Avan Oru Paithiyakaran
From Thulli Odum Pulliman · 1971
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Thulli Odum Pulliman1971
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Avan oru paithiyakaaran | He is a madman |
| Avan oru paithiyakaaran | He is a madman |
| Ooril aththanaiyum unmaiyendru | Believing everything in town is the truth |
| Saththiyaththai nampugindra | And putting faith in truth |
| Male | |
| Avan oru paithiyakaaran | He is a madman |
| Ooril aththanaiyum unmaiyendru | Believing everything in town is the truth |
| Saththiyaththai nampugindra | And putting faith in truth |
| Male | |
| Avan oru paithiyakaaran | He is a madman |
| Male | |
| Puththiyillaa koottaththukku | To a foolish crowd |
| Puththi solla ponaan | He went to give advice |
| Puththi solla ponavanae | The one who went to give advice |
| Puththi kettu ponaan | Lost his own sanity |
| Male | |
| Puththiyillaa koottaththukku | To a foolish crowd |
| Puththi solla ponaan | He went to give advice |
| Puththi solla ponavanae | The one who went to give advice |
| Puththi kettu ponaan | Lost his own sanity |
| Sontha puththi kettu ponaan… | He lost his own sanity... |
| Male | |
| Avan oru paithiyakaaran | He is a madman |
| Male | |
| Arpanukku vaazhvu vanthaa | When a petty person attains prosperity |
| Enna ninaipaan | What will he think? |
| Avan arthamindri | Nonsensically |
| Bus-il kooda kudai pidippaan | He will hold an umbrella even inside a bus |
| Male | |
| Arpanukku vaazhvu vanthaa | When a petty person attains prosperity |
| Enna ninaipaan | What will he think? |
| Avan arthamindri | Nonsensically |
| Bus-il kooda kudai pidippaan | He will hold an umbrella even inside a bus |
| Male | |
| Arputhamaa kedachathu pol | As if he acquired something marvelous |
| Pennai pidippaan | He will hold onto a woman |
| Arputhamaa kedachathu pol | As if he acquired something marvelous |
| Pennai pidippaan | He will hold onto a woman |
| Paththu aalirukkum | Even with ten people around |
| Bus-il kooda muththam koduppaan | He will kiss her inside a bus |
| Male | |
| Avan oru paithiyakaaran | He is a madman |
| Ooril aththanaiyum unmaiyendru | Believing everything in town is the truth |
| Saththiyaththai nampugindra | And putting faith in truth |
| Male | |
| Avan oru paithiyakaaran | He is a madman |
| Male | |
| Aasaiyilae avan manasu | In desire, his mind |
| Aattam kandirukkum | Has begun to vacillate |
| Aasaiyilae avan manasu | In desire, his mind |
| Aattam kandirukkum | Has begun to vacillate |
| Antha aalai nambi madaththilae | Trusting that man, in the monastery |
| Oru koottam vanthirukkum | A crowd has gathered |
| Male | |
| Avan oru paithiyakaaran | He is a madman |
| Ooril aththanaiyum unmaiyendru | Believing everything in town is the truth |
| Saththiyaththai nampugindra | And putting faith in truth |
| Male | |
| Avan oru paithiyakaaran | He is a madman |
| Male | |
| Kallooriyil padikkaiyilae | While studying in college |
| Kadhalum padiththaan | He also learned love |
| Avan kannagipol manaiyirunthum | Despite having a virtuous wife like Kannagi |
| Nadigaiyai ninaiththaan | He yearned for an actress |
| Male | |
| Padippatharkkum oruthan vanthu | One person came for studies |
| Bus-ai pidiththaan | And caught the bus |
| Padippatharkkum oruthan vanthu | One person came for studies |
| Bus-ai pidiththaan | And caught the bus |
| Avanai idippatharkkum oruthan bus-il | To bump into him, another person inside the bus |
| Ticket eduththaan | Bought a ticket |
| Male | |
| Avan oru paithiyakaaran | He is a madman |
| Ooril aththanaiyum unmaiyendru | Believing everything in town is the truth |
| Saththiyaththai nampugindra | And putting faith in truth |
| Male | |
| Avan oru paithiyakaaran… | He is a madman... |
அவன் ஒரு பைத்தியக்காரன்
அவன் ஒரு பைத்தியக்காரன்
ஊரில் அத்தனையும் உண்மையென்று
சத்தியத்தை நம்புகின்ற
He is a madman
He is a madman
Believing everything in town is the truth
And putting faith in truth
அவன் ஒரு பைத்தியக்காரன்
ஊரில் அத்தனையும் உண்மையென்று
சத்தியத்தை நம்புகின்ற
He is a madman
Believing everything in town is the truth
And putting faith in truth
அவன் ஒரு பைத்தியக்காரன்
He is a madman
புத்தியில்லாக் கூட்டத்துக்கு
புத்தி சொல்லப் போனான்
புத்தி சொல்ல போனவனே
புத்திக் கெட்டுப் போனான்
To a foolish crowd
He went to give advice
The one who went to give advice
Lost his own sanity
புத்தியில்லாக் கூட்டத்துக்கு
புத்தி சொல்லப் போனான்
புத்தி சொல்ல போனவனே
புத்திக் கெட்டுப் போனான்
சொந்தப் புத்தி கெட்டுப் போனான்.......
