Oru Veedu Iru Ullam
From Avar Enakke Sontham · 1977
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Avar Enakke Sontham1977
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Oru veedu iru ullam | One house, two hearts |
| Oru kovil iru dheivam | One temple, two deities |
| Iru kangal ondraaga | Two eyes looking together |
| Iru kaatchi thaniyaaga | Yet seeing two separate sights |
| Male | |
| Kannae kaakkum | If the god who guards the eyes |
| Dheivam kallaanaal | Turns into a stone |
| Anbae paarkkum | I am here as the deity |
| Dheivam naan undu | Who watches over with love |
| Kannae kaakkum | If the god who guards the eyes |
| Dheivam kallaanaal | Turns into a stone |
| Anbae paarkkum | I am here as the deity |
| Dheivam naan undu | Who watches over with love |
| Male | |
| Oru veedu iru ullam | One house, two hearts |
| Oru kovil iru dheivam | One temple, two deities |
| Iru kangal ondraaga | Two eyes looking together |
| Iru kaatchi thaniyaaga | Yet seeing two separate sights |
| Male | |
| Thaai illaa saei ondru | A motherless child |
| Thaai kettadhu | Asked for a mother |
| Saei illaa thaai ondru | A childless mother |
| Saei kaettadhu | Asked for a child |
| Thaai undu saei undu | There is a mother, there is a child |
| Gunam illaiyae gunam illaiyae | Yet there is no warmth, no warmth between them |
| Male | |
| Thaai illaa saei ondru | A motherless child |
| Thaai kettadhu | Asked for a mother |
| Saei illaa thaai ondru | A childless mother |
| Saei kaettadhu | Asked for a child |
| Thaai undu saei undu | There is a mother, there is a child |
| Gunam illaiyae gunam illaiyae | Yet there is no warmth, no warmth between them |
| Thaalaattavum seeraattavum | To sing lullabies and to pamper |
| Thamizh andri verannai | Other than Tamil, what mother |
| Namakkillaiyae namakkillaiyae | Do we have, do we have? |
| Male | |
| Oru veedu iru ullam | One house, two hearts |
| Oru kovil iru dheivam | One temple, two deities |
| Iru kangal ondraaga | Two eyes looking together |
| Iru kaatchi thaniyaaga | Yet seeing two separate sights |
| Male | |
| Padhinoru mani aanaal | When it strikes eleven o'clock |
| Sirippom kannae | We will laugh, my dear |
| Panirendru mani aanaal | When it strikes twelve o'clock |
| Azhuvom kannae | We will weep, my dear |
| Nam veettu time table | This is our home's timetable |
| Adhu thaan kannae | That is it, my dear |
| Adhu thaan kannae | That is it, my dear |
| Male | |
| Padhinoru mani aanaal | When it strikes eleven o'clock |
| Sirippom kannae | We will laugh, my dear |
| Panirendru mani aanaal | When it strikes twelve o'clock |
| Azhuvom kannae | We will weep, my dear |
| Nam veettu time table | This is our home's timetable |
| Adhu thaan kannae | That is it, my dear |
| Adhu thaan kannae | That is it, my dear |
| Ilai pottadhum pasithaaganum | Once the leaf is laid out, hunger must come |
| Ellaamae neraththil | Everything at its appointed time |
| Nadandhaaganum nadandhaaganum | Must happen, must happen |
| Male | |
| Oru veedu iru ullam | One house, two hearts |
| Oru kovil iru dheivam | One temple, two deities |
| Iru kangal ondraaga | Two eyes looking together |
| Iru kaatchi thaniyaaga | Yet seeing two separate sights |
ஒரு வீடு இரு உள்ளம்
ஒரு கோவில் இரு தெய்வம்
இரு கண்கள் ஒன்றாக
இரு காட்சி தனியாக
One house, two hearts
One temple, two deities
Two eyes looking together
Yet seeing two separate sights
கண்ணே....
காக்கும் தெய்வம் கல்லானால்
அன்பே.....
