Engey Needhi
From Nenjuku Needhi · 2022
- Lyricist
- Yugabharathi
- Singer
- Ananya Bhat
- Music director
- Dhibu Ninan Thomas
- Details
- Nenjuku Needhi2022
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Hmm hmm hmm | Hmm hmm hmm |
| Hmm mmm hmm mm mmm | Hmm mmm hmm mm mmm |
| Hmm hhmmm hmmm hmmm | Hmm hhmmm hmmm hmmm |
| Mmm mmm mm | Mmm mmm mm |
| Female | |
| Engae needhi kaanama | Where has justice gone missing? |
| Thembuthae boomi | The earth is sobbing. |
| Unnai thaandi kai yendhum | Why must life be spent begging |
| Vaazhkai yen saami | Beyond your mercy, Oh God? |
| Female | |
| Yedhedho thadangalae | So many obstacles, |
| Engaeyum edanjalae | Disturbances everywhere. |
| Kanneeril muzhginaalum | Even as we drown in tears, |
| Kaathidamal paarpatho | Do you just watch without protecting us? |
| Female | |
| Ellarum un pulla | Aren't all people your children? |
| Kanakku puriyatha | Do you not understand this simple logic? |
| Yaar mela yaar keezha | Who is above and who is below? |
| Unakkum theriyatha | Do even you not know? |
| Chorus | |
| : ………………. | |
| Female | |
| Nithamum unnai vendiyum | Even after praying to you every day, |
| Vali theeravae Illai | The pain never ceases. |
| Ethanai vaga saangiyum | No matter how many rituals were performed, |
| Senja podhumae nee varla | You never came to our rescue. |
| Chorus | |
| Theendama paarkura | Viewing us as untouchables, |
| Aala nee kaaval kaakkatha | Will you not stand guard for these people? |
| Kaathoda naathama | Like a foul odor carried by the wind, |
| Engala neeyum maathatha | Do not reduce us to nothing. |
| Female | |
| Thee kooda theetachae | Even fire has been deemed polluted, |
| Kan moodi nikkadha | Do not stand there with your eyes closed! |
| Female | |
| Engae needhi kaanama | Where has justice gone missing? |
| Thembuthae boomi | The earth is sobbing. |
| Unnai thaandi kai yendhum | Why must life be spent begging |
| Vaazhkai yen saami | Beyond your mercy, Oh God? |
| Female | |
| Yedhedho thadangalae | So many obstacles, |
| Engaeyum edanjalae | Disturbances everywhere. |
| Kanneeril muzhginaalum | Even as we drown in tears, |
| Kaathidamal paarpatho | Do you just watch without protecting us? |
| Female | |
| Kanneere illatha kaalam porakkatha | Will an era without tears ever be born? |
| Kai meerum aagasam kaana kidaikatha | Will an endless sky ever be within our sight? |
| Kanneere illatha kaalam porakkatha | Will an era without tears ever be born? |
| Kai meerum aagasam kaana kidaikatha | Will an endless sky ever be within our sight? |
ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம்ம்ம் ம்ம்
ஹ்ம்ம் ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம் ஹ்ம்ம்
ஹ்ம்ம் ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம்
ம்ம் ம்ம் ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm mmm hmm mm mmm
Hmm hhmmm hmmm hmmm
Mmm mmm mm
எங்கே நீதி
காணாம தேம்புதே பூமி
ஒன்ன தாண்டி கையேந்தும்
வாழ்க்க ஏன் சாமி
Where has justice gone missing?
The earth is sobbing.
Why must life be spent begging
Beyond your mercy, Oh God?
ஏதேதோ தடங்கலே
எங்கேயும் எடஞ்சலே
கண்ணீரில் மூழ்கினாலும்
காத்திடாமல் பார்ப்பதோ
So many obstacles,
Disturbances everywhere.
Even as we drown in tears,
Do you just watch without protecting us?
எல்லாரும் ஒம்புள்ள
கணக்கு புரியாதா
யார் மேல யார் கீழ
ஒனக்கும் தெரியாதா
Aren't all people your children?
Do you not understand this simple logic?
Who is above and who is below?
Do even you not know?
...............
நித்தமும் ஒன வேண்டியும்
வலி தீரவே இல்ல
எத்தன வக சாங்கியம்
செஞ்ச போதுமே நீ வர்ல
Even after praying to you every day,
The pain never ceases.
No matter how many rituals were performed,
You never came to our rescue.
தீண்டாம பாக்குற
ஆள நீ காவல் காக்காத
காத்தோட நாத்தமா
எங்கள நீயும் மாத்தாத
Viewing us as untouchables,
Will you not stand guard for these people?
Like a foul odor carried by the wind,
Do not reduce us to nothing.
தீக்கூட தீட்டாச்சே
கண் மூடி நிக்காத
Even fire has been deemed polluted,
Do not stand there with your eyes closed!
