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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Yaathreega

From Rangoon · 2017

Lyricist
Na. Muthu Kumar
Singer
Navin Iyer
Music director
R. H. Vikram
Details
Rangoon2017

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
……………………………
Male
YaathreegaO traveler,
Nee poivaa maganaeGo forth, my son.
Ulagamae unthanThe entire world
Thaai veedu thaanis your mother's home.
YaathreegaO traveler,
Nee mannin maganaeYou are the son of this soil.
TherivathuWhatever lies before your eyes
Un thaai naaduthaanis your motherland indeed.
Male
Evvidam ponaalumWherever you may go,
Avvidam nee paarkumthe roof of the sky
Vaanathin kooraiyaavumthat you look up at
Ondru thaanadais all just one and the same, my boy.
Male
Maram sedi kodiTrees, plants, vines,
Illai malai yaavum unathadaand mountains—all are yours, my boy.
Manitharkal thunai unduYou will have human companionship
Undhan vaazhkai muzhudhumthroughout your entire life.
Male
Inivarum thinamathuThe days that lie ahead
Unthan vaazhvin varamadaaare a blessing for your life, my boy.
Pudhu idam parivudan UnnaiA new place will hold you with affection
Tholil thaangumupon its shoulders.
Male
Paadhai illaamalaeWithout a path,
Payanam illaithere is no journey.
Undhan kaal pogumWhichever way your feet lead,
Vazhiyaavum nee selladawalk that path, my boy.
Male
Payanam illaamalaeWithout a journey,
Vaazhkai illaithere is no life.
Ingu yaathreeganHere, travelers
Naam thaanadaare what we truly are.
Chorus
Ohooo….ohoooooo…hoooo….Ohooo….ohoooooo…hoooo….

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Yaathreega' is a philosophical and uplifting song about journey, belonging, and universal brotherhood. It reassures a young man embarking on a voyage into the unknown that geographical boundaries are artificial—the entire world is a welcoming home, and the sky serves as a single unifying roof over everyone.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Ulagamae unthan Thaai veedu thaan

Compares the entire world to a mother's home, implying warmth, safety, and unconditional love wherever one goes.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Vaanathin kooraiyaavum Ondru thaanada

Compares the vast sky to a single roof covering all human beings, emphasizing global unity.

Iyaipu (Refrain / End Rhyme)

Paadhai illaamalae Payanam illai / Payanam illaamalae Vaazhkai illai

Uses matching line endings and structures to emphasize the deeply interwoven nature of paths, journeys, and life.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Paadhai illaamalae / Payanam illai

Repetition of the initial letter sound 'P' ('Paadhai' and 'Payanam').

Did you know?

Trivia

The song was written by the revered late lyricist Na. Muthu Kumar, known for his evocative lyrics on life's journeys and philosophy. The movie 'Rangoon' (2017), starring Gautham Karthik, was directed by Rajkumar Periasamy and deals with themes of cross-border trade, migration, and survival between India and Myanmar (Burma).

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