Yaarai Ketpadhu
From Anjala · 2016
- Lyricist
- Na. Muthu Kumar
- Singer
- Gangai Amaran
- Music director
- Gopi Sundar
- Details
- Anjala2016
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Yaarai ketpathu yaarai novathu | Whom to ask, whom to blame? |
| Kaalam ennai thaayamaaduthu | Time plays with me like a game of dice. |
| Yaarai ketpathu yaarai novathu | Whom to ask, whom to blame? |
| Kaalam ennai thaayamaaduthu | Time plays with me like a game of dice. |
| Male | |
| Mazhaiyae mazhaiyae marupadi | Oh rain, oh rain, once again... |
| Ennai kanneer sintha vaikkaathae | Do not make me shed tears. |
| Pizhaiyae ingum pizhaikkum endraal | If even mistakes manage to survive here, |
| Niyaayam adhanai porukkaathae | Justice will not tolerate it. |
| Idhu kadhaiyaa siru kadhaiyaa | Is this a story, a short story, |
| Illai thodarkadhaiyaa | Or a continuous, unending serial? |
| Male | |
| Yaarai ketpathu yaarai novathu | Whom to ask, whom to blame? |
| Kaalam ennai thaayamaaduthu | Time plays with me like a game of dice. |
| Male | |
| Vasantha kaalangal | Spring seasons... |
| Paarththa maram idhu | This is a tree that has witnessed them. |
| Pookkalin vaasangal | The fragrance of flowers... |
| Maraiyavilla | Has not faded away. |
| Male | |
| Ilaigal udhirvathai | The falling of leaves... |
| Vizhigal paarththumae | Even after seeing it with my eyes, |
| Manasukku yaen idhu | Why doesn't the heart... |
| Puriyavillai | Understand this truth? |
| Male | |
| Eththanai punnagai paarththiruppaen | How many smiles have I witnessed! |
| Endrum saatchiyaai | As a witness forever, |
| Naaniruppen | I will remain. |
| Male | |
| Kann imaiyai maraikum | Covering the eyelashes, |
| Moodu pani vilagum | The thick fog will eventually clear away. |
| Nenjukkul nampikkai | Hope inside the heart, |
| Valarththiruppaen | I will nurture. |
| Male | |
| Oru naal oru naal | One day, one day, |
| Adhu nadakkum | It will surely happen. |
| Adhu varai enthan | Until then, my... |
| Uyir irukkum..oo..ooh..oo…. | Life will stay alive..oo..ooh..oo…. |
| Male | |
| Ooru koodiyae | The entire village gathered... |
| Izhuththa thaer idhu | To pull this grand temple chariot. |
| Indru nikkuthu | Today it stands... |
| Thanimaiyilae | In utter solitude. |
| Male | |
| Nooru kaaranam | A hundred reasons... |
| Yaarum kooralaam | Anyone can offer. |
| Ellaam poithaan unmaiyilae | In truth, all of them are false. |
| Male | |
| Thalaimurai thaandi vaazhntha idam | A place that flourished across generations, |
| Indraikku idhuvo thaazhththa idam | Is today a place brought down low? |
| Male | |
| Thandavaalam naduvil | In the middle of railway tracks, |
| Mottu vidum Sediyil | On a plant sprouting tiny buds, |
| Nichchayam pookkal valarnthidumae | Flowers will certainly bloom. |
| Male | |
| Oru naal oru naal adhu nadakkum | One day, one day, it will happen. |
| Adhuvarai enthan uyir irukkum | Until then, my life will stay alive. |
| Male | |
| Yaarai ketpathu yaarai novathu | Whom to ask, whom to blame? |
| Kaalam ennai thaayamaaduthu | Time plays with me like a game of dice. |
யாரை கேட்பது யாரை நோவது
காலம் என்னைத் தாயமாடுது
யாரை கேட்பது யாரை நோவது
காலம் என்னைத் தாயமாடுது
Whom to ask, whom to blame?
Time plays with me like a game of dice.
Whom to ask, whom to blame?
Time plays with me like a game of dice.
மழையே மழையே மறுபடி
என்னை கண்ணீர் சிந்த வைக்காதே
பிழையே இங்கும் பிழைக்கும் என்றால்
நியாயம் அதனை பொறுக்காதே
இது கதையா சிறு கதையா
இல்லை தொடர்கதையா
Oh rain, oh rain, once again...
