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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vaigai Karai Katre

From Uyirullavarai Usha · 1983

Lyricist
T. Rajendar
Singer
K. J. Yesudas
Music director
T. Rajendar
Details
Uyirullavarai Usha1983

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Vaigai karai kaatrae nilluOh breeze from the banks of the Vaigai river, stop and listen.
Vanji thanai paarthaa solluIf you happen to see my beloved girl, tell her.
Vaigai karai kaatrae nilluOh breeze from the banks of the Vaigai river, stop and listen.
Vanji thanai paarthaa solluIf you happen to see my beloved girl, tell her.
Mannam manam vaadudhendruTell her that this heart is wilting inside,
Mangai thanai thaedudhendruAnd that it is searching for that young maiden.
Kaatrae poongaatraeOh wind, gentle breeze,
En kanmani avalai kandaal neeyumIf you see my beloved apple of my eye,
Kaadhoram poi solluGo and whisper softly near her ears.
Male
Vaigai karai kaatrae nilluOh breeze from the banks of the Vaigai river, stop and listen.
Vanji thanai paarthaa solluIf you happen to see my beloved girl, tell her.
Vaigai karai kaatrae nilluOh breeze from the banks of the Vaigai river, stop and listen.
Vanji thanai paarthaa solluIf you happen to see my beloved girl, tell her.
Mannam manam vaadudhendruTell her that this heart is wilting inside,
Mangai thanai thaedudhendruAnd that it is searching for that young maiden.
Kaatrae poongaatraeOh wind, gentle breeze,
En kanmani avalai kandaal neeyumIf you see my beloved apple of my eye,
Kaadhoram poi solluGo and whisper softly near her ears.
Male
Thirukkoyil vaasal adhu thirakkavillaiThe divine temple door has not opened;
Theru kodi poojai adhu nadakkavillaiThe worship at the corner of the street has not taken place.
Dhevadhaiyai kaanbadharkku vazhiyum illaiThere is no way to catch a glimpse of the divine goddess,
Thaen mozhiyai kaetpadharkku vagaiyum illaiNor is there any means to hear her sweet, honeyed voice.
Kaadhalil vaazhndha kanni manamThe young heart that once thrived on love,
Kaavalil vaadaiyil kanni vidumIs now shedding tears in captivity and cold wind.
Koondukkullae alai modhumRestlessly thrashing inside a cage,
Kaadhal kili aval paavam kaadhal kili aval paavamShe is a poor love parrot, a poor caged love parrot.
Male
Kaatrae poongaatraeOh wind, gentle breeze,
En kanmani avalai kandaal neeyumIf you see my beloved apple of my eye,
Kaadhoram poi solluGo and whisper softly near her ears.
Male
Maakkolam podudharkku varavillaiyaeShe hasn't come out to draw the traditional rice-flour pattern;
Aval kolam paarppadharkku vazhiyillaiyaeThere is no way for me to gaze upon her grace.
Jannalukkul nilavu aval thondravillaiyaeThat moon behind the window hasn't made an appearance;
Jaadaiyoli sindha aval indru illaiyaeShe who scatters soft signals isn't there today.
Nilavinai maegam vaanil maraikkaJust as clouds conceal the moon in the sky,
Avalinai yaaro veettil thadukkaSomeone has confined her inside her home.
Megam adhu vilagaadho sogam adhu neengaadhoWill those clouds not clear? Will this sadness not disappear?
Megam adhu vilagaadho sogam adhu neengaadhoWill those clouds not clear? Will this sadness not disappear?
Sogam adhu neengaadhoWill this sorrow not disappear?
Male
Kaatrae poongaatraeOh wind, gentle breeze,
En kanmani avalai kandaal neeyumIf you see my beloved apple of my eye,
Kaadhoram poi solluGo and whisper softly near her ears.
Male
Vaigai karai kaatrae nilluOh breeze from the banks of the Vaigai river, stop and listen.
Vanji thanai paarthaa solluIf you happen to see my beloved girl, tell her.
Vaigai karai kaatrae nilluOh breeze from the banks of the Vaigai river, stop and listen.
Vanji thanai paarthaa solluIf you happen to see my beloved girl, tell her.
Mannam manam vaadudhendruTell her that this heart is wilting inside,
Mangai thanai thaedudhendruAnd that it is searching for that young maiden.
Kaatrae poongaatraeOh wind, gentle breeze,
En kanmani avalai kandaal neeyumIf you see my beloved apple of my eye,
Kaadhoram poi solluGo and whisper softly near her ears.
Nee kaadhoram poi sollu nee kaadhoram poi solluGo whisper softly in her ear, go whisper softly in her ear.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song is a poignant romantic lament where the protagonist addresses the breeze flowing along the Vaigai river as a messenger (a classic Tamil poetic tradition known as 'Dhoodhu'). He pleads with the wind to carry his anguish to his trapped lover, whom he envisions as a sacred goddess and a caged bird. Deeply distressed by her sudden disappearance from her routine activities like drawing rangoli or standing by her window, he compares her family's house arrest of her to thick clouds obscuring the radiant moon. Throughout the composition, he clings to the hope that these obstacles will part like clouds, allowing him to be reunited with his love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Apostrophe / Megadhoodham (Message via nature)

Vaigai karai kaatrae nillu

Addressing an inanimate natural element (the Vaigai breeze) directly as a messenger to carry a loving message to his beloved.

Metaphor (Uruvagham)

Koondukkullae alai modhum Kaadhal kili aval paavam

Describing the confined heroine as a caged love parrot ('Kaadhal kili') and as a moon inside the window ('Jannalukkul nilavu').

Analogy / Simile (Uvamai)

Nilavinai maegam vaanil maraikka Avalinai yaaro veettil thadukka

Comparing the heroine's domestic confinement by her family to dark clouds concealing the bright moon in the sky.

Second-Letter Rhyme (Edhugai)

Thirukkoyil vaasal adhu thirakkavillai / Theru kodi poojai adhu nadakkavillai

Tamil poetic rhyme scheme where the second consonant/syllable of consecutive lines matches (e.g., 'Thirukkoyil' and 'Theru kodi').

Did you know?

Trivia

This iconic melody from the 1983 blockbuster 'Uyirullavarai Usha' was composed, written, and produced by multi-talented filmmaker T. Rajendar. Sung by K.J. Yesudas, the song is revered as one of the finest modern renditions of the classical Sangam-era 'Dhoodhu' motif in Tamil cinema.

Keep listening

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