Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Jwalamukhi

From 99 Songs · 2021

Lyricist
Madhan Karky
Singers
Poorvi Koutish, Sarthak Kalyani
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
99 Songs2021

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Unnai vendumendru kettenaDid I ever ask that I wanted you?
Vendam podhumendru sonnenaDid I say 'No, that is enough'?
Oru kaviyam neeyum theetidaJust for you to compose a grand epic poem,
Endhan vazhkaiyae vilaiyaaIs my life merely a toy or a game?
Female
Jwalaamukhi nenjilaeA volcano in the heart,
Jwalaamukhi kannilaeA volcano in the eyes,
Jwalaamukhi ennilae..aeA volcano within me...
Yen yetrinaai nee kaadhalaeWhy did you ignite this love?
Female
Naan naan illaiI am not myself,
Idhu naan illaiThis is not who I am,
Avan illaamal adhu vaan illaiWithout him, there is no sky above,
Oru poi solla en kaatrukkum yen naavillaiWhy does neither my breath nor my tongue tell a lie?
Ellamae maarum ennam unmai yen illaiEverything changes—why is that thought not true here?
En kanneeril nee theervaayoWill you be extinguished in my tears?
Un sentheeyil naan theevenoOr will I burn to ashes in your fiery blaze?
Paarpom vaa kaadhalaeCome, let us see, oh love!
Female
Jwalaamukhi nenjilaeA volcano in the heart,
Jwalaamukhi kannilaeA volcano in the eyes,
Jwalaamukhi ennilae..aeA volcano within me...
Yen yetrinaai kaadhalaeWhy did you ignite this love?
Male
Jwaalamukhi nee engaeWhere are you, volcano?
Jwaalamukhi oo jwaalamukhiVolcano, oh volcano!
Male
En vaanam boomi yaavumaeMy sky, earth, and everything,
Yen uraindhu ponadhooWhy has it all frozen still?
En vizhi neerum urainthu udainthu veezhaAs my frozen tears shatter and fall down,
Un neruppaalae vaa urukki uyirkoduCome melt them with your fire and give them life!
Jwaalamukhi jwaalamukhiVolcano, volcano...
Female
Jwalaamukhi nenjilaeA volcano in the heart,
Jwalaamukhi kannilaeA volcano in the eyes,
Jwalaamukhi ennilae..aeA volcano within me...
Yen yetrinaai kaadhalaeWhy did you ignite this love?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Jwaalamukhi expresses the intense emotional turmoil of passion, pain, and yearning. The protagonist compares the eruption of overwhelming love to a volcano ('Jwaalamukhi') raging in her heart, eyes, and soul. She questions destiny for turning her life into a game while acknowledging that without her beloved, her world feels completely frozen and devoid of vitality. The song captures a powerful paradox where fire and ice collide, as she calls upon her lover's fiery passion to melt her frozen tears and restore life to her soul. Written by Madhan Karky and composed by A. R. Rahman, the lyrics vividly blend thermal imagery with raw human grief.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Jwalaamukhi nenjilae

Love and overwhelming passion are explicitly equated to a raging volcano ('Jwalaamukhi').

Anaphora / Repetition

Jwalaamukhi nenjilae / Jwalaamukhi kannilae / Jwalaamukhi ennilae..ae

The repetition of 'Jwalaamukhi' at the beginning of consecutive lines builds dramatic tension and highlights the eruption of inner turmoil.

Oxymoron / Thermal Imagery Juxtaposition

En vizhi neerum urainthu udainthu veezha / Un neruppaalae vaa urukki uyirkodu

The contrasting imagery of freezing tears ('urainthu udainthu') and melting fire ('neruppaalae vaa urukki') illustrates emotional numbness vs. reviving passion.

Did you know?

Trivia

'99 Songs' (2021) marked A.R. Rahman's debut as a feature film writer and producer. The song 'Jwaalamukhi' was released as a lead single across multiple languages (Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu), featuring vocals by Poorvi Koutish who delivered the soaring, rock-infused vocal belts.

Keep listening

More from 99 Songs