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Raja Gopuram album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Bannari Ammane

From Raja Gopuram · 1984

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Raja Gopuram
Movie release year
1984
Lyrics added on
7 May 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Bannaari ammanae un paera nambinaen
Nanmaiya cheiyavae naan pooja seiyiraen
Ellorum vaazhanum innalgal poganum
Ennaalum boomiya inbam thaan aalanum
Pagalaagi iravaagi thadumaari vazhi maarum boomi
Pala paera manam maathi ozhungaakku ulagaalum saami
Pakka balam nee irundhaa matha balam thaevai illa
Bakthiyudan thaedi vandhaa panjam ellaam theerumammaa
Naadu nallaarukku yaezhaikkellaam dullaarukku
Vaazhvu pollaarukku saami ellaam kallaarukku
Aathaa kannu paathaa thaappaa thorandhidum
Hei seekkiram vizhi kaattu
Aehaei pagalaagi iravaagi thadumaari vazhi maarum boomi
Pala paera manam maathi ozhungaakku ulagaalum saami
Bakthiyudan thaedi vandhaa panjam ellaam theerumammaa
Koottamaa nikkira paiyangalaa
Oru kolaaru solren seiyungadaa
Aa… seiraen seiraen
Solrom solrom
Aei paappamma morachu paakkuraa
Vaangadaa odi pogalaam
Paadha mullaarukku maedu pallam kallaarukku
Yaedhum illaarukku yaekkam mattum fullaarukku
Thuninjaa thadaiyum odaiyum edhukkum varuma madiyum
Hae saami thaan badhil kooru
Aei hae hae
Pagalaagi iravaagi thadumaari vazhi maarum boomi
Pala paera manam maathi ozhungaakku ulagaalum saami
Bakthiyudan thaedi vandhaa panjam ellaam theerumammaa
O Goddess Bannari Amman, I placed my faith in your name.
I offer worship only for good things to happen.
Everyone should live well, and all hardships should vanish.
Joy alone should rule this earth for all time.
Turning through day and night, this world stumbles and loses its way.
Change people's hearts and set things right, O Goddess ruling the world!
If you stand by as my support, I need no other strength.
If we come seeking you with devotion, all poverty will come to an end, O Mother.
The country looks fine, but life is bleak for the poor.
Life is harsh, and the gods just remain as stone statues.
If Mother Amman looks upon us, every locked door will open.
Hey, open your eyes quickly and look at us!
Oh, turning through day and night, this world stumbles and loses its way.
Change people's hearts and set things right, O Goddess ruling the world!
If we come seeking you with devotion, all poverty will come to an end, O Mother.
Hey boys standing around in a crowd!
I will tell you some mischief to do, go do it!
Ah... we'll do it, we'll do it!
We'll say it, we'll say it!
Hey, Pappamma is glaring at us!
Come on boys, let's run away!
The path is full of thorns, and the rugged ground is full of stones.
For those who have nothing, longing is the only thing that is full.
If you have courage, obstacles will shatter; will determination ever bow down?
Hey Goddess, give us an answer!
Hey hey hey!
Turning through day and night, this world stumbles and loses its way.
Change people's hearts and set things right, O Goddess ruling the world!
If we come seeking you with devotion, all poverty will come to an end, O Mother.
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This devotional folk song from the 1984 Tamil film Raja Gopuram, written by Vairamuthu, is an earnest prayer addressed to Goddess Bannari Amman. The singer appeals to the deity for universal prosperity, peace, and divine guidance in a world that frequently strays from righteousness. The lyrics contrast spiritual devotion with harsh social realities, pointing out how the poor suffer and life often seems unfair to the innocent.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edaai Monai / Rhyme and Code-Mixing

Yaedhum illaarukku yaekkam mattum fullaarukku

The lyrist cleverly blends Tamilized English words (dull, full) with traditional Tamil suffixes (aarukku) to create rhyming commentary on socio-economic struggles.

Metaphor

Aathaa kannu paathaa thaappaa thorandhidum

The term 'thaappaa thorandhidum' (the bolt will open) is used metaphorically to represent the opening of opportunities and the removal of life's obstacles by divine grace.

Refrain

Pagalaagi iravaagi thadumaari vazhi maarum boomi

Repetition of chorus lines emphasizing the continuous cycle of day and night while pleading for moral reformation of humanity.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by Vairamuthu, the song pays homage to Goddess Bannari Amman, a popular local deity worshipped predominantly in the Erode and Sathyamangalam regions of Tamil Nadu. The song is notable for mixing traditional devotional prayer with street-colloquial Tamil and Tanglish rhyming words.

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