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Lyrics & meaning

Kaathil Kathai Iruku

From Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam · 2014

Lyricist
Madhan Karky
Singer
Alphons Joseph
Music director
Alphons Joseph
Details
Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam2014

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
IyakkamDirection
Vasanam iyakkamDialogue, direction
Thiraikathai vasanam iyakkamScreenplay, dialogue, direction
Kadhai thiraikathaiStory, screenplay
Vasanam iyakkamDialogue, direction
Female
Kadha sutta kadhaA story about a stolen story
Vada sutta kadhaA story about frying vadas
Aaya vada sutta kadhaA story about a grandmother frying vadas
Female
Aaya sutta vadayaThe vada fried by the grandmother
Kaakka sutta kadha kadhaA story of a crow stealing it
Kaakka kitta poyiGoing near the crow
Oru nari sonna kadha kadhaA story told by a fox
Kaakka vaaya pozhanthathumAs the crow opened its mouth
Keela vitta vada vadaThe vada that fell down
Keela vitta vadaiya nari suttaThe fox stole the vada that fell down
Katha kadha kadha kadhaStory, story, story, story
Katha kadha kadha kadhaStory, story, story, story
Male
Kaathil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in the air
Intha mannil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in this earth
Male
Kaathil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in the air
Intha mannil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in this earth
Jeichaalum kadhai irukkuThere is a story even if you win
Thothaalum kadhai irukkuThere is a story even if you lose
Sollama manasukullaInside the heart without telling anyone
Ethanaiyo kadhai irukkuThere are so many stories
Female
Ponjathiya thotha payalaeA guy who lost his wife
Poril jeicha kadhai irukkuHas a story of winning a war
Male :Ponjathiya meetitu vanthidaMale: To go and rescue his wife
Korangu koota padai irukkuThere is an army of monkeys
Female
Ava kobam perugi mulaya thirugiHer anger surging, twisting her breast
Oora ericha kadhai irukkuThere is a story of burning down a town
Male :Athil karugi paranthaMale: Scorched and flying in it
Kaakka vaayil paati sutta vadai irukkuIn the crow's beak lies the vada fried by grandmother
Female :Athil paati sutta vadai irukkuFemale: In it lies the vada fried by grandmother
Female
Kaathil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in the air
(Kaathil kadhai irukku)(There is a story in the air)
Intha mannil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in this earth
(Intha mannil kadhai irukku)(There is a story in this earth)
Chorus
Lalalal lalal lalal laaa…Lalalal lalal lalal laaa...
Female
Pinna vantha aama nenjaWhy did he make the tortoise that came behind
Munna poga yenga vaachanLong to move ahead?
Munnae pona muyalukkulaInside the rabbit that went ahead
Thimira thanthu thoonga vachanHe gave arrogance and made it sleep
Male
Kadhai ya mudikkum pothu paaviWhile finishing the story, that sinner
Kelvi onna anga vachanPlaced a question mark there
Vethaalatha thirumbi poyiMaking Vikram's Betal turn back
Marathu mela thonga vachanAnd hang on the tree again
Male
Kadhaiya naalu thunda vettiCutting the story into four pieces
Athaiyum ithaiyum maathitaanHe swapped this and that
Vetti vela yen nu ketenI asked why do such useless work
Thiraikadhai nu sollitaan…aaa…He called it screenplay...aaa...
Female
Kaathil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in the air
Intha mannil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in this earth
Female
Kaathil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in the air
Intha mannil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in this earth
Kadhai illa nimisham illaThere is no minute without a story
Kadhai illa manushan illaThere is no human without a story
Unnoda vaazhkaiyilaIn your life
Kadhai illa na nee ethuvum illa..If there is no story, you are nothing..
Ah ah ah ah ah ah….Ah ah ah ah ah ah....
Female
Paambu sonna vasanam kettuListening to the dialogue spoken by the snake
Pazhatha oruthan kadichu tholachanSomeone bit the fruit and got ruined
Athu solli kodutha vasanam pesiSpeaking the dialogue taught by it
Oruthan manasa muzhusa kalachanSomeone completely disturbed another's heart
Paavam vedhachaanHe sowed sin
Male
Pazham pazhama seidhi sollaTo deliver news full of sweet fruits
