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Policekaran Magal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Indha Mandrathil Odi Varum

From Policekaran Magal · 1962

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
P. B. Sreenivas, S. Janaki
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Policekaran Magal
Movie release year
1962
Lyrics added on
24 Sept 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Indha mandrathil odi varum
Ilam thendralai ketkindren
Indha mandrathil odi varum
Ilam thendralai ketkindren
Nee sendridum vazhiyinilae
En dheivathai kanbaayo
Indha mandrathil odi varum
Ilam thendralai ketkindren
Vanna malargalil arumbaavaal
Un manadhukku karumbaavaal
Vanna malargalil arumbaavaal
Un manadhukku karumbaavaal
Indru alai kadal thurumbaanaal
Endru oru murai kooraayo..ooo..ooo
Indha mandrathil odi varum
Ilam thendralai ketkindren
Nadu iravinil vizhikkindraal
Un uravinai ninaikkindraal
Nadu iravinil vizhikkindraal
Un uravinai ninaikkindraal
Aval vidindha pin thuyilgindraal
Ennum vedhanai kooraayo oo… oo….
Indha mandrathil odi varum
Ilam thendralai ketkindren
En kannukku kannaagum
Ival sonnadhu saridhaanaa… aaa… aa
Indha mandrathil odi varum
Ilam thendralai ketkindren
Than kannanai thedugiraal
Mana kaadhalai koorugiraal
Than kannanai thedugiraal
Mana kaadhalai koorugiraal
Indha annanai marandhu vittaal
En kadhaiyaiyum kooraayoo..oo..ooo
Indha mandrathil odi varum
Ilam thendralai ketkindren
En kannukku kannaagum
Ival sonnadhu saridhaanaa aaa.. aa…
Indha mandrathil odi varum
Ilam thendralai ketkindren
Running through this open courtyard,
I ask the gentle breeze,
Running through this open courtyard,
I ask the gentle breeze,
On the path you travel,
will you see my beloved?
Running through this open courtyard,
I ask the gentle breeze,
She who was once a colourful flower bud,
and as sweet as sugarcane in your heart,
She who was once a colourful flower bud,
and as sweet as sugarcane in your heart,
has now become dry straw tossed on a stormy sea—
won't you carry these words to him?
Running through this open courtyard,
I ask the gentle breeze,
She wakes up in the middle of the night,
longing for her bond with you,
She wakes up in the middle of the night,
longing for her bond with you,
She falls asleep only after the break of dawn—
won't you tell him of this pain?
Running through this open courtyard,
I ask the gentle breeze,
She who is dearer than my own eyes,
is what she said really true?
Running through this open courtyard,
I ask the gentle breeze,
She searches for her Kannan,
and speaks of the love in her heart,
She searches for her Kannan,
and speaks of the love in her heart,
yet she has forgotten this brother of hers—
won't you tell him that as well?
Running through this open courtyard,
I ask the gentle breeze,
She who is dearer than my own eyes,
is what she said really true?
Running through this open courtyard,
I ask the gentle breeze.
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Indha Mandrathil Odi Varum from the 1962 Tamil film Policekaran Magal is a poignant song centered on emotional longing, sorrow, and familial affection. Composed by the Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy duo with lyrics by Kannadasan, the song adopts the classic Sangam poetry motif of 'Thendral Thoodhu'—asking the gentle southern breeze to act as a messenger to a distant beloved and convey the protagonist's silent suffering.\n\nThe lyrics contrast past happiness with present grief, describing a cherished young woman who was once vibrant like a flower bud but is now lost like a piece of straw tossed in a turbulent sea. Plagued by sleepless nights and unfulfilled love, her plight is observed with deep empathy by her protective brother, who questions the tragic twists of fate while pleading for truth and emotional resolution.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification / Thoodhu (Wind Messenger Motif)

“Indha mandrathil odi varum / Ilam thendralai ketkindren”

The breeze ('Ilam thendral') is personified as a compassionate messenger capable of carrying messages of distress to a distant lover.

Metaphor (Uvamai)

“Indru alai kadal thurumbaanaal”

Comparing the helpless, drifting state of the beloved to a tiny piece of straw ('thurumbu') tossed in a stormy ocean ('alai kadal').

Rhyme / Assonance (Edhugai & Monai)

“Vanna malargalil arumbaavaal / Un manadhukku karumbaavaal”

Rhyming 'arumbaavaal' (bud) with 'karumbaavaal' (sugarcane) to highlight the beloved's former sweetness and innocence.

Idiomatic Metaphor

“En kannukku kannaagum”

'Kannukku kannaagum' is a classic Tamil idiom meaning 'precious as one's own sight' or 'the apple of one's eye'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Policekaran Magal (1962) was based on a popular stage play written by C. V. Sridhar. The song 'Indha Mandrathil Odi Varum' features iconic vocal renditions by P. B. Sreenivas and S. Janaki. The song is celebrated as one of Kannadasan's finest examples of adapting classical Sangam literature's 'Thoodhu' (messenger) genre into contemporary Tamil film cinema.

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