Ottada Ottada Kambathula
From Vacha Kuri Thappathu · 1988
- Lyricist
- Pallava Rajan
- Singer
- S. P. Shailaja
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Vacha Kuri Thappathu1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| En ottadaa ottadaa kambaththula rasa | Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole, |
| Vuttuttu ponaanae ambaththula | He left me stranded midway in distress. |
| Ottadaa ottadaa kambaththula rasa | Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole, |
| Vuttuttu ponaanae ambaththula | He left me stranded midway in distress. |
| Female | |
| Rendu pulla en pakkathula | With two children left by my side, |
| Antha kadhaiya enna solla | How can I tell that tragic tale? |
| Naan antha kadhaiya enna solla | How can I tell that tragic tale? |
| Female | |
| En ottadaa ottadaa kambaththula rasa | Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole, |
| Vuttuttu ponaanae ambaththula | He left me stranded midway in distress. |
| Female | |
| En thinna ooram thenna maram rasa | At the edge of my veranda stands a coconut tree, my king, |
| Anna mavan vachcha maram | A tree planted by my elder brother's son, |
| En anna mavan vachcha maram | Yes, the tree planted by my elder brother's son. |
| Thennang kaayikku aasaipattu | Desiring the tender coconuts, |
| Anna mavana vachchkkittaen | I took my elder brother's son into my life, |
| En anna mavana vachchkkittaen | Yes, I took my elder brother's son into my life. |
| Female | |
| En ottadaa ottadaa kambaththula rasa | Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole, |
| Vuttuttu ponaanae ambaththula | He left me stranded midway in distress. |
| Rendu pulla en pakkathula | With two children left by my side, |
| Antha kadhaiya enna solla | How can I tell that tragic tale? |
| Naan antha kadhaiya enna solla | How can I tell that tragic tale? |
| Female | |
| En kollaiyila koiyaa maram rasa | In my backyard stands a guava tree, my king, |
| Kozhunthanaaru vachcha maram | A tree planted by my younger brother-in-law, |
| En kozhunthanaaru vachcha maram | Yes, the tree planted by my younger brother-in-law. |
| Koiyyaak kaayikku aasaipattu | Desiring the guava fruit, |
| Kozhunthanaara vachchikittaen | I took my younger brother-in-law into my life, |
| En kozhunthanaara vachchikittaen | Yes, I took my younger brother-in-law into my life. |
| Female | |
| En moolaiyila murunga maram rasa | In my corner stands a drumstick tree, my king, |
| Mooththaaru nattu vachcha maram | A tree planted by my elder brother-in-law, |
| En mooththaaru nattu vachcha maram | Yes, the tree planted by my elder brother-in-law. |
| Munga kaayikku aasaipatt | Desiring the drumsticks, |
| Mooththaara naan vachchikittaen | I took my elder brother-in-law into my life, |
| En mooththaara naan vachchikittaen | Yes, I took my elder brother-in-law into my life. |
| Female | |
| En ottadaa ottadaa kambaththula rasa | Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole, |
| Vuttuttu ponaanae ambaththula | He left me stranded midway in distress. |
| Theeyaa aachchu ullukkulla | A fire has started burning deep within me, |
| Theerththu vaikka yaarumilla | And there is no one left to put it out, |
| Ada theerththu vaikka yaarumilla | Oh, there is no one left to put it out! |
என் ஒட்டடா ஒட்டடா கம்பத்துல ராசா
வுட்டுட்டு போனானே அம்பத்துல
ஒட்டடா ஒட்டடா கம்பத்துல ராசா
வுட்டுட்டு போனானே அம்பத்துல
Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole,
He left me stranded midway in distress.
Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole,
He left me stranded midway in distress.
ரெண்டு புள்ள என் பக்கத்துல
அந்தக் கதைய என்ன சொல்ல
நான் அந்த கதைய என்ன சொல்ல
With two children left by my side,
How can I tell that tragic tale?
How can I tell that tragic tale?
என் ஒட்டடா ஒட்டடா கம்பத்துல ராசா
வுட்டுட்டு போனானே அம்பத்துல
Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole,
He left me stranded midway in distress.
என் திண்ண ஓரம் தென்ன மரம் ராசா
அண்ண மவன் வச்ச மரம்
என் அண்ண மவன் வச்ச மரம்
தென்னங்காயிக்கு ஆசைப் பட்டு
அண்ண மவன வச்சிக்கிட்டேன்
என் அண்ண மவன வச்சிக்கிட்டேன்
At the edge of my veranda stands a coconut tree, my king,
A tree planted by my elder brother's son,
Yes, the tree planted by my elder brother's son.
Desiring the tender coconuts,
I took my elder brother's son into my life,
Yes, I took my elder brother's son into my life.
மச்சி ஓரம் மாங்கா மரம் ராசா
மாமனாரு வச்ச மரம்
என் மாமனாரு வச்ச மரம்
மாங்காயிக்கு ஆசைப்பட்டு
மாமனார வச்சிக்கிட்டேன்
என் மாமானார வச்சிக்கிட்டேன்
Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole,
He left me stranded midway in distress.
With two children left by my side,
How can I tell that tragic tale?
How can I tell that tragic tale?
என் ஒட்டடா ஒட்டடா கம்பத்துல ராசா
வுட்டுட்டு போனானே அம்பத்துல
ரெண்டு புள்ள என் பக்கத்துல
அந்த கதைய என்ன சொல்ல
நான் அந்த கதைய என்ன சொல்ல
In my backyard stands a guava tree, my king,
A tree planted by my younger brother-in-law,
Yes, the tree planted by my younger brother-in-law.
