Nethi Pottu Polae
From Veeranadai · 2000
- Lyricist
- Seeman
- Singers
- Swarnalatha, Gopal Rao
- Music director
- Deva
- Details
- Veeranadai2000
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Neththi pottu polae….ae….ae….ae… | Like the bindi mark on the forehead... |
| Nelaa….aa….aa…aa….vaanaththula | ...the moon shines in the sky. |
| Alli thelichchathu pol…ooo….oo….oo…. | Like handfuls of glitter scattered around... |
| Azhagazhagaa…aa….aa….aa….natchathiram | ...are the beautiful stars. |
| Male | |
| Etti parikattumaa…aa…aa….aa… | Should I reach out and pluck them? |
| Tholaidhooram…mm….mm….poganumae…. | One has to travel a long distance... |
| Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….. | [Vocalizing] |
| Female | |
| Oororam odum odai neerum | Even the water in the stream running along the edge of the village, |
| Om peraththanae ooyaamal koorum | Relentlessly repeats your name. |
| Oororam odum odai neerum | Even the water in the stream running along the edge of the village, |
| Om peraththanae ooyaamal koorum | Relentlessly repeats your name. |
| En raasaavae neengathaan | Oh my beloved king, because you... |
| Onnum pesaama ponathaal | ...left without saying a single word, |
| Female | |
| Chinna manasu modhuthae malaiyilae | My small heart crashes against the mountains in grief, |
| Intha usurum veguthae ulaiyilae | And my soul boils in a furnace. |
| Female | |
| Oororam odum odai neerum | Even the water in the stream running along the edge of the village, |
| Om peraththanae ooyaamal koorum | Relentlessly repeats your name. |
| Female | |
| Naan neththu neenga paaththu aalaanaen | I came of age only yesterday after you looked at me, |
| Unakkaaga thenam kaaththu | Waiting for you every single day, |
| Kannu pooththu noolaanaen | My eyes grew weary waiting, and I became as thin as a thread. |
| Female | |
| Naan neththu neenga paaththu aalaanaen | I came of age only yesterday after you looked at me, |
| Unakkaaga thenam kaaththu | Waiting for you every single day, |
| Kannu pooththu noolaanaen | My eyes grew weary waiting, and I became as thin as a thread. |
| Female | |
| Aasa payira paadhi vachchen paavi maathaan | I planted the crop of desire halfway, like a tragic soul, |
| Angae veli karuvae molachchirukka | Only for wild, thorny bushes to grow as a fence, |
| Mosam ponaen naan | And I ended up utterly betrayed. |
| Female | |
| Kannukkulla neruppa vachchu | Who placed fire inside my eyes, |
| Oodhi vittathu yaaru | And blew on it to make it burn? |
| Kaadhu rendum ketta pinnae | After becoming deaf to everything else, |
| Katcheriyaa kooru | Why perform a music concert now? |
| Female | |
| Oororam odum odai neerum | Even the water in the stream running along the edge of the village, |
| Om peraththanae ooyaamal koorum | Relentlessly repeats your name. |
| Female | |
| En raasaavae neengathaan | Oh my beloved king, because you... |
| Onnum pesaama ponathaal | ...left without saying a single word, |
| Female | |
| Chinna manasu modhuthae malaiyilae | My small heart crashes against the mountains in grief, |
| Intha usurum veguthae ulaiyilae | And my soul boils in a furnace. |
| Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa…. | [Vocalizing] |
| Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa…. | [Vocalizing] |
நெத்தி பொட்டு போலே......ஏ.....ஏ.....ஏ.....
நெலா......ஆ......ஆ.......ஆ.....வானத்துல.....
அள்ளி தெளிச்சது போல்......ஓஒ.....ஓ.....ஓ
அழகழகா......ஆ......ஆ.......ஆ.....நட்சத்திரம்...
Like the bindi mark on the forehead...
...the moon shines in the sky.
Like handfuls of glitter scattered around...
...are the beautiful stars.
எட்டி பறிக்கட்டுமா...ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ.....
