Ooru Nalla Ooru
From Goa · 2010
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Ilayaraja
- Music director
- Yuvan Shankar Raja
- Details
- Goa2010
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo.. | Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo.. |
| Ooh hoooo hooooo…. | Ooh hoooo hooooo…. |
| Oohooo hooooo hooooo…. | Oohooo hooooo hooooo…. |
| Male | |
| Oththumaiya vaazhntha | When people live together in harmony, |
| Ingae uruththum naalu perkku | It pricks the eyes of a few envious people here. |
| Urukulachu paartha | Only when they disrupt and destroy that harmony, |
| Appo santhosamthaan oorkku | Does the rest of the town feel satisfied. |
| Male | |
| Anju peru vaartha | The idle gossip of five people |
| Ingae vetham aaga aachu | Has been elevated to absolute gospel truth here, |
| Moonu peru vaazhkka | While the lives of three innocent men |
| Anga sedham aaga pochu | Have ended up completely ruined over there. |
| Male | |
| {Ooraar kannu | {The eyes of the villagers |
| Polla kannu | Are full of envy and malice; |
| Orava iruntha | If people stay united like kin, |
| Pudikkaathae} (2) | They simply cannot bear to see it} (2) |
| Male | |
| Kaalam kaalamaaga | Since time immemorial, |
| Intha oorukku ithae vela | This has been the town's constant habit. |
| Kannu pattathaeno | Has an evil eye fallen |
| Ippo ingae namma mela | Upon us here right now? |
| Ellappura saami | Oh Deity of the village boundaries (Ellappura Saami), |
| Nee thatti kekka venum | You must step up and question this injustice. |
| Illaamaththaan pona | If you fail to do so, |
| Nee kallunnuthaan thonum | People will think you are nothing more than a lifeless stone. |
| Male | |
| {Kanna thoranthu | {Open your eyes |
| Konjam paaru | And take a look, |
| Pasanga kalanga | Should you allow these young men |
| Vidalaama} (2) | To suffer in distress?} (2) |
| Male | |
| Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo.. | Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo.. |
| Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo.. | Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo.. |
| Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo.. | Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo.. |
| Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo.. | Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo.. |
ஓ ஹோ
ஹோ ஓ ஓ ஹோ
ஹோ ஓ ஹோ
ஹோ ஹோ
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Ooh hoooo hooooo….
Oohooo hooooo hooooo….
ஒத்துமையா
வாழ்ந்தா இங்கே
உறுத்தும் நாலு பேருக்கு
உருகுலைச்சு பார்த்த
அப்போ சந்தோசம்தான்
ஊருக்கு
When people live together in harmony,
It pricks the eyes of a few envious people here.
Only when they disrupt and destroy that harmony,
Does the rest of the town feel satisfied.
அஞ்சு பேரு
வார்த்தை இங்கே
வேதம் ஆக ஆச்சு
மூணு பேரு வாழ்க்கை
அங்க சேதம் ஆக போச்சு
The idle gossip of five people
Has been elevated to absolute gospel truth here,
While the lives of three innocent men
Have ended up completely ruined over there.
{ ஊரார் கண்ணு
பொல்ல கண்ணு உறவா
இருந்தா புடிக்காதே } (2)
{The eyes of the villagers
Are full of envy and malice;
If people stay united like kin,
They simply cannot bear to see it} (2)
காலம் காலமாக
இந்த ஊருக்கு இதே வேல
கண்ணு பட்டதேனோ இப்போ
இங்கே நம்ம மேல எல்லைப்புற
சாமி நீ தட்டி கேக்க வேணும்
இல்லாமத்தான் போனா நீ
கல்லுன்னுதான் தோணும்
Since time immemorial,
This has been the town's constant habit.
Has an evil eye fallen
Upon us here right now?
Oh Deity of the village boundaries (Ellappura Saami),
You must step up and question this injustice.
If you fail to do so,
People will think you are nothing more than a lifeless stone.
