Vaan Mazhaiyin Thuligal
From Narthagi · 2011
- Lyricist
- Na. Muthu Kumar
- Singers
- Unnikrishnan, Sudha Raghunathan
- Music director
- G. V. Prakash Kumar
- Details
- Narthagi2011
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Chorus | |
| …………………….. | ... |
| Male | |
| Vaan mazhaiyin thuligal | The drops of rain from the sky, |
| Aanin thuliyaa pennin thuliyaa | Is it a male drop or a female drop? |
| Female | |
| Paar kadalin alaigal | The waves of the vast ocean, |
| Aanin alaiyaa pennin alaiyaa | Is it a male wave or a female wave? |
| Male | |
| Kaatril aan pengal | In the wind, between male and female, |
| Baedhamillai | There is no differentiation. |
| Mazhaiyil veiyil kaatum | It is like a rainbow shown, |
| Vaanavillai | By sunlight amidst rain. |
| Iru nerkkodu inaiyum idathin | At the point where two straight lines meet, |
| Uruvaam idhu vallavaa | Isn't this the form created there? |
| Female | |
| Sivanai nee paarthaal | If you look for Shiva, |
| Sivan uruvam | It takes Shiva's form. |
| Umaiyai nee paarthaal | If you look for Umai (Parvati), |
| Umai uruvam | It takes Umai's form. |
| Kann paarvai kaattaadha | Which ordinary sight cannot perceive, |
| Muzhu uruvam | It is a complete form. |
| Udalin dheiveega mozhiyaagum | It becomes the divine language of the body, |
| Pudhu vadivam | A new creation. |
| Male | |
| Vaan mazhaiyin thuligal | The drops of rain from the sky, |
| Aanin thuliyaa pennin thuliyaa | Is it a male drop or a female drop? |
| Paar kadalin alaigal | The waves of the vast ocean, |
| Aanin alaiyaa pennin alaiyaa | Is it a male wave or a female wave? |
| Female | |
| Kadalin aazhaththai yaarum | The depth of the ocean, |
| Kandu sollalaam | Anyone can see and tell. |
| Udalin aazhaththai yaarum | The depth of the body, |
| Kaana mudiyumaa | Can anyone ever measure or see? |
| Male | |
| Kuzhandhai kaalathil | In childhood times, |
| Oru udal oru udal | One body existed, |
| Valarndha kaalathil ver udalae | In growing times, another body appeared. |
| Sidhaiyil thee vaiththu | On the mountain where the funeral pyre is lit, |
| Eriththidum malaiyinil | And burned away, |
| Udalin urumaatram thodar kadhaiyae | The transformation of the body is a continuous story. |
| Female | |
| Aangal enbadhum | Being called a man, |
| Pengal enbadhum | And being called a woman, |
| Maaya thoatrangalae | Are mere illusory appearances. |
| Chorus | |
| Thiru nangai ival iru karai | This transgender woman is a river flowing, |
| Naduvinil odum nadhiyaa…aa.. | Between two banks... |
| Female | |
| Vaan mazhaiyin thuligal | The drops of rain from the sky, |
| Aanin thuliyaa pennin thuliyaa | Is it a male drop or a female drop? |
| Paar kadalin alaigal | The waves of the vast ocean, |
| Aanin alaiyaa pennin alaiyaa | Is it a male wave or a female wave? |
| Male | |
| Kaatril aan pengal | In the wind, between male and female, |
| Baedhamillai | There is no differentiation. |
| Mazhaiyil veiyil kaatum | It is like a rainbow shown, |
| Vaanavillai | By sunlight amidst rain. |
| Iru nerkkodu inaiyum idathin | At the point where two straight lines meet, |
| Uruvaam idhu vallavaa | Isn't this the form created there? |
| Male | |
| Sivanai nee paarthaal | If you look for Shiva, |
| Sivan uruvam | It takes Shiva's form. |
| Umaiyai nee paarthaal | If you look for Umai (Parvati), |
| Umai uruvam | It takes Umai's form. |
| Kann paarvai kaattaadha | Which ordinary sight cannot perceive, |
| Muzhu uruvam | It is a complete form. |
| Udalin dheiveega mozhiyaagum | It becomes the divine language of the body, |
| Pudhu vadivam | A new creation. |
| Female | |
| Vaan mazhaiyin thuligal | The drops of rain from the sky, |
| Aanin thuliyaa pennin thuliyaa | Is it a male drop or a female drop? |
| Paar kadalin alaigal | The waves of the vast ocean, |
| Aanin alaiyaa pennin alaiyaa | Is it a male wave or a female wave? |
.......................
