Odathilae Thanneeru
From Karai Kadandha Oruthi · 1979
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Details
- Karai Kadandha Oruthi1979
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Odathilae thanneeru | Water inside the boat, |
| Pennorutthi kanneeru | Tears of a young woman, |
| Odam poi ooru serumaa… | Will the boat ever reach the shore? |
| Female | |
| Odathilae thanneeru | Water inside the boat, |
| Pennorutthi kanneeru | Tears of a young woman, |
| Odam poi ooru serumaa… | Will the boat ever reach the shore? |
| En raasaadhi raasaa | Oh my king of kings, |
| Un nenappu ennaikkum maarumaa | Will thoughts of you ever change? |
| Female | |
| Odathilae thanneeru | Water inside the boat, |
| Pennorutthi kanneeru | Tears of a young woman, |
| Odam poi ooru serumaa… | Will the boat ever reach the shore? |
| Female | |
| Oor urangiyadhum | Once the village goes to sleep, |
| Manasu unna nenaikkudhaiyaa | My heart keeps thinking of you, |
| Female | |
| Naan ariyaama | Without my knowledge, |
| Vayasu unna rasikkudhaiyaa | My youth admires you, |
| Per theriyaadha | There is something nameless, |
| Edhaiyo paesa irukkudhaiyaa | Waiting to be spoken, |
| Female | |
| Saadhi madham paakkalaiyae | You didn't consider caste or religion, |
| Sarasam pannalaiyae | You didn't engage in playful flirting, |
| Paadhiyilae kadha mudichu parandhu poniyae | You ended the story halfway and flew away, |
| Onna marandhu poniyae | Did you forget about me? |
| Engo maranju poniyae | You went and hid somewhere, |
| Indha sangadhi nenjilae thangiyae nikkudhaiyaa | This matter remains stuck in my heart, |
| En raasaadhi raasaa | Oh my king of kings, |
| Em manasu unna nenaikkudhaiyaa | My heart keeps thinking of you, |
| Female | |
| Odathilae thanneeru | Water inside the boat, |
| Pennorutthi kanneeru | Tears of a young woman, |
| Odam poi ooru serumaa… | Will the boat ever reach the shore? |
| Female | |
| Neer neranjirundhum | Even though water is all around, |
| Kannu varandu pochudhaiyaa | My eyes have gone dry, |
| Female | |
| Nee kudiyirundha | The heart where you resided, |
| Nenju kovil aachudhaiyaa | Has turned into a temple, |
| Naan muzhichirundhum | Even though I am wide awake, |
| Manasu kanavu kaanudhaiyaa | My heart continues to dream, |
| Female | |
| Sithaada mela pattaa sorgam enbaayae | If my skirt brushed against you, you called it heaven, |
| Sitha neram sirichi ninnaa siluthu povaayae | If I smiled for a moment, you would get thrilled, |
| Onna nenachi vandhenae | I came thinking of you, |
| Naan kalangi ninnaenae | I stood there, troubled and tearful, |
| Idhu enni thavikkira kanni paruvamaiyaa | This is the maiden age that suffers in yearning, |
| En raasaadhi raasaa | Oh my king of kings, |
| Em manasu unna nenaikkudhaiyaa | My heart keeps thinking of you, |
| Female | |
| Odathilae thanneeru | Water inside the boat, |
| Pennorutthi kanneeru | Tears of a young woman, |
| Odam poi ooru serumaa… | Will the boat ever reach the shore? |
| En raasaadhi raasaa | Oh my king of kings, |
| Un nenappu ennaikkum maarumaa | Will thoughts of you ever change? |
| En raasaadhi raasaa | Oh my king of kings, |
| Un nenappu ennaikkum maarumaa… | Will thoughts of you ever change? |
ஓடத்திலே தண்ணீரு
பெண்ணொருத்தி கண்ணீரு
ஓடம் போய் ஊரு சேருமா
Water inside the boat,
Tears of a young woman,
Will the boat ever reach the shore?
ஓடத்திலே தண்ணீரு
பெண்ணொருத்தி கண்ணீரு
ஓடம் போய் ஊரு சேருமா
என் ராசாத்தி ராசா
உன் நெனப்பு என்னைக்கும் மாறுமா
Water inside the boat,
Tears of a young woman,
Will the boat ever reach the shore?
Oh my king of kings,
Will thoughts of you ever change?
ஓடத்திலே தண்ணீரு
பெண்ணொருத்தி கண்ணீரு
ஓடம் போய் ஊரு சேருமா
Water inside the boat,
Tears of a young woman,
Will the boat ever reach the shore?
ஊர் உறங்கியதும்
மனசு உன்ன நெனைக்குதையா
Once the village goes to sleep,
My heart keeps thinking of you,
நான் அறியாம
வயசு உன்ன ரசிக்குதையா
பேர் தெரியாத
எதையோ பேச நினைக்குதையா
Without my knowledge,
My youth admires you,
There is something nameless,
Waiting to be spoken,
சாதி மதம் பாக்கலையே
சரசம் பண்ணலையே
பாதியில கத முடிச்சு பறந்து போனியே
ஒண்ண மறந்து போனியே
எங்கோ மறைஞ்சு போனியே
இந்த சங்கதி நெஞ்சிலே தங்கியே நிக்குதையா
என் ராசாதி ராசா
என் மனசு உன்ன நெனைக்குதையா
You didn't consider caste or religion,
You didn't engage in playful flirting,
You ended the story halfway and flew away,
Did you forget about me?
