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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thom Karuvil Irunthom

From Star · 2001

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Shankar Mahadevan
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Star
Movie release year
2001
Lyrics added on
21 May 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
………………………………..
Thom karuvil irunthom
Kavalai indri kannmoodi kidanthom
Thom tharaiyil vizhunthom
Vizhunthuvudan kann thookam tholaithom
Appothu appothu pona thookam
Namm kangalillae
Eppothu eppothu vanthu serum
Vidai thonalaiyae
Thom karuvil irunthom
Kavalai indri kannmoodi kidanthom
Thom tharaiyil vizhunthom
Vizhunthuvudan kann thookam tholaithom
Thom karuvil irunthom
Kavalai indri kannmoodi kidanthom
Appothu appothu pona thookam
Namm kangalillae
Eppothu eppothu vanthu serum
Vidai thonalaiyae…ae…ae….
Thanneril vaazhkindrom
Naam kooda machavathaaram thaan
Thom karuvil irunthom
Kavalai indri kannmoodi kidanthom
Alaigalai alaigalai pidithu kondu
Karaigalai adainthavar yaarumillai
Thanimaiyil thanimaiyil thavithu kondu
Sowkiyam adaivathu gnyayamillai
Kavalaikku maranthu intha raja thavam
Kanner kooda bothayin maruvadivam
Vazhi ethu vazhkai ethu vilangavillai
Vattathukku thodakamum mudivumillai
Kaiyil koppai illai endraal
Karpanai varaivathu nindruvidum
Kanavugal mattum illai endral
Kavalaigal nam udal thindru vidum
Thom karuvil irunthom
Kavalai indri kannmoodi kidanthom
Thom tharaiyil vizhunthom
Vizhunthuvudan kann thookam tholaithom
Appothu appothu pona thookam
Namm kangalillae
Eppothu eppothu vanthu serum
Vidai thonalaiyae
…………………………………………
Jananam enbathu oru karaithan
Maranam enbathu maru karaithan
Erandukkum naduvae oduvathu
Thalaividhi ennum oru nadhithan
Vaazhkaiyin pidimaanam
Yethum illai
Intha kinnamthaanae pidimaanam
Veru illai
Thraatshai thinpaavan puthisaliyaa
Pazharasam kudipavan kutravaaliya
Pennukkul thodangum vazhkai ithu
Aaaaa….aaaa
Mannukkul mudikirathae
Aaaaa…aaaa…
Vishayam therinthum manitha inam
Aaaaa…aaaa…
Vinnukkum mannukkum parakirathae
Aaaaa…aaaa…
Thom karuvil irunthom
Kavalai indri kannmoodi kidanthom
Thom tharaiyil vizhunthom
Vizhunthuvudan kann thookam tholaithom
Appothu appothu pona thookam
Namm kangalillae
Eppothu eppothu vanthu serum
Vidai thonalaiyae…ae……ae……
………………………………………
...
We were inside the womb,
We lay with closed eyes, free of worries.
We fell onto the earth,
And the moment we fell, we lost our sleep.
The sleep that left us back then,
To our eyes,
When, oh when, will it return?
I can find no answer.
We were inside the womb,
We lay with closed eyes, free of worries.
We fell onto the earth,
And the moment we fell, we lost our sleep.
We were inside the womb,
We lay with closed eyes, free of worries.
The sleep that left us back then,
To our eyes,
When, oh when, will it return?
I can find no answer...
We live immersed in water,
We too are incarnations of the fish.
We were inside the womb,
We lay with closed eyes, free of worries.
Clinging onto wave after wave,
No one has ever reached the shore.
Suffering all alone in despair,
It is not fair to expect peace.
A royal penance to forget all worries,
Even tears are just another form of intoxication.
I cannot tell what the path is, or what life is,
A circle has neither a beginning nor an end.
If there is no cup in hand,
Imagination stops painting its pictures.
If not for our dreams,
Worries would eat away our bodies.
We were inside the womb,
We lay with closed eyes, free of worries.
We fell onto the earth,
And the moment we fell, we lost our sleep.
The sleep that left us back then,
To our eyes,
When, oh when, will it return?
I can find no answer.
...
Birth is just one riverbank,
And death is the other bank.
Flowing between the two
Is the river called destiny.
A steady grip on life,
There is none.
This cup alone is our hold,
There is nothing else.
Is the one who eats grapes wise,
While the one who drinks their juice is guilty?
This life begins inside a woman,
Ah...
And ends beneath the earth.
Ah...
Even knowing this truth, humankind
Ah...
Still flutters between the sky and the earth!
Ah...
We were inside the womb,
We lay with closed eyes, free of worries.
We fell onto the earth,
And the moment we fell, we lost our sleep.
The sleep that left us back then,
To our eyes,
When, oh when, will it return?
I can find no answer...
...
Chorus
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Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Thom Karuvil Irunthom is a deeply philosophical song from the film Star (2001), composed by A.R. Rahman with lyrics written by Vairamuthu and sung by Shankar Mahadevan. The song reflects on the trajectory of human existence, contrasting the peaceful, worry-free state of a fetus floating in the embryonic fluid of the womb with the constant turmoil, anxiety, and sleeplessness experienced upon being born into the world.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvam)

“Jananam enbathu oru karaithan / Maranam enbathu maru karaithan / Erandukkum naduvae oduvathu / Thalaividhi ennum oru nadhithan”

Birth and death are portrayed as two banks of a river, while destiny is depicted as the river flowing between them.

Anaphora / Repetition (Edukku Thodai)

“Appothu appothu pona thookam / Eppothu eppothu vanthu serum”

Repetition of words like 'Appothu appothu' and 'Eppothu eppothu' reinforces the intense yearning for peace and rhythmic emphasis.

Rhetorical Question

“Thraatshai thinpaavan puthisaliyaa / Pazharasam kudipavan kutravaaliya”

The lyricist uses ironical questioning about eating grapes vs drinking fermented juice to challenge moral dogmas.

Edukai (Second-letter rhyme)

“Thom karuvil irunthom / Thom tharaiyil vizhunthom”

The second consonant 'ru' in Karuvil rhymes with 'ra' in Tharaiyil, bringing classical Tamil poetic harmony.

Did you know?

Trivia

The soundtrack of Star (2001) comprised recycled tunes by A.R. Rahman from various non-Tamil projects, including songs originally composed for the 1999 Hindi film Thakshak ('Jambo' / 'Boombai Nagariya' melody) and Telugu tracks. 'Thom Karuvil Irunthom' features dynamic vocals by Shankar Mahadevan and stands out for Vairamuthu's existentialist lyrics.

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