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Kannathil Muthamittal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Vellai Pookal

From Kannathil Muthamittal · 2002

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
A. R. Rahman
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Kannathil Muthamittal
Movie release year
2002
Lyrics added on
1 Nov 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Vellai pookal ulagam engum
Malargavae
Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga
Vidigavae
Mannmel manjal veluchcham
Vizhugavae
Malarae sombal muriththu
Ezhugavae
Kuzhanthai vizhikattumae
Thaayin katha kathappil
Ulagam vidiyattumae
Pillayin sirumugha sirippil
Vellai pookal ulagam engum
Malargavae…malargavae
Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga
Vidigavae…vidigavae
Mannmel manjal veluchcham
Vizhugavae
Malarae sombal muriththu
Ezhugavae
Kuzhanthai vizhikattumae
Thaayin katha kathappil
Ulagam vidiyattumae
Pillayin sirumugha sirippil
Kaatrin perisaiyum
Mazhai paadum paadalgalum
Oru maunam pol inbam tharumoo..ooo
Kodi keertanaiyum
Kavi kortha vaarthaigalum
Thuli kanner pol arththam tharumoo…
Ahaa..haaa..haa…
Vellai pookal ulagam engum
Malargavae…malargavae
Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga
Vidigavae…vidigavae
Mannmel manjal veluchcham
Vizhugavae
Malarae sombal muriththu
Ezhugavae
Yengu siru kuzhanthai
Than kaigal neetidumo
Angu thondraiyo kollai nilavae
Engu manidha inam
Por oyinthu sayinthidumo
Angu koovadho vellai kuyilae ..ae….
Vellai pookal ulagam engum
Malargavae
Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga
Vidigavae
Mannmel manjal veluchcham
Vizhugavae
Malarae sombal muriththu
Ezhugavae
Vellai pookal ulagam engum
Malargavae…malargavae
Vidiyum bhoomi amaidhikaaga
Vidigavae…vidigavae
May white flowers across the whole world
bloom.
May the dawning earth, for the sake of peace,
awaken.
May golden sunlight
fall upon the earth.
O flower, stretch away your sleepiness
and rise up.
Let a child wake up
in the warmth of a mother.
Let the world awaken
to the smile on a little child's face.
May white flowers across the whole world
bloom... bloom.
May the dawning earth, for the sake of peace,
awaken... awaken.
May golden sunlight
fall upon the earth.
O flower, stretch away your sleepiness
and rise up.
Let a child wake up
in the warmth of a mother.
Let the world awaken
to the smile on a little child's face.
Can the grand music of the wind
and the songs sung by the rain
give as much joy as a moment of silence?
Can ten million melodies
and words woven into poetry
hold as much meaning as a single drop of tear?
Aaha.. haa.. haa...
May white flowers across the whole world
bloom... bloom.
May the dawning earth, for the sake of peace,
awaken... awaken.
May golden sunlight
fall upon the earth.
O flower, stretch away your sleepiness
and rise up.
Wherever a little child
reaches out its hands,
won't you appear there, O captivating moon?
Wherever humankind
rests when war has ended,
won't you sing there, O white cuckoo?
May white flowers across the whole world
bloom.
May the dawning earth, for the sake of peace,
awaken.
May golden sunlight
fall upon the earth.
O flower, stretch away your sleepiness
and rise up.
May white flowers across the whole world
bloom... bloom.
May the dawning earth, for the sake of peace,
awaken... awaken.
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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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