Naattu Jananga
From Tenali Raman · 1956
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- S. C. Krishnan
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Tenali Raman1956
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Nattu jananga aadaiyellam | All the clothes of the country's people |
| Enga kaiyilae | Are in our hands |
| Adhai nenachu veluthu kuduppom | We soak them, wash them, and hand them over |
| Aana udutha mudiyala eduthu udutha mudiyala | But we cannot wear them, we are unable to pick them up and wear them |
| Male | |
| Kattai azhichu naadu kandu | The one who cleared forests, found new lands |
| Kastapattavan | And suffered hardships |
| Andha nattu varavu selavu kanakkai | The income and expenditure account of that land |
| Pakka mudiyala adhu pol | He is unable to oversee, just like that |
| Nattu jananga aadaiyellam | All the clothes of the country's people |
| Enga kaiyilae | Are in our hands |
| Adhai nenachu veluthu kuduppom | We soak them, wash them, and hand them over |
| Aana udutha mudiyala eduthu udutha mudiyala | But we cannot wear them, we are unable to pick them up and wear them |
| Male | |
| Maaligaiyai kattu mudikka | The one who labored to complete |
| Velai senjavan | Building the grand palace |
| Adhu vattamaaga mudincha pinnae | After it is completely finished |
| Nozhaiya mudiyala | Is unable to even step inside |
| Marathai sediyai kaathu | The one who protected trees and plants |
| VAlarthu vechavan | And nurtured them to grow |
| Andha marathu nizhalil konja neram | In the shade of that tree, for a little while |
| Padukka mudiyala adhu pol | Is unable to lie down and rest, just like that |
| Nattu jananga aadaiyellam | All the clothes of the country's people |
| Enga kaiyilae | Are in our hands |
| Adhai nenachu veluthu kuduppom | We soak them, wash them, and hand them over |
| Aana udutha mudiyala eduthu udutha mudiyala | But we cannot wear them, we are unable to pick them up and wear them |
நாட்டு ஜனங்க ஆடையெல்லாம்
எங்க கையிலே
அதை நனைச்சு வெளுத்துக் குடுப்போம்....
ஆனா உடுத்த முடியல எடுத்து உடுத்த முடியல
All the clothes of the country's people
Are in our hands
We soak them, wash them, and hand them over
But we cannot wear them, we are unable to pick them up and wear them
காட்டை அழிச்சு நாடு கண்டு
கஷ்ட்டப்பட்டவன்
அந்த நாட்டு வரவு செலவு கணக்கை
பாக்க முடியலே அதுபோல்
நாட்டு ஜனங்க ஆடையெல்லாம்
எங்க கையிலே
அதை நனைச்சு வெளுத்துக் குடுப்போம்....
ஆனா உடுத்த முடியல எடுத்து உடுத்த முடியல
The one who cleared forests, found new lands
And suffered hardships
The income and expenditure account of that land
He is unable to oversee, just like that
All the clothes of the country's people
Are in our hands
We soak them, wash them, and hand them over
But we cannot wear them, we are unable to pick them up and wear them
மாளிகையை கட்டி முடிக்க
வேலை செஞ்சவன்
அது வாட்டமாக முடிஞ்ச பின்னே
நொழைய முடியல
மரத்தை செடியை காத்து
வளர்த்து வச்சவன்
அந்த மரத்து நெழலில் கொஞ்ச நேரம்
படுக்க முடியலே அதுபோல்
நாட்டு ஜனங்க ஆடையெல்லாம்
எங்க கையிலே
அதை நனைச்சு வெளுத்துக் குடுப்போம்....
ஆனா உடுத்த முடியல எடுத்து உடுத்த முடியல
The one who labored to complete
Building the grand palace
After it is completely finished
Is unable to even step inside
The one who protected trees and plants
And nurtured them to grow
In the shade of that tree, for a little while
Is unable to lie down and rest, just like that
All the clothes of the country's people
Are in our hands
We soak them, wash them, and hand them over
But we cannot wear them, we are unable to pick them up and wear them
Nattu jananga aadaiyellam
All the clothes of the country's people
Enga kaiyilae
Are in our hands
Adhai nenachu veluthu kuduppom
We soak them, wash them, and hand them over
Aana udutha mudiyala eduthu udutha mudiyala
But we cannot wear them, we are unable to pick them up and wear them
Kattai azhichu naadu kandu
The one who cleared forests, found new lands
Kastapattavan
And suffered hardships
Andha nattu varavu selavu kanakkai
The income and expenditure account of that land
Pakka mudiyala adhu pol
He is unable to oversee, just like that
Nattu jananga aadaiyellam
All the clothes of the country's people
Enga kaiyilae
Are in our hands
Adhai nenachu veluthu kuduppom
We soak them, wash them, and hand them over
Aana udutha mudiyala eduthu udutha mudiyala
But we cannot wear them, we are unable to pick them up and wear them
Maaligaiyai kattu mudikka
The one who labored to complete
Velai senjavan
Building the grand palace
Adhu vattamaaga mudincha pinnae
After it is completely finished
Nozhaiya mudiyala
Is unable to even step inside
Marathai sediyai kaathu
The one who protected trees and plants
VAlarthu vechavan
And nurtured them to grow
Andha marathu nizhalil konja neram
In the shade of that tree, for a little while
Padukka mudiyala adhu pol
Is unable to lie down and rest, just like that
Nattu jananga aadaiyellam
All the clothes of the country's people
Enga kaiyilae
Are in our hands
Adhai nenachu veluthu kuduppom
We soak them, wash them, and hand them over
Aana udutha mudiyala eduthu udutha mudiyala
But we cannot wear them, we are unable to pick them up and wear them
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a powerful social commentary on the tragic irony faced by the working class. Lyricist Kannadasan uses simple yet impactful metaphors of a washerman, a forest-clearing pioneer, a mason, and a gardener to demonstrate how workers dedicate their lives to creating luxury and necessity for others while being deprived of those very privileges themselves.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Irony / Muran (Situational Paradox)
“Aana udutha mudiyala eduthu udutha mudiyala”
Highlights the irony where the laborer produces or maintains something for society but is deprived of enjoying its benefits.
Analogy / Upameyam
“Maaligaiyai kattu mudikka... Nozhaiya mudiyala”
Draws parallel analogies between washermen, builders, and gardeners to illustrate the universal plight of the labor class.
Anaphora / Repetition (Eduborutchel)
“Nattu jananga aadaiyellam”
The refrain repeating the washerman's burden serves to anchor the song's political theme throughout.
Did you know?
Trivia
Featured in the 1956 historical comedy film 'Tenali Raman', this song highlights socialist themes that were prominent in Tamil cinema during the 1950s. Lyricist Kannadasan used the perspective of a washerman (vannan) to deliver a sharp critique on economic inequality, brilliantly rendered by singer S. C. Krishnan with rustic authenticity.
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