Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Raavanan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Usure Pogudhey

From Raavanan · 2010

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Karthik
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Raavanan
Movie release year
2010
Lyrics added on
15 Sept 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Intha bhoomiyila
Eppa vanthu nee porantha
En buthikula theeporiya
Nee vethacha
{Adi thaeku mara kaadu
Perusuthaan
Chinna theekuchi
Osaram sirusuthaan} (2)
Oru theekuchi
Vizhunthu pudikuthadi
Karun thaekumara kaadu
Vedikuthadi
Usurae poguthae
Usurae poguthae
Odhata nee konjam suzhikayila
Oooo maaman thavikiren
Madipicha ketkuren
Manasa thaadi en manikuyilae
Akkarai cheemaiyil
Nee irunthum
Aiviral theenditha nenaikuthadi
Agini pazhamunu therinjirunthum
Adikadi naaku thudikuthadi
Odambum manasum
Thooram thooram
Otta ninaika aagala
Manasu sollum nalla solla
Maaya odambu kekala
Thaviya.. thavichu..
Usur thadam kettu thiriyudhadi
Thayilanguruvi enna
Thalli ninnu sirukudhadi..
Indha mammutha
Kiruku theeruma
Adi manthirichu vitta
Kozhi maaruma
En mayakatha theethuvechu
Manichudumaa..
Santhiranum sooriyanum
Suthi orae kottil varuguthae
Sathiyamum pathiyamum
Ippa thalaisuthi kedakuthae
Usurae poguthae
Usurae poguthae
Odhata nee konjam suzhikayila
Oooo maaman thavikiren
Madipicha ketkuren
Manasa thaadi en manikuyilae
Akkarai cheemaiyil
Nee irunthum
Aiviral theenditha nenaikuthadi
Agini pazhamunu therinjirunthum
Adikadi naaku thudikuthadi
Intha olagathil
Idhu onnum puthusulla
Onnu rendu thappi pogum
Ozhukathula
Vithi solli vazhi potaan
Manasupulla
Vithi villakillatha
Vithiyumilla
Etta irukkum sooriyan paathu
Mottu virikkuthu thaamara
Thottu vidatha thooram irunthum
Sontha banthamum pogala
Paamba vizhutha
Oru paagubadu theriyalayae
Paamba irunthum
Nenju bayapada nenaikalayae
En kattayum
Oru naal saayalam
En kannula
Un mugam poguma
Naa mannukulla
Un nenanapu manasukulla
Santhiranum sooriyanum
Suthi orae kottil varuguthae
Sathiyamum pathiyamum
Ippa thalaisuthi kedakuthae
Usurae poguthae
Usurae poguthae
Odhata nee konjam suzhikayila
Oooo maaman thavikiren
Madipicha ketkuren
Manasa thaadi en manikuyilae
Akkarai cheemaiyil
Nee irunthum
Aiviral theenditha nenaikuthadi
Agini pazhamunu therinjirunthum
Adikadi naaku thudikuthadi
On this earth,
when were you born?
Inside my mind, a spark of fire
you planted.
{A teak tree forest
is vast and huge,
but a tiny matchstick
is so small in size.} (2)
When a single matchstick
falls and catches fire,
the dark teak forest
erupts in flames!
My life is slipping away,
my life is slipping away,
whenever you purse your lips a little!
Oh, I am yearning and restless,
I beg you for alms on my knees,
give me your heart, my precious cuckoo!
On the far distant shore,
though you remain,
my five fingers long to touch you.
Knowing you are a fruit of fire,
my tongue craves a taste again and again!
My body and my heart
are far apart;
I try to bring them together, but they won't unite.
The good words spoken by my heart,
this stubborn body refuses to hear.
Yearning in deep distress,
my soul wanders completely off track.
That little tailorbird
stands far off and laughs at me...
Will this passionate,
crazy madness ever end?
Can a spellbound,
bewitched chicken ever change?
Cure me of this infatuation
and please forgive me...
The moon and the sun
spin and fall into a single line.
All truth and moral discipline
now lie spinning and dizzy.
My life is slipping away,
my life is slipping away,
whenever you purse your lips a little!
Oh, I am yearning and restless,
I beg you for alms on my knees,
give me your heart, my precious cuckoo!
On the far distant shore,
though you remain,
my five fingers long to touch you.
Knowing you are a fruit of fire,
my tongue craves a taste again and again!
In this wide world,
this is nothing new;
one or two slip-ups will always happen
in a life of strict discipline.
Blaming it all on destiny, a path was made
by this inner child called the heart.
Without an exception,
no rule or destiny exists.
Looking up at the distant sun,
the lotus opens its petals.
Though kept apart across an untouchable distance,
their deep bond never fades.
When falling like a snake,
I cannot tell any difference.
Even knowing it is a snake,
my heart does not even think to fear it.
Even this mortal body of mine
may fall dead one day,
but from my eyes,
will your face ever fade away?
Even when I am buried under the earth,
thoughts of you will stay inside my soul.
The moon and the sun
spin and fall into a single line.
All truth and moral discipline
now lie spinning and dizzy.
My life is slipping away,
my life is slipping away,
whenever you purse your lips a little!
Oh, I am yearning and restless,
I beg you for alms on my knees,
give me your heart, my precious cuckoo!
On the far distant shore,
though you remain,
my five fingers long to touch you.
Knowing you are a fruit of fire,
my tongue craves a taste again and again!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Usure Poguthey is a haunting composition sung by Karthik in Mani Ratnam's 2010 film Raavanan (composed by A. R. Rahman with lyrics by Vairamuthu). The song expresses the raw, irresistible, and conflicting emotions of Veera (modeled on Ravana), who falls helplessly in love with Ragini (Sita), his captive. He acknowledges the danger and moral transgression of his desire, comparing her presence to a tiny matchstick capable of reducing a massive teak forest to ashes, and a fire fruit (agini pazham) that burns yet entices. Throughout the track, Veera grapples with the duality of mind versus body and morality versus primal emotion. Even as traditional rules, sacred vows, and cosmic order seem to shatter around him, he remains captivated by her essence. Ultimately, the song portrays a tragic surrender to love—an emotion so profound that even death and burial beneath the earth cannot erase her image from his heart.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“En buthikula theeporiya nee vethacha / Chinna theekuchi osaram sirusuthaan”

