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Lyrics & meaning

Oorukellaam Ore Saami

From Aalukkoru Veedu · 1960

Lyricist
Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
Singers
K. Jamunarani, L. R. Eswari
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Aalukkoru Veedu
Movie release year
1960
Lyrics added on
26 Jul 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oorukkellaam orae saami
Orae saami orae needhi
Orae needhi orae jaadhi
Keladi kannaaththaa
Moochchukellaam orae kaaththu
Orae kaaththu orae thanni
Orae vaanam orae bhoomi
Aamadi ponnaaththa
…………………………
Ellorukkum ulagam onnu
Irulum onnu oliyum onnu
Innum sonnaa neeyum onnu
Naanum onnuthaan
Ellorukkum ulagam onnu
Irulum onnu oliyum onnu
Innum sonnaa neeyum onnu
Naanum onnuthaan
Yaaru melae keerinaalum
Raththam onnuthaane
Yaaru melae keerinaalum
Raththam onnuthaane
Aaga moththm piranthathellam
Paththaam maatham thaanae
Uyirukellam
Orae padhai orae padhai
Orae vasal orae koodu orae aavi
Paaradi kannaaththa
Paadupattor konjamillae
Palan velainjaa panjamilae
Aadum maadum naamum vaazha
Arul purivaalae
Angaalamman kovilukku
Ponga vaikka vaenum
Annaiyaval engalaiyum
Ponga vaikka vaenum
Aalukkellam
Orae koyil orae koyil
Orae poojai orae niyaayam orae theerppu
Keladi kannaaththaa
There is only one God for all the town,
One God and one justice,
One justice and one human race,
Listen to me, my dear Kannatha!
There is only one air for every breath,
One air and one water,
One sky and one earth,
Yes indeed, my dear Ponnatha!
...
For everyone, the world is one,
Darkness is one and light is one,
Truth be told, you are just the same,
And I am just the same too!
For everyone, the world is one,
Darkness is one and light is one,
Truth be told, you are just the same,
And I am just the same too!
No matter whose skin is scratched,
Isn't the blood the same for all?
No matter whose skin is scratched,
Isn't the blood the same for all?
After all, everyone who was born
Came into the world in the tenth month!
For all living souls,
There is one path, only one path,
One entrance, one nest, one life force,
Look and see, my dear Kannatha!
Many are those who toil and labor,
When the harvest yields well, there is no scarcity!
For livestock and us to thrive,
She will shower her divine grace!
At the temple of Goddess Angaalamman,
We must prepare the sweet Pongal offering,
May that Divine Mother cause us too
To overflow with endless prosperity!
For all people,
There is one temple, only one temple,
One worship, one justice, one final judgment,
Listen to me, my dear Kannatha!
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a powerful call for social equality, human unity, and egalitarianism framed through a traditional folk dialogue. Addressing female companions in the village ('Kannatha' and 'Ponnatha'), the singer explains how nature makes no distinction between human beings—everyone breathes the same air, shares the same earth, is born after ten months of gestation, and bleeds red regardless of status or caste. In the second half, the song blends working-class solidarity with spiritual devotion. It highlights the hardworking farm laborers who toil for food and prays to Goddess Angaalamman for rain and a bountiful harvest. Using a clever wordplay on 'ponga' (cooking sweet rice vs. overflowing with joy and prosperity), the lyricist asserts that divine justice, nature's law, and human rights are universally equal for all.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Repetition

Orae saami orae needhi / Orae needhi orae jaadhi

The deliberate repetition of the word 'Orae' (One/Single) across successive phrases creates rhythmic momentum and strongly reinforces the song's theme of universal oneness.

Rhetorical Question

Yaaru melae keerinaalum / Raththam onnuthaane

The lyricist poses a rhetorical statement ('No matter who you cut, blood is the same') to challenge social discrimination and assert biological equality.

Pun / Double Entendre (Sleidai)

Ponga vaikka vaenum / Annaiyaval engalaiyum / Ponga vaikka vaenum

The phrase 'Ponga vaikka vaenum' is used twice with distinct meanings: first, to cook the sacred Pongal rice offering at the temple, and second, praying for Mother Goddess to make their lives 'overflow' (ponga) with wealth and happiness.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Irulum onnu oliyum onnu / Innum sonnaa neeyum onnu / Naanum onnuthaan

The lines end with matching sounds ('onnu' / 'onnuthaan'), establishing a melodic cadence typical of Tamil folk poetry.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the legendary 'Makkal Kavignar' (People's Poet) Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram, this song reflects his strong socialist philosophy. Kalyanasundaram was famous for infusing communist ideals of social equality, caste abolition, and labor rights into mainstream Tamil cinema using everyday folk language. The music for 'Aalukkoru Veedu' (1960) was composed by the iconic duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy.

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