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Theertha Karaiyinile album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kotti Kidakkuthu

From Theertha Karaiyinile · 1987

Lyricist
Isaignani Ilayaraja
Singer
K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Theertha Karaiyinile
Movie release year
1987
Lyrics added on
18 Jul 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aa… aa… aa… aa… aa…
Aa… aa… aa… aa… aa…
Laalalla laalalla laalalla laalalla laa
Kotti kidakkudhu selvangal
Boomiyilae hoi
Adhai alli vazhangidum nenjangal
Yedhum illae hoi
Engengilum vanjamo vanjam
Anbadharkku panjamo panjam
Engalukku panjamum illae saami haa haa
Kotti kidakkudhu selvangal
Boomiyilae hoi
Adhai alli vazhangidum nenjangal
Yedhum illae
Boomikkul ooridum neeradhu thaan
Aaraaga oorengum oduvadhu
Aarodum paadhaiyai yaaru ingae
Neraaga seeraaga aakkiyadhu
Ennadhendrum unnadhendrum
Baedhangal thaan yaeno
Enna idhu enna idhu kevalangal thaano
Aarodum neeradhu
Neraaga pin sellumaa hoi
Ooriya ootrukkul
Thaanaaga thaan pogumaa hoi
Anbu nenjam boomikkum undu
Andha nenjam neerukkum undu
Ingu adhu yaarukku undu kooradiyo haa haa
Kotti kidakkudhu selvangal
Boomiyilae hoi
Adhai alli vazhangidum nenjangal
Yedhum illae
Mannil kidaikkindra kallu ondru
Vairakkal endradhai yaar sonnadhu
Kannil kidaippadhai sondham kollum
Chinna buthi adhai yaar thandhadhu
Solluvadhum ketpadhuvum
Naamallavo maanae
Alluvadhum kolluvadhum
Nambikkaiyaal thaanae
Ntthamum suttri
Chuzhandridum man thanilae hoi
Otti uzhandridum
Man puzhu maanidamae hoi
Kotti kidakkudhu selvangal
Boomiyilae hoi
Adhai alli vazhangidum nenjangal
Yedhum illae hoi
Engengilum vanjamo vanjam
Anbadharkku panjamo panjam
Engalukku panjamum illae saami haa haa
Kotti kidakkudhu selvangal
Boomiyilae hoi
Adhai alli vazhangidum nenjangal
Yedhum illae
Aa… aa… aa… aa… aa…
Aa… aa… aa… aa… aa…
La lalla la lalla la lalla la lalla la
Riches lie scattered in abundance
across the earth, hoy!
But hearts to gather and share them freely,
there are none, hoy!
Everywhere there is deceit upon deceit,
and love is in such short supply!
But we have no shortage of love, Lord, ha ha!
Riches lie scattered in abundance
across the earth, hoy!
But hearts to gather and share them freely,
there are none!
The water that springs from deep in the earth
flows across the land as a river.
Who here has ever made
the river's path straight and neat?
Calling things "mine" and "yours,"
why do such divisions exist?
What is this, what is this, isn't it all so shameful?
Can the water flowing down a river
ever flow backward, hoy?
Back into the spring where it welled up,
can it return on its own, hoy?
The earth has a loving heart,
and the water has that heart too.
Tell me, my dear, who among us has it? Ha ha!
Riches lie scattered in abundance
across the earth, hoy!
But hearts to gather and share them freely,
there are none!
When a stone is found in the dirt,
who was the one who called it a diamond?
Wanting to own whatever catches the eye,
who gave humans such petty minds?
Those who tell and those who listen,
isn't it all just us, my dear?
Grabbing wealth and taking lives,
isn't it all driven by what people believe?
On this earth that constantly
spins around and around, hoy,
clinging on and struggling along,
mankind is just an earthworm, hoy!
Riches lie scattered in abundance
across the earth, hoy!
But hearts to gather and share them freely,
there are none, hoy!
Everywhere there is deceit upon deceit,
and love is in such short supply!
But we have no shortage of love, Lord, ha ha!
Riches lie scattered in abundance
across the earth, hoy!
But hearts to gather and share them freely,
there are none!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Kotti Kidakkudhu Selvangal is a deeply philosophical Tamil song from the movie Theertha Karaiyinile (1987), featuring music composed and lyrics written by Ilaiyaraaja. The song offers a sharp critique of human greed, selfishness, and artificial social divisions. It contrasts nature's infinite capacity for selfless giving with humanity's obsession with ownership, petty pride, and moral bankruptcy. Through poignant nature metaphors—such as river waters that flow without asking for ownership and human beings living transient lives like earthworms in the dirt—the song highlights the absurdity of material greed. It reminds listeners that nature's wealth belongs to all, yet human society lacks the broad-minded compassion to share it fairly.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

“Man puzhu maanidamae hoi”

Compares human beings directly to earthworms struggling in dirt to highlight human insignificance, mortality, and petty material attachments.

Rhyme / Monai & Edhugai

“Engengilum vanjamo vanjam / Anbadharkku panjamo panjam”

Uses parallel rhyme schemes and internal alliteration (vanjam/panjam) to contrast widespread deceit with the severe lack of genuine affection.

Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Ani)

“Mannil kidaikkindra kallu ondru / Vairakkal endradhai yaar sonnadhu”

Uses rhetorical questioning to ask who designated a stone as a valuable diamond, challenging human vanity and arbitrary valuation of wealth.

Did you know?

Trivia

This song features lyrics authored by Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja himself. Though widely celebrated as a master composer, Ilaiyaraaja occasionally wrote lyric tracks that featured profound philosophical and social commentaries, as seen here in Theertha Karaiyinile (1987).

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