Nee Paadum Paadal
From Enkeyo Ketta Kural · 1982
- Lyricist
- Panchu Arunachalam
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Enkeyo Ketta Kural1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Nee paadum paadal yedhu | What song is it that you sing? |
| Nee paadum paadal yedhu | What song is it that you sing? |
| Thaalathil seraadha paadal undaa | Is there a song that does not fit into rhythm? |
| Raagathil illaadha geetham undaa | Is there a melody that does not exist within a ragam? |
| Baavangal illaadha vaazhvil | In a life devoid of true emotions, |
| Female | |
| Nee paadum paadal yedhu | What song is it that you sing? |
| Nee paadum paadal yedhu | What song is it that you sing? |
| Female | |
| Panpaadu saeraadha | Thoughts that do not align with culture |
| Ennangal paazhaagum | Will go to waste. |
| Female | |
| Anbodu seraadha | Desires that are not combined with love |
| Aasaigal veenaagum | Will become futile. |
| Dharmathil adangaadha ullam endrum | A heart that does not yield to righteousness |
| Thallaadi thallaadi thunbam kollum | Will forever falter and suffer sorrow. |
| Oru kaaval yaedhu kanavanai pirindhaal | What protection is there if a wife separates from her husband? |
| Kovil yaedhu iraivanai marandhaal | What temple exists if one forgets the Almighty? |
| Female | |
| Nee paadum paadal yedhu | What song is it that you sing? |
| Nee paadum paadal yedhu | What song is it that you sing? |
| Female | |
| Kaalangal nooraaga | For hundreds of ages, |
| Kaangindra panbaadu | The culture that we have witnessed, |
| Female | |
| Vaedhangal naalodu | Along with the four sacred Vedas, |
| Vilaigindra nal vaazhvu | The prosperous life that flourishes, |
| Vaelikkul naam kanda poonthottamae | Is a flower garden we nurtured within our boundaries, |
| Thaalikku naam thandha thaathpariyamae | Is the true significance we bestowed upon the marital knot. |
| Ini kaasiyodu gangaiyum illai | Now, there is neither Kashi nor the holy Ganga, |
| Aasi koorum karunaiyum illai | Nor the compassion that bestows blessings. |
| Female | |
| Nee paadum paadal yedhu | What song is it that you sing? |
| Nee paadum paadal yedhu | What song is it that you sing? |
| Thaalathil seraadha paadal undaa | Is there a song that does not fit into rhythm? |
| Raagathil illaadha geetham undaa | Is there a melody that does not exist within a ragam? |
| Baavangal illaadha vaazhvil | In a life devoid of true emotions, |
நீ பாடும் பாடல் எது
நீ பாடும் பாடல் எது
தாளத்தில் சேராத பாடல் உண்டா
ராகத்தில் இல்லாத கீதம் உண்டா
பாவங்கள் இல்லாத வாழ்வில்
What song is it that you sing?
What song is it that you sing?
Is there a song that does not fit into rhythm?
Is there a melody that does not exist within a ragam?
In a life devoid of true emotions,
நீ பாடும் பாடல் எது
நீ பாடும் பாடல் எது
What song is it that you sing?
What song is it that you sing?
பண்போடு சேராத
எண்ணங்கள் பாழாகும்
Thoughts that do not align with culture
Will go to waste.
அன்போடு சேராத
ஆசைகள் வீணாகும்
தர்மத்தில் அடங்காத உள்ளம் என்றும்
தள்ளாடி தள்ளாடி துன்பம் கொள்ளும்
ஒரு காவல் ஏது கணவனை பிரிந்தால்
கோவில் ஏது இறைவனை மறந்தால்
Desires that are not combined with love
Will become futile.
A heart that does not yield to righteousness
Will forever falter and suffer sorrow.
What protection is there if a wife separates from her husband?
What temple exists if one forgets the Almighty?
நீ பாடும் பாடல் எது
நீ பாடும் பாடல் எது
What song is it that you sing?
What song is it that you sing?
காலங்கள் நூறாக
காண்கின்ற பண்பாடு
For hundreds of ages,
The culture that we have witnessed,
வேதங்கள் நாளோடு
விளைகின்ற நல்வாழ்வு
வேலிக்குள் நான் கண்ட பூந்தோட்டமே
தாலிக்கு நான் தந்த தாத்பர்யமே
இனி காசியோடு கங்கையுமில்லை
ஆசி கூறும் கருணையும் இல்லை
Along with the four sacred Vedas,
The prosperous life that flourishes,
Is a flower garden we nurtured within our boundaries,
Is the true significance we bestowed upon the marital knot.
