Vaigai Nadhi Karai
From Nilave Mugam Kaattu · 1999
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| {Vaigai nadhi karai | On the banks of River Vaigai, |
| Chinna manikuyilae | O little cuckoo bird, |
| Vaadi nirpadhenna | Why are you standing so withered? |
| Solladi pon mayilae} (2) | Tell me, golden peacock. (Repeat) |
| Male | |
| Kangal kalangaadhae | Do not let your eyes tear up, |
| Nenjam mayangaadhae | Do not let your heart swoon, |
| Inghae uravundu | Kinship exists here, |
| Endrum marakaadhae | Never forget this. |
| Ezhai eliyorai thaan | Will not the earth support |
| Bhoomi thaangaadhaa | The poor and downtrodden? |
| Male | |
| Vaigai nadhi karai | On the banks of River Vaigai, |
| Chinna manikuyilae | O little cuckoo bird, |
| Vaadi nirpadhenna | Why are you standing so withered? |
| Solladi pon mayilae | Tell me, golden peacock. |
| Male | |
| Thunba mazhai thannai thaangum siru kudai | A small umbrella to shelter from the rain of sorrow, |
| Naan aaven | I will become. |
| Venil anal thannil thaagham thanithidum | Water to quench thirst in the summer heat, |
| Neer aaven | I will become. |
| Poghum vazhi enghum unnai thodarndhidum | The breeze that follows you wherever you go, |
| Kaatraaven | I will become. |
| Sogham varugayil thunbam thudaithidum | A song that wipes away suffering when sadness comes, |
| Paattaaven | I will become. |
| Male | |
| Yen indha vaazhkai endru | Asking why life is like this, |
| Yengugindra ezhai inghu orr kodi | There are ten million poor people yearning here. |
| Yaarukinghae sogham illai | Who doesn't have sadness here? |
| Yaar manadhil bhaaram illai yammaadi | Whose heart is without burden, my dear? |
| Nalla naatkkal namakirukku | Good days lie ahead for us, |
| Andha nambikkaithaan vandhu vittaal | Once that hope arrives, |
| Sogham illai.. | There will be no sorrow.. |
| Male | |
| Vaigai nadhi karai | On the banks of River Vaigai, |
| Chinna manikuyilae | O little cuckoo bird, |
| Vaadi nirpadhenna | Why are you standing so withered? |
| Solladi pon mayilae | Tell me, golden peacock. |
| Male | |
| Nenjam ganathidum | Carrying unbearable burdens |
| Enna sumaigalai thaangaadhae | That make the heart feel heavy, do not do so. |
| Indha ulagathai paarka vendum | "I want to see this whole world," |
| Endru yengaadhae | Do not yearn like that. |
| Karpanai kottaigal kattum pechukalai | Words about building castles in the air, |
| Kaadhil vaanghaadhae | Do not pay attention to them. |
| Ottai kudisayil inbam illai | "There is no joy in a leaky hut," |
| Ena ennaadhae | Do not think like that. |
| Male | |
| Ezhaikoru ezhai thunai | A poor person is a support for another poor person, |
| Evvuyirkkum deivam thunai pon maanae | God is the protector for every living creature, O golden deer. |
| Nenjil oru vanjam illai | There is no malice in the heart, |
| Nesathirku panjam illai vinmeenae | There is no shortage of love, O star. |
| Nalla vaazhkai vandhu theerum | A good life will surely arrive; |
| Varavillai endraal deivangal thaan | If it does not arrive, then even God |
| Poi adiyo … | Is a lie, my dear... |
| Male | |
| Vaigai nadhi karai | On the banks of River Vaigai, |
| Chinna manikuyilae…yeheah..yehyeah.. | O little cuckoo bird... |
| Vaadi nirpadhenna | Why are you standing so withered? |
| Solladi pon mayilae | Tell me, golden peacock. |
{ வைகை நதி கரை
சின்ன மணிக்குயிலே
வாடி நிற்பதென்ன
சொல்லடி பொன் மயிலே } (2)
On the banks of River Vaigai,
O little cuckoo bird,
Why are you standing so withered?
Tell me, golden peacock. (Repeat)
கண்கள் கலங்காதே
நெஞ்சம் மயங்காதே இங்கே
உறவுண்டு என்றும் மறக்காதே
ஏழை எளியோரை தான் பூமி
தாங்காதா
Do not let your eyes tear up,
Do not let your heart swoon,
Kinship exists here,
Never forget this.
