- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- Pendyala Nageswara Rao
- Movie name
- Thooya Ullam
- Movie release year
- 1961
- Lyrics added on
- 1 Feb 2025
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Dhesam engum viduthalai vizha
Veera thiru vilanghum vettri thiruvizha
Chorus :Dhesam engum viduthalai vizha
Veera thiru vilanghum vettri thiruvizha
Dhesam engum viduthalai vizha
Ezhai endrum adimai endrum
Evanumillaiyae
Ezhai endrum adimai endrum
Evanumillaiyae
Engal bharathiyin vaarthaigal polae
Hoo o o
Dhesam engum viduthalai vizha
Veera thiru vilanghum vettri thiruvizha
Dhesam engum viduthalai vizha
Hoo o o o o….
Suthandhiram vandhavudan thoonghivittomae
Sonnadhellaam marandhu naam nadanthu vittomae
Suthandhiram vandhavudan thoonghivittomae
Sonnadhellaam marandhu naam nadanthu vittomae
Sadhanaiyo siridhum illai thalarndhu vittomae
Palanillamal medai yeri pesigindromae
Sendra kaalam konjamillaiye
Namm sindhai pola seigai illayae
Chorus :Sendra kaalam konjamillaiye
Namm sindhai pola seigai illayae
Sendra kaalam konjamillaiye
Kazhughu pola vilaigalellam parakkudhu ingae
Kalviynmai kollai laabam valarndhadhu ingae
Female :Kazhughu pola vilaigalellam parakkudhu ingae
Kalviynmai kollai laabam valarndhadhu ingae
Velai illaa thindattam perugudhu ingae
Vendi nindra unmaiyaana suthanthiram engae
Irulil veezhndha dhesamaanadhae
Adhai enni paarkka vandha naalidhae
Chorus :Irulil veezhndha dhesamaanadhae
Adhai enni paarkka vandha naalidhae
Irulil veezhndha dhesamaanadhae
Adhai enni paarkka vandha naalidhae
Dhesam engum viduthalai vizha
Veera thiru vilanghum vettri thiruvizha
Chorus :Dhesam engum viduthalai vizha
Veera thiru vilanghum vettri thiruvizha
Dhesam engum viduthalai vizha
Padhavi vettai lunja oozhal malindhu vittadhae
Padhukki vaikkum koottamingae niraindha vittadhae
Female :Padhavi vettai lunja oozhal malindhu vittadhae
Padhukki vaikkum koottamingae niraindha vittadhae
Madha virodham jaadhi sandai valarndhu vittadhe
Madha virodham jaadhi sandai valarndhu vittadhe
Manidhanaiye manidhn thinnum kaalam aandhe
Idhu suyanalathaal vandhadhallava
Idhai tholaippadhum namm kadamai allava
Chorus :Suyanalathaal vandhadhallava
Idhai tholaippadhum namm kadamai allava
Suyanalathaal vandhadhallava
Idhai tholaippadhum namm kadamai allava
Ellaarum ellaamum pera vendum
Chorus :Peravendum
Male :Illamai illamal aravendum
Chorus :Aravendum
Ellaarum ellaamum pera vendum
Illamai illamal aravendum
Chorus :Ellaarum ellaamum pera vendum
Illamai illamal aravendum
Indha vaazhvinai yeidhi
Vaazhndhidum naalae
Inba thaayagam ulaginil engum
Oliyum manamum adaiyum naalaam
Hoo..o o o o….
Vaazhga thaayagam vaazhiyavae
Vaazhga thaayagam vaazhiyavae
Vaazhga thaayagam vaazhiyavae
Vaazhga thaayagam vaazhiyavae
Vaazhga thaayagam vaazhiyavae
Vaazhga thaayagam vaazhiyavae
Vaazhga thaayagam vaazhiyavae
Vaazhga thaayagam vaazhiyavae
Across the nation, it is a festival of freedom!
A grand celebration of victory glowing with valor!
Chorus: Across the nation, it is a festival of freedom!
A grand celebration of victory glowing with valor!
Across the nation, it is a festival of freedom!