To a foolish crowd
He went to give advice
The one who went to give advice
Lost his own sanity
He lost his own sanity...
அவன் ஒரு பைத்தியக்காரன்
He is a madman
அற்பனுக்கு வாழ்வு வந்தா
என்ன நினைப்பான்
அவன் அர்த்தமின்றி
பஸ்ஸில் கூட குடை பிடிப்பான்
When a petty person attains prosperity
What will he think?
Nonsensically
He will hold an umbrella even inside a bus
அற்பனுக்கு வாழ்வு வந்தா
என்ன நினைப்பான்
அவன் அர்த்தமின்றி
பஸ்ஸில் கூட குடை பிடிப்பான்
When a petty person attains prosperity
What will he think?
Nonsensically
He will hold an umbrella even inside a bus
அற்புதமா கெடச்சது போல்
பெண்ணைப் பிடிப்பான்
அற்புதமா கெடச்சது போல்
பெண்ணைப் பிடிப்பான்
பத்து ஆளிருக்கும்
பஸ்ஸில் கூட முத்தம் கொடுப்பான்
As if he acquired something marvelous
He will hold onto a woman
As if he acquired something marvelous
He will hold onto a woman
Even with ten people around
He will kiss her inside a bus
அவன் ஒரு பைத்தியக்காரன்
ஊரில் அத்தனையும் உண்மையென்று
சத்தியத்தை நம்புகின்ற
He is a madman
Believing everything in town is the truth
And putting faith in truth
அவன் ஒரு பைத்தியக்காரன்
He is a madman
ஆசையிலே அவன் மனசு
ஆட்டம் கண்டிருக்கும்
ஆசையிலே அவன் மனசு
ஆட்டம் கண்டிருக்கும்
அந்த ஆளை நம்பி மடத்திலே
ஒரு கூட்டம் வந்திருக்கும்.......
In desire, his mind
Has begun to vacillate
In desire, his mind
Has begun to vacillate
Trusting that man, in the monastery
A crowd has gathered
அவன் ஒரு பைத்தியக்காரன்
ஊரில் அத்தனையும் உண்மையென்று
சத்தியத்தை நம்புகின்ற
He is a madman
Believing everything in town is the truth
And putting faith in truth
அவன் ஒரு பைத்தியக்காரன்
He is a madman
கல்லூரியில் படிக்கையிலே
காதலும் படித்தான்
அவன் கண்ணகிபோல் மனையிருந்தும்
நடிகையை நினைத்தான்
While studying in college
He also learned love
Despite having a virtuous wife like Kannagi
He yearned for an actress
படிப்பதற்கும் ஒருத்தன் வந்து
பஸ்ஸைப் பிடித்தான்
படிப்பதற்கும் ஒருத்தன் வந்து
பஸ்ஸைப் பிடித்தான்
அவனை இடிப்பதற்கும் ஒருத்தன் பஸ்ஸில்
டிக்கெட் எடுத்தான்
One person came for studies
And caught the bus
One person came for studies
And caught the bus
To bump into him, another person inside the bus
Bought a ticket
அவன் ஒரு பைத்தியக்காரன்
ஊரில் அத்தனையும் உண்மையென்று
சத்தியத்தை நம்புகின்ற
He is a madman
Believing everything in town is the truth
And putting faith in truth
அவன் ஒரு பைத்தியக்காரன்
He is a madman...
