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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sengatrae

From Taj Mahal · 1999

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
T. K. Kala
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Taj Mahal
Movie release year
1999
Lyrics added on
29 Jul 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Sengaathae…ae…
Sengaathae..ae…
Sengaathae…ae…
Sengaathae…ae…
Sengaathae..ae…
Sengaathae…ae…
Ulaga kaathalar
Perum moochellaam
Unakkul sumanthu sumanthu
Soodaakinaai
Kaathal kathai ellaam
Nee arivaai
Engal kaathalaiyum nee kelaai
Engal kaathalaiyum nee kelaai
Ada karuvukkul
Uuyir thantha kaathae
Enga kaathalukku
Uyir kodu kaathae
Enga udambukkul
Ulavidum kaathae
Enga uyirkkoru
Vazhi sollu kaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Nenju vedikkirathae yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Imai thuddikkirathae yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Nenju vedikkirathae yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Imai thuddikkirathae yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Uyir valikkriathae yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Uyir valikkriathae yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Uyir valikkriathae yaathae
Sengaathae…ae..
Sengaathae…ae…
Kallaraiyin kaathalarai
Nee eluppa vaa vaa
Ada kaathalar saagalaam
Unmai kaathal saagathu
Udalgal marainthaalum
Unarvugal maraiyaathu
Yaathae yaathae
Vizi thoongavillai yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Uyir thaangavillai yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Udal alinthu vidum yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Uyir alivathillai yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Vizi thoongavillai yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Uyir thaangavillai yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Udal alinthu vidum yaathae
Yaathae yaathae
Uyir alivathillai yaathae
Uyir alivathillai yaathae
Uyir alivathillai yaathae
Uyir alivathillai yaathae
O red wind...
O red wind...
O red wind...
O red wind...
O red wind...
O red wind...
The lovers of this world,
all their heavy sighs,
carrying them inside you again and again,
you turned burning hot.
All the stories of love,
you already know.
Listen to our love too.
Listen to our love too.
Ah, inside the womb,
O wind that gave life,
to our love,
give life, O wind!
Inside our bodies,
O wind that flows,
for our lives,
show a way, O wind!
O mother, O mother!
My chest is bursting, O mother!
O mother, O mother!
My eyelids are trembling, O mother!
O mother, O mother!
My chest is bursting, O mother!
O mother, O mother!
My eyelids are trembling, O mother!
O mother, O mother!
My soul aches, O mother!
O mother, O mother!
My soul aches, O mother!
O mother, O mother!
My soul aches, O mother!
O red wind...
O red wind...
The lovers in the grave,
come to awaken them, come!
Ah, lovers may die,
but true love never dies.
Even if bodies disappear,
feelings will never fade.
O mother, O mother!
My eyes cannot sleep, O mother!
O mother, O mother!
My soul cannot bear it, O mother!
O mother, O mother!
The body will perish, O mother,
O mother, O mother!
but the soul never dies, O mother!
O mother, O mother!
My eyes cannot sleep, O mother!
O mother, O mother!
My soul cannot bear it, O mother!
O mother, O mother!
The body will perish, O mother,
O mother, O mother!
but the soul never dies, O mother!
The soul never dies, O mother!
The soul never dies, O mother!
The soul never dies, O mother!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus
Chorus
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Sengaathae' from the movie Taj Mahal is a haunting, deeply emotional plea addressed to the red wind (Sengaathu). The lovers plead with the wind—which has borne the warm, agonizing sighs of star-crossed lovers throughout human history—to hear their sorrow and give life to their love. They lament the physical and mental anguish of separation, as their hearts break and their souls ache in torment. Despite the immense pain, the lyrics carry a profound message of immortal devotion: while physical bodies decay and mortal lovers pass away, true love and genuine feelings transcend death itself. The song serves as both an existential cry for relief and a timeless affirmation of love's immortality.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification

“Engal kaathalaiyum nee kelaai”

The wind ('Sengaathae') is directly addressed as a sentient being capable of listening, carrying sighs, understanding love stories, and granting life.

Antithesis / Paradox

“Ada kaathalar saagalaam / Unmai kaathal saagathu”

Contrasts mortal, destructible elements (the body/lovers) with immortal, eternal ones (true love/feelings/soul).

Anaphora (Adukkuthoodar)

“Yaathae yaathae”

The emphatic repetition of the refrain 'Yaathae yaathae' accentuates the inescapable grief and rhythmic lamentation of the song.

Metaphor

“Perum moochellaam / Unakkul sumanthu sumanthu / Soodaakinaai”

Describing the wind as warm because it carries the heavy, hot sighs of all the world's lovers.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by A.R. Rahman with lyrics by Vairamuthu for Bharathiraja's 1999 romantic drama 'Taj Mahal', this song portrays intense rural angst and tragedy. A.R. Rahman's score blends authentic folk sensibilities with orchestral arrangements to create a hauntingly memorable soundscape.

Keep listening

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