- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singers
- Ilayaraja, S. P. Sailaja, Sunandha
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Enga Ooru Kavalkaran
- Movie release year
- 1998
- Lyrics added on
- 20 Oct 2018
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Siruvaani thanni kudichchu
Naan bhavaniyil kulichchu valandhava
Thaamaribarani thanni kudichchu
Naanum vaigaiyila kulichchu valandhava
Kaveriyil naan kulichchen
Paal aaththula neendhi vandhen
Yaaraa irundhaalum
Chembarambaakkam thanni kudichchu
Chennaiyil valaravenum
Male & Female :
Chembarambaakkam thanni kudichchu
Chennaiyil valaravenum
Siruvaani thanni kudichchu
Naan bhavaniyil kulichchu valandhava
Vaigaiyila kulichcha ponnu
Vaigaraiyil ezhundhiduva
Vaasal thelichchu kolam pottu
Saamiyaththaan kumbiduva
Siruvaani thanni kudichcha
Seekkiramaa ezhumbamaatta
Sooriyanum vandhaa kooda
Thirumbi ava paakka maatta
Sandiththanam pannum
Male :Pababbababbababaa
Female :Vandi maadu pola
Male: Pababbababbababaa
Female :Kondaiyila kulukku
Sandai ingu edhukku
Male :Sakkalaththi thaan
Sandai poduvaa namakkedhukku
Siruvaani thanni kudichchu
Naan bhavaniyil kulichchu valandhava haa
Thaamaribarani thanni kudichchu
Naanum vaigaiyila kulichchu valandhava haa
Thanniyila baedhamillae
Adhukku oru niramum illae
Serugindra nilaththappolae
Maarum andha niramum ingae
Evvalavu thanniyaththaan
Alli alli kudichchu paaththom
Andha gunam varavum illa
Aandavanum kodukka villa
Kannirundhum kurudaa
Female :Rambambambam bambam bam
Male :Nadandhidum manidha
Female :Rambambambam bambam bam
Male :Kannirundhum kurudaa
Nadandhidum manidha
Mannumeladhaan neeyirukkanum
Purinjikkadaa
Siruvaani thanni kudichchu
Naan bhavaniyil kulichchu valandhava haa
Thaamaribarani thanni kudichchu
Naanum vaigaiyila kulichchu valandhava haa
Hae hae
Kaveriyil naan kulichchen
Paal aaththula neendhi vandhen
Yaaraa irundhaalum
Chembarambaakkam thanni kudichchu
Chennaiyil valaravenum aamaa
Chembarambaakkam thanni kudichchu
Chennaiyil valaravenum
Male :Durrrr….
Male & Female :
Chembarambaakkam thanni kudichchu
Chennaiyil valaravenum…hae….ae
Chembarambaakkam thanni kudichchu
Chennaiyil valaravenum…
Dhum dhumtha dhum
Drinking the water of Siruvani,
I am the girl who grew up bathing in Bhavani!
Drinking the water of Thamirabarani,
I am the girl who grew up bathing in Vaigai!
I bathed in the Kaveri,
and I swam across the Palar river!
Whoever you may be,
drinking Chembarambakkam lake water,
you must grow up in Chennai!
Male & Female:
Drinking Chembarambakkam water,
you must grow up in Chennai!
Drinking the water of Siruvani,
I am the girl who grew up bathing in Bhavani!
A girl who bathes in the Vaigai
will wake up at the crack of dawn,
sprinkle water on the courtyard, draw kolam patterns,
and pray faithfully to God.
If she drinks Siruvani water,
she will not wake up early;
even after the sun rises,
she will not even turn to look!
Acting stubborn and troublesome,
Male: Pa-pa-ppa-pa-ppa-pa-pa
Female: like a stubborn cart bullock,
Male: Pa-pa-ppa-pa-ppa-pa-pa
Female: tossing her hair bun with a sway!
Why pick a fight here?
Male: Only co-wives
fight with each other; why should we?
Drinking the water of Siruvani,
I am the girl who grew up bathing in Bhavani, ha!
Drinking the water of Thamirabarani,
I am the girl who grew up bathing in Vaigai, ha!
Water has no prejudice,
and it has no color of its own.
Just like the soil it touches,
its color changes here.
No matter how much water
we scooped up and drank,
that unifying quality never came to us,
nor did God grant it.
Having eyes yet walking blind,
Female: Ram-bam-bam-bam bam-bam bam
Male: O wandering human,
Female: Ram-bam-bam-bam bam-bam bam
Male: having eyes yet walking blind,
O wandering human,
you must keep your feet firmly on the ground,
understand this well!
Drinking the water of Siruvani,
I am the girl who grew up bathing in Bhavani, ha!
Drinking the water of Thamirabarani,
I am the girl who grew up bathing in Vaigai, ha!
Hey hey!
I bathed in the Kaveri,
and I swam across the Palar river!
Whoever you may be,
drinking Chembarambakkam water,
you must grow up in Chennai, yes!
Drinking Chembarambakkam water,
you must grow up in Chennai!
Male: Drrrrr...
Male & Female:
Drinking Chembarambakkam water,
you must grow up in Chennai... hey... yeah!
Drinking Chembarambakkam water,
you must grow up in Chennai...
Dhum dhum dhaa dhum
Female
Female
Male
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Female
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This lively duet uses Tamil Nadu's iconic rivers—Siruvani, Bhavani, Thamirabarani, Vaigai, Kaveri, Palar, and Chembarambakkam—as metaphors for regional roots, personal habits, and cultural unity. The characters playfully banter about how the waters of different regions shape people's daily routines and attitudes, such as early-morning devotion versus stubborn laziness.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Vaigaiyila kulichcha ponnu / Vaigaraiyil ezhundhiduva”
Repetition of initial consonant/vowel sounds in words across lines ('Vaigaiyila' and 'Vaigaraiyil').
Upamai (Simile)
“Female :Vandi maadu pola”
Comparing stubborn behavior directly to a bullock cart animal ('Vandi maadu pola').
Uruvagaim (Metaphor & Allegory)
“Thanniyila baedhamillae / Adhukku oru niramum illae”
Water taking the color of the soil it flows on is used as an allegory for human adaptability and lack of innate discrimination.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song playfully lists major Tamil Nadu rivers (Siruvani, Bhavani, Thamirabarani, Vaigai, Kaveri, Palar) alongside Chembarambakkam lake in Chennai, celebrating Tamil geography through folk rhythms.
Keep listening
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