Aararo Ariraro
From Karuththamma · 1994
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- T. K. Kala, Theni Kunjarammal
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Karuththamma1994
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aararoo aariraroo | Lullaby refrain: Aararoo aariraroo |
| Aararoo aariraroo | Lullaby refrain: Aararoo aariraroo |
| Aariraroo aararoo…oooo | Lullaby refrain: Aariraroo aararoo... |
| Female | |
| Aaraaroo nee ketka | For you to hear this lullaby, |
| Ayusu unnaku iilaiyadi | You do not have a life to live, my little girl. |
| Pudhu nellu naan avikka | Even as I boil the newly harvested rice, |
| Vidhi vandhu serndhathadi | Fate has arrived to claim you, my girl. |
| Female | |
| Thaaipaalu nee kudikka | For you to drink your mother's milk, |
| Thalai eluthu illaiyadi | Destiny has denied you the privilege, my girl. |
| Kalli paala nee kudichu | Drink the poisonous milk of the cactus |
| Kannuranghu nalla badi | And sleep peacefully forever. |
| Female | |
| Adutha oru jenmam vandhu | In your next birth, |
| Aanagha nee porandha | If you are born as a male child, |
| Bhoomiyila idam irukkum | There will be a place reserved for you on this earth. |
| Poi vaadi anna kili | Farewell, my precious little bird. |
| Female | |
| Poi vaadi anna kili | Farewell, my precious little bird. |
| Female | |
| Poi vaadi anna kili | Farewell, my precious little bird. |
| Female | |
| Poi vaadi anna kili | Farewell, my precious little bird. |
| Poi vaadi anna kili | Farewell, my precious little bird. |
| Female | |
| Aararoo aariraroo | Lullaby refrain: Aararoo aariraroo |
| Female :Poi vaadi anna kili | Female voice: Farewell, my precious little bird. |
ஆராரோ ஆரிராரோ
ஆராரோ ஆரிராரோ
ஆரிராரோ ஆராரோ...ஓஓஓ
Lullaby refrain: Aararoo aariraroo
Lullaby refrain: Aararoo aariraroo
Lullaby refrain: Aariraroo aararoo...
ஆராரோ நீ கேக்க
ஆயுசு உனக்கு இல்லையடி
புது நெல்ல நான் அவிக்க
விதி வந்து சேந்ததடி
For you to hear this lullaby,
You do not have a life to live, my little girl.
Even as I boil the newly harvested rice,
Fate has arrived to claim you, my girl.
தாய்ப்பாலு நீ குடிக்க
தலை எழுத்து இல்லையடி
கள்ளிப் பால நீ குடிச்சு
கண்ணுறங்கு நல்ல படி
For you to drink your mother's milk,
Destiny has denied you the privilege, my girl.
Drink the poisonous milk of the cactus
And sleep peacefully forever.
அடுத்து ஒரு ஜென்மம் வந்து
ஆணாக நீ பொறந்தா
பூமியில இடம் இருக்கும்
போய் வாடி அன்னக் கிளி
In your next birth,
If you are born as a male child,
There will be a place reserved for you on this earth.
Farewell, my precious little bird.
போய் வாடி அன்னக் கிளி
Farewell, my precious little bird.
போய் வாடி அன்னக் கிளி
Farewell, my precious little bird.
போய் வாடி அன்னக் கிளி
போய் வாடி அன்னக் கிளி
Farewell, my precious little bird.
Farewell, my precious little bird.
ஆராரோ ஆரிரோ
போய் வாடி அன்னக் கிளி
Lullaby refrain: Aararoo aariraroo
Female voice: Farewell, my precious little bird.
Aararoo aariraroo
Lullaby refrain: Aararoo aariraroo
Aararoo aariraroo
Lullaby refrain: Aararoo aariraroo
Aariraroo aararoo…oooo
Lullaby refrain: Aariraroo aararoo...
Aaraaroo nee ketka
For you to hear this lullaby,
Ayusu unnaku iilaiyadi
You do not have a life to live, my little girl.
Pudhu nellu naan avikka
Even as I boil the newly harvested rice,
Vidhi vandhu serndhathadi
Fate has arrived to claim you, my girl.
Thaaipaalu nee kudikka
For you to drink your mother's milk,
Thalai eluthu illaiyadi
Destiny has denied you the privilege, my girl.
Kalli paala nee kudichu
Drink the poisonous milk of the cactus
Kannuranghu nalla badi
And sleep peacefully forever.
Adutha oru jenmam vandhu
In your next birth,
Aanagha nee porandha
If you are born as a male child,
Bhoomiyila idam irukkum
There will be a place reserved for you on this earth.
Poi vaadi anna kili
Farewell, my precious little bird.
Poi vaadi anna kili
Farewell, my precious little bird.
Poi vaadi anna kili
Farewell, my precious little bird.
Poi vaadi anna kili
Farewell, my precious little bird.
Poi vaadi anna kili
Farewell, my precious little bird.
Aararoo aariraroo
Lullaby refrain: Aararoo aariraroo
Female :Poi vaadi anna kili
Female voice: Farewell, my precious little bird.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This deeply poignant song from Bharathiraja's 'Karuththamma' (1994) addresses the tragic social evil of female infanticide practiced in certain rural regions. Framed deceptively as a soothing maternal lullaby ('Aararoo'), the lyrics express a mother's agonizing grief as her newborn baby girl is forced to be put to death using toxic cactus sap ('kalli paal'). The mother mourns that society deprives her daughter of even basic life and mother's milk, painfully offering a final wish that the child be reborn as a boy in her next life so the world will grant her a place to live.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Irony / Contrast (Paradoxical Lullaby)
“Kalli paala nee kudichu Kannuranghu nalla badi”
The traditional, gentle 'Aararoo' lullaby structure designed to soothe an infant to sleep is juxtaposed with the horrifying reality of eternal sleep induced by cactus poison.
Metaphor
“Poi vaadi anna kili”
The innocent newborn baby girl is tenderly addressed as 'Anna kili' (swan-bird), emphasizing her fragility, purity, and gentleness.
Emoni / Second Letter Rhyme (Edhugai)
“Pudhu nellu naan avikka / Vidhi vandhu serndhathadi”
Traditional Tamil poetic rhyme scheme where second letters match across lines (e.g., Pudhu / Vidhi, Thaaipaalu / Thalai).
Did you know?
Trivia
'Karuththamma', directed by Bharathiraja with an iconic score by A. R. Rahman, brought the dark reality of female infanticide into national consciousness in India. Lyricist Vairamuthu received the National Film Award for Best Lyrics for his work in the soundtrack, which powerfully captured the rural social landscape.
Keep listening
More from Karuththamma
Karuththamma
Karuththamma
Karuththamma
Karuththamma
Karuththamma
Karuththamma