Naadu Athai Naadu
From Nadodi · 1966
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Nadodi1966
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Naadu… | Country... |
| Female | |
| Naadu… | Country... |
| Male | |
| Adhai naadu… | Seek it... |
| Female | |
| Adhai naadu… | Seek it... |
| Male | |
| Aahaa haa… | Aahaa haa... |
| Adhai naadaavittaal | If you do not seek it, |
| Yedhu veedu… | What house is there? |
| Female | |
| Oho ho ho | Oho ho ho |
| Adhai naadaavittaal | If you do not seek it, |
| Yedhu veedu… | What house is there? |
| Male | |
| Naadu adhai naadu | Country, seek that country! |
| Adhai naadaavittaal | If you do not seek it, |
| Yedhu veedu… | What house is there? |
| Female | |
| Naadu adhai naadu | Country, seek that country! |
| Adhai naadaavittaal | If you do not seek it, |
| Yedhu veedu… | What house is there? |
| Male | |
| Paadum pozhudhellaam | Whenever you sing, |
| Adhaiyae paadu | Sing about it alone! |
| Female | |
| Paadum pozhudhellaam | Whenever you sing, |
| Adhaiyae paadu | Sing about it alone! |
| Male | |
| {Paalaivanam endra podhum | {Even if it is a desert, |
| Nam naadu | It is our country! |
| Paarai malai kooda | Even rocky mountains are |
| Nam ellai kodu} (2) | Our border line!} (2) |
| Male | |
| Aaru nilam paaindhu | Where rivers flow across the land, |
| Vilaiyaadum thottam | Turning it into a playful garden! |
| Aaru nilam paaindhu | Where rivers flow across the land, |
| Vilaiyaadum thottam | Turning it into a playful garden! |
| Veerar samudhaayamae | A community of brave warriors |
| Enghal koottam | Is our group! |
| Veerar samudhaayamae | A community of brave warriors |
| Enghal koottam | Is our group! |
| Male | |
| Naadu adhai naadu | Country, seek that country! |
| Adhai naadaavittaal | If you do not seek it, |
| Yedhu veedu… | What house is there? |
| Female | |
| {Naanum kulamaadhar | {I have not looked at the face |
| Mugam paarthadhillai | Of noble women with desire; |
| Vanja ninaivengal | Deceitful thoughts have never |
| Manam paarthadhillai} (2) | Entered our minds!} (2) |
| Male | |
| Veerar vizhi thaazhndhu | The eyes of heroes have never looked down |
| Nilam paartthadhillai | At the ground in defeat or shame; |
| Veerar vizhi thaazhndhu | The eyes of heroes have never looked down |
| Nilam paartthadhillai | At the ground in defeat or shame; |
| Vettri thirumaadhu | This is the territory where |
| Nadai podum ellai | The Goddess of Victory walks! |
| Vettri thirumaadhu | This is the territory where |
| Nadai podum ellai | The Goddess of Victory walks! |
| Male | |
| Naadu adhai naadu | Country, seek that country! |
| Adhai naadaavittaal | If you do not seek it, |
| Yedhu veedu… | What house is there? |
| Male | |
| Pasi endru varuvorkku | For those who come suffering from hunger, |
| Virundhaagha maarum | It turns into a grand feast; |
| Pagaivar mugam paarthu | Looking at the faces of enemies, |
| Puliyaaga seerum | It roars and pounces like a tiger! |
| Male | |
| Nilathil uyir vaithu | Placing its very life upon the soil, |
| Urimai kondaadum | It claims its rightful pride! |
| Nilathil uyir vaithu | Placing its very life upon the soil, |
| Urimai kondaadum | It claims its rightful pride! |
| Edhirthu varuvorai | And those who come to oppose, |
| Uramaaga podum | It buries them to become fertilizer! |
நாடு.....
Country...
நாடு.....
Country...
அதை நாடு.....
Seek it...
அதை நாடு......
Seek it...
ஆஹாஹா
அதை நாடாவிட்டால்
ஏது வீடு.....
Aahaa haa...
If you do not seek it,
What house is there?
ஓஹோஹோ
அதை நாடாவிட்டால்
ஏது வீடு.....
Oho ho ho
If you do not seek it,
What house is there?
நாடு அதை நாடு
அதை நாடாவிட்டால்
ஏது வீடு.....
