- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- K. S. Chithra
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Movie name
- Ratchagan
- Movie release year
- 1997
- Lyrics added on
- 1 Oct 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant track from the film Ratchagan conveys the agonizing pain of heartbreak and tragic sacrifice. The protagonist speaks to the passing wind, reflecting on how their beloved entered their heart only to leave tears behind. Despite praying earnestly for love as a divine boon, they receive only sorrow in return. In a final, desperate act of devotion, the protagonist writes a tragic farewell letter, stating that unable to part with their lover, they choose to leave the world instead, framing this painful departure as a new dawn in the world of love.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Pogum vazhi ellam kaathae”
Addressing the wind ('kaathae') as a conscious companion listening to the protagonist's sorrow.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“En kannodu kanneerai vidhaithai”
Comparing tears to seeds ('vidhaithai') sowed into the eyes, emphasizing the depth and permanence of grief.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kadidhathil vaikindren en idhayam”
Describing the written farewell letter as physically containing the speaker's heart.
Repetition / Epizeuxis (Adukkuthodar)
“Pudhu udhayam.. pudhu udhayam.. pudhu udhayam..”
Repeating 'pudhu udhayam' continuously to heighten emotional gravity and ironic emphasis on a 'new dawn'.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by A.R. Rahman for the 1997 high-budget romantic action drama 'Ratchagan' starring Nagarjuna and Sushmita Sen, this tragic song features haunting lyrics by Vairamuthu. Sung masterfully by K.S. Chithra (and Hariharan in an alternate version), it remains one of the most melancholic melodies composed by A.R. Rahman in the late 90s.
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