Karpa Adhu Karuppa Sivappa
From Megam Karuththirukku · 1987
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- K. S. Chitra
- Music director
- Manoj – Gyan
- Details
- Megam Karuththirukku1987
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa | Is chastity black or red? |
| Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa | O woman, is it meant for you or for me? |
| Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa | Is chastity black or red? |
| Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa | O woman, is it meant for you or for me? |
| Female | |
| Karpu enbathu ullapadi | In truth, chastity... |
| Nam karppapaiyil illaiyadi | ...does not reside in our womb, my dear. |
| Karpu enbathu ullapadi | In truth, chastity... |
| Nam karppapaiyil illaiyadi | ...does not reside in our womb, my dear. |
| Female | |
| Adhu manathil ullathu kanmaniyae…oo…oo… | It resides in the mind, my precious one... |
| Adhu manathil ullathu kanmaniyae | It resides in the mind, my precious one. |
| Naan appadi paarththaal paththiniyae | If looked at in that way, I am a chaste woman! |
| Female | |
| Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa | Is chastity black or red? |
| Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa | O woman, is it meant for you or for me? |
| Female | |
| Vandugal ennidam vanthathundu | Bees (men) have come to me. |
| Pala thundugal ennidam vanthathundu | Many broken pieces of men have come to me. |
| En kadhaiyai kettu azhuthathundu | Some have wept upon hearing my life story. |
| Sila kadanum solli ponathundu | Some have even left after lending me money. |
| Female | |
| Vilakkai anaiththaal siththini naan | When the lights go off, I am a courtesan. |
| Adi vidinthu vittaal paththini naan | O girl, once the day dawns, I am a chaste woman. |
| Kangalil raththam vanthu kaayangal ingae | There is blood in the eyes and wounds here. |
| Idi thaangum pookkal ingae vaazhvathu engae | Where can flowers that endure thunderbolts live here? |
| Female | |
| Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa | Is chastity black or red? |
| Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa | O woman, is it meant for you or for me? |
| Female | |
| Kannagiyai andru azha vaiththaar | Back then, they made Kannagi weep. |
| Adi atharkku piragae silai vaiththaar | O girl, only after that did they build a statue for her. |
| Pagalil pennai thozha vaiththaar | In the daytime, they made women objects of worship. |
| Adi iravil adharkor vilai vaiththaar | O girl, at night, they fixed a price on her. |
| Female | |
| Pengal meethuthaan thappirukku | Is the fault only on women? |
| Adi aangalukkengae karpirukku | O girl, where is chastity for men? |
| Pen kulam mattum karppai kaakkattum ingae | Should only womankind safeguard chastity here? |
| Vara sollu pennae antha valluvan engae | Tell that Valluvar to come here, woman! |
| Female | |
| Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa | Is chastity black or red? |
| Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa | O woman, is it meant for you or for me? |
| Female | |
| Karpu enbathu ullapadi | In truth, chastity... |
| Nam karppapaiyil illaiyadi | ...does not reside in our womb, my dear. |
| Karpu enbathu ullapadi | In truth, chastity... |
| Nam karppapaiyil illaiyadi | ...does not reside in our womb, my dear. |
| Female | |
| Adhu manathil ullathu kanmaniyae…oo…oo… | It resides in the mind, my precious one... |
| Adhu manathil ullathu kanmaniyae | It resides in the mind, my precious one. |
| Naan appadi paarththaal paththiniyae | Naan appadi paarththaal paththiniyae |
| Female | |
| Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa | Is chastity black or red? |
| Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa | O woman, is it meant for you or for me? |
கற்பா அது கருப்பா சிவப்பா
பெண்ணே அது உனக்கா எனக்கா
கற்பா அது கருப்பா சிவப்பா
பெண்ணே அது உனக்கா எனக்கா
Is chastity black or red?
O woman, is it meant for you or for me?
Is chastity black or red?
O woman, is it meant for you or for me?
