Aagaatha Kaalam
From Kadamban · 2017
- Lyricist
- Yugabharathi
- Singer
- Ananthu
- Music director
- Yuvan Shankar Raja
- Details
- Kadamban2017
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Aagatha kalam onnu | An ominous time came, |
| Adiyoda oora konnu | Killing the entire village from its roots, |
| Pothaichitu poyiduchae | And buried it before leaving. |
| Male | |
| Saaneera keezha thallum | Pushing down the humble folk, |
| Sathikara kootam engha | A deceitful crowd gathered, |
| Ponanthinna koodiduchae | Assembling like corpse-eaters. |
| Male | |
| Kodi kalaaga neenda engha | Existing for ages, our |
| Kudusaiyum kooraiyum | Huts and thatched roofs, |
| Theenjathu theeyala | Were charred by fire. |
| Ohoo….. | Ohoo….. |
| Male | |
| Adiveraga vazhntha engha | Living as deep roots, our |
| Thalamura gopuram | Generational tower of heritage, |
| Saanjathu yarrala | Toppled—because of whom? |
| Mudivula ponomae thothu | In the end, we ended up defeated, |
| Velangalaiyae intha koothu | This tragedy did not spare even the wild animals. |
| Male | |
| Aagatha kalam onnu | An ominous time came, |
| Adiyoda oora konnu | Killing the entire village from its roots, |
| Pothaichitu poyiduchae | And buried it before leaving. |
| Male | |
| Saaneera keezha thallum | Pushing down the humble folk, |
| Sathikara kootam engha | A deceitful crowd gathered, |
| Ponanthinna koodiduchae | Assembling like corpse-eaters. |
| Male | |
| Heyyy… | Heyyy… |
| Vellaama kaadu kaanja | If an agricultural field dries up, |
| Oru bogamthan pazha pogum | Only one harvest yield is ruined. |
| Kannana kaadu theenja | If the precious forest burns, |
| Uyir ellamae oonam aagum | Every single living soul becomes crippled. |
| Male | |
| Annanthu partha vaanam | Looking up towards the sky, |
| Mazha sinthama yethu boomi | What is the earth if rain does not fall? |
| Mallanthu pona neethi | Justice lying flat on its back, |
| Verum mannagi pochae sami | Has turned into plain dust, oh Lord! |
| Thala onjomae..aee…. | Our heads bowed down in grief... |
| Anjaamalae vaazhnthomae | We who once lived fearlessly, |
| Yemanthuthan manjomae… | Were deceived and perished... |
| Male | |
| Aagatha kalam onnu | An ominous time came, |
| Adiyoda oora konnu | Killing the entire village from its roots, |
| Pothaichitu poyiduchae | And buried it before leaving. |
| Male | |
| Appaviyana naanga | We, the innocent people, |
| Adipattomae naadae paakka | Got beaten while the whole nation watched. |
| Kotthodu naanga saaya | As we fell in clusters, |
| Oru aalilla kelvi kekka | There was no one to ask questions. |
| Male | |
| Munnala aanda kootam | We who once ruled like kings of the land, |
| Mogamillama muli aanom | Lost everything and became helpless. |
| Venneeru paanja vera | Like roots struck by boiling water, |
| Dhesa engeyum kaana ponom | We vanished across all directions. |
| Puliyannomae…. | We who were once brave as tigers... |
| Anjaamalae vaazhnthomae | We who once lived fearlessly, |
| Yemanthuthan manjomae… | Were deceived and perished... |
| Male | |
| Aagatha kalam onnu | An ominous time came, |
| Adiyoda oora konnu | Killing the entire village from its roots, |
| Pothaichitu poyiduchae | And buried it before leaving. |
| Male | |
| Saaneera keezha thallum | Pushing down the humble folk, |
| Sathikara kootam engha | A deceitful crowd gathered, |
| Ponanthinna koodiduchae | Assembling like corpse-eaters. |
ஆகாத காலம்
ஒன்னு அடியோட
ஊரக்கொன்னு
புதைச்சிட்டுப் போயிடுச்சே
An ominous time came,
Killing the entire village from its roots,
And buried it before leaving.
சானேற கீழ
தள்ளும் சதிகார
கூட்டம் எங்க
பொனந்தின்னக் கூடிடுச்சே
Pushing down the humble folk,
A deceitful crowd gathered,
Assembling like corpse-eaters.
