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Lyrics & meaning

Maattu Mani Saththam

From Endraavathu Oru Naal · 2021

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Namitha Babu
Music director
N. R. Raghunanthan
Movie name
Endraavathu Oru Naal
Movie release year
2021
Lyrics added on
25 Sept 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Hmmm mm mmm mm mm
Hm mm mm hmm mm mm hmm mm mm
Maattu mani saththam
Enga koyil mani saththam
Maattu saani vaasam
Enga parambaraya suththum
Maattu mani saththam
Enga koyil mani saththam
Maattu saani vaasam
Enga parambaraya suththum
Veedillaama iruppathundu
Manusha saadhi
Aana maadillaadha iruppadhilla
Ozhavar saadhi…
Sella pillaiyodu moththam
Rendu peru naanga
Sevala kaala rendum
Serthu naalu peruthaanga
Eesan thandha maadu
Rendum enga pillaiyaachu
Ration card ezhuthum bothu
Peru vittu pochu
Maattu mani saththam
Enga koyil mani saththam
Maattu saani vaasam
Enga parambaraya suththum
Veedillaama iruppathundu
Manusha saadhi
Aana maadillaadha iruppadhilla
Ozhavar saadhi…
Sella pillaiyodu moththam
Rendu peru naanga
Sevala kaala rendum
Serthu naalu peruthaanga
Eesan thandha maadu
Rendum enga pillaiyaachu
Ration card ezhuthum bothu
Peru vittu pochu
Katti vacha kaala maattu
Kazhuthu mani osayilae
Satti vechu thanni thelippaa
Thaai oruthi vaasayilae
Katti vacha kaala maattu
Kazhuthu mani osayilae
Satti vechu thanni thelippaa
Thaai oruthi vaasayilae
Peththa pulla pasiyaara..aa..
Peththa pulla pasiyaara
Oththamaiyu ottayila
Sevala maadu thinguthaanu
Etti paappa aasayila
Kodi panam venaamae
Ponnum porulum venaamae
Maadimane venaamae
Sodi maadu randu podhumae….
Mmm mm mmm mm mm
Hmm mm mm hmm mm mm hmm mm mm
The chime of the cattle bell
Is the chime of our temple bell.
The scent of cow dung
Lingers around our family for generations.
The chime of the cattle bell
Is the chime of our temple bell.
The scent of cow dung
Lingers around our family for generations.
People can manage to live
Even without a house of their own,
But they can never live without cattle—
The farming folk...
Together with my darling child,
There are just two of us.
Add in the two reddish bulls,
And we are a family of four!
The cattle given by God
Both became our own children.
Only when writing the ration card
Were their names left out!
The chime of the cattle bell
Is the chime of our temple bell.
The scent of cow dung
Lingers around our family for generations.
People can manage to live
Even without a house of their own,
But they can never live without cattle—
The farming folk...
Together with my darling child,
There are just two of us.
Add in the two reddish bulls,
And we are a family of four!
The cattle given by God
Both became our own children.
Only when writing the ration card
Were their names left out!
For the tethered bull,
To the sound of its neck bell,
She sets down a pot and sprinkles water—
A mother standing at the doorstep.
For the tethered bull,
To the sound of its neck bell,
She sets down a pot and sprinkles water—
A mother standing at the doorstep.
As she satisfies her child's hunger...
As she satisfies her child's hunger,
Feeding morsel by morsel,
To check if the red bull is eating,
She leans out and peeks with love.
We don't need piles of wealth,
We don't need gold or riches,
We don't need grand mansions,
Just a pair of cattle is all we need...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Endraavathu Oru Naal' expresses the deep emotional and spiritual bond between rural agrarian families and their cattle. The lyrics highlight how farmers treat their bulls not as mere livestock or working animals, but as sacred, integral family members who deserve as much love and care as their own children. The song contrasts material wealth like gold and mansions with the true contentment derived from living a simple, harmonious life alongside faithful farm animals.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

“Maattu mani saththam / Enga koyil mani saththam”

Comparing the sound of the cattle's bell to the divine bell of a sacred temple.

Personification / Familial Imagery

“Eesan thandha maadu / Rendum enga pillaiyaachu / Ration card ezhuthum bothu / Peru vittu pochu”

Treating the pair of bulls as equal family members and children, noting with poignant irony that only the ration card excludes them.

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Katti vacha kaala maattu ... Satti vechu thanni thelippaa”

Rhyming of the second consonants 'tti' in 'Katti' and 'Satti' across consecutive lines.

Anaphora / Repetition

“Kodi panam venaamae / Ponnum porulum venaamae / Maadimane venaamae”

Repetition of 'venaamae' (don't want) at line endings to emphasize contentment and rejection of material wealth.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is from the critically acclaimed Tamil film 'Endraavathu Oru Naal' (2021), which centers on the hardships and emotional resilience of rural cattle rearers in Tamil Nadu facing drought and economic distress.

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