Thodu Vaanam
From Anegan · 2015
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Hariharan, Shakthisree Gopalan
- Music director
- Harris Jayaraj
- Details
- Anegan2015
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Thodu vanam | The horizon |
| Thodukindra neram | The moment you try to touch it |
| Tholaivinil pogum ada | It recedes into the distance |
| Adhu tholaidhumae pogum | Oh, it goes far away |
| Male | |
| Thodu vanam | The horizon |
| Thodukindra neram | The moment you try to touch it |
| Tholaivinil pogum ada | It recedes into the distance |
| Adhu tholaidhumae pogum | Oh, it goes far away |
| Female | |
| Idhayathilae thee pidithu | A fire has caught in my heart |
| Kanavellaam karugiyadhae | All my dreams have charred to ashes |
| Uyirae nee urugum munnae | Before my life melts away entirely |
| Kannae kanbaeno | My darling, will I see you? |
| Male | |
| (Vali endraal kadhalin valithaan | If there is true pain, love's pain alone |
| Valigalil peridhu | Is the greatest of all pains |
| Adhu vazhvinum kodidhu | It is crueler than life itself |
| Unai neengiyae | Separated from you |
| Uyir karaigiraen | My soul dissolves |
| Vaan neelathil | In the blue of the sky |
| Ennai pudhaikiraen }(2) | I bury myself |
| Male | |
| Idhayathilae thee pidithu | A fire has caught in my heart |
| Kanavellaam karugiyadhae | All my dreams have charred to ashes |
| Uyirae nee urugum munnae | Before my life melts away entirely |
| Kannae kanbaeno | My darling, will I see you? |
| Male | |
| Kadhal ennai piligiradhae | Love squeezes the life out of me |
| Kanneer nadhiyaai vazhigiradhae | Tears flow like a river |
| Ninaipathu thollai | To remember is agony |
| Marapathu thollai | To forget is agony |
| Vazhvae valikkiradhae | Life itself hurts |
| Female | |
| Siru pozhudhu pirindhadharkkae | Just for being separated for a brief moment |
| Pala pozhudhu kadhari vittaai | You cried out for so long |
| Janmangalaai pen thuyaram | The sorrow of a woman across lifetimes |
| Arrivaayo nee | Will you ever understand? |
தொடு வானம்
தொடுகின்ற நேரம்
தொலைவினில் போகும்
அட தொலைந்துமே போகும்
The horizon
The moment you try to touch it
It recedes into the distance
Oh, it goes far away
தொடு வானமாய்
பக்கமாகிறாய் தொடும்
போதிலே தொலைவாகிறாய்
The horizon
The moment you try to touch it
It recedes into the distance
Oh, it goes far away
தொடு வானம்
தொடுகின்ற நேரம்
தொலைவினில் போகும்
அட தொலைந்துமே போகும்
A fire has caught in my heart
All my dreams have charred to ashes
Before my life melts away entirely
My darling, will I see you?
இதயத்திலே
தீபிடித்து கனவெல்லாம்
கருகியதே உயிரே நீ
உருகும்முன்னே
கண்ணே காண்பேனோ
If there is true pain, love's pain alone
Is the greatest of all pains
It is crueler than life itself
Separated from you
My soul dissolves
In the blue of the sky
I bury myself
இலை மேலே
பனித்துளி போல் இங்கும்
அங்குமாய் உலவுகின்றோம்
காற்றடித்தால் சிதறுகின்றோம்
பொன்னே பூந்தேனே
A fire has caught in my heart
All my dreams have charred to ashes
Before my life melts away entirely
My darling, will I see you?
{ வலியென்றால் காதலின்
வலிதான் வலிகளில் பொிது
அது வாழ்வினும் கொடிது
உன்னை நீங்கியே உயிா் கரைகிறேன்
வான் நீளத்தில் என்னை புதைகிறேன் } (2)
Love squeezes the life out of me
Tears flow like a river
To remember is agony
To forget is agony
Life itself hurts
இதயத்திலே
தீபிடித்து கனவெல்லாம்
கருகியதே உயிரே நீ
உருகும்முன்னே
கண்ணே காண்பேனோ
Just for being separated for a brief moment
You cried out for so long
The sorrow of a woman across lifetimes
Will you ever understand?
