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Poovellam Un Vasam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thalaattum Kaatre

From Poovellam Un Vasam · 2001

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Shankar Mahadevan
Music director
Vidyasagar
Movie name
Poovellam Un Vasam
Movie release year
2001
Lyrics added on
10 Feb 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
……………………….
Thalaatum kaatrae vaa
Thalaikodhum viralae vaa
Tholai dhoora nilavae vaa
Thoda vendum vaanae vaa
Un chinna idhazh mutham thinaamal
En jenmam veenendru poveno
Un vanna thiru meni seraamal
En vayathu paalendru aaveno
Un azhagu rajaangam aalaamal
En aavi sirithagi poveno
{ Ennuyire neethaano } (2)
Thalaatum kaatrae vaa
Thalaikodhum viralae vaa
Tholai dhoora nilavae vaa
Thoda vendum vaanae vaa
Kannukul kan vaithu
Kan imaiyaal kan thadavi
Chinnathoru singaram
Seiyaamal poveno
Pechilantha velaiyilae
Pen azhagu en maarbil
Muchu vidum rasanaiyai
Mugaraamal poveno
Un kattu koondhal kaatil
Nulaiyaamal poveno
Athil kalla thaenai konjam
Varugamal poveno
{ Nee paadhi thookathil pulambuvathai
Oli padhivu naan seiya maateno } (2)
Nee oodal kondaadum pozhuthugalil
Athai unaku oli parapa maateno
Ennuyire neethaano
Ennuyire- aeae neethaano
Thalaatum kaatrae vaa
Thalaikodhum viralae vaa
Oru naal oru pozhudhu
Un madiyil naan irunthu
Thirunaal kaanamal
Setholindhu poveno
Thalai ellam pookal poothu
Thallaadum marameri
Ilai ellaam un perai
Eluthaamal poveno
Un paadham vaangi nenjil
Padhiyaamal poveno
Un kanneer echil rusiyai
Ariyaamal poveno
{ Un udalai uyir vittu ponaalum
En uyirai unnodu paaicheno } (2)
Un angam engengum uyiraagi
Nee vaazhum varai naanum vaazhveno
{ En urimai neethaano } (2)
Thalaatum kaatrae vaa
Thalaikodhum viralae vaa
Tholai dhoora nilavae vaa
Thoda vendum vaanae vaa
Un chinna idhazh mutham thinaamal
En jenmam veenendru poveno
Un vanna thiru meni seraamal
En vayathu paalendra aaveno
Un azhagu rajaangam aalaamal
En aavi sirithagi poveno
{ Ennuyire neethaano } (2)
Neethaano ………..
...
Come, lullaby breeze
Come, fingers that caress my hair
Come, distant moon
Come, sky that I long to touch
Without tasting a kiss from your soft lips,
will I let my life go to waste?
Without uniting with your radiant body,
will my youth turn into a wasteland?
Without ruling the kingdom of your beauty,
will my life just wither away?
Are you my very soul? Are you the breath in me?
Come, lullaby breeze
Come, fingers that caress my hair
Come, distant moon
Come, sky that I long to touch
Looking deep into your eyes,
brushing your eyelids with my eyelashes,
sweet and playful romantic touches—
would I ever leave without doing all that?
In those quiet moments beyond words,
when your feminine grace rests on my chest,
the sweet delight of your breathing,
would I ever leave without drinking it in?
Into the dense forest of your thick hair,
would I ever leave without wandering in?
And the hidden sweet nectar inside,
would I ever leave without tasting some?
The sweet murmurs you make in half-sleep,
won't I record your tender voice?
And in those moments when you pretend to sulk,
won't I play it right back for you?
Are you my very soul?
Oh my life, is it really you?
Come, lullaby breeze
Come, fingers that caress my hair
For just one day, for a single moment,
resting my head upon your lap,
without celebrating our festival of love,
would I simply die and fade away?
Climbing a gently swaying tree
that is covered in blooming flowers,
across every single leaf,
would I ever leave without writing your name?
Holding your delicate feet,
would I leave without pressing them to my heart?
The sweet taste of your tears and your lips,
would I leave without knowing it all?
Even if life were to ever leave your body,
wouldn't I breathe my own life into you?
Becoming the life in every part of you,
won't I keep living as long as you live?
Aren't you my only true belonging?
Come, lullaby breeze
Come, fingers that caress my hair
Come, distant moon
Come, sky that I long to touch
Without tasting a kiss from your soft lips,
will I let my life go to waste?
Without uniting with your radiant body,
will my youth turn into a wasteland?
Without ruling the kingdom of your beauty,
will my life just wither away?
Are you my very soul? Are you the breath in me?
Is it really you...?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Thalaatum Kaatrae Vaa is a soulful, romantic masterpiece from the 2001 Tamil film Poovellam Un Vasam, composed by Vidyasagar and penned by lyricist Vairamuthu. The song captures the intense depth of romantic yearning, where the protagonist addresses his beloved through poetic metaphors of nature—comparing her to a caressing lullaby breeze, a soft finger stroking hair, and a distant moon.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Thalaatum kaatrae vaa / Tholai dhoora nilavae vaa

The lover personifies his beloved as various gentle and distant elements of nature such as 'Thalaatum kaatrae' (lullaby breeze) and 'Tholai dhoora nilavae' (distant moon).

Monai & Ethukai (Alliteration & Rhyme)

Thalaatum kaatrae vaa / Thalaikodhum viralae vaa

Consonance in initial syllables ('Thalaatum' / 'Thalaikodhum') and second letter rhyming ('la' sound) create melodic rhythm.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)

Ilai ellaam un perai eluthaamal poveno

Exaggerating devotion by expressing a wish to climb a blooming tree and write the beloved's name on every leaf.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Vidyasagar and sung by P. Unnikrishnan, this song remains one of the most celebrated melodies from the film Poovellam Un Vasam starring Ajith Kumar and Jyothika.

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