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Lyrics & meaning

Nalla Kaaraam Pasu

From Muthu Kaalai · 1995

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Muthu Kaalai1995

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Ada diyodadiyyoOh diyodadiyyo
Diyyodadiyyo hohohoiDiyyodadiyyo hohohoi
Ada diyodadiyyoOh diyodadiyyo
Diyyodadiyyo hohohoiDiyyodadiyyo hohohoi
Male
Nalla kaaraam pasukkalellaamWhen all the fine brown cows
Kaattu pulla maeyayilaeAre grazing on the forest grass,
Pullaanguzhal eduththuTaking up his flute,
Paattu solvaan muththukkaalaMuthukaalai sings a song.
Male
Yammaa en paatta ketkkum maaduthaanOh mother, the cattle that listen to my song
Karanthidum ennaalum yaezhu padi paaluthaanWill yield seven measures of milk every single day.
Namma paattukkum maattukkum koottu irukku paaruSee, there is a special bond between our song and the cattle,
Idha veettukku veedu kooridum intha ooruThis entire village proclaims this from house to house.
Male
Nalla kaaraam pasukkalellaamWhen all the fine brown cows
Kaattu pulla maeyayilaeAre grazing on the forest grass,
Yammaa en paatta ketkkum maaduthaanOh mother, the cattle that listen to my song
Namma paattukkum maattukkum koottu irukku paaruSee, there is a special bond between our song and the cattle,
Idha veettukku veedu kooridum intha ooru….hoiThis entire village proclaims this from house to house... hoi!
Male
Haei pasu maadu ondru madi vaththi pochchu endruHey, just because a cow's udder has dried up,
Nee adi maadendru adha vikka pogalaamaShould you go and sell it off as slaughter cattle?
Adhu mattum aaaathu ennaalumaeThat will never be right, no matter what;
Unai vittu pogaathu on paavamaeYour sin will never leave you.
Male
Eppothum nandri ketta jaadhi namma jaadhiOur human race is forever ungrateful,
Seththaalum kaalsodaagum vaayattra piraaniWhile this voiceless creature becomes shoes and leather even after death.
Ennaannu naanum solla kettu pochchu bhoomiWhat can I say? The world has gone corrupt,
Eppothu manushanukku puththi tharum saamiWhen will God grant wisdom to mankind?
Male
Paaluthaan thantha maaduthaanThe cow that gives us milk
Ingu innoru thaayenaIs like another mother here,
Eppothum kenjida venumOne must always plead for its wellbeing.
Male
Nalla kaaraam pasukkalellaamWhen all the fine brown cows
Kaattu pulla maeyayilaeAre grazing on the forest grass,
Yammaa en paatta ketkkum maaduthaanOh mother, the cattle that listen to my song
Namma paattukkum maattukkum koottu irukku paaruSee, there is a special bond between our song and the cattle,
Idha veettukku veedu kooridum intha ooru….hoiThis entire village proclaims this from house to house... hoi!
Male
Naam dhenam maadu maeichchaaIf we herd cattle every day,
Idhilenna kevalamdaaWhat shame is there in that?
Ko….paal saami koodaEven Lord Gopala (Krishna)
Pasu maatta meaichchavandaaWas one who grazed cows!
Male
Engaeyo oru maadu dhisai maarinaaIf a cow somewhere loses its way,
Enai thaedi varum paaru kuzhaloodhinaaLook, it comes searching for me when I play the flute.
Andraadam kadhil vizhum maadu kaththumpothuEvery day when the cow bellows, the sound falls on our ears;
Ammaannu naama sonnaa aaramba vaarththaiIt sounds like 'Amma' (Mother), the very first word we learn.
Male
Ammaava paarththathilla naan poranthapothuI haven't seen my mother when I was born,
Komaathaa pola oru thaayingu yaedhuWhere else is there a mother like 'Gomatha' (Mother Cow)?
Paasamaa uyir naesamaaWith affection and true love for life,
Idhu kaattuthu paalaiyum oottuthu ovvoru naalumIt shows love and feeds us milk every single day.
Male
Nalla kaaraam pasukkalellaamWhen all the fine brown cows
Kaattu pulla maeyayilaeAre grazing on the forest grass,
Pullaanguzhal eduththuTaking up his flute,
Paattu solvaan muththukkaalaMuthukaalai sings a song.
Yammaa en paatta ketkkum maaduthaanOh mother, the cattle that listen to my song
Namma paattukkum maattukkum koottu irukku paaruSee, there is a special bond between our song and the cattle,
Idha veettukku veedu kooridum intha ooru….This entire village proclaims this from house to house...
Thana thanthanathanthan thanthana naanaanaanaaThana thanthanathanthan thanthana naanaanaanaa
Thana thanthanathanthan thanthana thaangthaangthaanthaga thaaThana thanthanathanthan thanthana thaangthaangthaanthaga thaa

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from the film 'Muthu Kaalai' celebrates the intimate, spiritual, and symbiotic relationship between a cowherd and his cattle. The protagonist, Muthu Kaalai, sings about how his music charms the cows and encourages them to yield rich milk, highlighting the deep bond that the entire village acknowledges.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Ingu innoru thaayena

Compares the cow ('Gomatha') directly to a human mother ('innoru thaay'), highlighting its maternal role in providing life-sustaining milk.

Emoni / Rhyme (Monoreyme / Edugai)

Namma paattukkum maattukkum koottu irukku paaru

Use of second-letter rhyming across lines such as 'Paattukkum' and 'Maattukkum', creating a rhythmic cadence suited for pastoral folk music.

Alliteration (Monaai)

Idhu kaattuthu paalaiyum oottuthu ovvoru naalum

Repetition of the initial 'P' sound in 'Paasamaa', 'Paalaiyum', creating melodic flow.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Muthu Kaalai' (1995) stars Prabhu and Vijayakumar, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja and lyrics penned by the veteran lyricist Vaali. The song exemplifies traditional Tamil pastoral folk rhythms celebrating cattle rearing and revered mother-like treatment of cows.

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