Netru Vandhu
From Neengatha Ninaivu · 1963
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Neengatha Ninaivu1963
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Varuvadhu pol varum vandhu vandhu pogum | It seems as if it comes, appearing and then disappearing |
| Sugam iruppadhu pol irukkum | It seems as if happiness exists |
| Illaiyendru aagum illaiyendru aagum | Only to become nothingness, only to become nothingness |
| Male | |
| Naetru vandhu indririndhu naalai pogum | Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow |
| Ingae nadanthathellaam mudindhu pona nadagam aagum | Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded |
| Naetru vandhu indririndhu naalai pogum | Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow |
| Ingae nadanthathellaam mudindhu pona nadagam aagum | Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded |
| Male | |
| Aada vandha naadagathai aadugindren | I am performing the drama I came to act |
| Naan paada vandha paadalaiyae paadugindren | I am singing the very song I came to sing |
| Aada vandha naadagathai aadugindren | I am performing the drama I came to act |
| Naan paada vandha paadalaiyae paadugindren | I am singing the very song I came to sing |
| Kooda vandha koottathilae paadhiyillaiyae | Half of the crowd that came alongside me is no longer here |
| Kooda vandha koottathilae paadhiyillaiyae | Half of the crowd that came alongside me is no longer here |
| Vaazhvai kooti kazhithu paarkaiyilae | When I calculate life by adding and subtracting |
| Meedhiyillaiyae meedhiyillaiyae | There is no remainder left, there is no remainder left |
| Male | |
| Naetru vandhu indririndhu naalai pogum | Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow |
| Ingae nadanthathellaam mudindhu pona nadagam aagum | Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded |
| Male | |
| Vilakkilladha paadhaiyil vizhithu vizhithu paarkaiyil | When staring wide-eyed on an unlit, dark path |
| Kizhakku maerku therivadhundo | Can one distinguish East from West? |
| Kaal nadakka therivadhundo | Can one know where one's feet are walking? |
| Vilakkilladha paadhaiyil vizhithu vizhithu paarkaiyil | When staring wide-eyed on an unlit, dark path |
| Kizhakku maerku therivadhundo | Can one distinguish East from West? |
| Kaal nadakka therivadhundo | Can one know where one's feet are walking? |
| Thelivilladha mayakkathil | In a hazy, confused stupor |
| Ulaga vaazhkai medaiyil | On the stage of worldly life |
| Thelivilladha mayakkathil | In a hazy, confused stupor |
| Ulaga vaazhkai medaiyil | On the stage of worldly life |
| Manidhan aadum nadagathil | In the play performed by human beings |
| Mudhalum engae mudivum engae | Where is the beginning, and where is the end? |
| Male | |
| Naetru vandhu indririndhu naalai pogum | Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow |
| Ingae nadanthathellaam mudindhu pona nadagam aagum | Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded |
| Naetru vandhu indririndhu naalai pogum | Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow |
| Ingae nadanthathellaam mudindhu pona nadagam aagum | Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded |
வருவது போல் வரும் வந்து வந்து போகும்
சுகம் இருப்பது போல் இருக்கும்
இல்லையென்று ஆகும் இல்லையென்று ஆகும்
It seems as if it comes, appearing and then disappearing
It seems as if happiness exists
Only to become nothingness, only to become nothingness
நேற்று வந்து இன்றிருந்து நாளை போகும்
இங்கே நடந்ததெல்லாம் முடிந்து போன நாடகமாகும்
நேற்று வந்து இன்றிருந்து நாளை போகும்
இங்கே நடந்ததெல்லாம் முடிந்து போன நாடகமாகும்.....
Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow
Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded
Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow
Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded
ஆட வந்த நாடகத்தை ஆடுகின்றேன்
நான் பாட வந்த பாடலையே பாடுகின்றேன்
ஆட வந்த நாடகத்தை ஆடுகின்றேன்
நான் பாட வந்த பாடலையே பாடுகின்றேன்
கூட வந்த கூட்டத்திலே பாதியில்லையே.....
கூட வந்த கூட்டத்திலே பாதியில்லையே.....
வாழ்வை கூட்டி கழித்து பார்க்கையிலே
மீதியில்லையே........மீதியில்லையே........
I am performing the drama I came to act
I am singing the very song I came to sing
I am performing the drama I came to act
I am singing the very song I came to sing
Half of the crowd that came alongside me is no longer here
Half of the crowd that came alongside me is no longer here
When I calculate life by adding and subtracting
There is no remainder left, there is no remainder left
நேற்று வந்து இன்றிருந்து நாளை போகும்
இங்கே நடந்ததெல்லாம் முடிந்து போன நாடகமாகும்
Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow
Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded
விளக்கில்லாத பாதையில்
விழித்து விழித்து பார்க்கையில்
கிழக்கும் மேற்கும் புரிவதுண்டோ
கால் நடக்க தெரிவதுண்டோ
விளக்கில்லாத பாதையில்
விழித்து விழித்து பார்க்கையில்
கிழக்கும் மேற்கும் புரிவதுண்டோ
கால் நடக்க தெரிவதுண்டோ
When staring wide-eyed on an unlit, dark path
Can one distinguish East from West?
