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Isaimozhi
Uzhavan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

En Aatha Pon Aatha

From Uzhavan · 1993

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chithra
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Uzhavan
Movie release year
1993
Lyrics added on
3 Feb 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Enn aathaa ponnaathaa
Ennathaan vittu ponaa
Enkitta sollaama engaathaa
Enga ponaa
Mootha magan mana maalai ittu
Paathida kaathirundhaa
Kaathirundhu palan illai endru
Kaathula dhaan kalandhaa
Enn aathaa ponnaathaa
Ennathaan vittu ponaa
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Aaraariro aaraariro aariro aariro
Yaetham kondu aathil vandha
Thanneerai iraippen
Yedha kondu kannil vandha
Kanneerai iraippen
Enna ninachae ava moochu vittaa
Andha moochindru adangiruchae
Kannumaniyae endru kooppiduvaa
Andha pechindru adangiruchae…ae…..
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Enn aathaa ponnaathaa
Ennathaan vittu ponaa
Enkitta sollaama engaathaa
Enga ponaa
Thaaya vida soththu sugam
Ver yedhu enakku
Cholli cholli naan azhudhaa
Theeraadhu kanakku
Peththu valathu
Nalla perum vacha
Dheiva piraviyum ponaalae
Vaaikkarisi ingu naan idavae
Indru theekkirai aanaalae
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Enn aathaa ponnaathaa
Ennathaan vittu ponaa
Enkitta sollaama engaathaa
Enga ponaa
Mootha magan mana maalai ittu
Paathida kaathirundhaa
Kaathirundhu palan illai endru
Kaathula dhaan kalandhaa
Enn aathaa ponnaathaa
Ennathaan vittu ponaa
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Aaraariro aaraariro aariro aariro
My mother, my golden mother,
She has left me all alone and gone.
Without saying a word to me, my mother,
Where did she go?
Hoping to see her eldest son wear a wedding garland,
She waited and waited.
Feeling that waiting was of no use,
She simply merged into the wind.
My mother, my golden mother,
She has left me all alone and gone.
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Aarariro aarariro aariro aariro
With a water lift, the water from the river
I can easily bail out and drain.
With what can I ever bail out
The tears overflowing from my eyes?
Thinking of what did she let out her sighs?
That very breath has stopped today.
"My precious child," she used to call me,
That voice has fallen completely silent today...
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
My mother, my golden mother,
She has left me all alone and gone.
Without saying a word to me, my mother,
Where did she go?
Other than a mother, what wealth and comfort
Is there left for me?
Even if I keep weeping and recounting my pain,
The sorrow will never come to an end.
Giving birth to me and raising me,
She gave me a good name in this world;
Now that divine soul has departed.
As I place the funeral rice upon her lips,
Today she has been consumed by the fire.
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
My mother, my golden mother,
She has left me all alone and gone.
Without saying a word to me, my mother,
Where did she go?
Hoping to see her eldest son wear a wedding garland,
She waited and waited.
Feeling that waiting was of no use,
She simply merged into the wind.
My mother, my golden mother,
She has left me all alone and gone.
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Aarariro aarariro aariro aariro
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Enn Aathaa Ponnaathaa from the 1993 Tamil film Uzhavan is a heart-wrenching funeral lament (Oppari) sung by a son grieving the loss of his devoted mother. He expresses deep anguish that she passed away before witnessing major milestones like his wedding. Comparing his tears to river water, he despairs that no tool on earth can empty the grief pouring from his eyes. The song emphasizes maternal love as irreplaceable wealth, mourning her final transition into the funeral flames.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Imagery & Contrast

“Yaetham kondu aathil vandha Thanneerai iraippen / Yedha kondu kannil vandha Kanneerai iraippen”

Contrasts the physical capability of bailing river water using an irrigation lift ('Yaetham') with the emotional impossibility of drying tears of grief.

Wordplay / Polysemy (Kaathu)

“Kaathirundhu palan illai endru Kaathula dhaan kalandhaa”

Plays on the root 'Kaathu' used in 'Kaathirundhu' (waiting) and 'Kaathula' (into the wind/air), poetically framing death as fading into the breeze.

Lullaby Subversion (Thalaattu to Oppari)

“Aariro aariro aariro aariro”

Employs traditional lullaby refrains ('Aariro') within a funeral context to heighten the irony of a son putting his mother to final sleep.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Petretuthu Peyarumittu1961
ManapanthalGriefMotherhood
Mannir Piranthan Mannuzhuthu1959
Ponnu Vilaiyum BoomiGriefMournful
Eerainthu Madhame1957
Vanangamudi – 1957 FilmGriefMotherhood
Opaari2016
SaithanGriefMotherhood
Annai Madiyil Kann Thirandhom1988
Kodi ParakuthuMotherhoodLoss
Ammamma Unnai Sad1994
SadhuMotherhoodMournful

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