palm sugar. Every two minutes she used to ask us, ‘Oru tea wachi tharwa‘(Should I make tea for you?) Or’Sweat? Adha Taratama(Are you hungry? Should I bring something to eat?) There was a woman who was struggling to live but she hugged us like a family. When I think of that day, I really get tears in my eyes. It was very emotional, “Bryan recalls.

Although he speaks Tamil with skills, Bryan is still not convinced about his conversation skills. “I have been in it for 20 years, but I still have difficulties. It’s difficult, “He says before promising,” Next time we meet, I will talk to you completely in Tamil. ” Nude Katirukirom (we’re waiting),