Ore Raththamthan Oduthu
From Ore Raththam · 1987
- Lyricist
- Ilaiya Bharathi
- Singer
- Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- Devendran
- Details
- Ore Raththam1987
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Orae raththamthaan oduthu | Only the same blood flows |
| Ulagamengumthaan | All across the world |
| Orae raththamthaan oduthu | Only the same blood flows |
| Ulagamengumthaan | All across the world |
| Male | |
| Nallavanga kettavanga | For good people and bad people |
| Naalum therunjavanga | For those who possess wisdom |
| Ullavanga vallavanga | For the wealthy and the capable |
| Oorukku uzhachchavanga | For those who labor for the town |
| Male | |
| Ellaarukkumthaan | For everyone alike |
| Oduthu orae raththamthaan | Flows the exact same blood |
| Orae raththmthaan oduthu | Only the same blood flows |
| Ulagamengumthaan | All across the world |
| Male | |
| Saeththula paadupadum | Who works hard in the mud |
| Chinnaanukku orae raththam | For Chinnaan, it is the same blood |
| Thinnaiyila saanju kedakkum | Reclining lazily on the porch |
| Seemaanukkum orae raththam | For the rich lord too, it is the same blood |
| Male | |
| Aaththulae thuni velukkum | Washing clothes in the river |
| Alamelukku orae raththam | For Alamelu, it is the same blood |
| Adha maattikkittu minukkura | Wearing those clothes and flaunting |
| Alangaarikkum orae raththam | For the glamorous woman, it is the same blood |
| Male | |
| Orae raththamthaan oduthu | Only the same blood flows |
| Ulagamengumthaan | All across the world |
| Male | |
| Vaaleduththu poraadum | Wielding a sword and fighting |
| Veeranukkum orae raththam | For the brave warrior, it is the same blood |
| Kaal pidichchu vaazhugira | Surrendering at feet to survive |
| Kozhaikkumthaan orae raththam | Even for the coward, it is the same blood |
| Male | |
| Aaradi nilamumillaa | Without even six feet of land |
| Adimaikkum orae raththam | For the slave, it is the same blood |
| Oorukkullae nooru veli | Owning a hundred acres in the town |
| Ullavarkkum orae raththam | For the wealthy landlord, it is the same blood |
| Male | |
| Orae raththamthaan oduthu | Only the same blood flows |
| Ulagamengumthaan | All across the world |
| Male | |
| Saeriyilae seruppu thaikkum | Stitching footwear in the slum |
| Maarikkumthaan orae raththam | For Maari too, it is the same blood |
| Yaeriyilae mean pidikkum | Fishing in the lake |
| Irulanukkum orae raththam | For the Irula tribesman, it is the same blood |
| Uzhaikkira thozhanukkum | For the laboring comrade |
| Urinji vaazhum dhuraigalukkum | And for the parasitic lords who exploit |
| Orae raththam orae raththam orae raththam…. | It is the same blood, the same blood, the same blood.... |
ஒரே ரத்தம்தான் ஓடுது
உலகமெங்கும்தான்
ஒரே ரத்தம்தான் ஓடுது
உலகமெங்கும்தான்
Only the same blood flows
All across the world
Only the same blood flows
All across the world
நல்லவங்க கெட்டவங்க
நாலும் தெரிஞ்சவங்க
உள்ளவங்க வல்லவங்க
ஊருக்கு உழச்சவங்க
For good people and bad people
For those who possess wisdom
For the wealthy and the capable
For those who labor for the town
எல்லாருக்கும்தான்
ஓடுது ஒரே ரத்தம்தான்
ஒரே ரத்தம்தான் ஓடுது
உலகமெங்கும்தான்
For everyone alike
Flows the exact same blood
Only the same blood flows
All across the world
சேத்துல பாடுபடும்
சின்னானுக்கு ஒரே ரத்தம்
திண்ணையில சாஞ்சு கெடக்கும்
சீமானுக்கும் ஒரே ரத்தம்
Who works hard in the mud
For Chinnaan, it is the same blood
Reclining lazily on the porch
For the rich lord too, it is the same blood
ஆத்துலே துணி வெளுக்கும்
அலமேலுக்கு ஒரே ரத்தம்
அத மாட்டிக்கிட்டு மினுக்குற
அலங்காரிக்கும் ஒரே ரத்தம்
Washing clothes in the river
For Alamelu, it is the same blood
Wearing those clothes and flaunting
For the glamorous woman, it is the same blood
ஒரே ரத்தம்தான் ஓடுது
உலகமெங்கும்தான்
Only the same blood flows
All across the world
வாளெடுத்து போராடும்
வீரனுக்கும் ஒரே ரத்தம்
கால் பிடிச்சு வாழுகிற
கோழைக்கும் தான் ஒரே ரத்தம்
Wielding a sword and fighting
For the brave warrior, it is the same blood
Surrendering at feet to survive
Even for the coward, it is the same blood
ஆறடி நிலமுமில்லா
அடிமைக்கும் ஒரே ரத்தம்
ஊருக்குள்ளே நூறு வேலி
உள்ளவர்க்கும் ஒரே ரத்தம்
Without even six feet of land
For the slave, it is the same blood
Owning a hundred acres in the town
For the wealthy landlord, it is the same blood
ஒரே ரத்தம்தான் ஓடுது
உலகமெங்கும்தான்
Only the same blood flows
All across the world
சேரியிலே செருப்பு தைக்கும்
மாரிக்கும்தான் ஒரே ரத்தம்
ஏரியிலே மீன் பிடிக்கும்
இருளனுக்கும் ஒரே ரத்தம்
உழைக்கிற தோழனுக்கும்
உறிஞ்சி வாழும் துரைகளுக்கும்
ஒரே ரத்தம் ஒரே ரத்தம் ஒரே ரத்தம்.....
