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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Idhayamae Idhayamae

From Julie Ganapathi · 2003

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Shreya Ghoshal
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Julie Ganapathi2003

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Idhayamae idhayamaeOh heart, oh heart,
Ennai marandhadhu yenWhy did you forget me?
Pirivennum thuyarilaeInto the agony of separation,
Ennai thalliyadhu yenWhy did you push me?
Female
Un peyar solliUttering your name,
Naan paithiyam aanenI became driven to madness.
Nizhalyena thodarnthenI followed you like a shadow,
Adhai neeyarivaayoDo you even know that?
Nizhal thara nee undu varuvaayooWill you return to give me shade?
Female
Idhayamae idhayamaeOh heart, oh heart,
Ennai marandhadhu yenWhy did you forget me?
Pirivennum thuyarilaeInto the agony of separation,
Ennai thalliyadhu yenWhy did you push me?
Female
Ponnai pol poovai polLike precious gold, like a delicate flower,
Unnai choodikonda naanI who cherished and adorned you,
Indru vaadi kidappadhooAm I now lying here withered?
Pirivingae unmaidhaan endraalIf separation is indeed the reality here,
Uravum yen aiyyaThen why create a bond at all, my dear?
Vazhvadhu kanavu bhoomiyaaIs this life merely a realm of dreams?
Female
Paadhaigal illai endraalIf there are no paths laid out,
Payanangal povadhooHow can journeys take place?
Nam kutram enna yedhooWhat unknown mistake did we make?
Deivathai novadhooIs it God that we should blame?
Yaaridam enna solvadhuTo whom can I express my pain?
Ini serum idam ingu ver edhuWhere else is a place of refuge for me now?
Female
Idhayamae idhayamaeOh heart, oh heart,
Ennai marandhadhu yenWhy did you forget me?
Pirivennum thuyarilaeInto the agony of separation,
Ennai thalliyadhu yenWhy did you push me?
Female
Engoo nee irukkindraaiSomewhere out there, you exist,
Endrae ullam solludhaeSo my heart keeps telling me.
Adhilae en uyirum kolludhaeYet that very thought torments my spirit.
Kannukkul pongidum gangaiThe Ganges overflowing within my eyes,
Kannam irangudhaeRuns down my cheeks,
Adhuvum unnai thedudhaeEven those tears search for you.
Female
Nee paartha nilavu ingaeThe moon you once gazed upon is still here,
Nee engae deivamaeWhere are you, my divine love?
Vaaraamal nee irundhaalIf you remain without returning,
Vaazhvedhu nenjamaeWhat kind of life is this, my heart?
Koovidum un kuyil vaadudhuYour calling cuckoo bird is wilting,
Oru koondinilae idhu nyaayamooTrapped inside a cage; is this fair?
Female
Idhayamae idhayamaeOh heart, oh heart,
Ennai marandhadhu yenWhy did you forget me?
Pirivennum thuyarilaeInto the agony of separation,
Ennai thalliyadhu yenWhy did you push me?
Female
Un peyar solliUttering your name,
Naan paithiyam aanenI became driven to madness.
Nizhalyena thodarnthenI followed you like a shadow,
Adhai neeyarivaayoDo you even know that?
Nizhal thara nee undu varuvaayooWill you return to give me shade?
Female
Idhayamae idhayamaeOh heart, oh heart,
Ennai marandhadhu yenWhy did you forget me?
Pirivennum thuyarilaeInto the agony of separation,
Ennai thalliyadhu yenWhy did you push me?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Idhayamae Idhayamae is a deeply poignant song of yearning and heartbreak from the movie Julie Ganapathi. The protagonist addresses their own heart and missing beloved, expressing immense grief caused by unexpected separation. The lyrics question the meaning of life, love, and destiny when two souls meant to be together are torn apart. Throughout the song, poetic metaphors compare love to gold, flowers, and the flowing Ganges of tears, capturing the protagonist's sense of helplessness and confinement like a bird in a cage. Vaali's lyrics brilliantly capture the thin line between love, devotion, and sorrow.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uwamai)

Ponnai pol poovai pol

Compares holding and cherishing the beloved to precious gold and a tender flower ('Ponnai pol poovai pol').

Metaphor (Uruwagam)

Kannukkul pongidum gangai

Compares tears falling from the eyes to the holy river Ganges ('Kannukkul pongidum gangai').

Personification

Idhayamae idhayamae

Addresses the heart as an independent entity capable of memory, forgetting, and pushing the protagonist into grief ('Idhayamae idhayamae... Ennai marandhadhu yen').

Monorhyme / Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyming)

Ponnai pol poovai pol / Unnai choodikonda naan

Tamil poetic convention matching the second letter in consecutive lines ('Ponnai' and 'Unnai').

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja for Balu Mahendra's psychological thriller 'Julie Ganapathi' (2003), adapted from Stephen King's novel 'Misery'. The track features soulful renditions expressing deep psychological and emotional anguish, perfectly accentuating Balu Mahendra's intense cinematic tone.

Keep listening

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