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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Aasai Magane

From Vaanavil · 2000

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Deva
Movie name
Vaanavil
Movie release year
2000
Lyrics added on
4 Oct 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
……………………….
Aasai maganae aasai maganae enthiri
Naalai neethaandaa manthiri
Aasai maganae aasai maganae enthiri
Naalai neethaandaa manthiri
Karisa kaattu kalliyilae
Nee molaichchavandaa
Unna kal sumanthaachchum
Padikka vaippan un appandaa
Vettaruvaa venaam vel kambum vaenaam
Kaththiyellam thoorapottu puththakaththai thookku
Aasai maganae aasai maganae enthiri
Naalai neethaandaa manthiri
Aattu eeral suttuththaaraen
Achchuvellam thottuththaaraen
Naattu kozhi saaru erakki
Nallennaiyyum ooththithaaraen
Puththakaththil ovvoru ezhuththum
Puththikulla saeranumae
Nee ponnu meddal vaanganumae
Unakku vantha pugazhaal
Enakku murukku meesai yaeranumae
Oor kirukku pidichchu poganumae
Maganae un uchchanthalaiyil
Ennaei vachchi thaekkiraendaa
Maganae un padippukkaaga
Ennai naanae thaekkiraendaa
Nee sudasuda sudasuda padidaa
Nee sooriyanai ezhuppi vidudaa
Nee sudasuda sudasuda padidaa
Nee sooriyanai ezhuppi vidudaa
Anbu magan vaazhga aarum oorum vaazhga
Un ias ooraththil appan perum vaazhga
Aasai maganae aasai maganae enthiri
Naalai neethaandaa manthiri
Aasai maganae aasai maganae enthiri
Naalai neethaandaa manthiri
Kaattu veyilil panjam pozhachchom
Kalappai viththu kanji kudichchom
Erumai thayiru soru pottu
Unna mattum ootti valaththom
Moththam ellam selavazhichchaalum
Michcham iruppathu nee allavaa
Nee vedhaikku vachcha nel allavaa
Naattarangaalil
Naan unna vidhaichchen
Naalai vilaichchal neeyallavaa
Nee naattukellaam unavallavaa
Mazhai paarkkum maanavaari
Varusham oru naal vilaiyumadaa
Mazhaikaala iravumkooda
Maru naal nichchayam vidiyumadaa
Nee saththiyaththai nambi nambi podaa
Antha sarashwathi varuvaa vaadaa
Nee saththiyaththai nambi nambi podaa
Antha sarashwathi varuvaa vaadaa
Anbu magan vaazhga aarum oorum vaazhga
Un ias ooraththil appan perum vaazhga
Aasai maganae aasai maganae enthiri
Naalai neethaandaa manthiri
Karisa kaattu kalliyilae
Nee molaichchavandaa
Unna kal sumanthaachchum
Padikka vaippan un appandaa
Vettaruvaa venaam vel kambum vaenaam
Kaththiyellam thoorapottu puththakaththai thookku
………………..
...
Wake up, my dearest son, wake up!
Tomorrow, you will be the minister!
Wake up, my dearest son, wake up!
Tomorrow, you will be the minister!
From the cactus of the dry black soil,
you are the sprout that grew!
Even if I have to carry heavy stones,
I, your father, will see you educated!
No need for machetes, no need for spears!
Throw away all weapons and pick up your books!
Wake up, my dearest son, wake up!
Tomorrow, you will be the minister!
I will roast goat liver for you,
I will give you sweet jaggery with it,
I will make rich country-chicken soup,
and pour nourishing sesame oil for you.
Every single letter in the book
must settle deep in your mind!
You must win a gold medal!
With the fame you earn,
my twirled mustache should rise with pride!
The whole village should be stunned with wonder!
My son, upon the crown of your head,
I rub soothing oil;
My son, for the sake of your education,
I am wearing myself out!
Study with burning passion, study hard!
Wake the sun up from its sleep!
Study with burning passion, study hard!
Wake the sun up from its sleep!
Long live my beloved son, long live our rivers and village!
Beside your IAS title, let your father's name live too!
Wake up, my dearest son, wake up!
Tomorrow, you will be the minister!
Wake up, my dearest son, wake up!
Tomorrow, you will be the minister!
We survived famine under the scorching heat,
we sold our plow just to drink gruel,
Serving you rich buffalo curd rice,
we nurtured and raised only you!
Even if we spent everything we had,
aren't you the treasure that remains?
Aren't you the seed grain saved for planting?
In the nursery field,
I sowed you;
aren't you tomorrow's harvest?
Aren't you the grain that feeds the nation?
Drylands waiting for the rain
yield their crop once a year;
Even a dark, rainy night
is certain to break into dawn the next day!
Trust in truth and keep moving forward;
Saraswati (the goddess of learning) will surely come to you!
Trust in truth and keep moving forward;
Saraswati (the goddess of learning) will surely come to you!
Long live my beloved son, long live our rivers and village!
Beside your IAS title, let your father's name live too!
Wake up, my dearest son, wake up!
Tomorrow, you will be the minister!
From the cactus of the dry black soil,
you are the sprout that grew!
Even if I have to carry heavy stones,
I, your father, will see you educated!
No need for machetes, no need for spears!
Throw away all weapons and pick up your books!
...
Chorus
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Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Aasai Magane is a powerful, emotionally charged song from the movie Vaanavil (2000) that depicts an impoverished rural father encouraging his son to pursue education. Written by Vairamuthu, the lyricist uses grounded agrarian metaphors to illustrate the extreme hardships and sacrifices the family has endured during times of drought and poverty. The father urges his son to discard weapons and violence, urging him to pick up books instead to rise to high administrative positions like an IAS officer or minister.\n\nThe song portrays the child as the 'seed paddy' saved for future prosperity, highlighting education as the ultimate equalizer that can transform not only a family's destiny but also uplift an entire region. Through vibrant imagery of rustic care, parental pride, and unyielding hope, the song serves as a timeless anthem for social mobility through learning.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

“Nee vedhaikku vachcha nel allavaa”

Compares the child to seed-paddy (vedhaikku vachcha nel) preserved through famine to yield the future harvest for society.

Juxtaposition / Contrast

“Vettaruvaa venaam vel kambum vaenaam / Kaththiyellam thoorapottu puththakaththai thookku”

Contrasts instruments of violence (sickles, spears, knives) with books, advocating education as the true weapon for social change.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)

“Nee sooriyanai ezhuppi vidudaa”

Exaggerates the student's morning dedication by commanding him to wake up before the sun and wake the sun itself up.

Alliteration (Monai)

“Karisa kaattu kalliyilae”

Repetition of the initial 'K' sound across words creates a strong rhythmic phonetic emphasis.

Did you know?

Trivia

The music for Vaanavil (2000) was composed by S. A. Rajkumar, with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu. The film starred Arjun Sarja and Abhirami. This song remains one of the most prominent motivational tracks in Tamil cinema highlighting the transformative power of education over rural caste violence and poverty.

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