Vellai Pookal
From Kannathil Muthamittal · 2002
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- A. R. Rahman
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Kannathil Muthamittal2002
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Vellai pookal ulagam engum | May white flowers bloom all across the world |
| Malargavae | Bloom forth! |
| Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga | May the dawning earth awaken for peace |
| Vidigavae | Let it dawn! |
| Male | |
| Mannmel manjal veluchcham | May golden morning light |
| Vizhugavae | Fall upon the soil |
| Malarae sombal muriththu | Oh flower, stretch away your sluggishness |
| Ezhugavae | And rise up! |
| Male | |
| Kuzhanthai vizhikattumae | May the child wake up |
| Thaayin katha kathappil | In the warm embrace of the mother |
| Ulagam vidiyattumae | May the world dawn anew |
| Pillayin sirumugha sirippil | In the smile on the child's small face |
| Male | |
| Vellai pookal ulagam engum | May white flowers bloom all across the world |
| Malargavae…malargavae | Bloom forth... bloom forth! |
| Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga | May the dawning earth awaken for peace |
| Vidigavae…vidigavae | Let it dawn... let it dawn! |
| Male | |
| Mannmel manjal veluchcham | May golden morning light |
| Vizhugavae | Fall upon the soil |
| Malarae sombal muriththu | Oh flower, stretch away your sluggishness |
| Ezhugavae | And rise up! |
| Male | |
| Kuzhanthai vizhikattumae | May the child wake up |
| Thaayin katha kathappil | In the warm embrace of the mother |
| Ulagam vidiyattumae | May the world dawn anew |
| Pillayin sirumugha sirippil | In the smile on the child's small face |
| Male | |
| Kaatrin perisaiyum | Can the grand symphony of the wind |
| Mazhai paadum paadalgalum | And the songs sung by the rain |
| Oru maunam pol inbam tharumoo..ooo | Give bliss as profound as silence? |
| Male | |
| Kodi keertanaiyum | Can ten million musical compositions |
| Kavi kortha vaarthaigalum | And words woven by poets |
| Thuli kanner pol arththam tharumoo… | Convey as much meaning as a single tear? |
| Ahaa..haaa..haa… | Ahaa..haaa..haa... |
| Male | |
| Vellai pookal ulagam engum | May white flowers bloom all across the world |
| Malargavae…malargavae | Bloom forth... bloom forth! |
| Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga | May the dawning earth awaken for peace |
| Vidigavae…vidigavae | Let it dawn... let it dawn! |
| Male | |
| Mannmel manjal veluchcham | May golden morning light |
| Vizhugavae | Fall upon the soil |
| Malarae sombal muriththu | Oh flower, stretch away your sluggishness |
| Ezhugavae | And rise up! |
| Male | |
| Yengu siru kuzhanthai | Wherever a little child |
| Than kaigal neetidumo | Extends its tiny hands |
| Angu thondraiyo kollai nilavae | Won't the bright full moon appear there? |
| Male | |
| Engu manidha inam | Wherever humanity |
| Por oyinthu sayinthidumo | Rests after war has ceased |
| Angu koovadho vellai kuyilae ..ae…. | Won't a white cuckoo sing there? |
| Male | |
| Vellai pookal ulagam engum | May white flowers bloom all across the world |
| Malargavae | Bloom forth |
| Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga | May the dawning earth awaken for peace |
| Vidigavae | Let it dawn |
| Male | |
| Mannmel manjal veluchcham | May golden morning light |
| Vizhugavae | Fall upon the soil |
| Malarae sombal muriththu | Oh flower, stretch away your sluggishness |
| Ezhugavae | And rise up! |
| Male | |
| Vellai pookal ulagam engum | May white flowers bloom all across the world |
| Malargavae…malargavae | Bloom forth... bloom forth! |
| Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga | May the dawning earth awaken for peace |
| Vidigavae…vidigavae | Let it dawn... let it dawn! |
வெள்ளை பூக்கள் உலகம் எங்கும்
மலர்கவே
விடியும் பூமி அமைதிக்காக
விடிகவே
May white flowers bloom all across the world
Bloom forth!
May the dawning earth awaken for peace
Let it dawn!
