(Translation on request for AN & HJ)
Kannass and Kadalass (Can and Paper) are two homeless nomads. They pick trash to find empty cans and trash paper which they sell to make money and hence their earned name. During the night, they stay at the yard of an empathetic lady’s house who has young daughters who they liked and hoped to marry one day. One day, one of the daughters steal a bag from the house she works as a maid and the lady becomes distraught at the thought of police arresting her. Kannass and Kadalass, in wanting to show heroics to win the hearts of the young women, owns up to doing the crime to the police and gets 6 months jail time. When they return, they expect a grand welcome but in turn finds that the daughters are married off. The mother invites them to have a feast because they missed the wedding, but the daughters call their mom aside to tell her not to associate with them anymore at the behest of their respective husbands. Kannass and Kadalass overhear this and leave the house without having the feast laid out for them. They understand their standing in the world and the fact that no one truly cares for them. A song about how someone feels they are a burden to the earth from the movie Kabooliwala.
To listen to the song, click play:
Paalnilaavinum oru nombaram
Paathira kili enthinu ee maunam?
[Even the milky moonbeam has a pain
Hey night bird, why are you silent?]
Sagaram manassil undengilum
karayuvaan njangalil kannuneer illa
[Even though there is an ocean (of pain) in the heart
there are no tears in us to weep]
Manninu marangal bhaaram, marathil chillakal bhaaram
chillayil koodoru bhaaram, koodu ozhinja pakshikal
[The trees are a burden to the earth, the branches a burden to the tree
the nest a burden to the branches, the birds who left the nest]
Pakshikku chiraku bhaaram, chirakil thoovalum bhaaram
Thoovalo kaattinum bhaaram, Kaatil aadum kolangal
[The wings are burden to the bird, the feathers a burden to the wings
the feathers are a burden to the breeze too, just some figures who dance in the breeze]
Paalnilaavinum oru nombaram
[Even the milky moonbeam has a pain]
Maanam neele thaarangal, chimmi chimmi katthumbol
iruttile themmaadi koottil thudikkum ee thappu thaalangal
[All across the sky, when the stars flame and sparkle
in this wretched nest in darkness, these claps and beats pound]
Manninu marangal bhaaram, marathil chillakal bhaaram
chillayil koodu oru bhaaram, koodu ozhinja pakshikal
[The trees are a burden to the earth, the branches a burden to the tree
the nest a burden to the branches, the birds who left the nest]
Pakshikku chiraku bhaaram, chirakil thoovalum bhaaram
Thoovalo kaattinum bhaaram, Kaatil aadum kolangal
[The wings are burden to the bird, the feathers a burden to the wings
the feathers are a burden to the breeze too, just some figures who dance in the breeze]
Paalnilaavinum oru nombaram
Paathira kili enthinu ee maunam?
[Even the milky moonbeam has a pain
Hey night bird, why are you silent?]
Sagaram manassil undengilum
karayuvaan njangalil kannuneer illa
[Even though there is an ocean (of pain) in the heart
there are no tears in us to weep]
Vinnin kaneer meghangal, mannin kanneer dhaahangal
orikkallum peyya mohangal, nanakkummo nenjin theerangal?
[The tear/rain clouds of the sky, the thirst for tears by the earth
those desires that never shower down, will they ever wet the shores of hearts?]
Manninu marangal bhaaram, marathil chillakal bhaaram
chillayil koodoru bhaaram, koodu ozhinja pakshikal
[The trees are a burden to the earth, the branches a burden to the tree
the nest a burden to the branches, the birds who left the nest]
Pakshikku chiraku bhaaram, chirakil thoovalum bhaaram
Thoovalo kaattinum bhaaram, Kaatil aadum kolangal
[The wings are burden to the bird, the feathers a burden to the wings
the feathers are a burden to the breeze too, just some figures who dance in the breeze]
Paalnilaavinum oru nombaram
Paathira kili enthinu ee maunam?
[Even the milky moonbeam has a pain
Hey night bird, why are you silent?]
Sagaram manassil undengilum
karayuvaan njangalil kannuneer illa
[Even though there is an ocean (of pain) in the heart
there are no tears in us to weep]
Manninu marangal bhaaram, marathil chillakal bhaaram
chillayil koodoru bhaaram, koodu ozhinja pakshikal
[The trees are a burden to the earth, the branches a burden to the tree
the nest a burden to the branches, the birds who left the nest]
Pakshikku chiraku bhaaram, chirakil thoovalum bhaaram
Thoovalo kaattinum bhaaram, Kaatil aadum kolangal
[The wings are burden to the bird, the feathers a burden to the wings
the feathers are a burden to the breeze too, just some figures who dance in the breeze]
+Image copyright to the original uploader.