Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Yaaro Yaaro

From Maattrraan · 2012

Lyricist
Thamarai
Singers
Karthik, Priya Himesh
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Details
Maattrraan2012

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Yaaro yaaro naan yaaroWho am I? Who am I?
Unnai vittu naan veroAm I someone separate from you?
Thananthaniyae nindraal ennai yerpaaroIf I stand all alone, will anyone accept me?
Male
Kaatre kaatre solvaaiyoOh wind, oh wind, will you tell me?
Kaalam thaandi selvaaiyoWill you travel beyond time?
Kanneer vittu karaiyum ennai kaapaiyoWill you save me as I dissolve shedding tears?
Male
Idhu kanava kanavaIs this a dream, a dream?
Illai nenava nenavaOr is it reality, reality?
Idhu kanava irundhaalIf this is a dream,
Kalainthae pogum pogattumLet it fade away and vanish!
Idhu nizhala nizhalaIs this a shadow, a shadow?
Illai oliya oliyaOr is it light, light?
Idhu nizhalai irundhaalIf this is a shadow,
Irulil karaindhae maraiyatumLet it dissolve and disappear into the darkness!
Male
Oh…Oh…
Yaaro yaaro naan yaaroWho am I? Who am I?
Unnai vittu naan veroAm I someone separate from you?
Thananthaniyae nindraal ennai yerpaaroIf I stand all alone, will anyone accept me?
Male
Mudhal murai inguFor the first time here,
Nee indri nadakiren thaniyaagaI walk alone without you.
Irundhum yean un moochu kaatraiEven so, why do I feel your breath
Unargiren idhamaagaSo comfortably soothing?
Male
Sari paadhi iravum pagalumNight and day split equally,
Ena kulliyae ulagam suzhalumThe world rotates within us.
Oru paadhiyum pirinthae ponaalIf one half separates and leaves,
EnnaagumWhat will happen?
Ninaivaal ini naan vaazhaFor me to live on memories hereafter,
Nadhi pol ini naal pogaFor days to flow like a river hereafter,
Edhanaal ini aarum aarumHow will this wound of mine
En kaayamEver heal?
Male
Yaaro yaaro naan yaaroWho am I? Who am I?
Unnai vittu naan veroAm I someone separate from you?
Thananthaniyse nindraal ennai yerpaaroIf I stand all alone, will anyone accept me?
Female
Aa aa ah aa…Aa aa ah aa…
Aa aa lalalalala aa aa lalalalaalaAa aa lalalalala aa aa lalalalaala
Male
Kanaakalil varum pen pinbamThe female silhouette that appears in dreams,
Thigaikiren yaar endruI wonder in amazement who she is.
Mugathirai adhai thalli paarthalWhen I push aside that face veil and look,
Muraikiraai nee nindruYou stand there glaring playfully!
Male
Kanagaambara idhazhai virithuBlossoming like crossandra flower petals,
Kurumbaai oru siripai udhirthuDropping a mischievous smile,
Thirumbamalae nadanthal sendraaiYou walked away without turning back;
Yethu minjumWhat remains now?
Male
Niramaalayai pol nenjamLike a rainbow, my heart
Nelinthadidum pala vannamSwirls with many shades.
Unai paarthathum paarathathu polPretending not to see you after seeing you,
Siru vanjamA playful little vengeance!
Unai paarthathum paarathathu polPretending not to see you after seeing you,
Siru vanjamA playful little vengeance!
Male
Yaaro yaaro naan yaaroWho am I? Who am I?
Unnai vittu naan veroAm I someone separate from you?
Thananthaniyae nindraal ennai yerpaaroIf I stand all alone, will anyone accept me?
Male
Kaatre kaatre solvaaiyoOh wind, oh wind, will you tell me?
Kaalam thaandi selvaaiyoWill you travel beyond time?
Kanneer vittu karaiyum ennai kaapaiyoWill you save me as I dissolve shedding tears?
Male
Idhu kanava kanavaIs this a dream, a dream?
Illai nenava nenavaOr is it reality, reality?
Idhu kanava irundhaalIf this is a dream,
Kalainthae pogum pogattumLet it fade away and vanish!
Idhu nizhala nizhalaIs this a shadow, a shadow?
Illai oliya oliyaOr is it light, light?
Idhu nizhalai irundhaalIf this is a shadow,
Irulil karaindhae maraiyatumLet it dissolve and disappear into the darkness!
Mmm… Mmm… Mmm… Mmm…Mmm… Mmm… Mmm… Mmm…

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Yaaro Yaaro' from 'Maattrraan' (2012) is a deeply emotional song centered on identity crisis, grief, and emotional disorientation following the separation of conjoined twins. Written by Thamarai and composed by Harris Jayaraj, the song conveys the psychological trauma of the surviving twin as he struggles to comprehend an existence independent of his brother. He questions whether his present state is a dream or reality, a shadow or light, as he grapples with phantom sensations of feeling his brother's presence and breath beside him. The narrative arc moves through sorrow, nostalgic memories of shared love and affection, and the agonizing process of facing an uncertain future alone. Thamarai's poignant lyrics capture the profound emptiness left behind when one half of a whole is suddenly severed.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (Rhyming End Words)

Idhu kanava kanava / Illai nenava nenava

The repetition of matching end sounds ('kanava' and 'nenava') creates a rhythmic, musical rhyming structure reflecting the protagonist's confusion between dream and reality.

Simile (Uvamai Ani)

Nadhi pol ini naal poga

Comparing the passage of days to a river ('Nadhi pol'), expressing the relentless and continuous flow of time despite personal grief.

Simile (Uvamai Ani)

Niramaalayai pol nenjam

Comparing the emotional spectrum of the heart to a rainbow ('Niramaalayai pol'), depicting swirling emotions.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Kanagaambara idhazhai virithu / Kurumbaai oru siripai udhirthu

The repetition of initial consonant sounds ('Ka' / 'Ku') creates structural harmony across the couplet.

Did you know?

Trivia

In 'Maattrraan', actor Suriya portrays conjoined twins Vimal and Akilan. 'Yaaro Yaaro' plays at a crucial turning point in the film when one twin passes away, leaving the surviving brother to experience the physical and psychological anguish similar to phantom limb syndrome. Lyricist Thamarai and composer Harris Jayaraj collaborated to capture this unique emotional predicament, blending melancholic melodies with deeply introspective lyrics.

Keep listening

More from Maattrraan