தொலைதூரம்......ம்ம்.....ம்ம்.....போகணுமே....
ஆ......ஆ.......ஆ.....ஆ......ஆ.......ஆ.....ஆ......ஆ.......ஆ.....
Should I reach out and pluck them?
One has to travel a long distance...
[Vocalizing]
ஊரோரம் ஓடும் ஓடை நீரும்
ஒம் பேரத்தானே ஓயாமல் கூறும்
ஊரோரம் ஓடும் ஓடை நீரும்
ஒம் பேரத்தானே ஓயாமல் கூறும்
என் ராசாவே நீங்கதான்
ஒண்ணும் பேசாம போனதால்
Even the water in the stream running along the edge of the village,
Relentlessly repeats your name.
Even the water in the stream running along the edge of the village,
Relentlessly repeats your name.
Oh my beloved king, because you...
...left without saying a single word,
சின்ன மனசு மோதுதே மலையிலே
இந்த உசுரும் வேகுதே உலையிலே
My small heart crashes against the mountains in grief,
And my soul boils in a furnace.
ஊரோரம் ஓடும் ஓடை நீரும்
ஒம் பேரத்தானே ஓயாமல் கூறும்....
Even the water in the stream running along the edge of the village,
Relentlessly repeats your name.
நான் நேத்து நீங்க பாத்து ஆளானேன்
உனக்காக தெனம் காத்து
கண்ணு பூத்து நூலானேன்
I came of age only yesterday after you looked at me,
Waiting for you every single day,
My eyes grew weary waiting, and I became as thin as a thread.
நான் நேத்து நீங்க பாத்து ஆளானேன்
உனக்காக தெனம் காத்து
கண்ணு பூத்து நூலானேன்
I came of age only yesterday after you looked at me,
Waiting for you every single day,
My eyes grew weary waiting, and I became as thin as a thread.
ஆசப் பயிர பாதி வச்சேன் பாவி மகதான்
அங்கே வேலி கருவே மொளச்சிருக்க
மோசம் போனேன் நான்
I planted the crop of desire halfway, like a tragic soul,
Only for wild, thorny bushes to grow as a fence,
And I ended up utterly betrayed.
கண்ணுக்குள்ள நெருப்ப வச்சு
ஊதி விட்டது யாரு
காது ரெண்டும் கெட்ட பின்னே
கச்சேரியா கூறு
Who placed fire inside my eyes,
And blew on it to make it burn?
After becoming deaf to everything else,
Why perform a music concert now?
ஊரோரம் ஓடும் ஓடை நீரும்
ஒம் பேரத்தானே ஓயாமல் கூறும்
என் ராசாவே நீங்கதான்
ஒண்ணும் பேசாம போனதால்
Even the water in the stream running along the edge of the village,
Relentlessly repeats your name.
சின்ன மனசு மோதுதே மலையிலே
இந்த உசுரும் வேகுதே உலையிலே
ஆ......ஆ.......ஆ.....ஆ......ஆ.......ஆ.....ஆ......
ஆ......ஆ.......ஆ.....ஆ......ஆ.......ஆ.....ஆ......
Oh my beloved king, because you...
...left without saying a single word,
My small heart crashes against the mountains in grief,
And my soul boils in a furnace.
[Vocalizing]
[Vocalizing]
Neththi pottu polae….ae….ae….ae…
Like the bindi mark on the forehead...
Nelaa….aa….aa…aa….vaanaththula
...the moon shines in the sky.
Alli thelichchathu pol…ooo….oo….oo….
Like handfuls of glitter scattered around...
Azhagazhagaa…aa….aa….aa….natchathiram
...are the beautiful stars.
Etti parikattumaa…aa…aa….aa…
Should I reach out and pluck them?
Tholaidhooram…mm….mm….poganumae….
One has to travel a long distance...
Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa…..
[Vocalizing]
Oororam odum odai neerum
Even the water in the stream running along the edge of the village,
Om peraththanae ooyaamal koorum
Relentlessly repeats your name.
