Oorukkum Vetkamillai
From Yaarukkum Vetkamillai · 1975
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- G. K. Venkatesh
- Details
- Yaarukkum Vetkamillai1975
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Oorukkum vetkamillai | The town has no shame, |
| Indha ulakukkum vetkamillai | This world has no shame, |
| Yaarukkum vetkamillai | No one has any shame, |
| Idhilae avalukku vetkamenna | In this, why should she feel any shame? |
| Yae samudhaayamae | Oh society! |
| Male | |
| Melum keezhum kodugal podu | Draw lines up and down, |
| Adhudhaan oviyam | That itself is art, |
| Nee sonnaal kaaviyam | If you say so, it is an epic poem! |
| Oviyam endraal ennavendru | What art truly means, |
| Therindhavar illaiyadaa | There is no one who understands, my friend. |
| Kurudargal ulagil kangal irundhaal | In a world of blind people, if you have eyes, |
| Adhudhaan thollaiyadaa | That itself becomes the trouble, my friend. |
| Male | |
| Melum keezhum kodugal podu | Draw lines up and down, |
| Adhudhaan oviyam | That itself is art, |
| Nee sonnaal kaaviyam | If you say so, it is an epic poem! |
| Male | |
| Aththanai pazhamum sothaigalthaanae | All fruits are rotten inside, |
| Aandavan padaippinilae | In God's creation. |
| Aththippazhaththai kutram koora | To accuse and blame the fig fruit, |
| Yaarukkum vetkamillai | No one has any shame. |
| Moodargalae pirar kutrathai marandhu | Oh fools! Forget the faults of others, |
| Muthugai paarungal | Look at your own back! |
| Muthuginil irukku aayiram azhukku | There are a thousand dirts on your back, |
| Adhanai kazhuvungal | Wash that clean first! |
| Male | |
| Melum keezhum kodugal podu | Draw lines up and down, |
| Adhudhaan oviyam | That itself is art, |
| Nee sonnaal kaaviyam | If you say so, it is an epic poem! |
| Male | |
| Suttum viralaal ethiriyai kaatti | When pointing an index finger at an enemy, |
| Kutram koorugaiyil | To accuse them of a fault, |
| Matrum moondru viralgal | The other three fingers, |
| Ungal maarpinai kaattuthadaa | Point back at your own chest, my friend! |
| Engeyaavadhu manithan oruvan | If somewhere a true human being, |
| Irundhaal sollungal | Exists, please tell me. |
| Irukkum avanum punithan endraal | If that existing person is pure and saintly, |
| Ennidam kaattungal | Show him to me! |
| Male | |
| Melum keezhum kodugal podu | Draw lines up and down, |
| Adhudhaan oviyam | That itself is art, |
| Nee sonnaal kaaviyam | If you say so, it is an epic poem! |
| Male | |
| Appan thavaru pillaikku therindhaal | When a child learns of his father's fault, |
| Avanukku vetkamillai | He feels no shame. |
| Aththanai peraiyum padaithaanae | He created all these people— |
| Andha sivanukkum vetkamillai | Even Lord Shiva has no shame! |
| Ippothindha ulagam muzhuvadhum | Now, in this entire world, |
| Evanukkum vetkamillai | No one has any shame. |
| Ellaar kathaiyum ondraai mudikkum | Ending everyone's story the same way, |
| Yemanukkum vetkamillai | Even Yama (Lord of Death) has no shame! |
ஊருக்கும் வெட்கமில்லை
இந்த உலகுக்கும் வெட்கமில்லை
யாருக்கும் வெட்கமில்லை
இதிலே அவளுக்கு வெட்கமென்ன
ஏ சமுதாயமே
The town has no shame,
This world has no shame,
No one has any shame,
In this, why should she feel any shame?
Oh society!