Will not the earth support
The poor and downtrodden?
வைகை நதி கரை
சின்ன மணிக்குயிலே வாடி
நிற்பதென்ன சொல்லடி
பொன் மயிலே
On the banks of River Vaigai,
O little cuckoo bird,
Why are you standing so withered?
Tell me, golden peacock.
துன்ப மழை தன்னை
தாங்கும் சிறு குடை நான்
ஆவேன் வேனில் அனல்
தன்னில் தாகம் தனித்திடும்
நீர் ஆவேன் போகும் வழி
எங்கும் உன்னை தொடர்ந்திடும்
காற்றாவேன் சோகம் வருகையில்
துன்பம் துடைத்திடும் பாட்டாவேன்
A small umbrella to shelter from the rain of sorrow,
I will become.
Water to quench thirst in the summer heat,
I will become.
The breeze that follows you wherever you go,
I will become.
A song that wipes away suffering when sadness comes,
I will become.
ஏன் இந்த வாழ்க்கை
என்று ஏங்குகின்ற ஏழை இங்கு
ஓர் கோடி யாருக்கிங்கே சோகம்
இல்லை யார் மனதில் பாரம்
இல்லை யம்மாடி நல்ல நாட்கள்
நமக்கிருக்கு அந்த நம்பிக்கைதான்
வந்து விட்டால் சோகம் இல்லை
Asking why life is like this,
There are ten million poor people yearning here.
Who doesn't have sadness here?
Whose heart is without burden, my dear?
Good days lie ahead for us,
Once that hope arrives,
There will be no sorrow..
வைகை நதி கரை
சின்ன மணிக்குயிலே வாடி
நிற்பதென்ன சொல்லடி
பொன் மயிலே
On the banks of River Vaigai,
O little cuckoo bird,
Why are you standing so withered?
Tell me, golden peacock.
நெஞ்சம் கனத்திடும்
என்ன சுமைகளை தாங்காதே
இந்த உலகத்தை பார்க்க வேண்டும்
என்று ஏங்காதே கற்பனை
கோட்டைகள் கட்டும் பேச்சுக்களை
காதில் வாங்காதே ஓட்டை குடிசையில்
இன்பம் இல்லை என எண்ணாதே
Carrying unbearable burdens
That make the heart feel heavy, do not do so.
"I want to see this whole world,"
Do not yearn like that.
Words about building castles in the air,
Do not pay attention to them.
"There is no joy in a leaky hut,"
Do not think like that.
ஏழைக்கொரு ஏழை
துணை எவ்வுயிர்க்கும்
தெய்வம் துணை பொன்
மானே நெஞ்சில் ஒரு வஞ்சம்
இல்லை நேசத்திற்கு பஞ்சம்
இல்லை விண்மீனே நல்ல
வாழ்க்கை வந்து தீரும்
வரவில்லை என்றால்
தெய்வங்கள் தான் பொய்
அடியோ
A poor person is a support for another poor person,
God is the protector for every living creature, O golden deer.
There is no malice in the heart,
There is no shortage of love, O star.
A good life will surely arrive;
If it does not arrive, then even God
Is a lie, my dear...
வைகை நதி கரை
சின்ன மணிக்குயிலே
யேஹே யேயே வாடி
நிற்பதென்ன சொல்லடி
பொன் மயிலே
On the banks of River Vaigai,
O little cuckoo bird...
Why are you standing so withered?
Tell me, golden peacock.
{Vaigai nadhi karai
On the banks of River Vaigai,
Chinna manikuyilae
O little cuckoo bird,
Vaadi nirpadhenna
Why are you standing so withered?
Solladi pon mayilae} (2)
Tell me, golden peacock. (Repeat)
Kangal kalangaadhae
Do not let your eyes tear up,
Nenjam mayangaadhae
Do not let your heart swoon,
Inghae uravundu
Kinship exists here,
Endrum marakaadhae
Never forget this.
Ezhai eliyorai thaan
Will not the earth support
Bhoomi thaangaadhaa
The poor and downtrodden?
Vaigai nadhi karai
On the banks of River Vaigai,
Chinna manikuyilae
O little cuckoo bird,
Vaadi nirpadhenna
Why are you standing so withered?
