Kanneeraiyum Senneeraiyum
From Yer Munai · 1992
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singer
- Deepan Chakravarthy
- Music director
- L. Vaithiya Nathan
- Details
- Yer Munai1992
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Kanneeraiyum seneeraiyum | Tears and red blood |
| Thanneeraip pol paachchinaenae | I irrigated like water |
| Venneerayaa oottrinaen | Did I pour boiling hot water instead? |
| En meedhu yaenthaan kobam ammaa | Oh Mother, why are you angry with me? |
| Thaai pondra en bhoomiyae | Oh my land, who is like a mother to me |
| Sathi seithatho saamiyae | Has God betrayed me? |
| Male | |
| Kanneeraiyum seneeraiyum | Tears and red blood |
| Thanneeraip pol paachchinaenae | I irrigated like water |
| Venneerayaa oottrinaen | Did I pour boiling hot water instead? |
| Male | |
| Oor vazha veendithaan vaazhum jaadhi | A working class that lives only to sustain the village |
| Uyaraathathenna samuthaaya needhi | Why has social justice failed to rise for them? |
| Uzhaikkindra kai ooivatho…oooo | Will these hard-working hands come to a tire weary rest? |
| Uzhaikkindra kai ooivatho… | Will these hard-working hands come to a tire weary rest? |
| Male | |
| Aadhaaram illai aagaaram illai | There is no support, there is no food |
| Aniyaayamaai kaaivatho…ooo…. | Is life drying up so unjustly? |
| Alai mothinaal | If the severe waves crash against it |
| Chinna thoni enna aagum | What will become of a fragile small boat? |
| Male | |
| Kanneeraiyum seneeraiyum | Tears and red blood |
| Thanneeraip pol paachchinaenae | I irrigated like water |
| Venneerayaa oottrinaen | Did I pour boiling hot water instead? |
| Male | |
| Uram vaangi pottaala tharamaaga illai | Even if fertilizer is bought, the crop lacks quality |
| Kadan vaangi pottaala theeraatha thollai | If bought on loan, it turns into endless distress |
| Verum vaayaiththaan melvatho…oooo…. | Must we merely chew on an empty mouth? |
| Verum vaayaiththaan melvatho… | Must we merely chew on an empty mouth? |
| Male | |
| Vilai maaravillai nilai maaravillai | The crop price hasn't improved, nor has our plight changed |
| Parithaapamaai aanatho | Has it all turned into a pitiful tragedy? |
| Vervaigalae ungal thaagam endru theerum | Oh drops of sweat, when will your thirst be quenched? |
| Male | |
| Kanneeraiyum seneeraiyum | Tears and red blood |
| Thanneeraip pol paachchinaenae | I irrigated like water |
| Venneerayaa oottrinaen | Did I pour boiling hot water instead? |
| En meedhu yaenthaan kobam ammaa | Oh Mother, why are you angry with me? |
| Thaai pondra en bhoomiyae | Oh my land, who is like a mother to me |
| Sathi seithatho saamiyae….. | Has God betrayed me? |
கண்ணீரையும் செந்நீரையும்
தண்ணீரைப் போல் பாய்ச்சினேனே
வெந்நீரையா ஊற்றினேன்
என் மீது ஏன்தான் கோபம் அம்மா
தாய் போன்ற என் பூமியே
சதி செய்ததோ சாமியே
Tears and red blood
I irrigated like water
Did I pour boiling hot water instead?
Oh Mother, why are you angry with me?
Oh my land, who is like a mother to me
Has God betrayed me?
கண்ணீரையும் செந்நீரையும்
தண்ணீரைப் போல் பாய்ச்சினேனே
வெந்நீரையா ஊற்றினேன்
Tears and red blood
I irrigated like water
Did I pour boiling hot water instead?
ஊர் வாழ வேண்டி தான் வாழும் ஜாதி
உயராததென்ன சமுதாய நீதி
உழைக்கின்ற கை ஓய்வதோ.......ஓஓஒ...
உழைக்கின்ற கை ஓய்வதோ
A working class that lives only to sustain the village
Why has social justice failed to rise for them?
Will these hard-working hands come to a tire weary rest?
Will these hard-working hands come to a tire weary rest?
ஆதாரம் இல்லை ஆகாரம் இல்லை
அநியாயமாய் காய்வதோ......ஓஓ...
அலை மோதினால்
சின்ன தோணி என்ன ஆகும்
There is no support, there is no food
Is life drying up so unjustly?
If the severe waves crash against it
What will become of a fragile small boat?
கண்ணீரையும் செந்நீரையும்
தண்ணீரைப் போல் பாய்ச்சினேனே
வெந்நீரையா ஊற்றினேன்...
Tears and red blood
I irrigated like water
Did I pour boiling hot water instead?
உரம் வாங்கி போட்டால் தரமாக இல்லை
கடன் வாங்கி போட்டால் தீராத தொல்லை
வெறும் வாயைத்தான் மெல்வதோ...ஓஓஒ...
