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Valli Mayil album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kadavul Endru Sonnaalum

From Valli Mayil · 1980

Lyricist
M. A. Kaja
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Valli Mayil
Movie release year
1980
Lyrics added on
18 Jul 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
…………….
Kadavul endru sonnaalum
Karthar endru uraiththaalum
Muruga endru mozhinthaalum
Allaah endru azhaiththaalum
Ellaa deivam ondraagum….mmmm…
Adhai enni thelinthaal nandraagum…
Mannil pirantha manitharellaam
Oru madhaa vayittru pillaigalae
Mannil pirantha manitharellaam
Oru madhaa vayittru pillaigalae
Pirappil irappil bedhamillai
Udal uruppil kooda maattramillai…
Udal uruppil kooda maattramillai…
Uzhaiththu pizhaikkum oru varkkam
Avar uzhaippil thilaikkum oru varkkam
Uzhaiththu pizhaikkum oru varkkam
Avar uzhaippil thilaikkum oru varkkam
Yaeiththu pizhaikkum oru varkkam
Ingu yaemaanthu nirkkum oru varkkam
Ingu yaemaanthu nirkkum oru varkkam
Kadavul endru sonnaalum
Karthar endru uraiththaalum
Muruga endru mozhinthaalum
Allaah endru azhaiththaalum
Ellaa deivam ondraagum….mmmm…
Adhai enni thelinthaal nandraagum…
Manithan seiyyum sathiyilthaan
Madhamum jaathiyum uruvaachchu
Manithan seiyyum sathiyilthaan
Madhamum jaathiyum uruvaachchu
Manitha thanmai ullavarthaan
Madhaththil jaathiyil uyarnthavargal
Madhaththil jaathiyil uyarnthavargal
…………………
...
Whether you say God,
Or speak of the Lord,
Whether you utter the name Muruga,
Or call out to Allah,
All gods are one and the same... mmm...
It would do us good to realize this clearly...
All the people born on this earth
Are children born of the same mother.
All the people born on this earth
Are children born of the same mother.
There is no difference in birth or death,
There is no difference even in our physical bodies...
There is no difference even in our physical bodies...
One class toils hard to survive,
While another class thrives on their hard work.
One class toils hard to survive,
While another class thrives on their hard work.
One class makes a living by deceit,
While another class stands here deceived.
While another class stands here deceived.
Whether you say God,
Or speak of the Lord,
Whether you utter the name Muruga,
Or call out to Allah,
All gods are one and the same... mmm...
It would do us good to realize this clearly...
It is only through the schemes of man
That religion and caste were born.
It is only through the schemes of man
That religion and caste were born.
Only those who possess true humanity
Are the highest in religion and caste.
Are the highest in religion and caste.
...
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This secular philosophical song from the film Valli Mayil (1980) advocates for religious harmony, human equality, and social justice. It begins by proclaiming that regardless of the name used to address the Almighty—whether God, Lord, Murugan, or Allah—the divine essence is universally one. The text emphasizes that all human beings share identical biology, suffering, birth, and death, rendering artificial social hierarchies baseless.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Kadavul endru sonnaalum / Karthar endru uraiththaalum...

Lines 2 to 5 end with matching rhyming suffixes ('sonnaalum', 'uraiththaalum', 'mozhinthaalum', 'azhaiththaalum').

Epistrophe (Repetition)

Uzhaiththu pizhaikkum oru varkkam / Avar uzhaippil thilaikkum oru varkkam

The phrase 'oru varkkam' (a class of people) is repeated at the end of multiple consecutive lines to emphasize socio-economic class divisions.

Antithesis (Contrast)

Yaeiththu pizhaikkum oru varkkam / Ingu yaemaanthu nirkkum oru varkkam

Direct contrast is drawn between the working class and the exploiting class ('Uzhaiththu pizhaikkum' vs 'yaeiththu pizhaikkum').

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by the legendary musical duo Shankar-Ganesh and written by lyricist M.A. Kaja, the song features iconic vocal performance by T. M. Soundararajan (TMS). TMS was frequently chosen to render such rationalist, social-reformist, and unity songs in Tamil cinema due to his powerful diction and commanding vocal depth.

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