Appan Yaru
From Pudhea Paadhai · 1989
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Chandrabose
- Details
- Pudhea Paadhai1989
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aariro aaraaro aariro aaraaro | Lullaby chant (Aariro aaraaro aariro aaraaro) |
| Male | |
| Appan yaaru amma yaaru | Who is my father? Who is my mother? |
| Naanum paarkkala | I haven't seen them either. |
| Kanneerthaan kandaenamma | I have only seen tears, oh mother! |
| Thaaipaal paarkala | I haven't seen mother's milk. |
| Male | |
| Porakkum kozhanthaikellaam | For all children that are born, |
| Pattu thottilthaan | There is a silk cradle. |
| Enakku thottilennamo | As for my cradle, |
| Kuppai thottithaan | It was a garbage bin. |
| Male | |
| Appan yaaru amma yaaru | Who is my father? Who is my mother? |
| Naanum paarkkala | I haven't seen them either. |
| Kanneerthaan kandaenamma | I have only seen tears, oh mother! |
| Thaaipaal paarkala | I haven't seen mother's milk. |
| Female | |
| Aaraaro aariro aaraaro aariro | Lullaby chant (Aaraaro aariro aaraaro aariro) |
| Male | |
| Ennamo ulagaththaiyae pudikalaiyae | For some reason, I don't like this world, |
| Ennaiyum ulagaththukku pudikalaiyae | And the world doesn't like me either. |
| Thunbaththukku porathavan intha pullaiyae | This child was born only for sorrow. |
| Enna thoppulkodi aruththava kollavillaiyae | Why didn't the one who cut my umbilical cord kill me? |
| Male | |
| Azhuthaenae….oooo…. | I cried... oooo... |
| Azhuthaenae azhuthaenae | I cried, I cried... |
| Kanneerukkum eeramilla | Even my tears have no moisture left. |
| Male | |
| Appan yaaru amma yaaru | Who is my father? Who is my mother? |
| Naanum paarkkala | I haven't seen them either. |
| Kanneerthaan kandaenamma | I have only seen tears, oh mother! |
| Thaaipaal paarkala | I haven't seen mother's milk. |
| Female | |
| Aariro aariro…. | Lullaby chant (Aariro aariro...) |
| Male | |
| Naanazhutha neraththilae yaarum varalla | When I cried, nobody came. |
| Oorazhutha vaelaiyilae naanum varala | When the town cried, I didn't come either. |
| Enakenna saabamo velangalaiyae | What curse is this on me? I cannot understand. |
| Thupparinju paarkurean tholangalaiyae | I search deep, but I find no end. |
| Male | |
| Thisaiyengae….oooo…oo… | Where is the direction... oooo... oo... |
| Thisaiyengae thisaiyangae | Where is the direction, where is the direction? |
| Vazhikaattum jeevanilla | There is no living soul to show me the way. |
| Male | |
| Appan yaaru amma yaaru | Who is my father? Who is my mother? |
| Naanum paarkkala | I haven't seen them either. |
| Kanneerthaan kandaenamma | I have only seen tears, oh mother! |
| Thaaipaal paarkala | I haven't seen mother's milk. |
| Male | |
| Porakkum Kozhanthaikellam | For all children that are born, |
| Pattu thottilthaan | There is a silk cradle. |
| Enakku thottilennamo | As for my cradle, |
| Kuppai thottithaan | It was a garbage bin. |
| Male | |
| Appan yaaru amma yaaru | Who is my father? Who is my mother? |
| Naanum paarkkala | I haven't seen them either. |
| Kanneerthaan kandaenamma | I have only seen tears, oh mother! |
| Thaaipaal paarkala | I haven't seen mother's milk. |
ஆரிரோ ஆராரோ ஆரிரோ ஆராரோ....
Lullaby chant (Aariro aaraaro aariro aaraaro)
அப்பன் யாரு அம்மா யாரு
நானும் பார்க்கல
கண்ணீரத்தான் கண்டேனம்மா
தாய்ப்பால் பார்க்கல
Who is my father? Who is my mother?
I haven't seen them either.
I have only seen tears, oh mother!
I haven't seen mother's milk.
பொறக்கும் கொழந்தைக்கெல்லாம்
பட்டு தொட்டில்தான்
எனக்கு தொட்டிலென்னமோ
குப்பத் தொட்டிதான்..
For all children that are born,
There is a silk cradle.
As for my cradle,
It was a garbage bin.
அப்பன் யாரு அம்மா யாரு
நானும் பார்க்கல
கண்ணீரத்தான் கண்டேனம்மா
தாய்ப்பால் பார்க்கல
Who is my father? Who is my mother?
I haven't seen them either.
I have only seen tears, oh mother!
I haven't seen mother's milk.
ஆராரோ ஆரிரோ ஆராரோ ஆரிரோ
Lullaby chant (Aaraaro aariro aaraaro aariro)
என்னமோ உலகத்தையே புடிக்கலையே
என்னையும் உலகத்துக்கு புடிக்கலையே
துன்பத்துக்கு பொறந்தவன் இந்தப் புள்ளையே
என்ன தொப்புள்கொடி அறுத்தவ கொல்லவில்லையே
For some reason, I don't like this world,
And the world doesn't like me either.
This child was born only for sorrow.
Why didn't the one who cut my umbilical cord kill me?
