Nee Irukkum
From JAMA · 2024
- Lyricist
- Isaignani Ilayaraja
- Singers
- Rajaganapathy, Srisha Vijayasekar
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- JAMA2024
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Nee irukkum usarathukku | To the height where you are |
| Nanum eppo varuvathamma | When will I ever reach, my dear? |
| Edatha vittu elankiliye | Leaving your place, my young parrot, |
| Iranga venam en kuyile | Do not step down, my cuckoo. |
| Male | |
| Nee irukkum usarathukku | To the height where you are |
| Nanum eppo varuvathamma | When will I ever reach, my dear? |
| Edatha vittu elankiliye | Leaving your place, my young parrot, |
| Iranga venam en kuyile | Do not step down, my cuckoo. |
| Male | |
| Nee irukkum usarathukku | To the height where you are |
| Nanum eppo varuvathamma | When will I ever reach, my dear? |
| Edatha vittu elankiliye | Leaving your place, my young parrot, |
| Iranga venam en kuyile | Do not step down, my cuckoo. |
| Female | |
| Nee kodutha usaram idhu | This height was given by you, |
| Ulagathuku theriyadha | Doesn't the world know this? |
| Unna thaalthi pesuvadha | Speaking of belittling yourself, |
| Eppodhum nee raasa thaan | You are always a king! |
| Female | |
| Unna mattum suthum enna vittu poviya | Will you leave me, who revolves only around you? |
| Enna vittu koothu katti kettu poviya | Will you leave me to perform street theatre and ruin yourself? |
| Male | |
| Otta veetil ulla enna pottu thaakkura | You attack me who lives in a leaked house, |
| Kottaiyile veettu kodi yetha paakura | Are you trying to hoist a flag on a fort? |
| Male | |
| Maedaiyila podum vaesham | The disguise worn on the stage, |
| Maedaiyoda pogum pogum | Will go away along with the stage. |
| Un manasil raaja sabha | In your heart's royal court, |
| Raasavaakki parthathu podhum | It is enough that you saw me as a king. |
| Female | |
| Paechu edutha aambala than | When speaking, you are a man, |
| Koothula nee pomblala than | In the theatre play, you perform as a woman. |
| Male | |
| Azhagae enna azhagakkura | Oh beauty, you make me beautiful, |
| Oor paarkkava nee rasikka | Should the village watch or should you enjoy? |
| Male | |
| Nee irukkum usarathukku | To the height where you are |
| Nanum eppo varuvathamma | When will I ever reach, my dear? |
| Edatha vittu elankiliye | Leaving your place, my young parrot, |
| Iranga venam en kuyile | Do not step down, my cuckoo. |
| Female | |
| Ponnu mani vairam ellam | Gold, gems, and diamonds, |
| Pootti paarkka thonaadha | Don't you feel like locking them up and admiring them? |
| Ooru paathu ulagam paathu | Looking at the village and looking at the world, |
| Kannu apda venama | Shouldn't evil eyes fall upon it? |
| Male | |
| Vaeshathukku alangarippu | Adornment for makeup, |
| Jodanaigal ingethukku | Why decorations here? |
| Female | |
| Usure endhan nesamae unna | My life, my love, I want to see you, |
| Vaesham kalachi paakanum | After removing your makeup. |
| Female | |
| Nee kodutha usaram idhu | This height was given by you, |
| Ulagathuku theriyadha | Doesn't the world know this? |
| Male :Edatha vittu elankiliye | Leaving your place, my young parrot, |
| Iranga venam en kuyile | Do not step down, my cuckoo. |
| Female | |
| Unna mattum suthum enna vittu poviya | Will you leave me, who revolves only around you? |
| Enna vittu koothu katti kettu poviya | Will you leave me to perform street theatre and ruin yourself? |
| Male | |
| Otta veetil ulla enna pottu thaakkura | You attack me who lives in a leaked house, |
| Kottaiyile veettu kodi yetha paakura | Are you trying to hoist a flag on a fort? |
நீ இருக்கும் உசரத்துக்கு
நானும் எப்போ வருவதம்மா
இடத்தை விட்டு இளங்கிளியே
இறங்க வேணாம் என் குயிலே
To the height where you are
When will I ever reach, my dear?
