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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vilayaattaa Padagotty Male

From Dhoni · 2012

Lyricist
Na. Muthu Kumar
Singer
Hariharan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Dhoni2012

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Thanthanatha thandhan naa[Rhythmic vocalization]
Thanthanatha thandhan naa naa[Rhythmic vocalization]
Thanthanatha thandhan naa[Rhythmic vocalization]
Thanthanatha thandhan naa naa[Rhythmic vocalization]
Male
Vilayaatta padagottyPlayfully steering the boat,
Vilaiyadum paruvampolLike the playful age of youth,
Naesamana odampol naam aanomWe became like a boat bound by true affection.
Vilayaatta padagottyPlayfully steering the boat,
Vilaiyadum paruvampolLike the playful age of youth,
Naesamana odampol naam aanomWe became like a boat bound by true affection.
Karaikaana kadalmeedhae neeyum naanumOn the shoreless sea, you and I,
Thadumaarum odampol thaavi parthomWe leaped and looked like a faltering boat.
Ennaanaalum yaerpathuthan vazhkaiyammaLife is all about accepting whatever comes, my dear.
Male
Vilayaatta padagottyPlayfully steering the boat,
Vilaiyadum paruvampolLike the playful age of youth,
Naesamana odampol naam aanomWe became like a boat bound by true affection.
Male
Thathi thathi neeril aadiDancing and tottering upon the water,
Suthi suthi suzhalumbothumEven when spinning round and round in whirlpools,
Akkaraiku pogathanae alladumIt struggles just to reach the opposite shore.
Ethanaiyo puyalum kanduHaving witnessed so many storms,
Kottum mazhaiyil porumaiyum konduBearing patience even in the pouring rain,
Tholaidhoorum serathanae thalladumIt stumbles along just to reach a distant destination.
Male
Thannoda vazhiyellamAlong its entire journey,
Thannai thavira thunai undoIs there any companion other than oneself?
Dhesaiyellam vazhiyagumEvery direction becomes a path,
Oru vazhithan unakkagumBut only one path becomes truly yours.
Yeppodhu karaiyai saerum odam…odam..When will the boat finally reach the shore?
Male
Vilayaatta padagottyPlayfully steering the boat,
Vilaiyadum paruvampolLike the playful age of youth,
Naesamana odampol naam aanomWe became like a boat bound by true affection.
Male
Kattumaram endraal ennaWhat is a catamaran raft after all?
Vettupatta marangal thaanaeIt is just trees that were chopped down, isn't it?
Kashtapadum neeyum naanumYou and I who undergo hardships,
Adhu polaeAre just like that.
Pattapaadu alaigal polaeThe suffering endured is like the waves,
Vittu vittu modhipaarkumHitting again and again intermittently.
Yetti nirka thirumba thirumba vilaiyadumStanding at a distance, playing its game over and over.
Male
Kadal irangum kattumaramA catamaran setting out into the ocean,
Aazhatha ariyathuDoes not know the true depth of the sea.
Kadalsaerum nadhi ellamAll rivers that merge into the sea,
Thirumbithan pogathuNever turn back and return.
Mudivilla mudivukkaethu mudivu… mudivu…Where is the end to an endless cycle?
Male
Vilayaatta padagottyPlayfully steering the boat,
Vilaiyadum paruvampolLike the playful age of youth,
Naesamana odampol naam aanomWe became like a boat bound by true affection.
Karaikaana kadalmeedhae neeyum naanumOn the shoreless sea, you and I,
Thadumaarum odampol thaavi parthomWe leaped and looked like a faltering boat.
Ennaanaalum yaerpathuthan vazhkaiyammaLife is all about accepting whatever comes, my dear.
Male
Vilayaatta padagottyPlayfully steering the boat,
Vilaiyadum paruvampolLike the playful age of youth,
Naesamana odampol naam aanomWe became like a boat bound by true affection.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Vaanaam Vaelayil' / 'Vilayaatta Padagotty' from the film Dhoni (2012) uses extended maritime metaphors to explore the unpredictability, struggles, and resilience of human life. By comparing a person's life journey to a small boat or raft navigating a vast, shoreless ocean, Na. Muthu Kumar highlights how life tosses individuals through storms, whirlpools, and heavy rain. Despite these endless hardships, the central philosophy remains one of quiet acceptance, inner strength, and perseverance. The lyrics compare human suffering to chopped logs bound together to make a catamaran (Kattumaram); though cut down and battered by relentless waves, the wooden raft continues to float and cross the waters. Ultimately, the song serves as a reflective, philosophical meditation on self-reliance, noting that every individual must navigate their own singular path through life's uncertain sea.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uwamai (Simile)

Vilaiyadum paruvampol Naesamana odampol naam aanom

Compares the innocent and vulnerable phase of youth/life to a small boat ('Odam') navigating the open sea.

Thirukkoal / Extended Metaphor

Kattumaram endraal enna, Vettupatta marangal thaanae

Uses the image of a catamaran made of severed logs ('Vettupatta marangal') to symbolize resilient humans forged through life's painful trials.

Adukkuthodar / Anaphora & Rhyme

Thathi thathi neeril aadi, Suthi suthi suzhalumbothum

Repetition of rhythmic words like 'Thathi thathi' and 'Suthi suthi' creates a swaying, waltz-like rhythm mimicking the movement of waves.

Did you know?

Trivia

The soundtrack of Dhoni (2012) was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics written by Na. Muthu Kumar. The film, directed by Prakash Raj, centers around the educational pressure on children and a father-son relationship, making the song's underlying themes of struggle, identity, and perseverance deeply resonant with the movie's core narrative.

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