Yaar Petha Pillai
From Karuththamma · 1994
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- Jayachandran
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Karuththamma1994
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Yaar petha pillaiyinnu | Who gave birth to this child, |
| Oor mulukka pechirukkae | The whole village is talking about. |
| Nee petha pillaiyinnu | That this is the child you gave birth to, |
| Nenju kuli sollalaiyaa | Doesn't the pit of your heart tell you? |
| Nenju kuli sollalaiyaa | Doesn't the pit of your heart tell you? |
| Male | |
| Aan kolantha venuminnu | Wishing for a boy child, |
| Ungaaththaa | Your mother, |
| Arasa maram suththi vanthaa | Circumambulated the peepal tree, |
| Ungaaththaa | Your mother, |
| Male | |
| Pottap pulla venaaminnu | I don't want a girl child, |
| Sonnenae | So I said, |
| Bhoomi yellam suthi vanthu | Wandering around the whole earth, |
| Ninnenae. | I came to a standstill. |
| Male | |
| Pottal kudisaiyila | In a desolate hut, |
| Ponnaa poranthaayadi | You were born as a girl, my child. |
| Senju varum sevai yellam | All the care and duties due to you, |
| Senjathilla en thaayi | I could not perform, my child. |
| Male | |
| Oru aan magan pethirunthaa | If I had given birth to a male child, |
| Ennaikko en polappu | Long ago my life, |
| Thinnaikku vanthirukum | Would have settled on the comfortable porch. |
| Naan petha magalae | Oh daughter born to me! |
| Male | |
| Oru pottachiya pethathanaal | Because I gave birth to a female child, |
| Kai odinja en polappu | My broken-handed life, |
| Kai veessi nikkuthammaa | Stands swinging empty hands, my dear. |
| Naan petha magalae | Oh daughter born to me! |
| Kai veessi nikkuthammaa | Stands swinging empty hands, my dear. |
| Naan petha magalae… | Oh daughter born to me... |
| Mmm…mmm…..mmm…. | Mmm... mmm... mmm... |
| Male | |
| Oru aan magan pethirunthaa | If I had given birth to a male child, |
| Ennaikko en polappu | Long ago my life, |
| Thinnaikku vanthirukum | Would have settled on the comfortable porch. |
| Naan petha magalae | Oh daughter born to me! |
| Male | |
| Oru pottachiya pethathanaal | Because I gave birth to a female child, |
| Kai odinja en polappu | My broken-handed life, |
| Kai veessi nikkuthammaa | Stands swinging empty hands, my dear. |
| Naan petha magalae | Oh daughter born to me! |
| Kai veessi nikkuthammaa | Stands swinging empty hands, my dear. |
| Naan petha magalae… | Oh daughter born to me... |
யாரு பெத்த பிள்ளையின்னு
ஊர் முழுக்க பேச்சிருக்கே
நீ பெத்த பிள்ளையின்னு
நெஞ்சு குழி சொல்லலையா
நெஞ்சு குழி சொல்லலையா
Who gave birth to this child,
The whole village is talking about.
That this is the child you gave birth to,
Doesn't the pit of your heart tell you?
Doesn't the pit of your heart tell you?
ஆண் கொழந்த வேணுமின்னு
உங்காத்தா
அரச மரம் சுத்தி வந்தா
உங்காத்தா
Wishing for a boy child,
Your mother,
Circumambulated the peepal tree,
Your mother,
பொட்டப் புள்ள வேணாமின்னு
சொன்னேனே
பூமி எல்லாம் சுத்தி வந்து
நின்னேனே
I don't want a girl child,
So I said,
Wandering around the whole earth,
I came to a standstill.
பொட்டல் குடிசையில
பொண்ணா பிறந்தாயடி
செஞ்சு வரும் சேவை எல்லாம்
செஞ்சதில்ல என் தாயி
In a desolate hut,
You were born as a girl, my child.
All the care and duties due to you,
I could not perform, my child.
ஒரு ஆண்மகனப் பெத்திருந்தா
என்னைக்கோ என் பொழப்பு
திண்ணைக்கு வந்திருக்கும்
நான் பெத்த மகளே
If I had given birth to a male child,
Long ago my life,
Would have settled on the comfortable porch.
Oh daughter born to me!
ஒரு பொட்டச்சிய பெத்ததனால்
கை ஒடிஞ்ச என் பொழப்பு
கை வீசி நிக்குதம்மா
நான் பெத்த மகளே
கை வீசி நிக்குதம்மா
நான் பெத்த மகளே
ம்ம்ம் ....ம்ம்ம் ....ம்ம்ம் ...
