Ariyamai Irulil Parithaba
From Nadamadum Silagal · 1982
- Lyricist
- K. M. Krishnan
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Nadamadum Silagal1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Ariyaamai irulil parithaapa nilaiyil | In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state, |
| Adamaana porulaagum ivargal | They become mortgaged commodities. |
| Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal | They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter. |
| Male | |
| Ariyaamai irulil parithaapa nilaiyil | In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state, |
| Adamaana porulaagum ivargal | They become mortgaged commodities. |
| Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal | They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter. |
| Male | |
| Padikkaatha vizhigal sirippaana mozhigal | Uneducated eyes, laughable words, |
| Azhukkellaam ivarkkulla ezhilgal | Even grime and dirt are their beauty. |
| Kadum uzhappondrae ivar kaanum kalaigal | Hard labor alone is the art they recognize. |
| Male | |
| Ariyaamai irulil parithaapa nilaiyil | In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state, |
| Adamaana porulaagum ivargal | They become mortgaged commodities. |
| Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal | They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter. |
| Male | |
| Adiththaalum mithiththaalum sumakkum | Even if beaten or trampled, they bear the burden, |
| Adhu adimaikku sirappendru ninaikkum | Believing that servility is a badge of honor for a slave. |
| Alukkaamal maadaaga uzhaikkum | Without tiring, they toil ceaselessly like cattle, |
| Yaedhum pusikkaamal pasiyodu kidakkum | Consuming nothing, lying down in crippling hunger. |
| Male | |
| Ariyaamai irulil parithaapa nilaiyil | In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state, |
| Adamaana porulaagum ivargal | They become mortgaged commodities. |
| Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal | They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter. |
| Male | |
| Vaalilaa naai pola kulaikkum | It fawns and barks like a tailless dog, |
| Sottrai vaayaalum adhu kavvi suvaikkum | Snatching and eating rice directly with its mouth. |
| Eenangal maaraatha varaiyil | As long as such social degradation remains unchanged, |
| Manitha iyalpukku porulethu ulagil | What meaning does human nature hold in this world? |
| Eenangal maaraatha varaiyil | As long as such social degradation remains unchanged, |
| Manitha iyalpukku porulethu ulagil | What meaning does human nature hold in this world? |
| Male | |
| Ariyaamai irulil parithaapa nilaiyil | In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state, |
| Adamaana porulaagum ivargal | They become mortgaged commodities. |
| Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal | They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter. |
| Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal | They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter. |
| Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal | They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter. |
அறியாமை இருளில் பரிதாப நிலையில்
அடமான பொருளாகும் இவர்கள்
வெறும் ஜடமாக நடமாடும் சிலைகள்
In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state,
They become mortgaged commodities.
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
அறியாமை இருளில் பரிதாப நிலையில்....
அடமான பொருளாகும் இவர்கள்
வெறும் ஜடமாக நடமாடும் சிலைகள்
In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state,
They become mortgaged commodities.
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
படிக்காத விழிகள் சிரிப்பான மொழிகள்
அழுக்கெல்லாம் இவர்க்குள்ள எழில்கள்
கடும் உழைப்பொன்றே இவர் காணும் கலைகள்
Uneducated eyes, laughable words,
Even grime and dirt are their beauty.
Hard labor alone is the art they recognize.
அறியாமை இருளில் பரிதாப நிலையில்....
அடமான பொருளாகும் இவர்கள்
வெறும் ஜடமாக நடமாடும் சிலைகள்
In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state,
They become mortgaged commodities.
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
அடித்தாலும் மிதித்தாலும் சுமக்கும்
அது அடிமைக்கு சிறப்பென்று நினைக்கும்
அலுக்காமல் மாடாக உழைக்கும்
ஏதும் புசிக்காமல் பசியோடு கிடக்கும்
Even if beaten or trampled, they bear the burden,
Believing that servility is a badge of honor for a slave.
Without tiring, they toil ceaselessly like cattle,
Consuming nothing, lying down in crippling hunger.
அறியாமை இருளில் பரிதாப நிலையில்....
அடமான பொருளாகும் இவர்கள்
வெறும் ஜடமாக நடமாடும் சிலைகள்
In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state,
They become mortgaged commodities.
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
வாலில்லா நாய் போல குலைக்கும்
சோற்றை வாயாலும் அது கவ்வி சுவைக்கும்
ஈனங்கள் மாறாத வரையில்
மனித இயல்புக்கு பொருளேது உலகில்
ஈனங்கள் மாறாத வரையில்
மனித இயல்புக்கு பொருளேது உலகில்
It fawns and barks like a tailless dog,
Snatching and eating rice directly with its mouth.
