Classic. It’s based on a local custom according to which, when the man of the house dies, the relatives can only come till the entrance of the house, the wife can only come till the end of the street and only sons are allowed till the grave. It’s also mentioned in a Siddha poem.
Aadiya aattam enna
paesiya vaarthai enna
Thediya selvam enna
Thirandodhor sutram enna
Koodu vittu aavi ponal
Koodave varuvadhenna?
[Aattam literally means dance, or shaking. It also means the dance of the ego/arrogance which makes people do the things they do when money and power g to their heads. Much like how a spinning top is in motion only till the energy is exhausted.]
What (are all the) dance(s) we danced
What are all (the words) we said
What (are all the different types of) wealth we accumulated
How many in the name of relatives came looking for and surrounded us
But when the soul leaves the body
What comes along?
Veedu varai uravu
Veedhi varai manaivi
Kaadu varai pillai
Kadaisi varaai yaaro?
Till the house, the relatives
Till the street end, the wife
Till the grave, the son
Till the end, who?
Aadum varai aattam
Aayirathil naattam
Koodi varum kootum
Kolli varai varuma?
[Again, ‘aattam’ here, same meaning]
We dance (our egoistic dance) till we can (are exhausted),
With our mind chasing a thousand things
The crowd that seeks and surrounds us (when we have everything)
Will it come till the grave?
Thotilukku annai
Kattilukku kanni
Pattinukku theeni
Ketta pinbu gnani
For the cradle, mother
For the bed, woman
For hunger, food
After everything’s ruined, wisdom
(Poet says gnani meaning wise man, but wisdom sounds better here)
Sendravanai kettal
vandhu vidu enban
Vandhavani kettal
Sendru vidu enban
Sendru vids unban
Ask the departed
He will say come with me
Ask the newborn
He will say go back
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