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Oru Thaai Makkal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Ingu Nallairukanum

From Oru Thaai Makkal · 1971

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Oru Thaai Makkal
Movie release year
1971
Lyrics added on
18 Sept 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ingu nalla irukkanum ellorum
Nalam ellam irukkanum ennaalum
Naama onnodu oonaaga seranum
Indha mannellaam ponnaaga maaranum
Oorum uravum thunai irundha
Osandhu vazhalaam
Edhaiyum onakku mattum serthu vachaa
Ulagam yesalaam
Oorum uravum thunai irundha
Osandhu vazhalaam
Edhaiyum onakku mattum serthu vachaa
Ulagam yesalaam
Kaathum mazhaiyum yaarukkum than
Podhuvil irukkudhu
Andha kadavulukkum podhuvudamai
Karuthu irukkuthu
Kaathum mazhaiyum yaarukkum than
Podhuvil irukkudhu
Andha kadavulukkum podhuvudamai
Karuthu irukkuthu
Nanana nanana nanana nanana
Nannan nan naaaa
Nanana nanana nanana nanana
Nannan nan naaaa
Yeththam pottu oothu neerai
Erachadhu yaaru
Female :Nelatha yeru pooti uzhudhu pottu
Vedachadhu yaaru
Male :Soththu kavalai theerthu vaikka
Ozhachadhu yaaru
Andha samudhaayam kaalam ellam
Sirikkanum paaru
Female :Andha samudhaayam kaalam ellam
Sirikkanum paaru
Uchchi veyil soodu pattu
Odambu karuthathu
Indha oorukaaga ozhachu ozhachu
Kangal sivandhadhu
Uchchi veyil soodu pattu
Odambu karuthathu
Indha oorukaaga ozhachu ozhachu
Kangal sivandhadhu
Karuppum sivappum kalanthirukkira
Maeniyai paaru
Namma kaalam ippa nadakuthaannu kooradi kooru
Female :Namma kaalam ippa nadakuthaannu
Kooradi kooru
Everyone here should live well,
all goodness should stay for all time.
We must join together as one,
and all this land must turn to gold.
If the village and our kin stand by us,
we can rise high and prosper.
If you hoard everything just for yourself,
the world will speak ill of you.
If the village and our kin stand by us,
we can rise high and prosper.
If you hoard everything just for yourself,
the world will speak ill of you.
The wind and the rain, after all,
belong equally to all.
Even God believes
in the ideal of sharing equally.
The wind and the rain, after all,
belong equally to all.
Even God believes
in the ideal of sharing equally.
Nanana nanana nanana nanana
Nannan nan naa...
Nanana nanana nanana nanana
Nannan nan naa...
Setting up the water-lift and drawing
spring water—who did that?
Female: Hitching the plow to the field, tilling it,
and sowing the seeds—who did that?
Male: To wipe away the worries about wealth,
who worked and toiled?
Look, that working community
must smile for all time!
Female: Look, that working community
must smile for all time!
Scorched by the blazing midday sun,
the body has darkened.
Toiling endlessly for this village,
the eyes have turned red.
Scorched by the blazing midday sun,
the body has darkened.
Toiling endlessly for this village,
the eyes have turned red.
Look at this body where
black and red blend together!
Tell me, isn't our era finally here? Tell me!
Female: Tell me, isn't our era finally here?
Tell me, tell me!
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song from 'Oru Thaai Makkal' (1971) serves as a socio-political anthem advocating for unity, social equality, hard work, and socialist wealth distribution. The lyrics emphasize that nature—such as wind and rain—does not discriminate, and human society should similarly share its resources rather than hoard them for personal gain.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

“Oorum uravum thunai irundha / Osandhu vazhalaam”

Repetition of initial vowel sounds in 'Oorum' and 'Osandhu'.

Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

“Kaathum mazhaiyum yaarukkum than / Andha kadavulukkum podhuvudamai”

Agreement of the second consonant 'th' in 'Kaathum' and 'Andha'.

Political Metaphor / Color Symbolism

“Karuppum sivappum kalanthirukkira / Maeniyai paaru”

'Karuppum sivappum' (Black and Red) subtly refers to the DMK party flag and political movement while describing the sun-darkened skin and bloodshot eyes of the working-class laborer.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by M. S. Viswanathan and sung by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela, this MGR starer incorporates heavy DMK political imagery. Vaali cleverly wove the colors black and red (the DMK party flag colors) into the lyrics describing the physical toll of agricultural labor.

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