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Karai Kadandha Oruthi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Odathilae Thanneeru

From Karai Kadandha Oruthi · 1979

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
S. Janaki
Music director
Gangai Amaran
Movie name
Karai Kadandha Oruthi
Movie release year
1979
Lyrics added on
7 Apr 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Odathilae thanneeru
Pennorutthi kanneeru
Odam poi ooru serumaa…
Odathilae thanneeru
Pennorutthi kanneeru
Odam poi ooru serumaa…
En raasaadhi raasaa
Un nenappu ennaikkum maarumaa
Odathilae thanneeru
Pennorutthi kanneeru
Odam poi ooru serumaa…
Oor urangiyadhum
Manasu unna nenaikkudhaiyaa
Naan ariyaama
Vayasu unna rasikkudhaiyaa
Per theriyaadha
Edhaiyo paesa irukkudhaiyaa
Saadhi madham paakkalaiyae
Sarasam pannalaiyae
Paadhiyilae kadha mudichu parandhu poniyae
Onna marandhu poniyae
Engo maranju poniyae
Indha sangadhi nenjilae thangiyae nikkudhaiyaa
En raasaadhi raasaa
Em manasu unna nenaikkudhaiyaa
Odathilae thanneeru
Pennorutthi kanneeru
Odam poi ooru serumaa…
Neer neranjirundhum
Kannu varandu pochudhaiyaa
Nee kudiyirundha
Nenju kovil aachudhaiyaa
Naan muzhichirundhum
Manasu kanavu kaanudhaiyaa
Sithaada mela pattaa sorgam enbaayae
Sitha neram sirichi ninnaa siluthu povaayae
Onna nenachi vandhenae
Naan kalangi ninnaenae
Idhu enni thavikkira kanni paruvamaiyaa
En raasaadhi raasaa
Em manasu unna nenaikkudhaiyaa
Odathilae thanneeru
Pennorutthi kanneeru
Odam poi ooru serumaa…
En raasaadhi raasaa
Un nenappu ennaikkum maarumaa
En raasaadhi raasaa
Un nenappu ennaikkum maarumaa…
There is water in the boat,
and tears in a woman's eyes.
Will this boat ever reach the shore?
There is water in the boat,
and tears in a woman's eyes.
Will this boat ever reach the shore?
Oh, my beloved king,
will my thoughts of you ever fade?
There is water in the boat,
and tears in a woman's eyes.
Will this boat ever reach the shore?
When the village falls asleep,
my heart thinks only of you.
Without my knowing,
my youthful heart yearns for you.
It longs to speak of things
that have no name.
I did not care about caste or religion,
I did not play games with love,
yet you cut our story short and flew away.
You forgot everything
and disappeared somewhere.
This painful truth stays buried in my heart.
Oh, my beloved king,
my heart keeps thinking of you.
There is water in the boat,
and tears in a woman's eyes.
Will this boat ever reach the shore?
Though flooded with tears,
my eyes have run dry.
Where you once lived,
my heart has turned into a shrine.
Even while I am wide awake,
my heart keeps dreaming.
You used to say touching my dress was heaven,
and you would thrill with joy if I smiled for a moment.
I came holding you in my thoughts,
only to be left standing in tears.
A young girl's heart aches, thinking of this.
Oh, my beloved king,
my heart keeps thinking of you.
There is water in the boat,
and tears in a woman's eyes.
Will this boat ever reach the shore?
Oh, my beloved king,
will my thoughts of you ever fade?
Oh, my beloved king,
will my thoughts of you ever fade?
Female
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Odathilae Thanneeru is a poignant song from the 1979 film Karai Kadandha Oruthi, written by the revered lyricist Kannadasan. The lyrics center on a woman expressing her profound heartache and longing after being separated from her beloved. Using the metaphor of a waterlogged boat carrying tears, the song questions whether her precarious life journey will ever reach a safe destination.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

“Odathilae thanneeru / Pennorutthi kanneeru / Odam poi ooru serumaa…”

The water-filled leaking boat serves as a metaphor for a distressed life burdened with tears, raising doubts about reaching the destination.

Muran (Paradox / Contrast)

“Neer neranjirundhum / Kannu varandu pochudhaiyaa”

Contrasts the presence of abundant water with dry eyes, highlighting emotional numbness and severe sorrow.

Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

“Saadhi madham paakkalaiyae / Sarasam pannalaiyae”

The second consonant sound creates a rhythmic metric harmony between the lines.

Personification

“Nenju kovil aachudhaiyaa”

Personifies the heart as a sacred temple where the memory of the lover resides like a deity.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by Kannadasan for the 1979 film Karai Kadandha Oruthi, the song exemplifies his signature style of using natural elements like rivers, boats, and rural scenery to express deep emotional philosophy and romance.

Keep listening

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Aathukkulle Theepudicha1987
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Naan Aathankarai1982
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