Pala pazha mozhi kotti kedakkumMany proverbs lie scattered around
Nariyin manasa thetha solluTo console the fox's heart, say
Chi chi gnyana pazhamum pulikkumFie fie, even the fruit of wisdom is sour
Female
Antha pazhathukaagaFor the sake of that fruit
Thambi kaaranThe younger brother
Ulagam suththi vanthaanaeCircumambulated the whole world
Pesa therinja annanThe elder brother who knew how to talk
Amma-Appa ulagamunnaanaeSaid Mother and Father are the whole world
Male
Hey ulagam thaan medaiyinaHey, if the world is a stage
Nee naan thaan nadiganunaAnd you and I are actors
Nammoda aatathaan whistle adichuWho will whistle and enjoy
Yaar rasipaa…Our act?
Ah ha ha ha ha ….Ah ha ha ha ha ....
Male
Kodi kodi manusa kadhaiyaStories of millions of people
Boomi kulla pooti vachanHe locked up inside the earth
Boomiya thaan urula vittuSetting the earth to spin around
Nammai ellam aati vachanHe made us all dance
Female
Porappu pozhappu irappukellamFor birth, living, and death
Dhinamum paada vachanaeHe made us sing every day
Adutha vela vavuthukaagaFor the next meal in the stomach
Sanda poda vachanaeHe made us fight
Male :Mudiva theda vachanaeMale: He made us search for an ending
Male
Kaathil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in the air
Intha mannil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in this earth
Male
Kaathil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in the air
Intha mannil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in this earth
Jeichaalum kadhai irukkuThere is a story even if you win
Thothaalum kadhai irukkuThere is a story even if you lose
Sollama manasukullaInside the heart without telling anyone
Ethanaiyo kadhai irukku…uuu…uuu….There are so many stories...uuu...uuu....
Female
Kaathil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in the air
Intha mannil kadhai irukkuThere is a story in this earth
Kadhai illa nimisham illaThere is no minute without a story
Kadhai illa manushan illaThere is no human without a story
Unnoda vaazhkaiyilaIn your life
Kadhai illa na nee ethuvum illaIf there is no story, you are nothing
Chorus
Kadhai thiraikadhai vasanamStory, screenplay, dialogue
Kadhai thiraikadhai vasanamStory, screenplay, dialogue
kadhai thiraikadhaiStory, screenplay
Thiraikadhai … thiraikadhaiScreenplay ... screenplay
Kadhai kadhai kadhai kadhai…Story, story, story, story...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Kaathil Kadhai Irukku' from the movie Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam serves as a meta-philosophical celebration of storytelling and the art of filmmaking. Written by Madhan Karky, the song weaves together ancient mythology, classical Indian epics (such as Ramayana and Kannagi's story from Silappatikaram), folk fables (the crow and vada, hare and tortoise, Vikram and Betal), biblical imagery (Adam, Eve, and the snake), and Hindu mythology (Lord Murugan and Ganesha's story regarding the Gnana Pazham). It asserts that stories are embedded everywhere in existence—in the air, on the soil, and within every human heart.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Emoni (Anaphora/Repetition)

Kaathil kadhai irukku / Intha mannil kadhai irukku

Repetition of key words like 'Kaathil kadhai irukku' and 'Intha mannil kadhai irukku' creates a rhythmic cadence and emphasizes the ubiquity of stories.

Allusion / Intertextuality

Ponjathiya thotha payalae / Poril jeicha kadhai irukku

References numerous classic tales and epics: Ramayana (Rama rescuing Sita with a monkey army), Silappatikaram (Kannagi burning Madurai), Aesop's Fables, and Hindu mythologies.

Etukai (Second letter rhyming)

Jeichaalum kadhai irukku / Thothaalum kadhai irukku

A traditional Tamil poetic device where the second character of consecutive lines matches (e.g., 'Jeichaalum' and 'Thothaalum').

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam' (2014), directed by R. Parthiban, carries the tagline 'A film without a story', yet its title song meta-commentates on how life itself is an unending collection of stories. The music was composed by Sharreth, and Lyricist Madhan Karky seamlessly blended children's nursery rhymes, epic folklore, and cinema jargon in this single track.

Keep listening

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