- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Aan Paavam
- Movie release year
- 1985
- Lyrics added on
- 16 Feb 2019
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Enna paada chollaadhae
Naan kanda padi paadippuduven
………………………..
Enna paada chollaadhae
Naan kanda padi paadippuduven
Enna paada chollaadhae
Naan kanda padi paadippuduven
Adha kettaa madaiyanukkum
Nyaanam porandhidum
Moodi kedakkum pala
Kannum therandhidum
Kettaa madaiyanukkum
Chorus :Nyaanam porandhidum
Female :Ada moodi kedakkum pala
Chorus :Kannum therandhidum
Enna paada chollaadhae
Naan kanda padi paadippuduven
………………………..
Thevaaramum padichom
Thiruvaasagamum padichom
Theriyaama thirukkuralum
Thaan padichom
Aanaana padippai ellaam
Annaadam padichuputtu
Puriyaama theriyaama
Thaan muzhichom
Arivaana aathi chuvadi
Kodutthaalae avvai paatti
Adhak kooda paadi
Enna kizhichuputtom
Arivaana aathi chuvadi
Koduthaalae avvai paatti
Adha kooda paadi
Enna kizhichuputtom
Naadum ennaachu
Namma oorum ennaachu
Ada pesi pesi thaan
Nalla pozhudhum poyaachu
Indha dhesam romba mosam
Idha paakkum podhu ippo
Enna paada chollaadhae
Naan kanda padi paadippuduven
Enna paada chollaadhae
Naan kanda padi paadippuduven
…………………………
Kaambodhiyum theriyum
Kalyaaniyum puriyum
Podhuvaaga nenachadhum
Naan paatteduppen
Aagaadha pozhappai ellaam
Aniyaaya nadappai ellaam
Anjaama en paattil pottodaippen
Naai vaala nimuthuradhum
Kaakaaya velukkuradhum
Ammaadi yaaraala aagum ippo
Naai vaala nimuthuradhum
Kaakaaya velukkuradhum
Ammaadi yaaraala aagum ippo
Paakka ponaakkaa
Naan potta pulla thaan
Ada potti pottaakkaa
Romba ketta pulla thaan
Oru vaegam oru kobam
Onnu serum podhu ippo
Enna paada chollaadhae
Naan kanda padi paadippuduven
Enna paada chollaadhae
Naan kanda padi paadippuduven
Adha kettaa madaiyanukkum
Chorus :Nyaanam porandhidum
Female :Ada moodi kedakkum pala
Chorus :Kannum therandhidum
Enna paada chollaadhae
Naan kanda padi paadippuduven
Don't ask me to sing,
I will sing whatever comes to my mind!
...
Don't ask me to sing,
I will sing whatever comes to my mind!
Don't ask me to sing,
I will sing whatever comes to my mind!
If a fool listens to it,
Wisdom will dawn on him.
And many eyes that stay closed
Will open wide!
If a fool listens to it,
Chorus: Wisdom will dawn on him!
Female: Oh, many eyes that stay closed
Chorus: Will open wide!
Don't ask me to sing,
I will sing whatever comes to my mind!
...
We studied the Thevaram (devotional hymns),
We studied the Thiruvasagam (sacred verses) too,
Without truly understanding, even the Thirukkural (moral verses)
We mechanically read through.
All kinds of prestigious learning,
Having studied day after day,
Without understanding or knowing a thing,
We just blinked blankly.
Wise verses of Aathichudi (ethical primer),
Old grandmother Avvai gave us,
Yet even after reciting those,
What have we really achieved?
Wise verses of Aathichudi,
Old grandmother Avvai gave us,
Yet even after reciting those,
What have we really achieved?
What has become of our country?
What has happened to our own town?
Just endlessly talking and debating,
All the precious time has slipped away.
This country is in such a bad state,
Seeing all this right now...
Don't ask me to sing,
I will sing whatever comes to my mind!
Don't ask me to sing,
I will sing whatever comes to my mind!
...
I know the Kambhoji raga,
I understand Kalyani raga too.
Usually, whatever thought comes to me,
I will make into a song.
All the crooked ways of making a living,
All the unjust things going on around,
I will fearlessly expose in my song!
Straightening a dog's curly tail,
And bleaching a black crow white—
Oh dear, who could ever manage that now?
Straightening a dog's curly tail,
And bleaching a black crow white—
Oh dear, who could ever manage that now?
If you just look at me,
I am only an ordinary girl,
Oh, but if you pick a fight with me,
I can be a very dangerous girl!
A rush of passion and fierce anger,
When they come together now...
Don't ask me to sing,
I will sing whatever comes to my mind!
Don't ask me to sing,
I will sing whatever comes to my mind!
If a fool listens to it,
Chorus: Wisdom will dawn on him!
Female: Oh, many eyes that stay closed
Chorus: Will open wide!
Don't ask me to sing,
I will sing whatever comes to my mind!
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
In 'Enna Paada Chollaadhae', the female protagonist delivers a feisty, rebellious warning not to provoke her into singing, as she will unleash raw, unfiltered truths about society. She critiques the habit of learning sacred ancient Tamil scriptures (such as Thevaram, Thiruvasagam, Thirukkural, and Aathichudi) by heart without actually understanding their practical wisdom or using them to create positive change. She laments how endless idle talk has ruined the nation and village moral standards.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Kaambodhiyum theriyum / Kalyaaniyum puriyum”
Repetition of the initial 'Ka' sound across lines 46 and 47 ('Kaambodhiyum' and 'Kalyaaniyum').
Idioms / Colloquial Proverbs (Pazhamozhi)
“Naai vaala nimuthuradhum / Kaakaaya velukkuradhum”
Uses famous Tamil proverbs—straightening a dog's tail or trying to wash a crow white—to express the impossibility of changing incorrigible, corrupt people.
Sarcasm / Rhetorical Device
“Adha kooda paadi / Enna kizhichuputtom”
Uses the informal, sarcastic Tamil idiom 'enna kizhichuputtom' (what great feat did we achieve?) to question the point of superficial knowledge without action.
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