Dharmam Engey
From Dharmam Engey · 1972
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- Seerkazhi Govindarajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Dharmam Engey1972
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Dharmam engae… | Where is righteousness... |
| Nyaayam engae… | Where is justice... |
| Ninaithaal mudikkum nenjam engae | Where is the heart that achieves what it wills? |
| Female | |
| Dharmam engae… | Where is righteousness... |
| Nyaayam engae…ae | Where is justice... |
| Ninaithaal mudikkum nenjam engae | Where is the heart that achieves what it wills? |
| Chorus | |
| Dharmam engae… | Where is righteousness... |
| Female Chorus :Engae… | Female Chorus: Where... |
| Chorus :Nyaayam engae… | Chorus: Where is justice... |
| Female Chorus :Engae… | Female Chorus: Where... |
| Chorus :Ninaithaal mudikkum nenjam engae | Chorus: Where is the heart that achieves what it wills? |
| Female Chorus :Engae… | Female Chorus: Where... |
| Aa…..aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa…aaa… | Vocalizing |
| Haaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa…aa… | Vocalizing |
| Male | |
| Ezhai endraal… kozhai illai… | Being poor... doesn't mean being a coward... |
| Ezhai yendraal kozhai illai | Being poor doesn't mean being a coward |
| Female | |
| Ezhundhaal thodarndhaal | If they rise up and persevere |
| Acham illai | There is no fear |
| Chorus | |
| Dharmam engae… | Where is righteousness... |
| Female Chorus :Engae… | Female Chorus: Where... |
| Chorus :Nyaayam engae… | Chorus: Where is justice... |
| Female Chorus :Engae… | Female Chorus: Where... |
| Chorus :Ninaithaal mudikkum nenjam engae | Chorus: Where is the heart that achieves what it wills? |
| Female Chorus :Engae… | Female Chorus: Where... |
| Chorus :Ninaithaal mudikkum nenjam engae | Chorus: Where is the heart that achieves what it wills? |
| Female Chorus :Engae… | Female Chorus: Where... |
| Male | |
| Kaaladi osai… | The sound of footsteps... |
| Female | |
| Kai valai osai… | The sound of bangles... |
| Male | |
| Kaaladi osai | The sound of footsteps |
| Female | |
| Kai valai osai | The sound of bangles |
| Kadal pol ezhundhaal ennavaagum | What will happen if they rise like the ocean? |
| Male | |
| Ennavaagum | What will happen? |
| Chorus | |
| Kaaladi osai | The sound of footsteps |
| Kai valai osai | The sound of bangles |
| Kadal pol ezhundhaal ennavaagum | What will happen if they rise like the ocean? |
| Male | |
| Aayiram aagum | They will multiply into thousands |
| Kai aayudham aagum | Hands will turn into weapons |
| Female | |
| Vilagum siraiyum engu pogum | Where will the vanishing prison go? |
| Chorus | |
| Engu pogum | Where will it go? |
| Male | |
| Veera sudhandhiram vendi nindraar | Those who stood demanding heroic freedom |
| Pinnar verondrum kolvaaro | Will they accept anything else later? |
| Veettukku veedoru veeran vandhaal | If a hero emerges from every single home |
| Indha veenargal velvaaro | Will these wicked fools prevail? |
| Thaayagam kaappavan naayagan avanai | He is the leader who protects the motherland, him... |
| Thaniyae siraiyil viduvaaro | Will they leave him alone in prison? |
| Thaniyae siraiyil viduvaaro… | Will they leave him alone in prison... |
தர்மம் எங்கே......
நியாயம் எங்கே...
நினைத்தால் முடிக்கும் நெஞ்சம் எங்கே
Where is righteousness...
Where is justice...
Where is the heart that achieves what it wills?
விசில் :
...............................
Where is righteousness...
Where is justice...
Where is the heart that achieves what it wills?
தர்மம் எங்கே......
நியாயம் எங்கே...
நினைத்தால் முடிக்கும் நெஞ்சம் எங்கே
Where is righteousness...
Female Chorus: Where...
Chorus: Where is justice...
Female Chorus: Where...
Chorus: Where is the heart that achieves what it wills?