Country, seek that country!
If you do not seek it,
What house is there?
நாடு அதை நாடு
அதை நாடாவிட்டால்
ஏது வீடு.....
Country, seek that country!
If you do not seek it,
What house is there?
நாடு அதை நாடு
அதை நாடாவிட்டால்
ஏது வீடு.....
Whenever you sing,
Sing about it alone!
பாடும் பொழுதெல்லாம்
அதையே பாடு
Whenever you sing,
Sing about it alone!
பாடும் பொழுதெல்லாம்
அதையே பாடு
{Even if it is a desert,
It is our country!
Even rocky mountains are
Our border line!} (2)
மானம் பெரிதென்று
வாழும் பண்பாடு
மானம் பெரிதென்று
வாழும் பண்பாடு
Where rivers flow across the land,
Turning it into a playful garden!
Where rivers flow across the land,
Turning it into a playful garden!
A community of brave warriors
Is our group!
A community of brave warriors
Is our group!
நாடு அதை நாடு
அதை நாடாவிட்டால்
ஏது வீடு.....
Country, seek that country!
If you do not seek it,
What house is there?
{பாலைவனம் என்ற போதும்
நம்நாடு
பாறை மலை கூட
நம் எல்லைக்கோடு} (2)
{I have not looked at the face
Of noble women with desire;
Deceitful thoughts have never
Entered our minds!} (2)
ஆறு நிலம் பாய்ந்து
விளையாடும் தோட்டம்
ஆறு நிலம் பாய்ந்து
விளையாடும் தோட்டம்
வீரர் சமுதாயமே எங்கள் கூட்டம்
வீரர் சமுதாயமே எங்கள் கூட்டம்
The eyes of heroes have never looked down
At the ground in defeat or shame;
The eyes of heroes have never looked down
At the ground in defeat or shame;
This is the territory where
The Goddess of Victory walks!
This is the territory where
The Goddess of Victory walks!
நாடு அதை நாடு
அதை நாடாவிட்டால்
ஏது வீடு.....
Country, seek that country!
If you do not seek it,
What house is there?
{நானும் குலமாதர்
முகம் பார்த்ததில்லை
வஞ்ச நினைவெங்கள்
மனம் பார்த்ததில்லை} (2)
For those who come suffering from hunger,
It turns into a grand feast;
Looking at the faces of enemies,
It roars and pounces like a tiger!
வீரர் விழி தாழ்ந்து
நிலம் பார்த்ததில்லை
வீரர் விழி தாழ்ந்து
நிலம் பார்த்ததில்லை
வெற்றித் திருமாது
நடை போடும் எல்லை
வெற்றித் திருமாது
நடை போடும் எல்லை
Placing its very life upon the soil,
It claims its rightful pride!
Placing its very life upon the soil,
It claims its rightful pride!
And those who come to oppose,
It buries them to become fertilizer!
நாடு அதை நாடு
அதை நாடாவிட்டால்
ஏது வீடு.....
பசியென்று வருவோர்க்கு
விருந்தாக மாறும்
பகைவர் முகம் பார்த்து
புலியாக சீறும்
நிலத்தில் உயிர் வைத்து
உரிமை கொண்டாடும்
நிலத்தில் உயிர் வைத்து
உரிமை கொண்டாடும்
எதிர்த்து வருவோரை
உரமாகப் போடும்
நாடு அதை நாடு
அதை நாடாவிட்டால்
ஏது வீடு......
பாடும் பொழுதெல்லாம்
அதையே பாடு
மானம் பெரிதென்று
வாழும் பண்பாடு
நாடு அதை நாடு
அதை நாடாவிட்டால்
ஏது வீடு......
Naadu…
Country...
Naadu…
Country...
Adhai naadu…
Seek it...
Adhai naadu…
Seek it...
Aahaa haa…
Aahaa haa...
Adhai naadaavittaal
If you do not seek it,
Yedhu veedu…
What house is there?
Oho ho ho
Oho ho ho
Adhai naadaavittaal
If you do not seek it,
Yedhu veedu…
What house is there?
Naadu adhai naadu
Country, seek that country!
Adhai naadaavittaal
If you do not seek it,
Yedhu veedu…
What house is there?
Naadu adhai naadu
Country, seek that country!