Because I gave birth to a female child,
My broken-handed life,
Stands swinging empty hands, my dear.
Oh daughter born to me!
Stands swinging empty hands, my dear.
Oh daughter born to me...
Mmm... mmm... mmm...
ஒரு ஆண்மகனப் பெத்திருந்தா
என்னைக்கோ என் பொழப்பு
திண்ணைக்கு வந்திருக்கும்
நான் பெத்த மகளே
If I had given birth to a male child,
Long ago my life,
Would have settled on the comfortable porch.
Oh daughter born to me!
ஒரு பொட்டச்சிய பெத்ததனால்
கை ஒடிஞ்ச என் பொழப்பு
கை வீசி நிக்குதம்மா
நான் பெத்த மகளே
கை வீசி நிக்குதம்மா
நான் பெத்த மகளே
Because I gave birth to a female child,
My broken-handed life,
Stands swinging empty hands, my dear.
Oh daughter born to me!
Stands swinging empty hands, my dear.
Oh daughter born to me...
Yaar petha pillaiyinnu
Who gave birth to this child,
Oor mulukka pechirukkae
The whole village is talking about.
Nee petha pillaiyinnu
That this is the child you gave birth to,
Nenju kuli sollalaiyaa
Doesn't the pit of your heart tell you?
Nenju kuli sollalaiyaa
Doesn't the pit of your heart tell you?
Aan kolantha venuminnu
Wishing for a boy child,
Ungaaththaa
Your mother,
Arasa maram suththi vanthaa
Circumambulated the peepal tree,
Ungaaththaa
Your mother,
Pottap pulla venaaminnu
I don't want a girl child,
Sonnenae
So I said,
Bhoomi yellam suthi vanthu
Wandering around the whole earth,
Ninnenae.
I came to a standstill.
Pottal kudisaiyila
In a desolate hut,
Ponnaa poranthaayadi
You were born as a girl, my child.
Senju varum sevai yellam
All the care and duties due to you,
Senjathilla en thaayi
I could not perform, my child.
Oru aan magan pethirunthaa
If I had given birth to a male child,
Ennaikko en polappu
Long ago my life,
Thinnaikku vanthirukum
Would have settled on the comfortable porch.
Naan petha magalae
Oh daughter born to me!
Oru pottachiya pethathanaal
Because I gave birth to a female child,
Kai odinja en polappu
My broken-handed life,
Kai veessi nikkuthammaa
Stands swinging empty hands, my dear.
Naan petha magalae
Oh daughter born to me!
Kai veessi nikkuthammaa
Stands swinging empty hands, my dear.
Naan petha magalae…
Oh daughter born to me...
Mmm…mmm…..mmm….
Mmm... mmm... mmm...
Oru aan magan pethirunthaa
If I had given birth to a male child,
Ennaikko en polappu
Long ago my life,
Thinnaikku vanthirukum
Would have settled on the comfortable porch.
Naan petha magalae
Oh daughter born to me!
Oru pottachiya pethathanaal
Because I gave birth to a female child,
Kai odinja en polappu
My broken-handed life,
Kai veessi nikkuthammaa
Stands swinging empty hands, my dear.
Naan petha magalae
Oh daughter born to me!
Kai veessi nikkuthammaa
Stands swinging empty hands, my dear.
Naan petha magalae…
Oh daughter born to me...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song fragment from 'Karuththamma' portrays the deep-seated emotional anguish, social pressure, and grief surrounding gender inequality and female infanticide in rural Tamil Nadu. The mother laments the harsh social reality where a male child is perceived as a savior who brings stability and economic dignity to the family, while a female child is viewed as a financial burden and societal liability.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Pottal kudisaiyila / Ponnaa poranthaayadi”
The repetition of the initial consonant sound 'P' ('Pottal' and 'Ponnaa') creates a poetic rhythm.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kai odinja en polappu”
Life is metaphorically described as having 'broken hands' (Kai odinja), signifying helplessness and complete economic vulnerability.
Anaphora (Repetition)
“Naan petha magalae”
The phrase 'Naan petha magalae' (Oh daughter born to me) is repeated regularly to emphasize maternal sorrow and emotional despair.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Karuththamma' (1994), directed by Bharathiraja with music composed by A. R. Rahman, was a landmark movie in Tamil cinema that brought national attention to the cruel practice of female infanticide in rural regions. Lyricist Vairamuthu won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics for his work in this film.
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