Vellarikka Kattukkulle
From Othaiyadi Paathaiyile · 1980
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singer
- Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Othaiyadi Paathaiyile1980
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| …………… | |
| Male | |
| Vellarikkaa kaattukkullae kulla nari oduthu haan | A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan |
| Kullanariya paaththuputtaa yogam vanthu seruthu haan | If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan |
| Vellarikkaa kaattukkullae kulla nari oduthu haan | A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan |
| Kullanariya paaththuputtaa yogam vanthu seruthu haan | If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan |
| Female | |
| …………….. | |
| Male | |
| Aarumthaan oduthu naanunthaan oduraen | The river flows, and I keep running too |
| Kaalamellaam en payanam nikkaathu | My journey will not stop for a lifetime |
| Kaattu mullum kaalulathaan thaikkaathu | Even wild thorns won't pierce my feet |
| Oththaiyadi paadhaiyithu pottavan kaanala | This is a narrow single-track path, the one who laid it is nowhere to be seen |
| Pottavanum pottathukku peru vaichchu pogala | And the one who laid it did not leave his name behind |
| Male | |
| …………… | |
| Male | |
| Vellarikkaa kaattukkullae kulla nari oduthu haan | A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan |
| Kullanariya paaththuputtaa yogam vanthu seruthu haan | If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan |
| Female | |
| …………….. | |
| Male | |
| Sooriyanumthaan silanaal neram thavarum | Even the sun might miss its time on some days |
| Eppothum enneram thappaathu ramaiyyaa | My time will never fail, oh Ramaiya |
| Kaalamum maanamum pona varaathu | Once lost, time and honor will never come back |
| Oththaiyadi paadhaiyithu pottavan kaanala | This is a narrow single-track path, the one who laid it is nowhere to be seen |
| Pottavanum pottathukku peru vaichchu pogala | And the one who laid it did not leave his name behind |
| Male | |
| …………… | |
| Male | |
| Vellarikkaa kaattukkullae kulla nari oduthu haan | A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan |
| Kullanariya paaththuputtaa yogam vanthu seruthu haan | If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan |
| Male | |
| Yaerotttum tholithu oorellaam thaanguthu | The occupation of ploughing sustains the whole town |
| Padupadum koottaththukku subbaiah | For the hard-working folks, oh Subbaiah |
| Vaattamellaam theeruvathu eppaiyyaa | When will all their suffering come to an end? |
| Pachcha nelly aththa maga polae ingu aaduthu | The green paddy sways here like an aunt's daughter |
| Naaththu vachcha namma vittu yaarukko poguthu | The saplings we planted leave us and go to someone else |
| Oththaiyadi paadhaiyithu pottavan kaanala | This is a narrow single-track path, the one who laid it is nowhere to be seen |
| Pottavanum pottathukku peru vaichchu pogala | And the one who laid it did not leave his name behind |
| Male | |
| …………… | |
| Male | |
| Vellarikkaa kaattukkullae kulla nari oduthu haan | A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan |
| Kullanariya paaththuputtaa yogam vanthu seruthu haan | If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan |
| Male | |
| …………… | |
.........................
வெள்ளரிக்கா காட்டுக்குள்ளே குள்ள நரி ஓடுது ஹான்
குள்ளநரிய பாத்துப்புட்டா யோகம் வந்து சேருது ஹான்
வெள்ளரிக்கா காட்டுக்குள்ளே குள்ள நரி ஓடுது ஹான்
குள்ளநரிய பாத்துப்புட்டா யோகம் வந்து சேருது ஹான்
A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan
If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan
A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan
If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan
.......................
ஆறுந்தான் ஓடுது நானுந்தான் ஓடுறேன்
காலமெல்லாம் என் பயணம் நிக்காது
காட்டு முள்ளும் காலுலதான் தைக்காது
ஒத்தையடி பாதையிது போட்டவன காணல
போட்டவனும் போட்டதுக்கு பேரு வைச்சு போகல
The river flows, and I keep running too
My journey will not stop for a lifetime
Even wild thorns won't pierce my feet
This is a narrow single-track path, the one who laid it is nowhere to be seen
And the one who laid it did not leave his name behind
...........................
வெள்ளரிக்கா காட்டுக்குள்ளே குள்ள நரி ஓடுது ஹான்
குள்ளநரிய பாத்துப்புட்டா யோகம் வந்து சேருது ஹான்
A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan
If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan
...................................
சூரியனும்தான் சிலநாள் நேரம் தவறும்
எப்போதும் எந்நேரம் தப்பாது ராமைய்யா
காலமும் மானமும் போனா வராது
ஒத்தையடி பாதையிது போட்டவன காணல
போட்டவனும் போட்டதுக்கு பேரு வைச்சு போகல
Even the sun might miss its time on some days
My time will never fail, oh Ramaiya
Once lost, time and honor will never come back
This is a narrow single-track path, the one who laid it is nowhere to be seen
And the one who laid it did not leave his name behind
...........................
