En Aatha Pon Aatha
From Uzhavan · 1993
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chithra
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Uzhavan1993
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Enn aathaa ponnaathaa | My mother, my golden mother, |
| Ennathaan vittu ponaa | Why did she leave me and go? |
| Enkitta sollaama engaathaa | Without telling me, where did my mother |
| Enga ponaa | Where did she go? |
| Mootha magan mana maalai ittu | Hoping to see her eldest son wedded with a garland, |
| Paathida kaathirundhaa | She waited eagerly. |
| Kaathirundhu palan illai endru | Seeing no fruit in her waiting, |
| Kaathula dhaan kalandhaa | She merged into the wind. |
| Male | |
| Enn aathaa ponnaathaa | My mother, my golden mother, |
| Ennathaan vittu ponaa | Why did she leave me and go? |
| Female | |
| Aariro aariro aariro aariro | Aariro aariro aariro aariro |
| Aaraariro aaraariro aariro aariro | Aaraariro aaraariro aariro aariro |
| Male | |
| Yaetham kondu aathil vandha | Using a water-lift, I can bail out water |
| Thanneerai iraippen | That flows in the river; |
| Yedha kondu kannil vandha | But with what tool can I drain |
| Kanneerai iraippen | The tears flowing from my eyes? |
| Enna ninachae ava moochu vittaa | Thinking of me, she breathed her life, |
| Andha moochindru adangiruchae | Today that breath has fallen quiet. |
| Kannumaniyae endru kooppiduvaa | She used to fondly call me 'my precious jewel', |
| Andha pechindru adangiruchae…ae….. | Today that voice has fallen silent... |
| Female | |
| Aariro aariro aariro aariro | Aariro aariro aariro aariro |
| Male | |
| Enn aathaa ponnaathaa | My mother, my golden mother, |
| Ennathaan vittu ponaa | Why did she leave me and go? |
| Enkitta sollaama engaathaa | Without telling me, where did my mother |
| Enga ponaa | Where did she go? |
| Male | |
| Thaaya vida soththu sugam | More than a mother, what wealth or comfort |
| Ver yedhu enakku | Else do I possess? |
| Cholli cholli naan azhudhaa | Even if I keep weeping and speaking of her, |
| Theeraadhu kanakku | The account of grief will never end. |
| Peththu valathu | Having birthed and raised me, |
| Nalla perum vacha | And bestowed upon me a good name, |
| Dheiva piraviyum ponaalae | That divine soul has departed. |
| Vaaikkarisi ingu naan idavae | While I am here to perform the final rites, |
| Indru theekkirai aanaalae | Today she has succumbed to the flames. |
| Female | |
| Aariro aariro aariro aariro | Aariro aariro aariro aariro |
| Male | |
| Enn aathaa ponnaathaa | My mother, my golden mother, |
| Ennathaan vittu ponaa | Why did she leave me and go? |
| Enkitta sollaama engaathaa | Without telling me, where did my mother |
| Enga ponaa | Where did she go? |
| Mootha magan mana maalai ittu | Hoping to see her eldest son wedded with a garland, |
| Paathida kaathirundhaa | She waited eagerly. |
| Kaathirundhu palan illai endru | Seeing no fruit in her waiting, |
| Kaathula dhaan kalandhaa | She merged into the wind. |
| Male | |
| Enn aathaa ponnaathaa | My mother, my golden mother, |
| Ennathaan vittu ponaa | Why did she leave me and go? |
| Female | |
| Aariro aariro aariro aariro | Aariro aariro aariro aariro |
| Aaraariro aaraariro aariro aariro | Aaraariro aaraariro aariro aariro |
என் ஆத்தா பொன்னாத்தா
என்னத்தான் விட்டு போனா
என்கிட்ட சொல்லாம எங்காத்தா
எங்க போனா
My mother, my golden mother,
Why did she leave me and go?
Without telling me, where did my mother
Where did she go?
Hoping to see her eldest son wedded with a garland,
She waited eagerly.
Seeing no fruit in her waiting,
She merged into the wind.
மூத்த மகன் மணமாலை இட்டு
பாத்திட காத்திருந்தா
காத்திருந்து பலன் இல்லை என்று
காத்துலதான் கலந்தா
My mother, my golden mother,
Why did she leave me and go?
என் ஆத்தா பொன்னாத்தா
என்னத்தான் விட்டு போனா
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Aaraariro aaraariro aariro aariro
ஆரிரோ.....ஓ....ஆரிரோ
ஆரிரோ......ஓ......ஆரிரோ
ஆராரிரோ ஆராரிரோ
ஆரிரோ ஆரிரோ
Using a water-lift, I can bail out water
That flows in the river;
But with what tool can I drain
The tears flowing from my eyes?
Thinking of me, she breathed her life,
Today that breath has fallen quiet.
She used to fondly call me 'my precious jewel',
Today that voice has fallen silent...
ஏத்தம் கொண்டு ஆத்தில் வந்த
தண்ணீரை இறைப்பேன்
எதை கொண்டு கண்ணில் வந்த
கண்ணீரை இறைப்பேன்
என்ன நினைச்சே அவ மூச்சு விட்டா
அந்த மூச்சின்று அடைங்கிருச்சே
கண்ணுமணியே என்று கூப்பிடுவா
அந்தா பேச்சின்று அடங்கிருச்சே...ஏ..