As long as such social degradation remains unchanged,
What meaning does human nature hold in this world?
As long as such social degradation remains unchanged,
What meaning does human nature hold in this world?
அறியாமை இருளில் பரிதாப நிலையில்....
அடமான பொருளாகும் இவர்கள்
வெறும் ஜடமாக நடமாடும் சிலைகள்
வெறும் ஜடமாக நடமாடும் சிலைகள்
வெறும் ஜடமாக நடமாடும் சிலைகள்
In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state,
They become mortgaged commodities.
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
Ariyaamai irulil parithaapa nilaiyil
In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state,
Adamaana porulaagum ivargal
They become mortgaged commodities.
Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
Ariyaamai irulil parithaapa nilaiyil
In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state,
Adamaana porulaagum ivargal
They become mortgaged commodities.
Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
Padikkaatha vizhigal sirippaana mozhigal
Uneducated eyes, laughable words,
Azhukkellaam ivarkkulla ezhilgal
Even grime and dirt are their beauty.
Kadum uzhappondrae ivar kaanum kalaigal
Hard labor alone is the art they recognize.
Ariyaamai irulil parithaapa nilaiyil
In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state,
Adamaana porulaagum ivargal
They become mortgaged commodities.
Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
Adiththaalum mithiththaalum sumakkum
Even if beaten or trampled, they bear the burden,
Adhu adimaikku sirappendru ninaikkum
Believing that servility is a badge of honor for a slave.
Alukkaamal maadaaga uzhaikkum
Without tiring, they toil ceaselessly like cattle,
Yaedhum pusikkaamal pasiyodu kidakkum
Consuming nothing, lying down in crippling hunger.
Ariyaamai irulil parithaapa nilaiyil
In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state,
Adamaana porulaagum ivargal
They become mortgaged commodities.
Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
Vaalilaa naai pola kulaikkum
It fawns and barks like a tailless dog,
Sottrai vaayaalum adhu kavvi suvaikkum
Snatching and eating rice directly with its mouth.
Eenangal maaraatha varaiyil
As long as such social degradation remains unchanged,
Manitha iyalpukku porulethu ulagil
What meaning does human nature hold in this world?
Eenangal maaraatha varaiyil
As long as such social degradation remains unchanged,
Manitha iyalpukku porulethu ulagil
What meaning does human nature hold in this world?
Ariyaamai irulil parithaapa nilaiyil
In the darkness of ignorance, in a pitiable state,
Adamaana porulaagum ivargal
They become mortgaged commodities.
Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal
They are merely walking statues made of inanimate matter.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Nadamadum Silagal' offers a deep critique of social inequality, poverty, and systemic oppression. It describes the wretched plight of impoverished laborers who are trapped in the darkness of ignorance and treated like pawned commodities rather than human beings. Living without education or basic human rights, they work relentlessly like cattle while remaining hungry, accepting their miserable state of servitude as normal. The lyrics compare these oppressed individuals to lifeless 'walking statues' who have been stripped of dignity. The poet questions the existence of humanity in a world that allows such dehumanizing degradation to persist without change.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Verum jadamaaga nadamaadum silaigal”
Compares ignorance to darkness ('Ariyaamai irulil') and living, oppressed humans to inanimate 'walking statues' ('nadamaadum silaigal').
Simile (Uvamai)
“Vaalilaa naai pola kulaikkum”
Compares the unwearied labor of the impoverished workers to cattle ('maadaaga uzhaikkum') and their desperate subservience to a tailless dog ('Vaalilaa naai pola').
Rhyme / Assonance (Iyaibu & Monai)
“Padikkaatha vizhigal sirippaana mozhigal”
Uses rhyming endings ('vizhigal', 'mozhigal', 'ezhilgal', 'kalaigal') to establish a rhythmic musical flow.
Rhyming Couplets (Edhugai)
“Adiththaalum mithiththaalum sumakkum”
The second letter harmony ('Adiththaalum' / 'Adhu' / 'Alukkaamal') creates strong structural meter in the stanza describing slave labor.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Nadamadum Silagal' (1982) features music composed by the veteran duo Shankar-Ganesh, with lyrics by K. M. Krishnan. Sung emotionally by K. J. Yesudas, the song serves as a socio-political commentary on labor exploitation and structural poverty in contemporary society.
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