Or Mirugam
From Paradesi · 2013
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- V. V. Prasanna, Pragathi Guruprasad
- Music director
- G. V. Prakash Kumar
- Details
- Paradesi2013
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aaaa….aaaa….aaaa.. | [Vocalizing] |
| Aaaa….aaaa…. | [Vocalizing] |
| Aaaaa….a.aaa….aaaa….aaaa… | [Vocalizing] |
| Aaaa….aaa…aaa…aaaa…aaa….. | [Vocalizing] |
| Male | |
| Yaaththae kaala koothae | Oh my, what a cruel game of time! |
| Vaazhvae pazhuthaachae | Life itself has grown ripe and rotten. |
| Ezhai paadu paathae | Seeing the plight of the poor, |
| Kaadum azhuthaachae | Even the forest wept. |
| Male | |
| Or mirugam | A wild beast |
| Or mirugam thannai | does not make |
| Thaannadimai seivadhum illai | another beast its own slave. |
| Or manidhan | But if a human |
| Or adimai endraal | becomes a slave, |
| Adhu manidhan seiyum velai | that is a deed done by another human. |
| Female | |
| Yaaththae kaala koothae | Oh my, what a cruel game of time! |
| Vaazhvae pazhuthaachae | Life itself has grown ripe and rotten. |
| Male | |
| Aaaa….aaaa….aaaa..aaa | [Vocalizing] |
| Aaaa….aaaa…. | [Vocalizing] |
| Aaaaa….aaaa….aaaa….aaaa… | [Vocalizing] |
| Aaaa….aaaa… | [Vocalizing] |
| Female | |
| Thaal pona veedu | A house without a latch, |
| Kaal pona aadu | A goat wandering wherever its legs lead, |
| Onnodu onnaa | Together with one another, |
| Thunai aanadhae | They became companions. |
| Thaaipola nenjil | Like a mother's heart, |
| Thaalaadha anbu | Overflowing with boundless love, |
| Mazhai thanniyoda | Even pure rain water |
| Maasiyillaiyae | Is not as flawless. |
| Female | |
| Vali sollavae | To express this pain, |
| Illaiyae vaaimozhi | Spoken words do not exist; |
| Kanneeru thaan | Tears are indeed |
| Ezhaiyin thaai mozhi | The mother tongue of the poor. |
| Engo thavikkum un pillaiyae | Your child is suffering somewhere far away, |
| Ingae uravu en pillaiyae | Here, my child forms a new relation. |
| Male | |
| Kai konda nellu | When the harvested paddy grain |
| Umiyaagum podhu | Turns into worthless husk, |
| Kathaazhai soarum | Even the gel of aloe vera |
| Soaraagumae | Becomes food to survive on. |
| Undaana sondham | When existing relationships |
| Udaigindra poadhu | Shatter into pieces, |
| Illaadha sondham | Unrelated strangers |
| Uravaagumae | Become true kin. |
| Male | |
| Oru jeevano | One soul |
| Uravilae serudhae | Finds togetherness in bonds, |
| Iru jeevano oththaiyil vaadudhae | While two souls wither away in solitude. |
| Kanneer thudaikka aal illaiyae | There is no one to wipe the tears, |
| Kaalam nadakkum kaal illaiyae | Time has no legs left to move forward. |
| Male | |
| Yaaththae kaala koothae | Oh my, what a cruel game of time! |
| Vaazhvae pazhuthaachae | Life itself has grown ripe and rotten. |
| Ezhai paadu paathae | Seeing the plight of the poor, |
| Kaadum azhuthaachae | Even the forest wept. |
| Male | |
| Or mirugam | A wild beast |
| Or mirugam thannai | does not make |
| Thaannadimai seivadhum illai | another beast its own slave. |
| Or manidhan | But if a human |
| Or adimai endraal | becomes a slave, |
| Adhu manidhan seiyum velai | that is a deed done by another human. |
ஆஆஆஆஆஆஅ......
ஆஆஆஅ..........
ஆஆஆஆ.................
