Thread by @SadaaShree

#NaatuNaatu is a song that celebrates Rural Telangana life. Chandra Bose who wrote the song, comes from a small village in erstwhile Warangal district, he incorporated his growing up experiences in the song.

For starters Naatu does not mean "Dance" as seen in some translations, basically it's a Telugu word for raw, rustic, rural. The Telugu used in the song is a more rustic version, different from the more Sanskritized version.

We generally use Naatu for anything raw or rustic. Like we have Naatu Kodi for country chicken, as opposed to the regular boiler chicken, and Naatu Saara for country liquor.

Let's look at the lyrics
Polam Gattu Dummalona Potlagitha Dukkinattu.
-Like a Bull jumping into the fields.

Potlagitta is the more colloquial term used for Bulls in rural areas or more specifically Bulls used in fights.

Polaremma Jaataralo Potaraju Ooginattu.
- Polaremma Jaatara is widely celebrated in Rural Telangana, and Pothuraju is believed to be the Ammavari's brother who dances in a trance.

There is a nice thread here by @Smtank2 explaining about Poleramma Jaatara and Potharaju

https://twitter.com/Smtank2/status/1635308207014055937

Kirru Seppu lesukoni Karrasamu Sessinattu.
- Kirru Seppu are wooden shoes, basically a more rustic version of Karra Cheppulu.
Reference here is to Karrasamu, a type of dance twirling sticks(Karra) in rural AP,TG wearing wooden slippers.

This Karrasamu, or martial form of dance, twirling bamboo sticks is also there in rural Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, though am not sure what is the term they use there.

Marrisetu Needa lona Kurragumpu Kudinattu-
Youngsters gathering in shade of a banyan tree.
Marrisetu is Banyan Tree, again more colloquial version of Marri Chettu.
Kurragumpu, is basically group(Gumpu) of youngsters(Kurra).

Erra Jonna Rottelona Mirapa thokku kalipinattu-
Reference here is to Jonna Rotte(Jowar Roti) with Chilli powder(Mirapa Thokku) staple meal of most in rural Telangana, Rayalaseema, and even in North Karnataka too.

Veera Natu, Voora Natu- More a hyperbole of Naatu term.
Generally most Telugu movie fans use this Voora Mass to refer to any movie scene, with action, or fiery dialogues.

Pachi Mirapa laaga Pichi Naatu
Pachi Mirapa is raw Chilli here.
Vichu Katthilaga Veeri Naatu
Vichu Kaathi is the curved knife mostly used in rural areas here.

Gundaladiri poyelaga dandanakara moginattu.
- Dandanakara is the loud beating of drums that you see in festivals, celebrations.
Beat the drums so hard, that makes the heart beat faster.

Again if you been to a rural Jatara or even the Bonalu celebrations in Hyderabad, the drum beats are at another level there, fast, rythmic and booming.

Sevulu sillu padelaga keesupitta koosinattu
- Shrill voice of a bird that can ring in your ears.
Sevulu is the more rustic version of Chevulu, again Pitta is what we use more commonly for bird compared to Pakshi

Yelu sitikesala Yavvaram saaginatu
Yavvaram here is a word we generally use for affair, more for the rural areas.
Basically here it means have an affair, making one snap their fingers(Yelu).

Kaalu sindu Tokkela, Dummaram Reginattu
- Dummaram generally means the dust storm
So again this is more like kick up a storm beating your legs( Kaalu) furiously.

Vollu chemata pattela veerangam sesinnatu
- Veerangam here is the dance performed by Shiva devotees during Mahashivaratri, a very energetic dance.
So again dance in such a way, that your body(Vollu) is soaked in sweat(Chemata).

Pacchi Gaddapara laaga chedda Naatu- Gaddapara is the spades, crowbars used in rural areas for digging the fields.
Okapotha laaga tikka Naatu- Okapotha is the sweating effect you feel.

Bhoomi daddarila, Vontilona Ragathamantha
- Dance so fast that boils the blood, and shakes the earth.
Again Ragatham is the more rustic version of Raktham, for blood.

#NaatuNaatu is not some gibberish, every word in the song reflects life in rural Telangana, the sights and sounds there.
Gibberish is what you find in songs that just keep mixing up words and languages without any meaning.

#NaatuNaatu is not noise, that is how celebrations are in any rural Jatara. It is a song that is a celebration of rural Telangana life, right from the lyrics to the energetic beats. It's a song that goes right down to the roots.

I had seen too many just dismissing #NaatuNaatu as some nonsense loud gibberish, without even attempting to understand it. This thread was to show the meanings and references in the song.