Aathukkulle Theepudicha
From Oor Kavalan · 1987
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- Mano, K. S. Chitra, Uma Ramanan
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Oor Kavalan1987
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aathukkullae theepudichaa | If the river catches fire, |
| Yaaru vandhu thee anaippaa | Who will come to extinguish the fire? |
| Aathukkullae theepiduchaa | If the river catches fire, |
| Yaaru vandhu thee anaippaa | Who will come to extinguish the fire? |
| Poochediku veru pagai | If the root itself is an enemy to the flower plant, |
| Boomiyilae yaaru thunai oo oo oo oo | Who is there to support on this earth? oo oo oo oo |
| Female | |
| Aathukkullae theepudichaa | If the river catches fire, |
| Yaaru vandhu thee anaippaa | Who will come to extinguish the fire? |
| Poochediku veru pagai | If the root itself is an enemy to the flower plant, |
| Boomiyilae yaaru thunai oo oo oo oo | Who is there to support on this earth? oo oo oo oo |
| Female | |
| Kaadhal enna ketta kanava | Is love a bad dream? |
| Adhu kangal rendum senja thavara | Is it a mistake committed by both eyes? |
| Veenai enna patta maramaa | Is the musical Veena just a withered tree? |
| Adhu theeyilida vandha viraga oo oo | Is it firewood brought only to be thrown into fire? oo oo |
| Female | |
| Thunbam enum thoondil melae | Upon the fishing hook called sorrow, |
| Thulli thulli aadum meenae | Oh fish that leaps and dances! |
| Neeyum naanum jaadhi ondru thaan | You and I belong to the same kind. |
| Female | |
| Aathukkullae theepudichaa | If the river catches fire, |
| Yaaru vandhu thee anaippaa | Who will come to extinguish the fire? |
| Poochediku veru pagai | If the root itself is an enemy to the flower plant, |
| Boomiyilae yaaru thunai oo oo oo oo | Who is there to support on this earth? oo oo oo oo |
| Male | |
| ……………………… | |
| Female | |
| Kaiyil oru minnal vilakku | Holding a lightning lamp in hand, |
| En kannil engum thunbha iruttu | There is darkness of sorrow everywhere in my eyes. |
| Paadhaiyinnu engu theriyum | Where will the path be visible? |
| En vaazhkaiyidhu engu mudiyum | Where will this life of mine end? |
| Female | |
| Nenjam engum kaayam aachu | My entire heart has become wounded, |
| Kanneer kooda theeya pochu | Even my tears have turned into fire. |
| Yeno yeno innum vaazhugiren | For some reason, why am I still living? |
| Male | |
| Aathukkulla theeyum illa | There is no fire inside the river, |
| Nee kalanga thevaillae | You do not need to feel distressed. |
| Mutha muthaa neer edharkku | Why are there pearl-like tears? |
| Nee azhudha naan edharkku…oo oo oo oo | If you cry, why am I here? oo oo oo oo |
| Male | |
| Aathukkulla theeyum illa | There is no fire inside the river, |
| Nee kalanga thevaillae | You do not need to feel distressed. |
ஆத்துக்குள்ளே தீப்புடிச்சா
யாரு வந்து தீயணைப்பா
ஆத்துக்குள்ளே தீப்புடிச்சா
யாரு வந்து தீயணைப்பா
பூச்செடிக்கு வேரு பகை
பூமியிலே யாரு துணை..ஓ....ஒ....ஓ...
If the river catches fire,
Who will come to extinguish the fire?
If the river catches fire,
Who will come to extinguish the fire?
If the root itself is an enemy to the flower plant,
Who is there to support on this earth? oo oo oo oo
ஆத்துக்குள்ளே தீப்புடிச்சா
யாரு வந்து தீயணைப்பா
பூச்செடிக்கு வேரு பகை
பூமியிலே யாரு துணை..ஓ....ஒ....ஓ...
If the river catches fire,
Who will come to extinguish the fire?
If the root itself is an enemy to the flower plant,
Who is there to support on this earth? oo oo oo oo
காதல் என்ன கெட்ட கனவா
அது கண்கள் ரெண்டும் செஞ்ச தவறா
வீணை என்ன பட்ட மரமா
அது தீயிலிட வந்த விறகோ ஓ...ஓ....
Is love a bad dream?
Is it a mistake committed by both eyes?
Is the musical Veena just a withered tree?
Is it firewood brought only to be thrown into fire? oo oo
துன்பம் என்னும் தூண்டில் மேலே
துள்ளி துள்ளி ஆடும் மீனே
நீயும் நானும் ஜாதி ஒன்றுதான்
Upon the fishing hook called sorrow,
Oh fish that leaps and dances!
You and I belong to the same kind.
ஆத்துக்குள்ளே தீப்புடிச்சா
யாரு வந்து தீயணைப்பா
பூச்செடிக்கு வேரு பகை
பூமியிலே யாரு துணை..ஓ....ஒ....ஓ...
If the river catches fire,
Who will come to extinguish the fire?
If the root itself is an enemy to the flower plant,
Who is there to support on this earth? oo oo oo oo
.............................
