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IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Sahara

From Sivaji · 2007

Lyricist: Vairamuthu
Singers: Vijay Yesudas, Gomathishree
Music director: A. R. Rahman
Movie name: Sivaji
Movie release year: 2007
Lyrics added on: 25 Apr 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics

↻ English translation

Sahara pookkal poothadho

Sahaana saaral thoovudho

En vinn veli thalaikku mel

Thiranthadho adadaa

Antha vennnila veettukkul

Nuzhainthadho

Athu ennudan thaeneer kondadho

Oraayiram aandugal

Semitha kaadhal idhu

Nooraayiram aandugal

Thaandiyum vaazhum idhu

Maali mani vanna

Maarkazhi neeraduvan

Meelaiyar seivanagal

Venduvana keettiyel

Nyaalathai ellaam

Nadunga muralvana

Paal anna vannathul

Paanjajanyam nee

Polvana sangangal

Poyi paadudayanavae

Saala perum parayae

Pallaandu isaipaarae

Kola vilakkae

Kodiyae vidhaanamae

Aalin ilayaai

Arullelor empaavai

Hmmm..mmm…….

Did flowers bloom in the Sahara desert?

Is the Sahana raga drizzling down like a gentle shower?

Above my head, did the sky

open wide, oh my!

Did that bright white moon

enter into my house?

Did it sit and share a cup of tea with me?

Saved up across a thousand years,

this is that precious love;

even past a hundred thousand years,

it will continue to live on.

O beloved Lord, radiant like a blue gemstone,

To take our holy bath in the month of Margazhi (winter month of devotion),

following the traditions of the elders of old,

if you would hear what we ask of you:

To make the whole world

tremble with its mighty sound,

white as the color of milk,

like your sacred conch, Panchajanya (Lord Vishnu's divine conch),

conches as glorious as that,

grand and wonderfully resounding,

mighty drums that echo far,

singers who chant blessings of long life,

beautiful auspicious lamps,

flags, and a decorative canopy;

O Lord who rests upon a banyan leaf,

grant us these with your grace, come my maidens.

Mmm.. mmm...

Male

Male

Male

Female

Female

Female

Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Sahana' from the film Sivaji captures the ecstatic and surreal feeling of falling in love. The protagonist describes love through hyperbolic, wondrous imagery, such as flowers blooming in the barren Sahara, outer space opening up, or sharing a cup of tea with the moon inside one's room. It emphasizes that the love being experienced is eternal, gathered over thousands of years and capable of lasting for centuries to come. The second part of the lyrics weaves in classical verses from Andal's Thiruppavai (Pasuram 26), where devotees pray to the Divine for grand sacred instruments, lamps, and blessings during the holy month of Margazhi. This blending elevates romantic affection into a sacred, transcendent realm.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Wordplay / Paronomasia

“Sahara pookkal poothadho / Sahaana saaral thoovudho”

Clever juxtaposition of 'Sahara' (the dry desert) and 'Sahaana' (a melodious, soothing Carnatic raga associated with rain/drizzle).

Hyperbole & Surreal Imagery

“Antha vennnila veettukkul / Nuzhainthadho / Athu ennudan thaeneer kondadho”

Exaggeration of everyday reality to express the magical impact of love, such as drinking tea with the moon.

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Oraayiram aandugal / Nooraayiram aandugal”

Tamil poetic rhyme where the second letter matches across consecutive lines ('raa' in Oraayiram / Nooraayiram).

Allusion / Classical Quotation

“Maali mani vanna / Maarkazhi neeraduvan...”

Direct incorporation of 8th-century Sangam/Bhakti literature (Andal's Thiruppavai) into modern film music.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by A. R. Rahman for the blockbuster 'Sivaji: The Boss' (2007), this track seamlessly transitions from modern romantic lyrics written by Vairamuthu into ancient Tamil Bhakti verses from Andal's 'Thiruppavai' (specifically Pasuram 26, 'Maale Manivanna'). The song was rendered by Udit Narayan, Chinmayi, and Vijay Yesudas.

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