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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vaartha Onnu

From Thaamirabharani · 2007

Lyricist
Na. Muthu Kumar
Singer
KK
Music director
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Details
Thaamirabharani2007

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Vaartha onnu vaartha onnuA single word, a single word
KollappaakkuthaeIs trying to kill me
Athu vaal eduthu vaal eduthuTaking up a sword, taking up a sword
Vetta paakkuthaeIt is trying to strike me
Male
Vaartha onnu vaartha onnuA single word, a single word
KollappaakkuthaeIs trying to kill me
Athu vaal eduthu vaal eduthuTaking up a sword, taking up a sword
Vetta paakkuthaeIt is trying to strike me
Male
Naan thimira senjaDone out of my arrogance
Kaariyam onnuOne deed
Thappa ponathaeHas gone terribly wrong
En thaamirabarani thanni ippoThe sweet water of my Thaamirabharani river
Uppa ponathaeHas now turned salty
Male
Nee enakku sontham illaiYou are not my kin
Endru sonna udanThe moment you said that
Manasu venthu pochchaeMy heart burned to ashes
En nizhalil kooda ippoEven from my shadow now
Raththam kottuthadiBlood bleeds, my dear
Idhayam surungi pochchaeMy heart has shriveled up
Male
Vaartha onnu vaartha onnuA single word, a single word
KollappaakkuthaeIs trying to kill me
Athu vaal eduthu vaal eduthuTaking up a sword, taking up a sword
Vetta paakkuthaeIt is trying to strike me
Male
Oo hey hey…Oo hey hey...
Oo la la la lae…lae laeOo la la la lae...lae lae
Lae lae lae lae laeLae lae lae lae lae
Oo lae lae lae lae laeOo lae lae lae lae lae
Oo la la la lae…lae laeOo la la la lae...lae lae
Lae lae lae lae laeLae lae lae lae lae
Oo lae lae lae lae laeOo lae lae lae lae lae
oo laelae oo lae laeOo laelae oo lae lae
Male
Uravugal enakkathu puriyalaI could not understand relationships
Sila unarvugal enakkathu velangalaCertain emotions I could not comprehend
Kalangara velakkamae iruttilaeEven the lighthouse is lost in darkness
Male
Peththathukku thandanaiyaAs punishment for giving birth to me
KoduththuttenI have inflicted pain on my parents
Mamman raththathula thukkathaIn my uncle's blood, sorrow
TheluchittenI have sprinkled
Anbula araliya vethachuttenIn love, I have sown poisonous oleander seeds
Male
AttakaththithaannuThinking it was just a wooden play-sword
Naan aadi paaththen vilaiyaattuI played along in fun
VettukaththiyaagaAs a real sharp cutting blade
Athu maari ippo venaiyaachuIt transformed and became a fateful tragedy
Male
Pattaampoochi melae oruOver a delicate butterfly
Kottankuchchi moodiyathaeA coconut shell has closed down
Kannaamoochi aattathilaeIn this game of hide and seek
Kanna ippo kaanaliyaeI cannot see my eyes now
Male
Vaartha onnuA single word
Vaartha onnuA single word
Male
Padachavan potta mudichithuThe knot tied by the Creator
En kazhuthila maatti irukkuthuIs hanging around my neck
Pagaiyilae manasuthaan patharuthuMy heart trembles in enmity
Male
Kanavula peyara mazhai ithuThis is rain that falls in a dream
Naan kai thodum pothu maraiyuthuIt vanishes when I reach out to touch it
Megamae sogamaai uraiyuthuThe cloud freezes in sorrow
Male
Soorathaenga polaLike a coconut smashed for ritual
Enna sukku noora udaikkaathaeDo not break me into a thousand pieces
Sokkapana melaOver the bonfire
Nee theeya alli veesaathaeDo not throw more fire
Male
Etti etti pogaiyilaeAs you walk further away from me
Eera kula vegirathaeMy tender entrails burn
Kootaanchoru aakkaiyilaeWhile cooking a communal pot of rice
Thee kaaththu veesiyathaeA stormy fire blew over it
Male
Vaartha onnu vaartha onnuA single word, a single word
KollappaakkuthaeIs trying to kill me
Athu vaal eduthu vaal eduthuTaking up a sword, taking up a sword
Vetta paakkuthaeIt is trying to strike me
Male
Naan thimira senjaDone out of my arrogance
Kaariyam onnuOne deed
Thappa ponathaeHas gone terribly wrong
En thaamirabarani thanni ippoThe sweet water of my Thaamirabharani river
Uppa ponathaeHas now turned salty
Male
Nee enakku sontham illaiYou are not my kin
Endru sonna udanThe moment you said that
Manasu venthu pochchaeMy heart burned to ashes
En nizhalil kooda ippoEven from my shadow now
Raththam kottuthadiBlood bleeds, my dear
Idhayam surungi pochchaeMy heart has shriveled up

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Vaartha Onnu from the 2007 film Thaamirabharani, composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja and written by Na. Muthu Kumar, is a soul-stirring song expressing deep guilt, pain, and self-reproach. The protagonist laments how an act of foolish arrogance destroyed familial bonds and brought immense suffering to his loved ones. The lyrics compare a single harsh word of rejection to a sharp sword wounding the soul, symbolising how life's sweet innocence turned bitter and salty like sea water.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

En thaamirabarani thanni ippo Uppa ponathae

Compares the sweet river water turning salty to the protagonist's happiness turning into sorrow due to his own mistake.

Hyperbole

En nizhalil kooda ippo Raththam kottuthadi

Exaggerates emotional agony by describing blood pouring even from his shadow.

Simile

Soorathaenga pola Enna sukku noora udaikkaathae

Compares his crushed state of mind to a coconut smashed into pieces during a ritual.

Did you know?

Trivia

Thaamirabharani was written and directed by Hari, starring Vishal and Muktha (Bhanu). The soundtrack, composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, was a major commercial hit, with 'Vaartha Onnu' standing out for its emotive delivery by singer KK and poignant lyrics by Na. Muthu Kumar.

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