Kathalay Illatha Desam
From Naadi Thudikuthadi · 2016
- Lyricist
- Na. Muthu Kumar
- Singer
- Ilayaraja
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Naadi Thudikuthadi2016
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| …………………….. | |
| Male | |
| Kaadhalae illadha dhesam ulagil engu irukku | Where in the world is a land without love? |
| Kaadhalae illadha jeevan endha ulagail irukku | In which world is there a living soul without love? |
| Kaadhalae nee illaiyendral ulagil enna irukku | Oh love, if you do not exist, what is left in the world? |
| Kaadhalae unai sollathaanae pookalpoothu irukku | Oh love, flowers bloom only to express you! |
| Male | |
| Love love love everywhere | Love love love everywhere |
| You feel love more and more | You feel love more and more |
| Love only meaning of the life | Love only meaning of the life |
| Kaadhalae illadha dhesam ulagil engu irukku | Where in the world is a land without love? |
| Kaadhalae illadha jeevan endha ulagail irukku | In which world is there a living soul without love? |
| Male | |
| Kaadhalil thullum nenjangal | Hearts that leap in love |
| Adhu mazhalai kuzhanthaiyaagum | They become like an innocent infant child |
| Bommaipol avar kaigalil | Like a toy in their hands |
| Indha bhoomi virumbi suzhalum | This earth lovingly rotates |
| Nooru nilavugal thondriyae | A hundred moons appear |
| Oru nadhiyil mithanthidum | And float upon a river |
| Ullankaiyilae yenthiyae | Holding it in the palm of hands |
| Adhai kaadhal parugidum | Love drinks it up |
| Thaaiyin karuvarai nizhalaipol | Like the shade of a mother's womb |
| Amaidhi tharuvathu kaathalae | It is love that grants true peace |
| Iravu pagalai marandhu thiriyum | Wandering, forgetting night and day |
| Uravu inikumae | The relationship becomes sweet |
| Paravai siragaai irandu idhayam | Like two wings of a bird, two hearts |
| Inaindhu parakkumae | Fly together in unison |
| Male | |
| Kaadhalae illadha dhesam ulagil engu irukku | Where in the world is a land without love? |
| Kaadhalae illadha jeevan endha ulagail irukku | In which world is there a living soul without love? |
| Chorus | |
| ………………………… | |
| Male | |
| Thooramai migathooramai | Distance, extreme distance |
| Irunthaalum nerukamaagum | Yet closeness will emerge |
| Thedugindra mana sorvilum | Even in the weariness of a searching heart |
| Sugamaagum andha sogam | That sadness becomes a sweet pleasure |
| Kaadhal enbathu kaatraipol.. | Love is like the wind... |
| Adhai nirutha mudiyuma | Can anyone stop it? |
| Kaadhal enbathu nerupaipol.. | Love is like fire... |
| Adhai anaika mudiyuma | Can anyone extinguish it? |
| Kaadhal jodigal thorkalam | Loving couples may face defeat |
| Kaadhal thorpathu illayae | But Love itself never loses |
| Uravum pirivum ulagil irukkum | Togetherness and separation exist in this world |
| Idhayam piriyuma | Will hearts ever truly separate? |
| Malargal uthirum uthirnthu malarum | Flowers wither and bloom again |
| Paruvam marakuma | Will the season ever forget? |
| Male | |
| Kaadhalae nee illaiyendral ulagil enna irukku | Oh love, if you do not exist, what is left in the world? |
| Kaadhalae unai sollathaanae pookalpoothu irukku | Oh love, flowers bloom only to express you! |
.............................
காதலே இல்லாத தேசம்
உலகில் எங்கு இருக்கு
காதலே இல்லாத ஜீவன்
எந்த உலகில் இருக்கு
காதலே நீ இல்லையென்றால்
உலகில் என்ன இருக்கு
காதலே உன்னை சொல்லத்தானே
பூக்கள் பூத்து இருக்கு
Where in the world is a land without love?
In which world is there a living soul without love?
Oh love, if you do not exist, what is left in the world?
