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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ennachu Namma Desam

From Thaali Kattiya Raasa · 1992

Lyricist
S. A. Rajkumar
Singer
Mano
Music director
S. A. Rajkumar
Details
Thaali Kattiya Raasa1992

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Thaiyaa thaiyaa thaiyara thaiyaaThaiyaa thaiyaa thaiyara thaiyaa
Thaiyaa thaiyaa thaiyara thaiyaaThaiyaa thaiyaa thaiyara thaiyaa
Male
{Ennaachchu namma dhesam{What happened to our nation
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin
Male :Engaedaa socialismMale: Where is socialism, man?
Chorus :Thaththinaththin} (2)Chorus: Thaththinaththin} (2)
Male
Neththodu pochchu nehru sonnathuWhat Nehru promised ended yesterday
Kaaththodu pochchu gandhi sonnathuWhat Gandhi said vanished into the wind
Ada ullatha naan eduththu sonnaaOh, if I speak out the blatant truth
Aaththaadi romba mosam….Oh my goodness, the situation gets very bad...
Male
{Ennaachchu namma Dhesam{What happened to our nation
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin
Male :Engaedaa socialismMale: Where is socialism, man?
Chorus :Thaththinaththin} (2)Chorus: Thaththinaththin} (2)
Male :Haan….Male: Yeah...
Chorus
Eduththu euththu kozhuththavanthaan kodukkanumThe one who hoarded and grew fat must give back
Uzhaichchu uzhaichchu kalachchavanthaan edukkanumThe one who worked hard and grew weary should receive
Eduththu euththu kozhuththavanthaan kodukkanumThe one who hoarded and grew fat must give back
Uzhaichchu uzhaichchu kalachchavanthaan edukkanumThe one who worked hard and grew weary should receive
Aahaa ooho yaehae hae…..Aahaa ooho yaehae hae...
Aahaa ooho yaehae hae…..Aahaa ooho yaehae hae...
Male
Paththu peru uzhaipulathaanOnly on the sweat of ten working people
Moththa perum vaazhugiraanThe entire society thrives and lives
Katti kaakkum velingathaanThe fence that is built to guard and protect
Meyuthadaa thottaththa thaanIs now grazing on the garden itself!
Keezhendrum maelendrum ullathu varkkamClass divide exists as the upper and lower strata
Katchi katti oorukkul eththanai tharkkamHow many political arguments occur in town while forming factions!
Male
Poonaikkuththaan maniya kattaTo bell the cat
Purappattaen paarungadaaLook, I have stepped forward!
Haei roshamulla aambalaingaHey, courageous men with self-respect
Thunaikkuththaan vaarungadaaCome forward to join me as support!
Thuninjaa edhuvum nadakkumIf you have courage, anything can happen
Imaiya malaiya nagarththalaamWe can even move the mighty Himalayan mountain
Male
Ennaachchu namma dhesamWhat happened to our nation
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin
Male :Engaedaa socialismMale: Where is socialism, man?
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin
Male
Neththodu pochchuGone with yesterday
Chorus :Nehru sonnathuChorus: What Nehru said
Male :Haan kaaththodu pochchuMale: Yeah, gone into the wind
Chorus :Gandhi sonnathuChorus: What Gandhi said
Male :Ada ullatha naan eduththu sonnaaMale: Oh, if I speak out the blatant truth
AaththaadiOh my goodness
Chorus :Romba mosamChorus: It turns out very bad
Male
Ennaachchu namma dhesamWhat happened to our nation
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin
Male :Engaedaa socialism ha haanMale: Where is socialism, ha haan?
Chorus
……………....
Male
Velai seiyum kooligalin vayiththula adi vizhuthuThe working laborers are being kicked right in the stomach
Kooli konjam adhigam thara kettuputtaa pagai varuthuIf they ask for a slight wage hike, enmity arises
Eppothum paattaali yaeniya polaThe working class is always like a ladder
Yaeththi vittu ninniruppaan bhoomiyin maelaeLifting others up while staying down on the ground
Male
Pattaala veeranaipolLike an army soldier
Paanjaaththaan payappuduvaanOnly if you charge forward will they feel fear
Haan Muttaalaa naam irunthaaYeah, if we stay silent like fools
Kuttaama enna seivaanWhat else will they do besides keeping us down?
Thovachchaa thunigal velukkumIf you wash them, dirty clothes turn clean
Pazhaiya azhukku vilakalaamSimilarly, old corruption and dirt can be washed away
Male
Ennaachchu namma dhesamWhat happened to our nation
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin
Male :Ada engaedaa socialismMale: Hey, where is socialism?
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin
Male
Ada ennaachchu namma dhesamHey, what happened to our nation
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin
Male :Engaedaa socialismMale: Where is socialism, man?
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin
Male
Neththodu pochchuGone with yesterday
Chorus :Nehru sonnathuChorus: What Nehru said
Male :Haan kaaththodu pochchuMale: Yeah, gone into the wind
Chorus :Gandhi sonnathuChorus: What Gandhi said
Male :Ada ullatha naan eduththu sonnaaMale: Oh, if I speak out the blatant truth
AaththaadiOh my goodness
Chorus :Romba mosamChorus: It turns out very bad
Male
Ennaachchu namma dhesamWhat happened to our nation
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin
Male :Ada engaedaa socialismMale: Hey, where is socialism?
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin
Male
Ada ennaachchu namma dhesamHey, what happened to our nation
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin
Male :Engaedaa socialismMale: Where is socialism, man?
Chorus :ThaththinaththinChorus: Thaththinaththin

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a socio-political rally cry calling out the decay of egalitarian values in modern India. The protagonist questions the state of the nation and laments that the noble visions of iconic founding leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru have been forgotten or blown away like dust. He highlights the stark economic disparity where the wealthy exploit the labor of the working class, comparing the laborer to a ladder that elevates others while remaining grounded itself.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile

Eppothum paattaali yaeniya pola

Compares the working class to a ladder (yaeni) that helps others rise up to prosperity while itself remaining in the same place.

Proverbial Metaphor

Katti kaakkum velingathaan meyuthadaa thottaththa thaan

Uses the Tamil proverb 'Veliye payirai meyvadhu' (the protective fence grazing the field) to metaphorically describe authority figures who exploit the very people they are meant to protect.

Rhetorical Question

Engaedaa socialism

Repeatedly asks 'Where is socialism?' to critique political inaction and highlight class inequality.

Iyaipu (Rhyme)

Neththodu pochchu nehru sonnathu / Kaaththodu pochchu gandhi sonnathu

The matching end rhymes ('sonnathu' / 'sonnathu' and 'pochchu' / 'pochchu') create a rhythmic flow conveying loss.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by popular lyricist and music composer S. A. Rajkumar for the 1992 Tamil village drama 'Thaali Kattiya Raasa'. The lyrics draw heavily upon socialist rhetoric and revolutionary Tamil pop-culture motifs, addressing wage inequality and worker rights.

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