- Lyricist
- Ponnaiyan
- Singer
- Ilayaraja
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Bharathan
- Movie release year
- 1992
- Lyrics added on
- 13 Sept 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song from the film Bharathan expresses deep existential grief, sense of betrayal, and disillusionment with the moral order of the world. The narrator laments how the blessings of good people have failed while injustice seems to reign, likening themselves to a water lily surviving paradoxically without water. The song contrasts nostalgic happiness of the past with present silence and suffering. Through affectionate yet tragic invocations ('Azhagae amudhae'), the lyrics question the painful mysteries of life, where innocent souls are forced to carry the heavy burdens of blame and sorrow.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Neerindri vaazhgindra neeraambal ingae”
The speaker compares their tragic state of survival amidst grief to a 'neeraambal' (water lily) surviving without water.
Contrast / Anthesis (Muran)
“Nallorin vaazhthu poiyaaga aachae / Pollorin needhi meiyaagi pochae”
Contrasting 'Nallorin' (good people) and 'Pollorin' (evil people) to highlight the unfairness of life.
Temporal Contrast
“Pan paadum vaanampaadigal andru / Paadaadha vaanampaadi indru”
Contrasts the singing skylark of yesterday ('andru') with the silent skylark of today ('indru') to convey lost joy.
Endearment / Epithet
“Azhagae amudhae ... Kannaae kaniyae”
Use of poetic terms of affection ('Azhagae amudhae', 'Kannaae kaniyae') to heighten the emotional warmth amidst tragedy.
Did you know?
Trivia
Bharathan (1992) features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, starring Vijayakanth and Bhanupriya. The lyrics written by Ponnaiyan capture themes of innocence framed by tragedy, characteristic of Ilaiyaraaja's emotive melodious tracks of that era.
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