Oh love, flowers bloom only to express you!
Love love love everywhere
You feel love more and more
Love only meaning of the life
காதலே இல்லாத தேசம்
உலகில் எங்கு இருக்கு
காதலே இல்லாத ஜீவன்
எந்த உலகில் இருக்கு
Love love love everywhere
You feel love more and more
Love only meaning of the life
Where in the world is a land without love?
In which world is there a living soul without love?
காதலில் துள்ளும் நெஞ்சங்கள்
அது மழலை குழந்தையாகும்
பொம்மைபோல் அவர் கைகளில்
இந்த பூமி விரும்பி சுழலும்
நூறு நிலவுகள் தோன்றியே
ஒரு நதியில் மிதந்திடும்
உள்ளங்கையிலே ஏந்தியே
அதை காதல் பருகிடும்
Hearts that leap in love
They become like an innocent infant child
Like a toy in their hands
This earth lovingly rotates
A hundred moons appear
And float upon a river
Holding it in the palm of hands
Love drinks it up
Like the shade of a mother's womb
It is love that grants true peace
Wandering, forgetting night and day
The relationship becomes sweet
Like two wings of a bird, two hearts
Fly together in unison
தாயின் கருவறை நிழலைப்போல்
அமைதி தருவது காதலே
இரவு பகலை மறந்து திரியும்
உறவு இனிக்குமே
பறவை சிறகாய் இரண்டு இதயம்
இணைந்து பறக்குமே
Where in the world is a land without love?
In which world is there a living soul without love?
காதலே இல்லாத தேசம்
உலகில் எங்கு இருக்கு
காதலே இல்லாத ஜீவன்
எந்த உலகில் இருக்கு
..........................
Distance, extreme distance
Yet closeness will emerge
Even in the weariness of a searching heart
That sadness becomes a sweet pleasure
Love is like the wind...
Can anyone stop it?
Love is like fire...
Can anyone extinguish it?
Loving couples may face defeat
But Love itself never loses
Togetherness and separation exist in this world
Will hearts ever truly separate?
Flowers wither and bloom again
Will the season ever forget?
தூரமாய் மிக தூரமாய்
இருந்தாலும் நெருக்கமாகும்
தேடுகின்ற மன சோர்விலும்
சுகமாகும் அந்த சோகம்
காதல் என்பது காற்றைப்போல்......
அதை நிறுத்த முடியுமா
காதல் என்பது நெருபைபோல்......
அதை அணைக்க முடியுமா
Oh love, if you do not exist, what is left in the world?
Oh love, flowers bloom only to express you!
காதல் ஜோடிகள் தோற்கலாம்
காதல் தோற்பது இல்லையே
உறவும் பிரிவும் உலகில் இருக்கும்
இதயம் பிரியுமா
மலர்கள் உதிரும் உதிர்ந்து மலரும்
பருவம் மறக்குமா
ஆண்கள் :
காதலே இல்லாத தேசம்
உலகில் எங்கு இருக்கு
காதலே இல்லாத ஜீவன்
எந்த உலகில் இருக்கு
காதலே நீ இல்லையென்றால்
உலகில் என்ன இருக்கு
காதலே உன்னை சொல்லத்தானே
பூக்கள் பூத்து இருக்கு
ஆண்கள் :
Love love love everywhere
You feel love more and more
Love only meaning of the life
காதலே இல்லாத தேசம்
உலகில் எங்கு இருக்கு
காதலே இல்லாத ஜீவன்
எந்த உலகில் இருக்கு
……………………..
Kaadhalae illadha dhesam ulagil engu irukku
Where in the world is a land without love?
Kaadhalae illadha jeevan endha ulagail irukku
In which world is there a living soul without love?
Kaadhalae nee illaiyendral ulagil enna irukku
Oh love, if you do not exist, what is left in the world?
Kaadhalae unai sollathaanae pookalpoothu irukku
Oh love, flowers bloom only to express you!
Love love love everywhere
Love love love everywhere
You feel love more and more
You feel love more and more
Love only meaning of the life
Love only meaning of the life
Kaadhalae illadha dhesam ulagil engu irukku
Where in the world is a land without love?
