Katti Karumbe Kanna
From Samsaram Adhu Minsaram · 1986
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- Vani Jairam
- Music director
- Sankar Ganesh
- Details
- Samsaram Adhu Minsaram1986
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aari aaraariroo… | Lullaby refrain: Aari aaraariroo... |
| Aari aaraariroo…. | Lullaby refrain: Aari aaraariroo... |
| Aari aaraariroo …. | Lullaby refrain: Aari aaraariroo... |
| Female | |
| Kaalaiku thaanae veeraappu | Pride and stubbornness belong only to the bull, |
| Kandruku eno pollaappu | Why must the innocent calf suffer trouble? |
| Kandrodu pasu indru thindaadudhu | Today, the mother cow struggles along with her calf. |
| Female | |
| Katti karumbae kannaa | Oh my solid sugarcane, my dear child! |
| Kannam sivandha mannaa | Oh my red-cheeked little king! |
| Nee inghu vandha neram | The moment you entered this world, |
| Sondham ellaam dhooram | All our relatives grew distant. |
| En endru ketka aal illai | There is no one to inquire about our pain, |
| Vaa endru solla vaai illai… | There is no mouth to welcome us with affection... |
| Female | |
| Kannukkul vellam ippodhu | There is a flood of tears in our eyes now, |
| Naam karai serum kaalam eppodhu | When will we ever reach the safety of the shore? |
| Un thaai paalil kanneerai | Into your mother's milk, who mixed |
| Yaar serthathu…. | these sorrowful tears? |
| Female | |
| Katti karumbae kannaa | Oh my solid sugarcane, my dear child! |
| Kannam sivandha mannaa | Oh my red-cheeked little king! |
| Nee inghu vandha neram | The moment you entered this world, |
| Sondham ellaam dhooram | All our relatives grew distant. |
| En endru ketka aal illai | There is no one to inquire about our pain, |
| Vaa endru solla vaai illai… | There is no mouth to welcome us with affection... |
| Female | |
| Aarira raroo arraroo.. | Lullaby refrain: Aarira raroo arraroo.. |
| Aarira raroo arraroo…. | Lullaby refrain: Aarira raroo arraroo.. |
ஆரி ஆராரிரோ
ஆரி ஆராரிரோ ஆரி
ஆராரிரோ
Lullaby refrain: Aari aaraariroo...
Lullaby refrain: Aari aaraariroo...
Lullaby refrain: Aari aaraariroo...
{ கட்டி கரும்பே
கண்ணா கன்னம் சிவந்த
மன்னா நீ இங்கு வந்த நேரம்
சொந்தம் எல்லாம் தூரம் ஏன்
என்று கேட்க ஆள் இல்லை
வா என்று சொல்ல வாய் இல்லை } (2)
Pride and stubbornness belong only to the bull,
Why must the innocent calf suffer trouble?
Today, the mother cow struggles along with her calf.
{ ஒப்புக்கு சொன்னேன்
ஆராரோ ஊமைக்கு சொந்தம்
யார் யாரோ பூ வைத்த நெஞ்சில்
தீ வைத்ததாரோ உண்மையை
சொல்ல வாராரோ } (2)
Oh my solid sugarcane, my dear child!
Oh my red-cheeked little king!
The moment you entered this world,
All our relatives grew distant.
There is no one to inquire about our pain,
There is no mouth to welcome us with affection...
காளைக்கு தானே
வீராப்பு கன்றுக்கு ஏனோ
பொல்லாப்பு கன்றோடு
பசு இன்று திண்டாடுது
There is a flood of tears in our eyes now,
When will we ever reach the safety of the shore?
Into your mother's milk, who mixed
these sorrowful tears?
கட்டி கரும்பே
கண்ணா கன்னம் சிவந்த
மன்னா நீ இங்கு வந்த நேரம்
சொந்தம் எல்லாம் தூரம் ஏன்
என்று கேட்க ஆள் இல்லை
வா என்று சொல்ல வாய்
இல்லை
Oh my solid sugarcane, my dear child!
Oh my red-cheeked little king!
The moment you entered this world,
All our relatives grew distant.
