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Bharathi Kannamma album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Naalu Ezhuthu Kathathille

From Bharathi Kannamma · 1997

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Gangai Amaran
Music director
Deva
Movie name
Bharathi Kannamma
Movie release year
1997
Lyrics added on
30 Oct 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Naalu ezhuththu kaththathilla naanga
Raagam padichcha vithvaan illa
Appan aaththaa potta pitchai
Chumma oori kidakku raththathillae
Hoi anthakaala vaaththiyamthaan
Rompa azhinju pochchu paadhiyilae
Vaadipatti kottu mattum chummaa
Kalanthu pochchu vaazhkkaiyilae haei….
We never even learned our letters,
We are not masters trained in ragas,
It is a gift given by our father and mother,
It simply runs deep in our blood...
Hoy, the musical instruments of the old days,
Most of them vanished along the way,
Yet the drumbeat of Vadipatti
Has blended right into our lives, hey...
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

These lines express the raw, innate musical heritage of rural folk artists. The singers humbly acknowledge their lack of formal literary education or classical music training, attributing their musical talent entirely to ancestral blessings running through their blood. They lament the loss of ancient traditional musical instruments over time while celebrating the resilience of the famous Vadipatti folk drum beat, which remains an inseparable part of their daily life and cultural identity.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monaai (Initial Alliteration)

Appan aaththaa potta pitchai

Repetition of the initial 'A' sound in 'Appan' and 'aaththaa'.

Metaphor

Chumma oori kidakku raththathillae

Comparing inherited artistic passion to something steeped directly in one's blood.

Contrast / Antithesis

Raagam padichcha vithvaan illa

Juxtaposing formal classical music knowledge with organic, unlettered folk rhythm.

Cross-line Monaai

Vaadipatti kottu mattum chummaa / Kalanthu pochchu vaazhkkaiyilae haei….

Repetition of the 'V' sound across lines in 'Vaadipatti' and 'vaazhkkaiyilae'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Bharathi Kannamma (1997), directed by Cheran, featured iconic music composed by Deva. Lyricist Vairamuthu highlights 'Vadipatti Melam', a world-famous, high-energy Tamil folk percussion style originating from Vadipatti in the Madurai district.

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