Naan Oru Sindhu
From Sindhu Bhairavi · 1985
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- K. S. Chithra
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Sindhu Bhairavi1985
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu | I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song |
| { Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu | { I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song |
| Raagam puriyavilla ulla sogam theriyavilla | You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow |
| Thandhai irundhum thaayum irundhum | Though having a father and having a mother |
| Sondham edhuvum illa adhai solla theriyavilla } (2) | I have no family, and I don't know how to explain that } (2) |
| Female | |
| Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu | I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song |
| Raagam puriyavilla ulla sogam theriyavilla | You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow |
| Female | |
| { Illaadha uravuku ennenna pero | { What names exist for a relationship that isn't recognized? |
| Naadodi paatuku thaai thandhai yaaro } (2) | Who are the parents of a nomadic folk song? } (2) |
| Female | |
| Vidhiyodu naan aadum velayaatu paaru | Look at this game I am playing with fate |
| Velayaadha kaatuku vedha pottadhaaru | Who sowed seeds in uncultivated land? |
| Paatu padicha sangadhi undu | When a song is sung, there are musical nuances |
| En paatukullayum sangadhi undu kandu pidi…iii | There is a true story hidden inside my song as well, figure it out... |
| Female | |
| Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu | I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song |
| Raagam puriyavilla ulla sogam theriyavilla | You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow |
| Female | |
| { Pen kandru pasu thedi paarkindra velai | { While a female calf searches for its mother cow |
| Amma-nu sollavum adhigaaram illai } (2) | I don't even have the right to call her 'Mother' } (2) |
| Female | |
| En vidhi appodhae therinjirundhaalae | If I had known my fate back then |
| Karbathil naanae karainjirupenae | I would have dissolved inside the womb itself |
| Thalai ezhuthenna en modhal ezhuthenna | What is my destiny? What is my first initial? |
| Thalai ezhuthenna modhal ezhuthenna sollungallen | What is my destiny? What is my first initial? Please tell me |
| Female | |
| Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu | I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song |
| Raagam puriyavilla ulla sogam theriyavilla | You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow |
| Thandhai irundhum thaayum irundhum | Though having a father and having a mother |
| Sondham edhuvum illa adhai solla theriyavilla | I have no family, and I don't know how to explain that |
| Female | |
| Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu | I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song |
| Raagam puriyavilla ulla sogam theriyavilla | You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow |
நான் ஒரு
சிந்து காவடிச்சிந்து
{ நான் ஒரு சிந்து
காவடிச்சிந்து ராகம்
புரியவில்ல உள்ள
சோகம் தெரியவில்ல
தந்தை இருந்தும் தாயும்
இருந்தும் சொந்தம் எதுவும்
இல்ல அதை சொல்ல
தெரியவில்ல } (2)
I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song
{ I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song
You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow
Though having a father and having a mother
I have no family, and I don't know how to explain that } (2)
நான் ஒரு
சிந்து காவடிச்சிந்து
ராகம் புரியவில்ல
உள்ள சோகம்
தெரியவில்ல
I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song
You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow
{ இல்லாத
உறவுக்கு என்னென்ன
பேரோ நாடோடி பாட்டுக்கு
தாய்தந்தை யாரோ } (2)
{ What names exist for a relationship that isn't recognized?
Who are the parents of a nomadic folk song? } (2)
விதியோடு நான்
ஆடும் விளையாட்டு பாரு
வெளையாத காட்டுக்கு
வெத போட்டதாரு பாட்டு
படிச்சா சங்கதி உண்டு
என் பாட்டுக்குள்ளையும்
சங்கதி உண்டு கண்டு பிடி
Look at this game I am playing with fate
Who sowed seeds in uncultivated land?
When a song is sung, there are musical nuances
There is a true story hidden inside my song as well, figure it out...
நான் ஒரு
சிந்து காவடிச்சிந்து
ராகம் புரியவில்ல
உள்ள சோகம்
தெரியவில்ல
I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song
You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow
{ பெண் கன்று
பசு தேடி பார்கின்ற
வேலை அம்மான்னு
சொல்லவும் அதிகாரம்
இல்லை } (2)
{ While a female calf searches for its mother cow
I don't even have the right to call her 'Mother' } (2)
என் விதி அப்போதே
தெரிஞ்சிருந்தாலே கர்ப்பத்தில்
நானே கரைஞ்சிருப்பேனே
தலை எழுத்தென்ன என்
மொதல் எழுத்தென்ன
தலை எழுத்தென்ன மொதல்
எழுத்தென்ன சொல்லுங்களேன்
If I had known my fate back then
I would have dissolved inside the womb itself
What is my destiny? What is my first initial?
