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Paasavalai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Idhuthaan Ulagamadaa Manidhaa

From Paasavalai · 1956

Lyricist
Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
Singer
C. S. Jayaraman
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Paasavalai
Movie release year
1956
Lyrics added on
2 May 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa manidhaa
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa
Porul irunthaal vandhu koodum
Adhai izhanthaal vilagi odum
Porul irunthaal vandhu koodum
Adhai izhanthaal vilagi odum
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa manidhaa
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa
Udhaithavan kaalai muthamidum
Uththamar vaazhvai koththividum
Udhattil uravum ullathil pagaiyum
Valarthae arivai maaithuvidum
Udhattil uravum ullathil pagaiyum
Valarthae arivai maaithuvidum
Porul irunthaal vandhu koodum
Adhai izhanthaal vilagi odum
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa manidhaa
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa
Uzhaippavan kaiyil odu tharum
Unavukku bathilaai nanjai tharum
Uzhaippavan kaiyil odu tharum
Unavukku bathilaai nanjai tharum
Pazhaiyae puriyum kodiyon pusikka
Paalum palamum dhinam thedi tharum
Pazhaiyae puriyum kodiyon pusikka
Paalum palamum dhinam thedi tharum
Porul irunthaal vandhu koodum
Adhai izhanthaal vilagi odum
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa manidhaa
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa
Meiyai poiyaai maatrividum
Aaa….aaa…haaa….aaa…..aaa….
Aaaa….aaa…..aaa…
Meiyai poiyaai maatrividum
Aaa….aaa…haaa….aaa…
Haaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aa…
Aaaa…aaa…haa….aaa….
Meiyai poiyaai maatrividum
Haaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aa…
Aaaa…aaa…haa….aaa….
Haaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aa…
Meiyai poiyaai maatrividum
Haaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aa…
Aaaa…aaa…haa….aaa….
Haaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aa…
Aaaa…aaa…haa….aaa….
Meiyai poiyaai maatrividum
Haaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aa…
Aaaa…aaa…haa….aaa….
Haaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aa…
Aaaa…aaa…haa….aaa….
Meiyai poiyaai maatrividum
Haaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aa…
Aaaa…aaa…haa….aaa….
Haaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aaa….aa…
Meiyai poiyaai maatrividum
Meiyai poiyaai maatrividum
Veenae siraiyil pootividum
Poiyum purattum nirainthavan thannai
Poiyum purattum nirainthavan thannai
Pugazhndhae paadal punainthu vidum
Porul irunthaal vandhu koodum
Adhai izhanthaal vilagi odum
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa manidhaa
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa
Idhu thaan ulagamadaa
This is the way of the world.
This is the way of the world, O human!
This is the way of the world.
If you have wealth, they gather around you;
if you lose it, they run away.
If you have wealth, they gather around you;
if you lose it, they run away.
This is the way of the world, O human!
This is the way of the world.
It kisses the feet of the one who kicks it,
but pecks away at the life of the righteous.
Showing love on the lips while keeping hatred in the heart,
it nurtures malice and destroys wisdom.
Showing love on the lips while keeping hatred in the heart,
it nurtures malice and destroys wisdom.
If you have wealth, they gather around you;
if you lose it, they run away.
This is the way of the world, O human!
This is the way of the world.
It hands a begging bowl to the working man,
and gives poison instead of food.
It hands a begging bowl to the working man,
and gives poison instead of food.
Yet to feed the cruel villain who does wicked deeds,
it searches daily and serves milk and fruit.
Yet to feed the cruel villain who does wicked deeds,
it searches daily and serves milk and fruit.
If you have wealth, they gather around you;
if you lose it, they run away.
This is the way of the world, O human!
This is the way of the world.
It turns truth into lies,
Aa.....aa....haa.....aa.....aa....
Aa....aa.....aa.....
It turns truth into lies,
Aa.....aa....haa.....aa.....
Haa.....aa....aa....aa....aa....aa....
Aa.....aa....haa.....aa.....
It turns truth into lies,
Haa.....aa....aa....aa....aa....aa....
Aa.....aa....haa.....aa.....
Haa.....aa....aa....aa....aa....aa....
It turns truth into lies,
Haa.....aa....aa....aa....aa....aa....
Aa.....aa....haa.....aa.....
Haa.....aa....aa....aa....aa....aa....
Aa.....aa....haa.....aa.....
It turns truth into lies,
Haa.....aa....aa....aa....aa....aa....
Aa.....aa....haa.....aa.....
Haa.....aa....aa....aa....aa....aa....
Aa.....aa....haa.....aa.....
It turns truth into lies,
Haa.....aa....aa....aa....aa....aa....
Aa.....aa....haa.....aa.....
Haa.....aa....aa....aa....aa....aa....
Aa.....aa....haa.....aa.....
It turns truth into lies,
and unjustly locks it up in prison.
While for the one full of lies and deceit,
while for the one full of lies and deceit,
it composes songs in lavish praise.
If you have wealth, they gather around you;
if you lose it, they run away.
This is the way of the world, O human!
This is the way of the world.
This is the way of the world.
This is the way of the world.
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song composed by Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram serves as a scathing philosophical critique of society's hypocritical and materialistic nature. The lyricist highlights how society worships wealth and power while mistreating honest, hardworking people. Fake friends flock around those with money but abandon them in times of loss. The world rewards tyrants with luxuries while handing begging bowls and poison to honest laborers.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Antithesis (Maranpattu Sorkal)

Meiyai poiyaai maatrividum

Contrasting 'truth' (Mei) and 'lie' (Poi) to show how society distorts reality.

Metaphor / Imagery

Udhattil uravum ullathil pagaiyum

Contrasting 'friendship on lips' (Udhattil uravu) and 'hatred in heart' (Ullathil pagai) to illustrate double-faced nature.

Anaphora (Repetition)

Porul irunthaal vandhu koodum

Repetition of the phrase 'Porul irunthaal' and 'Idhu thaan ulagamadaa' to reinforce the central thematic hook.

Anaaphora / Alliteration (Monaai)

Pazhaiyae puriyum kodiyon pusikka

The initial 'Pa' sound repeats across words like 'Pazhaiyae' and 'Paalum' in consecutive lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram for the movie Paasavalai (1956), this song reflects his strong communist leanings and social reformist ideals, dissecting class divide and economic injustice through simple yet potent Tamil poetry.

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