Now, there is neither Kashi nor the holy Ganga,
Nor the compassion that bestows blessings.
நீ பாடும் பாடல் எது
நீ பாடும் பாடல் எது
தாளத்தில் சேராத பாடல் உண்டா
ராகத்தில் இல்லாத கீதம் உண்டா
பாவங்கள் இல்லாத வாழ்வில்
What song is it that you sing?
What song is it that you sing?
Is there a song that does not fit into rhythm?
Is there a melody that does not exist within a ragam?
In a life devoid of true emotions,
Nee paadum paadal yedhu
What song is it that you sing?
Nee paadum paadal yedhu
What song is it that you sing?
Thaalathil seraadha paadal undaa
Is there a song that does not fit into rhythm?
Raagathil illaadha geetham undaa
Is there a melody that does not exist within a ragam?
Baavangal illaadha vaazhvil
In a life devoid of true emotions,
Nee paadum paadal yedhu
What song is it that you sing?
Nee paadum paadal yedhu
What song is it that you sing?
Panpaadu saeraadha
Thoughts that do not align with culture
Ennangal paazhaagum
Will go to waste.
Anbodu seraadha
Desires that are not combined with love
Aasaigal veenaagum
Will become futile.
Dharmathil adangaadha ullam endrum
A heart that does not yield to righteousness
Thallaadi thallaadi thunbam kollum
Will forever falter and suffer sorrow.
Oru kaaval yaedhu kanavanai pirindhaal
What protection is there if a wife separates from her husband?
Kovil yaedhu iraivanai marandhaal
What temple exists if one forgets the Almighty?
Nee paadum paadal yedhu
What song is it that you sing?
Nee paadum paadal yedhu
What song is it that you sing?
Kaalangal nooraaga
For hundreds of ages,
Kaangindra panbaadu
The culture that we have witnessed,
Vaedhangal naalodu
Along with the four sacred Vedas,
Vilaigindra nal vaazhvu
The prosperous life that flourishes,
Vaelikkul naam kanda poonthottamae
Is a flower garden we nurtured within our boundaries,
Thaalikku naam thandha thaathpariyamae
Is the true significance we bestowed upon the marital knot.
Ini kaasiyodu gangaiyum illai
Now, there is neither Kashi nor the holy Ganga,
Aasi koorum karunaiyum illai
Nor the compassion that bestows blessings.
Nee paadum paadal yedhu
What song is it that you sing?
Nee paadum paadal yedhu
What song is it that you sing?
Thaalathil seraadha paadal undaa
Is there a song that does not fit into rhythm?
Raagathil illaadha geetham undaa
Is there a melody that does not exist within a ragam?
Baavangal illaadha vaazhvil
In a life devoid of true emotions,
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant track questioning the moral compass of life uses musical metaphors like rhythm (thaalam), melody (raagam), and emotion (baavam) to illustrate human relationships and ethics. The protagonist questions how one can live a meaningful life when fundamental values such as love, righteousness, and cultural tradition are abandoned. The lyrics emphasize that just as a song requires rhythm and tune, a home and marriage require devotion, commitment, and virtue. It reflects the pain of separation, loss of sacred bonds, and the collapse of traditional family values.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Thaalathil seraadha paadal undaa / Raagathil illaadha geetham undaa”
Compares human life and marital virtue to musical elements such as thaalam (rhythm), raagam (melody), and baavam (expressions).
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Panpaadu saeraadha / Anbodu seraadha”
The second consonant 'n' is repeated across lines 'Panpaadu' and 'Anbodu' to create rhythmic unity.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Ennangal paazhaagum / Aasaigal veenaagum”
Lines end with the rhyming words 'paazhaagum' and 'veenaagum'.
Anaphora / Rhetorical Questioning
“Oru kaaval yaedhu kanavanai pirindhaal / Kovil yaedhu iraivanai marandhaal”
Repeated structural questioning starting with 'yaedhu' ('what/where') to emphasize loss and moral crisis.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although listed as unknown in the prompt, this iconic song from the 1982 movie Enkeyo Ketta Kural was composed by the legendary Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and rendered by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. The film starred Rajinikanth and Ambika, produced by Panchu Arunachalam who also penned these deeply philosophical lyrics.
Keep listening
More from Enkeyo Ketta Kural
Enkeyo Ketta Kural
Enkeyo Ketta Kural
Enkeyo Ketta Kural