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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Punnagaiye

From Ka Pae Ranasingam · 2020

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Sundarayyar
Music director
Ghibran
Details
Ka Pae Ranasingam2020

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Thunai onnu illamalaeWithout any companion,
Oththa usuru alai modhuthaeA single soul is tossed around like waves.
Eriyura kaatukullaeInside a burning forest,
Oru erumbu vazhitheduthaeA single ant searches for a path.
Male
Pattikaattu ponnu solluWill the words of a village girl
Parliament-il ketkumaBe heard inside the Parliament?
Kaattu singam muyala kaakkaWill a wild lion write a letter
Kaditham kodukkumaTo protect a helpless rabbit?
Male
Kanji potta kaakki sattaiWill a starched khaki uniform
Kaithariya paakkumaCare to look at handloom cloth?
Velu naachi vamsakkaariShe belongs to the lineage of Queen Velu Nachiyar,
Veeram poguma….Will her courage ever fade?
Male
Thuninja thee idhuThis is a daring fire,
Kuninju eriyuma…Will it bow down as it burns?
Male
Punnagaiyae puyalaai maarum podhuWhen a smile turns into a storm,
Siru poongkiliyae puliyaai neeyum maaruOh little songbird, transform into a tiger!
Male
Adhigaarathin meedhuAgainst the power of authority,
Adiyae neeyum modhuOh girl, go ahead and clash!
Siru vaer muttum podhuWhen a tiny root pushes through,
Karumpaarai thaangaadhuEven a hard black rock cannot withstand it.
Male
Ilakkai adaiyamalaeWithout reaching her target,
Ival idhayam adangathadaaHer heart will not rest, my friend!
Vilangu udaiyamalaeWithout breaking these shackles,
Ival valaiyal udaiyathadaaHer bangles will not break, my friend!
Male
Ivalum kooda Indhiya raththamShe too carries Indian blood in her veins,
Arasamaippu solluthuSo declares the Constitution.
Ee erumbum vaazha thaanaeFor even flies and ants to survive,
Bhoomi ulladhuThis Earth exists.
Male
Arungampullum nanaiya thaanaeSo that even tiny blade of grass gets soaked,
Andha megam peiyudhuThat cloud pours rain.
Azhudha jaadhi meela thaanaeTo uplift the community that weeps,
Arasu ulladhuThe government exists.
Azhudha pillaithaan paal kudikkudhuOnly the child that cries gets fed milk.
Male
Adhigaarathin meedhuAgainst the power of authority,
Adiyae neeyum modhuOh girl, go ahead and clash!
Siru vaer muttum podhuWhen a tiny root pushes through,
Karumpaarai thaangaadhuEven a hard black rock cannot withstand it.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This anthem from Ka Pae Ranasingam serves as a fierce battle cry for an underprivileged rural woman fighting against systemic apathy, political corruption, and bureaucracy. The song chronicles her solitary struggle, comparing her to an ant navigating a forest fire or a fragile root eventually cracking a massive boulder.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (உருவகம்)

Siru vaer muttum podhu Karumpaarai thaangaadhu

Compares a small root breaking through a hard rock to an ordinary woman overcoming massive institutional power.

Rhetorical Question (வினா அணி)

Pattikaattu ponnu sollu Parliament-il ketkuma

Uses sharp questions to critique administrative apathy and social inequality.

Alliteration (மோனை)

Velu naachi vamsakkaari Veeram poguma

Repetition of initial consonants ('Va'/ 'Ve') enhancing the poetic rhythm.

Contrast / Antithesis (முரண் அணி)

Siru poongkiliyae puliyaai neeyum maaru

Contrasts a delicate songbird ('poongkili') with a fierce tiger ('puli') to depict internal transformation.

Did you know?

Trivia

Ka Pae Ranasingam (2020) stars Aishwarya Rajesh and Vijay Sethupathi. The movie revolves around Ariyanachi's struggle to bring back her husband's mortal remains from Dubai. The music for this film was composed by Ghibran, with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu.

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