- Lyricist
- Madurai Babaraj
- Singer
- Meenakshi Elayaraja
- Music director
- Santhosh Narayanan
- Movie name
- Jagame Thandhiram
- Movie release year
- 2020
- Lyrics added on
- 2 Jun 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Theipiraiya is a deeply emotional lament from the film Jagame Thandhiram that encapsulates the grief, helplessness, and enduring hope of refugees fleeing war. Sung from the perspective of a mother, the song details her agonizing plight as she watches her beloved child forced into exile. Having raised her child with utmost tenderness, she now finds herself utterly helpless amidst destruction and conflict, fearful of how foreign lands and strangers will treat her fleeing offspring.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Theipiraiya petheduthae”
Comparing the child to a 'waning moon' (Theipirai) to symbolize a life born into declining fortune, vulnerability, and sorrow.
Simile
“Kann pola kaathirunthen”
Using 'Kann pola' (like an eye) to express how dearly and protectively the mother raised her child.
Contrast / Antithesis
“Poo mazhaiya paatha boomi / Gundu mazha paakkuthaiya”
Contrasting 'Poo mazhai' (shower of flowers representing peace and beauty) with 'Gundu mazha' (rain of bombs representing war) to highlight devastating destruction.
Proverbial Metaphor
“Oru kadhavu mooduchinna maru kadhavirukku”
Using the classic idiom 'if one door closes, another opens' to instill hope for survival in exile.
Did you know?
Trivia
Theipiraiya serves as a pivotal emotional anchor in Karthik Subbaraj's Jagame Thandhiram, highlighting the tragic plight of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. Musician Santhosh Narayanan brought authentic folk emotional depth by featuring singer Meenakshi Ilayaraja, whose haunting voice underscores the universal theme of displacement and maternal sacrifice.
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