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Poonthottam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Vaanathilirunthu

From Poonthottam · 1998

Lyricist
Vasan
Singer
Ilayaraja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Poonthottam
Movie release year
1998
Lyrics added on
19 Jan 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Vaanathil irundhu kudhichu vandhenaa
Boomikkul irundhu vedichu vandhenaa
Vaanathil irundhu kudhichu vandhenaa
Boomikkul irundhu vedichu vandhenaa
Vaanathil irundhu kudhichu vandhenaa
Boomikkul irundhu vedichu vandhenaa
Appan indri ammai indri vandhavanaa
Aandavanai thandhai endru kondavanaa
Suttrugindra boomi ennai
Naadhiyatra pillai endru
Thatheduthu konda maganaa
Naan mannoda maganaa vinnoda maganaa
Thannaala porandhaenaa
Ennoda ulagil ammaa endrenakku
Yaaraenum kidaiyaadhaa
Vaanathil irundhu kudhichu vandhenaa
Boomikkul irundhu vedichu vandhenaa
Yengo oru moolaiyilae
Enna petha thaai irukkaa
Ammaa un nenjinilae
Enna petha nenappirukkaa
Ammaa undhan madiyil
Saaindhu azhudhaal konjam nimmadhi
Ennai marandha thaayai
Naanum marandhaal enna en gadhi
Thoppul kodi vettiya podhae
Uravai vetti vittaayaa
Tholaivil irundhu paarthu kondae
Thuyaril midhakka vaithaayaa
Engirukkae engirukkae nalla badhil sollammaa
Vaanathil irundhu kudhichu vandhenaa
Boomikkul irundhu vedichu vandhenaa
Ulagil naanum padithadhellaam
Ondrum atra padippallavaa
Vaelai thaedum oorukkullae
Thaayai thaedum magan allavaa
Thaaiyin viralai pidithae
Nadakkum maganai paarukkum podhilae
Thaniyaai naanum nadandhen
Endhan thaayin ennam nenjilae
Petredutha thaayae thaayae
Eriyudhadi paasa theeyae
Thiraiyai vilakki vandhiduvaayaa
Anbu mazhai pozhindhiduvaayaa
Engirukkae engirukkae nalla badhil sollammaa
Vaanathil irundhu kudhichu vandhenaa
Boomikkul irundhu vedichu vandhenaa
Vaanathil irundhu kudhichu vandhenaa
Boomikkul irundhu vedichu vandhenaa
Appan indri ammai indri vandhavanaa
Aandavanai thandhai endru kondavanaa
Suttrugindra boomi ennai
Naadhiyatra pillai endru
Thatheduthu konda maganaa
Naan mannoda maganaa vinnoda maganaa
Thannaala porandhaenaa
Ennoda ulagil ammaa endrenakku
Yaaraenum kidaiyaadhaa
Vaanathil irundhu kudhichu vandhenaa
Boomikkul irundhu vedichu vandhenaa
Vaanathil irundhu kudhichu vandhenaa
Boomikkul irundhu vedichu vandhenaa
Did I jump down from the sky?
Did I burst out from the earth?
Did I jump down from the sky?
Did I burst out from the earth?
Did I jump down from the sky?
Did I burst out from the earth?
Am I one who came without a father or a mother?
Am I one who has only God as a father?
Did the spinning earth,
seeing me as a helpless orphan child,
adopt me as its son?
Am I a son of the earth, or a son of the sky?
Did I just get born all on my own?
In my world, to call my mother,
is there really no one?
Did I jump down from the sky?
Did I burst out from the earth?
Somewhere in a distant corner,
the mother who gave birth to me still lives.
Mother, in your heart,
do you still remember giving birth to me?
Mother, if I rest on your lap
and weep, I might find some peace.
If I too forget the mother who forgot me,
what will become of my life?
When you cut the umbilical cord,
did you sever our bond as well?
Watching me from afar,
did you leave me to drift in sorrow?
Where are you? Where are you? Give me an answer, Mother!
Did I jump down from the sky?
Did I burst out from the earth?
Isn't everything I studied in this world
a meaningless education?
In a town where everyone searches for work,
am I not a son searching for his mother?
Whenever I see a child walking
holding onto his mother's finger,
I keep walking all alone,
with thoughts of my mother in my heart.
O Mother who gave birth to me,
the fire of longing burns within me!
Will you draw aside the curtain and appear?
Will you shower your rain of love on me?
Where are you? Where are you? Give me an answer, Mother!
Did I jump down from the sky?
Did I burst out from the earth?
Did I jump down from the sky?
Did I burst out from the earth?
Am I one who came without a father or a mother?
Am I one who has only God as a father?
Did the spinning earth,
seeing me as a helpless orphan child,
adopt me as its son?
Am I a son of the earth, or a son of the sky?
Did I just get born all on my own?
In my world, to call my mother,
is there really no one?
Did I jump down from the sky?
Did I burst out from the earth?
Did I jump down from the sky?
Did I burst out from the earth?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Vaanathil Irundhu from the film Poonthottam (1998) is a deeply emotional song depicting the anguish of an orphan seeking identity and maternal love. The protagonist questions his surreal beginnings—asking if he fell from the skies or emerged from the ground—reflecting the deep vacuum created by not knowing his real parents. Throughout the track, he desperately wonders whether his birth mother remembers him anywhere in the world and questions if cutting the umbilical cord meant severing maternal bonds forever. He highlights how worldly achievements and education feel hollow without knowing the mother who brought him into existence.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Aani)

Naan mannoda maganaa vinnoda maganaa

The speaker asks a series of hyperbolic questions about his origins to emphasize the painful obscurity of his parentage.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Eriyudhadi paasa theeyae

Comparing the burning intensity of filial yearning to a burning fire (paasa theeyae).

Contrast / Antithesis (Muran Aani)

Naan mannoda maganaa vinnoda maganaa

Contrasting the sky (vinnoda) and earth (mannoda) to signify homelessness across universe scales.

Did you know?

Trivia

Poonthottam (1998) features music composed by Deva with lyrics written by Vasan. The film stars Murali and Devayani in lead roles, with this emotional track sung by Ilaiyaraaja, capturing the tragic search for maternal attachment.

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