Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Muthu Kaalai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Nalla Kaaraam Pasu

From Muthu Kaalai · 1995

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Muthu Kaalai
Movie release year
1995
Lyrics added on
14 Nov 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ada diyodadiyyo
Diyyodadiyyo hohohoi
Ada diyodadiyyo
Diyyodadiyyo hohohoi
Nalla kaaraam pasukkalellaam
Kaattu pulla maeyayilae
Pullaanguzhal eduththu
Paattu solvaan muththukkaala
Yammaa en paatta ketkkum maaduthaan
Karanthidum ennaalum yaezhu padi paaluthaan
Namma paattukkum maattukkum koottu irukku paaru
Idha veettukku veedu kooridum intha ooru
Nalla kaaraam pasukkalellaam
Kaattu pulla maeyayilae
Yammaa en paatta ketkkum maaduthaan
Namma paattukkum maattukkum koottu irukku paaru
Idha veettukku veedu kooridum intha ooru….hoi
Haei pasu maadu ondru madi vaththi pochchu endru
Nee adi maadendru adha vikka pogalaama
Adhu mattum aaaathu ennaalumae
Unai vittu pogaathu on paavamae
Eppothum nandri ketta jaadhi namma jaadhi
Seththaalum kaalsodaagum vaayattra piraani
Ennaannu naanum solla kettu pochchu bhoomi
Eppothu manushanukku puththi tharum saami
Paaluthaan thantha maaduthaan
Ingu innoru thaayena
Eppothum kenjida venum
Nalla kaaraam pasukkalellaam
Kaattu pulla maeyayilae
Yammaa en paatta ketkkum maaduthaan
Namma paattukkum maattukkum koottu irukku paaru
Idha veettukku veedu kooridum intha ooru….hoi
Naam dhenam maadu maeichchaa
Idhilenna kevalamdaa
Ko….paal saami kooda
Pasu maatta meaichchavandaa
Engaeyo oru maadu dhisai maarinaa
Enai thaedi varum paaru kuzhaloodhinaa
Andraadam kadhil vizhum maadu kaththumpothu
Ammaannu naama sonnaa aaramba vaarththai
Ammaava paarththathilla naan poranthapothu
Komaathaa pola oru thaayingu yaedhu
Paasamaa uyir naesamaa
Idhu kaattuthu paalaiyum oottuthu ovvoru naalum
Nalla kaaraam pasukkalellaam
Kaattu pulla maeyayilae
Pullaanguzhal eduththu
Paattu solvaan muththukkaala
Yammaa en paatta ketkkum maaduthaan
Namma paattukkum maattukkum koottu irukku paaru
Idha veettukku veedu kooridum intha ooru….
Thana thanthanathanthan thanthana naanaanaanaa
Thana thanthanathanthan thanthana thaangthaangthaanthaga thaa
Oh, tiyyodatiyyo!
Tiyyodatiyyo, ho-ho-hoy!
Oh, tiyyodatiyyo!
Tiyyodatiyyo, ho-ho-hoy...
When all the fine cows
Graze on the wild grass in the forest,
Taking out his bamboo flute,
Muthukkaalai sings his song!
Oh, the cow that listens to my song
Yields seven full measures of milk every day!
Look at the deep bond between our song and the cattle!
The whole village talks about this from house to house!
When all the fine cows
Graze on the wild grass in the forest,
Oh, the cow that listens to my song,
Look at the deep bond between our song and the cattle!
The whole village talks about this from house to house... hoy!
Hey, just because a cow's udder has run dry,
Can you go and sell it off for slaughter?
That should never, ever happen!
Your sin will never leave you!
We humans are always an ungrateful kind,
Yet even in death, this speechless creature becomes shoes for our feet!
What more can I say? The world has gone bad!
When will God give some sense to mankind?
The cow that gave us milk
Is like a second mother here,
And we should always cherish her with devotion!
When all the fine cows
Graze on the wild grass in the forest,
Oh, the cow that listens to my song,
Look at the deep bond between our song and the cattle!
The whole village talks about this from house to house!
If we graze cattle every day,
What is there to feel ashamed about, my friend?
Even Lord Gopala (Krishna),
Was someone who grazed cows!
If a cow strays off somewhere,
Just watch, it comes searching for me when I blow my flute!
Every day, when the cattle moo, what we hear
Is 'Amma' (mother), the very first word we ever spoke!
I never saw my mother when I was born,
Where is there a mother like the sacred cow?
With true warmth and deep love,
She cares for us and feeds us milk each and every day!
When all the fine cows
Graze on the wild grass in the forest,
Taking out his bamboo flute,
Muthukkaalai sings his song!
Oh, the cow that listens to my song
Look at the deep bond between our song and the cattle!
The whole village talks about this from house to house!
Thana thanthana thanthana thanthana naanaanaanaa...
Thana thanthana thanthana thanthana thaang thaang thaang thaga thaa...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Muthu Kaalai

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.