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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Gandhi Desamey

From Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985 Film) · 1985

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985 Film)
Movie release year
1985
Lyrics added on
25 Oct 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Gandhi desamae kaavalillaiyaa
Aaa…..aaa…..aa….aa…..aa….aa….aa…
Aaa…..aaa…..aa….aa…..aa….aa….aa…
Gandhi desamae kaavalillaiyaa
Needhimandramae niyaayam illaiyaa
Padhaviyin Siraigalil
Paarathmaadhaa parithavikkiraal
Sudhandhira devi suyanala puligalin
Thuni thuvaikkiraal thuni thuvaikkiraal
Thaayai meetkkavaa….dharmam kaakkavaa….
Thaayai meetkkavaa….dharmam kaakkavaa….
Aahaa….aa…..aahaa….aa….aahaa…aa…
Aahaa….aa…..aahaa….aa….aahaa…aa…
Aa….aa….aa…..aa…..aaa….
Gandhiyum neruvum vaangiya sudhandhiram
Oru silar urimaiyillai
Oru silar urimaiyillai
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…..aa…..aaa….
Valamundu kuraivillai
Yaezhaikku niraivillai
Varumaikku varumai illai
Varumaikku varumai illai
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…..aa…..aaa….
Saalaiyin thanimaiyil azhagiya ilamayil
Nadakkavum mudiyavillai
Nadakkavum mudiyavillai
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…..aa…..aaa….
Ilamaiyum karainthathu irupuram naraiththathu
Velaiyum kidaikkavillai
Velaiyum kidaikkavillai
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…..aa…..aaa….
Jaadhi engindra maaya pei ondru
Raththam ketkkindrathae
Dharmam thappiththu kalvan kottaikkul
Thanjam ketkkindrathae….
Gandhi desamae kaavalillaiyaa
Needhimandramae niyaayam illaiyaa
Aahaa….aa…..aahaa….aa….aahaa…aa…
Aahaa….aa…..aahaa….aa….aahaa…aa…
Aa….aa….aa…..aa…..aaa….
India dhesaththai kaakkindra veerarkal
Ellaiyil nirainthiruppar
Ellaiyil nirainthiruppar
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…..aa…..aaa….
Naattinai kaasukku
Kaattiyae koduppaavar
Oorukkul olinthiruppaar….
Oorukkul olinthiruppaar….
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…..aa…..aaa….
Ahimsaiyai bothiththa dhesaththil
Raththathin aarugal oduthadaa
Raththathin aarugal oduthadaa
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…..aa…..aaa….
Yaezhaiyin kooraiyil yaetriya theekkanal
Vaan varai yaeruthadaa
Vaan varai yaeruthadaa
Chorus :Aa….aa….aa…..aa…..aaa….
Viduthalai vaanga andru naam thantha
vilaigalthaan konjamaa
Veliyae indru payirai meigindra
Nilamaithaan maarumaa
Gandhi desamae kaavalillaiyaa
Needhimandramae niyaayam illaiyaa
Padhaviyin Siraigalil
Paarathmaadhaa parithavikkiraal
Sudhandhira devi suyanala puligalin
Thuni thuvaikkiraal thuni thuvaikkiraal
Thaayai meetkkavaa….dharmam kaakkavaa….
Thaayai meetkkavaa….dharmam kaakkavaa….
Gandhi desamae kaavalillaiyaa
Needhimandramae niyaayam illaiyaa
O land of Gandhi, is there no protection?
Aaha... aaha... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
Aaha... aaha... aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
O land of Gandhi, is there no protection?
O court of law, is there no justice?
Trapped inside the prisons of power,
Mother India suffers in deep agony.
The Goddess of Freedom, for selfish predators,
washes their clothes, she washes their clothes!
Shall I rescue our Mother? Shall I defend righteousness?
Shall I rescue our Mother? Shall I defend righteousness?
Aaha... aa... aaha... aa... aaha... aa...
Aaha... aa... aaha... aa... aaha... aa...
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aaha...
The freedom won by Gandhi and Nehru
does not belong to just a privileged few.
It does not belong to just a privileged few.
Chorus: Aa... aa... aa... aa... aaha...
There is plenty of wealth, no shortage at all,
yet the poor person's life remains empty.
Poverty itself has no scarcity here!
Poverty itself has no scarcity here!
Chorus: Aa... aa... aa... aa... aaha...
In youthful beauty, alone on the road,
a woman cannot even walk safely.
She cannot even walk safely.
Chorus: Aa... aa... aa... aa... aaha...
Youth has faded away, hair has turned grey,
yet there is still no job to be found.
There is still no job to be found.
Chorus: Aa... aa... aa... aa... aaha...
An evil demon called caste
keeps thirsting for human blood!
Righteousness flees in fear and, inside a thief's fort,
it begs for shelter and refuge!
O land of Gandhi, is there no protection?
O court of law, is there no justice?
Aaha... aa... aaha... aa... aaha... aa...
Aaha... aa... aaha... aa... aaha... aa...
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aaha...
The brave soldiers who protect our nation India
stand guarding along the borders.
They stand guarding along the borders.
Chorus: Aa... aa... aa... aa... aaha...
Yet those who betray the country
for mere money
hide safely right inside our towns...
hide safely right inside our towns...
Chorus: Aa... aa... aa... aa... aaha...
In the land that taught non-violence,
rivers of blood are flowing!
Rivers of blood are flowing!
Chorus: Aa... aa... aa... aa... aaha...
The fire set to a poor man's thatched roof
is leaping high into the sky!
It is leaping high into the sky!
Chorus: Aa... aa... aa... aa... aaha...
Back then, to purchase our freedom,
was the price we paid a small one?
Today, the fence itself eats the crop—
will this situation ever change?
O land of Gandhi, is there no protection?
O court of law, is there no justice?
Trapped inside the prisons of power,
Mother India suffers in deep agony.
The Goddess of Freedom, for selfish predators,
washes their clothes, she washes their clothes!
Shall I rescue our Mother? Shall I defend righteousness?
Shall I rescue our Mother? Shall I defend righteousness?
O land of Gandhi, is there no protection?
O court of law, is there no justice?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Gandhi Desame Kaavalillaiyaa' is a rousing political and social protest song from the 1985 Tamil action-drama film 'Naan Sigappu Manithan'. The song expresses deep distress and anger over the state of post-independence India. It juxtaposes the noble ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru with the harsh reality of modern society—riddled with political corruption, economic inequality, rampant unemployment, caste atrocities, and crime against women.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification

Padhaviyin Siraigalil Paarathmaadhaa parithavikkiraal

Mother India (Bharathmatha) is personified as a helpless mother suffering inside the prisons of political power.

Metaphor (Uruvagani)

Veliyae indru payirai meigindra

Uses the famous Tamil idiom 'the fence itself eating the crop' as a metaphor for corrupt leaders and lawkeepers who exploit the citizens they are sworn to protect.

Paradox

Varumaikku varumai illai

Literally translates to 'Poverty itself suffers no poverty', paradoxical phrasing used to emphasize how widespread and persistent poverty remains.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vairamuthu and powerfully rendered by K. J. Yesudas. 'Naan Sigappu Manithan' was directed by S. A. Chandrasekhar and starred Rajinikanth as Vijay, an aggrieved citizen who turns vigilante to combat corruption and injustice, perfectly matching the rebellious tone of this song.

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