Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Aandan Adimai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Annae Annae

From Aandan Adimai · 2001

Lyricist
Muthulingam
Singer
Shankar Mahadevan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Aandan Adimai
Movie release year
2001
Lyrics added on
17 Jan 2026

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Annae annae karuppannae
Kaadha konjam thiruppannae
Adi maattukkooda potti ennannae
Annae annae karuppannae
Kaadha konjam thiruppannae
Adi maattukkooda potti ennannae
Hae veeramulla karuppannae
Antha kaadha pazhasannae
Ippa erumaipola
Porumai ennannae
Kotta kotta muzhikkirae
Kosham pottu alaiyurae
Thuttukkuthaan thudikkirae
Soththu pottalaththa pudikkirae
Ada puththiya mattumthaan engaeyo
Viththuputtae viththaepputtae
Annae annae karuppannae
Kaadha konjam thiruppannae
Adi maattukkooda potti ennannae
Hae veeramulla karuppannae
Antha kadha pazhasannae
Ippa erumaipola
Porumai ennannae
……………………..
Kattidam kattinavan
Adhai katti mudichchathumae
Veettukkullae nuzhainjaa
Adhai theettunnu solvaanga
……………………..
Maatta kulikka vachchu
Pasumpaala karanthu vanthaa
Adhil theettu irukkathu
Adhai saamikkum vaippaanga
…………………..
Nilavukku ponaalum angaeyum saathi varum
Saathigal vanthaalae saeriyum saernthu varum
Chorus :Nilavukku ponaalum angaeyum saathi varum
Saathigal vanthaalae saeriyum saernthu varum
Angaeyae saathiyin sandaigalaai
Vatta nilavu rendupadum
Intha india mannuku rajaavae
Kovanam kovanam paththiramdaa
Ada….adhaiyum nice-ah
Uruva poraandaa nammaalu
Annae annae karuppannae
Kaadha konjam thiruppannae
Adi maattukkooda potti ennannae
Veeramulla karuppannae
Antha kadha pazhasannae
Ippa erumaipola
Porumai ennannae
Punitha yaaththoraiyaam
Chorus :Ada payanam povaanga
Male :Punniyam aththanaikkum
Chorus :Moththa kuththagai ketpaanga
………………..
Hae…nesavu neiyyiravan
Chorus :Ada thariya viththuputtaa
Male :Antha thariyai viththa pinnae
Chorus :Avan pasiya vippaanaa
…………………
Katchikalin kodi thuniyai
Kizhichchu thachchaakka
Poster ottum pasai maavai
Saerththu vachchaakka
Katchigalin kodi thuniyai
Kizhichchu thachchaakka
Poster ottum pasai maavai
Saerththu vachchaakka
Namma udamba maraikkalaam
Dhinam kanjiyum kudikkalaam
Pacha poiyyula puralum katchikalellaam
Jeyichchu ponaa halwathaan
Ada appaavi makkalukku
Eppothu vaippaandaa kullaathaan
Annae annae karuppannae
Kaadha konjam thiruppannae
Adi maattukkooda potti ennannae
Veeramulla karuppannae
Antha kadha pazhasannae
Ippa erumaipola
Porumai ennannae
Kotta kotta muzhikkirae
Kosham pottu alaiyurae
Thuttukkuththaan thudikkirae
Soththu pottalaththa pudikkirae
Ada puththiya mattumthaan engaeyo
Viththuputtae viththuputtae…
Annae annae karuppannae
Kaadha konjam thiruppannae
Adi maattukkooda potti ennannae
Veeramulla karuppannae
Antha kadha pazhasannae
Ippa erumaipola
Porumai ennannae
Brother, brother Karuppan,
Turn your ear this way a little.
Brother, what is this competition with a draft cattle?
Brother, brother Karuppan,
Turn your ear this way a little.
Brother, what is this competition with a draft cattle?
Hey brave Karuppan,
That story is old now, brother.
Now like a buffalo,
What is this patience, brother?
You stare wide-eyed,
You wander around shouting slogans,
You yearn only for money,
You grab the food packet.
Oh, only your intelligence,
You sold off somewhere, you sold it off!
Brother, brother Karuppan,
Turn your ear this way a little.
Brother, what is this competition with a draft cattle?
Hey brave Karuppan,
That story is old now, brother.
Now like a buffalo,
What is this patience, brother?
....................
The one who built the building,
As soon as he finishes constructing it,
If he steps inside the house,
They will call it untouchable impurity.
....................
If one bathes the cow,
And milks fresh milk from it,
There is no impurity in that,
