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Enga Ooru Kannagi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Pachai Vayal Pakkathile

From Enga Ooru Kannagi · 1981

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
S. Janaki
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Enga Ooru Kannagi
Movie release year
1981
Lyrics added on
15 Nov 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oo….ooh….oohho….ooo…..
Oo….ooh….oohho….ooo…..
Pachai vayal pakkaththilae patta maram vachchaanadi
Enna avan leelaiyadi rengammaa
Idhai paarpadharkku kannu rendu venumaa
Rengamma paarpadharkku kannu rendu venumaa
Pachai vayal pakkaththilae patta maram vachchaanadi
Enna avan leelaiyadi rengammaa
Idhai paarpadharkku kannu rendu venumaa
Rengamma paarpadharkku kannu rendu venumaa
Aasaiyai nenjil vachu
Thevaiyai vaazhvil vachchaan
Rendilum thollaiya vachchaan rengammaa
Intha rendukkum ellai undo sollammaa
Rengammaa rendukkum ellai undo sollammaa
Pachai vayal pakkaththilae patta maram vachchaanadi
Enna avan leelaiyadi rengammaa
Idhai paarpadharkku kannu rendu venumaa
Rengamma paarpadharkku kannu rendu venumaa
Angumingum alaiyum manithanin kangal
Alavillaamal oodum manithanin kaalgal
Angumingum alaiyum manithanin kangal
Alavillaamal oodum manithanin kaalgal
Avan thaeinthu pona nilavu
Aanaal paarkka mattum azhagu
Avan thaeinthu pona nilavu
Aanaal paarkka mattum azhagu
Thaerirunthum dheivamillaa bhoomiyadi
Rengammaa dheivaththukkum kannillaatha neramadi
Pachai vayal pakkaththilae patta maram vachchaanadi
Enna avan leelaiyadi rengammaa
Idhai paarpadharkku kannu rendu venumaa
Rengamma paarpadharkku kannu rendu venumaa
Kaainthu pogum vayalgal kodai vanthaal
Paainthu sellum vellam mazhaiyum vanthaal
Kaainthu pogum vayalgal kodai vanthaal
Paainthu sellum vellam mazhaiyum vanthaal
Idhu kaaladevan kadamai
Intha manitha vaazhvu kodumai
Thaaimadiyil valarnthu vantha pillaiyadi
Rengammaa thaaikku mattum soru pottathillaiyadi
Pachai vayal pakkaththilae patta maram vachchaanadi
Enna avan leelaiyadi rengammaa
Idhai paarpadharkku kannu rendu venumaa
Rengamma paarpadharkku kannu rendu venumaa
Varumai enbathenna vayittrai kelu
Porumai enbathenna manathai kelu
Varumai enbathenna vayittrai kelu
Porumai enbathenna manathai kelu
Unarnthu paarkkumpothu
Intha ulagam yaavum theriyum
Pasikkoru niramillai ennam undu
Adhai paarpatharkku thevaiyillai kannirandu
Pachai vayal pakkaththilae patta maram vachchaanadi
Enna avan leelaiyadi rengammaa
Idhai paarpadharkku kannu rendu venumaa
Rengamma paarpadharkku kannu rendu venumaa
Oh... oh... oh-ho... oh...
Oh... oh... oh-ho... oh...
Next to a lush green field, He planted a withered tree!
What a strange game He plays, Rengamma!
Do we really need two eyes to see this?
Tell me Rengamma, do we need two eyes to see this?
Next to a lush green field, He planted a withered tree!
What a strange game He plays, Rengamma!
Do we really need two eyes to see this?
Tell me Rengamma, do we need two eyes to see this?
He placed desires in our hearts,
and needs in our lives,
and filled them both with troubles, Rengamma!
Tell me, is there any limit to either of these?
Rengamma, is there any limit to these two? Tell me.
Next to a lush green field, He planted a withered tree!
What a strange game He plays, Rengamma!
Do we really need two eyes to see this?
Tell me Rengamma, do we need two eyes to see this?
Man's eyes wander here and there,
his feet run endlessly without rest.
Man's eyes wander here and there,
his feet run endlessly without rest.
He is like a worn-out moon,
beautiful only to look at.
He is like a worn-out moon,
beautiful only to look at.
This is an earth with temple chariots, yet no god inside;
Rengamma, this is a time when even God has turned blind!
Next to a lush green field, He planted a withered tree!
What a strange game He plays, Rengamma!
Do we really need two eyes to see this?
Tell me Rengamma, do we need two eyes to see this?
The fields dry up when summer arrives,
and floods come rushing when the rain pours down.
The fields dry up when summer arrives,
and floods come rushing when the rain pours down.
This is the duty of the god of time,
yet human life is pure cruelty.
A child raised in a mother's lap,
Rengamma, never even gave a meal to that mother!
Next to a lush green field, He planted a withered tree!
What a strange game He plays, Rengamma!
Do we really need two eyes to see this?
Tell me Rengamma, do we need two eyes to see this?
Ask the stomach what poverty is,
ask the heart what patience is.
Ask the stomach what poverty is,
ask the heart what patience is.
When you truly understand this,
the whole world will become clear to you.
Hunger has no color, yet it has feelings;
you do not need two eyes to see that.
Next to a lush green field, He planted a withered tree!
What a strange game He plays, Rengamma!
Do we really need two eyes to see this?
Tell me Rengamma, do we need two eyes to see this?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic philosophical song written by Kannadasan uses poignant metaphors of nature to reflect upon the paradoxes of human existence, divine indifference, and social hardship. The opening visual of a dead tree standing beside a thriving green field sets the tone for life's stark disparities—where wealth and extreme poverty, joy and profound sorrow co-exist side by side under God's mysterious creation.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Juxtaposition / Metaphor

Pachai vayal pakkaththilae patta maram vachchaanadi

Contrasts 'pachai vayal' (fertile green field) with 'patta maram' (dead tree) to symbolize prosperity standing beside decay and misfortune.

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Avan thaeinthu pona nilavu

Compares human life to a waning moon ('thaeinthu pona nilavu'), which steadily diminishes while retaining an outward illusion of grace.

Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme) & Parallelism

Varumai enbathenna vayittrai kelu / Porumai enbathenna manathai kelu

Uses matching second consonants ('Varumai' and 'Porumai') to structurally link poverty and patience.

Did you know?

Trivia

From the film 'Enga Ooru Kannagi' (1981), directed by K. Sornam with music composed by M. S. Viswanathan. Kannadasan's lyrics in this track showcase his signature folk-philosophical style, addressing a central character 'Rengamma' as a conversational sounding board for deep existential truths.

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