Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Iruttu Kaattula

From Viduthalai Part 2 · 2024

Lyricist
Isaignani Ilayaraja
Singer
Suganthi
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Viduthalai Part 2
Movie release year
2024
Lyrics added on
4 Oct 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Iruttu kattula
En karuppu minmini
Unakku solluren
Kadha kelu kanmani
Solladha vaazhkaiyilae
Sollum padi onnum illa
Kannae naa enna solla
Kanner sindhi palanum illa
Kai serum kaalam varumoo..ooo
Ellamae maari vidumooo ..ooo
Iruttu kattula
En karuppu minmini
Unakku solluren
Kadha kelu kanmani
Naadaala nooru peru
Namma kakka yaaru thangam
Aagaayam boomi vitta
Yaarum illa sondham bandham
Magalae en magalae
Naal ezhuthu nee padicha
Nalladhellaam serum amma
Kai ezhuthu pottu namma
Kavala pokka venum amma
Magalae en magalae
Thaenaaru paayum munnu
Naama nambhi vazhndhirukka
Kanaalu neeru aagi poochae
Kai ooni mel elumbha
Kaalam vandhu serumunnu
Oor mulukka pesudhamma pechae
Vaadkae soolam adha paakadhae
Poo payanam
Thukkathilae polamburathu
Thookathilum thodaruthamma
Kakkathilae raavum pagalum
Kastam namma sumakkudhamma
Magalae en magalae
Kaataruvi odi vandha
Kallum mannum uruludhamma
Mottu valai kauvili satham
Saedhi solli serumudhamma
Magalae en magalae
Ethanaiyo katti irukku
Ezhaikkadhil enna irukku
Irukkanum idhu kulla thaan naamae
Namakkaunnu paadu pada
Nallavanga munnae vandha
Sarkaaru pinnae varum thaanae
Idhu maaradhu solli maaladhu
En magalae
Iruttu kattula
En karuppu minmini
Unakku solluren
Kadha kelu kanmani
Solladha vaazhkaiyilae
Sollum padi onnum illa
Kannae naa enna solla
Kanner sindhi palanum illa
Kai serum kaalam varumoo..ooo
Ellamae maari vidumooo ..ooo
Iruttu kattula
En karuppu minmini
Unakku solluren
Kadha kelu kanmani
In the dark forest,
my little dark firefly,
I am telling you,
listen to my story, my precious child.
In this untold life of mine,
there is nothing much to speak of.
What can I say, my darling?
There is no use in shedding tears anyway.
Will a time ever come when happiness reaches our hands?
Will everything truly change one day?
In the dark forest,
my little dark firefly,
I am telling you,
listen to my story, my precious child.
There are a hundred people to rule the land,
but who is there to protect us, my golden child?
Except for the sky and the earth,
we have no family or kin.
My daughter, oh my daughter.
If you learn to read and write just a few letters,
all good things will find you, my child.
You must sign with your own hand,
and wipe away our sorrows, my child.
My daughter, oh my daughter.
Believing a river of honey would flow for us,
we lived on with hope,
only for it to turn into a mirage.
To stand up on our own two feet,
a new dawn will arrive—
that is what the whole village is talking about.
Life is a piercing spear; do not look at it
as a bed of flowers.
The weeping born of our grief
lingers even in our sleep.
Tucked against our ribs day and night,
hardship weighs us down, my child.
My daughter, oh my daughter.
When a wild stream rushes down,
it rolls rocks and soil along with it.
The sharp calls of birds in the thicket
reach us with their tidings.
My daughter, oh my daughter.
So much has been built out there,
but what is there in it for the poor?
We are forced to live confined in here.
To stand up and toil for our sake,
if good people come forward,
the government will surely follow behind.
This misery never changes; there are no words to tell it all,
my daughter.
In the dark forest,
my little dark firefly,
I am telling you,
listen to my story, my precious child.
In this untold life of mine,
there is nothing much to speak of.
What can I say, my darling?
There is no use in shedding tears anyway.
Will a time ever come when happiness reaches our hands?
Will everything truly change one day?
In the dark forest,
my little dark firefly,
I am telling you,
listen to my story, my precious child.
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Iruttu Kattula' from Viduthalai Part 2 is an emotional lullaby and lament sung by a mother living in the harsh, oppressed conditions of a forest. She affectionately addresses her daughter as her 'dark firefly', a tiny beacon of light amid surrounding darkness. The lyrics capture the grief of social isolation, poverty, and systemic neglect, while strongly advocating for education as the ultimate weapon for empowerment and self-reliance. Despite the enduring sorrow, the song carries an underlying theme of resilience, hope, and faith that collective action and truth will eventually bring systemic change. Ilaiyaraaja seamlessly blends poignant maternal warmth with deep socio-political reflection.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

“En karuppu minmini”

'En karuppu minmini' (My dark firefly) metaphors the child as a tiny source of light and hope amidst the dark forest and bleak life.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

“Naadaala nooru peru / Namma kakka yaaru thangam”

Repetition of the initial sound 'Na' in consecutive lines ('Naadaala' / 'Namma').

Ethirai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Thukkathilae polamburathu / Thookathilum thodaruthamma”

Repetition of the second consonant sound 'kk' in 'Thukkathilae' and 'Thookathilum'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed and written by Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja for Vetrimaaran's critically acclaimed film 'Viduthalai Part 2', the song features a raw folk vocal performance by Suganthi, bringing authenticity to the portrayal of marginalized tribal lives.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Thenthoongum1986
Kodai MazhaiTenderFamily
Naan Kadavulai1968
Kallum KaniyagumTenderFamily
Oru Velai Sotrukkaga2016
PichaikkaranPovertyGrief
Onnoda Nadandhaa2023
Viduthalai Part 1HopeTender
Aathu Mettula1997
Thambi DuraiResiliencePoverty
Thunbam Theeradho1960
ThangarathinamHopeGrief

From the same album

More songs from Viduthalai Part 2

View album
Poruthadhu Podhum2024
Viduthalai Part 2Defiant
Manasula2024
Viduthalai Part 2Tender
Dhinam Dhinamum2024
Viduthalai Part 2Tender

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.