Thatthkaa Putthakaa Naalu Kaalu
From Karpukkarasi · 1957
- Lyricist
- Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
- Singers
- Seerkazhi Govindarajan, P. Leela
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Details
- Karpukkarasi1957
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Thaththakkaa puththakkaa naalu kaalu | Toddling around as a baby crawling on four legs, |
| Female :Thaanae nadakkayilae rendu kaalu | Female: When walking on one's own, it becomes two legs, |
| Male :Uchchi veluththaa moonu kaalu | Male: When old age turns the hair white, it becomes three legs (with a cane), |
| Female :Oorukku pogaiyilae paththu kaalu | Female: When departing for the final journey, it becomes ten legs, |
| Male :Uchchi veluththaa moonu kaalu | Male: When old age turns the hair white, it becomes three legs, |
| Female :Oorukku pogaiyilae paththu kaalu | Female: When departing for the final journey, it becomes ten legs, |
| Male | |
| Hai….thaththakkaa puththakkaa naalu kaalu | Hey... toddling around as a baby crawling on four legs, |
| Thaanae nadakkayilae rendu kaalu | When walking on one's own, it becomes two legs, |
| Male | |
| Ettukkal keezhaaga rendukkaal melaaga | With eight legs below and two legs above, |
| Kettu muzhakkodu kumbalukku maththiyilae | Midst the crowd echoing with the drum beats, |
| Sattaiyai kazhatti vittuvittu pogumunnaalae | Before taking off this shirt and leaving, |
| Minnaalae….kannaalae….mann melae | Oh lightning-like beauty, with captivating eyes, upon this earth... |
| Sattaiyai kazhattu vitterinjaappilae | Just like removing and discarding a shirt, |
| Kattaiyai vittuvittu pogumunnaalae | Before leaving this mortal frame behind, |
| Minnaalae….kannaalae….mann melae | Oh lightning-like beauty, with captivating eyes, upon this earth... |
| Female | |
| Istappadi naam inba sugangalai | As per our desires, the pleasant delights, |
| Anupavikkanum pottukko thillaalae | We must experience and enjoy, sing along in joy! |
| Thillaalae thillaalae thillaalae | Thillaalae thillaalae thillaalae! |
| Istappadi naam inba sugangalai | As per our desires, the pleasant delights, |
| Anupavikkanum pottukko thillaalae | We must experience and enjoy, sing along in joy! |
| Thillaalae thillaalae thillaalae | Thillaalae thillaalae thillaalae! |
| Female | |
| Kodiyum kombai | Should the creeper around the branch |
| Suththattumaa | Entwine itself? |
| Male :Suththattumae | Male: Let it entwine! |
| Female :Kuralum suthiyum serattumaa | Female: Should the voice and the musical pitch align? |
| Male :Saerttumae | Male: Let them align! |
| Female :Pettaiyum sevalum | Female: The hen and the rooster, |
| Koodattumaa | Should they pair together? |
| Male :Koodattumaa | Male: Let them pair! |
| Female :Pechchai nirutthi podattumaa | Female: Shall I stop talking and pause? |
| Male :Aagattum | Male: Let it be so! |
தத்தக்கா புத்தக்கா நாலு காலு
தானே நடக்கயிலே ரெண்டு காலு
உச்சி வெளுத்தா மூணு காலு
ஊருக்குப் போகையிலே பத்து காலு....
உச்சி வெளுத்தா மூணு காலு
ஊருக்குப் போகையிலே பத்து காலு....
Toddling around as a baby crawling on four legs,
Female: When walking on one's own, it becomes two legs,
Male: When old age turns the hair white, it becomes three legs (with a cane),
Female: When departing for the final journey, it becomes ten legs,
Male: When old age turns the hair white, it becomes three legs,
Female: When departing for the final journey, it becomes ten legs,
ஹை..... தத்தக்கா புத்தக்கா நாலு காலு
தானே நடக்கயிலே ரெண்டு காலு
Hey... toddling around as a baby crawling on four legs,
When walking on one's own, it becomes two legs,
எட்டுக்கால் கீழாக ரெண்டுக்கால் மேலாக
கொட்டு முழக்கோடு கும்பலுக்கு மத்தியிலே
சட்டையைக் கழட்டி விட்டெறிஞ்சாப்பிலே
கட்டையை விட்டுவிட்டு போகுமுன்னாலே
மின்னாளே......கண்ணாளே.....மண் மேலே.....