Kaadhalae illadha jeevan endha ulagail irukku
In which world is there a living soul without love?
Kaadhalil thullum nenjangal
Hearts that leap in love
Adhu mazhalai kuzhanthaiyaagum
They become like an innocent infant child
Bommaipol avar kaigalil
Like a toy in their hands
Indha bhoomi virumbi suzhalum
This earth lovingly rotates
Nooru nilavugal thondriyae
A hundred moons appear
Oru nadhiyil mithanthidum
And float upon a river
Ullankaiyilae yenthiyae
Holding it in the palm of hands
Adhai kaadhal parugidum
Love drinks it up
Thaaiyin karuvarai nizhalaipol
Like the shade of a mother's womb
Amaidhi tharuvathu kaathalae
It is love that grants true peace
Iravu pagalai marandhu thiriyum
Wandering, forgetting night and day
Uravu inikumae
The relationship becomes sweet
Paravai siragaai irandu idhayam
Like two wings of a bird, two hearts
Inaindhu parakkumae
Fly together in unison
Kaadhalae illadha dhesam ulagil engu irukku
Where in the world is a land without love?
Kaadhalae illadha jeevan endha ulagail irukku
In which world is there a living soul without love?
…………………………
Thooramai migathooramai
Distance, extreme distance
Irunthaalum nerukamaagum
Yet closeness will emerge
Thedugindra mana sorvilum
Even in the weariness of a searching heart
Sugamaagum andha sogam
That sadness becomes a sweet pleasure
Kaadhal enbathu kaatraipol..
Love is like the wind...
Adhai nirutha mudiyuma
Can anyone stop it?
Kaadhal enbathu nerupaipol..
Love is like fire...
Adhai anaika mudiyuma
Can anyone extinguish it?
Kaadhal jodigal thorkalam
Loving couples may face defeat
Kaadhal thorpathu illayae
But Love itself never loses
Uravum pirivum ulagil irukkum
Togetherness and separation exist in this world
Idhayam piriyuma
Will hearts ever truly separate?
Malargal uthirum uthirnthu malarum
Flowers wither and bloom again
Paruvam marakuma
Will the season ever forget?
Kaadhalae nee illaiyendral ulagil enna irukku
Oh love, if you do not exist, what is left in the world?
Kaadhalae unai sollathaanae pookalpoothu irukku
Oh love, flowers bloom only to express you!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a grand ode to the timeless, omnipresent power of love. It portrays love not merely as an emotion between individuals, but as an elemental force that sustains life, nature, and the universe. The lyrics emphasize that love brings innocence akin to a newborn child, peace comparable to a mother's womb, and a freedom where two hearts soar together like bird wings. Even physical distance and emotional grief are transformed into sweetness through love's divine presence. Furthermore, the song compares love to unyielding natural forces—like wind that cannot be stopped and fire that cannot be quenched. While individual lovers might face defeat or separation, love itself remains immortal and invincible.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai Ani)
“Thaaiyin karuvarai nizhalaipol Amaidhi tharuvathu kaathalae”
Compares the peaceful solace given by love directly to the protective comfort inside a mother's womb ('nizhalaipol').
Metaphor & Metonymy
“Paravai siragaai irandu idhayam Inaindhu parakkumae”
Compares two lovers' hearts flying as one to the two wings of a single bird, representing unified harmony.
Anaphora & Rhetorical Question (Vina Ani)
“Kaadhal enbathu kaatraipol.. Adhai nirutha mudiyuma / Kaadhal enbathu nerupaipol.. Adhai anaika mudiyuma”
Uses parallel structures comparing love to elemental forces (wind and fire) followed by rhetorical questions emphasizing love's unstoppable nature.
Did you know?
Trivia
The lyrics were penned by the acclaimed, late lyricist Na. Muthukumar. Known for his imagery of nature and human emotion, his lines in this song echo classical Tamil poetic philosophy where love (Aham) is viewed as an all-pervading force interwoven with nature.
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