Koodu Thedi
From Naalai Unathu Naal · 1984
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Naalai Unathu Naal1984
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Hahaahahaa hahaahaah | Hahaahahaa hahaahaah |
| Female | |
| Aaa…..aa….aaa…..aa…. | Aaa…..aa….aaa…..aa…. |
| Aaa…..aa…..aaa….aa…. | Aaa…..aa…..aaa….aa…. |
| Aa…..aaa…..aa….aa….. | Aa…..aaa…..aa….aa….. |
| Female | |
| Koodu thaedi alaiyum kiligalae | Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest, |
| Saavu ummai thedugindrathae | Death is searching for you! |
| vazhi maariyae payanam | A journey that has lost its way, |
| Varaverkkumae maranam | Death will welcome it! |
| Female | |
| Koodu thaedi alaiyum kiligalae | Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest... |
| Female | |
| Aaa…..aa….aaa…..aa…. | Aaa…..aa….aaa…..aa…. |
| Aaa…..aa…..aaa….aa…. | Aaa…..aa…..aaa….aa…. |
| Female | |
| Naal kuriththaa puviyil piranthom | Were we born on this earth with a fixed date? |
| Vidhiyin vazhiyil nadanthom | We walked along the path of destiny. |
| Yaen piranthom adhai yaar arinthom | Why were we born? Who knows that? |
| Maranam varumae maranthom | We forgot that death is bound to arrive! |
| Female | |
| Mulaiththathu engae | Where did life sprout? |
| Karukkuzhiththaanae | In the pit of the womb, indeed! |
| Mooduvathu engae savakkuzhiththaanae | Where does it end? In the pit of the grave, indeed! |
| Saavodu nee seiyum poraattam veenae | Your struggle against death is futile! |
| Female | |
| Koodu thedi alaiyum kiligalae | Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest, |
| Saavu ummai thedugindrathae | Death is searching for you! |
| vazhi maariyae payanam | A journey that has lost its way, |
| Varaverkkumae maranam | Death will welcome it! |
| Female | |
| Nee payanam thodangum tharunam | The moment you begin your journey, |
| Nizhal pol thodarum maranam….mm | Death follows you like a shadow... |
| Un kaalgal engo nadakkum | Your feet may walk somewhere, |
| Vidhiyin kayiro izhukkum…mm… | But the rope of destiny pulls you... |
| Female | |
| Saavu varum paadhai arinthavar illai | No one knows the path by which death arrives, |
| Arinthavar meendum sollum varaiyillai | And those who knew are not back to tell about it. |
| Saavondruthaan yaarum thaandaatha ellai | Death alone is the boundary no one can cross! |
| Female | |
| Koodu thedi alaiyum kiligalae | Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest, |
| Saavu ummai thedugindrathae | Death is searching for you! |
| vazhi maariyae payanam | A journey that has lost its way, |
| Varaverkkumae maranam | Death will welcome it! |
| Female | |
| Koodu thedi alaiyum kiligalae | Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest, |
| Saavu ummai thedugindrathae | Death is searching for you! |
ஹஹாஹஹா ஹஹாஹாஹ்
Hahaahahaa hahaahaah
ஆஅ.....ஆ.....ஆஅ.....ஆ......
ஆஅ......ஆ.....ஆஅ.....ஆ......
ஆ.....ஆஅ.....ஆ......ஆ....
Aaa…..aa….aaa…..aa….
Aaa…..aa…..aaa….aa….
Aa…..aaa…..aa….aa…..
கூடு தேடி அலையும் கிளிகளே
சாவு உம்மை தேடுகின்றதே
வழி மாறியே பயணம்........
வரவேற்குமே மரணம்.......
Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest,
Death is searching for you!
A journey that has lost its way,
Death will welcome it!
கூடு தேடி அலையும் கிளிகளே....
Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest...
ஆஅ.....ஆ.....ஆஅ.....ஆ......
ஆஅ......ஆ.....ஆஅ.....ஆ......
Aaa…..aa….aaa…..aa….
Aaa…..aa…..aaa….aa….
நாள் குறித்தா புவியில் பிறந்தோம்
விதியின் வழியில் நடந்தோம்.....
ஏன் பிறந்தோம் அதை யார் அறிந்தோம்
மரணம் வருமே மறந்தோம்.......
Were we born on this earth with a fixed date?
We walked along the path of destiny.
Why were we born? Who knows that?
We forgot that death is bound to arrive!
முளைத்தது எங்கே
கருக்குழித்தானே
மூடுவது எங்கே சவக்குழித்தானே
சாவோடு நீ செய்யும் போராட்டம் வீணே
Where did life sprout?
In the pit of the womb, indeed!
Where does it end? In the pit of the grave, indeed!
Your struggle against death is futile!
கூடு தேடி அலையும் கிளிகளே
சாவு உம்மை தேடுகின்றதே
வழி மாறியே பயணம்........
வரவேற்குமே மரணம்.......
Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest,
Death is searching for you!
A journey that has lost its way,
Death will welcome it!
நீ பயணம் தொடங்கும் தருணம்
நிழல் போல் தொடரும் மரணம்.....ம்ம்....
உன் கால்கள் எங்கோ நடக்கும்
விதியின் கயிறோ இழுக்கும்.....ம்ம்....
