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Jigu Jigu Rail album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Boologame Romba Kettu

From Jigu Jigu Rail · 1986

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Jolly Abraham, Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Jigu Jigu Rail
Movie release year
1986
Lyrics added on
12 Feb 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Bhoologam rompa kettu pochchu
Idhu thirunthaathappaa verum vetti pechu
Pollaathavan ingu nallaa irukkaan
Idhu illaathavan theru kallaarukkaan
Idhu purinjaa therinjaa sarithaandaa
Arasaangam irunthenna laabam
Adhu enna seyyundaa paavam
Sattangal pala nooru podum
Samuthaayam thappichchu odum
Bhoologam rompa kettu pochchu
Idhu thirunthaathappaa verum vetti pechu
Pollaathavan ingu nallaa irukkaan
Idhu illaathavan theru kallaarukkaan
Idhu purinjaa therinjaa sarithaandaa
Kadalu kaaththa vaangi kaiththadiyai thaangi
Gandhi mahaan nikkiratha paaru
Kadalu kaaththa vaangi kaiththadiyai thaangi
Gandhi mahaan nikkiratha paaru
Ippothu gandhi irunthaakka
Shanthi illaama ingae thindaadanum
Manasodinji silaiyaaga aavaarappaa appaa
Marupadiyum sorkkaththuke povaarappaa
Manasodinji silaiyaaga aavaarappaa appaa
Marupadiyum sorkkaththuke povaarappaa
Appa appappaa….
Bhoologam rompa kettu pochchu
Idhu thirunthaathappaa verum vetti pechu
Pollaathavan ingu nallaa irukkaan
Idhu illaathavan theru kallaarukkaan
Idhu purinjaa therinjaa sarithaandaa
Manakkuthappaa koovam mookku senja paavam
Pattanaththin latchanaththa paaru…..eppadiyappaa
Manakkuthappaa koovam mookku senja paavam
Pattanaththin latchanaththa paaru…..
Kuppangal ellaam theppangal polae
Thanneerin melae thallaaduthu
Election-kku kudisai pakkam varuvaangappaa
Jeyichchuputtaa kai kazhuvi viduvaangappaa eppaa
Election-kku kudisai pakkam varuvaangappaa
Jeyichchuputtaa kai kazhuvi viduvaangappaa
Appa appappaa….
Bhoologam rompa kettu pochchu
Idhu thirunthaathappaa verum vetti pechu
Pollaathavan ingu nallaa irukkaan
Idhu illaathavan theru kallaarukkaan
Idhu purinjaa therinjaa sarithaandaa
Nadutheruvil nooru kudithanangal paaru
Veedhiyellaam yaezhaigalin veedu
Nadutheruvil nooru kudithanangal paaru
Veedhiyellaam yaezhaigalin veedu
Oru pakkam saeri oru pakkam maadi
Eppothu rendum onnaavathu
Samaththuvaththa latchiymaa sonnaangappaa
Sonnavanga pechchodu ninnaangappaa
Samaththuvaththa latchiymaa sonnaangappaa
Sonnavanga pechchodu ninnaangappaa
Bhoologam rompa kettu pochchu
Idhu thirunthaathappaa verum vetti pechu
Pollaathavan ingu nallaa irukkaan
Idhu illaathavan theru kallaarukkaan
Idhu purinjaa therinjaa sarithaandaa
Idhu purinjaa therinjaa sarithaandaa
Idhu purinjaa therinjaa sarithaandaa……
The whole world has gone completely bad,
it won't ever change, man, it's all just useless talk!
The wicked man lives happily here,
while the poor man lies like a stone on the street.
If you understand and realize this, you're fine, my friend!
What is the use of having a government?
Poor thing, what can it even do?
It will pass hundreds of laws,
and society will just slip away and run!
The whole world has gone completely bad,
it won't ever change, man, it's all just useless talk!
The wicked man lives happily here,
while the poor man lies like a stone on the street.
If you understand and realize this, you're fine, my friend!
Catching the sea breeze, leaning on his walking stick,
look at the great Mahatma Gandhi standing there!
Catching the sea breeze, leaning on his walking stick,
look at the great Mahatma Gandhi standing there!
If Gandhi were alive today,
he would suffer here without any peace.
Heartbroken, he would freeze into a statue, oh man,
and he would head right back to heaven!
Heartbroken, he would freeze into a statue, oh man,
and he would head right back to heaven!
Oh my, oh my...!
The whole world has gone completely bad,
it won't ever change, man, it's all just useless talk!
The wicked man lives happily here,
while the poor man lies like a stone on the street.
If you understand and realize this, you're fine, my friend!
The Cooum river stinks—what a curse upon our noses!
Look at the sorry state of this city... what a sight, man!
The Cooum river stinks—what a curse upon our noses!
Look at the sorry state of this city...
All the slums, floating like rafts,
are wobbling upon the water.
They come around the huts only for elections, man,
and once they win, they wash their hands of us, oh man!
They come around the huts only for elections, man,
and once they win, they wash their hands of us!
Oh my, oh my...!
The whole world has gone completely bad,
it won't ever change, man, it's all just useless talk!
The wicked man lives happily here,
while the poor man lies like a stone on the street.
If you understand and realize this, you're fine, my friend...
Look at a hundred families living in the middle of the road,
the whole street has become the home of the poor!
Look at a hundred families living in the middle of the road,
the whole street has become the home of the poor!
A slum on one side, a mansion on the other—
when will the two ever become equal?
They preached equality as their noble ideal, man,
but those who spoke stopped right at mere words!
They preached equality as their noble ideal, man,
but those who spoke stopped right at mere words!
The whole world has gone completely bad,
it won't ever change, man, it's all just useless talk!
The wicked man lives happily here,
while the poor man lies like a stone on the street.
If you understand and realize this, you're fine, my friend!
If you understand and realize this, you're fine, my friend!
If you understand and realize this, you're fine, my friend...!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a biting socio-political commentary set against the backdrop of urban life in Tamil Nadu during the mid-1980s. Written by lyricist Vaali and composed by the duo Shankar-Ganesh, the song uses colloquial Madras speech to highlight the stark divide between the wealthy and the impoverished, the apathy of administrative governance, and the systemic hypocrisy of elected officials. Through witty and cynical observations, the singers remark on how corrupt individuals flourish while honest, destitute people are left homeless on the streets. The lyrics invoke Mahatma Gandhi's statue at Marina Beach, humorously asserting that if Gandhi were alive today to witness modern corruption and societal unrest, he would be heartbroken enough to turn into stone or flee back to heaven. The song further critiques urban neglect—mentioning the polluted Cooum river and flooded slums—and condemns politicians who visit slums only to gather votes before abandoning their commitments to social equality.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethirai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Pollaathavan ingu nallaa irukkaan / Idhu illaathavan theru kallaarukkaan”