இலை மேலே
பனித்துளி போல் இங்கும்
அங்குமாய் உலவுகின்றோம்
காற்றடித்தால் சிதறுகின்றோம்
பொன்னே பூந்தேனே
காதல் என்னை
பிழிகிறதே கண்ணீா்
நதியாய் வழிகிறதே
நினைப்பதும் தொல்லை
மறப்பதும் தொல்லை
வாழ்வே வலிக்கிறதே
காட்டில் தொலைந்த
மழை துளி போல் கண்ணே
நீயும் தொலைந்ததென்ன
நீாினை தேடும் வோினை போல
பெண்ணே உன்னை கண்டெடுப்பேன்
கண்கள் ரெண்டும்
மூடும் போதும் நூறு வண்ணம்
தோன்றுதே மீண்டும் கண்கள்
பாா்க்கும் போது லோகம் சூன்யம் ஆகுதே
சிறுபொழுது பிாிந்ததற்கே
பல பொழுது கதறி விட்டாய்
ஜென்மங்களாய் பெண் துயரம்
அறிவாயோ நீ
Thodu vanam
The horizon
Thodukindra neram
The moment you try to touch it
Tholaivinil pogum ada
It recedes into the distance
Adhu tholaidhumae pogum
Oh, it goes far away
Thodu vanam
The horizon
Thodukindra neram
The moment you try to touch it
Tholaivinil pogum ada
It recedes into the distance
Adhu tholaidhumae pogum
Oh, it goes far away
Idhayathilae thee pidithu
A fire has caught in my heart
Kanavellaam karugiyadhae
All my dreams have charred to ashes
Uyirae nee urugum munnae
Before my life melts away entirely
Kannae kanbaeno
My darling, will I see you?
(Vali endraal kadhalin valithaan
If there is true pain, love's pain alone
Valigalil peridhu
Is the greatest of all pains
Adhu vazhvinum kodidhu
It is crueler than life itself
Unai neengiyae
Separated from you
Uyir karaigiraen
My soul dissolves
Vaan neelathil
In the blue of the sky
Ennai pudhaikiraen }(2)
I bury myself
Idhayathilae thee pidithu
A fire has caught in my heart
Kanavellaam karugiyadhae
All my dreams have charred to ashes
Uyirae nee urugum munnae
Before my life melts away entirely
Kannae kanbaeno
My darling, will I see you?
Kadhal ennai piligiradhae
Love squeezes the life out of me
Kanneer nadhiyaai vazhigiradhae
Tears flow like a river
Ninaipathu thollai
To remember is agony
Marapathu thollai
To forget is agony
Vazhvae valikkiradhae
Life itself hurts
Siru pozhudhu pirindhadharkkae
Just for being separated for a brief moment
Pala pozhudhu kadhari vittaai
You cried out for so long
Janmangalaai pen thuyaram
The sorrow of a woman across lifetimes
Arrivaayo nee
Will you ever understand?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Thodu Vanam' from Anegan explores the agonizing depth of longing, grief, and separation in love. Using the metaphor of a horizon that recedes as one gets closer, the lyrics express how unattainable true union feels in the face of destiny. The protagonist grieves over charred dreams, comparing love's pain to a burning fire in the heart that is crueler than death itself. In the final verses, the perspective touches upon the eternal suffering of a woman's love across multiple rebirths, highlighting that both remembering and forgetting the beloved cause unbearable pain.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Thodu vanam... Tholaivinil pogum ada”
The horizon (Thodu Vanam) serves as a metaphor for unattainable love that moves farther away the closer one reaches for it.
Imagery / Metaphor
“Idhayathilae thee pidithu / Kanavellaam karugiyadhae”
A heart catching fire and dreams burning to ashes visually conveys deep psychological and emotional anguish.
Hyperbole / Metaphor
“Kanneer nadhiyaai vazhigiradhae”
Comparing tears to a flowing river emphasizes the overwhelming quantity and depth of sorrow.
Antithesis / Parallelism (Iyaibu)
“Ninaipathu thollai / Marapathu thollai”
Contrasting 'remembering' and 'forgetting' using identical sentence structure to show that both states yield equal torment.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Harris Jayaraj for the film Anegan (2015), this soulful track was sung by Hariharan and Durga, featuring poignant lyrics by Vairamuthu that tie into the movie's central theme of love transcending multiple lifetimes.
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