சட்டையைக் கழட்டி விட்டெறிஞ்சாப்பிலே
கட்டையை விட்டுவிட்டு போகுமுன்னாலே
மின்னாளே......கண்ணாளே.....மண் மேலே.....
With eight legs below and two legs above,
Midst the crowd echoing with the drum beats,
Before taking off this shirt and leaving,
Oh lightning-like beauty, with captivating eyes, upon this earth...
Just like removing and discarding a shirt,
Before leaving this mortal frame behind,
Oh lightning-like beauty, with captivating eyes, upon this earth...
இஷ்டப்படி நாம் இன்ப சுகங்களை
அனுபவிக்கணும் போட்டுக்கோ தில்லாலே
தில்லாலே தில்லாலே தில்லாலே
இஷ்டப்படி நாம் இன்ப சுகங்களை
அனுபவிக்கணும் போட்டுக்கோ தில்லாலே
தில்லாலே தில்லாலே தில்லாலே
As per our desires, the pleasant delights,
We must experience and enjoy, sing along in joy!
Thillaalae thillaalae thillaalae!
As per our desires, the pleasant delights,
We must experience and enjoy, sing along in joy!
Thillaalae thillaalae thillaalae!
ஹை..... தத்தக்கா புத்தக்கா நாலு காலு
தானே நடக்கயிலே ரெண்டு காலு
ஹை..... தத்தக்கா புத்தக்கா நாலு காலு
தானே நடக்கயிலே ரெண்டு காலு
ஹை..... தத்தக்கா புத்தக்கா நாலு காலு
தானே நடக்கயிலே ரெண்டு காலு
Should the creeper around the branch
Entwine itself?
Male: Let it entwine!
Female: Should the voice and the musical pitch align?
Male: Let them align!
Female: The hen and the rooster,
Should they pair together?
Male: Let them pair!
Female: Shall I stop talking and pause?
Male: Let it be so!
பேரின்பம் பெரிதென்று
பெண்ணின்பம் சிறிதென்று
பேசுதே வேதாந்தம் பெருமை
பேசுதே வேதாந்தம்
ரெண்டு பேரன்பினாலொன்று
சேரின்பம் மேலென்று
தேறுதல் சித்தாந்தம் நாமே
தேறுதல் சித்தாந்தம்
உன்னைப் பின்பற்றுவேன் நானே
உம்மைப் பிரியாமல் இருப்பேனே....
கொடியும் கொம்பைச்
சுத்தட்டுமா.....
சுத்தட்டுமே...
குரலும் சுதியும் சேரட்டுமா....
சேரட்டுமே...
பெட்டையும் சேவலும்
கூடட்டுமா....
கூடட்டுமா..
பேச்சை நிறுத்திப்
போடட்டுமா....
ஆகட்டும்....
ஹை..... தத்தக்கா புத்தக்கா நாலு காலு
தானே நடக்கயிலே ரெண்டு காலு
உச்சி வெளுத்தா மூணு காலு
ஊருக்குப் போகையிலே பத்து காலு....
ஆண் : உச்சி வெளுத்தா மூணு காலு
பெண் : ஊருக்குப் போகையிலே பத்து காலு....
