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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Poi Varava

From Thuppakki · 2012

Lyricist
Pa. Vijay
Singers
Karthik, Chinmayi
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Details
Thuppakki2012

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Mella vidai koduSlowly grant permission to leave
Vidai kodu manamaeGrant permission to leave, oh heart
Intha ninaivugal ninaivugal ganamaeThese memories, these memories are heavy
Thaai mannae selgindromOh motherland, we are going
Thooram thooramFar, far away
Female :Hmm…mmm….mm…(Humming)
Male
Ingu uravugal pirivugalHere, relationships and separations
VaruthaeBring sadness
Sila azhagiya valigalum tharuthaeGiving some beautiful pains too
Pogindrom pogindromWe are going, we are going
Thooram thooramFar, far away
Female :Hmm…mmm….mm…(Humming)
Male
Oh.. oh.. ohoo ohOh.. oh.. ohoo oh
Enai vittu sellum uravugalaeOh relatives who leave me behind
Oh.. oh.. ohoo ohOh.. oh.. ohoo oh
Uyir thottu sellum unarvugalaeOh emotions that touch the soul
Poi varavaa….Shall I bid farewell and return?
Female
Haa…aaa….aaa….(Vocalizing)
Hmm..mm..mm…mmm…..(Humming)
Haa…aaa….aaa….(Vocalizing)
Hmm..mm..mm…hmmm…..(Humming)
Male
Nanban mugamA friend's face
Nenjil nadanthu pogumWalks through my heart
Kaadhal thendral koodaEven the gentle breeze of love
Kadanthu pogumPasses by
Ippayanathil un ninaivugalOn this journey, your memories
NenjadaikumaeWill choke my heart with emotion
Male
Kaadu malai sellaWhen beginning to travel
Thuvangum pothumThrough forests and mountains
Nenjil sonthangalinIn the heart, memories of loved ones
Ninaivu mothumWill rush and strike
Kai kuzhanthaiyai anaikavaeTo embrace the infant child
Mei thudikumaeThe body yearns eagerly
Male
AayiramFemale :Hmmmm…mm….Thousands... (Humming)
Male :AayiramFemale :Hmmmm…mm…Thousands... (Humming)
Male :Enna alaigal alaigalWhat waves of emotion, waves
Alaigal nenjoduWaves within the heart
AayinumFemale :Hmmmm…mmEven then... (Humming)
Male :NyabagamFemale :Hmmmm…mmMemory... (Humming)
Male
Uyir thudipaai thudikkumWill beat like a heartbeat
Engal mannoduWith our motherland
Poi varavaa….Shall I bid farewell and return?
Chorus :Poi varavaa….Shall I bid farewell and return?
Female
Haa…aaa….aaa….(Vocalizing)
Hmm..mm..mm…mmm…..(Humming)
Male
Engae magan endruWhere is my son,
Evarum ketkaIf anyone asks,
Raanuvathil ena thaayum sollaMy mother will proudly say he is in the army
Atharunam polLike that proud moment,
Por paathakkangalWar medals and honors,
Kai kidaikumaaCan anything else equal them?
Ohoo oo oho oo ohooooOhoo oo oho oo ohoooo
Male
Naatukkendrae thannaiBravery that sacrificed itself
Kodutha veeramFor the sake of the country,
Aadai mattum vanthuEven if only the uniform returns
Veedu saerumAnd reaches home,
Apperumai pol ivulagilaeIs there any greater pride than that
Ver irukumaaIn this entire world?
Ohoo oo oho oo ohooooOhoo oo oho oo ohoooo
Male
Dhesamae dhesamaeOh nation, oh nation,
En uyirin uyirin uyirin thavamaagumServing you is the penance of my soul, soul, soul
Porilae kaayamaeA wound sustained in battle,
En udalin udalin udalin varamaagumIs the ultimate blessing for my body, body, body
Poi varavaa….Shall I bid farewell and return?
Chorus :Poi varavaa….Shall I bid farewell and return?
Male
Mella vidai koduSlowly grant permission to leave
Vidai kodu manamaeGrant permission to leave, oh heart
Intha ninaivugal ninaivugal ganamaeThese memories, these memories are heavy
Thaai mannae selgindromOh motherland, we are going
Thooram thooramFar, far away
Male
Ingu uravugal pirivugalHere, relationships and separations
VaruthaeBring sadness
Sila azhagiya valigalum tharuthaeGiving some beautiful pains too
Pogindrom pogindromWe are going, we are going
Thooram thooramFar, far away
Male
Oh.. oh.. ohoo ohOh.. oh.. ohoo oh
Enai vittu sellum uravugalaeOh relatives who leave me behind
Oh.. oh.. ohoo ohOh.. oh.. ohoo oh
Uyir thottu sellum unarvugalaeOh emotions that touch the soul
Poi varavaa….Shall I bid farewell and return?
Chorus :Poi varavaa….Shall I bid farewell and return?
Female
Haa…aaa….aaa….(Vocalizing)
Hmm..mm..mm…mmm…..(Humming)
Haa…aaa….aaa….(Vocalizing)
Hmm..mm..mm…hmmm…..(Humming)
Male
Mella vidai koduSlowly grant permission to leave
Vidai kodu manamaeGrant permission to leave, oh heart
Intha ninaivugal ninaivugal ganamaeThese memories, these memories are heavy
Thaai mannae selgindromOh motherland, we are going
Thooram thooramFar, far away
Male
Ingu uravugal pirivugalHere, relationships and separations
VaruthaeBring sadness
Sila azhagiya valigalum tharuthaeGiving some beautiful pains too
Pogindrom pogindromWe are going, we are going
Thooram thooramFar, far away

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Poi Varavaa from the movie Thuppakki (2012) is a deeply emotional, patriotic song capturing the feelings of army soldiers departing from their families to serve at the nation's borders. It highlights the internal conflict between love for family and devotion to the motherland. The lyrics beautifully balance the ache of separation with immense pride, conveying that serving and defending the country is the ultimate duty and honor.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Repetition (Adukkuthodar / Anaphora)

Thooram thooram

Words like 'thooram thooram', 'pogindrom pogindrom', and 'dhesamae dhesamae' are repeated to emphasize distance, progression, and intense patriotic emotion.

Metaphor (Urvagam)

Intha ninaivugal ninaivugal ganamae

Memories are poetically described as a heavy weight ('ganamae') that burdens the heart during departure.

Oxymoron

Sila azhagiya valigalum tharuthae

The line 'azhagiya valigal' (beautiful pains) combines contradictory ideas to convey the bittersweet sweetness of cherished memories lingering despite the pain of separation.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Harris Jayaraj and sung by Vijay Prakash and Chinmayi Sripaada with lyrics by Pa. Vijay, 'Poi Varavaa' plays during a pivotal emotional scene in AR Murugadoss's blockbuster 'Thuppakki', showing soldier Jagadish (Vijay) and his comrades bidding emotional farewells to their loved ones at the railway station.

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