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En Swasa Kaatre album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thirakkadha

From En Swasa Kaatre · 1999

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
P. Unnikrishnan, K. S. Chithra
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
En Swasa Kaatre
Movie release year
1999
Lyrics added on
27 Jun 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Mmm…thirakkaadha kaattukkullae
Pirakkaadha pillaigal polae aanom
Parandhodum maanai pola
Tholaindhodi ponadhu engal naanam
Pattaamboochi pattaamboochi
Vattam podum pattaamboochi
Odi vandhu muththam vaangichellu
Odiyodi aalam vizhudhil
Oonjalaadum otrai kiliyae
Kaattu vaazhkkai naattil undaa sollu
Andha vaanam pakkam
Indha boomi sorggam
Kaattil ulavum oru kaatraagirom
Nenjil yekkam vandhaal
Kannil thookkam vandhaal
Poovil urangum siru paniyaagirom
Thirakkaadha kaattukkullae
Pirakkaadha pillaigal polae aanom
Female :Aaaa…aaaa…aaa
Male :Parandhodum maanai pola
Tholaindhodi ponadhu engal naanam
Female :Aaaa…aaaa…aaa
Kaatrodu moongil kaadu
Enna pesudho
Mannodu vizhigira aruvi
Enna solludhoo
Adhu thannai cholludhoo
Illai unnai cholludhoo
Ada pulveliyil
Oru vaanavil vizhundhadhu
Adho adho adho angae
Aiyaiyo vaanavil illai
Vanna chiragugaloo
Avai vanna chiragugaloo
Vaanavil parakkindradhoo
Azhagu angae ingae
Sirikkindradhu
Pudhiya kangal
Nenjil thirakkindradhu
Megampol kaattai nesi
Meendum naam aadhivaasi
Un kangal moodum
Kaadhal kaadhal kaadhal kaadhal
Kaadhal yosi
Thirakkaadha kaattukkullae
Pirakkaadha pillaigal polae aanom
Female :Aaaa…aaaa…aaa
Male :Parandhodum maanai pola
Tholaindhodi ponadhu engal naanam
Female :Aaaa…aaaa…aaa
Pattaamboochi pattaamboochi
Vattam podum pattaamboochi
Odi vandhu muththam vaangichellu
Odiyodi aalam vizhudhil
Oonjalaadum otrai kiliyae
Kaattu vaazhkkai naattil undaa sollu
Andha vaanam pakkam
Indha boomi sorggam
Kaattil ulavum oru kaatraagirom
Nenjil yekkam vandhaal
Kannil thookkam vandhaal
Male & Female :Poovil urangum
Siru paniyaagirom
………………………………
Kai thottu thatti thatti
Poovai ezhuppu
Kaatrodu ragasiya mozhigal
Solliyanuppu
Ada enna ninaippu
Adhai cholliyanuppu
En kaaladiyil
Sila veedugal nagarudhu
Idho idho idho idho ingae
Aahaahaa veedugal illai
Naththai koodugaloo
Avai naththai koodugaloo
Veedugal idam maarumoo
Pudhiya vaazhkkai nammai
Azhaikkindradhu
Manidha vaazhkkai angae
Verukkindradhu
Naattukku poottu podu
Kaattukkul odiyaadu
Pennae en maarbin meedhu
Kolam podu
Pattaamboochi pattaamboochi
Vattam podum pattaamboochi
Odi vandhu muththam vaangichellu
Odiyodi aalam vizhudhil
Oonjalaadum otrai kiliyae
Kaattu vaazhkkai naattil undaa sollu
Thirakkaadha kaattukkullae
Pirakkaadha pillaigal polae
Parandhodum maanai pola
Tholaindhodi ponadhu engal
Mmm... Inside an untouched forest,
we became like unborn children.
Like a deer bounding away,
our shyness has fled and disappeared.
Butterfly, butterfly,
circling butterfly,
come flutter here and take a kiss!
Running to swing on the banyan roots,
solitary parrot on a swing,
tell me, does this forest life exist in the city?
That sky is so near,
this earth is heaven,
we become a breeze wandering through the forest.
If longing stirs in our hearts,
if sleep comes to our eyes,
we become tiny dewdrops sleeping on a flower.
Inside an untouched forest,
we became like unborn children.
Female: Aaaa... aaaa... aa
Male: Like a deer bounding away,
our shyness has fled and disappeared.
Female: Aaaa... aaaa... aa
What is the bamboo forest
whispering with the wind?
What is the waterfall saying
as it falls upon the earth?
Is it talking about itself,
or is it talking about you?
Look, on the green grass,
a rainbow has fallen!
