Kaathadichuthu Ramayi
From Kuppathu Ponnu · 1982
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Kuppathu Ponnu1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| ……………….. | ... |
| Female | |
| Kaaththadichathu raamaayi | The wind blew hard, Oh Raamaayi |
| Padaku kavizhnthu vittathu povaayi | The boat overturned, Oh Povaayi |
| Karai varumo thuyar vilagi pogaatho | Will the shore be reached, or will sorrow move away? |
| Idhayam inimael sugam perumo | Will the heart find happiness hereafter? |
| Female | |
| Kaaththadichathu raamaayi | The wind blew hard, Oh Raamaayi |
| Padaku kavizhnthu vittathu povaayi | The boat overturned, Oh Povaayi |
| Female | |
| Mullin melae paadham polae | Like feet walking upon thorns |
| Vaazhkkai yaeno poongaattrae | Why has life become so, Oh gentle breeze? |
| Mullin melae paadham polae | Like feet walking upon thorns |
| Vaazhkkai yaeno poongaattrae | Why has life become so, Oh gentle breeze? |
| Female | |
| Kanavugal kodi kalainthathu odi | Crores of dreams scattered away running |
| Uravugal thedavae varumo vaazhve | Will life return seeking lost relationships? |
| Kanavugal kodi kalainthathu odi | Crores of dreams scattered away running |
| Uravugal thedavae varumo vaazhve | Will life return seeking lost relationships? |
| Female | |
| Mayanguthammaa manam kalanguthammaa | It faints, mother, the heart feels troubled, mother |
| Mayanguthammaa manam kalanguthammaa | It faints, mother, the heart feels troubled, mother |
| Vizhi nanaiyuthae…oo…oo….ooo….ooo…. | The eyes are drenched... oo... oo... ooo... ooo... |
| Female | |
| Kaaththadichathu raamaayi | The wind blew hard, Oh Raamaayi |
| Padaku kavizhnthu vittathu povaayi | The boat overturned, Oh Povaayi |
| Female | |
| Paadhai maari payanam ponaal | If the journey goes off course |
| Oorum vanthae saeraathu | The destination village will never be reached |
| Paadhai maari payanam ponaal | If the journey goes off course |
| Oorum vanthae saeraathu | The destination village will never be reached |
| Female | |
| Anaikkira kaigal padhaikkira pothu | When the hands that embrace cause panic and pain |
| Amaithiyum thondrumo alaiyae sollu | Will peace ever arise? Tell me, oh ocean wave |
| Anaikkira kaigal padhaikkira pothu | When the hands that embrace cause panic and pain |
| Amaithiyum thondrumo alaiyae sollu | Will peace ever arise? Tell me, oh ocean wave |
| Female | |
| : Mayanguthammaa manam kalanguthammaa | It faints, mother, the heart feels troubled, mother |
| Mayanguthammaa manam kalanguthammaa | It faints, mother, the heart feels troubled, mother |
| Vizhi nanaiyuthae…oo…oo….ooo….ooo…. | The eyes are drenched... oo... oo... ooo... ooo... |
| Female | |
| Kaaththadichathu raamaayi | The wind blew hard, Oh Raamaayi |
| Padaku kavizhnthu vittathu povaayi | The boat overturned, Oh Povaayi |
| Male | |
| ……………. | ... |
...........................
...
காத்தடிச்சது ராமாயி
படகு கவிழ்ந்து விட்டது பூவாயி
கரை வருமோ துயர் விலகி போகாதோ
இதயம் இனிமேல் சுகம் பெறுமோ.....
The wind blew hard, Oh Raamaayi
The boat overturned, Oh Povaayi
Will the shore be reached, or will sorrow move away?
Will the heart find happiness hereafter?
காத்தடிச்சது ராமாயி
படகு கவிழ்ந்து விட்டது பூவாயி
The wind blew hard, Oh Raamaayi
The boat overturned, Oh Povaayi
முள்ளின் மேலே பாதம் போலே
வாழ்க்கை ஏனோ பூங்காற்றே
முள்ளின் மேலே பாதம் போலே
வாழ்க்கை ஏனோ பூங்காற்றே
Like feet walking upon thorns
Why has life become so, Oh gentle breeze?
Like feet walking upon thorns
Why has life become so, Oh gentle breeze?
கனவுகள் கோடி கலைந்தது ஓடி
உறவுகள் தேடவே வருமோ வாழ்வே....
கனவுகள் கோடி கலைந்தது ஓடி
உறவுகள் தேடவே வருமோ வாழ்வே....
Crores of dreams scattered away running
Will life return seeking lost relationships?
Crores of dreams scattered away running
Will life return seeking lost relationships?
மயங்குதம்மா மனம் கலங்குதம்மா
மயங்குதம்மா மனம் கலங்குதம்மா
விழி நனையுதே....ஓ...ஓ.....ஓஒ.....ஓஒ....
It faints, mother, the heart feels troubled, mother
It faints, mother, the heart feels troubled, mother
The eyes are drenched... oo... oo... ooo... ooo...
