Vazhkai Oru Ottagam
From Aandavan Kattalai · 2016
- Lyricist
- Vivek
- Singer
- Benny Dayal
- Music directors
- Not listed
- Details
- Aandavan Kattalai2016
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Vazhkai oru ottagam | Life is a camel |
| Nondi ottagam | A limping camel |
| Vela tharum chakkaram | The wheel that gives work |
| Rendu chakkaram | Two wheels |
| Male | |
| Paayum paiyan buthiyil | In the mind of an energetic young boy |
| Nermai pasa ottanum | Honesty must be glued like paste |
| Vela tharum sattiyil | In the vessel that yields work |
| Vervai mazha sottanum | Sweat must drip like rain |
| Kaal vayathula nimadhi kottanum.. | Peace of mind should pour down in early age.. |
| Chorus | |
| Vazhkai oru ottagam | Life is a camel |
| Nondi ottagam | A limping camel |
| Vela tharum chakkaram | The wheel that gives work |
| Rendu chakkaram | Two wheels |
| Male | |
| Oor pochunga thoorama | Native town has gone far away |
| Veedum illa sondhama | There is no home of our own |
| Inga ellam paththu naal vaarama | Here, a week feels like ten days long |
| Male | |
| Brammanda thinnayaa.. | A colossal porch.. |
| Chorus :Thinnayaa.. | Chorus: Porch.. |
| Male :Bayam kaattum chennai-ya.. | Male: Chennai that strikes fear.. |
| Chorus :Chennai-ya.. | Chorus: Chennai.. |
| Male :Irunthalum uzhaipom unmaiya | Male: Yet we will work with complete honesty |
| Male | |
| Kadikaramae | Oh clock! |
| Naanga varum neramae | It is our time coming now |
| Pathu sariyagavae marumae… | Ten o'clock will change to the exact right time... |
| Male | |
| Yethuvum illa baaramae | Nothing feels like a burden |
| Mudhugil oru oramae | Slung on one side of the back |
| Kazhutha kuda jollyah yerumae.. | Even a donkey will ride along merrily.. |
| Male | |
| Vaa nee indha velaiya | Come, you try doing this job |
| Konjam senju paaru | Do it just a little bit and see |
| Venum aadu manthaiya | Do you want a flock of sheep? |
| Inga oththaiku nooru | Here there are hundred to a single one |
| Chorus | |
| Vazhkai oru ottagam | Life is a camel |
| Nondi ottagam | A limping camel |
| Vela tharum chakkaram | The wheel that gives work |
| Rendu chakkaram | Two wheels |
| Male | |
| Vazhkai oru ottagam | Life is a camel |
| Nondi ottagam | A limping camel |
| Vela tharum chakkaram | The wheel that gives work |
| Rendu chakkaram | Two wheels |
| Male | |
| Paayum paiyan buthiyil | In the mind of an energetic young boy |
| Nermai pasa ottanum | Honesty must be glued like paste |
| Vela tharum sattiyil | In the vessel that yields work |
| Vervai mazha sottanum | Sweat must drip like rain |
| Kaal vayathula nimadhi kottanum.. | Peace of mind should pour down in early age.. |
| Chorus | |
| Vazhkai oru ottagam | Life is a camel |
| Nondi ottagam | A limping camel |
| Vela tharum chakkaram | The wheel that gives work |
| Rendu chakkaram | Two wheels |
வாழ்க்கை
ஒரு ஒட்டகம் நொண்டி
ஒட்டகம் வேல தரும்
சக்கரம் ரெண்டு சக்கரம்
Life is a camel
A limping camel
The wheel that gives work
Two wheels
பாயும் பையன்
புத்தியில் நேர்மை பசை
ஒட்டணும் வேல தரும்
சட்டியில் வேர்வை மழை
சொட்டனும் கால் வயத்துல
நிம்மதி கொட்டணும்
In the mind of an energetic young boy
Honesty must be glued like paste
In the vessel that yields work
Sweat must drip like rain
Peace of mind should pour down in early age..
வாழ்க்கை
ஒரு ஒட்டகம் நொண்டி
ஒட்டகம் வேல தரும்
சக்கரம் ரெண்டு சக்கரம்
Life is a camel
A limping camel
The wheel that gives work
Two wheels
ஊர் போச்சுங்க
தூரமா வீடும் இல்ல
சொந்தமா இங்க
எல்லாம் பத்து நாள்
வாரமா
Native town has gone far away
There is no home of our own
Here, a week feels like ten days long
பிரம்மாண்ட
திண்ணயா
குழு :
திண்ணயா
பயம் காட்டும்
சென்னையா
குழு :
சென்னையா
இருந்தாலும்
உழைப்போம் உண்மையா
A colossal porch..
Chorus: Porch..
Male: Chennai that strikes fear..
Chorus: Chennai..
Male: Yet we will work with complete honesty
கடிகாரமே
நாங்க வரும் நேரமே
பத்து சரியாகவே மாறுமே
Oh clock!
It is our time coming now
Ten o'clock will change to the exact right time...
எதுவும் இல்ல
பாரமே முதுகில் ஒரு
ஓரமே கழுதை கூட
ஜாலியா ஏறுமே
Nothing feels like a burden
Slung on one side of the back
Even a donkey will ride along merrily..