The second letter 'l' (ல் / ல்ல) matches between 'Pollaathavan' and 'illaathavan', creating a pleasing rhythm characteristic of classical Tamil prosody applied to folk verse.

Simile (Uvamaani)

“Kuppangal ellaam theppangal polae”

The lyricist explicitly compares the flooded slum dwellings to floating rafts ('theppangal polae') tossing on the water surface.

Satire and Personification

“Ippothu gandhi irunthaakka / Shanthi illaama ingae thindaadanum”

The statue of Mahatma Gandhi on Marina Beach in Chennai is personified to illustrate how disappointed the Father of the Nation would be with contemporary socio-political decay.

Idiomatic Metaphor / Idiom

“Jeyichchuputtaa kai kazhuvi viduvaangappaa eppaa”

The phrase 'kai kazhuvi viduvaangappaa' uses a common Tamil idiom (washing one's hands off something) to convey political betrayal and abandonment post-elections.

Did you know?

Trivia

The track is known for its blend of street-smart Madras Tamil (Chennai dialect) and sharp political commentary. Lyricist Vaali was celebrated for his unique ability to translate complex socio-political frustrations into catchy, accessible folk-pop lyrics for Tamil cinema. The duo Shankar-Ganesh frequently composed high-energy folk tracks in the 1980s that captured urban working-class sentiments.

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