...
வான் மழையின் துளிகள்
ஆணின் துளியா பெண்ணின் துளியா
The drops of rain from the sky,
Is it a male drop or a female drop?
பார் கடலின் அலைகள்
ஆணின் அலையா பெண்ணின் அலையா
The waves of the vast ocean,
Is it a male wave or a female wave?
காற்றில் ஆண் பெண்கள் பேதமில்லை
மழையில் வெயில் காட்டும் வானவில்லை
இரு நேர்க்கோடு இணையும் இடத்தின் உருவம்
இதுவல்ல வா
In the wind, between male and female,
There is no differentiation.
It is like a rainbow shown,
By sunlight amidst rain.
At the point where two straight lines meet,
Isn't this the form created there?
சிவனை நீ பார்த்தால் சிவன் உருவம்
உமையை நீ பார்த்தால் உமை உருவம்
கண் பார்வைக் காட்டாத முழு உருவம்
உடலின் தெய்வீக மொழியாகும் புது வடிவம்
If you look for Shiva,
It takes Shiva's form.
If you look for Umai (Parvati),
It takes Umai's form.
Which ordinary sight cannot perceive,
It is a complete form.
It becomes the divine language of the body,
A new creation.
வான் மழையின் துளிகள்
ஆணின் துளியா பெண்ணின் துளியா
பார் கடலின் அலைகள்
ஆணின் அலையா பெண்ணின் அலையா
The drops of rain from the sky,
Is it a male drop or a female drop?
The waves of the vast ocean,
Is it a male wave or a female wave?
கடலின் ஆழத்தை யாரும்
கண்டு சொல்லலாம்
உடலின் ஆழத்தை
யாரும் காணமுடியுமா
The depth of the ocean,
Anyone can see and tell.
The depth of the body,
Can anyone ever measure or see?
குழந்தைக் காலத்தில்
ஒரு உடல் ஒரு உடல்
வளர்ந்தக் காலத்தில் வேறுடலே
சிதையில் தீ வைத்து எரித்திடும் மலையினில்
உடலின் உருமாற்றும் தொடர்கதையே
In childhood times,
One body existed,
In growing times, another body appeared.
On the mountain where the funeral pyre is lit,
And burned away,
The transformation of the body is a continuous story.
ஆண்கள் என்பதும்
பெண்கள் என்பதும்
மாயத்தோற்றங்களே
Being called a man,
And being called a woman,
Are mere illusory appearances.
திரு நங்கை இவளிரு கடைகளின்
நடுவினில் ஓடும் நதியா
This transgender woman is a river flowing,
Between two banks...
வான் மழையின் துளிகள்
ஆணின் துளியா பெண்ணின் துளியா
பார் கடலின் அலைகள்
ஆணின் அலையா பெண்ணின் அலையா
The drops of rain from the sky,
Is it a male drop or a female drop?
The waves of the vast ocean,
Is it a male wave or a female wave?
காற்றில் ஆண் பெண்கள் பேதமில்லை
மழையில் வெயில் காட்டும் வானமில்லை
இரு நேர்க்கோடு இணையும் இடத்தின் உருவம்
இதுவல்ல வா
In the wind, between male and female,
There is no differentiation.
It is like a rainbow shown,
By sunlight amidst rain.
At the point where two straight lines meet,
Isn't this the form created there?
சிவனை நீ பார்த்தால் சிவன் உருவம்
உமையை நீ பார்த்தால் உமை உருவம்
கண்ன் பார்வைக்காட்டாத முழு உருவம்
உடலின் தெய்வீக மொழியாகும் புது வடிவம்
If you look for Shiva,
It takes Shiva's form.
If you look for Umai (Parvati),
It takes Umai's form.
Which ordinary sight cannot perceive,
It is a complete form.
It becomes the divine language of the body,
A new creation.
வான் மழையின் துளிகள்
ஆணின் துளியா பெண்ணின் துளியா
பார் கடலின் அலைகள்
ஆணின் அலையா பெண்ணின் அலையா
The drops of rain from the sky,
Is it a male drop or a female drop?
The waves of the vast ocean,
Is it a male wave or a female wave?
……………………..
...
Vaan mazhaiyin thuligal
The drops of rain from the sky,
Aanin thuliyaa pennin thuliyaa
Is it a male drop or a female drop?
Paar kadalin alaigal
The waves of the vast ocean,
Aanin alaiyaa pennin alaiyaa
Is it a male wave or a female wave?
Kaatril aan pengal
In the wind, between male and female,
Baedhamillai
There is no differentiation.
