Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Karagattakaran album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Ooruvittu Ooruvanthu

From Karagattakaran · 1989

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, Gangai Amaran
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Karagattakaran
Movie release year
1989
Lyrics added on
11 Nov 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ooru vittu ooru vandhu
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Male :Kaadhal keedhal pannathinga
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Peru kettu ponathinna
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Male :Namma pozhappu ennagunga
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
{Vittudu thambi
Idhu vaenaam thambi
Ithanai peru
Veedu ungalai nambi} (2)
Chorus :Baa…baa…baa…baa
Ooru vittu ooru vandhu
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Male :Kaadhal keedhal pannathinga
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Peru kettu ponathinna
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Male :Namma pozhappu ennagunga
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Annachi enna eppothum neenga
Thappaaga enna venaam
Ponnalae kettu poveno endru
Aaraichi panna venaam
Oorula olagathila
Enga kadhai pol yedhum nadakaliya
Chorus :Pab bab pab bab
Male :Veetayum maranthuputtu
Vera oru naatukku odaliya
Chorus :Pab bab pab bab
Manmadha leelaiyai
Vendravar undoo
Chorus :Illa illa
Male :Mangai illadhoru
Vetriyum undo
Chorus :Illa illa
Manmadha leelaiyai
Vendravar undoo
Mangai illadhoru
Vetriyum undo
Kaadhal eedera
Paadu en kooda
Ooru vittu ooru vandhu
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Male :Kaadhal keedhal pannathinga
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Vittudu thambi
Idhu venaam thambi
Ithanai peru
Veedu ungalai nambi
Ooru vittu ooru vandhu
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Male :Kaadhal keedhal pannathinga
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Aana porandha ellarum ponna
Anbaaga enna venum
Veena thirinja aanandham illa
Verenna solla venum
Vazhkaiya rasikanumna
Vanji kodi
Vasanai pada venum
Chorus :Pab bab pab bab
Vaalibam inikanumna
Ponna konjam
Aasayil thoda venum
Chorus :Pab bab pab bab
Kanniya thedunga
Karpanai varum
Chorus :Aama aama ma
Kandathum aayiram
Kaaviyam varum
Chorus :Aama aama ma
Kanniya thedunga
Karpanai varum
Kandathum aayiram
Kaaviyam varum
Kaadhal illama
Boomi ingedhu…uuuu
Ooru vittu ooru vandhu
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Male :Kaadhal keedhal pannathinga
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Peru kettu ponathinna
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Male :Namma pozhappu ennagunga
Chorus : Baba baaaa….
{Vittudu thambi
Idhu vaenaam thambi
Ithanai peru
Veedu ungalai nambi} (2)
Chorus :Baa…baa…baa…baa
Ooru vittu ooru vandhu
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Male :Kaadhal keedhal pannathinga
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
Peru kettu ponathinna
Chorus: Baba baaaa….
Male :Namma pozhappu ennagunga
Chorus :Baba baaaa….
When we have come all the way from town to town,
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Male: Don't go falling in love and messing around!
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
If our reputation gets ruined,
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Male: What will happen to our livelihood?
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Drop this, brother!
We don't want this, brother!
So many of our
families depend on you!
Chorus: Pa... pa... pa... pa...
When we have come all the way from town to town,
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Male: Don't go falling in love and messing around!
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
If our reputation gets ruined,
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Male: What will happen to our livelihood?
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Elder brother, please don't always
think wrongly of me.
Worrying if a woman will ruin me,
don't sit and analyze so much!
In this town, in this whole world,
hasn't something like my story happened before?
Chorus: Ba ba ba ba
Male: Haven't people forgotten their homes
and run away to another land?
Chorus: Ba ba ba ba
The playful games of Manmatha (the god of love)—
has anyone ever conquered them?
Chorus: No, no one!
Male: Without a woman by one's side,
is there any true victory?
Chorus: No, no one!
The playful games of Manmatha (the god of love)—
has anyone ever conquered them?
Without a woman by one's side,
is there any true victory?
So that my love can succeed,
sing along with me!
When we have come all the way from town to town,
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Male: Don't go falling in love and messing around!
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Drop this, brother!
We don't want this, brother!
So many of our
families depend on you!
When we have come all the way from town to town,
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Male: Don't go falling in love and messing around!
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Every person born a man
must treat a woman with love.
Wandering aimlessly brings no joy,
what else is there to say?
If you want to truly enjoy life,
the sweet fragrance of a graceful woman
must touch your senses.
Chorus: Ba ba ba ba
If youth is to taste sweet,
you must hold a woman gently
with longing and affection.
Chorus: Ba ba ba ba
Look for a young woman,
and imagination will soar.
Chorus: Yes, yes, yes!
The moment you see her, a thousand
epic stories will arise!
Chorus: Yes, yes, yes!
Look for a young woman,
and imagination will soar.
The moment you see her, a thousand
epic stories will arise!
Without love,
how could this earth even exist?
When we have come all the way from town to town,
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Male: Don't go falling in love and messing around!
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
If our reputation gets ruined,
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Male: What will happen to our livelihood?
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Drop this, brother!
We don't want this, brother!
So many of our
families depend on you!
Chorus: Pa... pa... pa... pa...
When we have come all the way from town to town,
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Male: Don't go falling in love and messing around!
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
If our reputation gets ruined,
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Male: What will happen to our livelihood?
Chorus: Pa ba ba aaa...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Ooru Vittu Ooru Vandhu' from the blockbuster Tamil film 'Karagattakaran' (1989) captures a playful banter between a traveling Karagattam dance troupe leader and his companions. The lead male performer expresses his romantic inclinations towards a young woman, while his companions caution him against romantic distractions. They remind him that their troupe travels from town to town to earn a living, and losing their reputation due to love affairs could ruin their livelihood and disappoint the family members relying on them. In response, the lead protagonist playfully defends love as an essential aspect of life. He references mythological and universal truths—arguing that nobody has ever escaped Cupid's influence (Manmadha Leelai) and that life, art, and poetry gain true meaning only through love and companionship. The song balances practical responsibility with youthful romantic optimism, set to an energetic folk rhythm.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Ooru vittu ooru vandhu / Peru kettu ponathinna

The second consonant 'ru' in 'Ooru' matches with 'ru' in 'Peru' in consecutive or corresponding lines.

Monai (First-letter Alliteration)

Kanniya thedunga / Karpanai varum

The starting consonant sound 'Ka' ('Kanniya') aligns with 'Ka' ('Karpanai').

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Vanji kodi vasanai pada venum

A young maiden is metaphorically referred to as a 'vanji kodi' (creeper vine) bringing fragrance into life.

Echo Words / Colloquial Reduplication

Kaadhal keedhal pannathinga

The phrase 'Kaadhal keedhal' uses colloquial Tamil reduplication ('keedhal') to dismissively refer to love and related matters.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Karagattakaran' (1989), directed by Gangai Amaran, is a landmark Tamil folk musical film starring Ramarajan and Kanaka. The music for the film was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, and this song features vocals by Malaysia Vasudevan and Gangai Amaran. The movie ran for over a year in theaters, becoming one of the biggest silver-jubilee blockbusters in Tamil cinema history, popularizing the traditional Tamil dance form 'Karagattam'.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Karagattakaran

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.