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Lyrics & meaning

Oru Oorula Raja

From Vaazhai · 2024

Lyricist
Mari Selvaraj
Singer
Santhosh Narayanan
Music director
Santhosh Narayanan
Movie name
Vaazhai
Movie release year
2024
Lyrics added on
3 Jun 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oru oorula raja
Oruththan irundhaanaam
Antha raja sollura
Kadhaiyellaam kanneerdhaanaam
Oru oorula raja
Oruththan irundhaanaam
Antha raja sollura
Kadhaiyellaam kanneerdhaanaam
Avan nimirndhu paarththaa… vaanam
Kuniniju paarththaa …boomi
Idaiyil avanthaan …baaram
Kaal nadakka nadakka neelum dhooram
Oru oorula raja
Oorula oru kaaka iruththuchaan
Kaakkaa kadha kekkumpodhu
Yaana moonju theriyudhu
Yaana kadha kekkumpodhu
Poona saththam kekkudhu
Ponna kadha kekkumpodhu
Therunaai koraikkudhu
Waw! naai koraikka koraikka
Waw! waw! waw!
Naai koraikka waw! waw!
Kaakkaa kottam setharudhu
Yaanakkoottam meraludhu
Poona vandhu pirandudhu
Soththu paana odaiyudhu
Odaiyudhu odaiyudhu
Raja veettu soththuppaana
Odaiyudhu odaiyudhu
Rajavukku valikkudhu
Kazhuththellam kanakkudhu
Kazhuththellam kanakkudhu
Thanneera kekkudhu
Kanner pongudhu…
Antha raja sollura
Kadhaiyellam kanneerdhaanaam
Avan nimirndhu paarththaa.. vaanam
Kuniniju paarththaa… boomi
Idaiyil avanthaan ….baaram
Kaal nadakka nadakka neelum dhooram
Ei innum kadha kelu
Namma raja kadha kelu
Ei innum kadha kelu
Namma raja kadha kelu
Komali raja
Avan thindaattam poduraan
Oor koodi paakkumpothu
Kuththaattam aaduran
Kuththaattam aaduran
Antha raja sollura
Kadhaiyellam kanneerdhaanaam
Avan nimirndhu paarththaa.. vaanam
Kuniniju paarththaa… boomi
Idaiyil avanthaan ….baaram
Kaal nadakka nadakka neelum dhooram
Oru oorula raja
Oruththan irundhaanaam
Antha raja sollura
Kadhaiyellam kanneerdhaanaam
Avan nimirndhu paarththaa.. vaanam
Kuniniju paarththaa… boomi
Idaiyil avanthaan ….baaram
Kaal nadakka nadakka neelum dhooram
Aeli nee ippa
Kanna moodi thoongu
Raja kadha romba neelam
Neeyum kannamoodi thoongu
Once upon a time, in a village,
There lived a king, they say.
All the stories that king tells
Are made of nothing but tears, they say.
Once upon a time, in a village,
There lived a king, they say.
All the stories that king tells
Are made of nothing but tears, they say.
If he looks up... there is the sky.
If he looks down... there is the earth.
In between, he alone is the heavy burden.
As his feet keep walking, the distance only grows longer.
Once, in a village, there was a king...
In that village, there was a crow, they say.
While listening to the crow's story,
An elephant's face shows up.
While listening to the elephant's story,
A cat's cry is heard.
While listening to the girl's story,
A street dog begins to bark.
Woof! As the dog keeps barking,
Woof! Woof! Woof!
As the dog barks, woof! woof!
The flock of crows scatters away.
The herd of elephants runs in fright.
The cat comes and scrambles all over.
The family pot of fortune breaks!
It breaks, it breaks!
The pot of fortune from the king's house,
It breaks, it breaks!
The king is in deep pain.
His whole neck aches under the heavy load.
His whole neck aches under the heavy load.
His dry throat begs for water,
Yet only tears overflow...
All the stories that king tells
Are made of nothing but tears, they say.
If he looks up... there is the sky.
If he looks down... there is the earth.
In between, he alone is the heavy burden.
As his feet keep walking, the distance only grows longer.
Hey, listen to more of the story!
Listen to the story of our king!
Hey, listen to more of the story!
Listen to the story of our king!
A clown of a king,
He struggles and suffers so much.
When the whole town gathers to watch,
He puts on a wild dance.
He puts on a wild dance.
All the stories that king tells
Are made of nothing but tears, they say.
If he looks up... there is the sky.
If he looks down... there is the earth.
In between, he alone is the heavy burden.
As his feet keep walking, the distance only grows longer.
Once upon a time, in a village,
There lived a king, they say.
All the stories that king tells
Are made of nothing but tears, they say.
If he looks up... there is the sky.
If he looks down... there is the earth.
In between, he alone is the heavy burden.
As his feet keep walking, the distance only grows longer.
Hey little one, right now,
Just close your eyes and sleep.
The king's story is far too long,
So close your eyes and sleep.
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

‘Oru Oorula Raja’ from the movie 'Vaazhai' (2024), written by director Mari Selvaraj and composed/sung by Santhosh Narayanan, frames a deeply poignant story of child labor and societal oppression within the structure of a folk bedtime lullaby. The 'king' in the song is an ironic metaphor for a young boy forced into heavy manual labor—carrying massive banana bunches on his shoulder until his neck aches. What appears as a simple fable featuring crows, elephants, and dogs evolves into a tragic commentary on how a child's suffering is turned into public entertainment, with the 'clown king' forced to dance through his pain for the amusement of others.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

“Komali raja / Avan thindaattam poduraan”

The young laborer is metaphorically referred to as a 'clown king' (Komali raja), capturing the tragic contrast between the dignity he deserves and the mockery of his real-world plight.

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Kaakkaa kadha kekkumpodhu / Yaana kadha kekkumpodhu”

The second consonant sound 'k' in 'Kaakkaa' and 'Yaana' (with matching rhythm) aligns across lines to produce classical Tamil poetic rhythm.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

“Avan nimirndhu paarththaa… vaanam / Kuniniju paarththaa …boomi”

Juxtaposition of looking up to the sky (vaanam) and looking down to the earth (boomi) with symmetrical phrasing creates structural symmetry.

Imagery & Personification

“Kazhuththellam kanakkudhu / Thanneera kekkudhu / Kanner pongudhu…”

Evokes visceral sensory imagery of the physical toll of carrying burdens—the aching neck craving water, yet yielding only tears.

Did you know?

Trivia

Mari Selvaraj wrote the lyrics based on his own childhood experiences working in banana plantations in Southern Tamil Nadu before becoming a filmmaker. Santhosh Narayanan's haunting vocal delivery and minimalist acoustic backing emphasize the raw, folk-lullaby nature of the song, which serves as a central thematic pillar for the film 'Vaazhai'.

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