Vaarthai Thavari Vittai
From Sethu · 1999
- Lyricist
- Arivumathi
- Singer
- Ilayaraja
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Sethu1999
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Vaarthai thavari vittaai | You broke your word, |
| Kannamma marbu thudikuthadi | Kannamma, my chest is throbbing! |
| Kaatril kalanthu vittaai | You dissolved into the air, |
| Kannamma kangal kalanguthadi | Kannamma, my eyes are brimming with tears! |
| Male | |
| Paranthathen maranthathen | Why did it fly away? Why did it forget? |
| Enathu uyirai | My very life! |
| Padithathen mudithathen | Why read it? Why finish it? |
| Unathu kadhaiyai | Your story! |
| Eriyuthuae ulagamae soga neruppil | The entire world is burning in the fire of grief! |
| Male | |
| Vaarthai thavari vittaai | You broke your word, |
| Kannamma marbu thudikuthadi | Kannamma, my chest is throbbing! |
| Kaatril kalanthu vittaai | You dissolved into the air, |
| Kannamma kangal kalanguthadi | Kannamma, my eyes are brimming with tears! |
| Male | |
| Nee pona paadhai | Which path did you go on? |
| Edhuvendru sollu | Tell me which one it is, |
| Naanum un pinnae angae vara | So that I too may follow behind you there. |
| Ippodhum kuda edhuvendru sollu | Even right now, tell me where it is, |
| Un veedu thedi naanum vara | So that I can come searching for your home. |
| Male | |
| Thaer varum naal varum | I believed that the auspicious day of the chariot procession would come, |
| Endru ninaithenae | That is what I thought. |
| Thee unai theendavoo | Did the fire touch you instead? |
| Thirumbhi nadanthenae | I walked back in despair. |
| Male | |
| Bhoomiyin dhevathai | Can dusty earth cover |
| Puzhuthi mann moodalaamoo | An angel of the earth? |
| Male | |
| Vaarthai thavari vittaai | You broke your word, |
| Kannamma marbu thudikuthadi | Kannamma, my chest is throbbing! |
| Kaatril kalanthu vittaai | You dissolved into the air, |
| Kannamma kangal kalanguthadi | Kannamma, my eyes are brimming with tears! |
வார்த்தை தவறி விட்டாய்
கண்ணம்மா மார்பு துடிக்குதடி
காற்றில் கலந்து விட்டாய் கண்ணம்மா
கண்கள் கலங்குதடி
You broke your word,
Kannamma, my chest is throbbing!
You dissolved into the air,
Kannamma, my eyes are brimming with tears!
பறந்ததேன் மறந்ததேன்
எனது உயிரை
படித்ததேன் முடித்ததேன்
உனது கதையை
எரியுதே உலகமே சோக நெருப்பில்
Why did it fly away? Why did it forget?
My very life!
Why read it? Why finish it?
Your story!
The entire world is burning in the fire of grief!
வார்த்தை தவறி விட்டாய்
கண்ணம்மா மார்பு துடிக்குதடி
காற்றில் கலந்து விட்டாய் கண்ணம்மா
கண்கள் கலங்குதடி
You broke your word,
Kannamma, my chest is throbbing!
You dissolved into the air,
Kannamma, my eyes are brimming with tears!
நீ போன பாதை
எதுவென்று சொல்லு
நானும் உன் பின்னே அங்கே வர
இப்போதும் கூட எதுவென்று சொல்லு
உன் வீடு தேடி நானும் வர
Which path did you go on?
Tell me which one it is,
So that I too may follow behind you there.
Even right now, tell me where it is,
So that I can come searching for your home.
தேர் வரும் நாள் வரும்
என்று நினைத்தேனே
தீ உனை தீண்டவோ
திரும்பி நடந்தேனே
பூமியின் தேவதை
புழுதி மண் மூடலாமோ
I believed that the auspicious day of the chariot procession would come,
That is what I thought.
Did the fire touch you instead?
I walked back in despair.
வார்த்தை தவறி விட்டாய்
கண்ணம்மா மார்பு துடிக்குதடி
காற்றில் கலந்து விட்டாய்
கண்ணம்மா கண்கள் கலங்குதடி
Can dusty earth cover
An angel of the earth?
You broke your word,
Kannamma, my chest is throbbing!
You dissolved into the air,
Kannamma, my eyes are brimming with tears!
Vaarthai thavari vittaai
You broke your word,
Kannamma marbu thudikuthadi
Kannamma, my chest is throbbing!
Kaatril kalanthu vittaai
You dissolved into the air,
Kannamma kangal kalanguthadi
Kannamma, my eyes are brimming with tears!
Paranthathen maranthathen
Why did it fly away? Why did it forget?
Enathu uyirai
My very life!
Padithathen mudithathen
Why read it? Why finish it?
Unathu kadhaiyai
Your story!
Eriyuthuae ulagamae soga neruppil
The entire world is burning in the fire of grief!
Vaarthai thavari vittaai
You broke your word,
Kannamma marbu thudikuthadi
Kannamma, my chest is throbbing!
Kaatril kalanthu vittaai
You dissolved into the air,
Kannamma kangal kalanguthadi
Kannamma, my eyes are brimming with tears!
Nee pona paadhai
Which path did you go on?
Edhuvendru sollu
Tell me which one it is,
Naanum un pinnae angae vara
So that I too may follow behind you there.
Ippodhum kuda edhuvendru sollu
Even right now, tell me where it is,
Un veedu thedi naanum vara
So that I can come searching for your home.
Thaer varum naal varum
I believed that the auspicious day of the chariot procession would come,
Endru ninaithenae
That is what I thought.
Thee unai theendavoo
Did the fire touch you instead?
Thirumbhi nadanthenae
I walked back in despair.
Bhoomiyin dhevathai
Can dusty earth cover
Puzhuthi mann moodalaamoo
An angel of the earth?
Vaarthai thavari vittaai
You broke your word,
Kannamma marbu thudikuthadi
Kannamma, my chest is throbbing!
Kaatril kalanthu vittaai
You dissolved into the air,
Kannamma kangal kalanguthadi
Kannamma, my eyes are brimming with tears!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This tragic song captures the profound anguish of a lover grieving the loss of his beloved Kannamma. He feels betrayed by fate because she broke her promise to stay with him and instead departed from this world, merging into the wind. The lyricist conveys his unbearable heartaches, describing how his life feels shattered, how the entire world seems engulfed in the fire of sorrow, and how he desperately wishes to follow her along whichever path her soul took.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Eriyuthuae ulagamae soga neruppil”
'Soga neruppil' (fire of grief) compares intense emotional heartbreak to a burning fire.
Rhyme (Edhugai)
“Paranthathen maranthathen / Padithathen mudithathen”
'Paranthathen' and 'Padithathen' share the second-letter rhyming pattern, creating a rhythmic melancholic flow.
Metaphor / Epithet
“Bhoomiyin dhevathai”
'Bhoomiyin dhevathai' elevates the deceased beloved to the status of an earthly goddess or angel.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although inspired by Mahakavi Subramania Bharati's famous 'Kannamma' poetry line 'Vaarthai thavari vittaai', this rendition was musically composed by Ilaiyaraaja and penned by Arivumathi for Bala's tragic drama Sethu (1999), becoming an iconic anthem of tragic love and grief.
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