Engeyo Thikkudesai
From Mahanadhi · 1994
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Kamal Haasan
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Mahanadhi1994
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Chorus | |
| ……………………………… | |
| Male | |
| ……………………………….. | |
| Male | |
| Engaeyo dhikku dhesa | Somewhere in unknown directions, |
| Kaanaadha dhooram thaan | To a distant, unseen land, |
| Yemmaadi vandhadhenna | Oh my, why did it travel? |
| En vaazhkkai odam thaan | This boat that is my life. |
| Male | |
| Kaaveri theeram vittu | Leaving behind the banks of the Kaveri, |
| Kaalgal vandhadhadi | My feet have wandered here, my dear. |
| Kaanaadha sogam ellaam | Sorrows never seen before, |
| Kangal kandadhadi | My eyes have witnessed them all, my dear. |
| Male | |
| Kai maari naan valartha | The green parrot that I lovingly raised slipped away, |
| Pachai kili ponadhu | That green parrot is gone. |
| Kannaara naanum kaana | For my eyes to finally behold you, |
| Ithanai naal aanadhu | It took all these many days. |
| Male | |
| Iru kannae senthamizh thaenae | Oh my two eyes, my sweet Tamil honey, |
| Thandhaiyin paasam vendradhadi | A father's true love has won at last, my dear. |
| Pasum ponnae sevvandhi poovae | Oh pure gold, my chrysanthemum flower, |
| Iththudan sogam sendradhadi | With this, all sorrow has departed, my dear. |
| Male | |
| Naan gangaa nadhiyai | As I look upon the River Ganges, |
| Kaanum pozhudhu | At this moment, |
| Unmai vilangudhu | The truth becomes clear to me. |
| Ada ingae kulikkum | Ah, in the dirtiness of the humans, |
| Manidhan azhukkil | Who bathe right here, |
| Gangal kalangudhu | Even the river Ganges gets troubled and tearful. |
| Sila pollaa manangal paava karaiyai | Some wicked hearts wash away the stain of their sins, |
| Neeril kazhuvudhu | In this holy water, |
| Indha muttaal thanathai engae solli | Where can I go and cry about this foolishness, |
| Naanum azhuvadhu… | Where can I weep... |
........................................
.............................
எங்கேயோ திக்கு திசை
காணாத தூரம்தான்
எம்மாடி வந்ததென்ன
என் வாழ்க்கை ஓடம்தான்
Somewhere in unknown directions,
To a distant, unseen land,
Oh my, why did it travel?
This boat that is my life.
காவேரி தீரம் விட்டு
கால்கள் வந்ததடி
காணாத சோகம் எல்லாம்
கண்கள் கண்டதடி
Leaving behind the banks of the Kaveri,
My feet have wandered here, my dear.
Sorrows never seen before,
My eyes have witnessed them all, my dear.
கைமாறி நான் வளர்த்த
பச்சைக்கிளி போனது
கண்ணார நானும் காண
இத்தனை நாள் ஆனது
The green parrot that I lovingly raised slipped away,
That green parrot is gone.
For my eyes to finally behold you,
It took all these many days.
இரு கண்ணே செந்தமிழ்த்தேனே
தந்தையின் பாசம் வென்றதடி
பசும் பொன்னே செவ்வந்திப் பூவே
இத்துடன் சோகம் சென்றதடி
Oh my two eyes, my sweet Tamil honey,
A father's true love has won at last, my dear.
Oh pure gold, my chrysanthemum flower,
With this, all sorrow has departed, my dear.
நான் கங்கா நதியை
காணும் பொழுது
உண்மை விளங்குது
அட இங்கே குளிக்கும்
மனிதன் அழுக்கில்
கங்கை கலங்குது
சில பொல்லா மனங்கள் பாவக்கறையை
நீரில் கழுவுது
இந்த முட்டாள் தனத்தை எங்கே சொல்லி
நானும் அழுவது.....
As I look upon the River Ganges,
At this moment,
The truth becomes clear to me.
Ah, in the dirtiness of the humans,
Who bathe right here,
Even the river Ganges gets troubled and tearful.
Some wicked hearts wash away the stain of their sins,
In this holy water,
Where can I go and cry about this foolishness,
Where can I weep...
………………………………
………………………………..
Engaeyo dhikku dhesa
Somewhere in unknown directions,
Kaanaadha dhooram thaan
To a distant, unseen land,
Yemmaadi vandhadhenna
Oh my, why did it travel?
En vaazhkkai odam thaan
This boat that is my life.
Kaaveri theeram vittu
Leaving behind the banks of the Kaveri,
Kaalgal vandhadhadi
My feet have wandered here, my dear.
Kaanaadha sogam ellaam
Sorrows never seen before,
Kangal kandadhadi
My eyes have witnessed them all, my dear.
Kai maari naan valartha
The green parrot that I lovingly raised slipped away,
Pachai kili ponadhu
That green parrot is gone.
Kannaara naanum kaana
For my eyes to finally behold you,
Ithanai naal aanadhu
It took all these many days.
Iru kannae senthamizh thaenae
Oh my two eyes, my sweet Tamil honey,
Thandhaiyin paasam vendradhadi
A father's true love has won at last, my dear.
Pasum ponnae sevvandhi poovae
Oh pure gold, my chrysanthemum flower,
Iththudan sogam sendradhadi
With this, all sorrow has departed, my dear.
Naan gangaa nadhiyai
As I look upon the River Ganges,
Kaanum pozhudhu
At this moment,
Unmai vilangudhu
The truth becomes clear to me.
Ada ingae kulikkum
Ah, in the dirtiness of the humans,
Manidhan azhukkil
Who bathe right here,
Gangal kalangudhu
Even the river Ganges gets troubled and tearful.
Sila pollaa manangal paava karaiyai
Some wicked hearts wash away the stain of their sins,
Neeril kazhuvudhu
In this holy water,
Indha muttaal thanathai engae solli
Where can I go and cry about this foolishness,
Naanum azhuvadhu…
Where can I weep...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song from the film 'Mahanadhi' captures the deep grief and ultimate emotional redemption of a father separated from his beloved daughter. Reflecting on his tragic life journey—metaphorically described as a boat drifting away from the peaceful banks of the Kaveri river—he expresses the immense anguish and hardship he endured while searching for his missing child. Upon finding her, he rejoices, declaring that a father's unconditional love has triumphed over all miseries.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“En vaazhkkai odam thaan”
Compares life to a helpless boat drifting along unknown currents.
Endearment / Metaphor
“Pachai kili ponadhu”
Refers to the beloved daughter metaphorically as a 'green parrot' ('Pachai kili') that was raised lovingly but lost.
Personification
“Gangal kalangudhu”
Personifies the sacred river Ganges as being visibly distressed, troubled, and clouded by human sins and filth.
Iyaipu (Rhyming end words)
“vandhadhadi / kandadhadi / sendradhadi”
The line endings share a rhythmic and rhyming suffix ('-adhadi') creating melodic flow.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although listed as unknown in the prompt, the iconic soundtrack for 'Mahanadhi' (1994) was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and sung by legendary vocalist K. J. Yesudas. The lyrics by Vaali mirror the sorrowful thematic arc of Kamal Haasan's character, who travels to North India near the Ganges river during his search for his lost daughter.
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