Naan Yaaru
From Chinna Jameen · 1993
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Naan yaaru enakaethum | Who am I, about myself |
| Theriyaliyae | I do not know |
| Ennai ketaa | If anyone asks me |
| Naan solla vazhi illaiyae | I have no way to answer |
| Male | |
| Naan yaaru enakaethum | Who am I, about myself |
| Theriyaliyae | I do not know |
| Naan yaaru enakaethum | Who am I, about myself |
| Theriyaliyae | I do not know |
| Ennai ketaa | If anyone asks me |
| Naan solla vazhi illaiyae | I have no way to answer |
| Male | |
| Enna intha boomi | Why did this earth |
| Kondu vantha saami | And God who brought me here |
| Yaara thaan ketaano | Whom did he ask before creating me? |
| Hoii… | Hey... |
| Male | |
| Naan yaaru enakaethum | Who am I, about myself |
| Theriyaliyae | I do not know |
| Ennai ketaa | If anyone asks me |
| Naan solla vazhi illaiyae | I have no way to answer |
| Male | |
| Ohh… | Oh... |
| Enna petha raasaiyaanu | The mother who gave birth to me |
| Peru vechaa aatha thaan | Named me as a kingly child |
| Ponna petha santhoshathil | Out of happiness for giving birth to a child |
| Ponaalamma kaaththa thaan | She passed away like the wind |
| Male | |
| Enna petha raasaiyaanu | The mother who gave birth to me |
| Peru vechaa aatha thaan | Named me as a kingly child |
| Ponna petha santhoshathil | Out of happiness for giving birth to a child |
| Ponaalamma kaaththa thaan | She passed away like the wind |
| Male | |
| Oorai chuthi naal muzhukka | Running around the town all day |
| Odum aaru naanamma | I am like a flowing river, my dear |
| Chinna pilla naan thaan ennu | That I am still a little child |
| Sollum intha oooramma | This town tells me so |
| Sollatumae sonna ennamma | Let them say it, what is wrong if they say so? |
| Hoii… | Hey... |
| Male | |
| Naan yaaru enakaethum | Who am I, about myself |
| Theriyaliyae | I do not know |
| Ennai ketaa | If anyone asks me |
| Naan solla vazhi illaiyae | I have no way to answer |
| Male | |
| Ohhh.. | Oh... |
| Entha naalum ennai kooda | Like water that never sticks |
| Ottidatha thanneeru | To the oil on hand |
| Enna antha ennai polae | Like that oil and water |
| Ennikkollum ivvooru | This town considers me separate |
| Male | |
| Entha naalum ennai kooda | Like water that never sticks |
| Ottidatha thanneeru | To the oil on hand |
| Enna antha ennai polae | Like that oil and water |
| Ennikkollum ivvooru | This town considers me separate |
| Male | |
| Ingirukkum pergal ellam | All the people living here |
| En manasai paakkala | Did not look inside my heart |
| En kathaiya paasamaaga | To listen to my story lovingly |
| Unna pola kekkala | No one listened like you did |
| Kekkaavittaal kutham ennamma | If they did not listen, what fault is it, my dear? |
| Hoiii.. | Hey... |
| Male | |
| Naan yaaru enakaethum | Who am I, about myself |
| Theriyaliyae | I do not know |
| Ennai ketaa | If anyone asks me |
| Naan solla vazhi illaiyae | I have no way to answer |
| Male | |
| Enna intha boomi | Why did this earth |
| Kondu vantha saami | And God who brought me here |
| Yaara thaan ketaano | Whom did he ask before creating me? |
| Hoii… | Hey... |
| Male | |
| Naan yaaru enakaethum | Who am I, about myself |
| Theriyaliyae | I do not know |
| Ennai ketaa | If anyone asks me |
| Naan solla vazhi illaiyae | I have no way to answer |
நான் யாரு எனக்கேதும்
தெரியலையே
என்னை கேட்டா
நான் சொல்ல வழியில்லையே
Who am I, about myself
I do not know
If anyone asks me
I have no way to answer
நான் யாரு எனக்கேதும்
தெரியலையே
நான் யாரு எனக்கேதும்
தெரியலையே
என்னை கேட்டா
நான் சொல்ல வழியில்லையே
Who am I, about myself
I do not know
Who am I, about myself
I do not know
If anyone asks me
I have no way to answer
என்னை இந்த
பூமி கொண்டு வந்த சாமி
யாரைத்தான் கேட்டானோ
ஹோய்......
