[Dhoni] veLaiyAttA padagOtti veLaiyAdum paruvam…

A Guest post by fluxvortex! Beautifully translated and a wonderful song
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“A fanboy post today. Right off the bat, the opening ‘sandham’s (the syllables denoting the rhythmic structure of the verses) set the perfect stage for a piece of music that is going to stay with you forever. As the vocals lead to the strings, through the air the sounds start entering your body, slowly flooding your system. With Na.Muthukumar’s beautiful lyrics evoking a sense of contemplation, you soon become oblivious to all things around you. You are flooded by the thoughts of your parents who you wish never grew old. Flooded by fleeting images of the struggle they had to go through just to raise you. Flooded by happy memories. Flooded by thoughts of your near and dear ones. Flooded by sad memories. Flooded by memories of separation. Flooded by uncertain future. They don’t stop. You are flooded by a sea of thoughts and the man arranges the orchestration in a way such that the music ebbs and flows to set you sail down the pensive stream.
What a lovely way to convince that one must accept and move on whatever happens. And Shreya
Ghoshal. No other voice could have done more justice to the Maestro’s composition in recent times than hers (It’s okay, I know you also like her but I am right at the front and you can stand behind me in the queue). It’s always a good time to listen to this song.”

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Movie: Dhoni
Poet: Na. Muthukumar
Singer: Shreya Ghoshal
Music Director: Ilaiyaraaja
Song sequence:(1)-(1)-(2)-(1)-(3)-(4)-(1)-(5)-(6)-(1)-(2)-(1)

தந்தனனத்தன தந்தன்னா தந்தனனத்தன தந்தன்னானா

thandhananaththana thandhannA thandhananaththana thandhannAnA

(1)வெளையாட்டா படகோட்டி வெளையாடும் பருவம் போய் 
நெசமான ஓடம் போல் நாமானோம்

veLaiyAttA padagOtti veLaiyAdum paruvam pOi
nesamAna Odam pOl nAmAnOm

Gone are the times when we played with paper boats.
We have now become like the real rafts ourselves.

(2)கரைகாணா கடல்மேலே நீயும் நானும்
தடுமாறும் ஓடம் போல் தாவிப்பார்த்தோம்
என்னானாலும் ஏற்பதுதான் வாழ்கையம்மா

karaikANA kadal mElE nIyum nAnum
thadumARum Odam pOl thAvippArththOm
yennAnAlum yErpadhuthAn vAzhkkaiyammA

Like a raft that wades through the endless sea,
we have stumbled through our lives.
After all, life is nothing but accepting whatever comes our way.

(3)தத்தி தத்தி நீரில் ஆடி சுத்தி சுத்தி சுழலும் போதும் 
அக்கரைக்குப் போகத்தானே அல்லாடும்
எத்தனையோ புயலும் கண்டு 
கொட்டுமழையில் பொறுமையும் கொண்டு
தொலைதூரம் சேரத்தானே தள்ளாடும்

thaththi thaththi nIril Adi suththi suththi suzhalum pOdhum
akkaraikkuppOgaththAnE allAdum
yeththanaiyO puyalum kaNdu
kottumazhaiyil poRumaiyum koNdu
tholaidhUram sEraththAnE thaLLAdum

Even when the raft teeters and totters on the water, and when it rotates and swirls,
the raft struggles only to eventually reach the other bank,
Facing numerous storms and tempered by the pouring rains,
the raft wobbles to go a long distance.

(4)தன்னோட வழியெல்லாம் தன்னைத்தவிர துணையுண்டோ 
திசையெல்லாம் வழியாகும் ஒரு வழி தான் உனக்காகும் 
எப்போது கரையச் சேரும் ஓடம்... ஓடம்

thannOda vazhiyellAm thannaiththavira thuNaiyuNdO
thisaiyellAm vazhiyAgum oru vazhi thAn unakkAgum
yeppOthu karaiyachchErum Odam… Odam

Does the raft have any company to keep along its way other than itself?
Every direction comprises of numerous paths, one of which will be yours (destiny)!
One wonders how long it will be before the raft reaches the bank!

(5) வெட்டுபட்ட காயம் தாங்கி கட்டுமர வடிவம் கொண்டு 
காட்டை விட்டு வெளியே வந்து கரை தேடும்
பட்டப்பகல் வெயிலில் காய்ந்து நட்டநடு நிலவில் தோய்ந்து
வெட்டவெளி வானம் பார்த்து விளையாடும்

vettuppatta kAyam thAngi kattumara vadivam koNdu
kAttai vittu veliyE vandhu karai thEdum
pattappagal veyilil kAindhu nattanadu nilavil thOindhu
vettaveLi vAnam pArththu viLaiyAdum

Bearing the wounds of cutting (and shaping), taking the form of a catamaran,
the log comes out of the forest and searches for its destiny.
Hardened under the scorching noon’s sun, and softened by the midnight’s moon,
the raft moves along playfully looking up at the vast empty sky.

(6)கடலில்தான் திரிந்தாலும் ஆழத்தை அறியாது
கடல் சேரும் நதியெல்லாம் திரும்பித்தான் போகாது
முடிவில்லா முடிவுக்கேது முடிவு... முடிவு

kadalil thAn thirindhAlum Azhaththai aRiyAthu
kadal sErum nathiyellAm thirumbiththAn pOgAthu
mudivillA mudivukkEthu mudivu… mudivu

Even though it floats on the sea, the raft does not know the depth of the waters.
All the rivers that join at the sea do not separate and go back.
Is there an end to an endless end that is the sea!