பார்க்கும் தெய்வம் நானுண்டு
If the god who guards the eyes
Turns into a stone
I am here as the deity
Who watches over with love
If the god who guards the eyes
Turns into a stone
I am here as the deity
Who watches over with love
கண்ணே....
காக்கும் தெய்வம் கல்லானால்
அன்பே.....
பார்க்கும் தெய்வம் நானுண்டு
One house, two hearts
One temple, two deities
Two eyes looking together
Yet seeing two separate sights
ஒரு வீடு இரு உள்ளம்
ஒரு கோவில் இரு தெய்வம்
இரு கண்கள் ஒன்றாக
இரு காட்சி தனியாக
A motherless child
Asked for a mother
A childless mother
Asked for a child
There is a mother, there is a child
Yet there is no warmth, no warmth between them
தாயில்லா சேய் ஒன்று
தாய் கேட்டது
சேயில்லா தாய் ஒன்று
சேய் கேட்டது
தாய் உண்டு சேய் உண்டு
குணம் இல்லையே
குணம் இல்லையே
A motherless child
Asked for a mother
A childless mother
Asked for a child
There is a mother, there is a child
Yet there is no warmth, no warmth between them
To sing lullabies and to pamper
Other than Tamil, what mother
Do we have, do we have?
தாயில்லா சேய் ஒன்று
தாய் கேட்டது
சேயில்லா தாய் ஒன்று
சேய் கேட்டது
தாய் உண்டு சேய் உண்டு
குணம் இல்லையே
குணம் இல்லையே
One house, two hearts
One temple, two deities
Two eyes looking together
Yet seeing two separate sights
தாலாட்டவும் சீராட்டவும்
தமிழன்றி
வேறன்றி நமக்கில்லையே
நமக்கில்லையே
When it strikes eleven o'clock
We will laugh, my dear
When it strikes twelve o'clock
We will weep, my dear
This is our home's timetable
That is it, my dear
That is it, my dear
ஒரு வீடு இரு உள்ளம்
ஒரு கோவில் இரு தெய்வம்
இரு கண்கள் ஒன்றாக
இரு காட்சி தனியாக
When it strikes eleven o'clock
We will laugh, my dear
When it strikes twelve o'clock
We will weep, my dear
This is our home's timetable
That is it, my dear
That is it, my dear
Once the leaf is laid out, hunger must come
Everything at its appointed time
Must happen, must happen
பதினோரு மணியானால்
சிரிப்போம் கண்ணே
பனிரெண்டு மணியானால்
அழுவோம் கண்ணே
நம் வீட்டு டைம் டேபிள்
அதுதான் கண்ணே....
அதுதான் கண்ணே....
One house, two hearts
One temple, two deities
Two eyes looking together
Yet seeing two separate sights
பதினோரு மணியானால்
சிரிப்போம் கண்ணே
பனிரெண்டு மணியானால்
அழுவோம் கண்ணே
நம் வீட்டு டைம் டேபிள்
அதுதான் கண்ணே....
அதுதான் கண்ணே....
இலை போட்டதும் பசித்தாகணும்
எல்லாமே நேரத்தில்
நடந்தாகணும்
நடந்தாகணும்
ஒரு வீடு இரு உள்ளம்
ஒரு கோவில் இரு தெய்வம்
இரு கண்கள் ஒன்றாக
இரு காட்சி தனியாக
Oru veedu iru ullam
One house, two hearts
Oru kovil iru dheivam
One temple, two deities
Iru kangal ondraaga
Two eyes looking together
Iru kaatchi thaniyaaga
Yet seeing two separate sights
Kannae kaakkum
If the god who guards the eyes
Dheivam kallaanaal
Turns into a stone
Anbae paarkkum
I am here as the deity
Dheivam naan undu
Who watches over with love
Kannae kaakkum
If the god who guards the eyes
Dheivam kallaanaal
Turns into a stone
Anbae paarkkum
I am here as the deity
Dheivam naan undu
Who watches over with love
Oru veedu iru ullam
One house, two hearts
Oru kovil iru dheivam
One temple, two deities
Iru kangal ondraaga
Two eyes looking together
Iru kaatchi thaniyaaga
Yet seeing two separate sights
Thaai illaa saei ondru
A motherless child
Thaai kettadhu
Asked for a mother
Saei illaa thaai ondru
A childless mother
Saei kaettadhu
Asked for a child
Thaai undu saei undu
There is a mother, there is a child
Gunam illaiyae gunam illaiyae
Yet there is no warmth, no warmth between them
Thaai illaa saei ondru
A motherless child
Thaai kettadhu
Asked for a mother
Saei illaa thaai ondru
A childless mother
Saei kaettadhu
Asked for a child
Thaai undu saei undu
There is a mother, there is a child
Gunam illaiyae gunam illaiyae
Yet there is no warmth, no warmth between them
Thaalaattavum seeraattavum
To sing lullabies and to pamper
Thamizh andri verannai
Other than Tamil, what mother
Namakkillaiyae namakkillaiyae
Do we have, do we have?
