Idhaya Veenai Thoongum Podhu
From Iruvar Ullam · 1963
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Iruvar Ullam1963
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu | When the veena of the heart is asleep, |
| Paada mudiyuma | Can it sing? |
| Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu | When the veena of the heart is asleep, |
| Paada mudiyuma | Can it sing? |
| Irandu kangal irandu kaatchi | Can two eyes see, |
| Kaana mudiyuma | Two different sights? |
| Female | |
| Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu | When the veena of the heart is asleep, |
| Paada mudiyuma | Can it sing? |
| Irandu kangal irandu kaatchi | Can two eyes see, |
| Kaana mudiyuma | Two different sights? |
| Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu | When the veena of the heart is asleep, |
| Paada mudiyuma..aaa…. | Can it sing?..aaa…. |
| Female | |
| {Udhadu sirikum neram | When the lips smile, |
| Ullam sirikkuma | Does the heart smile? |
| Uruvam podum vesham | Does the guise worn by a person, |
| Unmai aaguma} (2) | Become the truth? |
| Female | |
| Vilakai kudathil vaithaal | If a lamp is kept hidden inside a pot, |
| Velicham thondruma | Will light shine forth? |
| Vilakai kudathil vaithaal | If a lamp is kept hidden inside a pot, |
| Velicham thondruma | Will light shine forth? |
| Veetu kuyilai kootil vaithaal | If a pet cuckoo bird is locked in a cage, |
| Paatu paaduma..paa..tu paaduma….aaa.. | Will it sing a song?..will it sing a song?....aaa.. |
| Female | |
| Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu | When the veena of the heart is asleep, |
| Paada mudiyuma | Can it sing? |
| Irandu kangal irandu kaatchi | Can two eyes see, |
| Kaana mudiyuma | Two different sights? |
| Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu | When the veena of the heart is asleep, |
| Paada mudiyuma..aaa…. | Can it sing?..aaa…. |
| Female | |
| {Manathai vaitha iraivan | The God who gave us a mind, |
| Athil ninaivai vaithaanae | Placed memories within it; |
| Sila manithargalai arinthu kollum | To understand certain human beings, |
| Arivai vaithaanae} (2) | He endowed us with intellect. |
| Female | |
| Arivai vaitha iraivan | The God who gave us intellect, |
| Meni azhagai vaithaanae | Also created bodily beauty; |
| Arivai vaitha iraivan | The God who gave us intellect, |
| Meni azhagai vaithaanae | Also created bodily beauty; |
| Azhagai kanda manithan pennai | Man, upon seeing beauty, |
| Adimai seithaanae.. adimai seithaanae.. | Made woman a slave.. made her a slave.. |
| Female | |
| Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu | When the veena of the heart is asleep, |
| Paada mudiyuma | Can it sing? |
| Irandu kangal irandu kaatchi | Can two eyes see, |
| Kaana mudiyuma | Two different sights? |
| Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu | When the veena of the heart is asleep, |
| Paada mudiyuma..aaa…. | Can it sing?..aaa…. |
| Female | |
| Urugi vitta mezhuginilae | In melted wax, |
| Oli yethu | Where is the light? |
| Udainthu vitta silaiyinilae azhagethu | In a broken idol, where is the beauty? |
| Pazhuthupatta kovililae dheivamethu… | In a dilapidated temple, where is God? |
| Pani padarntha paadhaiyilae payanamyethu | On a mist-covered path, what journey can be made? |
| Female | |
| Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu | When the veena of the heart is asleep, |
| Paada mudiyuma | Can it sing? |
இதய வீணை தூங்கும் போது
பாட முடியுமா
இதய வீணை தூங்கும் போது
பாட முடியுமா
இரண்டு கண்கள் இரண்டு காட்சி
காண முடியுமா
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Can it sing?
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Can it sing?
Can two eyes see,
Two different sights?
இதய வீணை தூங்கும் போது
பாட முடியுமா
இரண்டு கண்கள் இரண்டு காட்சி
காண முடியுமா
இதய வீணை தூங்கும் போது
பாட முடியுமா....ஆஆ.......
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Can it sing?
Can two eyes see,
Two different sights?
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Can it sing?..aaa….
{உதடு சிரிக்கும் நேரம்
உள்ளம் சிரிக்குமா
உருவம் போடும் வேஷம்
உண்மை ஆகுமா} (2)
When the lips smile,
Does the heart smile?
Does the guise worn by a person,
Become the truth?
விளக்கை குடத்தில் வைத்தால்
வெளிச்சம் தோன்றுமா
விளக்கை குடத்தில் வைத்தால்
வெளிச்சம் தோன்றுமா
வீட்டு குயிலை கூட்டில் வைத்தால்
பாட்டு பாடுமா... பாட்டு பாடுமா...ஆஆ....
If a lamp is kept hidden inside a pot,
Will light shine forth?
If a lamp is kept hidden inside a pot,
Will light shine forth?
If a pet cuckoo bird is locked in a cage,
Will it sing a song?..will it sing a song?....aaa..
இதய வீணை தூங்கும் போது
பாட முடியுமா
இரண்டு கண்கள் இரண்டு காட்சி
காண முடியுமா
இதய வீணை தூங்கும் போது
பாட முடியுமா....ஆஆ.......
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Can it sing?
Can two eyes see,
Two different sights?
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Can it sing?..aaa….
{மனதை வைத்த இறைவன்
அதில் நினைவை வைத்தானே
சில மனிதர்களை அறிந்து கொள்ளும்
அறிவை வைத்தானே} (2)
The God who gave us a mind,
Placed memories within it;
To understand certain human beings,
He endowed us with intellect.