அழுதேனே........ஓ....ஓ....ஒ.....
அழுதேனே அழுதேனே
கண்ணீருக்கும் ஈரமில்ல
I cried... oooo...
I cried, I cried...
Even my tears have no moisture left.
அப்பன் யாரு அம்மா யாரு
நானும் பார்க்கல
கண்ணீரத்தான் கண்டேனம்மா
தாய்ப்பால் பார்க்கல
Who is my father? Who is my mother?
I haven't seen them either.
I have only seen tears, oh mother!
I haven't seen mother's milk.
ஆரிரோ ஆரிரோ.....
Lullaby chant (Aariro aariro...)
நானழுத நேரத்திலே யாரும் வரல்ல
ஊரழுத வேளையிலே நானும் வரல
எனக்கென்ன சாபமோ வெளங்கலையே
துப்பறிஞ்சு பார்க்குறேன் தொலங்கலையே
When I cried, nobody came.
When the town cried, I didn't come either.
What curse is this on me? I cannot understand.
I search deep, but I find no end.
திசையெங்கே...ஓஓ.....ஓ....
திசையெங்கே திசையெங்கே
வழிகாட்டும் ஜீவனில்ல
Where is the direction... oooo... oo...
Where is the direction, where is the direction?
There is no living soul to show me the way.
அப்பன் யாரு அம்மா யாரு
நானும் பார்க்கல
கண்ணீரத்தான் கண்டேனம்மா
தாய்ப்பால் பார்க்கல
Who is my father? Who is my mother?
I haven't seen them either.
I have only seen tears, oh mother!
I haven't seen mother's milk.
பொறக்கும் கொழந்தைக்கெல்லாம்
பட்டு தொட்டில்தான்
எனக்கு தொட்டிலென்னமோ
குப்பத் தொட்டிதான்.....
For all children that are born,
There is a silk cradle.
As for my cradle,
It was a garbage bin.
அப்பன் யாரு அம்மா யாரு
நானும் பார்க்கல
கண்ணீரத்தான் கண்டேனம்மா
தாய்ப்பால் பார்க்கல....
Who is my father? Who is my mother?
I haven't seen them either.
I have only seen tears, oh mother!
I haven't seen mother's milk.
Aariro aaraaro aariro aaraaro
Lullaby chant (Aariro aaraaro aariro aaraaro)
Appan yaaru amma yaaru
Who is my father? Who is my mother?
Naanum paarkkala
I haven't seen them either.
Kanneerthaan kandaenamma
I have only seen tears, oh mother!
Thaaipaal paarkala
I haven't seen mother's milk.
Porakkum kozhanthaikellaam
For all children that are born,
Pattu thottilthaan
There is a silk cradle.
Enakku thottilennamo
As for my cradle,
Kuppai thottithaan
It was a garbage bin.
Appan yaaru amma yaaru
Who is my father? Who is my mother?
Naanum paarkkala
I haven't seen them either.
Kanneerthaan kandaenamma
I have only seen tears, oh mother!
Thaaipaal paarkala
I haven't seen mother's milk.
Aaraaro aariro aaraaro aariro
Lullaby chant (Aaraaro aariro aaraaro aariro)
Ennamo ulagaththaiyae pudikalaiyae
For some reason, I don't like this world,
Ennaiyum ulagaththukku pudikalaiyae
And the world doesn't like me either.
Thunbaththukku porathavan intha pullaiyae
This child was born only for sorrow.
Enna thoppulkodi aruththava kollavillaiyae
Why didn't the one who cut my umbilical cord kill me?
Azhuthaenae….oooo….
I cried... oooo...
Azhuthaenae azhuthaenae
I cried, I cried...
Kanneerukkum eeramilla
Even my tears have no moisture left.
Appan yaaru amma yaaru
Who is my father? Who is my mother?
Naanum paarkkala
I haven't seen them either.
Kanneerthaan kandaenamma
I have only seen tears, oh mother!
Thaaipaal paarkala
I haven't seen mother's milk.
Aariro aariro….
Lullaby chant (Aariro aariro...)
Naanazhutha neraththilae yaarum varalla
When I cried, nobody came.
Oorazhutha vaelaiyilae naanum varala
When the town cried, I didn't come either.
Enakenna saabamo velangalaiyae
What curse is this on me? I cannot understand.
Thupparinju paarkurean tholangalaiyae
I search deep, but I find no end.
Thisaiyengae….oooo…oo…
Where is the direction... oooo... oo...
Thisaiyengae thisaiyangae
Where is the direction, where is the direction?
Vazhikaattum jeevanilla
There is no living soul to show me the way.
Appan yaaru amma yaaru
Who is my father? Who is my mother?
Naanum paarkkala
I haven't seen them either.
Kanneerthaan kandaenamma
I have only seen tears, oh mother!
Thaaipaal paarkala
I haven't seen mother's milk.
Porakkum Kozhanthaikellam
For all children that are born,
Pattu thottilthaan
There is a silk cradle.
Enakku thottilennamo
As for my cradle,
Kuppai thottithaan
It was a garbage bin.
Appan yaaru amma yaaru
Who is my father? Who is my mother?
Naanum paarkkala
I haven't seen them either.
Kanneerthaan kandaenamma
I have only seen tears, oh mother!
Thaaipaal paarkala
I haven't seen mother's milk.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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.
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