Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Naadodi Paattu Paada

From Harichandra (1998 film) · 1998

Lyricist
Ravishankar
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music directors
Agosh (R. Anand, Gopal Rao, Shaleen
Details
Harichandra (1998 film)1998

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Nadodi paattu paadaTo sing a meanderer's song,
Thanthana thanthana thaalamTo the beat of 'Thanthana Thanthana',
Naadengum kaadhalaalaeThrough love spread across the entire land,
Nenjinil aayiram thaalamA thousand beats resonate in the heart.
Male
Nadodi paattu paadaTo sing a meanderer's song,
Thanthana thanthana thaalamTo the beat of 'Thanthana Thanthana',
Naadengum kaadhalaalaeThrough love spread across the entire land,
Nenjinil aayiram thaalamA thousand beats resonate in the heart.
Male
Irubathu vayathilAt twenty years of age,
Varuvathuthaana kaadhalIs love something that merely arrives?
Arubathu varaiyilUntil sixty years of age,
Thodarvathuthanae kaadhalTrue love is that which endures.
Male
Sirikira pothuWhen laughing together,
Siripathuthaana kaadhalIs laughing along true love?
Azhugira pothuWhen crying in pain,
Aaruthalthaanae kaadhal heyTrue love is providing comfort, hey!
Male
Kaadhalai naan paadavaShall I sing about love?
Poovilae thaen thedavaShall I search for honey in flowers?
Kaadhalai naan paadava heyyy..Shall I sing about love, heyyy?
Poovilae thaen thedavaShall I search for honey in flowers?
Male
Kannai mella moodiWhen gently closing one's eyes
SaainthukkollumbothuAnd leaning over,
Madiyaaga vendumaeA lap must be there to comfort.
ThattuthadumaariWhen stumbling along
Sornthu vizhum bothuAnd falling down tired,
Pidiyaaga vendumaeA supportive grip must be there.
Male
Un ullam naan kanduI seeing your heart,
En ullam nee kanduYou seeing my heart,
Unakaaga naan unduLiving with the assurance
Endru vaazhumThat 'I exist for you'
Kaadhalthaanae kaadhalIs the true essence of love.
Male
Malarvittu malaraiLove is not flitting
Thavuvathalla kaadhalFrom flower to flower.
Oruthikku oruvanOne man for one woman,
Enbathu thaanae kaadhal heyy..That alone is true love, heyy!
Male
Kaadhalai naan paadavaShall I sing about love?
Poovilae thaen thedavaShall I search for honey in flowers?
Male
Ey..ey..ey..Ey..ey..ey..
Thanthana thane thananaeThanthana thane thananae
Hey..thanthana thane thananaeHey..thanthana thane thananae
Male
Gangai nadhi ennaBe it the Ganges river,
Kaveri ennaOr the Kaveri river,
Ellamae penmaiyaeEverything represents womanhood.
Nammai ingu naalumThe earth that holds us here
Thangugira boomiEvery single day,
Athukooda penmaiyaeEven that is an embodiment of womanhood.
Male
Naadaalum aanukkumEven for a man who rules a country,
Veedaala pen vendumA woman is needed to rule his home.
Kadal pondra vaazhvinilIn a life vast like an ocean,
Kalangarai vilakkam thaanae penmaiWomanhood itself is the guiding lighthouse.
Male
Pennidam manadhaiIt is enough if one surrenders
Koduthuvittaalae pothumHis heart to a woman;
PournamithaanaeEvery single day in life
Vaazhvil entha naalum heyWill become a full moon night, hey!
Male
Kaadhalai naan paadavaShall I sing about love?
Poovilae thaen thedavaShall I search for honey in flowers?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from 'Harichandra' explores the deep philosophical meaning of true love and celebrates womanhood. It asserts that genuine love is not merely a youthful, fleeting passion that arrives at twenty, but an enduring commitment that lasts into old age. Love is portrayed through mutual support—being a lap to lean on, a hand to hold during stumbles, and existing for one another faithfully ('one man for one woman'). Furthermore, the lyrics extol womanhood by comparing women to sacred rivers like Ganges and Kaveri, Mother Earth, and a lighthouse navigating man through life's ocean.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Irubathu vayathil / Arubathu varaiyil

Rhyming of second letters in Tamil poetry, seen in pairs like 'Irubathu' / 'Arubathu' and 'Sirikira' / 'Azhugira'.

Monaai (Initial Alliteration)

Nadodi paattu paada / Naadengum kaadhalaalae

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across words, such as 'Nadodi' and 'Naadengum', or 'Malarvittu' and 'Malarai'.

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

Kadal pondra vaazhvinil / Kalangarai vilakkam thaanae penmai

Comparing womanhood to a lighthouse ('Kalangarai vilakkam') in life's ocean ('Kadal pondra vaazhvinil').

Did you know?

Trivia

The 1998 Tamil film 'Harichandra' stars Karthik and Meena in lead roles. The soundtrack was composed by the music trio 'Agosh' (comprising Anand, Gopal, and Shalom), who brought a unique fusion of folk rhythms and modern pop arrangements to Tamil cinema during the late 90s.

Keep listening

More from Harichandra (1998 film)