Tamil Eela Kaatrea
From Naatpadu Theral · 2021
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- Sathya Prakash
- Music director
- Isai Arasan
- Details
- Naatpadu Theral2021
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Tamil eela kaatrae… | O Tamil Eelam breeze... |
| Tamil eela kaatrae… | O Tamil Eelam breeze... |
| Vinnin vazhi vandhu veesu | Blow by coming through the skies, |
| Engal mannin sugam kandu pesu | Observe the well-being of our land and speak to us. |
| Male | |
| Tamil eela kaatrae… | O Tamil Eelam breeze... |
| Tamil eela kaatrae… | O Tamil Eelam breeze... |
| Vinnin vazhi vandhu veesu | Blow by coming through the skies, |
| Engal mannin sugam kandu pesu | Observe the well-being of our land and speak to us. |
| Male | |
| Uyirai kodutha annai | The mother who gave me life, |
| Kayiraai kidappaalo?.. | Does she lie reduced to a frail rope?.. |
| Elumbai kodutha thandhai | The father who gave me my frame, |
| Narambaai kidappaaro?.. | Does he lie reduced to bare nerves?.. |
| Male | |
| Nalloor murugan koyilmaniyil | From the bell of the Nallur Murugan temple, |
| Nalla sedhi varumo?.. | Will any good news arrive?.. |
| Ulloor vaazhum oomai janangal | The muted people living in our homeland, |
| Uyirum udalum nalamo?.. | Are their lives and bodies doing fine?.. |
| Male | |
| Oodiya veedhigal sugamaa?.. | Are the streets we ran in doing fine?.. |
| Engal oruthalai kaadhali sugamaa?.. | Is our one-sided love interest doing fine?.. |
| Paadiya palligal sugamaa?.. | Are the schools where we studied doing fine?.. |
| Udan paditha anilgal sugamaa?.. | Are the squirrels that studied along with us doing fine?.. |
| Male | |
| Orumurai vandhu sollipoo | Come once and tell us before you go, |
| Engal uyirai konjam allipoo | Gather a little of our soul and take it along. |
| Male | |
| Tamil eela kaatrae… | O Tamil Eelam breeze... |
| Tamil eela kaatrae… | O Tamil Eelam breeze... |
| Vinnin vazhi vandhu veesu | Blow by coming through the skies, |
| Engal mannin sugam kandu pesu | Observe the well-being of our land and speak to us. |
| Male | |
| Mullaitheevin katharal | The cries of agony from Mullaitivu, |
| Moochil valikkirathae | Painfully pierce through every breath. |
| Nandhi kadalin olam | The wailing wails of the Nandhikadal lagoon, |
| Narambai arukkirathae | Sever my very nerves. |
| Male | |
| Pillaikarigal samaithu muditha | The fire that finished cooking the flesh of children, |
| Theeyum micham ulladho?.. | Is there any of it remaining?.. |
| Engal oorai erithu meendha | That burned down our entire village, |
| Saambal saatchi ulladho?… | Is there any ash left as a witness?... |
| Male | |
| Vannikaadugal sugamaa? .. | Are the Vanni forests doing fine?.. |
| Engal valvettithuraiyum sugamaa?.. | Is our Valvettithurai town doing fine?.. |
| Kaaindha kanneer sugamaa?.. | Are the dried tears doing fine?.. |
| Innum kaayaadha kurudhiyum sugamaa?.. | Is the blood that hasn't dried yet doing fine?.. |
| Male | |
| Orumurai vandhu sollipo | Come once and tell us before you go, |
| Engal uyirai konjam allipoo | Gather a little of our soul and take it along. |
| Male | |
| Tamil eela kaatrae… | O Tamil Eelam breeze... |
| Tamil eela kaatrae… | O Tamil Eelam breeze... |
| Vinnin vazhi vandhu veesu | Blow by coming through the skies, |
| Engal mannin sugam kandu pesu | Observe the well-being of our land and speak to us. |
தமிழ் ஈழக் காற்றே!
தமிழ் ஈழக் காற்றே!
விண்ணின் வழி வந்து வீசு எங்கள்
மண்ணின் சுகம் கண்டு பேசு
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
Blow by coming through the skies,
Observe the well-being of our land and speak to us.