{ கண்ண தொறந்து
கொஞ்சம் பாரு பசங்க
கலங்க விடலாமா } (2)
{Open your eyes
And take a look,
Should you allow these young men
To suffer in distress?} (2)
ஓ ஹோ
ஹோ ஓ ஓ ஹோ
ஹோ ஓ ஓ ஹோ
ஹோ ஓ ஓ ஹோ
ஹோ ஓ
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Ooh hoooo hooooo….
Ooh hoooo hooooo….
Oohooo hooooo hooooo….
Oohooo hooooo hooooo….
Oththumaiya vaazhntha
When people live together in harmony,
Ingae uruththum naalu perkku
It pricks the eyes of a few envious people here.
Urukulachu paartha
Only when they disrupt and destroy that harmony,
Appo santhosamthaan oorkku
Does the rest of the town feel satisfied.
Anju peru vaartha
The idle gossip of five people
Ingae vetham aaga aachu
Has been elevated to absolute gospel truth here,
Moonu peru vaazhkka
While the lives of three innocent men
Anga sedham aaga pochu
Have ended up completely ruined over there.
{Ooraar kannu
{The eyes of the villagers
Polla kannu
Are full of envy and malice;
Orava iruntha
If people stay united like kin,
Pudikkaathae} (2)
They simply cannot bear to see it} (2)
Kaalam kaalamaaga
Since time immemorial,
Intha oorukku ithae vela
This has been the town's constant habit.
Kannu pattathaeno
Has an evil eye fallen
Ippo ingae namma mela
Upon us here right now?
Ellappura saami
Oh Deity of the village boundaries (Ellappura Saami),
Nee thatti kekka venum
You must step up and question this injustice.
Illaamaththaan pona
If you fail to do so,
Nee kallunnuthaan thonum
People will think you are nothing more than a lifeless stone.
{Kanna thoranthu
{Open your eyes
Konjam paaru
And take a look,
Pasanga kalanga
Should you allow these young men
Vidalaama} (2)
To suffer in distress?} (2)
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Oh hooooo…hoooo..ooo..
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song captures a poignant moment of lamentation and frustration against malicious village gossip and evil envy ('drishi'). It describes how three close friends from a conservative village become victims of petty rural politics and bad wishes from malicious neighbors who cannot tolerate seeing others live together happily and united. The lyrics highlight how rumors spread by a few can ruin the lives and reputations of innocent young men. In the second half, the song turns into a direct prayer and challenge to the local guardian deity (Ellappura Saami). The lyricist demands divine intervention against the injustice faced by the boys, warning the deity that if God remains silent while innocent youths suffer, people will stop believing in divine justice and dismiss the deity as a mere unfeeling stone sculpture.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Ellappura saami / Illaamaththaan pona”
The second consonant 'l' (இல்/எல்) rhymes across lines 20 and 22, providing a classic Tamil rhythmic flow.
Muran (Antithesis / Numerical Contrast)
“Anju peru vaartha / Moonu peru vaazhkka”
Vaali uses numerical contrast between 'Anju peru' (5 people's words) and 'Moonu peru' (3 people's lives) to highlight how a small group's gossip devastates the lives of the three protagonists.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Ingae vetham aaga aachu / Anga sedham aaga pochu”
The endings 'aaga aachu' and 'aaga pochu' rhyme naturally at the end of lines 9 and 11.
Personification / Metaphor
“Nee kallunnuthaan thonum”
The lyricist directly addresses the village deity, metaphorically threatening to reduce God's status to a mere 'stone' (kallu) if divine justice is not served.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although credited as Unknown in the prompt, the music for *Goa* (2010) was composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, directed by Venkat Prabhu. This song, often called 'Ooraar Kannu', serves as a transitional narrative track set in the rural village of Pannaikadu before the three lead characters (played by Jai, Vaibhav, and Premgi Amaren) escape to Goa. The lyrics were penned by legendary lyricist Vaali, who cleverly blended traditional folk lament format with sharp satirical commentary.
Keep listening
More from Goa
Goa
Goa
Goa
Goa
Goa
Goa