Oru Kaatril Alaiyum
From Naan Kadavul · 2009
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Oru kaatril alaiyum siragu | A feather drifting in the wind, |
| Endha neram oivu thedum | When will it find rest? |
| Kannillaadhu kaanum kanavu | A dream seen without eyes, |
| Edhai thedi engu pogum | What is it searching for, and where will it go? |
| Engengum inbam irundhum | Though happiness exists everywhere, |
| Un pangu ponadhingae | Your share was lost right here. |
| Idhu yen endru badhil yaar solluvaar | Who will give an answer to why this is so? |
| Male | |
| Oru kaatril alaiyum siragu | A feather drifting in the wind, |
| Endha neram oivu thedum | When will it find rest? |
| Kannillaadhu kaanum kanavu | A dream seen without eyes, |
| Edhai thedi engu pogum | What is it searching for, and where will it go? |
| Male | |
| Yaarkkum poloru | Like anyone else, |
| Annai thandhai | A mother and father, |
| Unakkum irunthathu undu | You too once had. |
| Yaarkkum poloru | Like anyone else, |
| Dhegam thaagam | A body and thirst, |
| Unakkum valarndhadhu ingu | Grew inside you here as well. |
| Male | |
| Yaarkkum polae vizhigal irundhum | Though you have eyes like anyone else, |
| Ulagamo irulil | The world remains in darkness. |
| Oliyai polae orr thunai | A companion like a guiding light, |
| Vandhu sendra thunbam yaarkkum undoo | Has anyone felt the pain of them coming and leaving? |
| Male | |
| Oru kaatril alaiyum siragu | A feather drifting in the wind, |
| Endha neram oivu thedum | When will it find rest? |
| Kannillaadhu kaanum kanavu | A dream seen without eyes, |
| Edhai thedi engu pogum | What is it searching for, and where will it go? |
| Male | |
| Veedhi endroru veedum undu | There is a home called the street, |
| Unakkadhu sondham endru | Belonging to you as your own. |
| Vaanam endroru koorai undu | There is a roof called the sky, |
| Vizhigalum ariyaadhu | Unbeknownst even to your eyes. |
| Male | |
| Veliyillaa solaikkaaga | For a garden without a fence, |
| Vandhadhor kaaval | A guardian once came along. |
| Kangal konda dheivamum | Why did the seeing God above, |
| Kaavalaiyum kondu sendradhenoo | Take away that guardian as well? |
| Male | |
| Oru kaatril alaiyum siragu | A feather drifting in the wind, |
| Endha neram oivu thedum | When will it find rest? |
| Kannillaadhu kaanum kanavu | A dream seen without eyes, |
| Edhai thedi engu pogum | What is it searching for, and where will it go? |
| Engengum inbam irundhum | Though happiness exists everywhere, |
| Un pangu ponadhingae | Your share was lost right here. |
| Idhu yen endru badhil yaar solluvaar | Who will give an answer to why this is so? |
| Male | |
| Oru kaatril alaiyum siragu | A feather drifting in the wind, |
| Endha neram oivu thedum | When will it find rest? |
| Kannillaadhu kaanum kanavu | A dream seen without eyes, |
| Edhai thedi engu pogum | What is it searching for, and where will it go? |
ஒரு காற்றில்
அலையும் சிறகு எந்த
நேரம் ஓய்வு தேடும்
கண்ணில்லாது காணும்
கனவு எதை தேடி எங்கு
போகும் எங்கெங்கும் இன்பம்
இருந்தும் உன் பங்கு போனதிங்கே
இது ஏனென்று பதில் யார்
சொல்லுவார்
A feather drifting in the wind,
When will it find rest?
A dream seen without eyes,
What is it searching for, and where will it go?
Though happiness exists everywhere,
Your share was lost right here.
Who will give an answer to why this is so?
ஒரு காற்றில்
அலையும் சிறகு எந்த
நேரம் ஓய்வு தேடும்
கண்ணில்லாது காணும்
கனவு எதை தேடி எங்கு
போகும்
A feather drifting in the wind,
When will it find rest?
A dream seen without eyes,
What is it searching for, and where will it go?
யார்க்கும் போலொரு
அன்னை தந்தை உனக்கும்
இருந்தது உண்டு யார்க்கும்
போலொரு தேகம் தாகம்
உனக்கும் வளர்ந்தது இங்கு
Like anyone else,
A mother and father,
You too once had.
Like anyone else,
A body and thirst,
Grew inside you here as well.
யார்க்கும் போலே
விழிகள் இருந்தும் உலகமோ
இருளில் ஒளியை போலே
ஓர் துணை வந்து சென்ற
துன்பம் யார்க்கும் உண்டோ
Though you have eyes like anyone else,
The world remains in darkness.
A companion like a guiding light,
Has anyone felt the pain of them coming and leaving?
ஒரு காற்றில்
அலையும் சிறகு எந்த
நேரம் ஓய்வு தேடும்
கண்ணில்லாது காணும்
கனவு எதை தேடி எங்கு
போகும்
A feather drifting in the wind,
When will it find rest?
A dream seen without eyes,
What is it searching for, and where will it go?
வீதி என்றொரு
வீடும் உண்டு உனக்கது
சொந்தம் என்று வானம்
என்றொரு கூரை உண்டு
விழிகளும் அறியாது
There is a home called the street,
Belonging to you as your own.
