- Lyricist
- Lyricist Not Known
- Singer
- Puliyanthoppu Pazhani
- Music director
- Srikanth Deva
- Movie name
- E
- Movie release year
- 2006
- Lyrics added on
- 20 May 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song presents a satirical yet nostalgic reflection on the environmental transformation of Chennai city. It contrasts the clean, golden past—when citizens could bathe, wash clothes, and sail boats in local water bodies like the Cooum, Adyar, and Buckingham Canal—with the modern era where urbanization has turned these once-vital waterways into polluted, foul-smelling canals.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Contrast (Juxtaposition)
“Adhu oru kaalam ... Ippo aththanaiyum naari pochae”
The lyrics contrast 'Adhu oru kaalam' (That was an era) with 'Idhu oru kaalam' (This is an era now) to highlight the degradation of Chennai's environment over time.
Madras Tamil Dialect (Local Slang)
“Ippo aththanaiyum naari pochae”
Uses authentic local Chennai slang ('naari pochae', 'dei') to establish a colloquial, relatable local voice.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Naanga koovathila kulichom / Ada adayarila thuni thuvaichom”
Demonstrates rhythm through local folk song lyric patterns using local place names.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song references the Buckingham Canal, Cooum, and Adyar rivers—three historical waterways of Chennai that were navigable and clean prior to the late 20th century, before industrial pollution and urban sewage severely degraded them.
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