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Oru Kudumbathin Kathai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Engal Kudumbam

From Oru Kudumbathin Kathai · 1975

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Chorus
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Oru Kudumbathin Kathai
Movie release year
1975
Lyrics added on
8 Jan 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
……………….
Engal kudumbam engum
Vilangum kaaviya poonjolai
Naam paasam ennum noolilai kondu
Kattiya poomaalai
Engal kudumbam engum
Vilangum kaaviya poonjolai
Naam paasam ennum noolilai kondu
Kattiya poomaalai
Oru kudumpathin kadhai idhu
Anbu karangalaal varainthathu
Oru kudumpathin kadhai idhu
Anbu karangalaal varainthathu
Kaadu mlai medugalai kadanthapadi
Sellum pugaivandi
Kodum paniyil varum vazhiyil
Kaikaatti nalla pondaatti
Hae vaazhkkaiyae neenda payanam
Thuninthu naam thodaranum
Oru kudumpathin kadhai idhu
Anbu karangalaal varainthathu
Anbae amuthae azhagae arivae
Naan oru kelvi ketkattumaa
Chorus :Kelunga sir
Male :Manithanukku eththanai kangal
Female :Irandu illai irupaththi irandu
Male :Eppadi sollu paarkkalaam
Male :Unga kann irandu nagakkan irupathu
Male :Very very good
Pudhithaai therintha kural ondru sollu
Male :Naam iruvar namakku iruvar
Ohho
Iniya kudumbam enbathu enna
Female :Irandukku mel eppothum vendaam
Male :Illae illae
Male :Iniya kudumbam palkalai kazhagam
Male :Very very good
Oru kudumpathin kadhai idhu
Anbu karangalaal varainthathu
………………
Thiru thirunnu karung kurangu
Muzhikkuthu paar
Nammai pazhikkuthu paar
Vaanaramum maanidanum
Aadhiyilae oru aadhiyilae
Vilangu pol vaazhum manithan
Thirunthinaal devanaam
Intha kullanariyai polae ullavar yaaru
Male :Kooda irunthae kuzhi paripaaru
Male :Intha ottagasivingiyin uyaram yaarukku
Ullaththaalae uyarntha perukku
Male :Ohho ho
Intha yaanai vayiru yaarukku irukku
Male :Alavukku melae thinbavarukku
Engal kudumbam engum
Vilangum kaaviya poonjolai
Naam paasam ennum noolilai kondu
Kattiya poomaalai
Oru kudumpathin kadhai idhu
Anbu karangalaal varainthathu
...
Our family everywhere
Shines as a poetic flower garden;
With the thread called affection,
We strung this garland of flowers.
Our family everywhere
Shines as a poetic flower garden;
With the thread called affection,
We strung this garland of flowers.
This is the story of a family,
Drawn by loving hands.
This is the story of a family,
Drawn by loving hands.
Crossing forests, hills, and slopes,
As the train moves along,
On the journey through biting cold,
A good wife is the signal showing the way!
Hey, life itself is a long journey,
We must boldly carry on!
This is the story of a family,
Drawn by loving hands.
My love, my nectar, my beauty, my wisdom,
May I ask you a question?
Chorus: Ask away, sir!
Male: How many eyes does a human have?
Female: Not two, but twenty-two!
Male: Tell me how, let us see!
Male: Your two eyes, and the twenty eyes of your nails!
Male: Very, very good!
Tell me a new couplet you learned!
Male: "We two, and for us, two!"
Oho!
What is a happy family?
Female: Never more than two children!
Male: No, no!
Male: A happy family is a university!
Male: Very, very good!
This is the story of a family,
Drawn by loving hands.
...
Look at that black monkey
Blinking in confusion,
Look, it is mocking us!
The ape and the human,
In the beginning, long ago in the beginning,
A man who lives like an animal,
Becomes divine if he reforms!
Who is like this sly fox?
Male: The one who stays close and digs a pit for you!
Male: Who has the height of this giraffe?
Those with a lofty heart!
Male: Oho ho!
Who has the belly of this elephant?
Male: The one who eats more than they should!
Our family everywhere
Shines as a poetic flower garden;
With the thread called affection,
We strung this garland of flowers.
This is the story of a family,
Drawn by loving hands.
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Oru Kudumbathin Kathai' is a joyful, thematic track celebrating family values, human virtues, and the bonds of love. It portrays a ideal family as an epic flower garden knit together by threads of deep affection, where life itself is a long train journey navigated courageously together by husband and wife.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Naam paasam ennum noolilai kondu Kattiya poomaalai”

Affection (paasam) is metaphorically equated to a thread (noolilai) that binds the family together like a flower garland.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Iniya kudumbam palkalai kazhagam”

A happy family is directly compared to a university (palkalai kazhagam), emphasizing it as a place of constant learning and moral growth.

Simile (Upamai)

“Intha kullanariyai polae ullavar yaaru”

Comparing deceitful human behavior directly to a sly fox (kullanari) using the explicit comparison word 'polae'.

Rhyme / Monai (Initial Alliteration)

“Anbae amuthae azhagae arivae”

Repetition of the initial letter 'A' across the words in the line for musical rhythm.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song features lyrics by legendary poet Vaali set to music by the veteran composer duo Shankar-Ganesh. S. P. Balasubrahmanyam's dynamic vocal performance elevates the interactive Q&A style of the song, mixing playful riddles about human nature, modern family planning slogans of the 1970s ('Naam iruvar namakku iruvar'), and traditional moral ideals.

Keep listening

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From the same album

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