Annal Gandhi
From Desiya Geetham · 1998
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Annal gandhi | Great Gandhi, |
| Kanndadhenna oomai kanavaa | Was what you envisioned a mute dream? |
| Theeyil moozhgi muthedutha | Diving into fire to retrieve a pearl, |
| Desam idhuvaa | Is this that nation? |
| Male | |
| Suthanthiram siraiyilae | Freedom is in prison, |
| Suyanalam veliyilae | Selfishness is out in the open. |
| Annai naadu indru | Today, our motherland |
| Aanathaiyaa…aa… | Has become like this... |
| Male | |
| Annal gandhi | Great Gandhi, |
| Kanndadhenna oomai kanavaa | Was what you envisioned a mute dream? |
| Theeyil moozhgi muthedutha | Diving into fire to retrieve a pearl, |
| Desam idhuvaa | Is this that nation? |
| Male | |
| Jaadhi madham | Caste and religion, |
| Raththam ketkkum naadaachu | Have turned this into a country demanding blood. |
| Needhi nyaayam | Justice and fairness, |
| Naattai vittu poyaachu | Have departed from this land. |
| Male | |
| Annal gandhi | Great Gandhi, |
| Kanndadhenna oomai kanavaa | Was what you envisioned a mute dream? |
| Theeyil moozhgi muthedutha | Diving into fire to retrieve a pearl, |
| Desam idhuvaa | Is this that nation? |
| Male | |
| Annal gandhi | Great Gandhi, |
| Kanndadhenna oomai kanavaa | Was what you envisioned a mute dream? |
| Theeyil moozhgi muthedutha | Diving into fire to retrieve a pearl, |
| Desam idhuvaa | Is this that nation? |
| Male | |
| Ammaa neeyum pillai kaiyil | Mother, in your own child's hands, |
| Innum kaithiyaa | Are you still a captive? |
| Ammaa neeyum sondha naattil | Mother, in your own homeland, |
| Innum agathiyaa | Are you still a refugee? |
| Male | |
| Andha naal ninaivilae | In the memories of those bygone days, |
| Azhuvathaen annaiyae | Why do you weep, oh mother? |
| Thaettra oru vaarthai ingedhu… | Where is a word here to comfort you? |
| Male | |
| Ammaa neeyum pillai kaiyil | Mother, in your own child's hands, |
| Innum kaithiyaa | Are you still a captive? |
| Ammaa neeyum sondha naattil | Mother, in your own homeland, |
| Innum agathiyaa | Are you still a refugee? |
| Male | |
| Aadum kodi | The fluttering national flag, |
| Paadum soga geethangal | Sings sorrowful songs. |
| Kaalam ellaam | For all time, |
| Engal nenjil kaayangal | There are deep wounds in our hearts. |
| Male | |
| {Ammaa neeyum pillai kaiyil | Mother, in your own child's hands, |
| Innum kaithiyaa | Are you still a captive? |
| Ammaa neeyum sondha naattil | Mother, in your own homeland, |
| Innum agathiyaa} (2) | Are you still a refugee? |
அண்ணல் காந்தி
கண்டதென்ன ஊமை கனவா
தீயில் மூழ்கி முத்தெடுத்த
தேசம் இதுவா
Great Gandhi,
Was what you envisioned a mute dream?
Diving into fire to retrieve a pearl,
Is this that nation?
சுதந்திரம் சிறையிலே
சுயநலம் வெளியிலே
அன்னை நாடு இன்று
அனாதையா
Freedom is in prison,
Selfishness is out in the open.
Today, our motherland
Has become like this...
அண்ணல் காந்தி
கண்டதென்ன ஊமை கனவா
தீயில் மூழ்கி முத்தெடுத்த
தேசம் இதுவா
Great Gandhi,
Was what you envisioned a mute dream?
Diving into fire to retrieve a pearl,
Is this that nation?
ஜாதி மதம்
ரத்தம் கேட்கும் நாடாச்சு
நீதி நியாயம்
நாட்டை விட்டு போயாச்சு
Caste and religion,
Have turned this into a country demanding blood.
Justice and fairness,
Have departed from this land.
அண்ணல் காந்தி
கண்டதென்ன ஊமை கனவா
தீயில் மூழ்கி முத்தெடுத்த
தேசம் இதுவா
Great Gandhi,
Was what you envisioned a mute dream?
Diving into fire to retrieve a pearl,
Is this that nation?
அண்ணல் காந்தி
கண்டதென்ன ஊமை கனவா
தீயில் மூழ்கி முத்தெடுத்த
தேசம் இதுவா
Great Gandhi,
Was what you envisioned a mute dream?
Diving into fire to retrieve a pearl,
Is this that nation?
அம்மா நீயும் பிள்ளை கையில்
இன்னும் கைதியா
அம்மா நீயும் சொந்த நாட்டில்
இன்னும் அகதியா
Mother, in your own child's hands,
Are you still a captive?
Mother, in your own homeland,
Are you still a refugee?
அந்த நாள்
நினைவிலே அழுவதேன்
அன்னையே தேற்ற
ஒரு வார்த்தை இங்கு ஏது
In the memories of those bygone days,
Why do you weep, oh mother?