மேலும் கீழும் கோடுகள் போடு
அதுதான் ஓவியம்
நீ சொன்னால் காவியம்
ஓவியம் என்றால் என்னவென்று
தெரிந்தவர் இல்லையடா
குருடர்கள் உலகில் கண்கள் இருந்தால்
அதுதான் தொல்லையடா
Draw lines up and down,
That itself is art,
If you say so, it is an epic poem!
What art truly means,
There is no one who understands, my friend.
In a world of blind people, if you have eyes,
That itself becomes the trouble, my friend.
மேலும் கீழும் கோடுகள் போடு
அதுதான் ஓவியம்
நீ சொன்னால் காவியம்
Draw lines up and down,
That itself is art,
If you say so, it is an epic poem!
அத்தனை பழமும் சொத்தைகள்தானே
ஆண்டவன் படைப்பினிலே
அத்திப்பழத்தை குற்றம் கூற
யாருக்கும் வெட்கமில்லை
மூடர்களே பிறர் குற்றத்தை மறந்து
முதுகைப் பாருங்கள்
முதுகினில் இருக்கு ஆயிரம் அழுக்கு
அதனைக் கழுவுங்கள்
All fruits are rotten inside,
In God's creation.
To accuse and blame the fig fruit,
No one has any shame.
Oh fools! Forget the faults of others,
Look at your own back!
There are a thousand dirts on your back,
Wash that clean first!
மேலும் கீழும் கோடுகள் போடு
அதுதான் ஓவியம்
நீ சொன்னால் காவியம்
Draw lines up and down,
That itself is art,
If you say so, it is an epic poem!
சுட்டும் விரலால் எதிரியை காட்டி
குற்றம் கூறுகையில்
மற்றும் மூன்று விரல்கள்
உங்கள் மார்பினை காட்டுதடா
எங்கேயாவது மனிதன் ஒருவன்
இருந்தால் சொல்லுங்கள்
இருக்கும் அவனும் புனிதன் என்றால்
என்னிடம் காட்டுங்கள்
When pointing an index finger at an enemy,
To accuse them of a fault,
The other three fingers,
Point back at your own chest, my friend!
If somewhere a true human being,
Exists, please tell me.
If that existing person is pure and saintly,
Show him to me!
மேலும் கீழும் கோடுகள் போடு
அதுதான் ஓவியம்
நீ சொன்னால் காவியம்
Draw lines up and down,
That itself is art,
If you say so, it is an epic poem!
அப்பன் தவறு பிள்ளைக்கு தெரிந்தால்
அவனுக்கு வெட்கமில்லை
அத்தனை பேரையும் படைத்தானே
அந்த சிவனுக்கும் வெட்கமில்லை
இப்போதிந்த உலகம் முழுவதும்
எவனுக்கும் வெட்கமில்லை
எல்லார் கதையும் ஒன்றாய் முடிக்கும்
எமனுக்கும் வெட்கமில்லை
When a child learns of his father's fault,
He feels no shame.
He created all these people—
Even Lord Shiva has no shame!
Now, in this entire world,
No one has any shame.
Ending everyone's story the same way,
Even Yama (Lord of Death) has no shame!
Oorukkum vetkamillai
The town has no shame,
Indha ulakukkum vetkamillai
This world has no shame,
Yaarukkum vetkamillai
No one has any shame,
Idhilae avalukku vetkamenna
In this, why should she feel any shame?
Yae samudhaayamae
Oh society!
Melum keezhum kodugal podu
Draw lines up and down,
Adhudhaan oviyam
That itself is art,
Nee sonnaal kaaviyam
If you say so, it is an epic poem!
Oviyam endraal ennavendru
What art truly means,
Therindhavar illaiyadaa
There is no one who understands, my friend.
Kurudargal ulagil kangal irundhaal
In a world of blind people, if you have eyes,
Adhudhaan thollaiyadaa
That itself becomes the trouble, my friend.
Melum keezhum kodugal podu
Draw lines up and down,
Adhudhaan oviyam
That itself is art,
Nee sonnaal kaaviyam
If you say so, it is an epic poem!
