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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Karpanai Vaadhigalin

From Nathaiyil Muthu · 1973

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Radha Jayalakshmi
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Nathaiyil Muthu
Movie release year
1973
Lyrics added on
31 Dec 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Karpanai vaathigalin
Pechil mayangi dhesam
Kalangi thavikkirathendre aaduraattae
Karpanai vaathigalin
Pechil mayangi dhesam
Kalangi thavikkirathendre aaduraattae
Urpaththi perukkaamal entha naadum
Ulagil urupattathu illai endru aaduraattae
Aaduraattae suzhandru aaduraattae
Intha naadu padum paattai solli aaduraattae
Sinthikka theriyaatha manitharellaam
Naattai seerthiruththa vanthaarendru aaduraattae
Sinthikka theriyaatha manitharellaam
Naattai seerthiruththa vanthaarendru aaduraattae
Santhikku santhi nindru pesuvoraal
Santhikku santhi nindru pesuvoraal
Dhesam santhikkae vanthathendru aaduraattae
Aaduraattae suzhandru aaduraattae
Intha naadu padum paattai solli aaduraattae
Poo panthal pol iruntha
Vaazhkkai nalaththai
Palar vaai panthal saaiththathendrae aaduraattae
Poo panthal pol iruntha
Vaazhkkai nalaththai
Palar vaai panthal saaiththathendrae aaduraattae
Thaai pillai pol pazhagi vaazhntha makkalai
Thaai pillai pol pazhagi vaazhntha makkalai
Katchi noi vanthu kalaiththathendru aaduraattae
Aaduraattae suzhandru aaduraattae
Intha naadu padum paattai solli aaduraattae
Maaruthal vendumendru makkal ninaiththaal
Adharkku therthal undu endru aaduraattae
Maaruthal vendumendru makkal ninaiththaal
Adharkku therthal undu endru aaduraattae
Antha therthalil puriyaamal therntheduththaal
Ini thaerthal illai endru aaduraattae
Mana aaruthal illai endru aaduraattae
Aaduraattae suzhandru aaduraattae
Intha naadu padum paattai solli aaduraattae
Gandhi kadan theerkkaamal
Ayal naattil kaiyai yaenthu kadan pattomendru
Aaduraattae
Gandhi kadan theerkkaamal
Ayal naattil kaiyai yaenthu kadan pattomendru
Aaduraattae
Unmai
Female :Uzhaippu
Male :Anbu
Female :Ahimsai endru
Gandhi kadan theerkkaamal
Ayal naattil kaiyai yaenthu kadan pattomendru
Aaduraattae
Neendhi karai saevatharkku
Uzhaippai vittaal
Neendhi karai saevatharkku
Uzhaippai vittaal
Unmai uzhaippai vittaal
Veru shanthi illai endru solli aaduraattae
Female : Aaduraattae aaduraattae
Aaduraattae deiva bakthi tharum
Sakthi endru aaduraattae
Swayed by the words
of mere dreamers, the nation
is troubled and suffering—sing that and spin, oh spinning wheel!
Swayed by the words
of mere dreamers, the nation
is troubled and suffering—sing that and spin, oh spinning wheel!
Without increasing its production,
no country on earth has ever prospered—sing that and spin, oh spinning wheel!
Spin, oh spinning wheel, whirl around and spin!
Tell of all the hardships this country suffers, and spin!
People who do not even know how to think
have come forward to reform the country—sing that and spin!
People who do not even know how to think
have come forward to reform the country—sing that and spin!
Because of those who give speeches on every corner,
because of those who give speeches on every corner,
the country itself has been dragged into the streets—sing that and spin!
Spin, oh spinning wheel, whirl around and spin!
Tell of all the hardships this country suffers, and spin!
The good life that was once
like a shelter of woven flowers,
empty talk has torn down—sing that and spin!
The good life that was once
like a shelter of woven flowers,
empty talk has torn down—sing that and spin!
People who lived closely like a mother and her child,
people who lived closely like a mother and her child,
the sickness of political parties has driven apart—sing that and spin!
Spin, oh spinning wheel, whirl around and spin!
Tell of all the hardships this country suffers, and spin!
If the people feel they need a change,
tell them there is an election for that, and spin!
If the people feel they need a change,
tell them there is an election for that, and spin!
If they make a blind choice in that election,
tell them there will never be another election, and spin!
Tell them there will be no peace of mind, and spin!
Spin, oh spinning wheel, whirl around and spin!
Tell of all the hardships this country suffers, and spin!
Without repaying our debt to Gandhi,
we held our hands out to foreign lands and fell into debt—
sing that and spin!
Without repaying our debt to Gandhi,
we held our hands out to foreign lands and fell into debt—
sing that and spin!
Truth,
Female: hard work,
Male: love,
Female: and non-violence—
without repaying our debt to Gandhi,
we held our hands out to foreign lands and fell into debt—
sing that and spin!
To swim across and reach the shore,
other than hard work,
to swim across and reach the shore,
other than hard work,
other than honest hard work,
there is no other peace, sing that and spin!
Female: Spin, oh spinning wheel, spin!
Spin, oh spinning wheel, saying that devotion to God
gives us strength, sing that and spin!
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Female
Male
Chorus
Female
Female
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Chorus
Female
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic socio-political philosophical song from the 1973 film 'Nathaiyil Muthu' uses the metaphor of the traditional charkha (aaduraattai or spinning wheel) to deliver a scathing critique of contemporary Indian politics and societal decay. Lyricist Vaali uses the spinning wheel—an iconic Gandhian symbol of self-reliance, hard work, and rural empowerment—to narrate the plight of the nation. The song laments how empty political speeches and divisive party politics ('katchi noi') have torn apart the social fabric that once bound people together like family.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor / Symbolism (உவமை / குறியீடு)

Aaduraattae suzhandru aaduraattae

The spinning wheel ('Aaduraattai') is used as an allegorical listener and voice of wisdom representing Gandhian philosophy, hard labor, and economic self-sufficiency.

Wordplay / Pun (சொல்லணி)

Dhesam santhikkae vanthathendru aaduraattae

Vaali plays on the word 'Santhi' (street junction / corner) to denote how people talking at street corners ('Santhikku santhi nindru pesuvoraal') end up bringing the entire nation to ruin on the streets ('Dhesam santhikkae vanthathendru').

Edhugai (Monai / Second letter Rhyme - எதுகை)

Poo panthal pol iruntha

Matching second consonants across lines such as 'Poo panthal' and 'Vaazhkkai' / 'Katchi' for rhythmic flow.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is legendary in Tamil socio-political music for echoing Gandhian economic philosophy. In the film 'Nathaiyil Muthu', this song features a character spinning yarn while singing a public commentary on governance, elections, and national debt.

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