Comparing the heroine to a tiny matchstick ('chinna theekuchi') that ignites a vast forest ('thaeku mara kaadu') of the protagonist's mind.

Oxymoron / Sensorial Imagery

“Agini pazhamunu therinjirunthum adikadi naaku thudikuthadi”

The phrase 'Agini pazham' (Fruit of Fire) pairs fire with edible fruit to represent temptation that brings destruction.

Monoreyme / Edhugai (Tamil Rhyme)

“Santhiranum sooriyanum... / Sathiyamum pathiyamum...”

Second-letter rhyming across lines, such as 'Santhiranum' and 'Sathiyamum'.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)

“Santhiranum sooriyanum suthi orae kottil varuguthae”

Describing the sun and moon aligning on a single line to illustrate the cosmic upheaval caused by his passion.

Did you know?

Trivia

A. R. Rahman composed this song in the classical raga Latangi. Lyricist Vairamuthu's metaphor 'Agini Pazham' received widespread critical acclaim for capturing the essence of forbidden attraction in the context of the Ramayana adaptation.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Chotta Chotta Male1999
Taj MahalLongingSeparation
Minnale Nee Vanthathenadi1994
May MadhamLongingSeparation
Thalli Pogathey (Promo)2016
Achcham Yenbadhu MadamaiyadaLongingDesire
Oh Priya Priya1989
Idhayathai ThirudatheLongingSeparation
Yedho Ondru2010
PaiyaaLongingSeparation
Po Nee Po2012
3(Moonu)LongingSeparation

From the same album

More songs from Raavanan

View album
Keda Keda Kari2010
RaavananCelebratory
Kodu Poatta2010
RaavananDefiant
Veera2010
RaavananDefiant
Kaattu Sirukki2010
RaavananPassionate
Kalvare Kalvare2010
RaavananTender

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.