Odam Enge Pogum
From Namma Ooru Nalla Ooru · 1986
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Details
- Namma Ooru Nalla Ooru1986
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Odam engae pogum | Where will the boat go? |
| Adhu nadhi vazhiyae | It goes along the path of the river. |
| Vaazhkkai engae pogum | Where will life go? |
| Adhu vidhi vazhiyae | It goes along the path of fate. |
| Vidukadhai idhu pennae | This is a riddle, my girl. |
| Vidai kandupidi kannae | Find the answer, my dear. |
| Male | |
| Odam engae pogum | Where will the boat go? |
| Adhu nadhi vazhiyae | It goes along the path of the river. |
| Vaazhkkai engae pogum | Where will life go? |
| Adhu vidhi vazhiyae | It goes along the path of fate. |
| Male | |
| Kaadu malai yaeri pogira nadhikku | For the river that flows over forests and mountains, |
| Pombalainga peru vanthathu edhukku | Why was it named after a woman? |
| Thanneeru illaamae nadhiyae illeenga | Without water, there is no river. |
| Kanneeru illaamae pombala illeenga | Without tears, there is no woman. |
| Aarum ponnum kaalam vanthaa | When the time comes for a river and a woman, |
| Kalangi pogum paaru | Look how troubled and muddied they become! |
| Male | |
| Odam engae Adiyae…. | Where goes the boat, hey girl... |
| Odam engae pogum | Where will the boat go? |
| Adhu nadhi vazhiyae | It goes along the path of the river. |
| Vaazhkkai engae pogum | Where will life go? |
| Adhu vidhi vazhiyae…. | It goes along the path of fate... |
| Male | |
| Aara cholli aavathennavo kuyilae | What is the point in complaining to anyone, oh cuckoo? |
| Aabaththukku paavamillaiyae mayilae | There is no sin in saving oneself during danger, oh peacock! |
| Nallavan kettaalum nanmaithaan undaagum | Even if a good person demands something, only good will come out of it. |
| Thangaththai suttaalum innumthaan nallaagum | Even if you melt gold in fire, it only becomes finer. |
| Male | |
| Aadi maasam pona piragu | Once the month of Aadi passes, |
| Koodi varattum kaalam | Let favorable times join together. |
| Male | |
| Odam engae Adiyae…. | Where goes the boat, hey girl... |
| Odam engae pogum | Where will the boat go? |
| Adhu nadhi vazhiyae | It goes along the path of the river. |
| Vaazhkkai engae pogum | Where will life go? |
| Adhu vidhi vazhiyae…. | It goes along the path of fate... |
| Vidukadhai idhu pennae | This is a riddle, my girl. |
| Vidai kandupidi kannae | Find the answer, my dear. |
| Male | |
| Odam engae pogum | Where will the boat go? |
| Adhu nadhi vazhiyae | It goes along the path of the river. |
| Vaazhkkai engae pogum | Where will life go? |
| Adhu vidhi vazhiyae | It goes along the path of fate. |
ஓடம் எங்கே போகும்
அது நதி வழியே
வாழ்க்கை எங்கே போகும்
அது விதி வழியே
விடுகதை இது பெண்ணே
விடை கண்டுபிடி கண்ணே
Where will the boat go?
It goes along the path of the river.
Where will life go?
It goes along the path of fate.
This is a riddle, my girl.
Find the answer, my dear.
ஓடம் எங்கே போகும்
அது நதி வழியே
வாழ்க்கை எங்கே போகும்
அது விதி வழியே
Where will the boat go?
It goes along the path of the river.
Where will life go?
It goes along the path of fate.
காடு மலை ஏறி போகிற நதிக்கு
பொம்பளைங்க பேரு வந்தது எதுக்கு
தண்ணீரு இல்லாமே நதியே இல்லீங்க
கண்ணீரு இல்லாமே பொம்பள இல்லீங்க
ஆறும் பொண்ணும் காலம் வந்தா
கலங்கி போகும் பாரு
For the river that flows over forests and mountains,
Why was it named after a woman?
Without water, there is no river.
Without tears, there is no woman.
When the time comes for a river and a woman,
Look how troubled and muddied they become!
ஓடம் எங்கே அடியே.....
ஓடம் எங்கே போகும்
அது நதி வழியே
வாழ்க்கை எங்கே போகும்
அது விதி வழியே...
Where goes the boat, hey girl...
Where will the boat go?
It goes along the path of the river.
Where will life go?
It goes along the path of fate...
ஆறச் சொல்லி ஆவதென்னவோ குயிலே
ஆபத்துக்கு பாவமில்லையே மயிலே
நல்லவன் கெட்டாலும் நன்மைதான் உண்டாகும்
தங்கத்தை சுட்டாலும் இன்னும்தான் நல்லாகும்
What is the point in complaining to anyone, oh cuckoo?
There is no sin in saving oneself during danger, oh peacock!
Even if a good person demands something, only good will come out of it.