Oru veedu iru ullam
One house, two hearts
Oru kovil iru dheivam
One temple, two deities
Iru kangal ondraaga
Two eyes looking together
Iru kaatchi thaniyaaga
Yet seeing two separate sights
Padhinoru mani aanaal
When it strikes eleven o'clock
Sirippom kannae
We will laugh, my dear
Panirendru mani aanaal
When it strikes twelve o'clock
Azhuvom kannae
We will weep, my dear
Nam veettu time table
This is our home's timetable
Adhu thaan kannae
That is it, my dear
Adhu thaan kannae
That is it, my dear
Padhinoru mani aanaal
When it strikes eleven o'clock
Sirippom kannae
We will laugh, my dear
Panirendru mani aanaal
When it strikes twelve o'clock
Azhuvom kannae
We will weep, my dear
Nam veettu time table
This is our home's timetable
Adhu thaan kannae
That is it, my dear
Adhu thaan kannae
That is it, my dear
Ilai pottadhum pasithaaganum
Once the leaf is laid out, hunger must come
Ellaamae neraththil
Everything at its appointed time
Nadandhaaganum nadandhaaganum
Must happen, must happen
Oru veedu iru ullam
One house, two hearts
Oru kovil iru dheivam
One temple, two deities
Iru kangal ondraaga
Two eyes looking together
Iru kaatchi thaniyaaga
Yet seeing two separate sights
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Oru Veedu Iru Ullam' explores the complex emotional dynamics of a household where people live together yet experience internal distance. It captures the paradox of shared space and separate emotional worlds—comparing a home to a temple containing two deities, or two eyes that look at the same direction yet process distinct sights. Kannadasan poetically addresses themes of longing, maternal affection, and emotional discord, noting how relationships can exist formally without genuine warmth ('Thaai undu saei undu, gunam illaiyae'). Through relatable metaphors like a fixed home 'timetable' where laughter at 11 o'clock turns to tears by 12, the song reflects the unpredictable highs and lows of family life, offering solace in the sweet comfort of language and love.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Oru kovil iru dheivam”
Compares a single household to a sacred temple housing two distinct deities, emphasizing both sanctity and duality.
Muran (Antithesis)
“Padhinoru mani aanaal sirippom ... Panirendru mani aanaal azhuvom”
Contrasts happiness (laughing at 11) with sorrow (weeping at 12) side by side to illustrate shifting emotional states.
Ethugai (Second letter assonance)
“Padhinoru / Panirendru”
The second consonant sound ('dhi' / 'ni' phonetically aligning in Tamil verse cadence) creates rhythmic harmony.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Sirippom kannae / Azhuvom kannae”
The repetition of 'kannae' at the end of consecutive lines creates a poetic, affectionate rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Ilaiyaraaja early in his legendary career for the 1977 movie 'Avar Enakke Sontham', this song features lyrics by Kaviarasu Kannadasan. The film stars Jaishankar and Fatafat Jayalaxmi, and the song is widely celebrated for its philosophical depth blended with simple, everyday household imagery.
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