Ithu Thaai Pirandha
From Siraichalai · 1996
- Lyricist
- Arivumathi
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Siraichalai1996
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Ithu thaai pirandha dhesam | This is the nation where our mother was born. |
| Namm thandhai aanda dhesam | This is the nation ruled by our ancestors. |
| Ithu naam vanangum dhesam | This is the nation we worship. |
| Uyir naadi intha dhesam | This nation is our life's pulse. |
| Male | |
| Mann perithaa uyir perithaa | Is the soil greater, or is life greater? |
| Bathil tharavaa ippothae | Shall I give the answer right now? |
| Vaa puliyae nam vaazhum saavum | Come, O tiger! In whose hands |
| Yaar vasam | lie our life and death? |
| Chorus | |
| {Vanthae maatharam | {Vande Mataram |
| Vanthae maatharam | Vande Mataram |
| Vanthae maatharam | Vande Mataram |
| Vanthae maatharam} (2) | Vande Mataram} (2) |
| Male | |
| Veeraththai kundugal thulaikaathu | Bullets cannot pierce true bravery. |
| Veeranai sariththiram pudhaikaathu | History will not bury a hero. |
| Naatai nenaikkum nenjangal | Hearts that constantly think of the nation |
| Vaadagai moochil vaazhathu | Do not live on rented breath. |
| Male | |
| Izhantha uyirgaloo kanakkillai | There is no count of the lives already lost. |
| Irumi saavadhil sirappillai | There is no glory in dying merely of a cough. |
| Innum ennada vilaiyaatu | What game are you still playing? |
| Edhiri narambilae kodi yetru | Hoist the flag on the enemy's nerves! |
| Male | |
| Nilathadiyil pudhaindhirukkum | Buried deep beneath the earth, |
| Pinangalukkum manam thudikkum | Even corpses feel their hearts throb for the nation. |
| Chorus | |
| {Vanthae maatharam | {Vande Mataram |
| Vanthae maatharam | Vande Mataram |
| Vanthae maatharam | Vande Mataram |
| Vanthae maatharam} (2) | Vande Mataram} (2) |
| Chorus | |
| Hmm…mmm….mmm…..(4) | Hmm…mmm….mmm…..(4) |
| Male | |
| Thaaiyoo paththu maasam thaan | A mother carries us for only ten months. |
| Adhigam sumandhadhu dhesam thaan | It is the nation that carries us much longer. |
| Uyirum udalum yaar thanthaar | Who gave us this life and body? |
| Unarndhu paarthaal dhesam thaan | If you realize deeply, it is the nation. |
| Male | |
| Indha puzhudhi thaan udal aachu | This very dust became our physical body. |
| Indha kaatru thaan uyir moochu | This very air became our vital breath. |
| Indru irandumae pari poochu | Today, both have been snatched away. |
| Innum ennada verum pechu | Why engage in empty talk anymore? |
| Male | |
| Kai vilangai udaithidudaa | Break the handcuffs around your hands! |
| Erimalaiyae ezhunthidudaa | Rise up like an erupting volcano! |
| Chorus | |
| {Vanthae maatharam | {Vande Mataram |
| Vanthae maatharam | Vande Mataram |
| Vanthae maatharam | Vande Mataram |
| Vanthae maatharam} (2) | Vande Mataram} (2) |
இது தாய் பிறந்த
தேசம் நம் தந்தை ஆண்ட
தேசம் இது நாம் வணங்கும்
தேசம் உயிர் நாடி இந்த தேசம்
This is the nation where our mother was born.
This is the nation ruled by our ancestors.
This is the nation we worship.
This nation is our life's pulse.
மண் பெரிதா உயிர்
பெரிதா பதில் தரவா
இப்போதே வா புலியே
நம் வாழ்வும் சாவும்
யார் வசம்
Is the soil greater, or is life greater?
Shall I give the answer right now?
Come, O tiger! In whose hands
lie our life and death?
{ வந்தே மாதரம்
வந்தே மாதரம் வந்தே
மாதரம் வந்தே மாதரம் } (2)
{Vande Mataram
Vande Mataram
Vande Mataram
Vande Mataram} (2)
வீரத்தை குண்டுகள்
துளைக்காது வீரனை
சரித்திரம் புதைக்காது
நாட்டை நினைக்கும்
நெஞ்சங்கள் வாடகை
மூச்சில் வாழாது
Bullets cannot pierce true bravery.
History will not bury a hero.
Hearts that constantly think of the nation
Do not live on rented breath.
இழந்த உயிர்களோ
கணக்கில்லை இருமி
சாவதில் சிறப்பில்லை
இன்னும் என்னடா
விளையாட்டு எதிரி
நரம்பிலே கொடி ஏற்று
There is no count of the lives already lost.
There is no glory in dying merely of a cough.
What game are you still playing?
Hoist the flag on the enemy's nerves!
நிலத்தடியில்
புதைந்திருக்கும்
பிணங்களுக்கும்
மனம் துடிக்கும்
Buried deep beneath the earth,
Even corpses feel their hearts throb for the nation.
