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Karuththamma album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Pacha Kili Paadum

From Karuththamma · 1994

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Shahul Hameed, Minmini
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Karuththamma
Movie release year
1994
Lyrics added on
8 Nov 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Pachchakili paadum ooru
Panju meththa bullock paaru
Manjal aaru paayum andha ooru
Kutti potta aatu koottam
Kondayaatum kozhi koottam
Sondham ulla saadhi sanam paaru
{Pasu maattukku oru paattu
Velinaattukku adhu vilayaattu} (2)
Pachchakili paadum ooru
Panju meththa bullock paaru
Manjal aaru paayum andha ooru
Kutti potta aatu koottam
Kondayaatum kozhi koottam
Sondham ulla saadhi sanam paaru
Kokkara ko… kokkara ko
Kokkara ko ko kok kok ko
Kokkara ko ko kok kok ko
Kok kok kok kok kok kok kok ko ko
Kokkara ko ko kok kok ko
Kokkara ko ko kok kok ko
Kok kok kok kok kok kok kok ko ko
Thanni kudam konda
Pombalaya pola
Ooru kadhai pesikondu
Nadhi nadakkum
Pachchakili mella pallaviya solla
Kuyil vandhu saranaththil
Kural kodukkum
Kondaattam
Ingu thendralukku dhinam dhinam
Thaerottam
Ada pattanaththil illai indha
Kaatrottam
Andha nandavana poovae
Naakaali
Adhil amarven vandaattam
Pachchakili paadum ooru
Panju meththa bullock paaru
Manjal aaru paayum andha ooru
Kutti potta aatu koottam
Kondayaatum kozhi koottam
Sondham ulla saadhi sanam paaru
{Pasu maattukku oru paattu
Velinaattukku adhu vilayaattu} (2)
Kuttai kaama thaever
Katti vechathamma
Koondhal varum munnaalae kulikattuma
Othayadi paadhai pogum
Idam yengae
Othayilae naanaaga nadakattuma
Sangeedham
Ingu kozhi aadu kaththum saththam
Sangeedham
Konjam thalli ninnu rasippadhu
Sandhosam
Engal jannal pakkam yeppozhudhum
Poo vaasam
Andha sugamoo paravasam
Pachchakili paadum ooru
Panju meththa bullock paaru
Manjal aaru paayum andha ooru
Kutti potta aatu koottam
Kondayaatum kozhi koottam
Sondham ulla saadhi sanam paaru
{Pasu maattukku oru paattu
Velinaattukku adhu vilayaattu} (2)
A village where green parrots sing,
Look, the grass is soft as a cotton bed!
That village where a golden river flows,
Herds of goats with newborn kids,
Flocks of roosters shaking their crests,
Look at all our loving folk and kin!
A song sung for the humble cow,
is just a game to the outside world.
A village where green parrots sing,
Look, the grass is soft as a cotton bed!
That village where a golden river flows,
Herds of goats with newborn kids,
Flocks of roosters shaking their crests,
Look at all our loving folk and kin!
Cock-a-doodle-doo... cock-a-doodle-doo
Cock-a-doodle-doo doo cock cock doo
Cock-a-doodle-doo doo cock cock doo
Cock cock cock cock cock cock cock doo doo
Cock-a-doodle-doo doo cock cock doo
Cock-a-doodle-doo doo cock cock doo
Cock cock cock cock cock cock cock doo doo
Like a village woman carrying
a pot of water,
chatting about local gossip,
the river strolls along.
As the green parrot softly sings the opening verse,
the cuckoo joins in
to sing the stanza.
What a joy!
Here, for the gentle breeze, every single day
is like a grand chariot festival.
Ah, the city doesn't have
fresh, open air like this!
The flowers in that garden
are my chairs,
and I will sit on them like a bee!
A village where green parrots sing,
Look, the grass is soft as a cotton bed!
That village where a golden river flows,
Herds of goats with newborn kids,
Flocks of roosters shaking their crests,
Look at all our loving folk and kin!
A song sung for the humble cow,
is just a game to the outside world.
Did the god of love
make this little pond?
Shall I take a dip before dusk falls?
Where does this narrow footpath
lead to?
Shall I walk along it all by myself?
Pure music!
The sounds of chickens and goats here
are pure music!
Standing back a bit and enjoying it
is true happiness!
Beside our window, at all times,
is the scent of fresh flowers,
and that sweet feeling is pure bliss!
A village where green parrots sing,
Look, the grass is soft as a cotton bed!
That village where a golden river flows,
Herds of goats with newborn kids,
Flocks of roosters shaking their crests,
Look at all our loving folk and kin!
A song sung for the humble cow,
is just a game to the outside world.
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Male
Female
Female
Chorus
Male
Female
Female
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Pachchakili Paadum Ooru from Karuththamma (1994) is an idyllic celebration of rural Tamil life, capturing the serene beauty, natural rhythms, and simple joys of village existence. Lyricist Vairamuthu paints a colorful landscape filled with singing parrots, flowing streams, livestock, and close-knit community bonds, contrasting the pure bliss of village nature against city living.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Thanni kudam konda Pombalaya pola / Nadhi nadakkum

Compares the flowing motion of the river to a village woman walking while carrying a water pot and chatting.

Personification (Uruvagam)

Pachchakili mella pallaviya solla / Kuyil vandhu saranaththil / Kural kodukkum

Attributes human musical roles to birds, describing the parrot singing the main refrain (pallavi) and the cuckoo rendering the stanza (charanam).

Onomatopoeia (Oli-kkurippu)

Kokkara ko… kokkara ko

Uses rhythmic phonetic sounds imitating rooster calls to evoke a natural countryside morning atmosphere.

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Ingu thendralukku dhinam dhinam / Thaerottam / Ada pattanaththil illai indha / Kaatrottam

Rhyming structure across lines using end-rhymes like Kondaattam, Thaerottam, and Kaatrottam.

Did you know?

Trivia

Karuththamma (1994), directed by Bharathiraja, featured a iconic score by A. R. Rahman. Although set against a dramatic theme addressing female infanticide, 'Pachchakili Paadum Ooru' stands out as a joyful folk-pop anthem sung by Shahul Hameed and Minmini.

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