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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Anthaathi

From 96 · 2018

Lyricist
Karthik Netha
Singers
Chinmayi, Govind Vasantha, Bhadra Rajin, M. Nassar
Music director
Govind Vasantha
Details
962018

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Peranbae kaadhalGreat love is love
Male :Ulnookki adungindra aadalMale: A dance that turns inward
Saatha…Quietly...
Aaratha aavalUnquenchable longing
Female :Yethetho saayal yetruFemale: Taking on various hues
Thiriyum kaadhalLove that wanders
Male
Prathyega thedalAn exclusive quest
Female :Theeyil theeratha kaatrilFemale: In the unquenchable fire, in the wind
Pul poondil puzhuvil ulathil ilathilIn grass, plants, worms, in presence and absence
Male :Thaanae ellamum aagiMale: Becoming everything on its own
Naam kaanum aruvamaeThe formless entity that we see
Chorus
Aaa…aaa…aaa….aaa…aaa..Aaa...aaa...
Aaa….aaa….aaa…aaa…aaa….aaa…..aa..Aaa...aaa...
Male
Naam intha theeyilIn this fire, we are
Female :Veedu kattum theekuchiFemale: A matchstick building a home
Male :Naam intha kaatrilMale: In this wind, we are
Oonjal kattum thoosiA speck of dust making a swing
Male
Naam intha neerilIn this water, we are
Female :Vazhkai oottum neer poochiFemale: A water beetle driving life
Male & Female :Male & Female:
Naam intha kaambilOn this stem, we are
Kaamathin rusiThe taste of desire
Chorus
Orr…One...
Vidaikullae…Within the answer...
Vinaavellam…All the questions...
Pathunguthae…Are hiding...
Aaa…Aaa...
Naam…We...
Karainthathae…Dissolved...
Marainthathae…Vanished...
Mudinthathae…Ended...
Aaa…Aaa...
Female
Aaa…aaa….aa….Aaa...aaa...
Konjum pooranamae vaaCome, gentle perfection
Nee…ee….ee…You...
Konjum ezhilisaiyaeGentle, beautiful melody
Panja varna boothamThe five-colored elements
Nenjam niraiyuthaeFill up the heart
Kaanbathellaam…aa… kaadhaladi..ee…Everything seen is love, my dear
Chorus
Kaadhalae kaadhalaeO Love, O Love
Thani perun thunaiyaeGreat solitary companion
Kooda vaa kooda vaaCome along, come along
Pothum pothumEnough, enough
Chorus
Kaadhalae kaadhalaeO Love, O Love
Vazhvin neelamThe length of life
Pogalam poga vaaLet us go, come let us go
Female :Nee…eeeeFemale: You...
Chorus
Aaa…Aaa...
Thigampari…Clothed in space (Digambari)...
Valampuri…Sacred right-turned conch...
Suyambu nee…Self-manifested entity, you are...
Nee…You...
Chorus
Aaa…Aaa...
Prahaaram nee…The temple corridor, you are...
Prabaavam nee…The glory, you are...
Pravaaham nee…The sacred flow, you are...
Nee…You...
Chorus
Aaa aaa…Aaa aaa...
Srungaaram nee…Eroticism and beauty, you are...
Aangaaram nee…Fierce passion, you are...
Oangaaram nee…The primordial sound, you are...
Nee…You...
Chorus
Nee…You...
Anthaathi nee…The endless cycle, you are...
Anthaathi nee…The endless cycle, you are...
Anthaathi nee…The endless cycle, you are...
Nee…You...
Male
Hmmm…Hmmm...
Theda vendamDo not search for it
Mun arivi pindri varumIt will come without prior notice
Athan varugaiyaiIts arrival
Idhayam urakka sollumThe heart will announce loudly
Male
Kaadhal…Love...
Kaadhal oru naal ungalaiyumLove will one day reach you as well
Vanthu adaiyumIt will come to you
Athai alli anaithu kollungalEmbrace it tightly
Anbaaga paarthu kollungalTake care of it with love
Kaadhal thangumLove will stay
Kaadhal thayangumLove will hesitate
Kaadhal sirikkumLove will smile
Kaadhal inikkumLove will be sweet
Male
Kaadhal kavithaigal varaiyumLove will compose poems
Kaadhal kalangumLove will get distressed
Kaadhal kuzhambumLove will be confused
Kaadhal oralavukku puriyumLove will be understood to an extent
Kaadhal vilagumLove will move away
Kaadhal piriyumLove will separate
Male
Kadhavugalai moodaamalWithout closing the doors
Vazhi anupungalSee it off
KaathirungalWait
Oru velai kaadhal thirumbinaalIf perchance love returns
Thoorathil thayangi nindraalAnd stands hesitating at a distance
Arugil selungalGo near it
Anbudan pesungalSpeak with love
Male
Pothum…That is enough...
Kaadhaal ungal vasamLove will be yours
Ullam kaadhal vasamThe heart will be in love's embrace
Matrangal vinaaChanges are the question
Matrangalae vidaiChanges themselves are the answer
Kaadhal…Love...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This poetic sequence from the 2018 film 96 meditates on the cosmic, divine, and omnipresent nature of love. Love is presented not merely as a human emotion, but as an elemental force existing in fire, wind, water, living creatures, and formless space. The lyrics use sacred Tamil imagery—comparing love to self-manifested divinity, eternal sound (Oangaram), and continuous poetry (Anthaathi)—to illustrate how love transforms and transcends individual existence. The final spoken passage provides profound practical philosophy on navigating love's unpredictable life cycle. It urges the listener not to hunt frantically for love, but to welcome it warmly when it arrives, nurture it through its moments of clarity and confusion, and bid it a peaceful farewell if it leaves—always keeping the heart open for its potential return.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Veedu kattum theekuchi

Compares human presence in nature to fragile, poetic images like a matchstick in fire or dust on a wind swing.

Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Thigampari / Valampuri

The second consonant sound ' ' matches across successive lines (Thi-ga-m-pari / Va-la-m-puri).

Anaphora (Repetitive Beginning)

Kaadhal thangum / Kaadhal thayangum / Kaadhal sirikkum

Repeated use of 'Kaadhal' at the start of consecutive lines to create a rhythmic, chant-like effect.

Anthaathi (End-to-Beginning Structure Concept)

Anthaathi nee…

Explicit reference to 'Anthaathi', a traditional Tamil poetic device where the end of one stanza forms the beginning of the next, symbolizing infinite continuity.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track features lines written by lyricist Karthik Netha and composed by Govind Vasantha for the blockbuster Tamil film '96'. The poetic recitation towards the end serves as an emotional monologue reflecting the protagonist Ram's philosophical outlook on love, solitude, and acceptance.

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