[Vocalizing]
[Vocalizing]
[Vocalizing]
[Vocalizing]
யாத்தே கால கூத்தே
வாழ்வே பழுதாச்சே
ஏழை பாடு பார்த்தே
காடும் அழுதாச்சே
Oh my, what a cruel game of time!
Life itself has grown ripe and rotten.
Seeing the plight of the poor,
Even the forest wept.
ஓர் மிருகம் ஓர் மிருகம்
தன்னை தன்னடிமை
செய்வதும் இல்லை
ஓர் மனிதன்
ஓர் அடிமை என்றால்
அது மனிதன் செய்யும் வேலை
A wild beast
does not make
another beast its own slave.
But if a human
becomes a slave,
that is a deed done by another human.
யாத்தே கால கூத்தே
வாழ்வே பழுதாச்சே
Oh my, what a cruel game of time!
Life itself has grown ripe and rotten.
ஆஆஆஅ ஆஆஅ...
ஆஆஅ ஆஆஅ.......
[Vocalizing]
[Vocalizing]
[Vocalizing]
[Vocalizing]
தாழ் போன வீடு
கால் போன ஆடு
ஒன்னோட ஒன்னா
துணையானதே
தாய் போல நெஞ்சு
தாளாத அன்பு
மழை தண்ணியோடு
மாசில்லையே
A house without a latch,
A goat wandering wherever its legs lead,
Together with one another,
They became companions.
Like a mother's heart,
Overflowing with boundless love,
Even pure rain water
Is not as flawless.
வலி சொல்லவே
இல்லையே வாய்மொழி
கண்ணீரு தான்
ஏழையின் தாய்மொழி
எங்கோ தவிக்கும்
உன் பிள்ளையே
இங்கே உறவு
என் பிள்ளையே
To express this pain,
Spoken words do not exist;
Tears are indeed
The mother tongue of the poor.
Your child is suffering somewhere far away,
Here, my child forms a new relation.
கை கொண்ட
நெல்லு உமியாகும் போது
கத்தாலை சோறும் சோறாகுமே
உண்டான சொந்தம்
உடைகின்ற போது
இல்லாத சொந்தம் உறவாகுமே
When the harvested paddy grain
Turns into worthless husk,
Even the gel of aloe vera
Becomes food to survive on.
When existing relationships
Shatter into pieces,
Unrelated strangers
Become true kin.
ஒரு ஜீவனோ
உறவிலே சேருதே
இரு ஜீவனோ
ஒத்தையில் வாடுதே
கண்ணீர் துடைக்க
ஆளில்லையே
காலம் நடக்கும்
காலில்லையே
One soul
Finds togetherness in bonds,
While two souls wither away in solitude.
There is no one to wipe the tears,
Time has no legs left to move forward.
யாத்தே கால கூத்தே
வாழ்வே பழுதாச்சே
ஏழை பாடு பார்த்தே
காடும் அழுதாச்சே
Oh my, what a cruel game of time!
Life itself has grown ripe and rotten.
Seeing the plight of the poor,
Even the forest wept.
ஓர் மிருகம் ஓர் மிருகம்
தன்னை தன்னடிமை
செய்வதும் இல்லை
ஓர் மனிதன்
ஓர் அடிமை என்றால்
அது மனிதன் செய்யும் வேலை
A wild beast
does not make
another beast its own slave.
But if a human
becomes a slave,
that is a deed done by another human.
Aaaa….aaaa….aaaa..
[Vocalizing]
Aaaa….aaaa….
[Vocalizing]
Aaaaa….a.aaa….aaaa….aaaa…
[Vocalizing]
Aaaa….aaa…aaa…aaaa…aaa…..
[Vocalizing]
Yaaththae kaala koothae
Oh my, what a cruel game of time!
Vaazhvae pazhuthaachae
Life itself has grown ripe and rotten.
Ezhai paadu paathae
Seeing the plight of the poor,
Kaadum azhuthaachae
Even the forest wept.
Or mirugam
A wild beast
Or mirugam thannai
does not make
Thaannadimai seivadhum illai
another beast its own slave.
