Aayiram Piraikal Kaanum
From Thookku Medai · 1982
- Lyricist
- Karunanithi
- Singer
- Vani Jairam
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Thookku Medai1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aayiram piraigal kaanum varai | Until I witness a thousand crescent moons, |
| Alaikadal osai adangum varai | Until the roar of the wavy ocean falls silent, |
| Thamizhae unakkaaga nee thaniya enakkaaga | Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine, |
| Kaaththiruppaen naan kaaththiruppaen…. | I will wait, I will keep waiting... |
| Female | |
| Aayiram piraigal kaanum varai | Until I witness a thousand crescent moons, |
| Alaikadal osai adangum varai | Until the roar of the wavy ocean falls silent, |
| Thamizhae unakkaaga nee thaniya enakkaaga | Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine, |
| Kaaththiruppaen naan kaaththiruppaen…. | I will wait, I will keep waiting... |
| Female | |
| Kathiravan oorvalam nirkkum varai | Until the sun's daily procession comes to a halt, |
| Kani valam ulagil vattrum varai | Until the earth's fruitfulness dries up, |
| Kathiravan oorvalam nirkkum varai | Until the sun's daily procession comes to a halt, |
| Kani valam ulagil vattrum varai | Until the earth's fruitfulness dries up, |
| Female | |
| Pothigai thendral thoongum varai | Until the gentle breeze of the Pothigai hills goes to sleep, |
| Ponni nathiyaal poikkum varai | Until the river Ponni fails to flow, |
| Pothigai thendral thoongum varai | Until the gentle breeze of the Pothigai hills goes to sleep, |
| Ponni nathiyaal poikkum varai | Until the river Ponni fails to flow, |
| Thamizhae unakkaaga nee thaniya enakkaaga… | Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine... |
| Female | |
| Aayiram piraigal kaanum varai | Until I witness a thousand crescent moons, |
| Alaikadal osai adangum varai | Until the roar of the wavy ocean falls silent, |
| Thamizhae unakkaaga nee thaniya enakkaaga | Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine, |
| Kaaththiruppaen naan kaaththiruppaen…. | I will wait, I will keep waiting... |
| Female | |
| Ilamai azhagu theyum varai | Until the beauty of youth wears away, |
| Mudhumai udalil paayum varai | Until old age rushes through my body, |
| Ilamai azhagu theyum varai | Until the beauty of youth wears away, |
| Mudhumai udalil paayum varai | Until old age rushes through my body, |
| Thamizhae unakkaaga nee thaniya enakkaaga… | Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine... |
| Female | |
| Aayiram piraigal kaanum varai | Until I witness a thousand crescent moons, |
| Alaikadal osai adangum varai | Until the roar of the wavy ocean falls silent, |
| Thamizhae unakkaaga nee thaniya enakkaaga | Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine, |
| Kaaththiruppaen naan kaaththiruppaen…. | I will wait, I will keep waiting... |
| Kaaththiruppaen naan kaaththiruppaen…. | I will wait, I will keep waiting... |
ஆயிரம் பிறைகள் காணும் வரை
அலைக்கடல் ஓசை அடங்கும் வரை
தமிழே உனக்காக நீ தனியே எனக்காக
காத்திருப்பேன் நான் காத்திருப்பேன்.....
Until I witness a thousand crescent moons,
Until the roar of the wavy ocean falls silent,
Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine,
I will wait, I will keep waiting...
ஆயிரம் பிறைகள் காணும் வரை
அலைக்கடல் ஓசை அடங்கும் வரை
தமிழே உனக்காக நீ தனியே எனக்காக
காத்திருப்பேன் நான் காத்திருப்பேன்.....
Until I witness a thousand crescent moons,
Until the roar of the wavy ocean falls silent,
Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine,
I will wait, I will keep waiting...
கதிரவன் ஊர்வலம் நிற்கும் வரை
கனி வளம் உலகில் வற்றும் வரை
கதிரவன் ஊர்வலம் நிற்கும் வரை
கனி வளம் உலகில் வற்றும் வரை
Until the sun's daily procession comes to a halt,
Until the earth's fruitfulness dries up,
Until the sun's daily procession comes to a halt,
Until the earth's fruitfulness dries up,
பொதிகை தென்றல் தூங்கும் வரை
பொன்னி நதியாள் பொய்க்கும் வரை
பொதிகை தென்றல் தூங்கும் வரை
பொன்னி நதியாள் பொய்க்கும் வரை
தமிழே உனக்காக நீ தனியே எனக்காக..
Until the gentle breeze of the Pothigai hills goes to sleep,
Until the river Ponni fails to flow,
Until the gentle breeze of the Pothigai hills goes to sleep,
Until the river Ponni fails to flow,
Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine...
ஆயிரம் பிறைகள் காணும் வரை
அலைக்கடல் ஓசை அடங்கும் வரை
தமிழே உனக்காக நீ தனியே எனக்காக
காத்திருப்பேன் நான் காத்திருப்பேன்.....
Until I witness a thousand crescent moons,
Until the roar of the wavy ocean falls silent,
Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine,
I will wait, I will keep waiting...
