Vaarthai Illamal
From Thunai Iruppal Meenakshi · 1977
- Lyricist
- Panchu Arunachalam
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Thunai Iruppal Meenakshi1977
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Vaarthai illaamal oru kavi paadavaa | Shall I sing a poem without words? |
| Artham illaamal naan kadhai sollavaa | Shall I tell a story without meaning? |
| Ammammaa…aa…aa…aa… | Ah, my goodness... |
| Neer indri oru nadhiyodudhu | A river flows without water, |
| Andha nadhiyilae sila padagaadudhu | And in that river, a few boats rock. |
| Female | |
| Vaarthai illaamal oru kavi paadavaa | Shall I sing a poem without words? |
| Artham illaamal naan kadhai sollavaa | Shall I tell a story without meaning? |
| Ammammaa…aa…aa…aa… | Ah, my goodness... |
| Neer indri oru nadhiyodudhu | A river flows without water, |
| Andha nadhiyilae sila padagaadudhu | And in that river, a few boats rock. |
| Female | |
| Samsaara kadalinilae mutheduthom | We retrieved a pearl from the ocean of worldly life, |
| Andha sandhosham pona vazhi theriyavillai… | Where that happiness went, I do not know... |
| Samsaara kadalinilae mutheduthom | We retrieved a pearl from the ocean of worldly life, |
| Andha sandhosham pona vazhi theriyavillai | Where that happiness went, I do not know. |
| Vaanam indri oru nilavum illai | There is no moon without the sky, |
| Vazhi maari thisai maari nilai maariyadhae | Path changed, direction changed, and life's state changed. |
| Female | |
| Neer indri oru nadhiyodudhu | A river flows without water, |
| Andha nadhiyilae sila padagaadudhu | And in that river, a few boats rock. |
| Female | |
| {Vazhi nadathi povadharkku | {To lead the way, |
| Thalaivan illai | There is no leader; |
| Andha vidhi nadathi pona padi | As fate led me along, |
| Nadandhu vandhaen…} (2) | I walked...} (2) |
| Dheivam indri oru kovil illai | There is no temple without a deity, |
| Nee indri naan illai sondham maarumaa | Without you I do not exist; can our bond ever change? |
| Female | |
| Neer indri oru nadhiyodudhu | A river flows without water, |
| Andha nadhiyilae sila padagaadudhu | And in that river, a few boats rock. |
| Female | |
| Vaarthai illaamal oru kavi paadavaa | Shall I sing a poem without words? |
| Artham illaamal naan kadhai sollavaa | Shall I tell a story without meaning? |
| Ammammaa…aa..aa…aa…. | Ah, my goodness... |
| Neer indri oru nadhiyodudhu | A river flows without water, |
| Andha nadhiyilae sila padagaadudhu | And in that river, a few boats rock. |
| Mm..mm..mm..mm..mm | Mm..mm..mm..mm..mm |
வார்த்தை இல்லாமல் ஒரு கவி பாடவா
அர்த்தம் இல்லாமல் நான் கதை சொல்லவா
அம்மம்மா......ஆ...ஆ.....ஆ...
நீர் இன்றி ஒரு நதியோடுது
அந்த நதியிலே சில படகாடுது
Shall I sing a poem without words?
Shall I tell a story without meaning?
Ah, my goodness...
A river flows without water,
And in that river, a few boats rock.
வார்த்தை இல்லாமல் ஒரு கவி பாடவா
அர்த்தம் இல்லாமல் நான் கதை சொல்லவா
அம்மம்மா.....ஆ....ஆ...ஆ....
நீர் இன்றி ஒரு நதியோடுது
அந்த நதியிலே சில படகாடுது
Shall I sing a poem without words?
Shall I tell a story without meaning?
Ah, my goodness...
A river flows without water,
And in that river, a few boats rock.
சம்சாரக் கடலினிலே முத்தெடுத்தோம்
அந்த சந்தோஷம் போன வழி தெரியவில்லை...
சம்சாரக் கடலினிலே முத்தெடுத்தோம்
அந்த சந்தோஷம் போன வழி தெரியவில்லை
வானம் இன்றி ஒரு நிலவும் இல்லை
வழி மாறி திசை மாறி நிலை மாறியதே
We retrieved a pearl from the ocean of worldly life,
Where that happiness went, I do not know...
We retrieved a pearl from the ocean of worldly life,
Where that happiness went, I do not know.
There is no moon without the sky,
Path changed, direction changed, and life's state changed.
நீர் இன்றி ஒரு நதியோடுது
அந்த நதியிலே சில படகாடுது
A river flows without water,
And in that river, a few boats rock.
