Aandavaney Survey Pottu
From Themmangu Paattukaaran · 1997
- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singer
- Mano
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Themmangu Paattukaaran1997
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Aandavanae survey pottu | Did God survey |
| Alandhu vittaana | and measure out the land? |
| Illa avan avanae nelathai ellam | Or did he himself grab |
| Amukki kittaana | and hoard all the land? |
| Male | |
| Aandavanae survey pottu | Did God survey |
| Alandhu vittaana | and measure out the land? |
| Illa avan avanae nelathai ellam | Or did he himself grab |
| Amukki kittaana | and hoard all the land? |
| Male | |
| Namma ooru pannaiyaarukku | For our village landlord, |
| Nanjai punjai yeralamaa | there is an abundance of fertile wetland and dryland, |
| Kaaveri paasanathil kannukettum | Under Kaveri irrigation, as far as |
| Dhooram varai | the eye can see. |
| Male | |
| Aandavanae | Oh God... |
| Andha aandavanae survey pottu | Did that God survey |
| Alandhu vittaana | and measure out the land? |
| Illa avan avanae nelathai ellam | Or did he himself grab |
| Amukki kittaana | and hoard all the land? |
| Male | |
| Kooligalai korachu korachu | By constantly slashing wages, |
| Kodi soththu serkavum | to hoard wealth worth crores, |
| Ezhaigalai yechu yechu | By constantly cheating the poor, |
| Maadi veedu vangavum | to buy multi-story mansions, |
| Male | |
| Thangam velli vairangalum | Gold, silver, and diamonds, |
| Muthu mani pavalangalum | Pearls, gems, and corals, |
| Ungalukku paramparaiya | Did all these come to you traditionally, |
| Vandhadhenna thalamuraiya | generation after generation? |
| Male | |
| Ellaarum kadavul peththa | Everyone is a precious child |
| Kannaana pillainga thaan | born to God, |
| Engalai thaan vittu puttu | Yet leaving us behind, |
| Thedi paarthu ungalukku | did God seek you out specifically, |
| Male | |
| Aandavanae | Oh God... |
| Andha aandavanae survey pottu | Did that God survey |
| Alandhu vittaana | and measure out the land? |
| Illa avan avanae nelathai ellam | Or did he himself grab |
| Amukki kittaana | and hoard all the land? |
| Male | |
| Paadupatta vivasaaiyikku | For the hardworking farmer, |
| Pattaapotta nelamum illa | there is no titled land to his name. |
| Paattu neiyum nesavaalikku | For the weaver weaving silk, |
| Mela nalla thuniyum illa | there is no good cloth on his body. |
| Male | |
| Veedu kattum kothanaaru | The mason who builds houses |
| Veedu yedhum vangavilla | has bought no home for himself. |
| Koodi nirkkum paattaalikku | For the united working populace, |
| Koozhukkoru vazhiyum illa | there is no way even to get porridge. |
| Male | |
| Oorengum panjam vantha | When famine hits the entire village, |
| Ungalukku varuvathilla | it never touches you. |
| Ennaiya thalai ezhuthu | What kind of destiny is this, |
| Engalukku puriyavilla | we simply cannot comprehend. |
| Male | |
| Aandavanae | Oh God... |
| Andha aandavanae survey pottu | Did that God survey |
| Alandhu vittaana | and measure out the land? |
| Illa avan avanae nelathai ellam | Or did he himself grab |
| Amukki kittaana | and hoard all the land? |
| Male | |
| Namma ooru pannaiyaarukku | For our village landlord, |
| Nanjai punjai yeralamaa | there is an abundance of fertile wetland and dryland, |
| Kaaveri paasanathil kannukettum | Under Kaveri irrigation, as far as |
| Dhooram varai | the eye can see. |
| Male | |
| Aandavanae survey pottu | Did God survey |
| Alandhu vittaana | and measure out the land? |
| Illa avan avanae nelathai ellam | Or did he himself grab |
| Amukki kittaana | and hoard all the land? |
ஆண்டவனே சர்வே போட்டு
அளந்து விட்டானா
இல்ல அவனவனே நெலத்தை எல்லாம்
அமுக்கிகிட்டானா
Did God survey
and measure out the land?