Look there, look there, right over there!
Oh no, it is not a rainbow,
could they be colorful wings?
Are those colorful wings?
Is the rainbow flying?
Beauty is smiling
here and everywhere.
New eyes
are opening in the heart.
Love the forest like a cloud does,
we are forest dwellers once again.
Close your eyes,
love, love, love, love,
think only of love!
Inside an untouched forest,
we became like unborn children.
Female: Aaaa... aaaa... aa
Male: Like a deer bounding away,
our shyness has fled and disappeared.
Female: Aaaa... aaaa... aa
Butterfly, butterfly,
circling butterfly,
come flutter here and take a kiss!
Running to swing on the banyan roots,
solitary parrot on a swing,
tell me, does this forest life exist in the city?
That sky is so near,
this earth is heaven,
we become a breeze wandering through the forest.
If longing stirs in our hearts,
if sleep comes to our eyes,
Male & Female: Sleeping on a flower,
we become tiny dewdrops.
...
Touch and tap gently with your hand,
wake up the flower!
Send secret words
along with the breeze!
Oh, what are you thinking?
Send those thoughts to me!
Beneath my feet,
a few houses are moving!
Look here, look here, right over here!
Ahaha, those are not houses,
are they snail shells?
Are those snail shells?
Do houses move from place to place?
A new life
is calling out to us.
The human world over there
brings only weariness.
Put a lock on the city,
run and play in the forest!
My girl, upon my chest,
trace a beautiful design!
Butterfly, butterfly,
circling butterfly,
come flutter here and take a kiss!
Running to swing on the banyan roots,
solitary parrot on a swing,
tell me, does this forest life exist in the city?
Inside an untouched forest,
like unborn children,
like a deer bounding away,
our shyness has fled and disappeared.
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Chorus
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song expresses the liberating feeling of escaping civilizational norms and reconnecting with nature in an untouched forest. The lovers feel like unborn, innocent children or wild deer, casting away all social shyness and restraint. They marvel at butterflies, bamboo groves whispering secrets, waterfalls, and snail shells, comparing themselves to dew drops sleeping on petals and wind wandering free. Vairamuthu's poetic imagery celebrates a return to a primal, aboriginal state ('Aadhivaasi') where love and nature blend seamlessly away from the modern urban world.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Pirakkaadha pillaigal polae aanom

Compares the lovers' innocence in nature to unborn children ('pirakkaadha pillaigal polae') and swift deer ('parandhodum maanai pola').

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Indha boomi sorggam

Metaphorically calls the earth heaven ('boomi sorggam') and compares sleeping to dew drops resting on flowers ('poovil urangum siru paniyaagirom').

Ethirai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Thirakkaadha kaattukkullae / Pirakkaadha pillaigal polae

The second consonant 'ra' in Thirakkaadha and Pirakkaadha matches, forming traditional Tamil poetic rhyme.

Personification

Kaatrodu moongil kaadu enna pesudho

Attributes human speech and emotion to nature, such as asking what the bamboo forest talks about or what the waterfall says.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by A.R. Rahman for the 1999 romantic film 'En Swasa Kaatre', this track was performed by P. Unnikrishnan and K.S. Chithra with lyrics by Vairamuthu. The song's lush arrangement combines acoustic instruments and nature sounds to match the wilderness motif in the visuals.

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