- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singer
- Deepan Chakravarthy
- Music director
- L. Vaithiya Nathan
- Movie name
- Yer Munai
- Movie release year
- 1992
- Lyrics added on
- 8 Mar 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant song conveys the anguish and despair of an impoverished farmer who pours his tears, sweat, and blood into cultivating the soil, yet receives only crop failure and hardship in return. Addressing the earth as his loving mother, he laments whether nature and destiny have conspired against his honest toil. The lyricist questions the lack of social justice for the working class who sustain society while starving themselves. Systemic issues like debt from purchasing fertilizers, unfair agricultural pricing, and helplessness are personified through the metaphor of a fragile boat battered by relentless ocean waves.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Upamai (Simile)
“Thanneeraip pol paachchinaenae”
Comparing the pouring of blood and tears to irrigation water ('Thanneeraip pol paachchinaenae').
Metaphor & Personification
“Thaai pondra en bhoomiyae”
Personifying the land as a mother ('Thaai pondra en bhoomiyae') and asking why she is angry.
Ethirai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Aadhaaram illai aagaaram illai”
The matching second letter pattern between lines, such as 'Aadhaaram' and 'Aagaaram'.
Rhetorical Question
“Uzhaikkindra kai ooivatho…oooo”
Using questions to highlight deep anguish and social inequality ('Uzhaikkindra kai ooivatho...').
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Gangai Amaran for the 1992 film 'Yer Munai', this song belongs to a rich lineage of Tamil agricultural protest and lament songs. It draws structural inspiration from traditional folk ballads that articulate the struggles of rural farmers against debt, poverty, and unpredictable weather conditions.
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