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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Karuppi

From Pariyerum Perumal · 2018

Lyricist
Vivek
Singers
Santhosh Narayanan, Dr. S. C. Chandilya
Music director
Santhosh Narayanan
Details
Pariyerum Perumal2018

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Adi karuppi en karuppiHey Karuppi, my Karuppi
Nagathadamae en paadhaMy path follows your paw prints
Nee illaadha kaattilIn this forest without you
Naan eppadithaan thirivenoHow will I wander?
Male
Adi karuppi en karuppiHey Karuppi, my Karuppi
Nagathadamae en paadhaMy path follows your paw prints
Nee illaadha kaattilIn this forest without you
Naan eppadithaan thirivenoHow will I wander?
Male
Karuppi en karuppiKaruppi, my Karuppi
Naan pesuradhu kekkudhaCan you hear me speaking?
En azhugaiyum kekkudhaCan you hear my crying too?
Andha rayilin adiyil sikki sedhariTrapped and shattered under that train
Idhayam kathum valiyumThe pain my heart screams
Vedhanaiyum kekkudha..(Dialogue)Can you hear the agony?
Male
Ippa udanae naan unna pakkanumI need to see you right now
Mookkil mugam vachi orasanumI want to nuzzle my face against your nose
Un naakkil nakkiLicking with your tongue
En azhukka kazhuvi poganumYou must wash away my dirt
Enga vandha unna pakkalam (Dialogue)Where should I come to see you?
Male
Yaar andha kaattil odanjiWho lies broken in that forest?
Kedappadu neeya illa naanaIs it you or is it me?
Naana illa neeyaIs it me or is it you?
Neeya naana…naana neeya karuppi…(Dialogue)Is it you or me... me or you, Karuppi?
Male
Irandhadhu neeya iruppadhu naanaIs it you who died, or me who remains?
Iruppadhu neeya irandhadhu naanaIs it you who remains, or me who died?
Nammala konnaven yaarunuThe one who killed us
Enakku nalla theriyumI know very well who it is
Anga seththadhu yaarunuBut who really died there
Avanukku mattumdhan puriyumOnly he truly understands
Male
Azhinjadhu neeyaWas it you who was destroyed?
Chorus :O…oh…ohO...oh...oh
Male :Azhuvadhu naanaIs it me who cries?
Chorus :O…oh…ohO...oh...oh
Male
Azhuvadhu neeyaIs it you who cries?
Chorus :O…oh…ohO...oh...oh
Male :Azhinjadhu naanaWas it me who was destroyed?
Male
Endhiri karuppi amma kooppuduraWake up Karuppi, mother is calling
Kulikka poganum endhiridiWe have to go bathe, get up girl
Yendi pesala en koodaWhy aren't you talking to me?
Ennadi nadandhichi anga..(Dialogue)What happened to you over there?
Male
Valiya thaangaama thudichiyaDid you writhe unable to bear the pain?
Kadaisi nimisham enna nenaichiyaDid you think of me in your last moment?
Unna kollum podhu avan sirichanaDid he laugh as he killed you?
Nee koraikkumpodhu avan moraichana..(Dialogue)Did he glare at you as you barked?
Male
Unkitta padichi padichiDidn't I tell you again and again
Sonnanae kettiyaDid you listen?
Yaar kooptu nee ponaWhose call did you follow?
Yendi ponaWhy did you go, girl?
Ethana thadava solliyirukkenHow many times have I told you
Ellam manusanum ingae onnu illaenu…(Dialogue)That all human beings here are not equal...
Male
Valathu anaikkuravanThe one who hugs with his right hand
Kazhutha nerikkiravanIs the one who strangles your neck
Kanna thadavuravanThe one who caresses your eyes
Kaala nodikkiravanIs the one who breaks your leg
Konnu sirikkiravanThe one who laughs after killing
Ninnu azhuguravanIs the one who stands and cries
Male
KaruppanThe dark-skinned
SevappanThe fair-skinned
SaamiGod
SaathanSatan
AdimaiThe slave
AandaanThe master
MayiruWorthless hair
MattaTrash
Male
Aayiram manusan undunuThere are a thousand kinds of men
Unakku appovae sonnen kettiya neeDidn't I tell you back then, did you listen?
Chorus :O…oh…ohO...oh...oh
O…oh…ohO...oh...oh
Male :Ippa udanae naan unnaI must see you right now
Pakkanum karuppiSee you, Karuppi
Chorus :O…oh…ohO...oh...oh
Male
Nalaikku vandhu appa kepparuTomorrow father will come and ask
Naan ennadi badhil solluvenWhat answer will I give, girl?
Unna enganu solluvenWhere will I say you are?
Engadi iruka neeWhere are you, girl?
Male
Endhiri karuppiWake up, Karuppi
Endhiri karuppiWake up, Karuppi
Endhiri karuppiWake up, Karuppi
Endhiri karuppiWake up, Karuppi
Male
Rendu kaalilo naalu kaaliloWhether on two legs or four legs
Indha mannilae ulavittu kedakkaRoaming around on this earth
Naai illadi neeYou are not just a dog, girl
Naan illayaa neeAren't you me?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Karuppi is an intensely emotional elegy from the movie Pariyerum Perumal, expressing the protagonist Pariyan's immense anguish over the brutal, caste-motivated murder of his beloved hunting dog, Karuppi. The song uses Karuppi as an allegory for the oppressed communities who suffer ruthless violence at the hands of societal hierarchy and caste discrimination. Pariyan laments the loss, questioning whether Karuppi died or if a part of his own soul and identity perished with her. Through poignant lyricism by Vivek, the song exposes the hypocrisy and deceit of human society, warning how people hide behind binary identities such as master, slave, god, or devil. Ultimately, Karuppi serves as both a heartbreaking eulogy for a loyal companion and a scathing critique of caste oppression in contemporary society.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Chiasmus / Antithesis (Ethir-Inai)

Irandhadhu neeya iruppadhu naana / Iruppadhu naana irandhadhu neeya

Inversion of words and ideas across adjacent lines to highlight existential confusion and deep emotional shock.

Allegory / Metaphor (Uruvagandhu)

Rendu kaalilo naalu kaalilo... Naai illadi nee / Naan illayaa nee

Equating the victimized four-legged dog with the oppressed two-legged human protagonist, blurring the line between animal suffering and human caste oppression.

Contrast / Binary Oppositions (Muran)

Saami / Saathan / Adimai / Aandaan

Listing stark philosophical and societal polarities to illustrate the divisive nature of human society.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed and sung by Santhosh Narayanan, 'Karuppi' serves as the thematic backbone for Mari Selvaraj's debut directorial film 'Pariyerum Perumal' (2018). The dog Karuppi represents the marginalized identity and foreshadows the social struggles faced by the protagonist throughout the film.

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