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Lyrics & meaning

Oru Ooril Oomai

From Theerpugal Thiruthapadalam · 1982

Lyricist
Kuruvikkarambai Shanmugam
Singer
P. Jayachandran
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Theerpugal Thiruthapadalam1982

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Oru ooril oomai rajaIn a town, there is a mute king,
Avan rani mullin rojaHis queen is a rose with thorns.
Thodumpothu kaayam pattaalIf hurt upon touching her,
Edhai solvathoWhat can be said?
Male
Oru ooril oomai rajaIn a town, there is a mute king,
Avan rani mullin rojaHis queen is a rose with thorns.
Thodumpothu kaayam pattaalIf hurt upon touching her,
Edhai solvathoWhat can be said?
Male
Nenjellaam orae kaayaamMy whole heart is full of wounds,
Nee thanthaai enna niyaayamYou caused this, what kind of justice is this?
Marunthu noyaagalaamaaCan the medicine itself become a disease?
Manathai nee vaattalaamaaShould you torment my heart?
Male
Nenjellaam orae kaayaamMy whole heart is full of wounds,
Nee thanthaai enna niyaayamYou caused this, what kind of justice is this?
Marunthu noyaagalaamaaCan the medicine itself become a disease?
Manathai nee vaattalaamaaShould you torment my heart?
Male
Vizhigal paarththenna meithaanaaIs what my eyes saw really true?
Vilakkil enna irulaaIs there darkness inside a lamp?
Ingu kizhakkil asthamanamaaIs there a sunset here in the East?
Kangal sonna saatchi ondruThe evidence given by the eyes is one thing,
Nenjil sonna saatchi ondruThe evidence spoken by the heart is another,
Enthapakkam unmai endru theerppu sollammaaTell me the verdict, on which side lies the truth, my dear!
Male
Oru ooril oomai rajaIn a town, there is a mute king,
Avan rani mullin rojaHis queen is a rose with thorns.
Thodumpothu kaayam pattaalIf hurt upon touching her,
Edhai solvathoWhat can be said?
Male
Naan kettaen panneer pookkalI asked for fragrant rosewater flowers,
Nee thanthaai kanneer pookkalBut you gave me flowers of tears.
Valaiyal naan vaangi thanthaenI bought and gave you bangles,
Vilangai yaen maatti kondaaiWhy did you put on handcuffs instead?
Male
Naan kettaen panneer pookkalI asked for fragrant rosewater flowers,
Nee thanthaai kanneer pookkalBut you gave me flowers of tears.
Valaiyal naan vaangi thanthaenI bought and gave you bangles,
Vilangai yaen maatti kondaaiWhy did you put on handcuffs instead?
Male
Malaril maalai katti naan thanthaenI wove a garland of flowers and gave it to you,
Siluvai edharkku sumanthaaiWhy did you carry a cross?
En manathil aani arainthaaiYou drove a nail into my heart.
Vikkalukku thanni unduThere is water to cure hiccups,
Sikkalukku enna unduBut what remedy is there for trouble?
Chakkarangal rendum rendu pakkam selvathoAre the two wheels moving in opposite directions?
Male
Oru ooril oomai rajaIn a town, there is a mute king,
Avan rani mullin rojaHis queen is a rose with thorns.
Thodumpothu kaayam pattaalIf hurt upon touching her,
Edhai solvathoWhat can be said?
Male
Oru ooril oomai rajaIn a town, there is a mute king,
Avan rani mullin rojaHis queen is a rose with thorns.
Thodumpothu kaayam pattaalIf hurt upon touching her,
Edhai solvathoWhat can be said?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Oru Ooril Oomai Raja' from the movie 'Theerpugal Thiruthapadalam' (1982) is a deeply poignant track expressing heartache, betrayal, and emotional conflict. The protagonist compares himself to a 'mute king' who suffers in silence, unable to express his pain, while his beloved is like a thorny rose that wounds him whenever he reaches out. He grapples with how love, which was supposed to heal him ('medicine'), ended up becoming the very source of his suffering ('disease'). Throughout the song, he presents severe contrasts between his intentions and the outcome—asking for rosewater flowers but receiving tears, offering bangles only to see handcuffs, and presenting a flower garland while she carries a heavy cross. He is caught in a dilemma between what his eyes witness and what his heart feels, pleading for a judgment on where the truth lies as their lives spin apart like wheels turning in opposite directions.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Oru ooril oomai raja / Avan rani mullin roja

Compares the husband to a helpless, speech-deprived king ('oomai raja') and his wife to a thorny rose ('mullin roja'), signifying beauty paired with painful consequences.

Muran (Antithesis / Contrast)

Naan kettaen panneer pookkal / Nee thanthaai kanneer pookkal

Contrasts fragrant, joyful rosewater flowers ('panneer pookkal') with painful flowers of tears ('kanneer pookkal').

Muran (Antithesis / Contrast)

Valaiyal naan vaangi thanthaen / Vilangai yaen maatti kondaai

Juxtaposes bangles ('valaiyal'), a symbol of marital happiness, with handcuffs/chains ('vilangu'), symbolizing confinement and suffering.

Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Ani)

Vilakkil enna irulaa / Ingu kizhakkil asthamanamaa

Asks rhetorical questions about unnatural phenomena (darkness in a lamp, sun setting in the East) to highlight the unnatural and baffling turn of events in his life.

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Vikkalukku thanni undu / Sikkalukku enna undu

The second letter 'k' (kk) rhymes between 'Vikkalukku' and 'Sikkalukku', creating a rhythmic lyrical flow.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Theerpugal Thiruthapadalam' (1982) featured music by the acclaimed duo Shankar-Ganesh. Sung with deep emotion by P. Jayachandran, the track's thoughtful lyrics were penned by Kuruvikkarambai Shanmugam, who was famous for integrating vivid Tamil idioms, allegories, and philosophical dilemmas into film lyrics.

Keep listening

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