Female Chorus: Where...
Vocalizing
Vocalizing
தர்மம் எங்கே...
பெண் குழு :
எங்கே...
குழு :
நியாயம் எங்கே...
பெண் குழு :
எங்கே...
குழு :
நினைத்தால் முடிக்கும் நெஞ்சம் எங்கே
பெண் குழு :
எங்கே...
ஆ.......ஆஅ......ஆஅ......ஆஅ......ஆஅ......ஆஅ.....
ஹா......ஆஆ......ஆஆ......ஆஅ......ஆஅ.....ஆ.....
Being poor... doesn't mean being a coward...
Being poor doesn't mean being a coward
ஏழை என்றால்......கோழை இல்லை...
ஏழை என்றால் கோழை இல்லை
If they rise up and persevere
There is no fear
எழுந்தால் தொடர்ந்தால்
அச்சம் இல்லை
Where is righteousness...
Female Chorus: Where...
Chorus: Where is justice...
Female Chorus: Where...
Chorus: Where is the heart that achieves what it wills?
Female Chorus: Where...
Chorus: Where is the heart that achieves what it wills?
Female Chorus: Where...
பெண் குழு :
அச்சம் இல்லை
The sound of footsteps...
தர்மம் எங்கே...
பெண் குழு :
எங்கே... ..
குழு :
நியாயம் எங்கே...
பெண் குழு :
எங்கே...
குழு :
நினைத்தால் முடிக்கும் நெஞ்சம் எங்கே
பெண் குழு :
எங்கே...
குழு :
நினைத்தால் முடிக்கும் நெஞ்சம் எங்கே
பெண் குழு :
எங்கே...
The sound of bangles...
காலடி ஓசை...
The sound of footsteps
கை வளை ஓசை...
The sound of bangles
What will happen if they rise like the ocean?
காலடி ஓசை
What will happen?
கை வளை ஓசை
கடல் போல் எழுந்தால் என்னவாகும்
The sound of footsteps
The sound of bangles
What will happen if they rise like the ocean?
என்னவாகும்
They will multiply into thousands
Hands will turn into weapons
காலடி ஓசை
கை வளை ஓசை
கடல் போல் எழுந்தால் என்னவாகும்
Where will the vanishing prison go?
ஆயிரம் ஆகும்
கை ஆயுதம் ஆகும்
Where will it go?
விலகும் சிறையும் எங்கு போகும்
Those who stood demanding heroic freedom
Will they accept anything else later?
If a hero emerges from every single home
Will these wicked fools prevail?
He is the leader who protects the motherland, him...
Will they leave him alone in prison?
Will they leave him alone in prison...
எங்கு போகும்
வீர சுதந்திரம் வேண்டி நின்றார்
பின்னர் வேறோன்றும் கொள்வாமோ
வீட்டுக்கு வீடொரு வீரன் வந்தால்
இந்த வீணர்கள் வெல்வாரோ
தாயகம் காப்பவன் நாயகன் அவனை
தனியே சிறையில் விடுவாரோ
தனியே சிறையில் விடுவாரோ........
Dharmam engae…
Where is righteousness...
Nyaayam engae…
Where is justice...
Ninaithaal mudikkum nenjam engae
Where is the heart that achieves what it wills?
Dharmam engae…
Where is righteousness...
Nyaayam engae…ae
Where is justice...
Ninaithaal mudikkum nenjam engae
Where is the heart that achieves what it wills?
Dharmam engae…
Where is righteousness...
Female Chorus :Engae…
Female Chorus: Where...
Chorus :Nyaayam engae…
Chorus: Where is justice...
Female Chorus :Engae…
Female Chorus: Where...
Chorus :Ninaithaal mudikkum nenjam engae
Chorus: Where is the heart that achieves what it wills?
Female Chorus :Engae…
Female Chorus: Where...
Aa…..aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa…aaa…
Vocalizing
Haaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa…aa…
Vocalizing
Ezhai endraal… kozhai illai…
Being poor... doesn't mean being a coward...
Ezhai yendraal kozhai illai
Being poor doesn't mean being a coward
Ezhundhaal thodarndhaal
If they rise up and persevere
Acham illai
There is no fear
Dharmam engae…
Where is righteousness...