எங்கே நீதி
காணாம தேம்புதே பூமி
ஒன்ன தாண்டி கையேந்தும்
வாழ்க்க ஏன் சாமி
Where has justice gone missing?
The earth is sobbing.
Why must life be spent begging
Beyond your mercy, Oh God?
ஏதேதோ தடங்கலே
எங்கேயும் எடஞ்சலே
கண்ணீரில் மூழ்கினாலும்
காத்திடாமல் பார்ப்பதோ
So many obstacles,
Disturbances everywhere.
Even as we drown in tears,
Do you just watch without protecting us?
கண்ணீரே இல்லாத காலம் பொறக்காதா
கை மீறும் ஆகாசம் காண கெடைக்காதா
கண்ணீரே இல்லாத காலம் பொறக்காதா
கை மீறும் ஆகாசம் காண கெடைக்காதா
Will an era without tears ever be born?
Will an endless sky ever be within our sight?
Will an era without tears ever be born?
Will an endless sky ever be within our sight?
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm
Hmm mmm hmm mm mmm
Hmm mmm hmm mm mmm
Hmm hhmmm hmmm hmmm
Hmm hhmmm hmmm hmmm
Mmm mmm mm
Mmm mmm mm
Engae needhi kaanama
Where has justice gone missing?
Thembuthae boomi
The earth is sobbing.
Unnai thaandi kai yendhum
Why must life be spent begging
Vaazhkai yen saami
Beyond your mercy, Oh God?
Yedhedho thadangalae
So many obstacles,
Engaeyum edanjalae
Disturbances everywhere.
Kanneeril muzhginaalum
Even as we drown in tears,
Kaathidamal paarpatho
Do you just watch without protecting us?
Ellarum un pulla
Aren't all people your children?
Kanakku puriyatha
Do you not understand this simple logic?
Yaar mela yaar keezha
Who is above and who is below?
Unakkum theriyatha
Do even you not know?
: ……………….
Nithamum unnai vendiyum
Even after praying to you every day,
Vali theeravae Illai
The pain never ceases.
Ethanai vaga saangiyum
No matter how many rituals were performed,
Senja podhumae nee varla
You never came to our rescue.
Theendama paarkura
Viewing us as untouchables,
Aala nee kaaval kaakkatha
Will you not stand guard for these people?
Kaathoda naathama
Like a foul odor carried by the wind,
Engala neeyum maathatha
Do not reduce us to nothing.
Thee kooda theetachae
Even fire has been deemed polluted,
Kan moodi nikkadha
Do not stand there with your eyes closed!
Engae needhi kaanama
Where has justice gone missing?
Thembuthae boomi
The earth is sobbing.
Unnai thaandi kai yendhum
Why must life be spent begging
Vaazhkai yen saami
Beyond your mercy, Oh God?
Yedhedho thadangalae
So many obstacles,
Engaeyum edanjalae
Disturbances everywhere.
Kanneeril muzhginaalum
Even as we drown in tears,
Kaathidamal paarpatho
Do you just watch without protecting us?
Kanneere illatha kaalam porakkatha
Will an era without tears ever be born?
Kai meerum aagasam kaana kidaikatha
Will an endless sky ever be within our sight?
Kanneere illatha kaalam porakkatha
Will an era without tears ever be born?
Kai meerum aagasam kaana kidaikatha
Will an endless sky ever be within our sight?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song serves as a poignant, sorrowful lament against caste discrimination, systemic oppression, and social injustice. The narrator addresses the Divine directly, questioning why society divides humanity into 'high' and 'low' castes when everyone is created equal. Despite constant prayers and traditional rituals, relief remains elusive for the oppressed, who are treated as untouchable and left to drown in their tears.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Thembuthae boomi”
The earth ('boomi') is personified as sobbing ('thembuthae') in grief over human cruelty and inequality.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Yedhedho thadangalae / Engaeyum edanjalae”
The second consonant sound 'da' (ட) in 'thadangalae' and 'edanjalae' creates a rhythmic Tamil poetic rhyme.
Monai (Initial Consonant Alliteration)
“Kanneeril muzhginaalum / Kaathidamal paarpatho”
The repetition of the 'Ka' sound at the beginning of 'Kanneeril' and 'Kaathidamal' forms a traditional Monai.
Hyperbole / Metaphor
“Thee kooda theetachae”
Describing fire (traditionally considered a symbol of absolute purity) as being polluted/untouchable emphasizes the extreme, irrational nature of caste prejudice.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Nenjuku Needhi' (2022) is the official Tamil remake of the acclaimed Hindi film 'Article 15' (2019), directed by Arunraja Kamaraj and starring Udhayanidhi Stalin. Composer Dhibu Ninan Thomas and lyricist Yugabharathi collaborated closely to capture the socio-political theme of constitutional rights and caste equality. Vocalist Ananya Bhat's rustic and soulful rendering highlights the raw anguish embedded in the narrative.
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