இயற்கை வளங்கள் இருக்கும் வரை
இலக்கிய செல்வம் வாழும் வரை
இயற்கை வளங்கள் இருக்கும் வரை
இலக்கிய செல்வம் வாழும் வரை
Until the beauty of youth wears away,
Until old age rushes through my body,
Until the beauty of youth wears away,
Until old age rushes through my body,
Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine...
இளமை அழகு தேயும் வரை
முதுமை உடலில் பாயும் வரை
இளமை அழகு தேயும் வரை
முதுமை உடலில் பாயும் வரை
தமிழே உனக்காக நீ தனியே எனக்காக
Until I witness a thousand crescent moons,
Until the roar of the wavy ocean falls silent,
Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine,
I will wait, I will keep waiting...
I will wait, I will keep waiting...
ஆயிரம் பிறைகள் காணும் வரை
அலைக்கடல் ஓசை அடங்கும் வரை
தமிழே உனக்காக நீ தனியே எனக்காக
காத்திருப்பேன் நான் காத்திருப்பேன்.....
காத்திருப்பேன் நான் காத்திருப்பேன்.....
Aayiram piraigal kaanum varai
Until I witness a thousand crescent moons,
Alaikadal osai adangum varai
Until the roar of the wavy ocean falls silent,
Thamizhae unakkaaga nee thaniya enakkaaga
Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine,
Kaaththiruppaen naan kaaththiruppaen….
I will wait, I will keep waiting...
Aayiram piraigal kaanum varai
Until I witness a thousand crescent moons,
Alaikadal osai adangum varai
Until the roar of the wavy ocean falls silent,
Thamizhae unakkaaga nee thaniya enakkaaga
Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine,
Kaaththiruppaen naan kaaththiruppaen….
I will wait, I will keep waiting...
Kathiravan oorvalam nirkkum varai
Until the sun's daily procession comes to a halt,
Kani valam ulagil vattrum varai
Until the earth's fruitfulness dries up,
Kathiravan oorvalam nirkkum varai
Until the sun's daily procession comes to a halt,
Kani valam ulagil vattrum varai
Until the earth's fruitfulness dries up,
Pothigai thendral thoongum varai
Until the gentle breeze of the Pothigai hills goes to sleep,
Ponni nathiyaal poikkum varai
Until the river Ponni fails to flow,
Pothigai thendral thoongum varai
Until the gentle breeze of the Pothigai hills goes to sleep,
Ponni nathiyaal poikkum varai
Until the river Ponni fails to flow,
Thamizhae unakkaaga nee thaniya enakkaaga…
Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine...
Aayiram piraigal kaanum varai
Until I witness a thousand crescent moons,
Alaikadal osai adangum varai
Until the roar of the wavy ocean falls silent,
Thamizhae unakkaaga nee thaniya enakkaaga
Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine,
Kaaththiruppaen naan kaaththiruppaen….
I will wait, I will keep waiting...
Ilamai azhagu theyum varai
Until the beauty of youth wears away,
Mudhumai udalil paayum varai
Until old age rushes through my body,
Ilamai azhagu theyum varai
Until the beauty of youth wears away,
Mudhumai udalil paayum varai
Until old age rushes through my body,
Thamizhae unakkaaga nee thaniya enakkaaga…
Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine...
Aayiram piraigal kaanum varai
Until I witness a thousand crescent moons,
Alaikadal osai adangum varai
Until the roar of the wavy ocean falls silent,
Thamizhae unakkaaga nee thaniya enakkaaga
Oh Tamil, for your sake, and you uniquely for mine,
Kaaththiruppaen naan kaaththiruppaen….
I will wait, I will keep waiting...
Kaaththiruppaen naan kaaththiruppaen….
I will wait, I will keep waiting...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from the film 'Thookku Medai' (1982) is a passionate love letter to the Tamil language, personifying Tamil as a beloved entity. Written by M. Karunanidhi, the song uses vivid cosmological and natural imagery to express an eternal commitment to Tamil. The speaker vows to wait for Tamil through extreme and impossible cosmic shifts, such as the sun stopping its motion, rivers running dry, and breezes falling asleep, as well as through the personal aging process from youth to old age.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Hyperbole (Uruvagim / Athiyokthi)
“Kathiravan oorvalam nirkkum varai”
Exaggerates devotion by stating that the speaker will wait until impossible cosmic phenomena occur, such as the sun stopping its path.
Personification
“Pothigai thendral thoongum varai”
Attributes human characteristics like sleeping to the breeze of the Pothigai hills and treats the Tamil language as a living partner.
Anaphora (Repetition)
“Kaaththiruppaen naan kaaththiruppaen….”
The phrase 'Kaaththiruppaen' is repeated at the end of verses to emphasize steadfast resolve and eternal devotion.
Cultural/Geographical Allusion
“Ponni nathiyaal poikkum varai”
Refers to Pothigai (the mountain associated with the origin of Tamil and Agastya) and Ponni (River Kaveri), highlighting key cultural symbols of the Tamil land.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Thookku Medai' was originally a famous political play written by M. Karunanidhi (former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu) in his early literary years before being adapted into a 1982 film. The lyrics reflect the Dravidian movement's deep reverence for the Tamil language, portraying it with intimate personal devotion.
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