Or manidhan
But if a human
Or adimai endraal
becomes a slave,
Adhu manidhan seiyum velai
that is a deed done by another human.
Yaaththae kaala koothae
Oh my, what a cruel game of time!
Vaazhvae pazhuthaachae
Life itself has grown ripe and rotten.
Aaaa….aaaa….aaaa..aaa
[Vocalizing]
Aaaa….aaaa….
[Vocalizing]
Aaaaa….aaaa….aaaa….aaaa…
[Vocalizing]
Aaaa….aaaa…
[Vocalizing]
Thaal pona veedu
A house without a latch,
Kaal pona aadu
A goat wandering wherever its legs lead,
Onnodu onnaa
Together with one another,
Thunai aanadhae
They became companions.
Thaaipola nenjil
Like a mother's heart,
Thaalaadha anbu
Overflowing with boundless love,
Mazhai thanniyoda
Even pure rain water
Maasiyillaiyae
Is not as flawless.
Vali sollavae
To express this pain,
Illaiyae vaaimozhi
Spoken words do not exist;
Kanneeru thaan
Tears are indeed
Ezhaiyin thaai mozhi
The mother tongue of the poor.
Engo thavikkum un pillaiyae
Your child is suffering somewhere far away,
Ingae uravu en pillaiyae
Here, my child forms a new relation.
Kai konda nellu
When the harvested paddy grain
Umiyaagum podhu
Turns into worthless husk,
Kathaazhai soarum
Even the gel of aloe vera
Soaraagumae
Becomes food to survive on.
Undaana sondham
When existing relationships
Udaigindra poadhu
Shatter into pieces,
Illaadha sondham
Unrelated strangers
Uravaagumae
Become true kin.
Oru jeevano
One soul
Uravilae serudhae
Finds togetherness in bonds,
Iru jeevano oththaiyil vaadudhae
While two souls wither away in solitude.
Kanneer thudaikka aal illaiyae
There is no one to wipe the tears,
Kaalam nadakkum kaal illaiyae
Time has no legs left to move forward.
Yaaththae kaala koothae
Oh my, what a cruel game of time!
Vaazhvae pazhuthaachae
Life itself has grown ripe and rotten.
Ezhai paadu paathae
Seeing the plight of the poor,
Kaadum azhuthaachae
Even the forest wept.
Or mirugam
A wild beast
Or mirugam thannai
does not make
Thaannadimai seivadhum illai
another beast its own slave.
Or manidhan
But if a human
Or adimai endraal
becomes a slave,
Adhu manidhan seiyum velai
that is a deed done by another human.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from the movie Paradesi (2013) is a heart-wrenching lamentation on human suffering, labor exploitation, and cruel fate. Set against the historical backdrop of bonded laborers in colonial tea plantations, the lyricist sharply contrasts animal instinct with human malice, observing that no wild animal enslaves another of its kind, yet humans inflict tragic bondage upon fellow human beings.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Kanneeru thaan ezhaiyin thaai mozhi”
Compares tears directly to the 'mother tongue' of the poor, implying grief is their only innate language when words fail.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Thaal pona veedu / Kaal pona aadu”
Rhyming of the second letter 'aa' in 'Thaal' and 'Kaal' across consecutive lines.
Personification
“Kaadum azhuthaachae”
Attributes the human act of weeping to the forest, signifying that even nature sheds tears for the workers' suffering.
Muran (Contrast)
“Or mirugam... / Or manidhan...”
Contrasts the noble nature of wild animals (who do not enslave each other) with the cruelty of human beings (who enforce slavery).
Monai (First-letter Alliteration)
“Undaana sondham / Udaigindra poadhu”
Alliteration of the initial vowel sound 'U' in 'Undaana' and 'Udaigindra'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film Paradesi (2013), directed by Bala, is based on Paul Harris Daniel's 1969 English novel 'Red Tea', which documents the tragic real-life exploitation of tea plantation workers in the Madras Presidency during the British Raj. Lyricist Vairamuthu wrote the songs for the film, capturing the profound social commentary and raw grief of the oppressed workers.
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