ஹை..... தத்தக்கா புத்தக்கா நாலு காலு
தானே நடக்கயிலே ரெண்டு காலு
Thaththakkaa puththakkaa naalu kaalu
Toddling around as a baby crawling on four legs,
Female :Thaanae nadakkayilae rendu kaalu
Female: When walking on one's own, it becomes two legs,
Male :Uchchi veluththaa moonu kaalu
Male: When old age turns the hair white, it becomes three legs (with a cane),
Female :Oorukku pogaiyilae paththu kaalu
Female: When departing for the final journey, it becomes ten legs,
Male :Uchchi veluththaa moonu kaalu
Male: When old age turns the hair white, it becomes three legs,
Female :Oorukku pogaiyilae paththu kaalu
Female: When departing for the final journey, it becomes ten legs,
Hai….thaththakkaa puththakkaa naalu kaalu
Hey... toddling around as a baby crawling on four legs,
Thaanae nadakkayilae rendu kaalu
When walking on one's own, it becomes two legs,
Ettukkal keezhaaga rendukkaal melaaga
With eight legs below and two legs above,
Kettu muzhakkodu kumbalukku maththiyilae
Midst the crowd echoing with the drum beats,
Sattaiyai kazhatti vittuvittu pogumunnaalae
Before taking off this shirt and leaving,
Minnaalae….kannaalae….mann melae
Oh lightning-like beauty, with captivating eyes, upon this earth...
Sattaiyai kazhattu vitterinjaappilae
Just like removing and discarding a shirt,
Kattaiyai vittuvittu pogumunnaalae
Before leaving this mortal frame behind,
Minnaalae….kannaalae….mann melae
Oh lightning-like beauty, with captivating eyes, upon this earth...
Istappadi naam inba sugangalai
As per our desires, the pleasant delights,
Anupavikkanum pottukko thillaalae
We must experience and enjoy, sing along in joy!
Thillaalae thillaalae thillaalae
Thillaalae thillaalae thillaalae!
Istappadi naam inba sugangalai
As per our desires, the pleasant delights,
Anupavikkanum pottukko thillaalae
We must experience and enjoy, sing along in joy!
Thillaalae thillaalae thillaalae
Thillaalae thillaalae thillaalae!
Kodiyum kombai
Should the creeper around the branch
Suththattumaa
Entwine itself?
Male :Suththattumae
Male: Let it entwine!
Female :Kuralum suthiyum serattumaa
Female: Should the voice and the musical pitch align?
Male :Saerttumae
Male: Let them align!
Female :Pettaiyum sevalum
Female: The hen and the rooster,
Koodattumaa
Should they pair together?
Male :Koodattumaa
Male: Let them pair!
Female :Pechchai nirutthi podattumaa
Female: Shall I stop talking and pause?
Male :Aagattum
Male: Let it be so!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic duet from 'Karpukkarasi' (1957) creatively blends philosophical folk wisdom with playful romantic banter. The song opens with the famous ancient riddle about human life stages: four legs in infancy (crawling), two legs in youth/adulthood, three legs in old age (using a walking stick), and ten legs on the final journey (the four pallbearers with eight legs carrying the two-legged body on a bier). Lyricist Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram uses this transient nature of life—where the physical body is merely an old shirt to be discarded—to emphasize living life to the fullest and cherishing present joy. As the song transitions, the conversation shifts to romantic alignment between lovers. Through evocative folk imagery, the female singer asks if the creeper should entwine the branch, if pitch should harmonize with voice, and if birds should pair up, to which the male singer eagerly consents, sealing their affectionate banter.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Vidukathai / Allegorical Metaphor
“Thaththakkaa puththakkaa naalu kaalu... paththu kaalu”
Uses the classical riddle of four, two, three, and ten legs to describe human life stages from infancy to death.
Uvamaani (Metaphor)
“Sattaiyai kazhattu vitterinjaappilae / Kattaiyai vittuvittu pogumunnaalae”
Compares leaving the physical body (kattai) upon death to discarding an old shirt (sattai).
Edugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Sattaiyai kazhattu vitterinjaappilae / Kattaiyai vittuvittu pogumunnaalae”
The second consonant sound 'tta' is repeated across successive lines (Sattaiyai / Kattaiyai).
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Suththattumaa / Serattumaa / Koodattumaa / Podattumaa”
The matching rhyming suffix '-attumaa' creates rhythm at the ends of consecutive female verses.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by the iconic poet-lyricist Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram, this song is famous for embedding profound philosophy into catchy folk tunes. Composed by G. Ramanathan and rendered by Seerkazhi Govindarajan and P. Leela, the track stands as one of the finest musical riddles in Golden Era Tamil cinema.
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