"No one is poor, no one is a slave,
there is no one like that anymore,"
"No one is poor, no one is a slave,
there is no one like that anymore,"
Just as our poet Bharati once proclaimed!
Hoo oh oh
Across the nation, it is a festival of freedom!
A grand celebration of victory glowing with valor!
Across the nation, it is a festival of freedom!
Hoo oh oh oh oh...
As soon as freedom arrived, we fell fast asleep,
Forgetting everything that was promised, we went our own way!
As soon as freedom arrived, we fell fast asleep,
Forgetting everything that was promised, we went our own way!
There are no achievements at all; we have grown weary,
We just mount the stage and make speeches without any purpose!
A great deal of time has already gone by,
Yet our actions do not match our ideals!
Chorus: A great deal of time has already gone by,
Yet our actions do not match our ideals!
A great deal of time has already gone by!
Like soaring eagles, all prices fly sky-high here!
Illiteracy and ruthless profiteering have grown here!
Female: Like soaring eagles, all prices fly sky-high here!
Illiteracy and ruthless profiteering have grown here!
The distress of unemployment is multiplying here!
Where is the true freedom that we longingly prayed for?
Our nation has fallen into darkness,
And today is the day to deeply reflect upon it!
Chorus: Our nation has fallen into darkness,
And today is the day to deeply reflect upon it!
Our nation has fallen into darkness,
And today is the day to deeply reflect upon it!
Across the nation, it is a festival of freedom!
A grand celebration of victory glowing with valor!
Chorus: Across the nation, it is a festival of freedom!
A grand celebration of victory glowing with valor!
Across the nation, it is a festival of freedom!
The hunt for power and corrupt bribes have run rampant!
Crowds of hoarders have filled this land!
Female: The hunt for power and corrupt bribes have run rampant!
Crowds of hoarders have filled this land!
Religious hatred and caste disputes have grown!
Religious hatred and caste disputes have grown!
It has become an age where man preys upon fellow man!
Hasn't all of this arisen out of selfishness?
Isn't it our duty to wipe this away?
Chorus: Hasn't all of this arisen out of selfishness?
Isn't it our duty to wipe this away?
Hasn't all of this arisen out of selfishness?
Isn't it our duty to wipe this away?
Everyone must receive everything!
Chorus: Must receive!
Male: Scarcity and want must be wiped out completely!
Chorus: Must be wiped out!
Everyone must receive everything!
Scarcity and want must be wiped out completely!
Chorus: Everyone must receive everything!
Scarcity and want must be wiped out completely!
When we attain such a life
and live that way,
that will be the day our joyful motherland
shines with light and spreads its fragrance across the world!
Hoo... oh oh oh oh...
Long live our motherland, may it prosper!
Long live our motherland, may it prosper!
Long live our motherland, may it prosper!
Long live our motherland, may it prosper!
Long live our motherland, may it prosper!
Long live our motherland, may it prosper!
Long live our motherland, may it prosper!
Long live our motherland, may it prosper!
Female
Female
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This powerful patriotic song from the 1961 film 'Thooya Ullam' reflects on the state of India post-independence. While celebrating national freedom and referencing Mahakavi Bharathiyar's vision of an egalitarian society free of poverty and slavery, the song sharply critiques societal shortcomings that emerged after independence, such as inflation, corruption, hoarding, unemployment, and communal divide.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Kazhughu pola vilaigalellam parakkudhu ingae”
Compares rising prices of commodities to eagles soaring high in the sky.
Monai (Initial Rhyme/Alliteration)
“Padhavi vettai lunja oozhal malindhu vittadhae / Padhukki vaikkum koottamingae niraindha vittadhae”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds across lines to create rhythmic lyricism.
Anaphora (Repetition for Emphasis)
“Vaazhga thaayagam vaazhiyavae”
Repeated blessing of the motherland to reinforce nationalistic fervor at the conclusion.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by legendary lyricist Kannadasan and composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao, 'Dhesam Engum Viduthalai Vizha' stands out as a rare post-independence introspection song in Tamil cinema. Rather than purely celebrating independence, Kannadasan used Mahakavi Subramania Bharati's reformist principles to hold a mirror to contemporary socio-economic issues like inflation and corruption.
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