Can one know where one's feet are walking?
When staring wide-eyed on an unlit, dark path
Can one distinguish East from West?
Can one know where one's feet are walking?
In a hazy, confused stupor
On the stage of worldly life
In a hazy, confused stupor
On the stage of worldly life
In the play performed by human beings
Where is the beginning, and where is the end?
தெளிவில்லாத மயக்கத்தில்
உலக வாழ்க்கை மேடையில்
தெளிவில்லாத மயக்கத்தில்
உலக வாழ்க்கை மேடையில்
மனிதன் ஆடும் நாடகத்தில் முதலும் எங்கே......
முதலும் எங்கே......முடிவும் எங்கே...........
Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow
Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded
Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow
Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded
நேற்று வந்து இன்றிருந்து நாளை போகும்
இங்கே நடந்ததெல்லாம் முடிந்து போன நாடகமாகும்
நேற்று வந்து இன்றிருந்து நாளை போகும்
இங்கே நடந்ததெல்லாம் முடிந்து போன நாடகமாகும்
Varuvadhu pol varum vandhu vandhu pogum
It seems as if it comes, appearing and then disappearing
Sugam iruppadhu pol irukkum
It seems as if happiness exists
Illaiyendru aagum illaiyendru aagum
Only to become nothingness, only to become nothingness
Naetru vandhu indririndhu naalai pogum
Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow
Ingae nadanthathellaam mudindhu pona nadagam aagum
Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded
Naetru vandhu indririndhu naalai pogum
Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow
Ingae nadanthathellaam mudindhu pona nadagam aagum
Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded
Aada vandha naadagathai aadugindren
I am performing the drama I came to act
Naan paada vandha paadalaiyae paadugindren
I am singing the very song I came to sing
Aada vandha naadagathai aadugindren
I am performing the drama I came to act
Naan paada vandha paadalaiyae paadugindren
I am singing the very song I came to sing
Kooda vandha koottathilae paadhiyillaiyae
Half of the crowd that came alongside me is no longer here
Kooda vandha koottathilae paadhiyillaiyae
Half of the crowd that came alongside me is no longer here
Vaazhvai kooti kazhithu paarkaiyilae
When I calculate life by adding and subtracting
Meedhiyillaiyae meedhiyillaiyae
There is no remainder left, there is no remainder left
Naetru vandhu indririndhu naalai pogum
Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow
Ingae nadanthathellaam mudindhu pona nadagam aagum
Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded
Vilakkilladha paadhaiyil vizhithu vizhithu paarkaiyil
When staring wide-eyed on an unlit, dark path
Kizhakku maerku therivadhundo
Can one distinguish East from West?
Kaal nadakka therivadhundo
Can one know where one's feet are walking?
Vilakkilladha paadhaiyil vizhithu vizhithu paarkaiyil
When staring wide-eyed on an unlit, dark path
Kizhakku maerku therivadhundo
Can one distinguish East from West?
Kaal nadakka therivadhundo
Can one know where one's feet are walking?
Thelivilladha mayakkathil
In a hazy, confused stupor
Ulaga vaazhkai medaiyil
On the stage of worldly life
Thelivilladha mayakkathil
In a hazy, confused stupor
Ulaga vaazhkai medaiyil
On the stage of worldly life
Manidhan aadum nadagathil
In the play performed by human beings
Mudhalum engae mudivum engae
Where is the beginning, and where is the end?
Naetru vandhu indririndhu naalai pogum
Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow
Ingae nadanthathellaam mudindhu pona nadagam aagum
Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded
Naetru vandhu indririndhu naalai pogum
Arriving yesterday, staying today, and leaving tomorrow
Ingae nadanthathellaam mudindhu pona nadagam aagum
Everything that happened here becomes a drama that has concluded
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a deep, existential meditation on the transient and illusory nature of human existence. It portrays life as a grand theatrical play where each person enters, performs their predestined role, and departs. Transient joy and human relationships fade over time; when a person reflects upon their life journey ('adding and subtracting'), they find no lasting material or emotional gain left behind.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (உருவகம் - Uruvagam)
“Ulaga vaazhkai medaiyil / Ingae nadanthathellaam mudindhu pona nadagam aagum”
Life is explicitly conceptualized as a theatrical stage ('medai') and human experiences as a finished play ('nadagam').
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Aada vandha naadagathai / Naan paada vandha paadalaiyae”
The second consonant sound 'da' matches in 'Aada' and 'paada', creating a rhythmic flow in Tamil verse.
Repetition / Adukku Thodar (அடுக்குத் தொடர்)
“vandhu vandhu pogum / vizhithu vizhithu paarkaiyil”
Words like 'vandhu' and 'vizhithu' are repeated sequentially to emphasize duration, continuous action, and intensity.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by K. V. Mahadevan and rendered by T. M. Soundararajan, this song showcases lyricist Vaali's mastery over philosophical Tamil lyrics during the 1960s, heavily echoing classical Shakespearean 'all the world's a stage' themes tailored to South Indian cultural sensibilities.
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