Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Virumaandi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Sandiyarae Sandiyarae

From Virumaandi · 2004

Lyricist
Kamal Haasan
Singer
Shreya Ghoshal
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Virumaandi
Movie release year
2004
Lyrics added on
10 Oct 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Eesa eesaanae eesa karaiyaanae
Ungappanum aathaalum
Thanni karaiyoram
Seththu kidakkaanga
Angittu poneenna
Rekkaiya pippaanga
Enkitta odiya enkitaa odiya
Sandiyare sandiyare
Kannupotten unga mela
Sandiyare sandiyare
Kannupotten unga mela
Ondiyila nikkirenae kandukollunga
Andhiyila sandhiyila
Angha angha unga mogham
Vandhu vandhu vaattudhennai
Vaarthai sollunga
Oorum oru maadhiridhan
Unnai ennai paakudhaiya
Kannu kaadhu mookku vechu
Kandapadi pesudhaiya
Kavalai ila kaathulavidu badhila sollu
Sandiyare sandiyare
Kannupotten unga mela
Ondiyila nikkirenae kandukollunga
Veeraappu pesi ninna
Virattum ennai
Veettukullae un uruvam verattuthu
Adangadha kaalayai pol adimanasu
Athanaiyum un nenaippil adanguthu
Eesalaipol naan parandhu
Velichatha theda
Eesana pol nee izhuthu
Un oliyil podu
Siragodu parandhaalum
Sirupozhudhu unai sera aasa
Verenna pesa
Sandiyare sandiyare
Kannupotten unga mela
Ondiyila nikkirenae kandukollunga
Oorum oru maadhiridhan
Unnai ennai paakudhaiya
Kannu kaadhu mookku vechu
Kandapadi pesudhaiya
Kavalai ila kaathulavidu badhila sollu
Sandiyare sandiyare
Kannupotten unga mela
Sandiyare sandiyare
Kannupotten unga mela
Ondiyila nikkirenae kandukollunga
Andhiyila sandhiyila
Angha angha unga mogham
Vandhu vandhu vaattudhennai
Vaarthai sollunga
Eesa eesaanae eesa karaiyaanae
Ungappanum aathaalum
Thanni karaiyoram
Seththu kidakkaanga
Angittu poneenna
Rekkaiya pippaanga
Enkitta odiya enkitaa odiya
Winged termite, oh winged termite!
Your father and your mother
by the edge of the water,
are lying dead!
If you go over there,
they will tear off your wings!
Run to me! Run to me!
Oh rogue, my handsome rogue!
I’ve set my eyes on you!
Oh rogue, my handsome rogue!
I’ve set my eyes on you!
I'm standing all alone, won't you notice me?
At dusk and at twilight,
everywhere I turn, your face
keeps appearing and teasing my heart!
Speak a word to me!
The whole village, in a strange way,
is watching you and me!
Making up wild stories,
they gossip however they please!
I don't care, toss it to the wind, just give me your answer!
Oh rogue, my handsome rogue!
I’ve set my eyes on you!
I'm standing all alone, won't you notice me?
Even if I put on a brave front,
it chases after me;
inside my home, your image pursues me!
Deep in my heart, like an untamed bull,
everything surrenders to your thoughts!
Like a winged termite flying
in search of the light,
like Lord Shiva, draw me in
and cast me into your radiance!
Even if I fly with fleeting wings,
I long to be with you, if only for a little while!
What more is there to say?
Oh rogue, my handsome rogue!
I’ve set my eyes on you!
I'm standing all alone, won't you notice me?
The whole village, in a strange way,
is watching you and me!
Making up wild stories,
they gossip however they please!
I don't care, toss it to the wind, just give me your answer!
Oh rogue, my handsome rogue!
I’ve set my eyes on you!
Oh rogue, my handsome rogue!
I’ve set my eyes on you!
I'm standing all alone, won't you notice me?
At dusk and at twilight,
everywhere I turn, your face
keeps appearing and teasing my heart!
Speak a word to me!
Winged termite, oh winged termite!
Your father and your mother
by the edge of the water,
are lying dead!
If you go over there,
they will tear off your wings!
Run to me! Run to me!
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song expresses the intense yearning and passionate affection of a woman (Annalakshmi) for a rugged, rebellious man ('Sandiyar'). Framing her deep romantic desires through traditional rural folk rhymes about winged termites drawn to flame, she describes how her mind—usually as untamed as a bull—surrenders completely whenever she thinks of him. Despite the villagers gossiping and exaggerating their relationship, she remains unfazed, urging him to dismiss public opinion and return her love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Adangadha kaalayai pol adimanasu

Compares the speaker's wild, restless heart to an untamed bull that becomes subdued only in the hero's thoughts.

Extended Metaphor

Eesalaipol naan parandhu / Velichatha theda

Compares the speaker's soul and attraction to a moth/winged termite ('Eesal') drawn irresistibly to light.

Idiom (Tamil Folk Idiom)

Kannu kaadhu mookku vechu

'Kannu kaadhu mookku vechu' is a classic Tamil idiom meaning adding exaggerated details to gossip.

Repetition (Adukku Thodar)

Vandhu vandhu vaattudhennai

Repetition of words like 'Vandhu vandhu' and 'Sandiyare sandiyare' builds emotional emphasis and rhythmic cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

Virumaandi (2004) was written, directed, and starring Kamal Haasan, with a acclaimed score by Ilaiyaraaja. The opening and closing lines ('Eesa eesaanae') adapt a traditional Tamil rural children's rhyme sung around swarming termites after monsoon rains, repurposing it as a thematic motif for passionate love.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Virumaandi

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.