மண்மேல் மஞ்சள் வெளுச்சம்
விழுகவே
மலரே சோம்பல் முறித்து
எழுகவே
May golden morning light
Fall upon the soil
Oh flower, stretch away your sluggishness
And rise up!
குழந்தை விழிக்கட்டுமே
தாயின் கத கதப்பில்
உலகம் விடியட்டுமே
பிள்ளையின் சிறுமுக சிரிப்பில்
May the child wake up
In the warm embrace of the mother
May the world dawn anew
In the smile on the child's small face
வெள்ளை பூக்கள் உலகம் எங்கும்
மலர்கவே மலர்கவே
விடியும் பூமி அமைதிக்காக
விடிகவே விடிகவே
May white flowers bloom all across the world
Bloom forth... bloom forth!
May the dawning earth awaken for peace
Let it dawn... let it dawn!
மண்மேல் மஞ்சள் வெளுச்சம்
விழுகவே
மலரே சோம்பல் முறித்து
எழுகவே
May golden morning light
Fall upon the soil
Oh flower, stretch away your sluggishness
And rise up!
குழந்தை விழிக்கட்டுமே
தாயின் கத கதப்பில்
உலகம் விடியட்டுமே
பிள்ளையின் சிறுமுக சிரிப்பில்
May the child wake up
In the warm embrace of the mother
May the world dawn anew
In the smile on the child's small face
காற்றின் பேரிசையும்
மழை பாடும் பாடல்களும்
ஒரு மௌனம் போல் இன்பம் தருமோ
Can the grand symphony of the wind
And the songs sung by the rain
Give bliss as profound as silence?
கோடி கீர்த்தனையும்
கவி கோர்த்த வார்தைகளும்
துளி கண்ணீர் போல் அர்த்தம் தருமோ
ஆஹாஹா..ஆஹாஹா..ஹா
Can ten million musical compositions
And words woven by poets
Convey as much meaning as a single tear?
Ahaa..haaa..haa...
வெள்ளை பூக்கள் உலகம் எங்கும்
மலர்கவே மலர்கவே
விடியும் பூமி அமைதிக்காக
விடிகவே விடிகவே
May white flowers bloom all across the world
Bloom forth... bloom forth!
May the dawning earth awaken for peace
Let it dawn... let it dawn!
மண்மேல் மஞ்சள் வெளுச்சம்
விழுகவே
மலரே சோம்பல் முறித்து
எழுகவே
May golden morning light
Fall upon the soil
Oh flower, stretch away your sluggishness
And rise up!
எங்கு சிறு குழந்தை
தன் கைகள் நீட்டிடுமோ
அங்கு தோன்றாயோ கொள்ளை நிலவே
Wherever a little child
Extends its tiny hands
Won't the bright full moon appear there?
ஆண்
: எங்கு மனித இனம்
போர் ஓய்ந்து சாய்ந்திடுமோ
அங்கு கூவாதோ வெள்ளை குயிலே
Wherever humanity
Rests after war has ceased
Won't a white cuckoo sing there?
வெள்ளை பூக்கள் உலகம் எங்கும்
மலர்கவே
விடியும் பூமி அமைதிக்காக
விடிகவே
May white flowers bloom all across the world
Bloom forth
May the dawning earth awaken for peace
Let it dawn
மண்மேல் மஞ்சள் வெளுச்சம்
விழுகவே
மலரே சோம்பல் முறித்து
எழுகவே
May golden morning light
Fall upon the soil
Oh flower, stretch away your sluggishness
And rise up!
வெள்ளை பூக்கள் உலகம் எங்கும்
மலர்கவே மலர்கவே
விடியும் பூமி அமைதிக்காக
விடிகவே விடிகவே
May white flowers bloom all across the world
Bloom forth... bloom forth!
May the dawning earth awaken for peace
Let it dawn... let it dawn!
Vellai pookal ulagam engum
May white flowers bloom all across the world
Malargavae
Bloom forth!
Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga
May the dawning earth awaken for peace
Vidigavae
Let it dawn!
Mannmel manjal veluchcham
May golden morning light
Vizhugavae
Fall upon the soil
Malarae sombal muriththu
Oh flower, stretch away your sluggishness
Ezhugavae
And rise up!