Even if you melt gold in fire, it only becomes finer.
ஆடி மாசம் போன பிறகு
கூடி வரட்டும் காலம்
Once the month of Aadi passes,
Let favorable times join together.
ஓடம் எங்கே அடியே.....
ஓடம் எங்கே போகும்
அது நதி வழியே
வாழ்க்கை எங்கே போகும்
அது விதி வழியே
விடுகதை இது பெண்ணே
விடை கண்டுபிடி கண்ணே
Where goes the boat, hey girl...
Where will the boat go?
It goes along the path of the river.
Where will life go?
It goes along the path of fate...
This is a riddle, my girl.
Find the answer, my dear.
ஓடம் எங்கே போகும்
அது நதி வழியே
வாழ்க்கை எங்கே போகும்
அது விதி வழியே...
Where will the boat go?
It goes along the path of the river.
Where will life go?
It goes along the path of fate.
Odam engae pogum
Where will the boat go?
Adhu nadhi vazhiyae
It goes along the path of the river.
Vaazhkkai engae pogum
Where will life go?
Adhu vidhi vazhiyae
It goes along the path of fate.
Vidukadhai idhu pennae
This is a riddle, my girl.
Vidai kandupidi kannae
Find the answer, my dear.
Odam engae pogum
Where will the boat go?
Adhu nadhi vazhiyae
It goes along the path of the river.
Vaazhkkai engae pogum
Where will life go?
Adhu vidhi vazhiyae
It goes along the path of fate.
Kaadu malai yaeri pogira nadhikku
For the river that flows over forests and mountains,
Pombalainga peru vanthathu edhukku
Why was it named after a woman?
Thanneeru illaamae nadhiyae illeenga
Without water, there is no river.
Kanneeru illaamae pombala illeenga
Without tears, there is no woman.
Aarum ponnum kaalam vanthaa
When the time comes for a river and a woman,
Kalangi pogum paaru
Look how troubled and muddied they become!
Odam engae Adiyae….
Where goes the boat, hey girl...
Odam engae pogum
Where will the boat go?
Adhu nadhi vazhiyae
It goes along the path of the river.
Vaazhkkai engae pogum
Where will life go?
Adhu vidhi vazhiyae….
It goes along the path of fate...
Aara cholli aavathennavo kuyilae
What is the point in complaining to anyone, oh cuckoo?
Aabaththukku paavamillaiyae mayilae
There is no sin in saving oneself during danger, oh peacock!
Nallavan kettaalum nanmaithaan undaagum
Even if a good person demands something, only good will come out of it.
Thangaththai suttaalum innumthaan nallaagum
Even if you melt gold in fire, it only becomes finer.
Aadi maasam pona piragu
Once the month of Aadi passes,
Koodi varattum kaalam
Let favorable times join together.
Odam engae Adiyae….
Where goes the boat, hey girl...
Odam engae pogum
Where will the boat go?
Adhu nadhi vazhiyae
It goes along the path of the river.
Vaazhkkai engae pogum
Where will life go?
Adhu vidhi vazhiyae….
It goes along the path of fate...
Vidukadhai idhu pennae
This is a riddle, my girl.
Vidai kandupidi kannae
Find the answer, my dear.
Odam engae pogum
Where will the boat go?
Adhu nadhi vazhiyae
It goes along the path of the river.
Vaazhkkai engae pogum
Where will life go?
Adhu vidhi vazhiyae
It goes along the path of fate.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a deeply philosophical track that uses rural metaphors to reflect on life, destiny, and womanhood. By comparing human life to a boat tossed upon a river governed by fate, the lyricist highlights the inevitability of destiny. The song draws poignant parallels between a river and a woman—both bear names of grace, flow through rough landscapes, and endure emotional or physical turbulence.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Analogy / Metaphor
“Odam engae pogum / Adhu nadhi vazhiyae... Vaazhkkai engae pogum / Adhu vidhi vazhiyae”
Compares human life drifting through destiny to a boat steered along the natural course of a river.
Ethugai (Second letter assonance)
“Thanneeru illaamae nadhiyae illeenga / Kanneeru illaamae pombala illeenga”
The second letter 'nna' (ன்) matches in 'Thanneeru' and 'Kanneeru', creating a pleasing phonetic rhyme while drawing a parallel between water and tears.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Adhu nadhi vazhiyae / Adhu vidhi vazhiyae”
The line endings 'vazhiyae' rhyme with each other across stanzas.
Simile / Refinement Metaphor
“Thangaththai suttaalum innumthaan nallaagum”
Uses the metaphor of gold being refined in fire to show that good people only shine brighter through trials and tribulations.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Namma Ooru Nalla Ooru' (1986) is a rural drama directed by V. M. S. Rajakumaran, starring Ramarajan and Rekha. The film's musical score was composed by the duo Sankar-Ganesh, with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu. The song captures classic 1980s Tamil rural philosophy, blending nature imagery with deep life lessons.
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