Solladi pon mayilae
Tell me, golden peacock.
Thunba mazhai thannai thaangum siru kudai
A small umbrella to shelter from the rain of sorrow,
Naan aaven
I will become.
Venil anal thannil thaagham thanithidum
Water to quench thirst in the summer heat,
Neer aaven
I will become.
Poghum vazhi enghum unnai thodarndhidum
The breeze that follows you wherever you go,
Kaatraaven
I will become.
Sogham varugayil thunbam thudaithidum
A song that wipes away suffering when sadness comes,
Paattaaven
I will become.
Yen indha vaazhkai endru
Asking why life is like this,
Yengugindra ezhai inghu orr kodi
There are ten million poor people yearning here.
Yaarukinghae sogham illai
Who doesn't have sadness here?
Yaar manadhil bhaaram illai yammaadi
Whose heart is without burden, my dear?
Nalla naatkkal namakirukku
Good days lie ahead for us,
Andha nambikkaithaan vandhu vittaal
Once that hope arrives,
Sogham illai..
There will be no sorrow..
Vaigai nadhi karai
On the banks of River Vaigai,
Chinna manikuyilae
O little cuckoo bird,
Vaadi nirpadhenna
Why are you standing so withered?
Solladi pon mayilae
Tell me, golden peacock.
Nenjam ganathidum
Carrying unbearable burdens
Enna sumaigalai thaangaadhae
That make the heart feel heavy, do not do so.
Indha ulagathai paarka vendum
"I want to see this whole world,"
Endru yengaadhae
Do not yearn like that.
Karpanai kottaigal kattum pechukalai
Words about building castles in the air,
Kaadhil vaanghaadhae
Do not pay attention to them.
Ottai kudisayil inbam illai
"There is no joy in a leaky hut,"
Ena ennaadhae
Do not think like that.
Ezhaikoru ezhai thunai
A poor person is a support for another poor person,
Evvuyirkkum deivam thunai pon maanae
God is the protector for every living creature, O golden deer.
Nenjil oru vanjam illai
There is no malice in the heart,
Nesathirku panjam illai vinmeenae
There is no shortage of love, O star.
Nalla vaazhkai vandhu theerum
A good life will surely arrive;
Varavillai endraal deivangal thaan
If it does not arrive, then even God
Poi adiyo …
Is a lie, my dear...
Vaigai nadhi karai
On the banks of River Vaigai,
Chinna manikuyilae…yeheah..yehyeah..
O little cuckoo bird...
Vaadi nirpadhenna
Why are you standing so withered?
Solladi pon mayilae
Tell me, golden peacock.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This uplifting song from the movie Nilave Mugam Kaattu (1999) is a deeply consoling message to someone struggling with grief and hardship. The protagonist uses terms of endearment drawn from nature—cuckoo, peacock, deer, and star—to comfort a loved one, assuring them that they will stand by them as shelter in rain, cooling water in heat, and a soothing song in sadness.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (உருவகம் - Uruvagam)
“Thunba mazhai thannai thaangum siru kudai / Naan aaven”
Compares hardship to a 'rain of sorrow' (Thunba mazhai) and offers to become a 'small umbrella' (siru kudai) for protection.
Endearing Nature Imagery (இயற்கை உவமைகள்)
“Chinna manikuyilae / Solladi pon mayilae”
Addresses the listener using gentle avian and celestial terms like 'Chinna manikuyilae' (little cuckoo), 'pon mayilae' (golden peacock), 'pon maanae' (golden deer), and 'vinmeenae' (star).
Epistrophe / End Rhyme (இயைபு - Iyaibu)
“Naan aaven ... Neer aaven ... Kaatraaven ... Paattaaven”
Repetition of the phrase 'aaven' ('I will become') at the end of successive couplets to reinforce commitment.
Initial Rhyme / Alliteration (மோனை - Monai)
“Ezhaikoru ezhai thunai / Evvuyirkkum deivam thunai”
Repetition of the initial vowel 'E' (Ezhaikoru / Evvuyirkkum) across lines creates rhythmic symmetry.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Vaigai Nadhi Karai' is a comforting melody composed by Ilaiyaraaja for the 1999 Tamil drama film Nilave Mugam Kaattu, directed by Kalanjiyam and starring Karthik and Devayani. The lyrics were written by Vasan.
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