Aanai Koottam
From Thilagar · 2023
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Aana kuttam maenjaalum | Even if a herd of elephants grazes it, |
| Ara masam aagumaiyaaa | It will take half a month, sir. |
| Senai aaanjaalum | Even if an army tries to clear it up, |
| Iduppu odunchi pogumaiyaa | Their backs will break, sir. |
| Male | |
| Kovil kodaiku valathathula | In the right hand raised to support the temple festival, |
| Kodari vilunthiruchae | An axe has fallen! |
| Dhaanam koduka valathathula | In the right hand extended to give charity, |
| Kattaari irangirichae | A dagger has plunged in! |
| Male | |
| Enna kutham enna kutham | What fault, what fault? |
| Enna kutham senjadhu indha vaalainga | What crime did these young boys commit? |
| Idha vettunadhu kadavunaalum koolainga | Even if it was God who struck them down, they are murderers! |
| Kolainga…. | Murderers!... |
ஆன கூட்டம் மேஞ்சாலும்
அர மாசம் ஆகுமய்யா
சேனை ஆஞ்சாலும்
இடுப்பு ஒடுஞ்சி போகுமய்யா
Even if a herd of elephants grazes it,
It will take half a month, sir.
Even if an army tries to clear it up,
Their backs will break, sir.
கோவில் கொடைக்கு வளத்ததுல
கோடாரி விழந்திருச்சே
தானம் கொடுக்க வளத்ததுல
கட்டாரி இறங்கிறிச்சே
In the right hand raised to support the temple festival,
An axe has fallen!
In the right hand extended to give charity,
A dagger has plunged in!
என்ன குத்தம் என்ன குத்தம்
செஞ்சது இந்த வாழைங்க
இத வெட்டனுது கடவுளுனாலும்கோழைங்க
கோழைங்க ...
What fault, what fault?
What crime did these young boys commit?
Even if it was God who struck them down, they are murderers!
Murderers!...
Aana kuttam maenjaalum
Even if a herd of elephants grazes it,
Ara masam aagumaiyaaa
It will take half a month, sir.
Senai aaanjaalum
Even if an army tries to clear it up,
Iduppu odunchi pogumaiyaa
Their backs will break, sir.
Kovil kodaiku valathathula
In the right hand raised to support the temple festival,
Kodari vilunthiruchae
An axe has fallen!
Dhaanam koduka valathathula
In the right hand extended to give charity,
Kattaari irangirichae
A dagger has plunged in!
Enna kutham enna kutham
What fault, what fault?
Enna kutham senjadhu indha vaalainga
What crime did these young boys commit?
Idha vettunadhu kadavunaalum koolainga
Even if it was God who struck them down, they are murderers!
Kolainga….
Murderers!...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song expresses intense grief, injustice, and rage over the violent death or betrayal of innocent, noble young men. The lyrics employ rustic metaphors to convey the immense magnitude of the tragedy, contrasting the victims' charitable and pious deeds with the brutal violence inflicted upon them. The song culminates in a fierce moral outrage, declaring that regardless of who committed such a heinous act—even if it were divine power—it remains an unpardonable murder.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Hyperbole / Folk Metaphor
“Aana kuttam maenjaalum / Ara masam aagumaiyaaa”
Uses the grand image of a herd of elephants grazing or an army attempting a task to magnify the sheer scale of effort, loss, or turmoil.
Irony and Imagery Contrast
“Kovil kodaiku valathathula / Kodari vilunthiruchae”
Contrasts the holy, giving nature of the hand (giving alms and supporting temple festivals) with brutal weapons of destruction (axes and daggers).
Anaphora (Repetition for Emphasis)
“Enna kutham enna kutham”
Repeats 'Enna kutham' (What fault) to emphasize profound distress, innocence, and rhetorical questioning of unfair tragedy.
Parallelism / Structural Rhyme
“Dhaanam koduka valathathula / Kattaari irangirichae”
Presents structured, rhyming line endings ('valathathula') across consecutive stanzas to build lyrical rhythm typical of Tamil folk laments (Oppari style).
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Trivia
The song delivers a powerful rural lament ('oppari' style narrative) set to Kannan's gritty musical composition, emotionally amplified by Mukesh's passionate vocal delivery portraying themes of blood feuds and injustice in southern Tamil Nadu.
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