Or did he himself grab
and hoard all the land?
ஆண்டவனே சர்வே போட்டு
அளந்து விட்டானா
இல்ல அவனவனே நெலத்தை எல்லாம்
அமுக்கிகிட்டானா
Did God survey
and measure out the land?
Or did he himself grab
and hoard all the land?
நம்ம ஊரு பண்ணையாருக்கு
நஞ்சை புஞ்சை ஏராளமா
காவேரி பாசனத்தில் கண்ணுகெட்டும்
தூரம் வரை
For our village landlord,
there is an abundance of fertile wetland and dryland,
Under Kaveri irrigation, as far as
the eye can see.
ஆண்டவனே
அந்த ஆண்டவனே சர்வே போட்டு
அளந்து விட்டானா
இல்ல அவனவனே நெலத்தை எல்லாம்
அமுக்கிகிட்டானா
Oh God...
Did that God survey
and measure out the land?
Or did he himself grab
and hoard all the land?
கூலிகளை கொறைச்சு கொறைச்சு
கோடி சொத்து சேர்க்கவும்
ஏழைகளை ஏச்சு ஏச்சு
மாடிவீடு வாங்கவும்
By constantly slashing wages,
to hoard wealth worth crores,
By constantly cheating the poor,
to buy multi-story mansions,
தங்கம் வெள்ளி வைரங்களும்
முத்துமணி பவளங்களும்
உங்களுக்கு பரம்பரையா
வந்ததென்ன தலைமுறையா
Gold, silver, and diamonds,
Pearls, gems, and corals,
Did all these come to you traditionally,
generation after generation?
எல்லாரும் கடவுள் பெத்த
கண்ணான பிள்ளைங்கதான்
எங்களைத்தான் விட்டுபுட்டு
தேடி பார்த்து உங்களுக்கு
Everyone is a precious child
born to God,
Yet leaving us behind,
did God seek you out specifically,
ஆண்டவனே
அந்த ஆண்டவனே சர்வே போட்டு
அளந்து விட்டானா
இல்ல அவனவனே நெலத்தை எல்லாம்
அமுக்கிகிட்டானா
Oh God...
Did that God survey
and measure out the land?
Or did he himself grab
and hoard all the land?
பாடுபட்ட விவசாயிக்கு
பட்டாபோட்ட நிலமும் இல்ல
பட்டு நெய்யும் நெசவாளிக்கு
மேல நல்ல துணியும் இல்ல
For the hardworking farmer,
there is no titled land to his name.
For the weaver weaving silk,
there is no good cloth on his body.
வீடு கட்டு கொத்தனாரு
வீடு ஏதும் வாங்கவில்லை
கூடி நிற்கும் பாட்டாளிக்கு
கூழுக்கொரு வழியும் இல்ல
The mason who builds houses
has bought no home for himself.
For the united working populace,
there is no way even to get porridge.
ஊரெங்கும் பஞ்சம் வந்தா
உங்களுக்கு வருவதில்லை
என்னய்யா தலை எழுத்து
எங்களுக்கு புரியவில்லை
When famine hits the entire village,
it never touches you.
What kind of destiny is this,
we simply cannot comprehend.
ஆண்டவனே
அந்த ஆண்டவனே சர்வே போட்டு
அளந்து விட்டானா
இல்ல அவனவனே நெலத்தை எல்லாம்
அமுக்கிகிட்டானா
Oh God...
Did that God survey
and measure out the land?
Or did he himself grab
and hoard all the land?
நம்ம ஊரு பண்ணையாருக்கு
நஞ்சை புஞ்சை ஏராளமா
காவேரி பாசனத்தில் கண்ணுகெட்டும்
தூரம் வரை
For our village landlord,
there is an abundance of fertile wetland and dryland,
Under Kaveri irrigation, as far as
the eye can see.
ஆண்டவனே சர்வே போட்டு
அளந்து விட்டானா
இல்ல அவனவனே நெலத்தை எல்லாம்
அமுக்கிகிட்டானா
Did God survey
and measure out the land?
Or did he himself grab
and hoard all the land?
Aandavanae survey pottu
Did God survey
Alandhu vittaana
and measure out the land?