Do not make me shed tears.
If even mistakes manage to survive here,
Justice will not tolerate it.
Is this a story, a short story,
Or a continuous, unending serial?
யாரை கேட்பது யாரை நோவது
காலம் என்னைத் தாயமாடுது
Whom to ask, whom to blame?
Time plays with me like a game of dice.
வசந்த காலங்கள்
பார்த்த மரம் இது
பூக்களின் வாசங்கள்
மறையவில்லை
Spring seasons...
This is a tree that has witnessed them.
The fragrance of flowers...
Has not faded away.
இலைகள் உதிர்வதை
விழிகள் பார்த்துமே
மனசுக்கு ஏன் இது
புரிய வில்லை
The falling of leaves...
Even after seeing it with my eyes,
Why doesn't the heart...
Understand this truth?
எத்தனை புன்னகை பார்த்திருப்பேன்
என்றும் சாட்சியாய்
நானிருப்பேன்
How many smiles have I witnessed!
As a witness forever,
I will remain.
கண் இமையை மறைக்கும்
மூடு பனி விலகும்
நெஞ்சுக்குள் நம்பிக்கை
வளர்த்திருப்பேன்
Covering the eyelashes,
The thick fog will eventually clear away.
Hope inside the heart,
I will nurture.
ஒரு நாள் ஒரு நாள்
அது நடக்கும்
அது வரை எந்தன்
உயிர் இருக்கும்...ஓ...ஓஹ்...ஓ.....
One day, one day,
It will surely happen.
Until then, my...
Life will stay alive..oo..ooh..oo….
ஊரு கூடியே
இழுத்த தேர் இது
இன்று நிக்குது
தனிமையிலே
The entire village gathered...
To pull this grand temple chariot.
Today it stands...
In utter solitude.
நூறு காரணம்
யாரும் கூறலாம்
எல்லாம் பொய்தான் உண்மையிலே
A hundred reasons...
Anyone can offer.
In truth, all of them are false.
தலைமுறை தாண்டி வாழ்ந்த இடம்
இன்றைக்கு இதுவோ தாழ்த்த இடம்
A place that flourished across generations,
Is today a place brought down low?
தண்டவாளம் நடுவில்
மொட்டு விடும் செடியில்
நிச்சயம் பூக்கள் வளர்ந்திடுமே
In the middle of railway tracks,
On a plant sprouting tiny buds,
Flowers will certainly bloom.
ஒரு நாள் ஒரு நாள் அது நடக்கும்
அதுவரை எந்தன் உயிர் இருக்கும்
One day, one day, it will happen.
Until then, my life will stay alive.
யாரை கேட்பது யாரை நோவது
காலம் என்னைத் தாயமாடுது
Whom to ask, whom to blame?
Time plays with me like a game of dice.
Yaarai ketpathu yaarai novathu
Whom to ask, whom to blame?
Kaalam ennai thaayamaaduthu
Time plays with me like a game of dice.
Yaarai ketpathu yaarai novathu
Whom to ask, whom to blame?
Kaalam ennai thaayamaaduthu
Time plays with me like a game of dice.
Mazhaiyae mazhaiyae marupadi
Oh rain, oh rain, once again...
Ennai kanneer sintha vaikkaathae
Do not make me shed tears.
Pizhaiyae ingum pizhaikkum endraal
If even mistakes manage to survive here,
Niyaayam adhanai porukkaathae
Justice will not tolerate it.
Idhu kadhaiyaa siru kadhaiyaa
Is this a story, a short story,
Illai thodarkadhaiyaa
Or a continuous, unending serial?
Yaarai ketpathu yaarai novathu
Whom to ask, whom to blame?
Kaalam ennai thaayamaaduthu
Time plays with me like a game of dice.
Vasantha kaalangal
Spring seasons...
Paarththa maram idhu
This is a tree that has witnessed them.
Pookkalin vaasangal
The fragrance of flowers...
Maraiyavilla
Has not faded away.
Ilaigal udhirvathai
The falling of leaves...
Vizhigal paarththumae
Even after seeing it with my eyes,
Manasukku yaen idhu
Why doesn't the heart...