தமிழ் ஈழக் காற்றே!
தமிழ் ஈழக் காற்றே!
விண்ணின் வழி வந்து வீசு எங்கள்
மண்ணின் சுகம் கண்டு பேசு
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
Blow by coming through the skies,
Observe the well-being of our land and speak to us.
உயிரைக் கொடுத்த அன்னை
கயிறாய் கிடப்பாளோ?
எலும்பைக் கொடுத்த தந்தை
நரம்பாய் கிடப்பாரோ?
The mother who gave me life,
Does she lie reduced to a frail rope?..
The father who gave me my frame,
Does he lie reduced to bare nerves?..
நல்லூர் முருகன் கோயில்மணியில்
நல்ல சேதி வருமோ?
உள்ளூர் வாழும் ஊமை ஜனங்கள்
உயிரும் உடலும் நலமோ?
From the bell of the Nallur Murugan temple,
Will any good news arrive?..
The muted people living in our homeland,
Are their lives and bodies doing fine?..
ஓடிய வீதிகள் சுகமா?
எங்கள் ஒருதலைக் காதலி சுகமா?
பாடிய பள்ளிகள் சுகமா?
உடன் படித்த அணில்கள் சுகமா?
Are the streets we ran in doing fine?..
Is our one-sided love interest doing fine?..
Are the schools where we studied doing fine?..
Are the squirrels that studied along with us doing fine?..
ஒருமுறை வந்து சொல்லிப்போ
எங்கள் உயிரை கொஞ்சம் அள்ளிப்போ
Come once and tell us before you go,
Gather a little of our soul and take it along.
தமிழ் ஈழக் காற்றே!
தமிழ் ஈழக் காற்றே!
விண்ணின் வழி வந்து வீசு எங்கள்
மண்ணின் சுகம் கண்டு பேசு
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
Blow by coming through the skies,
Observe the well-being of our land and speak to us.
முல்லைத் தீவின் கதறல்
மூச்சில் வலிக்கிறதே
நந்திக் கடலின் ஓலம்
நரம்பை அறுக்கிறதே
The cries of agony from Mullaitivu,
Painfully pierce through every breath.
The wailing wails of the Nandhikadal lagoon,
Sever my very nerves.
பிள்ளைக்கறிகள் சமைத்து முடித்த
தீயும் மிச்சம் உள்ளதோ?
எங்கள் ஊரை எரித்து மீந்த
சாம்பல் சாட்சி உள்ளதோ?
The fire that finished cooking the flesh of children,
Is there any of it remaining?..
That burned down our entire village,
Is there any ash left as a witness?...
வன்னிக்காடுகள் சுகமா?
எங்கள் வல்வெட்டித்துறையும் சுகமா?
காய்ந்த கண்ணீர் சுகமா?
இன்னும் காயாத குருதி சுகமா ?
Are the Vanni forests doing fine?..
Is our Valvettithurai town doing fine?..
Are the dried tears doing fine?..
Is the blood that hasn't dried yet doing fine?..
ஒருமுறை வந்து சொல்லிப்போ
எங்கள் உயிரை கொஞ்சம் அள்ளிப்போ
Come once and tell us before you go,
Gather a little of our soul and take it along.
தமிழ் ஈழக் காற்றே!
தமிழ் ஈழக் காற்றே!
விண்ணின் வழி வந்து வீசு எங்கள்
மண்ணின் சுகம் கண்டு பேசு
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
Blow by coming through the skies,
Observe the well-being of our land and speak to us.
Tamil eela kaatrae…
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
Tamil eela kaatrae…
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
Vinnin vazhi vandhu veesu
Blow by coming through the skies,
Engal mannin sugam kandu pesu
Observe the well-being of our land and speak to us.
Tamil eela kaatrae…
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
Tamil eela kaatrae…
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
Vinnin vazhi vandhu veesu
Blow by coming through the skies,
Engal mannin sugam kandu pesu
Observe the well-being of our land and speak to us.
Uyirai kodutha annai
The mother who gave me life,
Kayiraai kidappaalo?..
Does she lie reduced to a frail rope?..
Elumbai kodutha thandhai
The father who gave me my frame,
Narambaai kidappaaro?..
Does he lie reduced to bare nerves?..