Leaving your place, my young parrot,
Do not step down, my cuckoo.
நீ இருக்கும் உசரத்துக்கு
நானும் எப்போ வருவதம்மா
இடத்தை விட்டு இளங்கிளியே
இறங்க வேணாம் என் குயிலே
To the height where you are
When will I ever reach, my dear?
Leaving your place, my young parrot,
Do not step down, my cuckoo.
நீ இருக்கும் உசரத்துக்கு
நானும் எப்போ வருவதம்மா
இடத்தை விட்டு இளங்கிளியே
இறங்க வேணாம் என் குயிலே
To the height where you are
When will I ever reach, my dear?
Leaving your place, my young parrot,
Do not step down, my cuckoo.
நீ கொடுத்த உசரம் இது
உன்ன தாழ்த்தி பேசுவதா
உலகத்துக்கு தெரியாதா
எப்போதும் நீ ராசாதான்
This height was given by you,
Doesn't the world know this?
Speaking of belittling yourself,
You are always a king!
உன்ன மட்டும் சுத்தும் என்ன விட்டு போவியா
என்ன விட்டு கூத்து கட்டி கெட்டு போவியா
Will you leave me, who revolves only around you?
Will you leave me to perform street theatre and ruin yourself?
ஓட்ட வீட்டில் உள்ள என்ன போட்டு தாக்குற
கோட்டையிலே வீட்டுக்கொடி ஏத்த பாக்குற
You attack me who lives in a leaked house,
Are you trying to hoist a flag on a fort?
மேடையிலே போடும் வேஷம்
மேடையோடு போகும் போகும்
உன்மனசில் ராஜ சப
ராசாவாகி பார்த்தது போதும்
The disguise worn on the stage,
Will go away along with the stage.
In your heart's royal court,
It is enough that you saw me as a king.
பேச்சு எடுத்தா ஆம்பளத்தான்
கூத்துல நீ பொம்பளைத்தான்
When speaking, you are a man,
In the theatre play, you perform as a woman.
அழகே என்ன அழகாக்குற
ஊர் பார்க்கவ நீ ரசிக்க
Oh beauty, you make me beautiful,
Should the village watch or should you enjoy?
நீ இருக்கும் உசரத்துக்கு
நானும் எப்போ வருவதம்மா
இடத்தை விட்டு இளங்கிளியே
இறங்க வேணாம் என் குயிலே
To the height where you are
When will I ever reach, my dear?
Leaving your place, my young parrot,
Do not step down, my cuckoo.
பொண்ணு மணி வைரம் எல்லாம்
பூட்டி பார்க்க தோணாதா
ஊரு பார்த்து உலகம் பார்த்து
கண்ணு பட வேணாமா
Gold, gems, and diamonds,
Don't you feel like locking them up and admiring them?
Looking at the village and looking at the world,
Shouldn't evil eyes fall upon it?
வேசத்துக்கு அலங்கரிப்பு
ஜோடனைகள் இங்கெதுக்கு
Adornment for makeup,
Why decorations here?
உசுரே எந்தன் நேசமே உன்ன
வேஸம் கலட்சி பார்க்கனும்
My life, my love, I want to see you,
After removing your makeup.
நீ கொடுத்த உசரம் இது
உலகத்துக்கு தெரியாதா
This height was given by you,
Doesn't the world know this?
Leaving your place, my young parrot,
Do not step down, my cuckoo.
இடத்தை விட்டு இளங்கிளியே
இறங்க வேணாம் என் குயிலே
Will you leave me, who revolves only around you?
Will you leave me to perform street theatre and ruin yourself?
உன்ன மட்டும் சுத்தும் என்ன விட்டு போவியா
என்ன விட்டு கூத்து கட்டி கெட்டு போவியா
You attack me who lives in a leaked house,
Are you trying to hoist a flag on a fort?
ஓட்ட வீட்டில் உள்ள என்ன போட்டு தாக்குற
கோட்டையிலே வீட்டுக்கொடி ஏத்த பாக்குற
Nee irukkum usarathukku
To the height where you are
Nanum eppo varuvathamma
When will I ever reach, my dear?
Edatha vittu elankiliye
Leaving your place, my young parrot,
Iranga venam en kuyile
Do not step down, my cuckoo.
