- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- Shankar Mahadevan
- Music director
- Deva
- Movie name
- Citizen
- Movie release year
- 2001
- Lyrics added on
- 13 Sept 2017
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ohooo..ooo..ohoo..oooo
Chorus :Ohooo..ooo..ohoo..oooo
Merkkae vithaitha suriyanae
Unnai kilakkae mulaikka aanaiyittom
Ohooo..ooo..ohoo..oooo
Chorus :Ohooo..ooo..ohoo..oooo
Merkkae vithaitha suriyanae
Unnai kilakkae mulaikka aanaiyittom
Thondrida ethum thadai irunthaal
Unnai thondi edukkavae thunithuvittom
Idar neengavae
Vantha irul pogavae
Kaiyil oli chaattai
Eduthaal enna
Viswaroopam kondu
Vinnai idippom nanbaa
Sila vinmeengal
Vilunthaal enna
Minnal ondraai
Minnal ondraai
Kai vaalaai eduthu
Innal theera innal theera
Poraattam nadathu
Ohooo..ooo..ohoo..oooo
Chorus :Ohooo..ooo..ohoo..oooo
……………………………………………..
Koottupuzhu kattikonda koodu
Kallaraigal alla
Sila poluthu ponaal
Siraguvarum mella
Rekkai ketti rekkai ketti
Vaadaa
Vaanam undu vella
Vanna chiragin munnae
Vaanam perithalla
Ohooo..ooo..ohoo..oooo
Idhayam thuninthu
Eluntha pinnaalae
Imaya malai unthan
Idippukku keelae
Narumbungal varumbungal
Meeri thoodikkattum,
Viralgalil eri malai
Ondru vedikkattum
Muttungal thirakkum
Ennum pudhumaigal ketkattum
Aaaa..aaaaa..aaaa…aaa…
Male :Ohooo..ooo..ohoo..oooo
Chorus :Ohooo..ooo..ohoo..oooo
Chinna chinna
Theekuchigal serppom
Thee valarthu paarppom
Vidiyal varum munnae
Irul edhirthu kolvom
Kuttu patta
Kuttu patta koottam
Kunintha kathai podhum
Porumai neelum bodhu
Puluvum puliyaagum
Ohooo..ooo..ohoo..oooo
Theeyin pudhalvargal
Oranguthal muraiyaa
Singathin meesaiyil
Silanthiyin valaiyaa
Pujathilae valuthavar
Ondraai thirattuvom
Nijathilae bhoomiyai
Mutti purattuvom
Varumaikku pirantha koottam
Vaiyathai aalattum
Merkkae vithaitha suriyanae
Unnai kilakkae mulaikka aanaiyittom
Thondrida ethum thadai irunthaal
Unnai thondi edukkavae thunithuvittom
Idar neengavae
Vantha irul pogavae
Kaiyil oli chaattai
Eduthaal enna
Viswaroopam kondu
Vinnai idippom nanbaa
Sila vinmeengal
Vilunthaal enna
Minnal ondraai
Minnal ondraai
Kai vaalaai eduthu
Innal theera innal theera
Poraattam nadathu
Ohooo..ooo..ohoo..oooo
Chorus :Ohooo..ooo..ohoo..oooo
Acham illai
Acham illaiyae…
Oho.. oh.. oho.. ohooo
Chorus: Oho.. oh.. oho.. ohooo
O sun sown in the west,
we command you to sprout in the east!
Oho.. oh.. oho.. ohooo
Chorus: Oho.. oh.. oho.. ohooo
O sun sown in the west,
we command you to sprout in the east!
If there is any obstacle to your rising,
we have dared to dig you out!
To remove every trouble,
to make the invading darkness flee,
a whip of light in hand—
what if we pick it up?
Taking on a giant form,
let us strike the sky, my friend!
Even if a few stars
tumble down, what of it?
Take a bolt of lightning,
take a bolt of lightning
as a sword in your hand,
to end our miseries, to end our miseries,
lead the fight!
Oho.. oh.. oho.. ohooo
Chorus: Oho.. oh.. oho.. ohooo
...
The cocoon built by a caterpillar
is not a grave.
Once a little time passes,
wings will gently emerge.
Tie on your wings, tie on your wings,
and come on!
There is a whole sky to conquer!
Before those colorful wings,
the sky is not so big.
Oho.. oh.. oho.. ohooo
Once the heart finds its courage
and rises up,
even the mighty Himalayas
will fall below your waist!
Let our veins and nerves throb
beyond every limit,
and in our fingertips, let a volcano
erupt into flame!
Every obstacle will give way,
let the new wonders we dream of be heard!
Aah.. aaaa.. aaa... aaa...
Male: Oho.. oh.. oho.. ohooo
Chorus: Oho.. oh.. oho.. ohooo
Little by little,
let us gather matchsticks,
and build a roaring fire!
Before dawn even arrives,
let us battle and destroy the dark!
The battered,
the battered and bruised crowd—
enough of hanging our heads in defeat!
When patience stretches too far,
even a worm turns into a tiger!
Oho.. oh.. oho.. ohooo
For the children of fire,
is it right to retreat to the shadows?
On the whiskers of a lion,
can a spider weave its web?
Those with strength in their arms,
let us unite as one!
With all our might, let us hit the earth
and turn it upside down!
Let the people born into poverty
rise and rule the world!
O sun sown in the west,
we command you to sprout in the east!
If there is any obstacle to your rising,
we have dared to dig you out!
To remove every trouble,
to make the invading darkness flee,
a whip of light in hand—
what if we pick it up?
Taking on a giant form,
let us strike the sky, my friend!
Even if a few stars
tumble down, what of it?
Take a bolt of lightning,
take a bolt of lightning
as a sword in your hand,
to end our miseries, to end our miseries,
lead the fight!
Oho.. oh.. oho.. ohooo
Chorus: Oho.. oh.. oho.. ohooo
There is no fear,
there is no fear at all...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Merkkae Vithaitha Suriyanae from the 2001 movie Citizen is a high-energy, motivational revolution anthem written by Vairamuthu. The song serves as an empowering rallying cry for the oppressed and downtrodden to break free from societal injustice, stand tall, and reclaim their rights. Using cosmic and heroic imagery—such as commanding the sun to rise, wielding lightning as a sword, and crumbling the Himalayas—the lyrics encourage individuals to realize their unlimited strength.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaatutogai)
“Koottupuzhu kattikonda koodu Kallaraigal alla”
Comparing the cocoon of a caterpillar to a grave to illustrate that temporary hardship is a prelude to transformation rather than an end.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)
“Imaya malai unthan Idippukku keelae”
An exaggeration claiming that even the mighty Himalayas will fall beneath a courageous person's feet.
Visual Imagery
“Kaiyil oli chaattai Eduthaal enna”
Paints a vivid picture of taking a whip made of light to scatter the surrounding darkness and oppression.
Proverbial Metaphor
“Porumai neelum bodhu Puluvum puliyaagum”
Uses the popular motif of a worm turning into a tiger to symbolize how extreme patience eventually turns into fierce rebellion.
Keep listening
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