Rajyama Illai Emaiyama
From Baba · 2002
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Jayachandran
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Baba2002
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Rajyama illai imayama | Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas? |
| Engivan naalai engivan | Where will he be tomorrow, where will he be? |
| Mannana illai moulviya | Is he a king, or a holy saint? |
| Yaarivan naalai yaarivan | Who is he tomorrow, who is he? |
| Male | |
| Aayiram adhisayam | A thousand wonders |
| Amainthathu baba jaadhagam | Are aligned in Baba's horoscope |
| Aayiram adhisayam | A thousand wonders |
| Amainthathu baba jaadhagam | Are aligned in Baba's horoscope |
| Male | |
| Kelviyaai vaazhgiraan | He lives as a question mark |
| Mounathai aalghiraan | He rules over silence |
| Male | |
| Rajyama illai imayama | Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas? |
| Rajyama illai imayama | Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas? |
| Male | |
| Maganillai maganillai | 'No child, no child' |
| Enum naalil | On the day when they grieved |
| Madiyil vandha rajavai | The king who arrived in her lap |
| Thamizharkal manayengum | In every household of Tamils |
| Manam veesa | To spread fragrance |
| Deivam thantha rojavai | The rose gifted by God |
| Male | |
| Mudhuhinil pughazhinai thookamal | Instead of carrying fame on his back |
| Mootai thooka paarthaalae | When she saw him carrying heavy sacks |
| Vidhiyithu vidhiyithu ena enni | Thinking 'This is fate, this is fate' |
| Moochi vaangi verthaalae | She panted and sweated |
| Male | |
| Thozhil enna seithaalum | Whatever work one does |
| Izhivillai enbaanae | He says there is no disgrace in it |
| Uzhaikaamal undaalthaan | Only eating without working |
| Pizhai endru solvaanae | Is what he calls a sin |
| Male | |
| Yetramo irakkamo | Whether ups or downs |
| Edhayumae yerpavan | He is the one who accepts everything |
| Male | |
| Aayiram kodi adhisayam | Ten billion wonders |
| Amainthathu baba jaadhagam | Are aligned in Baba's horoscope |
| Male | |
| Kadavulai maruthu | Denying God |
| Ivan naalthorum | Every day he |
| Koorinaanae naatheegam | Spoke of atheism |
| Paghutharivaalanin nenjinilae | In the heart of that rationalist |
| Pootha thenna aatheegham | How did devotion bloom? |
| Male | |
| Thirumagan varugira | As the holy son arrives |
| Thiruneerai | Sacred ash |
| Netri meethu dhinam poosi | Applying daily on his forehead |
| Male | |
| Adhisayam adhisayam | What a wonder, what a wonder! |
| Periyaar thaan | Has Periyar himself |
| Aanathenna raajaaji | Become Rajaji? |
| Male | |
| Thanathu anbu thaayai | His loving mother |
| Kai thozhum baba thaan | Baba who worships with folded hands |
| Sinthayil ennaalum | In his thoughts always |
| Chinnanchiru paapaa than | Is just a little innocent child |
| Male | |
| Yezhaigal paarvayil | In the eyes of the poor |
| Muzhu manithanaai therigiraan | He appears as a complete human being |
| Male | |
| Rajyama illai imayama | Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas? |
| Rajyama illai imayama | Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas? |
ராஜ்யமா இல்லை
இமயமா எங்கிவன் நாளை
எங்கிவன் மன்னனா இல்லை
மௌல்வியா யாரிவன் நாளை
யாரிவன்
Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas?
Where will he be tomorrow, where will he be?
Is he a king, or a holy saint?
Who is he tomorrow, who is he?
ஆயிரம் அதிசயம்
அமைந்தது பாபா ஜாதகம்
ஆயிரம் அதிசயம் அமைந்தது
பாபா ஜாதகம்
A thousand wonders
Are aligned in Baba's horoscope
A thousand wonders
Are aligned in Baba's horoscope
கேள்வியாய்
வாழ்கிறான் மௌனத்தை
ஆள்கிறான்
He lives as a question mark
He rules over silence
ராஜ்யமா இல்லை
இமயமா ராஜ்யமா இல்லை
இமயமா
Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas?
Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas?
மகனில்லை மகனில்லை
என்னும் நாளில் மடியில் வந்த
ராஜாவை தமிழர்கள் மனையெங்கும்
மனம் வீச தெய்வம் தந்த ரோஜாவை
'No child, no child'
On the day when they grieved
The king who arrived in her lap
In every household of Tamils
To spread fragrance
The rose gifted by God
முதுகினில் புகழினை
தூக்காமல் மூட்டை தூக்க
பார்த்தாலே விதியிது விதியிது
என எண்ணி மூச்சு வாங்கி
வேர்த்தாலே
Instead of carrying fame on his back
When she saw him carrying heavy sacks
Thinking 'This is fate, this is fate'
She panted and sweated
தொழில் என்ன
செய்தாலும் இழிவில்லை
என்பானே உழைக்காமல்
உண்டால் தான் பிழை
என்று சொல்வானே
Whatever work one does
He says there is no disgrace in it
Only eating without working
Is what he calls a sin
ஏற்றமோ
இறக்கமோ எதையுமே
ஏற்பவன்
Whether ups or downs
He is the one who accepts everything
ஆயிரம் கோடி
அதிசயம் அமைந்தது
பாபா ஜாதகம்
Ten billion wonders
Are aligned in Baba's horoscope
கடவுளை மறுத்து
இவன் நாள் தோறும்
கூறினானே நாத்தீகம்
பகுத்தறிவாளனின்
நெஞ்சினிலே பூத்த
தென்ன ஆதிக்கம்
Denying God
Every day he
Spoke of atheism
In the heart of that rationalist
How did devotion bloom?