அறிவை வைத்த இறைவன்
மேனி அழகை வைத்தானே
அறிவை வைத்த இறைவன்
மேனி அழகை வைத்தானே
அழகு கண்ட மனிதன் பெண்ணை
அடிமை செய்தானே
அடிமை செய்தானே
The God who gave us intellect,
Also created bodily beauty;
The God who gave us intellect,
Also created bodily beauty;
Man, upon seeing beauty,
Made woman a slave.. made her a slave..
இதய வீணை தூங்கும் போது
பாட முடியுமா
இரண்டு கண்கள் இரண்டு காட்சி
காண முடியுமா
இதய வீணை தூங்கும் போது
பாட முடியுமா....ஆஆ.......
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Can it sing?
Can two eyes see,
Two different sights?
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Can it sing?..aaa….
உருகிவிட்ட மெழுகினிலே
ஒளி ஏது
உடைந்து விட்ட சிலையினிலே
அழகேது
பழுது பட்ட கோவிலிலே
தெய்வம் ஏது
பனி படர்ந்த பாதையிலே
பயணம் ஏது
In melted wax,
Where is the light?
In a broken idol, where is the beauty?
In a dilapidated temple, where is God?
On a mist-covered path, what journey can be made?
இதய வீணை தூங்கும் போது
பாட முடியுமா
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Can it sing?
Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Paada mudiyuma
Can it sing?
Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Paada mudiyuma
Can it sing?
Irandu kangal irandu kaatchi
Can two eyes see,
Kaana mudiyuma
Two different sights?
Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Paada mudiyuma
Can it sing?
Irandu kangal irandu kaatchi
Can two eyes see,
Kaana mudiyuma
Two different sights?
Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Paada mudiyuma..aaa….
Can it sing?..aaa….
{Udhadu sirikum neram
When the lips smile,
Ullam sirikkuma
Does the heart smile?
Uruvam podum vesham
Does the guise worn by a person,
Unmai aaguma} (2)
Become the truth?
Vilakai kudathil vaithaal
If a lamp is kept hidden inside a pot,
Velicham thondruma
Will light shine forth?
Vilakai kudathil vaithaal
If a lamp is kept hidden inside a pot,
Velicham thondruma
Will light shine forth?
Veetu kuyilai kootil vaithaal
If a pet cuckoo bird is locked in a cage,
Paatu paaduma..paa..tu paaduma….aaa..
Will it sing a song?..will it sing a song?....aaa..
Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Paada mudiyuma
Can it sing?
Irandu kangal irandu kaatchi
Can two eyes see,
Kaana mudiyuma
Two different sights?
Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Paada mudiyuma..aaa….
Can it sing?..aaa….
{Manathai vaitha iraivan
The God who gave us a mind,
Athil ninaivai vaithaanae
Placed memories within it;
Sila manithargalai arinthu kollum
To understand certain human beings,
Arivai vaithaanae} (2)
He endowed us with intellect.
Arivai vaitha iraivan
The God who gave us intellect,
Meni azhagai vaithaanae
Also created bodily beauty;
Arivai vaitha iraivan
The God who gave us intellect,
Meni azhagai vaithaanae
Also created bodily beauty;
Azhagai kanda manithan pennai
Man, upon seeing beauty,
Adimai seithaanae.. adimai seithaanae..
Made woman a slave.. made her a slave..
Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Paada mudiyuma
Can it sing?
Irandu kangal irandu kaatchi
Can two eyes see,
Kaana mudiyuma
Two different sights?
Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Paada mudiyuma..aaa….
Can it sing?..aaa….
Urugi vitta mezhuginilae
In melted wax,
Oli yethu
Where is the light?
Udainthu vitta silaiyinilae azhagethu
In a broken idol, where is the beauty?
Pazhuthupatta kovililae dheivamethu…
In a dilapidated temple, where is God?
Pani padarntha paadhaiyilae payanamyethu
On a mist-covered path, what journey can be made?
Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu
When the veena of the heart is asleep,
Paada mudiyuma
Can it sing?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Idhaya Veenai Thoongum Pothu from the 1963 film Iruvar Ullam is a deeply philosophical and melancholic song exploring the theme of emotional numbness and sorrow. Through a series of rhetorical questions, lyricist Kannadasan compares a silent, grieving heart to an unplayed veena, a caged bird, or a lamp hidden inside a pot—arguing that true expression and joy cannot emerge when the soul is trapped or broken. The song also reflects critically on human hypocrisy and gender dynamics, pointing out how superficial smiles mask internal pain, and how men have historically subjugated women despite the divine wisdom granted to humanity. The concluding lines evoke striking imagery of ruin—melted wax, broken idols, ruined temples, and foggy roads—symbolizing the futility of seeking beauty, divinity, or direction when emotional foundations are destroyed.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvakam)
“Idhaya veenai thoongum pothu”
Compares the human heart to a veena ('Idhaya veenai'), implying that music and emotional resonance cannot be created if the heart is dormant or broken.
Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Ani)
“Paada mudiyuma”
Uses persistent questioning to emphasize the impossibility of joy, honesty, or sight under restrictive or sorrowful conditions.
Initial Rhyme / Monai
“Udhadu sirikum neram / Ullam sirikkuma / Uruvam podum vesham / Unmai aaguma”
Assonance/alliteration of the 'U' sound at the start of consecutive lines ('Udhadu', 'Ullam', 'Uruvam', 'Unmai').
Imagery / Allegory
“Urugi vitta mezhuginilae / Udainthu vitta silaiyinilae / Pazhuthupatta kovililae”
Evokes vivid images of lost light, ruined worship, and blocked paths to depict despair.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is from the classic Tamil film Iruvar Ullam (1963), starring Sivaji Ganesan and B. Saroja Devi, directed by L. V. Prasad. The music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, with memorable lyrics penned by Kannadasan and rendered soulfully by P. Susheela.
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