Aththanai pazhamum sothaigalthaanae
All fruits are rotten inside,
Aandavan padaippinilae
In God's creation.
Aththippazhaththai kutram koora
To accuse and blame the fig fruit,
Yaarukkum vetkamillai
No one has any shame.
Moodargalae pirar kutrathai marandhu
Oh fools! Forget the faults of others,
Muthugai paarungal
Look at your own back!
Muthuginil irukku aayiram azhukku
There are a thousand dirts on your back,
Adhanai kazhuvungal
Wash that clean first!
Melum keezhum kodugal podu
Draw lines up and down,
Adhudhaan oviyam
That itself is art,
Nee sonnaal kaaviyam
If you say so, it is an epic poem!
Suttum viralaal ethiriyai kaatti
When pointing an index finger at an enemy,
Kutram koorugaiyil
To accuse them of a fault,
Matrum moondru viralgal
The other three fingers,
Ungal maarpinai kaattuthadaa
Point back at your own chest, my friend!
Engeyaavadhu manithan oruvan
If somewhere a true human being,
Irundhaal sollungal
Exists, please tell me.
Irukkum avanum punithan endraal
If that existing person is pure and saintly,
Ennidam kaattungal
Show him to me!
Melum keezhum kodugal podu
Draw lines up and down,
Adhudhaan oviyam
That itself is art,
Nee sonnaal kaaviyam
If you say so, it is an epic poem!
Appan thavaru pillaikku therindhaal
When a child learns of his father's fault,
Avanukku vetkamillai
He feels no shame.
Aththanai peraiyum padaithaanae
He created all these people—
Andha sivanukkum vetkamillai
Even Lord Shiva has no shame!
Ippothindha ulagam muzhuvadhum
Now, in this entire world,
Evanukkum vetkamillai
No one has any shame.
Ellaar kathaiyum ondraai mudikkum
Ending everyone's story the same way,
Yemanukkum vetkamillai
Even Yama (Lord of Death) has no shame!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Oorukkum Vetkamillai' is a hard-hitting, satirical commentary on societal hypocrisy, moral posturing, and judgment written by Kannadasan. The narrator points out that society readily judges and condemns individuals (specifically targeting a woman who is shamed) while ignoring its own collective corruption and flaws. Through sharp, cynical observations, the song exposes how people define rules and morality arbitrarily—much like drawing random lines and calling it grand art.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaipu (End Rhyme / Epiphora)
“Oorukkum vetkamillai / Indha ulakukkum vetkamillai / Yaarukkum vetkamillai”
The phrase 'vetkamillai' (has no shame) is repeated at the end of consecutive lines, emphasizing the pervasive lack of shame across society.
Visual Imagery & Metaphor
“Suttum viralaal ethiriyai kaatti... Matrum moondru viralgal ungal maarpinai kaattuthadaa”
A powerful physical metaphor illustrating hypocrisy: when you point one finger at an enemy, three fingers are pointing back at your own chest.
Metaphor
“Aththippazhaththai kutram koora”
Refers to the popular Tamil idiom of 'Aththippazham' (fig fruit), which looks appealing on the outside but is filled with insects inside, symbolizing hypocritical human nature.
Sarcasm / Hyperbole
“Melum keezhum kodugal podu / Adhudhaan oviyam / Nee sonnaal kaaviyam”
Sarcastic reductionism where drawing random vertical lines is declared as art or literature, mocking how society defines morality and beauty based on whim rather than truth.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Yaarukkum Vetkamillai' (1975) was directed by and starred the famous political commentator Cho Ramaswamy, based on his hit stage play of the same title. The movie heavily critiques social conventions and political hypocrisy. Kannadasan wrote the lyrics to match Cho's trademark sharp political satire, with music composed by G. K. Venkatesh and vocals rendered by K. J. Yesudas.
Keep listening
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