வெறும் வாயைத்தான் மெல்வதோ
Even if fertilizer is bought, the crop lacks quality
If bought on loan, it turns into endless distress
Must we merely chew on an empty mouth?
Must we merely chew on an empty mouth?
விலை மாறவில்லை நிலை மாறவில்லை
பரிதாபமாய் ஆனதோ
வேர்வைகளே உங்கள் தாகம் என்று தீரும்
The crop price hasn't improved, nor has our plight changed
Has it all turned into a pitiful tragedy?
Oh drops of sweat, when will your thirst be quenched?
கண்ணீரையும் செந்நீரையும்
தண்ணீரைப் போல் பாய்ச்சினேனே
வெந்நீரையா ஊற்றினேன்
என் மீது ஏன்தான் கோபம் அம்மா
தாய் போன்ற என் பூமியே
சதி செய்ததோ சாமியே.....
Tears and red blood
I irrigated like water
Did I pour boiling hot water instead?
Oh Mother, why are you angry with me?
Oh my land, who is like a mother to me
Has God betrayed me?
Kanneeraiyum seneeraiyum
Tears and red blood
Thanneeraip pol paachchinaenae
I irrigated like water
Venneerayaa oottrinaen
Did I pour boiling hot water instead?
En meedhu yaenthaan kobam ammaa
Oh Mother, why are you angry with me?
Thaai pondra en bhoomiyae
Oh my land, who is like a mother to me
Sathi seithatho saamiyae
Has God betrayed me?
Kanneeraiyum seneeraiyum
Tears and red blood
Thanneeraip pol paachchinaenae
I irrigated like water
Venneerayaa oottrinaen
Did I pour boiling hot water instead?
Oor vazha veendithaan vaazhum jaadhi
A working class that lives only to sustain the village
Uyaraathathenna samuthaaya needhi
Why has social justice failed to rise for them?
Uzhaikkindra kai ooivatho…oooo
Will these hard-working hands come to a tire weary rest?
Uzhaikkindra kai ooivatho…
Will these hard-working hands come to a tire weary rest?
Aadhaaram illai aagaaram illai
There is no support, there is no food
Aniyaayamaai kaaivatho…ooo….
Is life drying up so unjustly?
Alai mothinaal
If the severe waves crash against it
Chinna thoni enna aagum
What will become of a fragile small boat?
Kanneeraiyum seneeraiyum
Tears and red blood
Thanneeraip pol paachchinaenae
I irrigated like water
Venneerayaa oottrinaen
Did I pour boiling hot water instead?
Uram vaangi pottaala tharamaaga illai
Even if fertilizer is bought, the crop lacks quality
Kadan vaangi pottaala theeraatha thollai
If bought on loan, it turns into endless distress
Verum vaayaiththaan melvatho…oooo….
Must we merely chew on an empty mouth?
Verum vaayaiththaan melvatho…
Must we merely chew on an empty mouth?
Vilai maaravillai nilai maaravillai
The crop price hasn't improved, nor has our plight changed
Parithaapamaai aanatho
Has it all turned into a pitiful tragedy?
Vervaigalae ungal thaagam endru theerum
Oh drops of sweat, when will your thirst be quenched?
Kanneeraiyum seneeraiyum
Tears and red blood
Thanneeraip pol paachchinaenae
I irrigated like water
Venneerayaa oottrinaen
Did I pour boiling hot water instead?
En meedhu yaenthaan kobam ammaa
Oh Mother, why are you angry with me?
Thaai pondra en bhoomiyae
Oh my land, who is like a mother to me
Sathi seithatho saamiyae…..
Has God betrayed me?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song conveys the anguish and despair of an impoverished farmer who pours his tears, sweat, and blood into cultivating the soil, yet receives only crop failure and hardship in return. Addressing the earth as his loving mother, he laments whether nature and destiny have conspired against his honest toil. The lyricist questions the lack of social justice for the working class who sustain society while starving themselves. Systemic issues like debt from purchasing fertilizers, unfair agricultural pricing, and helplessness are personified through the metaphor of a fragile boat battered by relentless ocean waves.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Upamai (Simile)
“Thanneeraip pol paachchinaenae”
Comparing the pouring of blood and tears to irrigation water ('Thanneeraip pol paachchinaenae').
Metaphor & Personification
“Thaai pondra en bhoomiyae”
Personifying the land as a mother ('Thaai pondra en bhoomiyae') and asking why she is angry.
Ethirai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Aadhaaram illai aagaaram illai”
The matching second letter pattern between lines, such as 'Aadhaaram' and 'Aagaaram'.
Rhetorical Question
“Uzhaikkindra kai ooivatho…oooo”
Using questions to highlight deep anguish and social inequality ('Uzhaikkindra kai ooivatho...').
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Gangai Amaran for the 1992 film 'Yer Munai', this song belongs to a rich lineage of Tamil agricultural protest and lament songs. It draws structural inspiration from traditional folk ballads that articulate the struggles of rural farmers against debt, poverty, and unpredictable weather conditions.
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