Naalu Ezhuthu Paduchavare
From Bharathi Kannamma · 1997
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- Swarnalatha
- Music director
- Deva
- Details
- Bharathi Kannamma1997
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Naalezhuththu padichavarae | Oh educated one who has studied letters, |
| En thalaiyaezhuththa padikkalaiyae | Why did you not read my written destiny? |
| Oora vittu poravara | Oh one who is leaving the village, |
| En manasa vittu pogalaiyae | You have not left my heart. |
| Female | |
| Thanneeril porantha meenu | Just as a fish born in water |
| Thanneeril saavathu pol | Meets its end in that very same water, |
| Ennodu vantha nesam | Why does the love that was born with me |
| Ennodu povathenna | Perish along with me? |
| Saathi enna thaduththathenna | Why did caste intervene and stop us? |
நாலெழுத்து படிச்சவரே
என் தலையெழுத்த படிக்கலையே
ஊர விட்டு போறவரே
என் மனச விட்டு போகலையே
Oh educated one who has studied letters,
Why did you not read my written destiny?
Oh one who is leaving the village,
You have not left my heart.
தண்ணீரில் பொறந்த மீனு
தண்ணீரில் சாவது போல்
என்னோடு வந்த நேசம்
என்னோடு போவதென்ன
சாதி என்ன தடுத்ததென்ன.......
Just as a fish born in water
Meets its end in that very same water,
Why does the love that was born with me
Perish along with me?
Why did caste intervene and stop us?
Naalezhuththu padichavarae
Oh educated one who has studied letters,
En thalaiyaezhuththa padikkalaiyae
Why did you not read my written destiny?
Oora vittu poravara
Oh one who is leaving the village,
En manasa vittu pogalaiyae
You have not left my heart.
Thanneeril porantha meenu
Just as a fish born in water
Thanneeril saavathu pol
Meets its end in that very same water,
Ennodu vantha nesam
Why does the love that was born with me
Ennodu povathenna
Perish along with me?
Saathi enna thaduththathenna
Why did caste intervene and stop us?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant excerpt captures the grief and helplessness of a woman separated from her lover due to societal caste barriers. She addresses her educated lover who, despite his literacy and knowledge, could not alter or foresee their tragic fate. As he departs from the village, her love for him remains steadfast in her heart, refusing to leave.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Wordplay / Pun (Iledai)
“Naalezhuththu padichavarae / En thalaiyaezhuththa padikkalaiyae”
Plays on the root word 'Ezhuthu' (letter) connecting 'Naalezhuthu' (education/literacy) with 'Thalaiyaezhuthu' (destiny/fate).
Simile (Upamai)
“Thanneeril porantha meenu / Thanneeril saavathu pol”
Compares her lifelong love that ends with her death to a fish that is born in water and dies in the same water.
Rhetorical Question
“Saathi enna thaduththathenna”
Questions the unjust intervention of the caste system in human relationships to highlight despair.
Did you know?
Trivia
The 1997 Tamil film 'Bharathi Kannamma', directed by Cheran, deals prominently with the tragic consequences of caste discrimination in Southern Tamil Nadu. The film's soundtrack was composed by Deva, with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu.
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