You went and hid somewhere,
This matter remains stuck in my heart,
Oh my king of kings,
My heart keeps thinking of you,
ஓடத்திலே தண்ணீரு
பெண்ணொருத்தி கண்ணீரு
ஓடம் போய் ஊரு சேருமா
Water inside the boat,
Tears of a young woman,
Will the boat ever reach the shore?
நீர் நெறஞ்சிருந்தும்
கண்ணு வறண்டு போச்சுதையா
Even though water is all around,
My eyes have gone dry,
நீ குடியிருந்த
நெஞ்சு கோவில் ஆச்சுதையா
நான் முழிச்சிருந்தும்
மனசு கனவு காணுதையா
The heart where you resided,
Has turned into a temple,
Even though I am wide awake,
My heart continues to dream,
சித்தாட மேலே பட்டா சொர்க்கம் என்பாயே
சித்த நேரம் சிரிச்சு நின்னா சிலுத்து போவாயே
ஒன்ன நெனச்சி வந்தேனே
நான் கலங்கி நின்னேனே
இது எண்ணித் தவிக்கிற கன்னிப் பருவமையா
என் ராசாதி ராசா
என் மனசு உன்ன நெனைக்குதையா
If my skirt brushed against you, you called it heaven,
If I smiled for a moment, you would get thrilled,
I came thinking of you,
I stood there, troubled and tearful,
This is the maiden age that suffers in yearning,
Oh my king of kings,
My heart keeps thinking of you,
ஓடத்திலே தண்ணீரு
பெண்ணொருத்தி கண்ணீரு
ஓடம் போய் ஊரு சேருமா
என் ராசாத்தி ராசா
உன் நெனப்பு என்னைக்கும் மாறுமா
என் ராசாத்தி ராசா
உன் நெனப்பு என்னைக்கும் மாறுமா
Water inside the boat,
Tears of a young woman,
Will the boat ever reach the shore?
Oh my king of kings,
Will thoughts of you ever change?
Oh my king of kings,
Will thoughts of you ever change?
Odathilae thanneeru
Water inside the boat,
Pennorutthi kanneeru
Tears of a young woman,
Odam poi ooru serumaa…
Will the boat ever reach the shore?
Odathilae thanneeru
Water inside the boat,
Pennorutthi kanneeru
Tears of a young woman,
Odam poi ooru serumaa…
Will the boat ever reach the shore?
En raasaadhi raasaa
Oh my king of kings,
Un nenappu ennaikkum maarumaa
Will thoughts of you ever change?
Odathilae thanneeru
Water inside the boat,
Pennorutthi kanneeru
Tears of a young woman,
Odam poi ooru serumaa…
Will the boat ever reach the shore?
Oor urangiyadhum
Once the village goes to sleep,
Manasu unna nenaikkudhaiyaa
My heart keeps thinking of you,
Naan ariyaama
Without my knowledge,
Vayasu unna rasikkudhaiyaa
My youth admires you,
Per theriyaadha
There is something nameless,
Edhaiyo paesa irukkudhaiyaa
Waiting to be spoken,
Saadhi madham paakkalaiyae
You didn't consider caste or religion,
Sarasam pannalaiyae
You didn't engage in playful flirting,
Paadhiyilae kadha mudichu parandhu poniyae
You ended the story halfway and flew away,
Onna marandhu poniyae
Did you forget about me?
Engo maranju poniyae
You went and hid somewhere,
Indha sangadhi nenjilae thangiyae nikkudhaiyaa
This matter remains stuck in my heart,
En raasaadhi raasaa
Oh my king of kings,
Em manasu unna nenaikkudhaiyaa
My heart keeps thinking of you,
Odathilae thanneeru
Water inside the boat,
Pennorutthi kanneeru
Tears of a young woman,
Odam poi ooru serumaa…
Will the boat ever reach the shore?
Neer neranjirundhum
Even though water is all around,
Kannu varandu pochudhaiyaa
My eyes have gone dry,
Nee kudiyirundha
The heart where you resided,
Nenju kovil aachudhaiyaa
Has turned into a temple,
Naan muzhichirundhum
Even though I am wide awake,
Manasu kanavu kaanudhaiyaa
My heart continues to dream,
Sithaada mela pattaa sorgam enbaayae
If my skirt brushed against you, you called it heaven,
Sitha neram sirichi ninnaa siluthu povaayae
If I smiled for a moment, you would get thrilled,
Onna nenachi vandhenae
I came thinking of you,
Naan kalangi ninnaenae
I stood there, troubled and tearful,
Idhu enni thavikkira kanni paruvamaiyaa
This is the maiden age that suffers in yearning,
En raasaadhi raasaa
Oh my king of kings,
Em manasu unna nenaikkudhaiyaa
My heart keeps thinking of you,
Odathilae thanneeru
Water inside the boat,
Pennorutthi kanneeru
Tears of a young woman,
Odam poi ooru serumaa…
Will the boat ever reach the shore?
En raasaadhi raasaa
Oh my king of kings,
Un nenappu ennaikkum maarumaa
Will thoughts of you ever change?
En raasaadhi raasaa
Oh my king of kings,
Un nenappu ennaikkum maarumaa…
Will thoughts of you ever change?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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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