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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Evaridathum Thavarillai

From Vivasayee · 1967

Lyricist
Udumalai Narayanakavi
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Vivasayee1967

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Evaridathum thavarum illaiThere is no fault with anyone,
Enakku thaan thollaithe trouble is only mine.
Evaridathum thavarum illaiThere is no fault with anyone,
Enakku thaan thollaithe trouble is only mine.
Innadhu dhaan seivadhendrumWhat to do now,
PuriyavillaiI do not understand.
Ammaa ammaaOh Mother, oh Mother!
Evaridathum thavarum illaiThere is no fault with anyone,
Enakku thaan thollaithe trouble is only mine.
Female
Karam piditha kanavar sollaiThe word of the husband whose hand I held,
Kadandhiduvaenowill I disobey?
Ratha kalappil vandha kula kodiyaiThe tender vine of my family born of shared blood,
Kai viduvaenowill I abandon?
Karam piditha kanavar sollaiThe word of the husband whose hand I held,
Kadandhiduvaenowill I disobey?
Ratha kalappil vandha kula kodiyaiThe tender vine of my family born of shared blood,
Kai viduvaenowill I abandon?
Female
Iruvarukkum kurai varaamalWithout bringing any harm or sorrow to either of them,
Udhavi seivaenocan I help them?
Iruvarukkum kurai varaamalWithout bringing any harm or sorrow to either of them,
Udhavi seivaenocan I help them?
Adhil kuraivu vandhaal uyirudanaeIf I fail in doing that, with my life intact,
Ulagil uivaenowill I survive in this world?
Ammaa ammaa….aaa…Oh Mother, oh Mother...
Evaridathum thavarum illaiThere is no fault with anyone,
Enakku thaan thollaithe trouble is only mine.
Female
Kaadhal thannai marakka chonnaalIf told to forget love itself,
Saadhal aagumaeit would mean death.
Avar ganniyathai izhakka chonnaalIf told to compromise his dignity,
Modhal aagumaeit will cause conflict.
Kaadhal thannai marakka chonnaalIf told to forget love itself,
Saadhal aagumaeit would mean death.
Avar ganniyathai izhakka chonnaalIf told to compromise his dignity,
Modhal aagumaeit will cause conflict.
Female
Kaadhal indri modhal indriWithout losing love and without conflict,
Sangadam theeraadhowill not this distress come to an end?
Kaadhal indri modhal indriWithout losing love and without conflict,
Sangadam theeraadhowill not this distress come to an end?
Perum sandhosham thaan engal vaazhvilWill great happiness in our lives
Vandhu saeraadhonot return to us?
Ammaa ammaa….aaa…Oh Mother, oh Mother...
Evaridathum thavarum illaiThere is no fault with anyone,
Enakku thaan thollaithe trouble is only mine.
Innadhu dhaan seivadhendrumWhat to do now,
PuriyavillaiI do not understand.
Ammaa amammaaOh Mother, oh Mother!
Evaridathum thavarum illaiThere is no fault with anyone,
Enakku thaan thollaithe trouble is only mine.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song expresses a woman's intense inner torment as she finds herself trapped in a painful conflict of duties—torn between her loyalty to her husband and her love for her blood relatives. Realizing that neither party is truly at fault, she laments her helpless state and cries out to the divine mother figure for guidance. She struggles with the terrifying thought of having to disobey her husband or abandon her family, believing that failing to balance both relationships would render her life meaningless. Through poignant lyrical questioning, she seeks a path where love and dignity can coexist without violence or heartbreaks. The song beautifully portrays the emotional conflict and moral dilemma typical of classical Indian family sagas, capturing a desperate hope for harmony and happiness to eventually restore order in her family's life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Kaadhal thannai marakka chonnaal / Saadhal aagumae

The second consonant 'dha' (த) rhymes between 'Kaadhal' and 'Saadhal'.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Kadandhiduvaeno / Kai viduvaeno

Both lines end with the identical rhythmic ending sound '-vaeno'.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Saadhal aagumae / Modhal aagumae

The lines rhyme at the end with the word 'aagumae'.

Monai (First-letter Alliteration)

Karam piditha kanavar sollai / Kadandhiduvaeno

The initial sound 'Ka' (க) repeats across key words 'Karam', 'kanavar', and 'Kadandhiduvaeno'.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Ratha kalappil vandha kula kodiyai

The blood relation is poetically described as a 'kula kodi' (family vine/branch).

Did you know?

Trivia

'Evaridathum thavarum illai' is a moving melancholic track from the 1967 Tamil film 'Vivasayee', directed by M. A. Thirumugam and starring M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) alongside K. R. Vijaya. The legendary Udumalai Narayanakavi authored the lyrics, expertly capturing nuanced Tamil familial dynamics. Rendered with deep emotional resonance by Nightingale of South India P. Susheela under the music direction of K. V. Mahadevan, the song remains one of the most memorable emotional solos in 1960s Tamil cinema.

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