Where is a word here to comfort you?
அம்மா நீயும் பிள்ளை கையில்
இன்னும் கைதியா
அம்மா நீயும் சொந்த நாட்டில்
இன்னும் அகதியா
Mother, in your own child's hands,
Are you still a captive?
Mother, in your own homeland,
Are you still a refugee?
ஆடும் கொடி பாடும்
சோக கீதங்கள்
காலம் எல்லாம்
எங்கள் நெஞ்சில் காயங்கள்
The fluttering national flag,
Sings sorrowful songs.
For all time,
There are deep wounds in our hearts.
{அம்மா நீயும் பிள்ளை கையில்
இன்னும் கைதியா
அம்மா நீயும் சொந்த நாட்டில்
இன்னும் அகதியா} (2)
Mother, in your own child's hands,
Are you still a captive?
Mother, in your own homeland,
Are you still a refugee?
Annal gandhi
Great Gandhi,
Kanndadhenna oomai kanavaa
Was what you envisioned a mute dream?
Theeyil moozhgi muthedutha
Diving into fire to retrieve a pearl,
Desam idhuvaa
Is this that nation?
Suthanthiram siraiyilae
Freedom is in prison,
Suyanalam veliyilae
Selfishness is out in the open.
Annai naadu indru
Today, our motherland
Aanathaiyaa…aa…
Has become like this...
Annal gandhi
Great Gandhi,
Kanndadhenna oomai kanavaa
Was what you envisioned a mute dream?
Theeyil moozhgi muthedutha
Diving into fire to retrieve a pearl,
Desam idhuvaa
Is this that nation?
Jaadhi madham
Caste and religion,
Raththam ketkkum naadaachu
Have turned this into a country demanding blood.
Needhi nyaayam
Justice and fairness,
Naattai vittu poyaachu
Have departed from this land.
Annal gandhi
Great Gandhi,
Kanndadhenna oomai kanavaa
Was what you envisioned a mute dream?
Theeyil moozhgi muthedutha
Diving into fire to retrieve a pearl,
Desam idhuvaa
Is this that nation?
Annal gandhi
Great Gandhi,
Kanndadhenna oomai kanavaa
Was what you envisioned a mute dream?
Theeyil moozhgi muthedutha
Diving into fire to retrieve a pearl,
Desam idhuvaa
Is this that nation?
Ammaa neeyum pillai kaiyil
Mother, in your own child's hands,
Innum kaithiyaa
Are you still a captive?
Ammaa neeyum sondha naattil
Mother, in your own homeland,
Innum agathiyaa
Are you still a refugee?
Andha naal ninaivilae
In the memories of those bygone days,
Azhuvathaen annaiyae
Why do you weep, oh mother?
Thaettra oru vaarthai ingedhu…
Where is a word here to comfort you?
Ammaa neeyum pillai kaiyil
Mother, in your own child's hands,
Innum kaithiyaa
Are you still a captive?
Ammaa neeyum sondha naattil
Mother, in your own homeland,
Innum agathiyaa
Are you still a refugee?
Aadum kodi
The fluttering national flag,
Paadum soga geethangal
Sings sorrowful songs.
Kaalam ellaam
For all time,
Engal nenjil kaayangal
There are deep wounds in our hearts.
{Ammaa neeyum pillai kaiyil
Mother, in your own child's hands,
Innum kaithiyaa
Are you still a captive?
Ammaa neeyum sondha naattil
Mother, in your own homeland,
Innum agathiyaa} (2)
Are you still a refugee?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song from 'Desiya Geetham' (1998) is a social commentary and lamentation on the modern state of post-independence India. It juxtaposes the extreme sacrifices made during the freedom struggle—metaphorically described as diving into fire to retrieve a pearl—with the tragic realities of present-day corruption, caste violence, religious division, and loss of justice. Mother India is personified as a mother held captive and reduced to a refugee by her own ungrateful children. Through intense imagery such as a mourning national flag and enduring heart wounds, lyricist Vasan questions whether Mahatma Gandhi's vision for a free and righteous nation has been reduced to an unfulfilled dream, highlighting the tragic shift where freedom is imprisoned while selfishness roams free.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Theeyil moozhgi muthedutha”
Compares the heroic, perilous struggle for Indian independence to the act of diving into fire to retrieve a pearl.
Personification
“Ammaa neeyum pillai kaiyil Innum kaithiyaa”
Personifies the nation (Mother India) as a suffering mother who is imprisoned and made a refugee by her own children.
Antithesis (Contrast)
“Suthanthiram siraiyilae Suyanalam veliyilae”
Contrasts freedom being imprisoned inside with selfishness walking freely outside.
Personification
“Aadum kodi Paadum soga geethangal”
Attributes human sorrow and the ability to sing sad songs to the national flag.
Etukai (Tamil Second-letter Rhyme)
“Suthanthiram siraiyilae Suyanalam veliyilae”
Rhyming scheme on the second letter of consecutive words ('th' sound in Suthanthiram / Suyanalam).
Did you know?
Trivia
Desiya Geetham (1998) is a political drama film directed by Cheran, starring Murali. The musical score was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, and this song written by Vasan serves as the emotional backbone of the movie, highlighting political accountability and civic duty.
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