What is my destiny? What is my first initial? Please tell me
நான் ஒரு
சிந்து காவடிச்சிந்து
ராகம் புரியவில்ல உள்ள
சோகம் தெரியவில்ல
தந்தை இருந்தும் தாயும்
இருந்தும் சொந்தம் எதுவும்
இல்ல அதை சொல்ல
தெரியவில்ல
I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song
You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow
Though having a father and having a mother
I have no family, and I don't know how to explain that
நான் ஒரு
சிந்து காவடிச்சிந்து
ராகம் புரியவில்ல
உள்ள சோகம்
தெரியவில்ல
I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song
You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow
Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu
I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song
{ Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu
{ I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song
Raagam puriyavilla ulla sogam theriyavilla
You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow
Thandhai irundhum thaayum irundhum
Though having a father and having a mother
Sondham edhuvum illa adhai solla theriyavilla } (2)
I have no family, and I don't know how to explain that } (2)
Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu
I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song
Raagam puriyavilla ulla sogam theriyavilla
You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow
{ Illaadha uravuku ennenna pero
{ What names exist for a relationship that isn't recognized?
Naadodi paatuku thaai thandhai yaaro } (2)
Who are the parents of a nomadic folk song? } (2)
Vidhiyodu naan aadum velayaatu paaru
Look at this game I am playing with fate
Velayaadha kaatuku vedha pottadhaaru
Who sowed seeds in uncultivated land?
Paatu padicha sangadhi undu
When a song is sung, there are musical nuances
En paatukullayum sangadhi undu kandu pidi…iii
There is a true story hidden inside my song as well, figure it out...
Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu
I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song
Raagam puriyavilla ulla sogam theriyavilla
You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow
{ Pen kandru pasu thedi paarkindra velai
{ While a female calf searches for its mother cow
Amma-nu sollavum adhigaaram illai } (2)
I don't even have the right to call her 'Mother' } (2)
En vidhi appodhae therinjirundhaalae
If I had known my fate back then
Karbathil naanae karainjirupenae
I would have dissolved inside the womb itself
Thalai ezhuthenna en modhal ezhuthenna
What is my destiny? What is my first initial?
Thalai ezhuthenna modhal ezhuthenna sollungallen
What is my destiny? What is my first initial? Please tell me
Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu
I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song
Raagam puriyavilla ulla sogam theriyavilla
You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow
Thandhai irundhum thaayum irundhum
Though having a father and having a mother
Sondham edhuvum illa adhai solla theriyavilla
I have no family, and I don't know how to explain that
Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu
I am a song, a Kaavadi Sindhu song
Raagam puriyavilla ulla sogam theriyavilla
You don't understand the raga, nor do you see the inner sorrow
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Naan Oru Sindhu is a deeply poignant emotional song where a child laments her lack of identity and social recognition despite having living parents. She compares her existence to a rootless, nomadic folk tune ('Kaavadi Sindhu') whose surface rhythm masks a profound inner sadness. The lyrics express the anguish of an unacknowledged child born out of complex adult relationships, denied even the basic right to call her biological mother 'Amma'. Through metaphors of uncultivated land and orphaned melodies, the singer questions fate and society's cruelty, wishing she had dissolved in the womb rather than enduring a life without an initial or family name. It stands as a powerful thematic piece about identity, innocence, and emotional isolation.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Urvagam)
“Naan oru sindhu kaavadi sindhu”
The singer equates herself directly to 'Kaavadi Sindhu', a folk song genre, highlighting her nomadic, unanchored, and emotionally heavy life.
Wordplay / Pun (Sleshhai)
“Paatu padicha sangadhi undu / En paatukullayum sangadhi undu kandu pidi…iii”
The word 'sangadhi' is used cleverly to mean both musical variations in Carnatic music and news/truth/facts in colloquial Tamil.
End Rhyme (Iyaibu)
“Raagam puriyavilla ulla sogam theriyavilla”
The line ends with matching sound structures ('puriyavilla' and 'theriyavilla') to enhance the melancholy rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Ilaiyaraaja and rendered by K. S. Chithra with lyrics by Vairamuthu, this song won K. S. Chithra her first National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer. The composition brilliantly blends classical sensibilities with native Tamil folk structures to reflect the film's core themes.
Keep listening
More from Sindhu Bhairavi
Sindhu Bhairavi
Sindhu Bhairavi
Sindhu Bhairavi
Sindhu Bhairavi
Sindhu Bhairavi
Sindhu Bhairavi