கற்பு என்பது உள்ளபடி
நம் கர்ப்பப்பையில் இல்லையடி
கற்பு என்பது உள்ளபடி
நம் கர்ப்பப்பையில் இல்லையடி
In truth, chastity...
...does not reside in our womb, my dear.
In truth, chastity...
...does not reside in our womb, my dear.
அது மனதில் உள்ளது கண்மணியே.....ஓ....ஓ....
அது மனதில் உள்ளது கண்மணியே
நான் அப்படி பார்த்தால் பத்தினியே
It resides in the mind, my precious one...
It resides in the mind, my precious one.
If looked at in that way, I am a chaste woman!
கற்பா அது கருப்பா சிவப்பா
பெண்ணே அது உனக்கா எனக்கா
Is chastity black or red?
O woman, is it meant for you or for me?
வண்டுகள் என்னிடம் வந்ததுண்டு
பல துண்டுகள் என்னிடம் வந்ததுண்டு
என் கதையைக் கேட்டு அழுததுண்டு
சில கடனும் சொல்லி போனதுண்டு
Bees (men) have come to me.
Many broken pieces of men have come to me.
Some have wept upon hearing my life story.
Some have even left after lending me money.
விளக்கை அணைத்தால் சித்தினி நான்
அடி விடிந்து விட்டால் பத்தினி நான்
கண்களில் ரத்தம் வந்து காயங்கள் இங்கே
இடி தாங்கும் பூக்கள் இங்கே வாழ்வது எங்கே
When the lights go off, I am a courtesan.
O girl, once the day dawns, I am a chaste woman.
There is blood in the eyes and wounds here.
Where can flowers that endure thunderbolts live here?
கற்பா அது கருப்பா சிவப்பா
பெண்ணே அது உனக்கா எனக்கா
Is chastity black or red?
O woman, is it meant for you or for me?
கண்ணகியை அன்று அழ வைத்தார்
அடி அதற்கு பிறகே சிலை வைத்தார்
பகலில் பெண்ணை தொழ வைத்தார்
அடி இரவில் அதற்கோர் விலை வைத்தார்
Back then, they made Kannagi weep.
O girl, only after that did they build a statue for her.
In the daytime, they made women objects of worship.
O girl, at night, they fixed a price on her.
பெண்கள் மீதுதான் தப்பிருக்கு
அடி ஆண்களுக்கெங்கே கற்பிருக்கு
பெண் குலம் மட்டும் கற்பை காக்கட்டும் இங்கே
வரச் சொல்லு பெண்ணே அந்த வள்ளுவன் எங்கே
Is the fault only on women?
O girl, where is chastity for men?
Should only womankind safeguard chastity here?
Tell that Valluvar to come here, woman!
கற்பா அது கருப்பா சிவப்பா
பெண்ணே அது உனக்கா எனக்கா
Is chastity black or red?
O woman, is it meant for you or for me?
கற்பு என்பது உள்ளபடி
நம் கர்ப்பப்பையில் இல்லையடி
கற்பு என்பது உள்ளபடி
நம் கர்ப்பப்பையில் இல்லையடி
In truth, chastity...
...does not reside in our womb, my dear.
In truth, chastity...
...does not reside in our womb, my dear.
அது மனதில் உள்ளது கண்மணியே....ஓ....ஓ....
அது மனதில் உள்ளது கண்மணியே
நான் அப்படி பார்த்தால் பத்தினியே
It resides in the mind, my precious one...
It resides in the mind, my precious one.
Naan appadi paarththaal paththiniyae
கற்பா அது கருப்பா சிவப்பா
பெண்ணே அது உனக்கா எனக்கா.....
Is chastity black or red?
O woman, is it meant for you or for me?
Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa
Is chastity black or red?
Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa
O woman, is it meant for you or for me?
Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa
Is chastity black or red?
Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa
O woman, is it meant for you or for me?
Karpu enbathu ullapadi
In truth, chastity...
Nam karppapaiyil illaiyadi
...does not reside in our womb, my dear.
Karpu enbathu ullapadi
In truth, chastity...
Nam karppapaiyil illaiyadi
...does not reside in our womb, my dear.