Adhai naadaavittaal
If you do not seek it,
Yedhu veedu…
What house is there?
Paadum pozhudhellaam
Whenever you sing,
Adhaiyae paadu
Sing about it alone!
Paadum pozhudhellaam
Whenever you sing,
Adhaiyae paadu
Sing about it alone!
{Paalaivanam endra podhum
{Even if it is a desert,
Nam naadu
It is our country!
Paarai malai kooda
Even rocky mountains are
Nam ellai kodu} (2)
Our border line!} (2)
Aaru nilam paaindhu
Where rivers flow across the land,
Vilaiyaadum thottam
Turning it into a playful garden!
Aaru nilam paaindhu
Where rivers flow across the land,
Vilaiyaadum thottam
Turning it into a playful garden!
Veerar samudhaayamae
A community of brave warriors
Enghal koottam
Is our group!
Veerar samudhaayamae
A community of brave warriors
Enghal koottam
Is our group!
Naadu adhai naadu
Country, seek that country!
Adhai naadaavittaal
If you do not seek it,
Yedhu veedu…
What house is there?
{Naanum kulamaadhar
{I have not looked at the face
Mugam paarthadhillai
Of noble women with desire;
Vanja ninaivengal
Deceitful thoughts have never
Manam paarthadhillai} (2)
Entered our minds!} (2)
Veerar vizhi thaazhndhu
The eyes of heroes have never looked down
Nilam paartthadhillai
At the ground in defeat or shame;
Veerar vizhi thaazhndhu
The eyes of heroes have never looked down
Nilam paartthadhillai
At the ground in defeat or shame;
Vettri thirumaadhu
This is the territory where
Nadai podum ellai
The Goddess of Victory walks!
Vettri thirumaadhu
This is the territory where
Nadai podum ellai
The Goddess of Victory walks!
Naadu adhai naadu
Country, seek that country!
Adhai naadaavittaal
If you do not seek it,
Yedhu veedu…
What house is there?
Pasi endru varuvorkku
For those who come suffering from hunger,
Virundhaagha maarum
It turns into a grand feast;
Pagaivar mugam paarthu
Looking at the faces of enemies,
Puliyaaga seerum
It roars and pounces like a tiger!
Nilathil uyir vaithu
Placing its very life upon the soil,
Urimai kondaadum
It claims its rightful pride!
Nilathil uyir vaithu
Placing its very life upon the soil,
Urimai kondaadum
It claims its rightful pride!
Edhirthu varuvorai
And those who come to oppose,
Uramaaga podum
It buries them to become fertilizer!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic patriotic song from the 1966 movie Nadodi revolves around the deep love and duty towards one's homeland. Using brilliant wordplay on 'Naadu' (which means both nation and to seek), the lyrics emphasize that a personal home has no value without a safe and respected nation. The song celebrates the land's landscape, the valor of its people, their high moral character, and their generosity toward the hungry. Furthermore, it delivers a stern warning to aggressors: while the nation is welcoming and honorable, it will fiercely crush anyone who opposes its sovereignty.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Yamakam / Polysemy (Wordplay)
“Naadu adhai naadu”
The word 'Naadu' is ingeniously used as both a noun meaning 'country' and an imperative verb meaning 'seek' or 'desire'.
Emonai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Naadu adhai naadu / Adhai naadaavittaal / Yedhu veedu…”
The second consonant sound 'd' ('da'/ 'du') rhymes across 'Naadu', 'Adhai', and 'Veedu'.
Personification / Metaphor
“Vettri thirumaadhu / Nadai podum ellai”
Victory is personified as a goddess ('Vettri thirumaadhu') walking upon the borders of the nation.
Simile / Metaphor
“Pagaivar mugam paarthu / Puliyaaga seerum ... Edhirthu varuvorai / Uramaaga podum”
The nation/people are compared to a tiger fiercely confronting enemies, and enemies are metaphorically turned into 'fertilizer' for the soil.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song 'Naadu Adhai Naadu' features lyrics written by Vaali and was composed by the duo M. S. Viswanathan - T. K. Ramamoorthy (or M. S. Viswanathan), sung by T. M. Soundararajan for M. G. Ramachandran (MGR). The song's heavy patriotic theme and emphasis on moral integrity doubled as a political message closely aligned with MGR's public image during the mid-1960s.
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