- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- Malaysia Vasudevan, Chorus
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Ethir Kaatru
- Movie release year
- 1990
- Lyrics added on
- 28 Jan 2019
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thaanatthana thaana thatthana
Thananannaa
Arae thaanatthana thanana thatthana
Thananannaa
Aei hoi
Thaanatthana thaana thatthana
Thananannaa
Arae thaanatthana thanana thatthana
Thananannaa
Haai haai
Nee ulla porandhu veliyae pona
Kanna piraanae
Naanga veliyae porandhu ulla vandhom
Kanna piraanae
Nee ulla porandhu veliyae pona
Kanna piraanae
Naanga veliyae porandhu ulla vandhom
Kanna piraanae
Ooru olagam ellaam
Kettu poi thulludhu
Ulla iruppadhu thaan
Ippa romba nalladhu
Adichu paadu
Kummi adichu paadu
Ae pudichup podu
Thaalam pudichu podu
Nee ulla porandhu veliyae pona
Kanna piraanae
Naanga veliyae porandhu ulla vandhom
Kanna piraanae
Sutta satti melae
Konjam uppa pottu paaru
Adhu satham pottu vedikkum
Andha satham neeyum kelu
Vetti paiya pechu
Adha vaedham pola nenachu
Matti paiya kettu
Avan kettu poraan yelasu
Kaattil kadhir aruthu
Kashta padum ezhaikku
Naattil oruthan vandhu
Dhaagam theerthu vechaanaa
Akkaalathilum ikkaalathilum
Koozhukku azhuga thaan
Kattaantharaiyl motta chuvaril
Ezhainga pozhappu thaan
Nee ulla porandhu veliyae pona
Kanna piraanae
Naanga veliyae porandhu ulla vandhom
Kanna piraanae
Nee ulla porandhu veliyae pona
Kanna piraanae
Naanga veliyae porandhu ulla vandhom
Kanna piraanae
Ooru olagam ellaam
Kettu poi thulludhu
Ulla iruppadhu thaan
Ippa romba nalladhu
Adichu paadu
Kummi adichu paadu
Ae pudichup podu
Thaalam pudichu podu
Nee ulla porandhu veliyae pona
Kanna piraanae
Naanga veliyae porandhu ulla vandhom
Kanna piraanae
Raaman porandha podhu
Ketta raavananum irundhaan
Kannan irundha podhu
Angu kamsanum kooda irundhaan
Paandavargal irundhaa
Angu gauravarum iruppaar
Gandhi vaazhndha naattil
Andha gotsheyum thaan iruppan
Oorellaam raavanan thaan
Raaman ingae yaarum illae
Naadellaam gotshaekkal thaan
Gandhi ingae yaarum illae
Akkaalathilum ikkaalathilum
Nalladhu kettadhundu
Yek kolathilum kettaalum
Andha kettadha vittu thallu
Nee ulla porandhu veliyae pona
Kanna piraanae
Naanga veliyae porandhu ulla vandhom
Kanna piraanae
Nee ulla porandhu veliyae pona
Kanna piraanae
Naanga veliyae porandhu ulla vandhom
Kanna piraanae
Ooru olagam ellaam
Kettu poi thulludhu
Ulla iruppadhu thaan
Ippa romba nalladhu
Adichu paadu
Kummi adichu paadu
Ae pudichup podu
Thaalam pudichu podu
Nee ulla porandhu veliyae pona
Kanna piraanae
Naanga veliyae porandhu ulla vandhom
Kanna piraanae
Thaanatthana thaana thatthana
Thanannannaa
Hey, thaanatthana thanana thatthana
Thanannannaa
Hey hoy!
Thaanatthana thaana thatthana
Thanannannaa
Hey, thaanatthana thanana thatthana
Thanannannaa
Hey hey!
You were born inside and went outside,
O Lord Krishna!
We were born outside and came inside,
O Lord Krishna!
You were born inside and went outside,
O Lord Krishna!
We were born outside and came inside,
O Lord Krishna!
The whole town and the world
have gone bad and are running wild,
so staying in here
is so much better now!
Clap your hands and sing,
dance the Kummi (folk clap-dance) and sing!
Hey, match the rhythm,
keep to the beat!
You were born inside and went outside,
O Lord Krishna!
We were born outside and came inside,
O Lord Krishna!
Sprinkle some salt
onto a hot pan and see,
it will crackle and burst with noise,
just listen to that sound!
Treating a useless fellow's words
like sacred scripture,
a foolish youngster listens to him
and completely ruins his life!
For the poor laborer sweating in the fields
and struggling in hardship,
did anyone in this country ever step forward
to quench his thirst?
Back in those days and even today,
the poor still weep for a bowl of gruel!
On barren ground and against bare walls,
that is how the poor survive!
You were born inside and went outside,
O Lord Krishna!
We were born outside and came inside,
O Lord Krishna!
You were born inside and went outside,
O Lord Krishna!
We were born outside and came inside,
O Lord Krishna!
The whole town and the world
have gone bad and are running wild,
so staying in here
is so much better now!
Clap your hands and sing,
dance the Kummi (folk clap-dance) and sing!
Hey, match the rhythm,
keep to the beat!
You were born inside and went outside,
O Lord Krishna!
We were born outside and came inside,
O Lord Krishna!
When Rama was born,
the wicked Ravana was there too.
When Krishna lived,
Kamsa was also right there.
Whenever the Pandavas were there,
the Kauravas were there too.
In the country where Gandhi lived,
Godse was there as well.
Now the whole town is full of Ravanas,
there is no Rama here!
The whole country is filled with Godses,
there is no Gandhi here!
Back in those days and even today,
good and evil both exist.
Whatever disguise evil wears,
just push that evil away!
You were born inside and went outside,
O Lord Krishna!
We were born outside and came inside,
O Lord Krishna!
You were born inside and went outside,
O Lord Krishna!
We were born outside and came inside,
O Lord Krishna!
The whole town and the world
have gone bad and are running wild,
so staying in here
is so much better now!
Clap your hands and sing,
dance the Kummi (folk clap-dance) and sing!
Hey, match the rhythm,
keep to the beat!
You were born inside and went outside,
O Lord Krishna!
We were born outside and came inside,
O Lord Krishna!
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This energetic philosophical folk-style song from the movie 'Ethir Kaatru' (1990) draws a humorous yet sharp contrast between prison life and society outside. The lyrics compare the prisoners to Lord Krishna, noting that Krishna was born inside a prison cell and moved outside to safety, whereas these men were born free in society but ended up behind bars. The narrator reflections point out that staying inside prison is safer because the outside world has grown corrupt, unjust, and full of deceivers.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Irony / Contrast
“Nee ulla porandhu veliyae pona / Naanga veliyae porandhu ulla vandhom”
Compares Lord Krishna's birth in prison (who escaped outside) with prisoners born outside who ended up inside.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Sutta satti melae / Matti paiya kettu”
Matching second consonant sounds 'tt' across consecutive lines (Sutta / Matti).
Alliteration & Mythological Allusions
“Raaman porandha podhu / Ketta raavananum irundhaan”
References epic figures of good and evil across epics and modern history (Rama/Ravana, Krishna/Kamsa, Pandavas/Kauravas, Gandhi/Godse).
Did you know?
Trivia
Ethir Kaatru (1990) was directed by Muktha S. Sundar starring Karthik and Kanaka, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja and lyrics penned by Vaali. The song uses traditional folk rhythms ('Kummi') to present philosophical satire about crime, punishment, and social inequality.
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