En Erumai Kannukutti
From Manthiri Kumari · 1950
- Lyricist
- M. Karunanidhi
- Singer
- Master Subbaiya
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Details
- Manthiri Kumari1950
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Ooruku uzhaipavan di | He who works hard for the town, my dear, |
| Oru kuttram ariyanadi | He who knows no fault or crime, my dear, |
| Udhai pattu saavandi | Is beaten to death, my dear, |
| Udhai pattu saavandi | Is beaten to death, my dear. |
| Male | |
| Erumai kannu kutti | Oh buffalo calf, |
| Enerumai kannaukutti | Oh my buffalo calf, |
| Enerumai kannaukutti | Oh my buffalo calf, |
| Erumai kannaukutti | Oh buffalo calf, |
| Enerumai kannaukutti | Oh my buffalo calf. |
| Male | |
| Nalalthukuu kaalamilale | There is no good time for good deeds, |
| Nadappadhellam velipagattu | Everything that happens is mere ostentation, |
| Nalalthukuu kaalamilale..ee.. | There is no good time for good deeds... |
| Nalalthukuu kaalamilale | There is no good time for good deeds, |
| Nadappadhellam velipagattu | Everything that happens is mere ostentation, |
| Nalalthukuu kaalamilale | There is no good time for good deeds. |
| Sollappona vetka kedu | If truth be told, it is a matter of shame, |
| Sollappona vetka kedu | If truth be told, it is a matter of shame. |
| Male | |
| Erumai kannu kutti | Oh buffalo calf, |
| Enerumai kannaukutti | Oh my buffalo calf, |
| Enerumai kannaukutti | Oh my buffalo calf, |
| Erumai kannaukutti | Oh buffalo calf, |
| Enerumai kannaukutti | Oh my buffalo calf. |
| Male | |
| Yeichu polaikkuravan | The one who survives by deceiving others, |
| Ezhadukku maaligaiyil | In a seven-storey mansion, |
| Egataalam poduraanae | Mocks and ridicules arrogance, |
| Avan pechai marukkiravan | While the one who rejects his corrupt words, |
| Pichai edukkuranae | Is forced to beg for alms. |
| Male | |
| Erumai kannu kutti | Oh buffalo calf, |
| Enerumai kannaukutti | Oh my buffalo calf, |
| Enerumai kannaukutti | Oh my buffalo calf, |
| Erumai kannaukutti | Oh buffalo calf, |
| Enerumai kannaukutti | Oh my buffalo calf. |
| Male | |
| Naatukku thalaivan endru | Claiming to be a leader of the nation, |
| Nambumpadi pesi vittu | After speaking convincingly, |
| Venum selvam vaariyae povaaradi | They sweep up and plunder all the wealth they desire, my dear. |
| Naaadu selikka enni | Hoping for the country to flourish, |
| Nal ellaam velai seiyum | The poor who labor all day long, |
| Ezhaiku kaalamillae | Have no good times ahead, |
| Evan evano vaazhugiraan | While all kinds of crooks thrive. |
| Male | |
| Erumai kannu kutti | Oh buffalo calf, |
| Enerumai kannaukutti | Oh my buffalo calf, |
| Enerumai kannaukutti | Oh my buffalo calf, |
| Erumai kannaukutti | Oh buffalo calf, |
| Enerumai kannaukutti | Oh my buffalo calf. |
ஊருக்கு உழைப்பவண்டி
ஒரு குற்றம் அறியானடி
உதை பட்டு சாவானடி
உதை பட்டு சாவானடி
He who works hard for the town, my dear,
He who knows no fault or crime, my dear,
Is beaten to death, my dear,
Is beaten to death, my dear.
எருமைக் கன்னுக்குட்டி
என்னெருமைக் கன்னுக்குட்டி
என்னெருமைக் கன்னுக்குட்டி
எருமைக்கன்னூக்குட்டி
என்னெருமைக்கன்னுக்குட்டி
Oh buffalo calf,
Oh my buffalo calf,
Oh my buffalo calf,
Oh buffalo calf,
Oh my buffalo calf.
நல்லதுக்குக் காலமில்லே
நடப்பதெல்லாம் வெளிப்பகட்டு
நல்லதுக்குக் காலமில்லே...ஏ ...
நல்லதுக்குக் காலமில்லே
நடப்பதெல்லாம் வெளிப்பகட்டு
நல்லதுக்குக் காலமில்லே
சொல்லப்போனா வெட்கக்கேடு
சொல்லப்போனா வெட்கக்கேடு
There is no good time for good deeds,
Everything that happens is mere ostentation,
There is no good time for good deeds...
There is no good time for good deeds,
Everything that happens is mere ostentation,
There is no good time for good deeds.
If truth be told, it is a matter of shame,
If truth be told, it is a matter of shame.
எருமைக் கன்னுக்குட்டி
என்னெருமைக் கன்னுக்குட்டி
என்னெருமைக் கன்னுக்குட்டி
எருமைக்கன்னூக்குட்டி
என்னெருமைக்கன்னுக்குட்டி
Oh buffalo calf,
Oh my buffalo calf,
Oh my buffalo calf,
Oh buffalo calf,
Oh my buffalo calf.
ஏய்ச்சுப் பொழைக்கிறவன்
ஏழடுக்கு மாளிகையில்
எகத்தாளம் போடுறானே...
அவன் பேச்சை மறுக்கிறவன்
பிச்சை எடுக்கிறானே....
The one who survives by deceiving others,
In a seven-storey mansion,
Mocks and ridicules arrogance,
While the one who rejects his corrupt words,
Is forced to beg for alms.