{வழி நடத்திப் போவதற்கு
தலைவன் இல்லை
அந்த விதி நடத்திப் போன படி
நடந்து வந்தேன்......} (2)
தெய்வம் இன்றி ஒரு கோவில் இல்லை
நீ இன்றி நான் இல்லை சொந்தம் மாறுமா
{To lead the way,
There is no leader;
As fate led me along,
I walked...} (2)
There is no temple without a deity,
Without you I do not exist; can our bond ever change?
நீர் இன்றி ஒரு நதியோடுது
அந்த நதியிலே சில படகாடுது
A river flows without water,
And in that river, a few boats rock.
வார்த்தை இல்லாமல் ஒரு கவி பாடவா
அர்த்தம் இல்லாமல் நான் கதை சொல்லவா
அம்மம்மா.......ஆ....ஆ....ஆ...
நீர் இன்றி ஒரு நதியோடுது
அந்த நதியிலே சில படகாடுது
ம்ம்....ம்.....ம்.....ம்......ம்...
Shall I sing a poem without words?
Shall I tell a story without meaning?
Ah, my goodness...
A river flows without water,
And in that river, a few boats rock.
Mm..mm..mm..mm..mm
Vaarthai illaamal oru kavi paadavaa
Shall I sing a poem without words?
Artham illaamal naan kadhai sollavaa
Shall I tell a story without meaning?
Ammammaa…aa…aa…aa…
Ah, my goodness...
Neer indri oru nadhiyodudhu
A river flows without water,
Andha nadhiyilae sila padagaadudhu
And in that river, a few boats rock.
Vaarthai illaamal oru kavi paadavaa
Shall I sing a poem without words?
Artham illaamal naan kadhai sollavaa
Shall I tell a story without meaning?
Ammammaa…aa…aa…aa…
Ah, my goodness...
Neer indri oru nadhiyodudhu
A river flows without water,
Andha nadhiyilae sila padagaadudhu
And in that river, a few boats rock.
Samsaara kadalinilae mutheduthom
We retrieved a pearl from the ocean of worldly life,
Andha sandhosham pona vazhi theriyavillai…
Where that happiness went, I do not know...
Samsaara kadalinilae mutheduthom
We retrieved a pearl from the ocean of worldly life,
Andha sandhosham pona vazhi theriyavillai
Where that happiness went, I do not know.
Vaanam indri oru nilavum illai
There is no moon without the sky,
Vazhi maari thisai maari nilai maariyadhae
Path changed, direction changed, and life's state changed.
Neer indri oru nadhiyodudhu
A river flows without water,
Andha nadhiyilae sila padagaadudhu
And in that river, a few boats rock.
{Vazhi nadathi povadharkku
{To lead the way,
Thalaivan illai
There is no leader;
Andha vidhi nadathi pona padi
As fate led me along,
Nadandhu vandhaen…} (2)
I walked...} (2)
Dheivam indri oru kovil illai
There is no temple without a deity,
Nee indri naan illai sondham maarumaa
Without you I do not exist; can our bond ever change?
Neer indri oru nadhiyodudhu
A river flows without water,
Andha nadhiyilae sila padagaadudhu
And in that river, a few boats rock.
Vaarthai illaamal oru kavi paadavaa
Shall I sing a poem without words?
Artham illaamal naan kadhai sollavaa
Shall I tell a story without meaning?
Ammammaa…aa..aa…aa….
Ah, my goodness...
Neer indri oru nadhiyodudhu
A river flows without water,
Andha nadhiyilae sila padagaadudhu
And in that river, a few boats rock.
Mm..mm..mm..mm..mm
Mm..mm..mm..mm..mm
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Vaarthai illaamal oru kavi paadavaa' from 'Thunai Iruppal Meenakshi' is a deeply emotional, sorrowful reflection on life's unexpected turns, loss of direction, and helpless resignation to destiny. Through vivid and paradoxical imagery—such as a river flowing without water carrying boats, or singing a song without words—the protagonist conveys the profound emptiness and confusion felt after a once-happy domestic life unravels.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Paradox / Oxymoron (Muran)
“Neer indri oru nadhiyodudhu”
Presents surreal imagery where opposite or impossible concepts are paired (a poem without words, a story without meaning, a waterless river flowing) to emphasize deep grief and absurdity of life.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Samsaara kadalinilae mutheduthom”
Compares family life / worldly existence to a vast ocean ('Samsaara kadal') from which one retrieves a precious pearl of joy.
Analogy (Upamaanai)
“Dheivam indri oru kovil illai”
Draws parallel relationships between nature/divinity and human bond—stating a moon cannot exist without sky and a temple cannot exist without a deity, just as she cannot exist without her beloved.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song features in the 1977 Tamil film 'Thunai Iruppal Meenakshi', directed by Valampuri Somanathan and starring Sivakumar and Sujatha. The music was composed by V. Kumar with lyrics by Panchu Arunachalam, rendered passionately by legendary playback singer P. Susheela.
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