Why did this earth
And God who brought me here
Whom did he ask before creating me?
Hey...
நான் யாரு எனக்கேதும்
தெரியலையே
என்னை கேட்டா
நான் சொல்ல வழியில்லையே
Who am I, about myself
I do not know
If anyone asks me
I have no way to answer
ஓ....என்னப் பெத்து ராசையான்னு
பேரு வச்ச ஆத்தாதான்
பொன்னெப் பெத்த சந்தோசத்தில்
போனாளம்மா காத்தாதான்
Oh...
The mother who gave birth to me
Named me as a kingly child
Out of happiness for giving birth to a child
She passed away like the wind
என்னப் பெத்து ராசையான்னு
பேரு வச்ச ஆத்தாதான்
பொன்னெப் பெத்த சந்தோசத்தில்
போனாளம்மா காத்தாதான்
The mother who gave birth to me
Named me as a kingly child
Out of happiness for giving birth to a child
She passed away like the wind
ஊரைச் சுத்தி நாள் முழுக்க
ஓடும் ஆறு நானம்மா
சின்னப் பிள்ள நான் தானுன்னு
சொல்லும் இந்த ஊரம்மா
சொல்லட்டுமே சொன்னா என்னம்மா
ஹோய்.......
Running around the town all day
I am like a flowing river, my dear
That I am still a little child
This town tells me so
Let them say it, what is wrong if they say so?
Hey...
நான் யாரு எனக்கேதும்
தெரியலையே
என்னை கேட்டா
நான் சொல்ல வழியில்லையே
Who am I, about myself
I do not know
If anyone asks me
I have no way to answer
ஓஓ......
எந்த நாளும் எண்ணெய் கூட
ஒட்டிடாது தண்ணீரு
என்ன அந்த எண்ணெய் போல
எண்ணிக் கொள்ளும் இவ்வூரு
Oh...
Like water that never sticks
To the oil on hand
Like that oil and water
This town considers me separate
எந்த நாளும் எண்ணெய் கூட
ஒட்டிடாது தண்ணீரு
என்ன அந்த எண்ணெய் போல
எண்ணிக் கொள்ளும் இவ்வூரு
Like water that never sticks
To the oil on hand
Like that oil and water
This town considers me separate
இங்கிருக்கும் பேர்களெல்லாம்
என் மனசை பாக்கல
என் கதையப் பாசமாக
உன்னப் போலக் கேக்கல
கேக்கா விட்டாக் குத்தம் என்னம்மா
ஹோய்......
All the people living here
Did not look inside my heart
To listen to my story lovingly
No one listened like you did
If they did not listen, what fault is it, my dear?
Hey...
நான் யாரு எனக்கேதும்
தெரியலையே
என்னை கேட்டா
நான் சொல்ல வழியில்லையே
Who am I, about myself
I do not know
If anyone asks me
I have no way to answer
என்னை இந்த
பூமி கொண்டு வந்த சாமி
யாரைத்தான் கேட்டானோ
ஹோய்......
Why did this earth
And God who brought me here
Whom did he ask before creating me?
Hey...