Stitching footwear in the slum
For Maari too, it is the same blood
Fishing in the lake
For the Irula tribesman, it is the same blood
For the laboring comrade
And for the parasitic lords who exploit
It is the same blood, the same blood, the same blood....
Orae raththamthaan oduthu
Only the same blood flows
Ulagamengumthaan
All across the world
Orae raththamthaan oduthu
Only the same blood flows
Ulagamengumthaan
All across the world
Nallavanga kettavanga
For good people and bad people
Naalum therunjavanga
For those who possess wisdom
Ullavanga vallavanga
For the wealthy and the capable
Oorukku uzhachchavanga
For those who labor for the town
Ellaarukkumthaan
For everyone alike
Oduthu orae raththamthaan
Flows the exact same blood
Orae raththmthaan oduthu
Only the same blood flows
Ulagamengumthaan
All across the world
Saeththula paadupadum
Who works hard in the mud
Chinnaanukku orae raththam
For Chinnaan, it is the same blood
Thinnaiyila saanju kedakkum
Reclining lazily on the porch
Seemaanukkum orae raththam
For the rich lord too, it is the same blood
Aaththulae thuni velukkum
Washing clothes in the river
Alamelukku orae raththam
For Alamelu, it is the same blood
Adha maattikkittu minukkura
Wearing those clothes and flaunting
Alangaarikkum orae raththam
For the glamorous woman, it is the same blood
Orae raththamthaan oduthu
Only the same blood flows
Ulagamengumthaan
All across the world
Vaaleduththu poraadum
Wielding a sword and fighting
Veeranukkum orae raththam
For the brave warrior, it is the same blood
Kaal pidichchu vaazhugira
Surrendering at feet to survive
Kozhaikkumthaan orae raththam
Even for the coward, it is the same blood
Aaradi nilamumillaa
Without even six feet of land
Adimaikkum orae raththam
For the slave, it is the same blood
Oorukkullae nooru veli
Owning a hundred acres in the town
Ullavarkkum orae raththam
For the wealthy landlord, it is the same blood
Orae raththamthaan oduthu
Only the same blood flows
Ulagamengumthaan
All across the world
Saeriyilae seruppu thaikkum
Stitching footwear in the slum
Maarikkumthaan orae raththam
For Maari too, it is the same blood
Yaeriyilae mean pidikkum
Fishing in the lake
Irulanukkum orae raththam
For the Irula tribesman, it is the same blood
Uzhaikkira thozhanukkum
For the laboring comrade
Urinji vaazhum dhuraigalukkum
And for the parasitic lords who exploit
Orae raththam orae raththam orae raththam….
It is the same blood, the same blood, the same blood....
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a deeply political and social anthem advocating for human equality and universal brotherhood. It dismantles artificial social hierarchies by highlighting that biologically, all human beings are identical—the same red blood flows through everyone, regardless of caste, class, profession, or moral character.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Muran (Antithesis)
“Nallavanga kettavanga”
Juxtaposes contrasting moral characters ('good people' and 'bad people') to emphasize that human biology does not discriminate based on virtue.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Vaaleduththu poraadum / Kaal pidichchu vaazhugira”
The second letter 'la' (ள/ல) rhymes across adjacent lines ('Vaaleduththu' and 'Kaal').
Iyaipu (End Rhyming / Refrain)
“Chinnaanukku orae raththam / Seemaanukkum orae raththam”
The repetition of 'orae raththam' at the end of consecutive lines creates a rhythmic refrain that drives home the song's thematic thesis.
Contrast / Social Parallelism
“Aaradi nilamumillaa adimaikkum... / Oorukkullae nooru veli ullavarkkum...”
Compares a landless slave (who doesn't even own 6 feet of land for a grave) with a rich landlord owning 100 veli (acres) of land to underscore class disparity.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Ore Raththam' (1987) was written by M. Karunanidhi, the prominent DMK leader and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Known for incorporating Dravidian reformist ideology and social equality into cinema, Karunanidhi used this song to champion anti-caste rationalism and socialist ideals. The title of the movie and song literally translates to 'One Blood'.
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