Minnal Polagumintha
From Avan (1953) · 1953
- Lyricist
- Kambadasan
- Singer
- A. M. Raja
- Music director
- Shankar Jaikishan
- Details
- Avan (1953)1953
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Minnal polaagumintha vaazhkkaiyae | This life is fleeting like lightning |
| Vaan vil polumae ilamaiyaanathae aam | Youth, indeed, is ephemeral like a rainbow |
| Thunba kadhai unathae…. | Your story is one of sorrow... |
| Male | |
| Minnal polaagumintha vaazhkkaiyae | This life is fleeting like lightning |
| Vaan vil polumae ilamaiyaanathae aam | Youth, indeed, is ephemeral like a rainbow |
| Thunba kadhai unathae…. | Your story is one of sorrow... |
| Male | |
| Soozhnththu maalai engilum paalai | Evening surrounds, and everywhere becomes a desert |
| Neeyaethaan naadugindraai | You yourself are searching for |
| Kadhaliyin veedu un kadhaliyin veedu | Your lover's house, your lover's home |
| Sooraiyil paathaiyil | Along the path of raging storms |
| Vizhunthu vidaathae vizhunthuvidaathae… | Do not fall, do not fall... |
| Male | |
| Minnal polaagumintha vaazhkkaiyae | This life is fleeting like lightning |
| Vaan vil polumae ilamaiyaanathae aam | Youth, indeed, is ephemeral like a rainbow |
| Thunba kadhai unathae…. | Your story is one of sorrow... |
| Male | |
| Thaai manai vitae thaabamae pattae | Leaving the mother's home, suffering in longing |
| Thani sellum paathaiyil | On the lonely path traveled alone |
| Thadai seiyyum iruttae | Darkness poses an obstacle |
| Kann thadai seiyyum iruttae | Darkness obstructs the vision |
| Male | |
| Thaai manai vitae thaabamae pattae | Leaving the mother's home, suffering in longing |
| Thani sellum paathaiyil | On the lonely path traveled alone |
| Thadai seiyyum iruttae | Darkness poses an obstacle |
| Kann thadai seiyyum iruttae | Darkness obstructs the vision |
| Thudithulam kalangida | As the trembling heart despairs in anguish |
| Soruthae kanneer soruthae kanneer…. | Tears trickle down, tears trickle down... |
| Male | |
| Minnal polaagumintha vaazhkkaiyae | This life is fleeting like lightning |
| Vaan vil polumae ilamaiyaanathae aam | Youth, indeed, is ephemeral like a rainbow |
| Thunba kadhai unathae…. | Your story is one of sorrow... |
மின்னல் போலாகுமிந்த வாழ்க்கையே
வான் வில் போலுமே இளமையானதே ஆம்
துன்பக் கதை உனதே....
This life is fleeting like lightning
Youth, indeed, is ephemeral like a rainbow
Your story is one of sorrow...
மின்னல் போலாகுமிந்த வாழ்க்கையே
வான் வில் போலுமே இளமையானதே ஆம்
துன்பக் கதை உனதே....
This life is fleeting like lightning
Youth, indeed, is ephemeral like a rainbow
Your story is one of sorrow...
சூழ்ந்தது மாலை எங்கிலும் பாலை
நீயேதான் நாடுகின்றாய்
காதலியின் வீடு உன் காதலியின் வீடு
Evening surrounds, and everywhere becomes a desert
You yourself are searching for
Your lover's house, your lover's home
Along the path of raging storms
Do not fall, do not fall...
சூழ்ந்தது மாலை எங்கிலும் பாலை
நீயேதான் நாடுகின்றாய்
காதலியின் வீடு உன் காதலியின் வீடு
சூறையில் பாதையில்
விழுந்து விடாதே விழுந்துவிடாதே....
This life is fleeting like lightning
Youth, indeed, is ephemeral like a rainbow
Your story is one of sorrow...
மின்னல் போலாகுமிந்த வாழ்க்கையே
வான் வில் போலுமே இளமையானதே ஆம்
துன்பக் கதை உனதே....
Leaving the mother's home, suffering in longing
On the lonely path traveled alone
Darkness poses an obstacle
Darkness obstructs the vision
மின்னல் போலாகுமிந்த வாழ்க்கையே
வான் வில் போலுமே இளமையானதே ஆம்
துன்பக் கதை உனதே....
Leaving the mother's home, suffering in longing
On the lonely path traveled alone
Darkness poses an obstacle
Darkness obstructs the vision
As the trembling heart despairs in anguish
Tears trickle down, tears trickle down...