Female Chorus :Engae…
Female Chorus: Where...
Chorus :Nyaayam engae…
Chorus: Where is justice...
Female Chorus :Engae…
Female Chorus: Where...
Chorus :Ninaithaal mudikkum nenjam engae
Chorus: Where is the heart that achieves what it wills?
Female Chorus :Engae…
Female Chorus: Where...
Chorus :Ninaithaal mudikkum nenjam engae
Chorus: Where is the heart that achieves what it wills?
Female Chorus :Engae…
Female Chorus: Where...
Kaaladi osai…
The sound of footsteps...
Kai valai osai…
The sound of bangles...
Kaaladi osai
The sound of footsteps
Kai valai osai
The sound of bangles
Kadal pol ezhundhaal ennavaagum
What will happen if they rise like the ocean?
Ennavaagum
What will happen?
Kaaladi osai
The sound of footsteps
Kai valai osai
The sound of bangles
Kadal pol ezhundhaal ennavaagum
What will happen if they rise like the ocean?
Aayiram aagum
They will multiply into thousands
Kai aayudham aagum
Hands will turn into weapons
Vilagum siraiyum engu pogum
Where will the vanishing prison go?
Engu pogum
Where will it go?
Veera sudhandhiram vendi nindraar
Those who stood demanding heroic freedom
Pinnar verondrum kolvaaro
Will they accept anything else later?
Veettukku veedoru veeran vandhaal
If a hero emerges from every single home
Indha veenargal velvaaro
Will these wicked fools prevail?
Thaayagam kaappavan naayagan avanai
He is the leader who protects the motherland, him...
Thaniyae siraiyil viduvaaro
Will they leave him alone in prison?
Thaniyae siraiyil viduvaaro…
Will they leave him alone in prison...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Dharmam Engey' is a powerful revolutionary lyric penned by Kannadasan that questions the absence of justice and morality in society. It serves as a clarion call to the oppressed and impoverished, reminding them that poverty does not equal cowardice. The song urges the masses to unite and rise up courageously against injustice, asserting that fear vanishes once a collective struggle begins. The lyricist vividly portrays how the collective strength of ordinary people—represented by the sound of marching feet and bangles—can swell like a mighty ocean and transform peaceful hands into weapons of liberty. Ultimately, it celebrates the spirit of freedom fighters who protect the motherland and calls upon the populace not to let their heroic leaders suffer in isolation.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Kaaladi osai / Kai valai osai / Kadal pol ezhundhaal ennavaagum free context line match: Kaaladi osai... Kai valai osai... Kadal pol ezhundhaal ennavaagum... Kai aayudham aagum... Veera sudhandhiram... Veettukku veedoru... Veenaargal... Thaayagam kaappavan... Thaniyae siraiyil...”
Poetic device
“Kaaladi osai / Kai valai osai / Kadal pol ezhundhaal ennavaagum”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds ('K', 'V', 'Th') creates a rhythmic, marching cadence that enhances the revolutionary fervor of the song.
Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Ezhai endraal... kozhai illai... / Ezhundhaal thodarndhaal...”
Poetic device
“Ezhai endraal kozhai illai / Ezhundhaal thodarndhaal”
The second letter 'zh' (ழ்) rhymes across 'Ezhai', 'Kozhai', and 'Ezhundhaal', producing a strong auditory harmony typical of classical Tamil prosody.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Kadal pol ezhundhaal ennavaagum”
Poetic device
“Kadal pol ezhundhaal ennavaagum”
The collective uprising of the masses is compared to the rising of a vast ocean ('Kadal pol'), symbolizing immense power and unstoppable force.
Rhetorical Question
“Dharmam engae… Nyaayam engae… / Thaniyae siraiyil viduvaaro…”
Poetic device
“Thaniyae siraiyil viduvaaro”
Asking repeated rhetorical questions emphasizes the injustice present in society and provokes the listener into deep thought and action.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Dharmam Engey' (1972) features lyrics by the legendary poet Kannadasan. The song's theme centers on social revolution, anti-oppression, and political awakening, which was a hallmark of Tamil cinema musical tropes in the early 1970s.
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