கையில் ஒரு மின்னல் விளக்கு
என் கண்ணில் எங்கும் துன்ப இருட்டு
பாதையின்று எங்கு தெரியும்
என் வாழ்க்கையிது எங்கு முடியும்
Holding a lightning lamp in hand,
There is darkness of sorrow everywhere in my eyes.
Where will the path be visible?
Where will this life of mine end?
நெஞ்சமெங்கும் காயமாச்சு
கண்ணீர் கூட தீயாப் போச்சு
ஏனோ ஏனோ இன்னும் வாழ்கிறேன்
My entire heart has become wounded,
Even my tears have turned into fire.
For some reason, why am I still living?
ஆத்துக்குள்ளே தீயுமில்ல நீ
கலங்க தேவையில்ல
முத்து முத்தா நீரெதற்கு
நீ அழுதா நானெதற்கு.....ஓ...ஓ...ஓ....
There is no fire inside the river,
You do not need to feel distressed.
Why are there pearl-like tears?
If you cry, why am I here? oo oo oo oo
ஆத்துக்குள்ளே தீயுமில்ல நீ
கலங்க தேவையில்ல..
There is no fire inside the river,
You do not need to feel distressed.
Aathukkullae theepudichaa
If the river catches fire,
Yaaru vandhu thee anaippaa
Who will come to extinguish the fire?
Aathukkullae theepiduchaa
If the river catches fire,
Yaaru vandhu thee anaippaa
Who will come to extinguish the fire?
Poochediku veru pagai
If the root itself is an enemy to the flower plant,
Boomiyilae yaaru thunai oo oo oo oo
Who is there to support on this earth? oo oo oo oo
Aathukkullae theepudichaa
If the river catches fire,
Yaaru vandhu thee anaippaa
Who will come to extinguish the fire?
Poochediku veru pagai
If the root itself is an enemy to the flower plant,
Boomiyilae yaaru thunai oo oo oo oo
Who is there to support on this earth? oo oo oo oo
Kaadhal enna ketta kanava
Is love a bad dream?
Adhu kangal rendum senja thavara
Is it a mistake committed by both eyes?
Veenai enna patta maramaa
Is the musical Veena just a withered tree?
Adhu theeyilida vandha viraga oo oo
Is it firewood brought only to be thrown into fire? oo oo
Thunbam enum thoondil melae
Upon the fishing hook called sorrow,
Thulli thulli aadum meenae
Oh fish that leaps and dances!
Neeyum naanum jaadhi ondru thaan
You and I belong to the same kind.
Aathukkullae theepudichaa
If the river catches fire,
Yaaru vandhu thee anaippaa
Who will come to extinguish the fire?
Poochediku veru pagai
If the root itself is an enemy to the flower plant,
Boomiyilae yaaru thunai oo oo oo oo
Who is there to support on this earth? oo oo oo oo
………………………
Kaiyil oru minnal vilakku
Holding a lightning lamp in hand,
En kannil engum thunbha iruttu
There is darkness of sorrow everywhere in my eyes.
Paadhaiyinnu engu theriyum
Where will the path be visible?
En vaazhkaiyidhu engu mudiyum
Where will this life of mine end?
Nenjam engum kaayam aachu
My entire heart has become wounded,
Kanneer kooda theeya pochu
Even my tears have turned into fire.
Yeno yeno innum vaazhugiren
For some reason, why am I still living?
Aathukkulla theeyum illa
There is no fire inside the river,
Nee kalanga thevaillae
You do not need to feel distressed.
Mutha muthaa neer edharkku
Why are there pearl-like tears?
Nee azhudha naan edharkku…oo oo oo oo
If you cry, why am I here? oo oo oo oo
Aathukkulla theeyum illa
There is no fire inside the river,
Nee kalanga thevaillae
You do not need to feel distressed.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song from the film Oor Kavalan expresses deep emotional angst, tragedy, and consolation. The protagonist laments the paradoxical cruelties of life using vivid metaphors of natural impossibilities, such as a river catching fire or roots turning hostile to a plant. It reflects on the pain of love and suffering, comparing a helpless soul to a fish caught on a hook of sorrow. Towards the end, a comforting voice reassures that the perceived crisis is not insurmountable, urging the distressed person not to lose hope or shed tears, emphasizing solidarity and shared suffering.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Paradox / Hyperbole
“Aathukkullae theepudichaa / Yaaru vandhu thee anaippaa”
The concept of fire catching inside a river ('Aathukkullae theepudichaa') is an impossible paradox used to highlight absolute despair and helplessness where even a protective element becomes destructive.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Thunbam enum thoondil melae / Thulli thulli aadum meenae”
Sorrow is directly conceptualized as a fishing hook ('Thunbam enum thoondil'), and the suffering soul is portrayed as a fish caught upon it.
Rhetorical Question
“Kaadhal enna ketta kanava / Adhu kangal rendum senja thavara”
The lyricist uses poignant rhetorical questions to question fate, love, and existence.
Did you know?
Trivia
Oor Kavalan (1987) stars Rajinikanth and Radhika in lead roles. The soundtrack was composed by the duo Shankar-Ganesh, with lyrics written by the celebrated poet Vaali.
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