கொடிகாலாக
நீண்ட எங்க குடிசையும்
கூரையும் தீஞ்சது தீயாள
ஓஹோ………
Existing for ages, our
Huts and thatched roofs,
Were charred by fire.
Ohoo…..
அடி வேராக
வாழ்ந்த எங்க தலமுற
கோபுரம் சாஞ்சது யாரால
முடிவுல போனோமே தோத்து
விளங்கலையே இந்த கூத்து
Living as deep roots, our
Generational tower of heritage,
Toppled—because of whom?
In the end, we ended up defeated,
This tragedy did not spare even the wild animals.
ஆகாத காலம்
ஒன்னு அடியோட
ஊரக்கொன்னு
புதைச்சிட்டுப் போயிடுச்சே
An ominous time came,
Killing the entire village from its roots,
And buried it before leaving.
சானேற கீழ
தள்ளும் சதிகார
கூட்டம் எங்க
பொனந்தின்னக் கூடிடுச்சே
Pushing down the humble folk,
A deceitful crowd gathered,
Assembling like corpse-eaters.
ஹே வெல்லாம
காடு காஞ்சா ஒரு போகம்
தான் பாழாப்போகும்
கண்ணான காடு தீஞ்சா
உயிா் எல்லாமே ஊனம் ஆகும்
Heyyy…
If an agricultural field dries up,
Only one harvest yield is ruined.
If the precious forest burns,
Every single living soul becomes crippled.
அன்னாந்து பார்த்த
வானம் மழை சிந்தாம ஏது
பூமி மல்லாந்து போன நீதீ
வெறும் மண்ணாகிப்போச்சே
சாமி தல ஓஞ்சோமே
அஞ்சாமலே வாழ்ந்தோமே
ஏமாந்துதான் மாஞ்சோமே
Looking up towards the sky,
What is the earth if rain does not fall?
Justice lying flat on its back,
Has turned into plain dust, oh Lord!
Our heads bowed down in grief...
We who once lived fearlessly,
Were deceived and perished...
ஆகாத காலம்
ஒன்னு அடியோட
ஊரக்கொன்னு
புதைச்சிட்டுப் போயிடுச்சே
An ominous time came,
Killing the entire village from its roots,
And buried it before leaving.
அப்பாவியான நாங்க
அடிப்பட்டோமே நாடே பார்க்க
கொத்தோடு நாங்க சாய ஒரு
ஆளில்ல கேள்வி கேட்க
We, the innocent people,
Got beaten while the whole nation watched.
As we fell in clusters,
There was no one to ask questions.
முன்னால ஆண்ட
கூட்டம் முகம் இல்லாம
மூலி ஆனோம் வென்னீரு
பாஞ்ச வேரா தெசை எங்கேயும்
காணா போனோம் புலியானோமே
அஞ்சாமலே வாழ்ந்தோமே
ஏமாந்துதான் மாஞ்சோமே
We who once ruled like kings of the land,
Lost everything and became helpless.
Like roots struck by boiling water,
We vanished across all directions.
We who were once brave as tigers...
We who once lived fearlessly,
Were deceived and perished...
ஆகாத காலம்
ஒன்னு அடியோட
ஊரக்கொன்னு
புதைச்சிட்டுப் போயிடுச்சே
An ominous time came,
Killing the entire village from its roots,
And buried it before leaving.
சானேற கீழ
தள்ளும் சதிகார
கூட்டம் எங்க
பொனந்தின்னக் கூடிடுச்சே
Pushing down the humble folk,
A deceitful crowd gathered,
Assembling like corpse-eaters.
Aagatha kalam onnu
An ominous time came,
Adiyoda oora konnu
Killing the entire village from its roots,
Pothaichitu poyiduchae
And buried it before leaving.
Saaneera keezha thallum
Pushing down the humble folk,
Sathikara kootam engha
A deceitful crowd gathered,
Ponanthinna koodiduchae
Assembling like corpse-eaters.
Kodi kalaaga neenda engha
Existing for ages, our
Kudusaiyum kooraiyum
Huts and thatched roofs,
Theenjathu theeyala
Were charred by fire.
Ohoo…..
Ohoo…..
Adiveraga vazhntha engha
Living as deep roots, our
Thalamura gopuram
Generational tower of heritage,
Saanjathu yarrala
Toppled—because of whom?