திருமகன் வருகிற
திருநீரை நெற்றி மீது
தினம் பூசி
As the holy son arrives
Sacred ash
Applying daily on his forehead
அதிசயம் அதிசயம்
பெரியார் தான்
ஆனதென்ன ராஜாஜி
What a wonder, what a wonder!
Has Periyar himself
Become Rajaji?
தனது அன்பு
தாயை கை தொழும்
பாபா தான் சிந்தையில்
எந்நாளும் சின்னஞ்சிறு
பாபா தான்
His loving mother
Baba who worships with folded hands
In his thoughts always
Is just a little innocent child
ஏழைகள்
பார்வையில் முழு
மனிதனாய் தெரிகிறான்
In the eyes of the poor
He appears as a complete human being
ராஜ்யமா இல்லை
இமயமா ராஜ்யமா இல்லை
இமயமா
Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas?
Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas?
Rajyama illai imayama
Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas?
Engivan naalai engivan
Where will he be tomorrow, where will he be?
Mannana illai moulviya
Is he a king, or a holy saint?
Yaarivan naalai yaarivan
Who is he tomorrow, who is he?
Aayiram adhisayam
A thousand wonders
Amainthathu baba jaadhagam
Are aligned in Baba's horoscope
Aayiram adhisayam
A thousand wonders
Amainthathu baba jaadhagam
Are aligned in Baba's horoscope
Kelviyaai vaazhgiraan
He lives as a question mark
Mounathai aalghiraan
He rules over silence
Rajyama illai imayama
Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas?
Rajyama illai imayama
Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas?
Maganillai maganillai
'No child, no child'
Enum naalil
On the day when they grieved
Madiyil vandha rajavai
The king who arrived in her lap
Thamizharkal manayengum
In every household of Tamils
Manam veesa
To spread fragrance
Deivam thantha rojavai
The rose gifted by God
Mudhuhinil pughazhinai thookamal
Instead of carrying fame on his back
Mootai thooka paarthaalae
When she saw him carrying heavy sacks
Vidhiyithu vidhiyithu ena enni
Thinking 'This is fate, this is fate'
Moochi vaangi verthaalae
She panted and sweated
Thozhil enna seithaalum
Whatever work one does
Izhivillai enbaanae
He says there is no disgrace in it
Uzhaikaamal undaalthaan
Only eating without working
Pizhai endru solvaanae
Is what he calls a sin
Yetramo irakkamo
Whether ups or downs
Edhayumae yerpavan
He is the one who accepts everything
Aayiram kodi adhisayam
Ten billion wonders
Amainthathu baba jaadhagam
Are aligned in Baba's horoscope
Kadavulai maruthu
Denying God
Ivan naalthorum
Every day he
Koorinaanae naatheegam
Spoke of atheism
Paghutharivaalanin nenjinilae
In the heart of that rationalist
Pootha thenna aatheegham
How did devotion bloom?
Thirumagan varugira
As the holy son arrives
Thiruneerai
Sacred ash
Netri meethu dhinam poosi
Applying daily on his forehead
Adhisayam adhisayam
What a wonder, what a wonder!
Periyaar thaan
Has Periyar himself
Aanathenna raajaaji
Become Rajaji?
Thanathu anbu thaayai
His loving mother
Kai thozhum baba thaan
Baba who worships with folded hands
Sinthayil ennaalum
In his thoughts always
Chinnanchiru paapaa than
Is just a little innocent child
Yezhaigal paarvayil
In the eyes of the poor
Muzhu manithanaai therigiraan
He appears as a complete human being
Rajyama illai imayama
Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas?
Rajyama illai imayama
Is it a kingdom, or the Himalayas?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from the film Baba contemplates the enigmatic nature and dual destiny of the protagonist Baba, questioning whether his future holds worldly royal power ('Rajyama') or spiritual renunciation in the mountains ('Imayama'). The lyrics trace his journey from an innocent child brought into a humble home to a man who embodies the dignity of labor, rejecting idle living and accepting life's highs and lows with equanimity. Vaali highlights a striking transformation in Baba's persona—from an atheist/rationalist to a spiritual seeker—symbolically comparing this shift to the atheist leader Periyar morphing into the devout statesman Rajaji. Through all his miraculous traits, Baba remains a devoted son and a complete human being in the eyes of the poor.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question
“Rajyama illai imayama”
Poses a dramatic dilemma asking whether Baba's destiny lies in ruling a earthly kingdom or attaining enlightenment in the Himalayas.
Metaphor
“Deivam thantha rojavai”
Compares the born child to a divine rose sent by God to bring joy and fragrance to households.
Contrast / Cultural Allusion
“Periyaar thaan Aanathenna raajaaji”
Juxtaposes the extreme atheist icon Dravidar Kazhagam founder Periyar with devout spiritual statesman Rajaji to illustrate a drastic inner transformation.
Monaai (Initial Rhyme/Alliteration)
“Aayiram adhisayam / Amainthathu baba jaadhagam”
Uses matching initial vowel sound ('Aa') across words in consecutive lines for rhythmic appeal.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song was composed by A.R. Rahman for Rajinikanth's 2002 film Baba, sung by Shankar Mahadevan and Iqbal. Lyricist Vaali famously incorporated references to Periyar and Rajaji, echoing Rajinikanth's real-life unique blend of rationalism, spiritualism, and political ambiguity.
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