வெள்ளரிக்கா காட்டுக்குள்ளே குள்ள நரி ஓடுது ஹான்
குள்ளநரிய பாத்துப்புட்டா யோகம் வந்து சேருது ஹான்
A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan
If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan
ஏரோட்டும் தோளிது ஊரெல்லாம் தாங்குது
பாடுபடும் கூட்டத்துக்கு சுப்பைய்யா
வாட்டமெல்லாம் தீருவது எப்பய்யா
பச்ச நெல்லு அத்த மக போலே இங்கு ஆடுது
நாத்து வச்ச நம்ம விட்டு யாருக்கோ போகுது
ஒத்தையடி பாதையிது போட்டவன காணல
போட்டவனும் போட்டதுக்கு பேரு வைச்சு போகல
The occupation of ploughing sustains the whole town
For the hard-working folks, oh Subbaiah
When will all their suffering come to an end?
The green paddy sways here like an aunt's daughter
The saplings we planted leave us and go to someone else
This is a narrow single-track path, the one who laid it is nowhere to be seen
And the one who laid it did not leave his name behind
...........................
வெள்ளரிக்கா காட்டுக்குள்ளே குள்ள நரி ஓடுது ஹான்
குள்ளநரிய பாத்துப்புட்டா யோகம் வந்து சேருது ஹான்
A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan
If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan
...........................
……………
Vellarikkaa kaattukkullae kulla nari oduthu haan
A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan
Kullanariya paaththuputtaa yogam vanthu seruthu haan
If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan
Vellarikkaa kaattukkullae kulla nari oduthu haan
A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan
Kullanariya paaththuputtaa yogam vanthu seruthu haan
If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan
……………..
Aarumthaan oduthu naanunthaan oduraen
The river flows, and I keep running too
Kaalamellaam en payanam nikkaathu
My journey will not stop for a lifetime
Kaattu mullum kaalulathaan thaikkaathu
Even wild thorns won't pierce my feet
Oththaiyadi paadhaiyithu pottavan kaanala
This is a narrow single-track path, the one who laid it is nowhere to be seen
Pottavanum pottathukku peru vaichchu pogala
And the one who laid it did not leave his name behind
……………
Vellarikkaa kaattukkullae kulla nari oduthu haan
A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan
Kullanariya paaththuputtaa yogam vanthu seruthu haan
If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan
……………..
Sooriyanumthaan silanaal neram thavarum
Even the sun might miss its time on some days
Eppothum enneram thappaathu ramaiyyaa
My time will never fail, oh Ramaiya
Kaalamum maanamum pona varaathu
Once lost, time and honor will never come back
Oththaiyadi paadhaiyithu pottavan kaanala
This is a narrow single-track path, the one who laid it is nowhere to be seen
Pottavanum pottathukku peru vaichchu pogala
And the one who laid it did not leave his name behind
……………
Vellarikkaa kaattukkullae kulla nari oduthu haan
A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan
Kullanariya paaththuputtaa yogam vanthu seruthu haan
If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan
Yaerotttum tholithu oorellaam thaanguthu
The occupation of ploughing sustains the whole town
Padupadum koottaththukku subbaiah
For the hard-working folks, oh Subbaiah
Vaattamellaam theeruvathu eppaiyyaa
When will all their suffering come to an end?
Pachcha nelly aththa maga polae ingu aaduthu
The green paddy sways here like an aunt's daughter
Naaththu vachcha namma vittu yaarukko poguthu
The saplings we planted leave us and go to someone else
Oththaiyadi paadhaiyithu pottavan kaanala
This is a narrow single-track path, the one who laid it is nowhere to be seen
Pottavanum pottathukku peru vaichchu pogala
And the one who laid it did not leave his name behind
……………
Vellarikkaa kaattukkullae kulla nari oduthu haan
A jackal runs inside the cucumber field, haan
Kullanariya paaththuputtaa yogam vanthu seruthu haan
If you catch sight of the jackal, good fortune will come your way, haan
……………
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic rustic Tamil song blends rural folk beliefs with deep philosophical musings on human life, labor, and destiny. The recurring refrain mentions a popular village superstition that spotting a jackal in a cucumber field brings good luck. Around this lighthearted folk motif, the protagonist reflects on his relentless journey through life, comparing himself to a flowing river that never stops moving.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai)
“Pachcha nelly aththa maga polae ingu aaduthu”
Comparing the swaying green paddy fields to a graceful cousin (aththa maga).
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Oththaiyadi paadhaiyithu pottavan kaanala”
Using the 'Oththaiyadi paadhai' (single-track path) as a metaphor for the unsung path of life paved by ancestors whose names are forgotten.
Monoreyme / Emonai (Rhyme)
“Vaattamellaam theeruvathu eppaiyyaa”
Use of end rhymes like 'kaattu mullum' / 'nikkaathu' / 'thaikkaathu' and 'ramaiyyaa' / 'subbaiah' / 'eppaiyyaa' characteristic of Tamil folk poetry.
Did you know?
Trivia
Sung with energetic folk vigor by Malaysia Vasudevan, this track stands out in 1980s Tamil cinema for its authentic rural orchestration composed by the composer duo Shankar-Ganesh and evocative rustic lyrics by Gangai Amaran.
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