They will even offer it to God.
...................
Even if you go to the moon, caste will follow you there.
If castes arrive, the slums will also follow.
Chorus: Even if you go to the moon, caste will follow you there.
If castes arrive, the slums will also follow.
Right there, into fights over caste,
The round moon will split in two.
Oh king of this Indian land,
Keep your loincloth safe, man!
Oh... even that, cleverly,
Our own man will strip away, brother!
Brother, brother Karuppan,
Turn your ear this way a little.
Brother, what is this competition with a draft cattle?
Brave Karuppan,
That story is old now, brother.
Now like a buffalo,
What is this patience, brother?
It is said to be a holy pilgrimage,
Chorus: Oh, they will go on a journey,
Male: For all the religious merit,
Chorus: They will claim a total monopoly.
................
Hey... the weaver who weaves cloth,
Chorus: Oh, if he sells off his loom,
Male: After selling that loom,
Chorus: Can he sell off his hunger?
...................
The flag cloth of political parties,
If you tear and stitch together,
The flour paste used for sticking posters,
If you gather it together,
The flag cloth of political parties,
If you tear and stitch together,
The flour paste used for sticking posters,
If you gather it together,
We can cover our bodies,
And we can drink porridge every day.
All the political parties that wallow in blatant lies,
If they win, it is just deceitful sweet-talk.
Oh, for innocent people,
He will pull a fast one anytime!
Brother, brother Karuppan,
Turn your ear this way a little.
Brother, what is this competition with a draft cattle?
Brave Karuppan,
That story is old now, brother.
Now like a buffalo,
What is this patience, brother?
You stare wide-eyed,
You wander around shouting slogans,
You yearn only for money,
You grab the food packet.
Oh, only your intelligence,
You sold off, you sold it off...
Brother, brother Karuppan,
Turn your ear this way a little.
Brother, what is this competition with a draft cattle?
Brave Karuppan,
That story is old now, brother.
Now like a buffalo,
What is this patience, brother?
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Female
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Annae Annae Karuppannae' from the movie 'Aandan Adimai' is a hard-hitting social commentary disguised as a folk-inspired rhythmic song. It critique societal hypocrisy, caste discrimination, socio-economic exploitation, and political opportunism in modern society. Through sharp lyricism, it addresses how working-class laborers build houses they aren't allowed to enter, and how the milk from a cow cared for by a working-class person is deemed pure while the person themselves is branded impure.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter rhyme)

Kattidam kattinavan / Adhai katti mudichchathumae

The second letters of consecutive lines match, establishing a strong rhythmic flow typical of Tamil folk songs.

Metaphor & Social Irony

Vatta nilavu rendupadum

Compares caste discrimination following humans even to the moon and causing the round moon to split into two, highlighting the pervasive nature of social division.

Rhetorical Questioning

Antha thariyai viththa pinnae / Avan pasiya vippaanaa

Uses a rhetorical question to highlight the dire plight of weavers who sell their looms out of poverty.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by noted poet Muthulingam and set to music by Ilaiyaraaja, this track features powerful, energetic vocal delivery by Shankar Mahadevan. The song addresses social stratification and political deception with raw street-philosophy tone, making it one of the distinct socio-political folk songs in late-career Ilaiyaraaja compositions.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Aandan Adimai

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.