Enge Sellum Intha
From Sethu · 1999
- Lyricist
- Arivumathi
- Singer
- Ilayaraja
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Sethu1999
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Engae sellum indha paadhai | Where will this path lead? |
| Yaaro yaaro arivaar | Who knows, who knows? |
| Chorus | |
| Ohoo ooo hooo ooo | Ohoo ooo hooo ooo |
| Ohoo ooo hooo | Ohoo ooo hooo |
| Male | |
| Engae sellum indha paadhai | Where will this path lead? |
| Yaaro yaaro arivaar | Who knows, who knows? |
| Kaalam kaalam solla vendum | Time, only time must tell |
| Yaaro unmai arivaar | Who knows the truth? |
| Male | |
| Nerathilae naan | In time, I |
| Oor sella vendum | Must reach my town |
| Vazhi poga thunaiyaai | As a companion along the path |
| Anbae vaaraaiyoo | My beloved, won't you come? |
| Male | |
| Engae sellum indha paadhai | Where will this path lead? |
| Yaaro yaaro arivaar | Who knows, who knows? |
| Male | |
| Oorai vittu oo orr kudisai | Away from town, a lonely hut |
| Angae yaar sendru pottu vaithaar | Who went and set it up there? |
| Kaadhalilae orr paithiyamae | A madman madly in love |
| Sorgam adhuvendrae katti vaithaar | Built it calling it heaven |
| Kaanum kanavugalil inbam inbam | Delight, pure delight in the dreams seen |
| Unmai adharkku vegu | But the truth is very |
| Dhooram dhooram | Far, far away |
| Kaadhal endraal oo vedhanaiyaa | Is love nothing but pain? |
| Male | |
| Engae sellum indha paadhai | Where will this path lead? |
| Yaaro yaaro arivaar | Who knows, who knows? |
| Kaalam kaalam solla vendum | Time, only time must tell |
| Yaaro unmai arivaar | Who knows the truth? |
| Male | |
| Mann ketta andha | When the soil asks for it |
| Mazhai pozhiyum | Rain pours down |
| Megam pozhiyaamal povadhundaa | Will clouds ever refrain from pouring? |
| Karai ketta andha alaigai varum | When the shore asks for it, waves come |
| Alaigal thazhuvaamal povathundaa | Will waves ever fail to embrace? |
| Kanneer mazhai undhan | A rain of tears before |
| Munnae munnae | You, right in front of you |
| Kaadhal mazhaiyai pozhi | Shower the rain of love |
| Kannae kannae | My darling, my darling |
| En uyirae oh en uyirae | Oh my life, oh my life |
| Male | |
| Engae sellum indha paadhai | Where will this path lead? |
| Yaaro yaaro arivaar | Who knows, who knows? |
| Kaalam kaalam solla vendum | Time, only time must tell |
| Yaaro unmai arivaar | Who knows the truth? |
| Male | |
| Nerathilae naan | In time, I |
| Oor sella vendum | Must reach my town |
| Vazhi poga thunaiyaai | As a companion along the path |
| Anbae vaaraaiyoo | My beloved, won't you come? |
| Male | |
| Engae sellum indha paadhai | Where will this path lead? |
| Yaaro yaaro arivaar | Who knows, who knows? |
| Kaalam kaalam solla vendum | Time, only time must tell |
| Yaaro unmai arivaar | Who knows the truth? |
எங்கே செல்லும் இந்த பாதை
யாரோ யாரோ அறிவார்
Where will this path lead?
Who knows, who knows?
ஓஹோ ஓஒ ஹோ ஓஒ
ஓஹோ ஓஒ ஹோ
Ohoo ooo hooo ooo
Ohoo ooo hooo
எங்கே செல்லும் இந்த பாதை
யாரோ யாரோ அறிவார்
காலம் காலம் சொல்ல வேண்டும்
யாரோ உண்மை அறிவார்
Where will this path lead?
Who knows, who knows?
Time, only time must tell
Who knows the truth?
நேரத்திலே நான்
ஊர் செல்ல வேண்டும்
வழி போக துணையாய்
அன்பே வாராயோ
In time, I
Must reach my town
As a companion along the path
My beloved, won't you come?
எங்கே செல்லும் இந்த பாதை
யாரோ யாரோ அறிவார்
Where will this path lead?
Who knows, who knows?
ஊரை விட்டு ஓ ஓர் குடிசை
அங்கே யார் சென்று போட்டு வைத்தார்
காதலிலே ஓர் பைத்தியமே
சொர்க்கம் அதுவென்றே கட்டி வைத்தார்
காணும் கனவுகளில் இன்பம் இன்பம்
உண்மை அதற்கு வெகு
தூரம் தூரம்
காதல் என்றால் ஓ வேதனையா
Away from town, a lonely hut
Who went and set it up there?
A madman madly in love
Built it calling it heaven
Delight, pure delight in the dreams seen
But the truth is very
Far, far away
Is love nothing but pain?
எங்கே செல்லும் இந்த பாதை
யாரோ யாரோ அறிவார்
காலம் காலம் சொல்ல வேண்டும்
யாரோ உண்மை அறிவார்
Where will this path lead?
Who knows, who knows?
Time, only time must tell
Who knows the truth?
மண் கேட்டா
அந்த மழை பொழியும்
மேகம் பொழியாமல் போவதுண்டா
கரை கேட்டா அந்த அலைகள் வரும்
அலைகள் தழுவாமல் போவதுண்டா
கண்ணீர் மழை உந்தன்
முன்னே முன்னே
காதல் மழையை பொழி
கண்ணே கண்ணே
என் உயிரே ஓ என் உயிரே
When the soil asks for it
Rain pours down
Will clouds ever refrain from pouring?