The moment you begin your journey,
Death follows you like a shadow...
Your feet may walk somewhere,
But the rope of destiny pulls you...
சாவு வரும் பாதை அறிந்தவர் இல்லை
அறிந்தவர் மீண்டும் சொல்லும் வரையில்லை
சாவொன்றுதான் யாரும் தாண்டாத எல்லை
No one knows the path by which death arrives,
And those who knew are not back to tell about it.
Death alone is the boundary no one can cross!
கூடு தேடி அலையும் கிளிகளே
சாவு உம்மை தேடுகின்றதே
வழி மாறியே பயணம்........
வரவேற்குமே மரணம்.......
Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest,
Death is searching for you!
A journey that has lost its way,
Death will welcome it!
கூடு தேடி அலையும் கிளிகளே....
சாவு உம்மை தேடுகின்றதே.....
Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest,
Death is searching for you!
Hahaahahaa hahaahaah
Hahaahahaa hahaahaah
Aaa…..aa….aaa…..aa….
Aaa…..aa….aaa…..aa….
Aaa…..aa…..aaa….aa….
Aaa…..aa…..aaa….aa….
Aa…..aaa…..aa….aa…..
Aa…..aaa…..aa….aa…..
Koodu thaedi alaiyum kiligalae
Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest,
Saavu ummai thedugindrathae
Death is searching for you!
vazhi maariyae payanam
A journey that has lost its way,
Varaverkkumae maranam
Death will welcome it!
Koodu thaedi alaiyum kiligalae
Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest...
Aaa…..aa….aaa…..aa….
Aaa…..aa….aaa…..aa….
Aaa…..aa…..aaa….aa….
Aaa…..aa…..aaa….aa….
Naal kuriththaa puviyil piranthom
Were we born on this earth with a fixed date?
Vidhiyin vazhiyil nadanthom
We walked along the path of destiny.
Yaen piranthom adhai yaar arinthom
Why were we born? Who knows that?
Maranam varumae maranthom
We forgot that death is bound to arrive!
Mulaiththathu engae
Where did life sprout?
Karukkuzhiththaanae
In the pit of the womb, indeed!
Mooduvathu engae savakkuzhiththaanae
Where does it end? In the pit of the grave, indeed!
Saavodu nee seiyum poraattam veenae
Your struggle against death is futile!
Koodu thedi alaiyum kiligalae
Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest,
Saavu ummai thedugindrathae
Death is searching for you!
vazhi maariyae payanam
A journey that has lost its way,
Varaverkkumae maranam
Death will welcome it!
Nee payanam thodangum tharunam
The moment you begin your journey,
Nizhal pol thodarum maranam….mm
Death follows you like a shadow...
Un kaalgal engo nadakkum
Your feet may walk somewhere,
Vidhiyin kayiro izhukkum…mm…
But the rope of destiny pulls you...
Saavu varum paadhai arinthavar illai
No one knows the path by which death arrives,
Arinthavar meendum sollum varaiyillai
And those who knew are not back to tell about it.
Saavondruthaan yaarum thaandaatha ellai
Death alone is the boundary no one can cross!
Koodu thedi alaiyum kiligalae
Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest,
Saavu ummai thedugindrathae
Death is searching for you!
vazhi maariyae payanam
A journey that has lost its way,
Varaverkkumae maranam
Death will welcome it!
Koodu thedi alaiyum kiligalae
Oh parrots wandering in search of a nest,
Saavu ummai thedugindrathae
Death is searching for you!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Koodu Thaedi Alaiyum Kiligalae' from the 1984 movie 'Naalai Unathu Naal', written by lyricist Vairamuthu, is a deep philosophical reflection on the fleeting nature of human existence and the absolute certainty of death. Addressing human beings metaphorically as wandering parrots searching for safety, the song warns that humanity is constantly hunted by time and death while pursuing transient worldly goals. The lyrics trace the human journey from its origin in the womb ('karukkuzhi') to its inevitable end in the grave ('savakkuzhi'). It emphasizes that destiny controls every step, rendering human resistance against mortality completely futile. Death acts as an inescapable shadow that accompanies every living soul from birth to the ultimate boundary that no person can cross or return from.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Koodu thaedi alaiyum kiligalae”
Human beings are metaphorically depicted as 'kiligal' (parrots) wandering in search of a 'koodu' (nest/home), representing humanity's restless search for security and purpose in a temporary world.
Personification
“Saavu ummai thedugindrathae”
Death ('Saavu') is personified as a relentless seeker active on a mission to hunt down living beings.
Rhyming Contrast (Iyaibu / Ethirai)
“Karukkuzhiththaanae / Mooduvathu engae savakkuzhiththaanae”
The lyricist creates a stark philosophical contrast between birth and death using rhyming terminal sounds ('karukkuzhiththaanae' vs 'savakkuzhiththaanae').
Simile (Uvamaani)
“Nizhal pol thodarum maranam….mm”
Death is explicitly compared to a shadow ('nizhal pol') that silently follows every step of a person's life.
Did you know?
Trivia
Featured in the 1984 thriller movie 'Naalai Unathu Naal' starring Vijayakanth and Nalini, this thematic song composed by Ilaiyaraaja carries heavy philosophical undertones that mirror the suspenseful and mortal stakes of the film's narrative.
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