Illa avan avanae nelathai ellam
Or did he himself grab
Amukki kittaana
and hoard all the land?
Aandavanae survey pottu
Did God survey
Alandhu vittaana
and measure out the land?
Illa avan avanae nelathai ellam
Or did he himself grab
Amukki kittaana
and hoard all the land?
Namma ooru pannaiyaarukku
For our village landlord,
Nanjai punjai yeralamaa
there is an abundance of fertile wetland and dryland,
Kaaveri paasanathil kannukettum
Under Kaveri irrigation, as far as
Dhooram varai
the eye can see.
Aandavanae
Oh God...
Andha aandavanae survey pottu
Did that God survey
Alandhu vittaana
and measure out the land?
Illa avan avanae nelathai ellam
Or did he himself grab
Amukki kittaana
and hoard all the land?
Kooligalai korachu korachu
By constantly slashing wages,
Kodi soththu serkavum
to hoard wealth worth crores,
Ezhaigalai yechu yechu
By constantly cheating the poor,
Maadi veedu vangavum
to buy multi-story mansions,
Thangam velli vairangalum
Gold, silver, and diamonds,
Muthu mani pavalangalum
Pearls, gems, and corals,
Ungalukku paramparaiya
Did all these come to you traditionally,
Vandhadhenna thalamuraiya
generation after generation?
Ellaarum kadavul peththa
Everyone is a precious child
Kannaana pillainga thaan
born to God,
Engalai thaan vittu puttu
Yet leaving us behind,
Thedi paarthu ungalukku
did God seek you out specifically,
Aandavanae
Oh God...
Andha aandavanae survey pottu
Did that God survey
Alandhu vittaana
and measure out the land?
Illa avan avanae nelathai ellam
Or did he himself grab
Amukki kittaana
and hoard all the land?
Paadupatta vivasaaiyikku
For the hardworking farmer,
Pattaapotta nelamum illa
there is no titled land to his name.
Paattu neiyum nesavaalikku
For the weaver weaving silk,
Mela nalla thuniyum illa
there is no good cloth on his body.
Veedu kattum kothanaaru
The mason who builds houses
Veedu yedhum vangavilla
has bought no home for himself.
Koodi nirkkum paattaalikku
For the united working populace,
Koozhukkoru vazhiyum illa
there is no way even to get porridge.
Oorengum panjam vantha
When famine hits the entire village,
Ungalukku varuvathilla
it never touches you.
Ennaiya thalai ezhuthu
What kind of destiny is this,
Engalukku puriyavilla
we simply cannot comprehend.
Aandavanae
Oh God...
Andha aandavanae survey pottu
Did that God survey
Alandhu vittaana
and measure out the land?
Illa avan avanae nelathai ellam
Or did he himself grab
Amukki kittaana
and hoard all the land?
Namma ooru pannaiyaarukku
For our village landlord,
Nanjai punjai yeralamaa
there is an abundance of fertile wetland and dryland,
Kaaveri paasanathil kannukettum
Under Kaveri irrigation, as far as
Dhooram varai
the eye can see.
Aandavanae survey pottu
Did God survey
Alandhu vittaana
and measure out the land?
Illa avan avanae nelathai ellam
Or did he himself grab
Amukki kittaana
and hoard all the land?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a sharp social commentary and philosophical query about wealth inequality and social injustice. It questions whether divine power decreed that rich landlords should own endless acres of fertile land while the actual producers of wealth—farmers, weavers, and masons—suffer in extreme poverty.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question
“Aandavanae survey pottu Alandhu vittaana”
The recurring chorus asks whether God surveyed and distributed land unequally or if human greed caused it.
Irony
“Paattu neiyum nesavaalikku Mela nalla thuniyum illa”
Highlighting the tragic irony of working classes where the weaver lacks clothes, the mason lacks a home, and the farmer lacks land.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Kooligalai korachu korachu / Ezhaigalai yechu yechu”
Tamil poetic rhyme scheme where the second letter of consecutive lines matches (ool / zhai, aadu / atta).
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Gangai Amaran, this song draws upon classic socialist folk tropes in Tamil cinema, reflecting the socio-economic reality of agrarian Tamil Nadu.
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