- Lyricist
- Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
- Singers
- C. S. Jayaraman, Padmini
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Thanga Padhumai
- Movie release year
- 1959
- Lyrics added on
- 1 Jul 2025
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Athaan neengal kolaikaranaa?
Kotravanai kondreergalaa?
Koorungal athaan koorungal
Eedattra pathiniyin inbathai
Kondravan naan
Aval Idhayathil kondhalitha
Ennangalai kondravan naan
Vaazha thagunthavalai
Vaazhaamal vaithu vittu
Paazhum parathaiyinaal panbuthanai
Kondravan naan
Andha kolaigalukkae aalaaga irundhu vitten
Ini endha kolai seidhaalum
Ennadi en gyaana pennae
Ennadi en gyaana pennae
Ennadi en gyaana pennae
Aarambam aavadhu pennukullae
Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae
Manidhan aarambam aavadhu pennukullae
Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae
Aaraaindhu paar mana kannukkullae
Aathirang kolladhae nenjukkullae
Aaraaindhu paar mana kannukkullae
Aathirang kolladhae nenjukkullae
Aarambam aavadhu
Manidhan aarambam aavadhu pennukullae
Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae
Athaan athaan ungal meedhu kodum pazhi
Vandhirukkiradhae athaan en meedhu unmaiyaagha
Anbirundhaal anjaamal unmaiyai sollungal
Yaarukkum anjaamal unmaiyai sollungal
Anbai keduthu nal aasaiyai kondravan
Anji nadappena gyaana pennae
Anbai keduthu nal aasaiyai kondravan
Anji nadappena gyaana pennae
Thunbathai katti sumakka thunindhavan
Sonnalum kaetpaanoo gyaana pennae
Sonnalum kaetpaanoo gyaana pennae
Aarambam aavadhu
Manidhan aarambam aavadhu pennukullae
Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae
Athaan unmaiyai koora mudiyathapadi
Avvalavu thavaru enna seidhu vitteergal?
Thavarukkum thavaraana thavarai purindhu vittu
Thanipattu ponavan gyaana pennae..ye
Thavarukkum thavaraana thavarai purindhu vittu
Thanipattu ponavan gyaana pennae..
Thanipattu ponavan gyaana pennae..
Padhari padhari nindru ..kadhari kadhari pulambinaalum
Payanpattu varuvaanoo gyaana pennae..
Payanpattu varuvaanoo gyaana pennae..
Aarambam aavadhu
Manidhan aarambam aavadhu pennukullae
Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae
Aaraaindhu paar mana kannukkullae
Aathirang kolladhae nenjukkullae
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…
Athaan …athaan
Idhu enn athaan …idhu enna…
Ungal kangal engae athaan
Ungal kangal engae athaan
Ungal kangal engae
Athaan
Koduthavanae
Parithu kondaanadi
Maanae valarthavanae veruthu vittandi
Kannai koduthavanae
Parithu kondaanadi
Maanae valarthavanae veruthu vittandi
Poruthamaana thunai irundhum
Pongi varum azhagirundhum
Pona pakkam poga vitten paarvaiyai
Avan poruthirundhae
Purindhu kondaan velaiyai
Poruthamaana thunai irundhum
Pongi varum azhagirundhum
Pona pakkam poga vitten paarvaiyai
Avan poruthirundhae
Purindhu kondaan velaiyai
Kannai koduthavanae
Parithu kondaanadi
Maanae valarthavanae veruthu vittandi
Karunaiyae vadivamaana deivama
Ungal kangalai parithu kondathu
Edhiri vandhu kedukkavillai
Idhayam idam kodukkavillai
Edhiri vandhu kedukkavillai
Idhayam idam kodukkavillai
Engirundho yevi vittaan kiliyai
Adhu en thalaiyil pottadhadi pazhiyai
Kannai koduthavanae
Parithu kondaanadi
Maanae valarthavanae veruthu vittandi
Needhi nilaipera en
Nettriyil kungumam thigazha
Unmaiyai koorungal
Ungal manaivi ketkkiraal
En manjalum kungumamum
Ketkkiradhu athaan
Singaaram kettu siraipatta paavikku
Samsaaram yedhukkadi thangam samsaaram yedhukkadi
Singaaram kettu siraipatta paavikku
Samsaaram yedhukkadi thangam samsaaram yedhukkadi
Singaaram kettu siraipatta paavikku
Samsaaram yedhukkadi thangam samsaaram yedhukkadi
Mainiviyai kuzhandhaiyai marandhu thirindhavanai
Vaazhthuvadhu aagathadhadi
Mainiviyai kuzhandhaiyai marandhu thirindhavanai
Vaazhthuvadhu aagathadhadi mannikka koodathadi
Singaaram kettu siraipatta paavikku
Samsaaram yedhukkadi thangam samsaaram yedhukkadi
Aththan, are you a murderer?
Did you kill the king?
Tell me, Aththan, tell me!
The happiness of a devoted, matchless wife—
I am the one who murdered it.
The surging dreams in her heart—
I am the one who murdered them.