Puriyavillai
Understand this truth?
Eththanai punnagai paarththiruppaen
How many smiles have I witnessed!
Endrum saatchiyaai
As a witness forever,
Naaniruppen
I will remain.
Kann imaiyai maraikum
Covering the eyelashes,
Moodu pani vilagum
The thick fog will eventually clear away.
Nenjukkul nampikkai
Hope inside the heart,
Valarththiruppaen
I will nurture.
Oru naal oru naal
One day, one day,
Adhu nadakkum
It will surely happen.
Adhu varai enthan
Until then, my...
Uyir irukkum..oo..ooh..oo….
Life will stay alive..oo..ooh..oo….
Ooru koodiyae
The entire village gathered...
Izhuththa thaer idhu
To pull this grand temple chariot.
Indru nikkuthu
Today it stands...
Thanimaiyilae
In utter solitude.
Nooru kaaranam
A hundred reasons...
Yaarum kooralaam
Anyone can offer.
Ellaam poithaan unmaiyilae
In truth, all of them are false.
Thalaimurai thaandi vaazhntha idam
A place that flourished across generations,
Indraikku idhuvo thaazhththa idam
Is today a place brought down low?
Thandavaalam naduvil
In the middle of railway tracks,
Mottu vidum Sediyil
On a plant sprouting tiny buds,
Nichchayam pookkal valarnthidumae
Flowers will certainly bloom.
Oru naal oru naal adhu nadakkum
One day, one day, it will happen.
Adhuvarai enthan uyir irukkum
Until then, my life will stay alive.
Yaarai ketpathu yaarai novathu
Whom to ask, whom to blame?
Kaalam ennai thaayamaaduthu
Time plays with me like a game of dice.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song serves as a melancholic yet hopeful reflection on loss, time, and endurance. Set in the context of the film 'Anjala', which centers on a historic 100-year-old tea shop that has been the soul of a community, the lyrics personify the space/narrator as an enduring witness to generations of human joy, sorrow, and fellowship. The narrator laments how time treats human lives and heritage like pawns in a game of chance ('thaayam'), leaving something once revered by the entire town standing isolated and neglected. Despite the prevailing sadness and sense of injustice, the emotional arc shifts toward quiet resilience. Using vivid imagery—such as fog clearing from eyelashes or flowers blooming improbably amidst harsh railway tracks—the lyricist conveys an unshakable hope. The song concludes with a quiet declaration of patience: as long as life remains, the hope for restoration and justice will never fade.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyming)
“Mazhaiyae / Pizhaiyae”
The second consonant sound 'zhai' (ழை) in 'Mazhaiyae' (Line 5) and 'Pizhaiyae' (Line 7) rhymes, creating a traditional Tamil melodic flow.
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyming)
“Ooru / Nooru”
The second letter sound 'ru' (ரு) matches between 'Ooru' (Line 32) and 'Nooru' (Line 36).
Metaphor
“Kaalam ennai thaayamaaduthu”
Time is metaphorically framed as a player rolling dice ('thaayam'), turning human lives and places into helpless pieces in a game of chance.
Metaphor
“Ooru koodiyae izhuththa thaer idhu”
The iconic shop/space is compared to a grand temple chariot ('thaer') once revered and pulled together by the entire village community.
Imagery / Symbol of Hope
“Thandavaalam naduvil Mottu vidum Sediyil Nichchayam pookkal valarnthidumae”
Presents a striking image of life and beauty thriving in hostile environments (flowers blooming on plants between iron railway tracks) as a metaphor for resilience.
Iyaipu (End Rhyming)
“Yaarai ketpathu yaarai novathu”
The rhyming end suffixes 'ketpathu' and 'novathu' establish a rhythmic cadence reflecting grief.
Did you know?
Trivia
In the movie 'Anjala', the titular 'Anjala' is actually a century-old roadside tea shop that has stood as a silent witness to generations of lives, loves, and village history. The veteran singer and composer Gangai Amaren delivered a deeply soulful performance for this song, capturing the rustic grief of an aging landmark facing demolition. The lyrics were penned by late National Award-winning poet Na. Muthu Kumar, known for his ability to find profound poetic beauty and metaphors in ordinary everyday objects.
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