Mazhaiyil veiyil kaatum
It is like a rainbow shown,
Vaanavillai
By sunlight amidst rain.
Iru nerkkodu inaiyum idathin
At the point where two straight lines meet,
Uruvaam idhu vallavaa
Isn't this the form created there?
Sivanai nee paarthaal
If you look for Shiva,
Sivan uruvam
It takes Shiva's form.
Umaiyai nee paarthaal
If you look for Umai (Parvati),
Umai uruvam
It takes Umai's form.
Kann paarvai kaattaadha
Which ordinary sight cannot perceive,
Muzhu uruvam
It is a complete form.
Udalin dheiveega mozhiyaagum
It becomes the divine language of the body,
Pudhu vadivam
A new creation.
Vaan mazhaiyin thuligal
The drops of rain from the sky,
Aanin thuliyaa pennin thuliyaa
Is it a male drop or a female drop?
Paar kadalin alaigal
The waves of the vast ocean,
Aanin alaiyaa pennin alaiyaa
Is it a male wave or a female wave?
Kadalin aazhaththai yaarum
The depth of the ocean,
Kandu sollalaam
Anyone can see and tell.
Udalin aazhaththai yaarum
The depth of the body,
Kaana mudiyumaa
Can anyone ever measure or see?
Kuzhandhai kaalathil
In childhood times,
Oru udal oru udal
One body existed,
Valarndha kaalathil ver udalae
In growing times, another body appeared.
Sidhaiyil thee vaiththu
On the mountain where the funeral pyre is lit,
Eriththidum malaiyinil
And burned away,
Udalin urumaatram thodar kadhaiyae
The transformation of the body is a continuous story.
Aangal enbadhum
Being called a man,
Pengal enbadhum
And being called a woman,
Maaya thoatrangalae
Are mere illusory appearances.
Thiru nangai ival iru karai
This transgender woman is a river flowing,
Naduvinil odum nadhiyaa…aa..
Between two banks...
Vaan mazhaiyin thuligal
The drops of rain from the sky,
Aanin thuliyaa pennin thuliyaa
Is it a male drop or a female drop?
Paar kadalin alaigal
The waves of the vast ocean,
Aanin alaiyaa pennin alaiyaa
Is it a male wave or a female wave?
Kaatril aan pengal
In the wind, between male and female,
Baedhamillai
There is no differentiation.
Mazhaiyil veiyil kaatum
It is like a rainbow shown,
Vaanavillai
By sunlight amidst rain.
Iru nerkkodu inaiyum idathin
At the point where two straight lines meet,
Uruvaam idhu vallavaa
Isn't this the form created there?
Sivanai nee paarthaal
If you look for Shiva,
Sivan uruvam
It takes Shiva's form.
Umaiyai nee paarthaal
If you look for Umai (Parvati),
Umai uruvam
It takes Umai's form.
Kann paarvai kaattaadha
Which ordinary sight cannot perceive,
Muzhu uruvam
It is a complete form.
Udalin dheiveega mozhiyaagum
It becomes the divine language of the body,
Pudhu vadivam
A new creation.
Vaan mazhaiyin thuligal
The drops of rain from the sky,
Aanin thuliyaa pennin thuliyaa
Is it a male drop or a female drop?
Paar kadalin alaigal
The waves of the vast ocean,
Aanin alaiyaa pennin alaiyaa
Is it a male wave or a female wave?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song from the movie Narthagi questions society's rigid gender binaries by drawing parallels with nature. It asks whether rain drops or ocean waves can be gendered, arguing that gender constructs are superficial human illusions. The lyrics invoke the sacred concept of Ardhanarishvara (the combined divinity of Shiva and Parvati) to illustrate that male and female energies exist harmoniously within a single form.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Aani)
“Aanin thuliyaa pennin thuliyaa”
Asking whether raindrops or ocean waves are male or female forces the listener to realize that nature does not adhere to human gender constructs.
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Thiru nangai ival iru karai Naduvinil odum nadhiyaa”
Comparing a transgender woman to a river flowing gracefully between two riverbanks (male and female banks).
Religious Allusion
“Sivanai nee paarthaal Sivan uruvam Umaiyai nee paarthaal Umai uruvam”
Invoking Shiva and Parvati (Uma) to reference the composite form of Ardhanarishvara, legitimizing gender variance as divine.
Did you know?
Trivia
Narthagi (2011) is one of Tamil cinema's pioneering films focused on the lives and struggles of transgender women. The soundtrack was composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar, with lyrics penned by Late Na. Muthukumar.
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