Avan oru paithiyakaaran
He is a madman
Avan oru paithiyakaaran
He is a madman
Ooril aththanaiyum unmaiyendru
Believing everything in town is the truth
Saththiyaththai nampugindra
And putting faith in truth
Avan oru paithiyakaaran
He is a madman
Ooril aththanaiyum unmaiyendru
Believing everything in town is the truth
Saththiyaththai nampugindra
And putting faith in truth
Avan oru paithiyakaaran
He is a madman
Puththiyillaa koottaththukku
To a foolish crowd
Puththi solla ponaan
He went to give advice
Puththi solla ponavanae
The one who went to give advice
Puththi kettu ponaan
Lost his own sanity
Puththiyillaa koottaththukku
To a foolish crowd
Puththi solla ponaan
He went to give advice
Puththi solla ponavanae
The one who went to give advice
Puththi kettu ponaan
Lost his own sanity
Sontha puththi kettu ponaan…
He lost his own sanity...
Avan oru paithiyakaaran
He is a madman
Arpanukku vaazhvu vanthaa
When a petty person attains prosperity
Enna ninaipaan
What will he think?
Avan arthamindri
Nonsensically
Bus-il kooda kudai pidippaan
He will hold an umbrella even inside a bus
Arpanukku vaazhvu vanthaa
When a petty person attains prosperity
Enna ninaipaan
What will he think?
Avan arthamindri
Nonsensically
Bus-il kooda kudai pidippaan
He will hold an umbrella even inside a bus
Arputhamaa kedachathu pol
As if he acquired something marvelous
Pennai pidippaan
He will hold onto a woman
Arputhamaa kedachathu pol
As if he acquired something marvelous
Pennai pidippaan
He will hold onto a woman
Paththu aalirukkum
Even with ten people around
Bus-il kooda muththam koduppaan
He will kiss her inside a bus
Avan oru paithiyakaaran
He is a madman
Ooril aththanaiyum unmaiyendru
Believing everything in town is the truth
Saththiyaththai nampugindra
And putting faith in truth
Avan oru paithiyakaaran
He is a madman
Aasaiyilae avan manasu
In desire, his mind
Aattam kandirukkum
Has begun to vacillate
Aasaiyilae avan manasu
In desire, his mind
Aattam kandirukkum
Has begun to vacillate
Antha aalai nambi madaththilae
Trusting that man, in the monastery
Oru koottam vanthirukkum
A crowd has gathered
Avan oru paithiyakaaran
He is a madman
Ooril aththanaiyum unmaiyendru
Believing everything in town is the truth
Saththiyaththai nampugindra
And putting faith in truth
Avan oru paithiyakaaran
He is a madman
Kallooriyil padikkaiyilae
While studying in college
Kadhalum padiththaan
He also learned love
Avan kannagipol manaiyirunthum
Despite having a virtuous wife like Kannagi
Nadigaiyai ninaiththaan
He yearned for an actress
Padippatharkkum oruthan vanthu
One person came for studies
Bus-ai pidiththaan
And caught the bus
Padippatharkkum oruthan vanthu
One person came for studies
Bus-ai pidiththaan
And caught the bus
Avanai idippatharkkum oruthan bus-il
To bump into him, another person inside the bus
Ticket eduththaan
Bought a ticket
Avan oru paithiyakaaran
He is a madman
Ooril aththanaiyum unmaiyendru
Believing everything in town is the truth
Saththiyaththai nampugindra
And putting faith in truth
Avan oru paithiyakaaran…
He is a madman...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Avan Oru Paithiyakaaran is a satirical track written by Kannadasan that critiques human foolishness, moral hypocrisy, and societal double standards. The song portrays a man who believes the world is completely truthful and tries to preach sense to a foolish crowd, only to end up losing his own sanity. Through humorous visual metaphors—such as opening an umbrella inside a bus or shamelessly showing off newly acquired status—Kannadasan exposes the absurdities of shallow human behavior.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monaai (Initial Alliteration)
“Puththiyillaa koottaththukku / Puththi solla ponaan”
Repetition of the 'P' consonant at the start of words across consecutive lines.
Edukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Padippatharkkum oruthan vanthu / Avanai idippatharkkum oruthan bus-il”
Matching of the second consonant 'di' in adjacent lines.
Irony
“Avan kannagipol manaiyirunthum / Nadigaiyai ninaiththaan”
Contrasting the virtuous figure of Kannagi with the superficial attraction toward an actress.
Proverb Adaptation (Pazhamozhi)
“Arpanukku vaazhvu vanthaa... Bus-il kooda kudai pidippaan”
Adapts the traditional proverb 'Arpanukku vaazhvu vanthaal artha raathiriyil kudai pidippaan' into a modern bus context.
Did you know?
Trivia
Featured in the 1971 Tamil film 'Thulli Odum Pulliman', the song features music by K. V. Mahadevan and vocal delivery by T. M. Soundararajan. Lyricist Kannadasan cleverly weaves classical cultural references like Kannagi into everyday modern scenarios like city bus rides to create timeless social commentary.
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