There is a roof called the sky,
Unbeknownst even to your eyes.
வேலியில்லா
சோலைக்காக வந்ததோா்
காவல் கண்கள் கொண்ட
தெய்வமும் காவலையும்
கொண்டு சென்றதேனோ
For a garden without a fence,
A guardian once came along.
Why did the seeing God above,
Take away that guardian as well?
ஒரு காற்றில்
அலையும் சிறகு எந்த
நேரம் ஓய்வு தேடும்
கண்ணில்லாது காணும்
கனவு எதை தேடி எங்கு
போகும் எங்கெங்கும் இன்பம்
இருந்தும் உன் பங்கு போனதிங்கே
இது ஏனென்று பதில் யார்
சொல்லுவார்
A feather drifting in the wind,
When will it find rest?
A dream seen without eyes,
What is it searching for, and where will it go?
Though happiness exists everywhere,
Your share was lost right here.
Who will give an answer to why this is so?
ஒரு காற்றில்
அலையும் சிறகு எந்த
நேரம் ஓய்வு தேடும்
கண்ணில்லாது காணும்
கனவு எதை தேடி எங்கு
போகும்
A feather drifting in the wind,
When will it find rest?
A dream seen without eyes,
What is it searching for, and where will it go?
Oru kaatril alaiyum siragu
A feather drifting in the wind,
Endha neram oivu thedum
When will it find rest?
Kannillaadhu kaanum kanavu
A dream seen without eyes,
Edhai thedi engu pogum
What is it searching for, and where will it go?
Engengum inbam irundhum
Though happiness exists everywhere,
Un pangu ponadhingae
Your share was lost right here.
Idhu yen endru badhil yaar solluvaar
Who will give an answer to why this is so?
Oru kaatril alaiyum siragu
A feather drifting in the wind,
Endha neram oivu thedum
When will it find rest?
Kannillaadhu kaanum kanavu
A dream seen without eyes,
Edhai thedi engu pogum
What is it searching for, and where will it go?
Yaarkkum poloru
Like anyone else,
Annai thandhai
A mother and father,
Unakkum irunthathu undu
You too once had.
Yaarkkum poloru
Like anyone else,
Dhegam thaagam
A body and thirst,
Unakkum valarndhadhu ingu
Grew inside you here as well.
Yaarkkum polae vizhigal irundhum
Though you have eyes like anyone else,
Ulagamo irulil
The world remains in darkness.
Oliyai polae orr thunai
A companion like a guiding light,
Vandhu sendra thunbam yaarkkum undoo
Has anyone felt the pain of them coming and leaving?
Oru kaatril alaiyum siragu
A feather drifting in the wind,
Endha neram oivu thedum
When will it find rest?
Kannillaadhu kaanum kanavu
A dream seen without eyes,
Edhai thedi engu pogum
What is it searching for, and where will it go?
Veedhi endroru veedum undu
There is a home called the street,
Unakkadhu sondham endru
Belonging to you as your own.
Vaanam endroru koorai undu
There is a roof called the sky,
Vizhigalum ariyaadhu
Unbeknownst even to your eyes.
Veliyillaa solaikkaaga
For a garden without a fence,
Vandhadhor kaaval
A guardian once came along.
Kangal konda dheivamum
Why did the seeing God above,
Kaavalaiyum kondu sendradhenoo
Take away that guardian as well?
Oru kaatril alaiyum siragu
A feather drifting in the wind,
Endha neram oivu thedum
When will it find rest?
Kannillaadhu kaanum kanavu
A dream seen without eyes,
Edhai thedi engu pogum
What is it searching for, and where will it go?
Engengum inbam irundhum
Though happiness exists everywhere,
Un pangu ponadhingae
Your share was lost right here.
Idhu yen endru badhil yaar solluvaar
Who will give an answer to why this is so?
Oru kaatril alaiyum siragu
A feather drifting in the wind,
Endha neram oivu thedum
When will it find rest?
Kannillaadhu kaanum kanavu
A dream seen without eyes,
Edhai thedi engu pogum
What is it searching for, and where will it go?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This deeply emotional track from Bala's film 'Naan Kadavul' reflects on the tragic, rootless existence of visually impaired and physically vulnerable individuals forced into begging. The song compares an aimless soul to a feather floating in the wind without a place to rest, questioning the cruelty of fate and asking why innocent human beings are deprived of basic happiness, home, and love.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Oru kaatril alaiyum siragu”
Compares a helpless, wandering human soul directly to a feather blown aimlessly by the wind.
Metaphor
“Veedhi endroru veedum undu / Vaanam endroru koorai undu”
Uses the open street as a metaphor for a home and the sky as a metaphor for a roof, emphasizing homeless existence.
Monai (Alliteration)
“Kannillaadhu kaanum kanavu”
Repetition of the initial 'K' sound ('Ka' / 'Kaa') creating a rhythmic poetic effect.
Paradox / Oxymoron
“Kannillaadhu kaanum kanavu”
Presents a poetic contradiction of 'seeing a dream without eyes'.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and penned by legendary lyricist Vaali, 'Naan Kadavul' won the National Film Award for Best Direction (Bala). Ilaiyaraaja also won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for his evocative background score and tragic yet soulful compositions like this one.
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