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Thirunelveli album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Ola Kudisayile

From Thirunelveli · 2000

Lyricist
Chidambaranathan
Singer
Biju Narayanan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Thirunelveli
Movie release year
2000
Lyrics added on
19 Sept 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ola kudisaiyilae naan irunthaalum
Vaanaththathaan em manasu vattam iduthu
Naanaa naananaa naanaanan naanaa
Naanaa naananaa naanaanan naanaanaa naanaanan naanaa
Ola kudisaiyilae naan irunthaalum
Vaanaththathaan em manasu vattam iduthu
Naan vaazhum koottukkullae thanichchirunthaalum
Vinmeengal koottaththoda manasu suththuthu
Illai endraal thunbam illai
Selvam endraal inbam illai
Endrum ulla selvam manasu thaanae
Ola kudisaiyilae naan irunthaalum
Vaanaththathaan em manasu vattam iduthu
Poonguruvi thaalaattum pulveli sirikkum
Pon veyyil manjalai thoovi paarkkum
Thaenaruvi neerottam maan pol kudhikkum
Neeralai paadidum jadhigal ketkumae
Mazhai megaththu muththam payirgal aadum aattam
Kaatrin kaigal pattaal angae aanatham
Vaanampaadigal koottam naduvil vanna thottam
Kaana kaana nenjil endrum aanantham
Chiththiram pol mannil azhagu
Eththanai eththanai maanae
Aththanaiyum paarththaal ingu verenna vendum
Ola kudisaiyilae naan irunthaalum
Vaanaththathaan em manasu vattam iduthu
Thanga veenai aanaalum thaanaai paadaathu
Meettavum ketkavum oruvan vendum
Raagam nooru irunthaalum thaanaai ketkaathu
Raagangal therinthavan oruvan vendumae
Isaiyaalae mayangaatha manamthaan ulagil yaedhu
Irunda manadhin ullae isaiyum nuzhaiyaathu
En paadal sellaatha idamthaan ulagil yaedhu
Adhai thodarnthu neeyum sella mudiyaathu
Andhi vaanil thendral pola thingal pola aadu
Ullam sollum unmai geetham endrendrum paadu
Ola kudisaiyilae naan irunthaalum
Vaanaththathaan em manasu vattam iduthu
Naan vaazhum koottukkullae thanichchirunthaalum
Vinmeengal koottaththoda manasu suththuthu
Illai endraal thunbam illai
Selvam endraal inbam illai
Endrum ulla selvam manasu thaanae
Ola kudisaiyilae naan irunthaalum
Vaanaththathaan em manasu vattam iduthu
Even though I live in a thatched hut,
My heart keeps soaring in the open sky.
Naana naanana naanaanan naanaa
Naana naanana naanaanan naananaa naanaanan naanaa
Even though I live in a thatched hut,
My heart keeps soaring in the open sky.
Even though I live all alone in this little nest of mine,
My heart wanders with the crowd of stars.
Having nothing brings no sorrow,
And possessing wealth does not guarantee happiness.
The only true wealth that lasts forever is our own heart, isn't it?
Even though I live in a thatched hut,
My heart keeps soaring in the open sky.
Little songbirds hum a lullaby and the green meadows smile,
While the golden sunshine sprinkles warm turmeric light.
The sweet stream rushes and leaps like a deer,
And the rhythmic beats sung by the water ripples can be heard.
Kissed by rain clouds, the green crops dance,
And when the gentle breeze touches them, pure joy fills the air.
A flock of skylarks amidst a colorful garden—
Looking at it fills the heart with endless delight.
Like a painting spread across the earth,
So many wonders exist, my dear!
When we can look at all of this, what else could we ever need?
Even though I live in a thatched hut,
My heart keeps soaring in the open sky.
Even a veena (traditional string instrument) of gold will not play on its own;
There must be someone to pluck its strings and listen.
Even if there are a hundred ragas, they cannot be heard by themselves;
There must be someone who truly knows those melodies.
Is there any heart in this world that cannot be moved by music?
Yet music will never enter a heart filled with darkness.
Is there any place in this world where my song cannot go?
Yet you cannot keep following everywhere it flies.
Dance like the evening breeze and the glowing moon,
And sing forever the true melody that rises from your heart.
Even though I live in a thatched hut,
My heart keeps soaring in the open sky.
Even though I live all alone in this little nest of mine,
My heart wanders with the crowd of stars.
Having nothing brings no sorrow,
And possessing wealth does not guarantee happiness.
The only true wealth that lasts forever is our own heart, isn't it?
Even though I live in a thatched hut,
My heart keeps soaring in the open sky.
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This uplifting philosophical song celebrates contentment, inner peace, and the unlimited freedom of the human spirit despite humble physical circumstances. The protagonist lives in a modest thatch-roof hut, yet their mind soars high among the stars and clouds, untouched by material poverty. The song highlights how true wealth lies in a contented mind rather than material fortune.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification

Poonguruvi thaalaattum pulveli sirikkum

Nature is personified; the grassland is described as 'smiling' while birds sing lullabies.

Simile

Thaenaruvi neerottam maan pol kudhikkum

The movement of the waterfall stream is explicitly compared to a leaping deer using 'pol'.

Ethugai (Second letter rhyme)

Illai endraal thunbam illai / Selvam endraal inbam illai

The second consonant sound 'll' in 'Illai' and 'Selvam' creates a rhythmic Tamil poetic rhyme.

Metaphor

Chiththiram pol mannil azhagu

The natural scenery of the earth is poetically represented as an exquisite painting.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyrics were penned by lyricist Chidambaranathan for the 2000 Tamil movie 'Thirunelveli'. The song serves as a reflective, rural philosophical track emphasizing simple living and high thinking.

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