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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Taniye Taniye

From Rangeela · 1995

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
S. Janaki
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Rangeela1995

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Thaniyae thaniyaeAlone, alone
Mannil ennaalumOn this earth forever
Jeevidham illaiyaeThere is no life
Maramo kodiyoNeither a tree nor a vine
Mannai thodaamalWithout touching the earth
Vaazhvathu illaiyaeCan survive
Female
Sernthae poga vendumMust travel together
Saarnthae vaazha vendumMust live interdependently
Un thanthai thaaiyumIf your father and mother
Thanimai kondaalHad remained alone
Neeyae illaiyaeYou would not exist
Female
Thaniyae thaniyaeAlone, alone
Mannil ennaalumOn this earth forever
Jeevidham illaiyaeThere is no life
Maramo kodiyoNeither a tree nor a vine
Mannai thodaamalWithout touching the earth
Vaazhvathu illaiyaeCan survive
Female
Sernthae poga vendumMust travel together
Saarnthae vaazha vendumMust live interdependently
Un thanthai thaaiyumIf your father and mother
Thanimai kondaalHad remained alone
Neeyae illaiyaeYou would not exist
Female
Thaniyae thaniyaeAlone, alone
Mannil ennaalumOn this earth forever
Jeevidham illaiyaeThere is no life
Male
Hmmm…mmm..mmm…mmmHmmm…mmm..mmm…mmm
Hmmm…mmm..mmm…mmmHmmm…mmm..mmm…mmm
Male & Female :Male & Female :
Hmmm…mmm..mmm…mmmHmmm…mmm..mmm…mmm
Hmmm…mmm..mmm…mmmHmmm…mmm..mmm…mmm
Female
Idhikaasam ellaamaeAll history and epics
Kaadhal thantha michamAre what love left behind
Kalai kavidhai ellamaeAll art and poetry
Kaadhal ennum uchchamAre the pinnacle of love
Female
Kaadhal enum moondreluthilIn the three letters of the word 'Kaadhal' (love)
Moovulagam adakkamThe three worlds are contained
Kaadhal engae thodangiyadhoWhere love begins
Vaazhkai angae thodakkamLife begins right there
Female
Oonodu uyir veithathuPlacing life inside flesh
Uravaada thaanaeWas only to bond with each other
Aannodu penn veithathuPlacing woman alongside man
Adharkaaga thaanaeWas only for that reason
Female
Thaniyae thaniyaeAlone, alone
Mannil ennaalumOn this earth forever
Jeevidham illaiyaeThere is no life
Maramo kodiyoNeither a tree nor a vine
Mannai thodaamalWithout touching the earth
Vaazhvathu illaiyaeCan survive
Female
Sernthae poga vendumMust travel together
Saarnthae vaazha vendumMust live interdependently
Un thanthai thaaiyumIf your father and mother
Thanimai kondaalHad remained alone
Neeyae illaiyaeYou would not exist
Female
Thaniyae thaniyaeAlone, alone
Mannil ennaalumOn this earth forever
Jeevidham illaiyaeThere is no life
Female
Thaniyaaga jeenikkuFor sugar on its own
InippenbathillaiThere is no sweetness
Naavodu sernthaal thaanOnly when joined with the tongue
Suvai kollai kollaiDoes taste burst forth abundantly
Female
Kodiyodu vaazhvadhilaeIn living attached to a creeper
Poovukenna sirappuWhat special glory is there for a flower?
Koondhalilae servadhu thaanOnly when resting in braided hair
Poovukkoru madhippuDoes a flower gain true value
Female
Ilaiyodu pachai niramWho interwove the green color
Izhaithathu yaaroInto the leaf?
Ennodu unnai konduBringing you together with me
Inaithathu yaaroWho united us?
Female
Thaniyae thaniyaeAlone, alone
Mannil ennaalumOn this earth forever
Jeevidham illaiyaeThere is no life
Maramo kodiyoNeither a tree nor a vine
Mannai thodaamalWithout touching the earth
Vaazhvathu illaiyaeCan survive
Female
Sernthae poga vendumMust travel together
Saarnthae vaazha vendumMust live interdependently
Un thanthai thaaiyumIf your father and mother
Thanimai kondaalHad remained alone
Neeyae illaiyaeYou would not exist
Female
Thaniyae thaniyaeAlone, alone
Mannil ennaalumOn this earth forever
Jeevidham illaiyaeThere is no life
Lalala lalalaa lalala laalalaa…Lalala lalalaa lalala laalalaa…
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Chorus
{Thaniyae thaniyae{Alone, alone
Mannil ennaalumOn this earth forever
Jeevidham illaiyaeThere is no life
Maramo kodiyoNeither a tree nor a vine
Mannai thodaamalWithout touching the earth
Vaazhvathu illaiyae} (2)Can survive} (2)

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Thaniyae Thaniyae from Rangeela (composed by A.R. Rahman with Tamil lyrics by Vairamuthu) is a poetic meditation on human interdependence and love. The lyrics argue that complete solitude is unnatural; just as plants need soil, sugar needs a tongue to release sweetness, and flowers achieve true value when worn, human life gains purpose through connection with another.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Repetition

Thaniyae thaniyae

The repetition of 'Thaniyae thaniyae' emphasizes the theme of isolation versus togetherness.

Nature Metaphor

Maramo kodiyo / Mannai thodaamal / Vaazhvathu illaiyae

Uses plant life needing the earth as a metaphor for human connection.

Emonai (Second-letter Rhyme / Alliteration)

Sernthae poga vendum / Saarnthae vaazha vendum

Rhyming and rhythmic repetition between 'Sernthae' and 'Saarnthae'.

Hyperbole

Kaadhal enum moondreluthil / Moovulagam adakkam

Expresses how all creation and worlds are encapsulated within love ('Moondreluthu' referring to Ka-dha-l).

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is the Tamil dubbed version of the track 'Hai Rama' composed by A.R. Rahman for Ram Gopal Varma's 1995 Bollywood film Rangeela. While the Hindi version featured sensual classical phrasing, Vairamuthu's Tamil penning added philosophical reflections on companionship and nature.

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