நான் யாரு எனக்கேதும்
தெரியலையே
என்னை கேட்டா
நான் சொல்ல வழியில்லையே
Who am I, about myself
I do not know
If anyone asks me
I have no way to answer
Naan yaaru enakaethum
Who am I, about myself
Theriyaliyae
I do not know
Ennai ketaa
If anyone asks me
Naan solla vazhi illaiyae
I have no way to answer
Naan yaaru enakaethum
Who am I, about myself
Theriyaliyae
I do not know
Naan yaaru enakaethum
Who am I, about myself
Theriyaliyae
I do not know
Ennai ketaa
If anyone asks me
Naan solla vazhi illaiyae
I have no way to answer
Enna intha boomi
Why did this earth
Kondu vantha saami
And God who brought me here
Yaara thaan ketaano
Whom did he ask before creating me?
Hoii…
Hey...
Naan yaaru enakaethum
Who am I, about myself
Theriyaliyae
I do not know
Ennai ketaa
If anyone asks me
Naan solla vazhi illaiyae
I have no way to answer
Ohh…
Oh...
Enna petha raasaiyaanu
The mother who gave birth to me
Peru vechaa aatha thaan
Named me as a kingly child
Ponna petha santhoshathil
Out of happiness for giving birth to a child
Ponaalamma kaaththa thaan
She passed away like the wind
Enna petha raasaiyaanu
The mother who gave birth to me
Peru vechaa aatha thaan
Named me as a kingly child
Ponna petha santhoshathil
Out of happiness for giving birth to a child
Ponaalamma kaaththa thaan
She passed away like the wind
Oorai chuthi naal muzhukka
Running around the town all day
Odum aaru naanamma
I am like a flowing river, my dear
Chinna pilla naan thaan ennu
That I am still a little child
Sollum intha oooramma
This town tells me so
Sollatumae sonna ennamma
Let them say it, what is wrong if they say so?
Hoii…
Hey...
Naan yaaru enakaethum
Who am I, about myself
Theriyaliyae
I do not know
Ennai ketaa
If anyone asks me
Naan solla vazhi illaiyae
I have no way to answer
Ohhh..
Oh...
Entha naalum ennai kooda
Like water that never sticks
Ottidatha thanneeru
To the oil on hand
Enna antha ennai polae
Like that oil and water
Ennikkollum ivvooru
This town considers me separate
Entha naalum ennai kooda
Like water that never sticks
Ottidatha thanneeru
To the oil on hand
Enna antha ennai polae
Like that oil and water
Ennikkollum ivvooru
This town considers me separate
Ingirukkum pergal ellam
All the people living here
En manasai paakkala
Did not look inside my heart
En kathaiya paasamaaga
To listen to my story lovingly
Unna pola kekkala
No one listened like you did
Kekkaavittaal kutham ennamma
If they did not listen, what fault is it, my dear?
Hoiii..
Hey...
Naan yaaru enakaethum
Who am I, about myself
Theriyaliyae
I do not know
Ennai ketaa
If anyone asks me
Naan solla vazhi illaiyae
I have no way to answer
Enna intha boomi
Why did this earth
Kondu vantha saami
And God who brought me here
Yaara thaan ketaano
Whom did he ask before creating me?
Hoii…
Hey...
Naan yaaru enakaethum
Who am I, about myself
Theriyaliyae
I do not know
Ennai ketaa
If anyone asks me
Naan solla vazhi illaiyae
I have no way to answer
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This soulful song from the movie Chinna Jameen expresses a deep existential crisis and innocent reflection by the protagonist on his identity and life. He laments that he doesn't know who he truly is, questioning why God brought him into this world without anyone's consent. He remembers his mother, who named him affectionately before passing away, leaving him to wander like a river.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)
“Enna petha raasaiyaanu / Ponna petha santhoshathil”
Rhyming of the second letter 'n' in 'Enna' and 'Ponna'.
Uvamai (Simile)
“Entha naalum ennai kooda / Ottidatha thanneeru”
Comparing the protagonist's detachment/isolation to oil and water that do not mix ('Ennai' and 'Thanneer').
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Oorai chuthi naal muzhukka / Odum aaru naanamma”
Comparing his life journey to a river running through the village all day.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film Chinna Jameen (1993) features music composed by Ilaiyaraaja, starring Karthik and Sukanya, with lyrics written by the legendary lyricist Vaali.
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