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Isaimozhi
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Lyrics & meaning

Agini Kunjondru

From Bharathi · 2000

Lyricist
Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
Singer
K. J. Yesudas
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Bharathi
Movie release year
2000
Lyrics added on
13 Jun 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Agini kunjondru kanden
Athai angoru kaatil orr ponthidai vaithen
Agini kunjondru kanden
Athai angoru kaatil orr ponthidai vaithen
Agini kunjondru kanden
Athai angoru kaatil orr ponthidai vaithen
Vendhu thaninthathu kaadu
Vendhu thaninthathu kaadu
Vendhu thaninthathu kaadu
Thalal veerathil
Kunjendrum moopendrum undo
{Thaththarigida
Thaththarigida thiththom
Thaga thaththaarigida
Thaththaarigida thiththom} (2)
Agini kunjondru kanden
Athai angoru kaatil orr ponthidai vaithen
Vetti adikuthu minnal
Kadal veerathirai kondu
Vinnai idikuthu
Kotti idikuthu megam
Koo koovendru
Vinnai kudaiyithu kaatru
Chattachada chattachada thatta
Chattachada chattachada thatta
Endru thaalang kotti
Kanaikithu vaanam
Agini kunjondru kanden
Athai angoru kaatil orr ponthidai vaithen
Agini kunjondru kanden
Athai angoru kaatil orr ponthidai vaithen
Agini kunjondru kanden
Athai angoru kaatil orr ponthidai vaithen
Thaththarigida
Thaththarigida thiththom
Thaga thaththaarigida
Thaththaarigida thiththom
I found a tiny spark of fire,
And placed it inside a tree hollow in the forest over there.
I found a tiny spark of fire,
And placed it inside a tree hollow in the forest over there.
I found a tiny spark of fire,
And placed it inside a tree hollow in the forest over there.
The forest burned down to ashes.
The forest burned down to ashes.
The forest burned down to ashes.
In the fierce might of fire,
Is there any such thing as young or old?
Dhatharikida
Dhatharikida thithom
Thaka dhathaarikida
Dhathaarikida thithom
I found a tiny spark of fire,
And placed it inside a tree hollow in the forest over there.
Lightning strikes and slashes down,
The sea rises with its mighty waves
And batters against the sky.
Clouds pour down with crashing thunder,
Howling wildly,
The fierce wind tears through the sky.
Rattling with a sharp, crashing beat,
Rattling with a sharp, crashing beat,
Keeping time with the storm,
The sky roars aloud.
I found a tiny spark of fire,
And placed it inside a tree hollow in the forest over there.
I found a tiny spark of fire,
And placed it inside a tree hollow in the forest over there.
I found a tiny spark of fire,
And placed it inside a tree hollow in the forest over there.
Dhatharikida
Dhatharikida thithom
Thaka dhathaarikida
Dhathaarikida thithom
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This iconic poem by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar uses a small ember as a metaphor for the divine spark of knowledge, freedom, and revolution. Even a tiny spark (Agni Kunjondru), when placed in a forest (symbolizing ignorance, oppression, or colonialism), has the power to destroy the entire forest without discriminating between young or old trees. The poem captures the fierce fury of nature—lightning, thunderous clouds, howling winds—and compares it to the unstoppable force of freedom and spiritual awakening.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Urvagatu)

“Agini kunjondru kanden”

'Agni Kunjondru' (a tiny spark of fire) acts as a powerful metaphor for revolutionary thought, knowledge, or patriotism that can burn down the forest of ignorance and oppression.

Onomatopoeia (Oli-kurippu)

“Chattachada chattachada thatta”

'Chattachada chattachada' and 'Koo koovendru' imitate the natural sound of crashing thunder and whistling winds.

Rhyme / Alliteration (Edhugai / Monai)

“Vendhu thaninthathu kaadu”

Repetition of 'Vendhu' across lines and internal rhyme adds intense rhythmic energy matching the theme of destruction.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Agni Kunjondru' is one of Bharathiyaar's most famous patriotic and philosophical poems. In the 2000 biographical film 'Bharathi', directed by Gnana Rajasekaran, the soundtrack was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, and this poem was dramatically performed as part of the musical score.

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