Desiring the guava fruit,
I took my younger brother-in-law into my life,
Yes, I took my younger brother-in-law into my life.
என் கொல்லையில கொய்யா மரம் ராசா
கொழுந்தனாரு வச்ச மரம்
என் கொழுந்தனாரு வச்ச மரம்
In my corner stands a drumstick tree, my king,
A tree planted by my elder brother-in-law,
Yes, the tree planted by my elder brother-in-law.
Desiring the drumsticks,
I took my elder brother-in-law into my life,
Yes, I took my elder brother-in-law into my life.
கொய்யாக் காயிக்கு ஆசைப்பட்டு
கொழுந்தனார வச்சிக்கிட்டேன்
என் கொழுந்தனார வச்சிக்கிட்டேன்
Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole,
He left me stranded midway in distress.
A fire has started burning deep within me,
And there is no one left to put it out,
Oh, there is no one left to put it out!
என் மூலையில முருங்க மரம் ராசா
மூத்தாரு நட்டு வச்ச மரம்
என் மூத்தாரு நட்டு வச்ச மரம்
முருங்க காயிக்கு ஆசைப்பட்டு
மூத்தார நான் வச்சிக்கிட்டேன்
என் மூத்தார நான் வச்சிக்கிட்டேன்
என் ஒட்டடா ஒட்டடா கம்பத்துல ராசா
வுட்டுட்டு போனானே அம்பத்துல
தீயா ஆச்சு உள்ளுக்குள்ள
தீர்த்து வைக்க யாருமில்ல
அட தீர்த்து வைக்க யாருமில்ல....
En ottadaa ottadaa kambaththula rasa
Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole,
Vuttuttu ponaanae ambaththula
He left me stranded midway in distress.
Ottadaa ottadaa kambaththula rasa
Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole,
Vuttuttu ponaanae ambaththula
He left me stranded midway in distress.
Rendu pulla en pakkathula
With two children left by my side,
Antha kadhaiya enna solla
How can I tell that tragic tale?
Naan antha kadhaiya enna solla
How can I tell that tragic tale?
En ottadaa ottadaa kambaththula rasa
Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole,
Vuttuttu ponaanae ambaththula
He left me stranded midway in distress.
En thinna ooram thenna maram rasa
At the edge of my veranda stands a coconut tree, my king,
Anna mavan vachcha maram
A tree planted by my elder brother's son,
En anna mavan vachcha maram
Yes, the tree planted by my elder brother's son.
Thennang kaayikku aasaipattu
Desiring the tender coconuts,
Anna mavana vachchkkittaen
I took my elder brother's son into my life,
En anna mavana vachchkkittaen
Yes, I took my elder brother's son into my life.
En ottadaa ottadaa kambaththula rasa
Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole,
Vuttuttu ponaanae ambaththula
He left me stranded midway in distress.
Rendu pulla en pakkathula
With two children left by my side,
Antha kadhaiya enna solla
How can I tell that tragic tale?
Naan antha kadhaiya enna solla
How can I tell that tragic tale?
En kollaiyila koiyaa maram rasa
In my backyard stands a guava tree, my king,
Kozhunthanaaru vachcha maram
A tree planted by my younger brother-in-law,
En kozhunthanaaru vachcha maram
Yes, the tree planted by my younger brother-in-law.
Koiyyaak kaayikku aasaipattu
Desiring the guava fruit,
Kozhunthanaara vachchikittaen
I took my younger brother-in-law into my life,
En kozhunthanaara vachchikittaen
Yes, I took my younger brother-in-law into my life.
En moolaiyila murunga maram rasa
In my corner stands a drumstick tree, my king,
Mooththaaru nattu vachcha maram
A tree planted by my elder brother-in-law,
En mooththaaru nattu vachcha maram
Yes, the tree planted by my elder brother-in-law.
Munga kaayikku aasaipatt
Desiring the drumsticks,
Mooththaara naan vachchikittaen
I took my elder brother-in-law into my life,
En mooththaara naan vachchikittaen
Yes, I took my elder brother-in-law into my life.
En ottadaa ottadaa kambaththula rasa
Oh my king, like a cobweb-sweeping pole,
Vuttuttu ponaanae ambaththula
He left me stranded midway in distress.
Theeyaa aachchu ullukkulla
A fire has started burning deep within me,
Theerththu vaikka yaarumilla
And there is no one left to put it out,
Ada theerththu vaikka yaarumilla
Oh, there is no one left to put it out!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This folk-styled Tamil song expresses the grief and predicament of a woman who has been abandoned and left stranded with two children. Through humorous yet tragic rural metaphors, she recounts how various men—represented allegorically through fruit trees like coconut, guava, and drumstick—entered her life offering temporary support or affection, only for her to end up completely alone.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Allegory / Metaphor (Uruvam)
“En thinna ooram thenna maram rasa”
Trees (coconut, guava, drumstick) planted in different corners of her home symbolize different relationships and men who entered her life.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“En ottadaa ottadaa kambaththula rasa / Vuttuttu ponaanae ambaththula”
The second letter ' dd' (ட) matches between 'ottadaa' and 'vuttuttu' (written phonetically in Tamil script).
Anaphora (Repetition for Emphasis)
“En ottadaa ottadaa kambaththula rasa”
Repetition of lines and phrase 'En ottadaa ottadaa' creates a rhythmic folk cadence emphasizing distress.
Moonaal / Alliteration
“En kollaiyila koiyaa maram rasa”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds 'K' in 'kollaiyila' and 'koiyaa'.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track from the 1988 Tamil film 'Vacha Kuri Thappathu' utilizes a traditional Tamil village folk storytelling format, combining lighthearted double-entendres with underlying emotional lament (oppari style).
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