- Lyricist
- Vivek
- Singers
- A. R. Rahman, Vijay Yesudas
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Movie name
- 99 Songs
- Movie release year
- 2021
- Lyrics added on
- 22 Feb 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song explores themes of spiritual transformation, inner illumination, and the boundless, selfless grace of maternal love. It opens with an awakening call to the human spirit, urging the heart to dispel darkness and make room for divine light to enter and purge negative qualities such as clamor, deceit, and greed, replacing them with silence, goodness, and generosity. In the second half, the song transitions into a tender tribute to a mother's endurance and unconditional love. Using evocative nature imagery—a tree giving flowers despite losing branches, a boat bearing heavy burdens, and a drum producing music when struck—it illustrates how a mother's heart continually yields love despite pain. Ultimately, the singer surrenders completely to maternal grace, acknowledging an eternal debt of gratitude.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Un idhaya idhaya idhaya thiriyil”
Compares the human heart to the wick ('thiri') of an oil lamp, ready to be ignited by divine light ('perozhi').
Analogy / Simile (Uvamai)
“Kilai veezhthinum poo tharum nan maram... Ivai polavae yengidum thaai manam”
Compares the sacrificial nature of a mother's heart ('thaai manam') to a tree that yields blossoms even when its branches are cut, a boat that carries people despite being trodden on, and a drum that makes music when beaten.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Oo koochalae maunamaai maaridu / Oo vanjamae nanmaiyaai yeridu / Peraasaiyae thaanamaai aagidu”
The lines end with rhythmic matching imperative suffixes ('maaridu', 'yeridu', 'aagidu').
Ethugai (Second Letter Assonance)
“Midhithaerinum thaangidum odamum / Adithaalumae isai tharum melamum”
The second letter in 'Midhithaerinum' ('dhi') and 'Adithaalumae' ('di') match in sound.
Repetition / Anaphora
“Un idhaya idhaya idhaya thiriyil”
The word 'idhaya' (heart) is repeated thrice consecutively to emphasize the emotional and spiritual focal point of the line.
Did you know?
Trivia
'99 Songs' (2021) marked A. R. Rahman's debut as a film producer and co-writer. Designed as a deeply musical film centered around redemption and art, Rahman composed a total of 14 original songs for the soundtrack. The Tamil lyrics were penned by Vivek, known for infusing poetic depth and contemporary relevance into spiritual and thematic movie compositions.
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