எருமைக் கன்னுக்குட்டி
என்னெருமைக் கன்னுக்குட்டி
என்னெருமைக் கன்னுக்குட்டி
எருமைக்கன்னூக்குட்டி
என்னெருமைக்கன்னுக்குட்டி
Oh buffalo calf,
Oh my buffalo calf,
Oh my buffalo calf,
Oh buffalo calf,
Oh my buffalo calf.
நாட்டுக்குத் தலைவனென்று
நம்பும்படி பேசிவிட்டு
வேணும் செல்வம் வாரியே போவாரடி...
நாடு செழிக்க எண்ணி
நாளெல்லாம் வேலை செய்யும்
ஏழைக்குக் காலமில்லே
எவனெவனோ வாழுகிறானே
Claiming to be a leader of the nation,
After speaking convincingly,
They sweep up and plunder all the wealth they desire, my dear.
Hoping for the country to flourish,
The poor who labor all day long,
Have no good times ahead,
While all kinds of crooks thrive.
எருமைக் கன்னுக்குட்டி
என்னெருமைக் கன்னுக்குட்டி
என்னெருமைக் கன்னுக்குட்டி
எருமைக்கன்னூக்குட்டி
என்னெருமைக்கன்னுக்குட்டி
Oh buffalo calf,
Oh my buffalo calf,
Oh my buffalo calf,
Oh buffalo calf,
Oh my buffalo calf.
Ooruku uzhaipavan di
He who works hard for the town, my dear,
Oru kuttram ariyanadi
He who knows no fault or crime, my dear,
Udhai pattu saavandi
Is beaten to death, my dear,
Udhai pattu saavandi
Is beaten to death, my dear.
Erumai kannu kutti
Oh buffalo calf,
Enerumai kannaukutti
Oh my buffalo calf,
Enerumai kannaukutti
Oh my buffalo calf,
Erumai kannaukutti
Oh buffalo calf,
Enerumai kannaukutti
Oh my buffalo calf.
Nalalthukuu kaalamilale
There is no good time for good deeds,
Nadappadhellam velipagattu
Everything that happens is mere ostentation,
Nalalthukuu kaalamilale..ee..
There is no good time for good deeds...
Nalalthukuu kaalamilale
There is no good time for good deeds,
Nadappadhellam velipagattu
Everything that happens is mere ostentation,
Nalalthukuu kaalamilale
There is no good time for good deeds.
Sollappona vetka kedu
If truth be told, it is a matter of shame,
Sollappona vetka kedu
If truth be told, it is a matter of shame.
Erumai kannu kutti
Oh buffalo calf,
Enerumai kannaukutti
Oh my buffalo calf,
Enerumai kannaukutti
Oh my buffalo calf,
Erumai kannaukutti
Oh buffalo calf,
Enerumai kannaukutti
Oh my buffalo calf.
Yeichu polaikkuravan
The one who survives by deceiving others,
Ezhadukku maaligaiyil
In a seven-storey mansion,
Egataalam poduraanae
Mocks and ridicules arrogance,
Avan pechai marukkiravan
While the one who rejects his corrupt words,
Pichai edukkuranae
Is forced to beg for alms.
Erumai kannu kutti
Oh buffalo calf,
Enerumai kannaukutti
Oh my buffalo calf,
Enerumai kannaukutti
Oh my buffalo calf,
Erumai kannaukutti
Oh buffalo calf,
Enerumai kannaukutti
Oh my buffalo calf.
Naatukku thalaivan endru
Claiming to be a leader of the nation,
Nambumpadi pesi vittu
After speaking convincingly,
Venum selvam vaariyae povaaradi
They sweep up and plunder all the wealth they desire, my dear.
Naaadu selikka enni
Hoping for the country to flourish,
Nal ellaam velai seiyum
The poor who labor all day long,
Ezhaiku kaalamillae
Have no good times ahead,
Evan evano vaazhugiraan
While all kinds of crooks thrive.
Erumai kannu kutti
Oh buffalo calf,
Enerumai kannaukutti
Oh my buffalo calf,
Enerumai kannaukutti
Oh my buffalo calf,
Erumai kannaukutti
Oh buffalo calf,
Enerumai kannaukutti
Oh my buffalo calf.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from the landmark 1950 Tamil film 'Manthiri Kumari' is a biting socio-political commentary composed in a traditional folk style. The singer addresses his buffalo calf to vent his frustration about societal injustices, highlighting the tragic plight of honest workers and poor laborers who toil endlessly yet face suffering and poverty.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Apostrophe / Refrain
“Erumai kannu kutti”
Addressing an inanimate or non-human listener ('Erumai kannu kutti') continuously as a folk refrain to convey deep distress and social helplessness.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Yeichu polaikkuravan / Ezhadukku maaligaiyil”
Matching of the second consonant sound in adjacent lines, a fundamental Tamil poetic meter rule.
Moni (Initial Letter Alliteration)
“Naatukku thalaivan endru / Nambumpadi pesi vittu”
Repetition of initial vowel or consonant sounds across consecutive lines.
Juxtaposition / Social Irony
“Ezhadukku maaligaiyil... Pichai edukkuranae”
Contrasting the corrupt fraud living in a multi-story mansion with the righteous man reduced to begging.
Did you know?
Trivia
Manthiri Kumari (1950) was directed by American filmmaker Ellis R. Dungan and featured dialogue and lyrics by M. Karunanidhi, who later became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The movie served as a major propaganda tool for the Dravidian movement, embedding themes of social justice, anti-corruption, and rationalism directly into its songs and dialogues.
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