Adhu manathil ullathu kanmaniyae…oo…oo…
It resides in the mind, my precious one...
Adhu manathil ullathu kanmaniyae
It resides in the mind, my precious one.
Naan appadi paarththaal paththiniyae
If looked at in that way, I am a chaste woman!
Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa
Is chastity black or red?
Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa
O woman, is it meant for you or for me?
Vandugal ennidam vanthathundu
Bees (men) have come to me.
Pala thundugal ennidam vanthathundu
Many broken pieces of men have come to me.
En kadhaiyai kettu azhuthathundu
Some have wept upon hearing my life story.
Sila kadanum solli ponathundu
Some have even left after lending me money.
Vilakkai anaiththaal siththini naan
When the lights go off, I am a courtesan.
Adi vidinthu vittaal paththini naan
O girl, once the day dawns, I am a chaste woman.
Kangalil raththam vanthu kaayangal ingae
There is blood in the eyes and wounds here.
Idi thaangum pookkal ingae vaazhvathu engae
Where can flowers that endure thunderbolts live here?
Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa
Is chastity black or red?
Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa
O woman, is it meant for you or for me?
Kannagiyai andru azha vaiththaar
Back then, they made Kannagi weep.
Adi atharkku piragae silai vaiththaar
O girl, only after that did they build a statue for her.
Pagalil pennai thozha vaiththaar
In the daytime, they made women objects of worship.
Adi iravil adharkor vilai vaiththaar
O girl, at night, they fixed a price on her.
Pengal meethuthaan thappirukku
Is the fault only on women?
Adi aangalukkengae karpirukku
O girl, where is chastity for men?
Pen kulam mattum karppai kaakkattum ingae
Should only womankind safeguard chastity here?
Vara sollu pennae antha valluvan engae
Tell that Valluvar to come here, woman!
Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa
Is chastity black or red?
Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa
O woman, is it meant for you or for me?
Karpu enbathu ullapadi
In truth, chastity...
Nam karppapaiyil illaiyadi
...does not reside in our womb, my dear.
Karpu enbathu ullapadi
In truth, chastity...
Nam karppapaiyil illaiyadi
...does not reside in our womb, my dear.
Adhu manathil ullathu kanmaniyae…oo…oo…
It resides in the mind, my precious one...
Adhu manathil ullathu kanmaniyae
It resides in the mind, my precious one.
Naan appadi paarththaal paththiniyae
Naan appadi paarththaal paththiniyae
Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa
Is chastity black or red?
Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa
O woman, is it meant for you or for me?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This powerful feminist anthem sung by K. S. Chithra challenges societal double standards surrounding female chastity and virtue ('karpu'). The speaker, a sex worker forced into her profession, questions the physical abstract definition imposed on women by patriarchal traditions, arguing that true purity resides in one's mind and character rather than physical anatomy.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Karpaa adhu karuppaa sivappaa / Pennae adhu unakkaa enakkaa”
Matching second consonants across lines: 'Karpaa' / 'Pennae', 'Karpu' / 'Nam karppapaiyil'.
Metaphor (Uruvagamaana Sangathi)
“Idi thaangum pookkal ingae vaazhvathu engae”
'Idi thaangum pookkal' (flowers enduring thunderbolts) metaphorically compares vulnerable women to fragile flowers forced to endure severe societal oppression.
Allusion (Ilakkiya Kurippu)
“Kannagiyai andru azha vaiththaar / Vara sollu pennae antha valluvan engae”
Refers to Kannagi from Silappatikaram and Thiruvalluvar, questioning traditional literary depictions of female virtue.
Did you know?
Trivia
This bold track from 'Megam Karuththirukku' (1987), composed by Manoj-Gyan with lyricist Vairamuthu, stands out for its progressive, thought-provoking lyrics challenging double standards on chastity, delivered soulfully by K. S. Chithra.
Keep listening
More from Megam Karuththirukku
Megam Karuththirukku
Megam Karuththirukku
Megam Karuththirukku
Megam Karuththirukku