Mudivula ponomae thothu
In the end, we ended up defeated,
Velangalaiyae intha koothu
This tragedy did not spare even the wild animals.
Aagatha kalam onnu
An ominous time came,
Adiyoda oora konnu
Killing the entire village from its roots,
Pothaichitu poyiduchae
And buried it before leaving.
Saaneera keezha thallum
Pushing down the humble folk,
Sathikara kootam engha
A deceitful crowd gathered,
Ponanthinna koodiduchae
Assembling like corpse-eaters.
Heyyy…
Heyyy…
Vellaama kaadu kaanja
If an agricultural field dries up,
Oru bogamthan pazha pogum
Only one harvest yield is ruined.
Kannana kaadu theenja
If the precious forest burns,
Uyir ellamae oonam aagum
Every single living soul becomes crippled.
Annanthu partha vaanam
Looking up towards the sky,
Mazha sinthama yethu boomi
What is the earth if rain does not fall?
Mallanthu pona neethi
Justice lying flat on its back,
Verum mannagi pochae sami
Has turned into plain dust, oh Lord!
Thala onjomae..aee….
Our heads bowed down in grief...
Anjaamalae vaazhnthomae
We who once lived fearlessly,
Yemanthuthan manjomae…
Were deceived and perished...
Aagatha kalam onnu
An ominous time came,
Adiyoda oora konnu
Killing the entire village from its roots,
Pothaichitu poyiduchae
And buried it before leaving.
Appaviyana naanga
We, the innocent people,
Adipattomae naadae paakka
Got beaten while the whole nation watched.
Kotthodu naanga saaya
As we fell in clusters,
Oru aalilla kelvi kekka
There was no one to ask questions.
Munnala aanda kootam
We who once ruled like kings of the land,
Mogamillama muli aanom
Lost everything and became helpless.
Venneeru paanja vera
Like roots struck by boiling water,
Dhesa engeyum kaana ponom
We vanished across all directions.
Puliyannomae….
We who were once brave as tigers...
Anjaamalae vaazhnthomae
We who once lived fearlessly,
Yemanthuthan manjomae…
Were deceived and perished...
Aagatha kalam onnu
An ominous time came,
Adiyoda oora konnu
Killing the entire village from its roots,
Pothaichitu poyiduchae
And buried it before leaving.
Saaneera keezha thallum
Pushing down the humble folk,
Sathikara kootam engha
A deceitful crowd gathered,
Ponanthinna koodiduchae
Assembling like corpse-eaters.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Aagatha Kalam Onnu' from 'Kadamban' is a mournful lament expressing the grief and devastation of an indigenous tribal community living in harmony with the forest. Evil corporate forces and deceitful oppressors destroy their habitat, burning their homes and heritage for corporate greed. The lyricist contrasts the loss of farm crops with the destruction of a forest—stating that while a lost crop ruins a single season, a destroyed forest cripples all life forever. The song captures the tragedy of innocent forest dwellers who once lived fearlessly like tigers, now reduced to refugees in their own land. Through powerful imagery of dying roots and unpunished injustice, Yugabharathi highlights the profound human and ecological cost of forced displacement.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethukai (Second-letter Assonance)
“Aagatha kalam onnu / Adiyoda oora konnu”
The second letters 'ga' and 'di' in 'Aagatha' and 'Adiyoda' follow Tamil traditional rhyming structure across lines.
Metaphor (உவமை/உருவகம்)
“Sathikara kootam engha / Ponanthinna koodiduchae”
Compares greedy corporate oppressors to scavengers or vultures that feast on corpses ('Ponanthinna').
Contrast (முரண்)
“Vellaama kaadu kaanja... Kannana kaadu theenja...”
Contrasts a routine crop failure ('Vellaama kaadu kaanja') affecting just one season with the destruction of a forest ('Kannana kaadu theenja') which permanently destroys all life.
Simile (உவமை)
“Puliyannomae…. Anjaamalae vaazhnthomae”
Compares the displaced villagers to tigers ('Puliyannomae') who once lived without fear but were ultimately betrayed.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song was composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja for the movie 'Kadamban' (2017), starring Arya and Catherine Tresa. The track portrays the displacement of tribal people by a mining corporation, a central theme of the movie filmed extensively in the forests of Kodaikanal.
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