Kuzhanthai vizhikattumae
May the child wake up
Thaayin katha kathappil
In the warm embrace of the mother
Ulagam vidiyattumae
May the world dawn anew
Pillayin sirumugha sirippil
In the smile on the child's small face
Vellai pookal ulagam engum
May white flowers bloom all across the world
Malargavae…malargavae
Bloom forth... bloom forth!
Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga
May the dawning earth awaken for peace
Vidigavae…vidigavae
Let it dawn... let it dawn!
Mannmel manjal veluchcham
May golden morning light
Vizhugavae
Fall upon the soil
Malarae sombal muriththu
Oh flower, stretch away your sluggishness
Ezhugavae
And rise up!
Kuzhanthai vizhikattumae
May the child wake up
Thaayin katha kathappil
In the warm embrace of the mother
Ulagam vidiyattumae
May the world dawn anew
Pillayin sirumugha sirippil
In the smile on the child's small face
Kaatrin perisaiyum
Can the grand symphony of the wind
Mazhai paadum paadalgalum
And the songs sung by the rain
Oru maunam pol inbam tharumoo..ooo
Give bliss as profound as silence?
Kodi keertanaiyum
Can ten million musical compositions
Kavi kortha vaarthaigalum
And words woven by poets
Thuli kanner pol arththam tharumoo…
Convey as much meaning as a single tear?
Ahaa..haaa..haa…
Ahaa..haaa..haa...
Vellai pookal ulagam engum
May white flowers bloom all across the world
Malargavae…malargavae
Bloom forth... bloom forth!
Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga
May the dawning earth awaken for peace
Vidigavae…vidigavae
Let it dawn... let it dawn!
Mannmel manjal veluchcham
May golden morning light
Vizhugavae
Fall upon the soil
Malarae sombal muriththu
Oh flower, stretch away your sluggishness
Ezhugavae
And rise up!
Yengu siru kuzhanthai
Wherever a little child
Than kaigal neetidumo
Extends its tiny hands
Angu thondraiyo kollai nilavae
Won't the bright full moon appear there?
Engu manidha inam
Wherever humanity
Por oyinthu sayinthidumo
Rests after war has ceased
Angu koovadho vellai kuyilae ..ae….
Won't a white cuckoo sing there?
Vellai pookal ulagam engum
May white flowers bloom all across the world
Malargavae
Bloom forth
Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga
May the dawning earth awaken for peace
Vidigavae
Let it dawn
Mannmel manjal veluchcham
May golden morning light
Vizhugavae
Fall upon the soil
Malarae sombal muriththu
Oh flower, stretch away your sluggishness
Ezhugavae
And rise up!
Vellai pookal ulagam engum
May white flowers bloom all across the world
Malargavae…malargavae
Bloom forth... bloom forth!
Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga
May the dawning earth awaken for peace
Vidigavae…vidigavae
Let it dawn... let it dawn!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Vellai Pookal is an iconic anthem for global peace and humanity written by Vairamuthu and composed/sung by A. R. Rahman for Mani Ratnam's 2002 film Kannathil Muthamittal. Set against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan Civil War, the song uses nature imagery—white flowers, dawning sunlight, rain, wind, and cuckoos—to express a deep yearning for harmony, the safety of innocent children, and the end of armed conflict.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Symbolism (குறியீடு)
“Vellai pookal ulagam engum”
'Vellai pookal' (white flowers) symbolize peace, purity, and universal harmony across war-torn lands.
Imagery (காட்சிப் படிமம்)
“Mannmel manjal veluchcham”
'Manjal veluchcham' (yellow light) creates vivid visual imagery of warm morning sunlight touching the earth.
Simile (உவமை)
“Thuli kanner pol arththam tharumoo…”
Compares the emotional depth of a single tear to millions of musical notes and poetic words using 'pol' (like).
Personification (தற்காப்பு உருவகப்படுத்துதல்)
“Malarae sombal muriththu”
Attributes human qualities like stretching laziness ('sombal muriththu') to a flower awakening.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Vellai Pookal' was composed and sung by A. R. Rahman himself in Raga Hamsadhwani. A. R. Rahman won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for Kannathil Muthamittal, while Vairamuthu won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics for this song.
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