Nee irukkum usarathukku
To the height where you are
Nanum eppo varuvathamma
When will I ever reach, my dear?
Edatha vittu elankiliye
Leaving your place, my young parrot,
Iranga venam en kuyile
Do not step down, my cuckoo.
Nee irukkum usarathukku
To the height where you are
Nanum eppo varuvathamma
When will I ever reach, my dear?
Edatha vittu elankiliye
Leaving your place, my young parrot,
Iranga venam en kuyile
Do not step down, my cuckoo.
Nee kodutha usaram idhu
This height was given by you,
Ulagathuku theriyadha
Doesn't the world know this?
Unna thaalthi pesuvadha
Speaking of belittling yourself,
Eppodhum nee raasa thaan
You are always a king!
Unna mattum suthum enna vittu poviya
Will you leave me, who revolves only around you?
Enna vittu koothu katti kettu poviya
Will you leave me to perform street theatre and ruin yourself?
Otta veetil ulla enna pottu thaakkura
You attack me who lives in a leaked house,
Kottaiyile veettu kodi yetha paakura
Are you trying to hoist a flag on a fort?
Maedaiyila podum vaesham
The disguise worn on the stage,
Maedaiyoda pogum pogum
Will go away along with the stage.
Un manasil raaja sabha
In your heart's royal court,
Raasavaakki parthathu podhum
It is enough that you saw me as a king.
Paechu edutha aambala than
When speaking, you are a man,
Koothula nee pomblala than
In the theatre play, you perform as a woman.
Azhagae enna azhagakkura
Oh beauty, you make me beautiful,
Oor paarkkava nee rasikka
Should the village watch or should you enjoy?
Nee irukkum usarathukku
To the height where you are
Nanum eppo varuvathamma
When will I ever reach, my dear?
Edatha vittu elankiliye
Leaving your place, my young parrot,
Iranga venam en kuyile
Do not step down, my cuckoo.
Ponnu mani vairam ellam
Gold, gems, and diamonds,
Pootti paarkka thonaadha
Don't you feel like locking them up and admiring them?
Ooru paathu ulagam paathu
Looking at the village and looking at the world,
Kannu apda venama
Shouldn't evil eyes fall upon it?
Vaeshathukku alangarippu
Adornment for makeup,
Jodanaigal ingethukku
Why decorations here?
Usure endhan nesamae unna
My life, my love, I want to see you,
Vaesham kalachi paakanum
After removing your makeup.
Nee kodutha usaram idhu
This height was given by you,
Ulagathuku theriyadha
Doesn't the world know this?
Male :Edatha vittu elankiliye
Leaving your place, my young parrot,
Iranga venam en kuyile
Do not step down, my cuckoo.
Unna mattum suthum enna vittu poviya
Will you leave me, who revolves only around you?
Enna vittu koothu katti kettu poviya
Will you leave me to perform street theatre and ruin yourself?
Otta veetil ulla enna pottu thaakkura
You attack me who lives in a leaked house,
Kottaiyile veettu kodi yetha paakura
Are you trying to hoist a flag on a fort?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song portrays a deeply emotional dialogue between two lovers connected through Therukoothu (traditional Tamil street theatre). The male lead expresses humility and self-doubt, admiring the woman while reflecting on his position as an artist who often portrays female roles on stage. In response, the woman reassures him of his worth, emphasizing that his true majesty lies in her heart and that his elevation in life comes from their bond.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Edatha vittu elankiliye”
Addressing the beloved as 'elankiliye' (young parrot) and 'kuyile' (cuckoo) to signify innocence and sweetness.
Rhyme / Alliteration (Emonai & Ethirai)
“Otta veetil ulla enna pottu thaakkura”
Phonetic similarity and end-rhyme between 'Otta veetil' and 'Kottaiyile' creates a strong rhythmic tempo.
Contrast (Muran)
“Paechu edutha aambala than / Koothula nee pomblala than”
Highlights the juxtaposition of gender performance on stage ('pombbala') versus real identity ('aambala').
Did you know?
Trivia
The film JAMA (2024) centers on the traditional Therukoothu art form of Tamil Nadu. Maestro Ilaiyaraaja not only composed the music for this track but also wrote the lyrics, infusing authentic regional folk dialect and emotional resonance fitting for street theatre artists.
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