- Lyricist
- Isaignani Ilayaraja
- Singer
- Ajoy Chakrabarty
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Hey Ram
- Movie release year
- 2000
- Lyrics added on
- 8 Aug 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Isaiyil Thodanguthamma from Kamal Haasan's period masterpiece Hey Ram (2000) is a deeply sensual yet philosophically rich composition. Set against the backdrop of intimate human relationships amidst turbulent times, the lyrics paint human desires and romantic longing as a grand cosmic play starting with music. The song contrasts the fleeting nature of youth with the eternal cycles of nature, light, and darkness. In the second stanza, the lyrics dive into existential reflections on human existence, noting how half of nature is shrouded in darkness and half of human life is spent grappling between good and evil, as souls continuously journey to this planet in search of transient happiness.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Viraga naadagamae”
Human emotional longing and separation are conceptualized as a theatrical play (Viraga Naadagam).
Contrast / Antithesis
“Theynthu valarum Thaen nilaavae / Theynthidaatha Thee kuzhambaaga”
Contrasts the gentle waning honey-moon with an unwaning fiery pool of magma, balancing soft beauty with intense passion.
Visual Imagery
“Vairaththin thaaragai Thoranangal”
Evokes vivid heavenly imagery comparing stars in the sky to diamond garlands.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja and sung flawlessly by Hariharan, this song is set in a Hindustani-influenced raga (Puriya Dhanashree / Pantuvarali framework). The song features prominently in Kamal Haasan's directorial film Hey Ram (2000), underscoring a pivotal romantic sequence between the lead characters Saket Ram and Aparna.
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