There is no one to inquire about our pain,
There is no mouth to welcome us with affection...
{ சிப்பிக்குள் முத்து
வந்தாலும் அது சிப்பிக்கு
சொந்தம் ஆகாது நதியோடு
போனால் கரை உண்டு
கண்ணே விதியோடு
போனால் கரை ஏது } (2)
Lullaby refrain: Aarira raroo arraroo..
Lullaby refrain: Aarira raroo arraroo..
கண்ணுக்குள்
வெல்லம் இப்போது நாம்
கரை சேரும் காலம்
எப்போது உன் தாய்
பாலில் கண்ணீரை
யார் சேர்த்தது
கட்டி கரும்பே
கண்ணா கன்னம் சிவந்த
மன்னா நீ இங்கு வந்த நேரம்
சொந்தம் எல்லாம் தூரம் ஏன்
என்று கேட்க ஆள் இல்லை
வா என்று சொல்ல வாய்
இல்லை
ஆரிரா ராரோ
ஆர்ராரோ ஆரிரா ராரோ
ஆர்ராரோ
Aari aaraariroo…
Lullaby refrain: Aari aaraariroo...
Aari aaraariroo….
Lullaby refrain: Aari aaraariroo...
Aari aaraariroo ….
Lullaby refrain: Aari aaraariroo...
Kaalaiku thaanae veeraappu
Pride and stubbornness belong only to the bull,
Kandruku eno pollaappu
Why must the innocent calf suffer trouble?
Kandrodu pasu indru thindaadudhu
Today, the mother cow struggles along with her calf.
Katti karumbae kannaa
Oh my solid sugarcane, my dear child!
Kannam sivandha mannaa
Oh my red-cheeked little king!
Nee inghu vandha neram
The moment you entered this world,
Sondham ellaam dhooram
All our relatives grew distant.
En endru ketka aal illai
There is no one to inquire about our pain,
Vaa endru solla vaai illai…
There is no mouth to welcome us with affection...
Kannukkul vellam ippodhu
There is a flood of tears in our eyes now,
Naam karai serum kaalam eppodhu
When will we ever reach the safety of the shore?
Un thaai paalil kanneerai
Into your mother's milk, who mixed
Yaar serthathu….
these sorrowful tears?
Katti karumbae kannaa
Oh my solid sugarcane, my dear child!
Kannam sivandha mannaa
Oh my red-cheeked little king!
Nee inghu vandha neram
The moment you entered this world,
Sondham ellaam dhooram
All our relatives grew distant.
En endru ketka aal illai
There is no one to inquire about our pain,
Vaa endru solla vaai illai…
There is no mouth to welcome us with affection...
Aarira raroo arraroo..
Lullaby refrain: Aarira raroo arraroo..
Aarira raroo arraroo….
Lullaby refrain: Aarira raroo arraroo..
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This emotional lullaby from the film 'Samsaram Adhu Minsaram' captures a mother lamenting her newborn baby's plight amidst severe family strife and abandonment. She uses the imagery of cattle to reflect how adult stubbornness and ego ('the bull') bring unintended hardship upon an innocent child ('the calf'). The song expresses deep despair over being cast out by kin and ponders when their sorrowful situation will finally find relief.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Kaalaiku thaanae veeraappu / Kandruku eno pollaappu”
Adults/family heads are metaphorically framed as stubborn bulls ('Kaalai'), while the helpless child is represented as an innocent calf ('Kandru').
Edukai (Second-letter Assonance)
“Katti karumbae kannaa / Kannam sivandha mannaa”
The second consonant sound 'tti' in 'Katti' rhymes with 'nna' in 'Kannam', creating a rhythmic flow characteristic of traditional Tamil poetry.
Hyperbole / Visual Imagery
“Kannukkul vellam ippodhu”
Describing tears overflowing like a flood ('vellam') within the eyes to dramatically highlight intense emotional suffering.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Samsaram Adhu Minsaram' (1986), directed by Visu with music composed by the duo Shankar-Ganesh, was a massive blockbuster that won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. This lullaby highlights the central theme of familial division and the tragic consequences borne by innocent children.
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