- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- S. C. Krishnan, L. R. Anjali, Manorama
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Unakkaga Naan
- Movie release year
- 1976
- Lyrics added on
- 12 Jun 2024
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kaadu kandaa veragu vetrathu
Chorus :Aamaa aamaa
Female :Adhai kattu kattaa velaikku vikkirathu
Chorus :Aamaa aamaa
Kaadu kandaa veragu vetrathu
Chorus :Aamaa aamaa
Female :Adhai kattu kattaa velaikku vikkirathu
Chorus :Aamaa aamaa
Naanga thalaiyil vaikkirathu
Nallaa thalukki vikkirathu
Yaarum pudikka vanthaa veragumillae
Puliyai kandaa uyirumilla
Anthiraththil pozhappu nikkirathu
Antha aandavanthaan thunaikku nikkirathu
Chorus :Anthiraththil pozhappu nikkirathu
Antha aandavanthaan thunaikku nikkirathu
Inaththil mudhalaali
Panaththil peruththa enthan
Vanaththil pugunthu kondu maraththai vetta vantha
Aattu kuttikalaa neenga maattikittikalaa
Yaei imbuttu kuttikalaa neega ambuttukitteengalaa
Imbuttu kuttikalaa neega ambuttukitteengalaa
Sooranai vettiya
Subbramaniya saamiyae neeyum vaa vaa
Appan soolaayithamum velaayithamum
Sumanthu kondae vaavaa
Sooranai vettiya
Subbramaniya saamiyae neeyum vaa vaa
Appan soolaayithamum velaayithamum
Sumanthu kondae vaavaa
Aarumugaththu saami velaayuthaththai kaami
Yaeru mayil yaeri aiyaa inthapakkam vaa nee
Chorus :Yaeru mayil yaeri aiyaa inthapakkam vaa nee
Paadupadum yaezhai nilaiyae
Paakkavae sakikaliyae….aa…aa…aa…aa…
Paadupadum yaezhai nilaiyae
Paakkavae sakikaliyae….
Paainthu kolla vanthaen
Ingae paayattum antha puliyae
Paainthu kolla vanthaen
Ingae paayattum antha puliyae
Yaezhaikku thunai naan
Ini yaegapogam sellathini
Yaezhaikku thunai naan
Ini yaegapogam sellathini
Kalam maari pogum yeazhai
Vaazhvu maaripogum ini….
Padupadum yaezhai nilaiyae
Paakkavey sakikkalaiyae
Aadhikkam seiyyum puliyae
Unakku aanavam enna
Aagattum podaa veliyae
Aadhikkam seiyyum puliyae
Unakku aanavam enna
Aagattum podaa veliyae
Naan povathumillai
Yaezhaikku vaazhvedharkku naam vaazhnthidum
Intha kaadellaam sonthamenakku
Female :Enna sonna
Male :Yaezhaikku vaazhvedharkku naam vaazhnthidum
Intha kaadellaam sonthamenakku
Velai edupaen
Male :Paainthu kadippaen
Female :Vaalai murippaen
Male :Vayiththai kizhippaen
Velai edupaen
Male :Paainthu kadippaen
Female :Vaalai murippaen
Male :Vayiththai kizhippaen
Ooradi potean paaradaa
Naan velai eduththaa uyirudan selvaan yaaradaa
Ooradi potean paaradaa
Naan velai eduththaa uyirudan selvaan yaaradaa
Sangaranai therntheduthaa sangadamillae
Dharmalinga thaathaa melae nampikkai illae…..
When we see a forest, we cut firewood
Chorus: Yes, yes!
Female: We bundle it up and sell it for a living
Chorus: Yes, yes!
When we see a forest, we cut firewood
Chorus: Yes, yes!
Female: We bundle it up and sell it for a living
Chorus: Yes, yes!
We carry the loads on our heads
And sell them with a lively sway
If someone comes to catch us, we drop the firewood and run
If we run into a tiger, our lives are gone
Our livelihood hangs by a thread in midair
Only God above stands by our side
Chorus: Our livelihood hangs by a thread in midair
Only God above stands by our side
I am the master of this land,
Vast in wealth, and into my...
...forest you crept to cut down trees!
You little lambs, did you get caught?
Hey, you little ones, did all of you get trapped?
Did all you little ones get trapped?
You who struck down the demon Sooran,
Lord Subramanya, come, oh come!
Carrying your father Shiva's trident and your divine spear,
Bear them and come to our rescue!
You who struck down the demon Sooran,
Lord Subramanya, come, oh come!
Carrying your father Shiva's trident and your divine spear,
Bear them and come to our rescue!
Six-faced Lord, show your mighty spear!
Ride on your peacock, my Lord, and come this way!
Chorus: Ride on your peacock, my Lord, and come this way!
The suffering of the struggling poor...
...is unbearable to watch... ah... ah... ah... ah...
The suffering of the struggling poor...
...is unbearable to watch...
I have leaped in to fight!
Let that tiger try to pounce here now!
I have leaped in to fight!
Let that tiger try to pounce here now!
I stand by the poor as their protector,
Tyranny and greed will rule no more!
I stand by the poor as their protector,
Tyranny and greed will rule no more!
The battlefield will change,
And the life of the poor will transform from now on!
The suffering of the struggling poor...
...is unbearable to watch!
You oppressive tiger,
Why are you so arrogant?
Enough of this, get out of here!
You oppressive tiger,
Why are you so arrogant?
Enough of this, get out of here!
I am not leaving at all!
For the poor to live, this land where we dwell...
...this entire forest belongs to me!
Female: What did you say?
Male: For the poor to live, this land where we dwell...
...this entire forest belongs to me!
I will raise my spear!
Male: I will leap and bite!
Female: I will snap your tail!
Male: I will rip open your belly!
I will raise my spear!
Male: I will leap and bite!
Female: I will snap your tail!
Male: I will rip open your belly!
Look, I struck a single blow!
If I wield my spear, who can escape alive?
Look, I struck a single blow!
If I wield my spear, who can escape alive?
If you choose Sankaran, there will be no hardship;
There is no trust left in Grandpa Dharmalingam...
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Female
Female
Female
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This theatrical folk duet from 'Unakkaga Naan' (1976) portrays the plight and resistance of impoverished firewood gatherers living in a forest. When an arrogant, wealthy boss attempts to claim the forest as his private property and exploit the villagers, they invoke Lord Murugan (Subramanya) and rally together. The song transitions from a song of hardship to a fiery declaration of rebellion, where the common folk boldly stand up against tyranny and proclaim their right to the forest.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Second-letter Rhyme (Etugai)
“Inaththil mudhalaali / Panaththil peruththa enthan / Vanaththil pugunthu kondu”
The second consonant sound matches across consecutive lines ('Inaththil' / 'Panaththil' / 'Vanaththil').
Initial Alliteration (Monai)
“Sooranai vettiya / Subbramaniya saamiyae neeyum vaa vaa”
Matching initial sounds in words within a line ('Sooranai' and 'Subbramaniya').
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Aattu kuttikalaa neenga maattikittikalaa / Aadhikkam seiyyum puliyae”
Comparing the oppressive landlord to a tiger ('puli') and the villagers to helpless young goats ('aattu kuttikal').
Did you know?
Trivia
This track is a folk-operatic theatrical performance piece within the 1976 film 'Unakkaga Naan'. It showcases the iconic multi-talented actor-singer Manorama alongside S. C. Krishnan and L. R. Anjali, with music scored by M. S. Viswanathan and lyrics by Kannadasan.
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