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IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Appan Yaru

From Pudhea Paadhai · 1989

Lyricist: Vairamuthu
Singer: K. J. Yesudas
Music director: Chandrabose
Movie name: Pudhea Paadhai
Movie release year: 1989
Lyrics added on: 13 Oct 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics

↻ English translation

Aariro aaraaro aariro aaraaro

Appan yaaru amma yaaru

Naanum paarkkala

Kanneerthaan kandaenamma

Thaaipaal paarkala

Porakkum kozhanthaikellaam

Pattu thottilthaan

Enakku thottilennamo

Kuppai thottithaan

Appan yaaru amma yaaru

Naanum paarkkala

Kanneerthaan kandaenamma

Thaaipaal paarkala

Aaraaro aariro aaraaro aariro

Ennamo ulagaththaiyae pudikalaiyae

Ennaiyum ulagaththukku pudikalaiyae

Thunbaththukku porathavan intha pullaiyae

Enna thoppulkodi aruththava kollavillaiyae

Azhuthaenae….oooo….

Azhuthaenae azhuthaenae

Kanneerukkum eeramilla

Appan yaaru amma yaaru

Naanum paarkkala

Kanneerthaan kandaenamma

Thaaipaal paarkala

Aariro aariro….

Naanazhutha neraththilae yaarum varalla

Oorazhutha vaelaiyilae naanum varala

Enakenna saabamo velangalaiyae

Thupparinju paarkurean tholangalaiyae

Thisaiyengae….oooo…oo…

Thisaiyengae thisaiyangae

Vazhikaattum jeevanilla

Appan yaaru amma yaaru

Naanum paarkkala

Kanneerthaan kandaenamma

Thaaipaal paarkala

Porakkum Kozhanthaikellam

Pattu thottilthaan

Enakku thottilennamo

Kuppai thottithaan

Appan yaaru amma yaaru

Naanum paarkkala

Kanneerthaan kandaenamma

Thaaipaal paarkala

Aariro aararo, aariro aararo...

Who is my father? Who is my mother?

I have never seen them.

I have only seen tears, mother,

I never saw a mother's milk.

For every child that is born,

there is a cradle of silk,

but as for me, my only cradle

was a garbage bin...

Who is my father? Who is my mother?

I have never seen them.

I have only seen tears, mother,

I never saw a mother's milk.

Aararo aariro, aararo aariro...

For some reason, I don't like this world,

and this world doesn't like me either.

This child was born only for suffering;

the woman who cut my umbilical cord didn't just kill me.

I wept... oh... oh... oh...

I wept and I wept,

yet even my tears have no moisture left.

Who is my father? Who is my mother?

I have never seen them.

I have only seen tears, mother,

I never saw a mother's milk.

Aariro aariro...

When I cried, nobody came to me,

and when the town cried, I didn't go either.

What curse is upon me, I don't understand;

I search and search, but find no answers.

Which direction... oh... oh...

Where is the way? Which direction do I go?

There is not a single soul to guide me.

Who is my father? Who is my mother?

I have never seen them.

I have only seen tears, mother,

I never saw a mother's milk.

For every child that is born,

there is a cradle of silk,

but as for me, my only cradle

was a garbage bin...

Who is my father? Who is my mother?

I have never seen them.

I have only seen tears, mother,

I never saw a mother's milk...

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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This poignant song from the film Pudhea Paadhai presents a subversion of the classic Tamil lullaby (Taalaattu). Instead of soothing a child to sleep with warmth and love, the protagonist uses the lullaby refrain to mourn his own abandoned origins, lack of parental love, and bitter life as an orphan. He contrasts the privileged lives of children born into loving homes with his own fate of being discarded in a garbage bin upon birth. The lyrics reflect profound emotional isolation and the deep existential pain of feeling unloved and directionless in a harsh world.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Irony (Lullaby Subversion)

“Aariro aaraaro aariro aaraaro”

The song uses the 'Aariro Aaraaro' lullaby refrain—traditionally sung by mothers to comfort infants—to express the grief of an orphan who never received maternal warmth.

Contrast / Juxtaposition

“Pattu thottilthaan / Enakku thottilennamo / Kuppai thottithaan”

Striking antithesis comparing 'Pattu thottil' (silk cradle) bestowed on blessed infants with 'Kuppai thottil' (garbage bin) where the protagonist was abandoned.

Ethukai (Second-letter Assonance)

“Ennamo ulagaththaiyae pudikalaiyae / Ennaiyum ulagaththukku pudikalaiyae”

Traditional Tamil poetic rhyme matching the second consonant across lines ('nn' sound in Ennamo and Ennaiyum).

Did you know?

Trivia

Pudhea Paadhai (1989) was the directorial debut of R. Parthiban, who also starred as the protagonist—a hardened orphan turned rowdy. Composed by Chandrabose with lyrics by Vairamuthu and sung by K. J. Yesudas, this song serves as the central emotional anchor explaining the protagonist's traumatized psyche.

Keep listening

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Vada Thangam Vada1995

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Aariraaro Paadum Ullam1993

Ulle VeliyeGriefMournful

Thottil Kili Thoongadi1985

MarudhaniGriefFate

Kannaana Poomaganae1981

Thanneer ThanneerGriefPoverty

From the same album

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