When the shore asks for it, waves come
Will waves ever fail to embrace?
A rain of tears before
You, right in front of you
Shower the rain of love
My darling, my darling
Oh my life, oh my life
எங்கே செல்லும் இந்த பாதை
யாரோ யாரோ அறிவார்
காலம் காலம் சொல்ல வேண்டும்
யாரோ உண்மை அறிவார்
Where will this path lead?
Who knows, who knows?
Time, only time must tell
Who knows the truth?
நேரத்திலே நான் ஊர்
செல்ல வேண்டும்
வழி போக துணையாய்
அன்பே வாராயோ
In time, I
Must reach my town
As a companion along the path
My beloved, won't you come?
எங்கே செல்லும் இந்த பாதை
யாரோ யாரோ அறிவார்
காலம் காலம் சொல்ல வேண்டும்
யாரோ உண்மை அறிவார்
Where will this path lead?
Who knows, who knows?
Time, only time must tell
Who knows the truth?
Engae sellum indha paadhai
Where will this path lead?
Yaaro yaaro arivaar
Who knows, who knows?
Ohoo ooo hooo ooo
Ohoo ooo hooo ooo
Ohoo ooo hooo
Ohoo ooo hooo
Engae sellum indha paadhai
Where will this path lead?
Yaaro yaaro arivaar
Who knows, who knows?
Kaalam kaalam solla vendum
Time, only time must tell
Yaaro unmai arivaar
Who knows the truth?
Nerathilae naan
In time, I
Oor sella vendum
Must reach my town
Vazhi poga thunaiyaai
As a companion along the path
Anbae vaaraaiyoo
My beloved, won't you come?
Engae sellum indha paadhai
Where will this path lead?
Yaaro yaaro arivaar
Who knows, who knows?
Oorai vittu oo orr kudisai
Away from town, a lonely hut
Angae yaar sendru pottu vaithaar
Who went and set it up there?
Kaadhalilae orr paithiyamae
A madman madly in love
Sorgam adhuvendrae katti vaithaar
Built it calling it heaven
Kaanum kanavugalil inbam inbam
Delight, pure delight in the dreams seen
Unmai adharkku vegu
But the truth is very
Dhooram dhooram
Far, far away
Kaadhal endraal oo vedhanaiyaa
Is love nothing but pain?
Engae sellum indha paadhai
Where will this path lead?
Yaaro yaaro arivaar
Who knows, who knows?
Kaalam kaalam solla vendum
Time, only time must tell
Yaaro unmai arivaar
Who knows the truth?
Mann ketta andha
When the soil asks for it
Mazhai pozhiyum
Rain pours down
Megam pozhiyaamal povadhundaa
Will clouds ever refrain from pouring?
Karai ketta andha alaigai varum
When the shore asks for it, waves come
Alaigal thazhuvaamal povathundaa
Will waves ever fail to embrace?
Kanneer mazhai undhan
A rain of tears before
Munnae munnae
You, right in front of you
Kaadhal mazhaiyai pozhi
Shower the rain of love
Kannae kannae
My darling, my darling
En uyirae oh en uyirae
Oh my life, oh my life
Engae sellum indha paadhai
Where will this path lead?
Yaaro yaaro arivaar
Who knows, who knows?
Kaalam kaalam solla vendum
Time, only time must tell
Yaaro unmai arivaar
Who knows the truth?
Nerathilae naan
In time, I
Oor sella vendum
Must reach my town
Vazhi poga thunaiyaai
As a companion along the path
Anbae vaaraaiyoo
My beloved, won't you come?
Engae sellum indha paadhai
Where will this path lead?
Yaaro yaaro arivaar
Who knows, who knows?
Kaalam kaalam solla vendum
Time, only time must tell
Yaaro unmai arivaar
Who knows the truth?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Engae Sellum Indha Paadhai from the 1999 film Sethu is a deeply poignant track reflecting existential uncertainty, longing, and tragic love. The protagonist questions where his uncertain journey is leading him, believing that only time holds the answer. He yearns for his beloved to accompany him through life's unpredictable course, contrasting the bliss of romantic dreams with the cruel reality of pain and isolation. The song uses natural analogies—such as the thirsty earth awaiting rain and the shore welcoming waves—to express an innate, inescapable desire for love and emotional fulfillment amidst suffering.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kanneer mazhai undhan / Kaadhal mazhaiyai pozhi”
The lyricist compares sorrow to a 'rain of tears' (Kanneer mazhai) and affection to a 'rain of love' (Kaadhal mazhai).
Rhetorical Question
“Megam pozhiyaamal povadhundaa”
Asking if clouds could ever fail to shower rain when the earth calls, emphasizing the natural inevitability of love and empathy.
Repetition (Adukkuthodar)
“Yaaro yaaro arivaar / Kaalam kaalam solla vendum”
Words like 'Yaaro' and 'Kaalam' are repeated for rhythmic emphasis and to heighten the emotional weight of uncertainty and time.
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Mann ketta andha / Mazhai pozhiyum / Megam pozhiyaamal povadhundaa”
The repetition of the initial consonant sound 'M' across consecutive lines creates poetic harmony.
Did you know?
Trivia
Sethu (1999), directed by debutant Bala and starring Vikram, was a landmark movie in Tamil cinema that catapulted Vikram to stardom. The music was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics for this song written by Arivumathi. The haunting melody perfectly captures the tragic arc of the protagonist.
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