{ வந்தே மாதரம்
வந்தே மாதரம் வந்தே
மாதரம் வந்தே மாதரம் } (2)
{Vande Mataram
Vande Mataram
Vande Mataram
Vande Mataram} (2)
ஹ்ம்ம்
ம்ம் ம்ம்ம் (4)
Hmm…mmm….mmm…..(4)
தாயோ பத்து மாசம்
தான் அதிகம் சுமந்தது
தேசம் தான் உயிரும்
உடலும் யார் தந்தார்
உணர்ந்து பார்த்தால்
தேசம் தான்
A mother carries us for only ten months.
It is the nation that carries us much longer.
Who gave us this life and body?
If you realize deeply, it is the nation.
இந்த புழுதி தான்
உடல் ஆச்சு இந்த காற்று
தான் உயிர் மூச்சு இன்று
இரண்டுமே பறி போச்சு
இன்னும் என்னடா
வெறும் பேச்சு
This very dust became our physical body.
This very air became our vital breath.
Today, both have been snatched away.
Why engage in empty talk anymore?
கை விலங்கை
உடைத்திடுடா
எரிமலையே
எழுந்திடுடா
Break the handcuffs around your hands!
Rise up like an erupting volcano!
{ வந்தே மாதரம்
வந்தே மாதரம் வந்தே
மாதரம் வந்தே மாதரம் } (2)
{Vande Mataram
Vande Mataram
Vande Mataram
Vande Mataram} (2)
Ithu thaai pirandha dhesam
This is the nation where our mother was born.
Namm thandhai aanda dhesam
This is the nation ruled by our ancestors.
Ithu naam vanangum dhesam
This is the nation we worship.
Uyir naadi intha dhesam
This nation is our life's pulse.
Mann perithaa uyir perithaa
Is the soil greater, or is life greater?
Bathil tharavaa ippothae
Shall I give the answer right now?
Vaa puliyae nam vaazhum saavum
Come, O tiger! In whose hands
Yaar vasam
lie our life and death?
{Vanthae maatharam
{Vande Mataram
Vanthae maatharam
Vande Mataram
Vanthae maatharam
Vande Mataram
Vanthae maatharam} (2)
Vande Mataram} (2)
Veeraththai kundugal thulaikaathu
Bullets cannot pierce true bravery.
Veeranai sariththiram pudhaikaathu
History will not bury a hero.
Naatai nenaikkum nenjangal
Hearts that constantly think of the nation
Vaadagai moochil vaazhathu
Do not live on rented breath.
Izhantha uyirgaloo kanakkillai
There is no count of the lives already lost.
Irumi saavadhil sirappillai
There is no glory in dying merely of a cough.
Innum ennada vilaiyaatu
What game are you still playing?
Edhiri narambilae kodi yetru
Hoist the flag on the enemy's nerves!
Nilathadiyil pudhaindhirukkum
Buried deep beneath the earth,
Pinangalukkum manam thudikkum
Even corpses feel their hearts throb for the nation.
{Vanthae maatharam
{Vande Mataram
Vanthae maatharam
Vande Mataram
Vanthae maatharam
Vande Mataram
Vanthae maatharam} (2)
Vande Mataram} (2)
Hmm…mmm….mmm…..(4)
Hmm…mmm….mmm…..(4)
Thaaiyoo paththu maasam thaan
A mother carries us for only ten months.
Adhigam sumandhadhu dhesam thaan
It is the nation that carries us much longer.
Uyirum udalum yaar thanthaar
Who gave us this life and body?
Unarndhu paarthaal dhesam thaan
If you realize deeply, it is the nation.
Indha puzhudhi thaan udal aachu
This very dust became our physical body.
Indha kaatru thaan uyir moochu
This very air became our vital breath.
Indru irandumae pari poochu
Today, both have been snatched away.
Innum ennada verum pechu
Why engage in empty talk anymore?
Kai vilangai udaithidudaa
Break the handcuffs around your hands!
Erimalaiyae ezhunthidudaa
Rise up like an erupting volcano!
{Vanthae maatharam
{Vande Mataram
Vanthae maatharam
Vande Mataram
Vanthae maatharam
Vande Mataram
Vanthae maatharam} (2)
Vande Mataram} (2)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This powerful patriotic anthem from 'Siraichalai' evokes a deep sense of nationalism, sacrifice, and the revolutionary spirit of freedom fighters. The song asserts that the motherland is even greater than one's biological mother, as she sustains a person throughout their life. It urges oppressed countrymen to stop enduring passive suffering, break their shackles, and rise like a volcano to claim their freedom, emphasizing that a hero's bravery and legacy can never be buried by death.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question
“Mann perithaa uyir perithaa”
Asks thought-provoking questions about whether life or land is greater to spur patriotic fervor.
Metaphor
“Erimalaiyae ezhunthidudaa”
Compares the uprising of oppressed people to an erupting volcano.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Irumi saavadhil sirappillai / Innum ennada vilaiyaatu”
Matching second consonants in adjacent lines ('ru' in 'Irumi' and 'Innum').
Anaphora / Repetition
“Vanthae maatharam”
Repetition of the sacred phrase 'Vanthae maatharam' to heighten emotional intensity.
Did you know?
Trivia
Siraichalai (1996) is the Tamil dubbed version of the iconic Malayalam epic historical film 'Kaalapani', directed by Priyadarshan. The film's musical score was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyricist Arivumathi penning the Tamil lyrics to evoke intense patriotic fervour reflecting the historical struggle in the Andaman Cellular Jail.
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