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Periya Marudhu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Elaarukkum Nalla

From Periya Marudhu · 1994

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singer
Jayachandran
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Periya Marudhu
Movie release year
1994
Lyrics added on
31 Dec 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oho… oo… oo… oo… hoo hoo
Mmm mm mm mm mm mmm mm
Ellaarukkum nalla pillae
Ennudaiya odathilae
Vaazhvadhellaam punniyam thaan
Nee irukkum kaalathilae
Ellaarukkum nalla pillae
Ennudaiya odathilae
Vaazhvadhellaam punniyam thaan
Nee irukkum kaalathilae
Kaamaala noi kandavanga
Kandadhellaam manjal neram
Undhan manam pillai manam
Oorarinja vellai manam
Aanaa oru manasu
Adha kallaa mullaa paakkudhu
Yaeno adhu kozhambi
Indha padagil alaiyaa aadudhu
Ellaarukkum nalla pillae
Ennudaiya odathilae
Vaazhvadhellaam punniyam thaan
Nee irukkum kaalathilae
Oho… Ooh… Ooh… Ooh… Hoo hoo
Mmm mm mm mm mm mmm mm
You are a good child to everyone
on this boat of mine.
Living life is truly a blessing
in a time when you are here.
You are a good child to everyone
on this boat of mine.
Living life is truly a blessing
in a time when you are here.
To those who suffer from jaundice,
everything they see looks yellow.
Your heart is an innocent child's heart,
a pure heart known to the whole village.
Yet there is one heart
that sees it as stone and thorns.
Confused for some reason,
it tosses like a wave on this boat.
You are a good child to everyone
on this boat of mine.
Living life is truly a blessing
in a time when you are here.
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song from Periya Marudhu (1994) expresses deep gratitude and affection for a pure-hearted, innocent person. The singer describes how living alongside such a virtuous soul feels like a divine blessing while navigating the metaphorical boat of life together. The lyricist uses the famous Tamil proverb about jaundice—where a sick person sees everything around them as yellow—to illustrate how cynical people mistake genuine purity and goodness for something harsh or flawed like stones and thorns. Despite these worldly misunderstandings, the song celebrates the irreproachable innocence and true goodness of the loved one.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Kaamaala noi kandavanga Kandadhellaam manjal neram

Comparing a cynical or suspicious mindset to jaundice (Kaamaala noi), where a person's inner condition causes them to project flaws onto everything around them.

Repetition / Epistrophe (Iyaibu)

Undhan manam pillai manam Oorarinja vellai manam

The word 'manam' (mind/heart) is repeated at the end of consecutive phrases to emphasize the pure nature of the subject's heart.

Contrast / Antithesis

Adha kallaa mullaa paakkudhu

Contrasting the gentle, pure white child-like heart ('pillai manam', 'vellai manam') with harsh, painful objects ('kallaa mullaa').

Did you know?

Trivia

The film Periya Marudhu (1994), starring Vijayakanth and Ranjitha, features a acclaimed soundtrack composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with deeply reflective folk-style lyrics penned by the veteran poet Pulamaipithan.

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