A woman worthy of a good life,
I neglected and left in sorrow,
and through a vile temptress, my own virtues—
I am the one who murdered them.
Having committed such murders already,
whatever killing I am accused of now,
what does it matter, my wise girl?
What does it matter, my wise girl?
What does it matter, my wise girl?
A man's life begins inside a woman,
and all his earthly dance ends beneath the soil.
A man's life begins inside a woman,
and all his earthly dance ends beneath the soil.
Look deeply with the eye of your mind,
do not let anger fill your heart.
Look deeply with the eye of your mind,
do not let anger fill your heart.
A life begins...
A man's life begins inside a woman,
and all his earthly dance ends beneath the soil.
Aththan, Aththan, such a terrible accusation
has fallen on you! Aththan, if you truly love me,
speak the truth without any fear.
Fearing no one, tell the truth!
Having ruined love and crushed pure desires,
would I walk in fear now, my wise girl?
Having ruined love and crushed pure desires,
would I walk in fear now, my wise girl?
A man resolved to carry his own sorrow,
will he listen even if told, my wise girl?
Will he listen even if told, my wise girl?
A life begins...
A man's life begins inside a woman,
and all his earthly dance ends beneath the soil.
Aththan, what terrible wrong did you commit
that keeps you from speaking the truth?
Having committed a wrong worse than any wrong,
I am cast aside and left all alone, my wise girl...
Having committed a wrong worse than any wrong,
I am cast aside and left all alone, my wise girl...
I am cast aside and left all alone, my wise girl...
Even if you tremble and wail in sorrow,
can this broken man ever be of any use, my wise girl?
Can this broken man ever be of any use, my wise girl?
A life begins...
A man's life begins inside a woman,
and all his earthly dance ends beneath the soil.
Look deeply with the eye of your mind,
do not let anger fill your heart.
Aaaah...
Aththan... Aththan...
This is my Aththan... but what is this?
Where are your eyes, Aththan?
Where are your eyes, Aththan?
Where are your eyes,
Aththan?
The one who gave them
has snatched them away,
my gentle doe, the one who raised me now despises me!
The one who gave these eyes
has snatched them away,
my gentle doe, the one who raised me now despises me!
Though I had a faithful, perfect wife,
and beauty overflowing,
I let my wandering eyes stray wherever they pleased.
He waited patiently,
and struck his blow.
Though I had a faithful, perfect wife,
and beauty overflowing,
I let my wandering eyes stray wherever they pleased.
He waited patiently,
and struck his blow.
The one who gave these eyes
has snatched them away,
my gentle doe, the one who raised me now despises me!
Was it God, the very form of mercy,
who snatched your eyes away?
No enemy came to ruin me,
my own heart gave in to foolish desire.
No enemy came to ruin me,
my own heart gave in to foolish desire.
From somewhere, he sent a temptress,
and she dumped the whole blame upon my head!
The one who gave these eyes
has snatched them away,
my gentle doe, the one who raised me now despises me!
So justice may prevail,
and the sacred kumkum mark on my forehead may stay bright,
tell the truth!
Your wife is asking you,
the symbols of my married life
are pleading with you, Aththan!
For a ruined sinner locked up in prison,
why does he need a family, my treasure? Why a family?
For a ruined sinner locked up in prison,
why does he need a family, my treasure? Why a family?
For a ruined sinner locked up in prison,
why does he need a family, my treasure? Why a family?
A man who strayed, forgetting his wife and child,
must never be blessed!
A man who strayed, forgetting his wife and child,
must never be blessed, nor should he ever be forgiven!
For a ruined sinner locked up in prison,
why does he need a family, my treasure? Why a family?
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant musical dialogue from Thanga Padhumai captures a tragic confrontation between a guilt-ridden husband (played by Sivaji Ganesan, voiced/sung by C. S. Jayaraman) and his devoted wife (played by Padmini). The husband laments how his moral straying and infatuation with a courtesan destroyed his wife's happiness and ruined his character. He views his physical blindness and imprisonment as divine punishment for straying from his righteous path and abandoning his marital duties.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Aarambam aavadhu pennukullae / Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae”
Life and birth are portrayed as beginning in a woman and ending in the soil ('aarambam aavadhu pennukullae... adanguvadhu mannukkullae').
Emoni / Monai (Alliteration)
“Aaraaindhu paar mana kannukkullae / Aathirang kolladhae nenjukkullae”
Repetition of initial phonetic sounds across lines ('Aarambam', 'Aadi', 'Aaraaindhu', 'Aathirang').
Rhyme (Edhugai)
“Poruthamaana thunai irundhum / Pongi varum azhagirundhum”
Second letter rhyming in Tamil poetic structure ('Kannai' and 'Parithu' / 'Poruthamaana' and 'Pongi').
Did you know?
Trivia
This track is one of the classic philosophical dialogues set to song written by revolutionary poet Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram. Delivered in C. S. Jayaraman's uniquely expressive voice, the song highlights the moral ethos prevalent in classic 1950s Tamil cinema.
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