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
ஆரிரோ ஆரிரோ
ஆரிரோ ஆரிரோ
My mother, my golden mother,
Why did she leave me and go?
Without telling me, where did my mother
Where did she go?
என் ஆத்தா பொன்னாத்தா
என்னத்தான் விட்டு போனா
என்கிட்டே சொல்லாம எங்காத்தா
எங்க போனா
More than a mother, what wealth or comfort
Else do I possess?
Even if I keep weeping and speaking of her,
The account of grief will never end.
Having birthed and raised me,
And bestowed upon me a good name,
That divine soul has departed.
While I am here to perform the final rites,
Today she has succumbed to the flames.
தாயை விட சொத்து சுகம்
வேர் ஏது எனக்கு
சொல்லி சொல்லி நான் அழுதா
தீராது கணக்கு
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
பெத்து வளத்து
நல்ல பேரும் வச்ச
தெய்வ பிறவியும் போனாலே
வாய்க்கரிசி இங்கு நான் இடவே
இன்று தீக்கிறை ஆனாலே
My mother, my golden mother,
Why did she leave me and go?
Without telling me, where did my mother
Where did she go?
Hoping to see her eldest son wedded with a garland,
She waited eagerly.
Seeing no fruit in her waiting,
She merged into the wind.
ஆரிரோ ஆரிரோ
ஆரிரோ ஆரிரோ
My mother, my golden mother,
Why did she leave me and go?
என் ஆத்தா பொன்னாத்தா
என்னத்தான் விட்டு போனா
என்கிட்டே சொல்லாம எங்காத்தா
எங்க போனா
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Aaraariro aaraariro aariro aariro
மூத்த மகன் மணமாலை இட்டு
பாத்திட காத்திருந்தா
காத்திருந்து பலன் இல்லை என்று
காத்துலதான் கலந்தா
என் ஆத்தா பொன்னாத்தா
என்னத்தான் விட்டு போனா
ஆரிரோ.....ஓ....ஆரிரோ
ஆரிரோ......ஓ......ஆரிரோ
ஆராரிரோ ஆராரிரோ
ஆரிரோ ஆரிரோ
Enn aathaa ponnaathaa
My mother, my golden mother,
Ennathaan vittu ponaa
Why did she leave me and go?
Enkitta sollaama engaathaa
Without telling me, where did my mother
Enga ponaa
Where did she go?
Mootha magan mana maalai ittu
Hoping to see her eldest son wedded with a garland,
Paathida kaathirundhaa
She waited eagerly.
Kaathirundhu palan illai endru
Seeing no fruit in her waiting,
Kaathula dhaan kalandhaa
She merged into the wind.
Enn aathaa ponnaathaa
My mother, my golden mother,
Ennathaan vittu ponaa
Why did she leave me and go?
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Aaraariro aaraariro aariro aariro
Aaraariro aaraariro aariro aariro
Yaetham kondu aathil vandha
Using a water-lift, I can bail out water
Thanneerai iraippen
That flows in the river;
Yedha kondu kannil vandha
But with what tool can I drain
Kanneerai iraippen
The tears flowing from my eyes?
Enna ninachae ava moochu vittaa
Thinking of me, she breathed her life,
Andha moochindru adangiruchae
Today that breath has fallen quiet.
Kannumaniyae endru kooppiduvaa
She used to fondly call me 'my precious jewel',
Andha pechindru adangiruchae…ae…..
Today that voice has fallen silent...
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Enn aathaa ponnaathaa
My mother, my golden mother,
Ennathaan vittu ponaa
Why did she leave me and go?
Enkitta sollaama engaathaa
Without telling me, where did my mother
Enga ponaa
Where did she go?
Thaaya vida soththu sugam
More than a mother, what wealth or comfort
Ver yedhu enakku
Else do I possess?
Cholli cholli naan azhudhaa
Even if I keep weeping and speaking of her,
Theeraadhu kanakku
The account of grief will never end.
Peththu valathu
Having birthed and raised me,
Nalla perum vacha
And bestowed upon me a good name,
Dheiva piraviyum ponaalae
That divine soul has departed.
Vaaikkarisi ingu naan idavae
While I am here to perform the final rites,
Indru theekkirai aanaalae
Today she has succumbed to the flames.
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Enn aathaa ponnaathaa
My mother, my golden mother,
Ennathaan vittu ponaa
Why did she leave me and go?
Enkitta sollaama engaathaa
Without telling me, where did my mother
Enga ponaa
Where did she go?
Mootha magan mana maalai ittu
Hoping to see her eldest son wedded with a garland,
Paathida kaathirundhaa
She waited eagerly.
Kaathirundhu palan illai endru
Seeing no fruit in her waiting,
Kaathula dhaan kalandhaa
She merged into the wind.
Enn aathaa ponnaathaa
My mother, my golden mother,
Ennathaan vittu ponaa
Why did she leave me and go?
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Aariro aariro aariro aariro
Aaraariro aaraariro aariro aariro
Aaraariro aaraariro aariro aariro
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although the prompt context listed details as unknown, this iconic song from 'Uzhavan' (1993) was composed by A.R. Rahman, written by lyricist Vaali, and sung soulfully by K.J. Yesudas.
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