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Isaimozhi
Kattradhu Thamizh album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Vaazhkai Enbathu

From Kattradhu Thamizh · 2007

Lyricist
Na. Muthu Kumar
Singer
Shankar Mahadevan
Music director
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Movie name
Kattradhu Thamizh
Movie release year
2007
Lyrics added on
17 May 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
{Vaazhkkai enbathu vettukaththi
Valikka valikka thottu paarthen
Kurukkuvettu thottraththil
Valiyai konjam vetti paarththen} (2)
Idhu veru ulagam… oho
Idhu paththaamgiraham.. oho
Iraivaa ingae neeyum vanthaal… mirugam
Idhu veru ulagam.. oho
Idhu paththaamgiraham.. oho
Iraivaa ingae vanthaal…neeyum mirugam
Katrathaal petrotho
Perum vaal allavaa
Kuththuthae koththuthae
Pala baamballavaa
Engu poiyinum peigalae
Elumbu thindridum naaigalae
Ettu thikkilum poigalae
Ingu alaikindrathae
Kettathaal petratho
Perum vali allavaa
Kondrathaal kandatho
Pudhu vazhi allavaa
Engu nokkilum ammanam
Yettru kollumaa em manam
Aadi theerkkuthae sannatham
Raththam kothikkindrathae
Ulaginai pol vaazha vendumae
Unmai mattum vaazha vendumae
Kanavugal kai kooda vendumae
Kollum kobam kooda vendumae
Enakkena pudhu boomi vendumae
Thamizh thaan angae vendumae
Thamizhanukkini rosam vendumae
Echchil idhayam maara vendumae
Adadaa ithu nadakkumaa
En boomi enakku kidaikkumaa… oh
Adhu varai nenjam porukkumaa
En thonma thamizhinam pizhaikkumaa.. oh
Agam puram ena irandumm irukkuthae
Agilam aandathu engal thamizhinam
Aduththavar thammai seendi paarkaiyil
Elumbai norukkum engal thamizh kulam.. oh
Life is a butcher's knife,
Even as it hurt, I reached out and touched it.
Looking at it in cross-section,
I tried slicing through the pain a little.
This is a different world… oh,
This is a tenth planet… oh,
O God, if even you come here… you will become a beast.
This is a different world… oh,
This is a tenth planet… oh,
O God, if you come here… even you will be a beast.
Is what I earned through my learning
nothing but a giant sword?
It stabs and it strikes—
aren't they like many snakes?
Wherever I go, there are only demons
and dogs chewing on bones.
In all eight directions, only lies
wander all around here.
Is what I gained from being ruined
nothing but immense pain?
Is what I found by killing
a brand-new path?
Wherever I look, there is shameless nakedness;
will my heart ever accept this?
A wild, possessed fury dances within me,
and my blood is boiling.
I want to live like the rest of the world,
only truth must survive,
dreams must come true,
and a deadly anger must also rise.
I need a new earth of my own,
and only Tamil must be there.
Tamils must regain their self-respect,
and this groveling, petty heart must change.
Oh, will this ever happen?
Will I ever get my land… oh?
Until then, can my heart endure?
Will my ancient Tamil race survive… oh?
We have both Akam (inner life) and Puram (outer valor),
our Tamil race once ruled the world.
When others dare to provoke us,
our Tamil clan will crush their bones… oh.
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This intense song from 'Kattradhu Thamizh' expresses the existential anguish, disillusionment, and righteous fury of a well-educated Tamil scholar pushed to the margins of a capitalist, hyper-modern society. Feeling alienated in what seems like a cruel 'tenth planet,' the protagonist questions the value of his education and moral integrity in a world governed by deception and greed.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamanai)

“Vaazhkkai enbathu vettukaththi”

Comparing life to a sharp cleaver ('Vaazhkkai enbathu vettukaththi') and society to a alien planet ('paththaamgiraham').

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Katrathaal petrotho / Kuththuthae koththuthae”

Matching second consonants in words across adjacent lines, such as 'Katrathaal' and 'Kuththuthae', or 'Kettathaal' and 'Kondrathaal'.

Anaphora / Rhetorical Questioning

“Ulaginai pol vaazha vendumae / Unmai mattum vaazha vendumae”

Repetition of questioning endings like 'vendumae' and 'allavaa' to build emotional climax and societal critique.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja with lyrics by Na. Muthu Kumar and directed by Ram, 'Kattradhu Thamizh' received critical acclaim for its raw thematic portrayal of Tamil identity and economic disparity. The soundtrack remains one of the defining works of Yuvan and Muthu Kumar's collaboration.

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