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Lyrics & meaning

Kudumbathai Uruvakka

From Thazhuvatha Kaigal · 1986

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Sailaja, Uma Ramanan, Sasirekha
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Thazhuvatha Kaigal1986

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
KudumbathaiFamily
Uruvaakka chonnaaWhen asked to build a
Oru graamathai uruvaakkiHe created a whole village
Thandhaar engappaaThat's what my father gave us
Female
Ellorum innaattu mannarEveryone is a king of this country
Female
Andha vishayathil engappaaBut in that matter, my father is
Mannaadhi mannarThe king of all kings
Female
Vaakkaalar pattiyalLike a voter list
Pol iruppomWe exist
Naanga varushathukkonnaagaWe were born
PorandhiruppomOne for every single year
Female
Oyaama kekkudhuHeard continuously without stopping
Thottil sathamIs the sound of the cradle
Naanaga ulladha sonnaakkaaIf I just state the truth as it is
Enna kuthamWhat fault is there in it?
Female
Enga ammaannaa ammaaMy mother is a true mother
Summaalla summaaNot just ordinary, not at all
Eppodhum nippaangaShe always stands tall
Thaai veshamaaIn the role of a mother
Female
Thaalaatta paalootta asarallaeUnwearied in singing lullabies and nursing
Female Chorus :AamaamaaFemale Chorus: Yes, yes
Female :Aaraachu ezhaachu nikkallaeFemale: She never got tired or grew weak
Female Chorus :AamaamaaFemale Chorus: Yes, yes
Female
Appaavum sariyaana killaadiMy father too is a master player
Female Chorus :AamaamaaFemale Chorus: Yes, yes
Female :Avar thaanga kusaelar munnaadiFemale: He stands even ahead of Kuchela
Female Chorus :AamaamaaFemale Chorus: Yes, yes
Female
Appaannaa appaa thaanMy father is truly a father
Avar panna thappaal thaanOnly because of the mistake he made
Perusaachu indhiyaa thaanIndia's population grew so big!
Female
KudumbathaiFamily
Uruvaakka chonnaaWhen asked to build a
Oru graamathai uruvaakkiHe created a whole village
Thandhaar engappaaThat's what my father gave us
Female
Ellorum innaattu mannarEveryone is a king of this country
Female
Andha vishayathil engappaaBut in that matter, my father is
Mannaadhi mannarThe king of all kings
Male
Dei pasangalaa enna paathuHey kids, looking at me
Kindalaa panreengaWhy are you teasing me?
Naan yen aandippandaaramWhy I became a penniless beggar
Aanen theriyumaaDo you know how?
Naanum oru kaalathulaIn my time, I too
Yedhaedho senjenDid all sorts of things
Female Chorus :Haan … apdiyaa…Female Chorus: Ah... is that so?
Male :Sollaama kollaama kaadhalum senjenMale: I fell in love without telling anyone
Female Chorus :Oho…Female Chorus: Oh-ho...
Male :Ava mela naanumMale: I on her
Female Chorus :Aii…Female Chorus: Hey...
Male :En mela avalumMale: And she on me
Female Chorus :Ai hai…Female Chorus: Ai hai...
Male
Ava mela naanumI on her
En mela avalumAnd she on me
Ishta pattom rombak kashta pattomWe fell in love and suffered a lot
Kalyaanam kilyaanam pannikkittomWe got married and all that
Onnaa rendaa pethukkittomDid we birth just one or two?
Ishtam pol ezhettu pethadhaal naanumBecause I had seven or eight children as I pleased
Thindaadi thindaadittheruvil ninnuStruggling and suffering on the streets
Aandippandaaramaaga aagi thaan ponenI ended up becoming a penniless mendicant
Female
Yaarukku yaar thambiWho is related to whom, brother?
PuriyaadhungaNobody understands
Enga ennikkai appakkumEven our father doesn't know
TheriyaadhungaOur exact count
Male
Alavodu pekkaattiIf you don't birth with moderation
Aandi aavaanOne becomes a beggar
Tata birlaavae aanaalumEven if one were Tata or Birla
Bondi aavaanOne will go bankrupt
Female
Maangaaya summaaRaw mangoes just like that
Thimbaanga ammaaMother would keep eating
Saambalum thinnaadhaWithout eating ash, there wasn't
Naal illaiyaeA single day during pregnancy
Male
Ulladha ozhungaaga kaakkanumProtect what you have properly
Female Chorus :AamaamaaFemale Chorus: Yes, yes
Male :Kurinji poo pola thaan pookkanumMale: Bloom rare like the Kurinji flower
Female :AamaamaaFemale: Yes, yes
Male :Elidhaana saadhanam vaanganumMale: Buy simple contraceptives/devices
Female Chorus :AamaamaaFemale Chorus: Yes, yes
Male :Illaatti thaniyaa thaan thoonganumMale: Otherwise, sleep alone
Female Chorus :AamaamaaFemale Chorus: Yes, yes
Female
Nallaa thaan sonnaaruHe spoke very well indeed
Pandaara saamiThe mendicant holy man
Ellorum kettukkungaEveryone, please listen up
Female
Ada kudumbathaiHey, family
Uruvaakka chonnaaWhen asked to build a
Oru graamathai uruvaakkiHe created a whole village
Thandhaar engappaaThat's what my father gave us
Female
Ellorum innaattu mannarEveryone is a king of this country
Female
Andha vishayathil engappaaBut in that matter, my father is
Mannaadhi mannarThe king of all kings

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Kudumbathai Uruvaakka Chonnaa is a lighthearted yet sharp social commentary song from the 1986 Tamil film Thazhuvatha Kaigal. Written by Vaali, the song uses satirical humor to address family planning and population growth. The children sing comically about how their father fathered an entire village instead of a normal family, comparing their vast headcount to a municipal voter list.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Hyperbole (Athi-sayokthi)

Oru graamathai uruvaakki / Perusaachu indhiyaa thaan

Exaggeration used for comedic effect, such as creating a village instead of a family or blaming the father's excess children for expanding India's overall population.

Simile (Upamai)

Vaakkaalar pattiyal pol iruppom / Kurinji poo pola thaan pookkanum

Comparing the overwhelming number of siblings in the house to an official voter list (Vaakkaalar pattiyal), and urging birth control frequency to resemble the rare blooming of the Kurinji flower.

Rhyme & Alliteration (Monai / Ethirai / Iyaibu)

Aandi aavaan / Tata birlaavae aanaalum bondi aavaan

Catchy end-rhyme and rhythm typical of folk social awareness songs, such as pairing Aandi (beggar) with Bondi (bankrupt).

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is a creative public health awareness message seamlessly integrated into 1980s Tamil commercial cinema, composed by maestro Ilaiyaraaja and sung by Malaysia Vasudevan along with S. P. Sailaja and chorus.

Keep listening

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