தாய் மனை விட்டே தாபமே பட்டே
தனி செல்லும் பாதையில்
தடை செய்யும் இருட்டே
கண் தடை செய்யும் இருட்டே
This life is fleeting like lightning
Youth, indeed, is ephemeral like a rainbow
Your story is one of sorrow...
தாய் மனை விட்டே தாபமே பட்டே
தனி செல்லும் பாதையில்
தடை செய்யும் இருட்டே
கண் தடை செய்யும் இருட்டே
துடித்துளம் கலங்கிட
சோருதே கண்ணீர் சோருதே கண்ணீர்.....
மின்னல் போலாகுமிந்த வாழ்க்கையே
வான் வில் போலுமே இளமையானதே ஆம்
துன்பக் கதை உனதே....
Minnal polaagumintha vaazhkkaiyae
This life is fleeting like lightning
Vaan vil polumae ilamaiyaanathae aam
Youth, indeed, is ephemeral like a rainbow
Thunba kadhai unathae….
Your story is one of sorrow...
Minnal polaagumintha vaazhkkaiyae
This life is fleeting like lightning
Vaan vil polumae ilamaiyaanathae aam
Youth, indeed, is ephemeral like a rainbow
Thunba kadhai unathae….
Your story is one of sorrow...
Soozhnththu maalai engilum paalai
Evening surrounds, and everywhere becomes a desert
Neeyaethaan naadugindraai
You yourself are searching for
Kadhaliyin veedu un kadhaliyin veedu
Your lover's house, your lover's home
Sooraiyil paathaiyil
Along the path of raging storms
Vizhunthu vidaathae vizhunthuvidaathae…
Do not fall, do not fall...
Minnal polaagumintha vaazhkkaiyae
This life is fleeting like lightning
Vaan vil polumae ilamaiyaanathae aam
Youth, indeed, is ephemeral like a rainbow
Thunba kadhai unathae….
Your story is one of sorrow...
Thaai manai vitae thaabamae pattae
Leaving the mother's home, suffering in longing
Thani sellum paathaiyil
On the lonely path traveled alone
Thadai seiyyum iruttae
Darkness poses an obstacle
Kann thadai seiyyum iruttae
Darkness obstructs the vision
Thaai manai vitae thaabamae pattae
Leaving the mother's home, suffering in longing
Thani sellum paathaiyil
On the lonely path traveled alone
Thadai seiyyum iruttae
Darkness poses an obstacle
Kann thadai seiyyum iruttae
Darkness obstructs the vision
Thudithulam kalangida
As the trembling heart despairs in anguish
Soruthae kanneer soruthae kanneer….
Tears trickle down, tears trickle down...
Minnal polaagumintha vaazhkkaiyae
This life is fleeting like lightning
Vaan vil polumae ilamaiyaanathae aam
Youth, indeed, is ephemeral like a rainbow
Thunba kadhai unathae….
Your story is one of sorrow...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song reflects on the transient and fragile nature of human life and youth, comparing them to a sudden flash of lightning and a short-lived rainbow. The protagonist embarks on a perilous, lonely journey in search of love, traversing darkness and stormy paths that symbolize life's severe trials. Leaving behind the comfort of home, the traveler faces despair, blindness caused by metaphorical darkness, and deep heartbreak, emphasizing the inevitable sorrows embedded within human destiny.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Minnal polaagumintha vaazhkkaiyae”
Compares human life to fleeting lightning ('Minnal pol') to illustrate transience.
Simile (Upamai)
“Vaan vil polumae ilamaiyaanathae aam”
Compares youth to a rainbow ('Vaan vil polumae') highlighting its brief beauty.
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Soozhnththu maalai engilum paalai”
Describes the surrounding evening environment as a desolate desert ('paalai') representing loneliness.
Repetition / Emphasis (Adukkuthodar)
“Vizhunthu vidaathae vizhunthuvidaathae…”
Repeats 'vizhunthu vidaathae' to intensify the warning against giving up or falling on the treacherous journey.
Consonance / Alliteration (Moni/Ethirai)
“Thaai manai vitae thaabamae pattae”
The rhythmic repetition of the 'th' sound ('Thaai', 'thaabamae', 'Thani', 'Thadai') creates a melancholic cadence.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Avan' (1953) is the Tamil dubbed version of the iconic Hindi classic 'Awaara' (1951), directed by Raj Kapoor. The legendary Shankar-Jaikishan composed the soundtrack, and the Tamil lyrics were translated and penned by poet Kambadasan.
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