Nalloor murugan koyilmaniyil
From the bell of the Nallur Murugan temple,
Nalla sedhi varumo?..
Will any good news arrive?..
Ulloor vaazhum oomai janangal
The muted people living in our homeland,
Uyirum udalum nalamo?..
Are their lives and bodies doing fine?..
Oodiya veedhigal sugamaa?..
Are the streets we ran in doing fine?..
Engal oruthalai kaadhali sugamaa?..
Is our one-sided love interest doing fine?..
Paadiya palligal sugamaa?..
Are the schools where we studied doing fine?..
Udan paditha anilgal sugamaa?..
Are the squirrels that studied along with us doing fine?..
Orumurai vandhu sollipoo
Come once and tell us before you go,
Engal uyirai konjam allipoo
Gather a little of our soul and take it along.
Tamil eela kaatrae…
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
Tamil eela kaatrae…
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
Vinnin vazhi vandhu veesu
Blow by coming through the skies,
Engal mannin sugam kandu pesu
Observe the well-being of our land and speak to us.
Mullaitheevin katharal
The cries of agony from Mullaitivu,
Moochil valikkirathae
Painfully pierce through every breath.
Nandhi kadalin olam
The wailing wails of the Nandhikadal lagoon,
Narambai arukkirathae
Sever my very nerves.
Pillaikarigal samaithu muditha
The fire that finished cooking the flesh of children,
Theeyum micham ulladho?..
Is there any of it remaining?..
Engal oorai erithu meendha
That burned down our entire village,
Saambal saatchi ulladho?…
Is there any ash left as a witness?...
Vannikaadugal sugamaa? ..
Are the Vanni forests doing fine?..
Engal valvettithuraiyum sugamaa?..
Is our Valvettithurai town doing fine?..
Kaaindha kanneer sugamaa?..
Are the dried tears doing fine?..
Innum kaayaadha kurudhiyum sugamaa?..
Is the blood that hasn't dried yet doing fine?..
Orumurai vandhu sollipo
Come once and tell us before you go,
Engal uyirai konjam allipoo
Gather a little of our soul and take it along.
Tamil eela kaatrae…
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
Tamil eela kaatrae…
O Tamil Eelam breeze...
Vinnin vazhi vandhu veesu
Blow by coming through the skies,
Engal mannin sugam kandu pesu
Observe the well-being of our land and speak to us.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Tamil Eela Kaatrae is a deeply poignant song expressing the longing, grief, and nostalgic attachment of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora toward their war-torn homeland. Addressing the breeze blowing from Eelam as a messenger, the narrator desperately inquires about the well-being of elderly parents, childhood streets, local shrines like Nallur Murugan, schools, and nature. The song touches upon the severe trauma of the final stages of the civil war at places like Mullaitivu and Nandhikadal, asking if even the ashes or undried blood remain to bear witness to the tragedy. Through emotional inquiries, the piece serves as an elegy for lost peace and an enduring connection to one's roots.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Engal mannin sugam kandu pesu”
The wind (kaatru) is personified as a compassionate messenger who can observe the land and speak back to the diaspora.
Metaphor / Visual Imagery
“Kayiraai kidappaalo?.. / Narambaai kidappaaro?..”
Comparing a frail, emaciated mother to a thin rope (kayiru) and a father to exposed nerves (narambu) vividly captures extreme suffering and aging due to conflict.
Anaphora / Rhyme Scheme (Edhugai & Eiybu)
“Oodiya veedhigal sugamaa?.. / Engal oruthalai kaadhali sugamaa?..”
Repetitive rhetorical questioning ending with 'sugamaa' creates a rhythmic cadence emphasizing anxiety and nostalgia.
Hyperbole / Paradoxical Imagery
“Kaaindha kanneer sugamaa?.. / Innum kaayaadha kurudhiyum sugamaa?..”
Asking if dried tears and undried blood are 'doing fine' uses stark irony and poetic hyperbole to emphasize unhealed historical wounds.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track is part of 'Naatpadu Theral', an ambitious independent music project conceived by veteran lyricist Vairamuthu featuring 100 songs composed by various music directors. The song directly references historical Sri Lankan Tamil regions such as Valvettithurai, Vanni forests, Nallur, Mullaitivu, and Nandhikadal.
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