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Vennira Aadai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Needhi Idhuthaana

From Vennira Aadai · 1965

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. B. Sreenivas
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Vennira Aadai
Movie release year
1965
Lyrics added on
25 Apr 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Malarodu visha naagam pirappadhaalae
Andha malaraiyae thalli vaikkum valakkam undoo
Thann nilai ariyaa ilaiyavanain thavarinaalae
Avan inathaiyae udhasinam seidhal nandro
Hooo ooo oo hoo oo oohoo oo oo oo
Needhi idhuthaana naermai idhuthaana
Needhi idhuthaana naermai idhuthaana
Neriyodu vaazhvorin nilaiyae idhaana
Needhi idhuthaana naermai idhuthaana
Sittrannai kaigaeyi pidivaathathaalae
Sriraaman munnnaalil kaadaala ponaan
Sittrannai kaigaeyi pidivaathathaalae
Sriraaman munnnaalil kaadaala ponaan
Saeigaludan veenaana abavaathathaalae
Ivan thirunaattai aazhaamal naadodi aanaan
Neriyodu vaazhvorin nilaiyae idhaana
Needhi idhuthaana naermai idhuthaana
Needhi idhuthaana
Naermai idhuthaana
Needhi idhuthaana
Naermai idhuthaana
Just because a venomous snake is born beside a flower,
is it customary to cast the flower aside?
Because of the mistake of an immature youth,
is it right to scorn his entire family?
Oh... oh... oh... ho... oh... oho... oh... oh... oh...
Is this justice? Is this fairness?
Is this justice? Is this fairness?
Is this the fate of those who live a righteous life?
Is this justice? Is this fairness?
Because of stepmother Kaikeyi's stubbornness,
Rama once went into exile to live in the forest.
Because of stepmother Kaikeyi's stubbornness,
Rama once went into exile to live in the forest.
Because of baseless slander brought against him and his children,
he became a wanderer instead of ruling this noble land.
Is this the fate of those who live a righteous life?
Is this justice? Is this fairness?
Is this justice?
Is this fairness?
Is this justice?
Is this fairness?
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This poignant song by Kannadasan questions the unfair judgments imposed by society on innocent individuals. Through evocative imagery, the lyricist asks if a flower should be discarded simply because a venomous snake resides near it, drawing a parallel to how an entire family is often condemned for one person's lapse in judgment. The song invokes mythological allusions from the Ramayana, highlighting how even Lord Rama suffered exile and hardship due to Kaikeyi's stubbornness and baseless rumors, lamenting the tragedy that righteous people often face unjust suffering.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Analogy / Metaphor)

Malarodu visha naagam pirappadhaalae

Compares an innocent family punished for one person's fault to a flower being discarded because a poisonous snake lives near it.

Allusion (Purana Kurippeedhu)

Sittrannai kaigaeyi pidivaathathaalae / Sriraaman munnnaalil kaadaala ponaan

References the story of Lord Rama and Kaikeyi from the Ramayana to illustrate how righteous beings suffer due to others' malice.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Needhi idhuthaana naermai idhuthaana

Repetition of initial consonant sounds ('N') across 'Needhi' and 'Naermai'.

Rhetorical Questioning (Vinaa Aani)

Neriyodu vaazhvorin nilaiyae idhaana

Repeatedly asking rhetorical questions to challenge societal injustice and moral hypocrisy.

Did you know?

Trivia

Vennira Aadai (1965), directed by C. V. Sridhar with music by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, marked the Tamil cinema debut of J. Jayalalithaa (who later became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu). This song reflects lyricist Kannadasan's signature style of blending philosophical introspection with classical and epic references.

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