காத்தடிச்சது ராமாயி
படகு கவிழ்ந்து விட்டது பூவாயி
The wind blew hard, Oh Raamaayi
The boat overturned, Oh Povaayi
பாதை மாறி பயணம் போனால்
ஊரும் வந்தே சேராது
பாதை மாறி பயணம் போனால்
ஊரும் வந்தே சேராது
If the journey goes off course
The destination village will never be reached
If the journey goes off course
The destination village will never be reached
அணைக்கிற கைகள் பதைக்கிற போது
அமைதியும் தோன்றுமோ அலையே சொல்லு
அணைக்கிற கைகள் பதைக்கிற போது
அமைதியும் தோன்றுமோ அலையே சொல்லு
When the hands that embrace cause panic and pain
Will peace ever arise? Tell me, oh ocean wave
When the hands that embrace cause panic and pain
Will peace ever arise? Tell me, oh ocean wave
மயங்குதம்மா மனம் கலங்குதம்மா
மயங்குதம்மா மனம் கலங்குதம்மா
விழி நனையுதே....ஓ...ஓ.....ஓஒ.....ஓஒ......
It faints, mother, the heart feels troubled, mother
It faints, mother, the heart feels troubled, mother
The eyes are drenched... oo... oo... ooo... ooo...
காத்தடிச்சது ராமாயி
படகு கவிழ்ந்து விட்டது பூவாயி
The wind blew hard, Oh Raamaayi
The boat overturned, Oh Povaayi
........................
...
………………..
...
Kaaththadichathu raamaayi
The wind blew hard, Oh Raamaayi
Padaku kavizhnthu vittathu povaayi
The boat overturned, Oh Povaayi
Karai varumo thuyar vilagi pogaatho
Will the shore be reached, or will sorrow move away?
Idhayam inimael sugam perumo
Will the heart find happiness hereafter?
Kaaththadichathu raamaayi
The wind blew hard, Oh Raamaayi
Padaku kavizhnthu vittathu povaayi
The boat overturned, Oh Povaayi
Mullin melae paadham polae
Like feet walking upon thorns
Vaazhkkai yaeno poongaattrae
Why has life become so, Oh gentle breeze?
Mullin melae paadham polae
Like feet walking upon thorns
Vaazhkkai yaeno poongaattrae
Why has life become so, Oh gentle breeze?
Kanavugal kodi kalainthathu odi
Crores of dreams scattered away running
Uravugal thedavae varumo vaazhve
Will life return seeking lost relationships?
Kanavugal kodi kalainthathu odi
Crores of dreams scattered away running
Uravugal thedavae varumo vaazhve
Will life return seeking lost relationships?
Mayanguthammaa manam kalanguthammaa
It faints, mother, the heart feels troubled, mother
Mayanguthammaa manam kalanguthammaa
It faints, mother, the heart feels troubled, mother
Vizhi nanaiyuthae…oo…oo….ooo….ooo….
The eyes are drenched... oo... oo... ooo... ooo...
Kaaththadichathu raamaayi
The wind blew hard, Oh Raamaayi
Padaku kavizhnthu vittathu povaayi
The boat overturned, Oh Povaayi
Paadhai maari payanam ponaal
If the journey goes off course
Oorum vanthae saeraathu
The destination village will never be reached
Paadhai maari payanam ponaal
If the journey goes off course
Oorum vanthae saeraathu
The destination village will never be reached
Anaikkira kaigal padhaikkira pothu
When the hands that embrace cause panic and pain
Amaithiyum thondrumo alaiyae sollu
Will peace ever arise? Tell me, oh ocean wave
Anaikkira kaigal padhaikkira pothu
When the hands that embrace cause panic and pain
Amaithiyum thondrumo alaiyae sollu
Will peace ever arise? Tell me, oh ocean wave
: Mayanguthammaa manam kalanguthammaa
It faints, mother, the heart feels troubled, mother
Mayanguthammaa manam kalanguthammaa
It faints, mother, the heart feels troubled, mother
Vizhi nanaiyuthae…oo…oo….ooo….ooo….
The eyes are drenched... oo... oo... ooo... ooo...
Kaaththadichathu raamaayi
The wind blew hard, Oh Raamaayi
Padaku kavizhnthu vittathu povaayi
The boat overturned, Oh Povaayi
…………….
...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Kaaththadichathu Raamaayi from the 1982 movie Kuppathu Ponnu is a deeply sorrowful track composed by Shankar-Ganesh and written by Gangai Amaran. Sung with immense pathos by P. Susheela, the song captures a woman's anguish as her life falls apart. She uses maritime and nature imagery—such as a gusty wind overturning a boat—to symbolize how sudden calamity has capsized her peace and stability. Throughout the song, she questions nature, the waves, and maternal figures (Raamaayi and Povaayi), lamenting how millions of dreams have vanished and comparing her daily existence to walking on sharp thorns. It highlights the pain of loss, broken relationships, and losing one's path in life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Padaku kavizhnthu vittathu povaayi”
The capsized boat ('Padaku kavizhnthu vittathu') serves as a metaphor for a life ruined by sudden adversity.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Mullin melae paadham polae”
Compares living through painful hardship to walking barefoot on sharp thorns ('Mullin melae paadham polae').
Personification
“Amaithiyum thondrumo alaiyae sollu”
Addresses the ocean wave ('alaiyae sollu') as an entity that can listen and speak about finding peace.
Alliteration (Monai)
“Mayanguthammaa manam kalanguthammaa”
Repetition of the 'M' consonant sound in 'Mayanguthammaa' and 'manam' enhances the musical rhythm and sorrowful tone.
Did you know?
Trivia
Kuppathu Ponnu (1982) features music by the iconic composer duo Shankar-Ganesh. Lyricist Gangai Amaran skillfully incorporates coastal folk motifs and dialectal vocatives like 'Raamaayi' and 'Povaayi' to ground the emotional grief in a authentic seaside community setting.
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