வா நீ இந்த
வேலைய கொஞ்சம்
செஞ்சு பாரு வேணும்
ஆடு மந்தையா இங்க
ஒத்தைக்கு நூறு
Come, you try doing this job
Do it just a little bit and see
Do you want a flock of sheep?
Here there are hundred to a single one
வாழ்க்கை
ஒரு ஒட்டகம் நொண்டி
ஒட்டகம் வேல தரும்
சக்கரம் ரெண்டு சக்கரம்
Life is a camel
A limping camel
The wheel that gives work
Two wheels
வாழ்க்கை
ஒரு ஒட்டகம் நொண்டி
ஒட்டகம் வேல தரும்
சக்கரம் ரெண்டு சக்கரம்
Life is a camel
A limping camel
The wheel that gives work
Two wheels
பாயும் பையன்
புத்தியில் நேர்மை பசை
ஒட்டணும் வேல தரும்
சட்டியில் வேர்வை மழை
சொட்டனும் கால் வயத்துல
நிம்மதி கொட்டணும்
In the mind of an energetic young boy
Honesty must be glued like paste
In the vessel that yields work
Sweat must drip like rain
Peace of mind should pour down in early age..
வாழ்க்கை
ஒரு ஒட்டகம் நொண்டி
ஒட்டகம் வேல தரும்
சக்கரம் ரெண்டு சக்கரம்
Life is a camel
A limping camel
The wheel that gives work
Two wheels
Vazhkai oru ottagam
Life is a camel
Nondi ottagam
A limping camel
Vela tharum chakkaram
The wheel that gives work
Rendu chakkaram
Two wheels
Paayum paiyan buthiyil
In the mind of an energetic young boy
Nermai pasa ottanum
Honesty must be glued like paste
Vela tharum sattiyil
In the vessel that yields work
Vervai mazha sottanum
Sweat must drip like rain
Kaal vayathula nimadhi kottanum..
Peace of mind should pour down in early age..
Vazhkai oru ottagam
Life is a camel
Nondi ottagam
A limping camel
Vela tharum chakkaram
The wheel that gives work
Rendu chakkaram
Two wheels
Oor pochunga thoorama
Native town has gone far away
Veedum illa sondhama
There is no home of our own
Inga ellam paththu naal vaarama
Here, a week feels like ten days long
Brammanda thinnayaa..
A colossal porch..
Chorus :Thinnayaa..
Chorus: Porch..
Male :Bayam kaattum chennai-ya..
Male: Chennai that strikes fear..
Chorus :Chennai-ya..
Chorus: Chennai..
Male :Irunthalum uzhaipom unmaiya
Male: Yet we will work with complete honesty
Kadikaramae
Oh clock!
Naanga varum neramae
It is our time coming now
Pathu sariyagavae marumae…
Ten o'clock will change to the exact right time...
Yethuvum illa baaramae
Nothing feels like a burden
Mudhugil oru oramae
Slung on one side of the back
Kazhutha kuda jollyah yerumae..
Even a donkey will ride along merrily..
Vaa nee indha velaiya
Come, you try doing this job
Konjam senju paaru
Do it just a little bit and see
Venum aadu manthaiya
Do you want a flock of sheep?
Inga oththaiku nooru
Here there are hundred to a single one
Vazhkai oru ottagam
Life is a camel
Nondi ottagam
A limping camel
Vela tharum chakkaram
The wheel that gives work
Rendu chakkaram
Two wheels
Vazhkai oru ottagam
Life is a camel
Nondi ottagam
A limping camel
Vela tharum chakkaram
The wheel that gives work
Rendu chakkaram
Two wheels
Paayum paiyan buthiyil
In the mind of an energetic young boy
Nermai pasa ottanum
Honesty must be glued like paste
Vela tharum sattiyil
In the vessel that yields work
Vervai mazha sottanum
Sweat must drip like rain
Kaal vayathula nimadhi kottanum..
Peace of mind should pour down in early age..
Vazhkai oru ottagam
Life is a camel
Nondi ottagam
A limping camel
Vela tharum chakkaram
The wheel that gives work
Rendu chakkaram
Two wheels
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Vazhkai Oru Ottagam' from the movie 'Aandavan Kattalai' humorously yet poignantly captures the struggles of young migrants who move to big cities like Chennai looking for employment and livelihood. Life is compared to a limping camel—slow, awkward, and demanding endurance—while the two-wheeler bicycle or delivery vehicle serves as their primary wheel of fortune and survival.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Vazhkai oru ottagam / Nondi ottagam”
Comparing life to a limping camel, representing the unsteady and slow nature of hard labor and urban survival.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Vela tharum chakkaram / Rendu chakkaram”
Describing the two wheels of a delivery cycle/moped as the source of employment.
Alliteration (Monai)
“Vela tharum sattiyil / Vervai mazha sottanum”
Repetition of the 'Va/Ve' initial consonant sound across lines.
Rhyme (Esubu / Iyaibu)
“Oor pochunga thoorama / Veedum illa sondhama / Inga ellam paththu naal vaarama”
Matching end rhymes in spoken rhythm ('thoorama', 'sondhama', 'vaarama').
Did you know?
Trivia
'Aandavan Kattalai' (2016) starred Vijay Sethupathi and Ritika Singh, directed by Manikandan. The song highlights the everyday hustle of door-to-door delivery workers in Chennai with witty lyrics written by Vivek.
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