Oororam odum odai neerum
Even the water in the stream running along the edge of the village,
Om peraththanae ooyaamal koorum
Relentlessly repeats your name.
En raasaavae neengathaan
Oh my beloved king, because you...
Onnum pesaama ponathaal
...left without saying a single word,
Chinna manasu modhuthae malaiyilae
My small heart crashes against the mountains in grief,
Intha usurum veguthae ulaiyilae
And my soul boils in a furnace.
Oororam odum odai neerum
Even the water in the stream running along the edge of the village,
Om peraththanae ooyaamal koorum
Relentlessly repeats your name.
Naan neththu neenga paaththu aalaanaen
I came of age only yesterday after you looked at me,
Unakkaaga thenam kaaththu
Waiting for you every single day,
Kannu pooththu noolaanaen
My eyes grew weary waiting, and I became as thin as a thread.
Naan neththu neenga paaththu aalaanaen
I came of age only yesterday after you looked at me,
Unakkaaga thenam kaaththu
Waiting for you every single day,
Kannu pooththu noolaanaen
My eyes grew weary waiting, and I became as thin as a thread.
Aasa payira paadhi vachchen paavi maathaan
I planted the crop of desire halfway, like a tragic soul,
Angae veli karuvae molachchirukka
Only for wild, thorny bushes to grow as a fence,
Mosam ponaen naan
And I ended up utterly betrayed.
Kannukkulla neruppa vachchu
Who placed fire inside my eyes,
Oodhi vittathu yaaru
And blew on it to make it burn?
Kaadhu rendum ketta pinnae
After becoming deaf to everything else,
Katcheriyaa kooru
Why perform a music concert now?
Oororam odum odai neerum
Even the water in the stream running along the edge of the village,
Om peraththanae ooyaamal koorum
Relentlessly repeats your name.
En raasaavae neengathaan
Oh my beloved king, because you...
Onnum pesaama ponathaal
...left without saying a single word,
Chinna manasu modhuthae malaiyilae
My small heart crashes against the mountains in grief,
Intha usurum veguthae ulaiyilae
And my soul boils in a furnace.
Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….
[Vocalizing]
Aa…..aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….
[Vocalizing]
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from the movie 'Veeranadai' (2000) is a poignant folk lament spoken from the perspective of a young rural woman longing for her beloved who departed in silence. The lyrics vividly connect her internal emotional turmoil with the surrounding natural world—the night sky filled with stars, and the stream flowing past the village that seems to tirelessly whisper her lover's name. The emotional progression shifts from gentle wonder about the cosmos to deep anguish over abandonment. She describes how his gaze matured her, yet waiting for his return has worn her out until she turned as thin as a thread. Using rural metaphors of farming, desire, and fire, she laments that her hopes of love were overrun by thorny obstacles, leaving her soul burning in pain.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uwamai Ani)
“Neththi pottu polae... Nelaa vaanaththula”
Compares the round moon in the night sky to a bindi (pottu) worn on a woman's forehead.
Monai (Alliteration)
“Oororam odum odai neerum”
Repetition of the initial vowel sound 'O' across 'Oororam', 'odum', and 'odai'.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Chinna manasu modhuthae malaiyilae / Intha usurum veguthae ulaiyilae”
Rhyming of line endings 'malaiyilae' (on the mountain) and 'ulaiyilae' (in the furnace).
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Aasa payira paadhi vachchen”
Directly compares her feelings of love and affection to a crop ('payir') cultivated in a field.
Hyperbole / Cultural Idiom
“Kannu pooththu noolaanaen”
Uses the traditional Tamil colloquial idiom 'kannu pooththu' (eyes blooming/weary from waiting) and hyperbole 'noolaanaen' (becoming thin as a thread due to longing).
Did you know?
Trivia
The song 'Oororam Odum Odai Neerum' is from the 2000 Tamil action drama film 'Veeranadai', which was directed by lyricist and politician Seeman. The film's soundtrack was composed by Deva, known for incorporating rich rural folk melodies and rustic instrumentation into late 90s Tamil cinema.
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