- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Varumayin Niram Sigappu
- Movie release year
- 1980
- Lyrics added on
- 7 Aug 2018
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Hey hey hey hey
Hey eh eh ehhh
Rurururu…ruru ruuuu
Paattu onnu paadu thambi
Pasiya konjam marandhiruppom
Paattu onnu paadu thambi
Pasiya konjam marandhiruppom
Bhaaradhaththu thalainagaril
Thedu thedu velai thedu thambi…
Bhaaradhaththu perumai thannai
Paadu paadu soru edhukku thambi…
Paattu onnu paadu thambi
Pasiya konjam marandhiruppom
Bhaaradhaththu thalainagaril
Thedu thedu velai thedu thambiyoo..
Bhaaradhaththu perumai thannai
Paadu paadu soru edhukku thambi…
Vandhaara vaazhavachi
Ah sondhangalai yengavachi
Bhoomi engum per eduthomae….
Thambiyapooo
Oor muzhudhum budhi
Sonnomae..aahhaahh ….
Pattanaththu veedhiyilae
Pattam petra aanum pennum
Ittilukkum dosaikkumaa
Suththi suththi vaaraarappaa
Paarukkullae nalla naadu
Bhaaratham dhaan-nu sollungappa
Paattu onnu paadu thambi
Pasiya konjam marandhiruppom
Bhaaradhaththu thalainagaril
Thedu thedu velai thedu thambi..
Bhaaradhaththu perumai thannai
Paadu paadu soru edhukku thambi…
Vatraadha gangai endrum
Vaagaana ponni endrum
Katraadha aalillaiyappa
Aanaalum.. kathaazhai velayudhapooo…
Ohhoo…
Naan porandha seemaiyilae
Naama senja paavamillae
Naan porandha seemaiyilae
Naama senja paavamillae
Appanukkum ammaavukkum
Aasae vandha dhoshamappa….aahoo…
Appanukkum ammaavukkum
Aasae vandha dhoshamappa
Gangaiyilae muzhgivittu
Kaavikkatti povomappaa ….
Paattu onnu paadu thambi
Pasiya konjam marandhiruppom
Bhaaradhaththu thalainagaril
Thedu thedu velai thedu thambi..
Bhaaradhaththu perumai thannai
Paadu paadu soru edhukku thambi…
Aaa aaa haan……….
Oorellaam pillaiyappaa
Ulveedu neraiyudhappa
Kooraiyilum thongudhae yappaa..
Inimel kooppidavum perillaiyappaa…ahaa..
Palliyilae idamumillae
Padichi vandhaa velaiyillae
Palliyarai mattum summaa
Pattu pattu therikkudhappa
Aandavan mel pazhiyappottu
Adivaiyiththai thadavungappaa …
Paattu onnu paadu thambi
Pasiya konjam marandhiruppom
Bhaaradhaththu thalainagaril
Thedu thedu velai thedu thambiyooo..
Bhaaradhaththu perumai thannai
Paadu paadu soru edhukku thambi…
Hey hey hey hey
Hey yeah yeah yeah
Ru ru ru ru... ru ru roo
Sing a song, my brother,
let us forget our hunger for a while!
Sing a song, my brother,
let us forget our hunger for a while!
In the capital city of India,
search and hunt, look for a job, brother!
The glorious pride of India—
sing and celebrate it! Who needs food, brother?
Sing a song, my brother,
let us forget our hunger for a while!
In the capital city of India,
search and hunt, look for a job, brother!
The glorious pride of India—
sing and celebrate it! Who needs food, brother?
Sheltering outsiders and helping them thrive,
while leaving our own people to suffer in want,
we gained great fame across the entire world!
Oh brother...
To the whole world,
we preached wisdom! Ah...
Along the city streets,
men and women with college degrees,
just to earn an idli or a dosa,
wander around and around in circles!
"The greatest nation in the whole world
is our India"—go on and proclaim it!
Sing a song, my brother,
let us forget our hunger for a while!
In the capital city of India,
search and hunt, look for a job, brother!
The glorious pride of India—
sing and celebrate it! Who needs food, brother?
"The Ganga that never runs dry,"
and "the bountiful Ponni (Kaveri river)"—
there is no one who has not recited these praises!
And yet... only thorny cactus grows in the soil!
Oho...
In the land where I was born,
it was not a sin we committed.
In the land where I was born,
it was not a sin we committed.
It is the desire of our father and mother
that turned into a curse for us! Oho...
It is the desire of our father and mother
that turned into a curse for us!
Let us take a dip in the Ganga,
wrap ourselves in saffron cloths, and wander off!
Sing a song, my brother,
let us forget our hunger for a while!
In the capital city of India,
search and hunt, look for a job, brother!
The glorious pride of India—
sing and celebrate it! Who needs food, brother?
Aah aah haan...
There are children everywhere across town!
The house inside is overflowing,
they are even hanging from the roof beams!
There are no names left to call them anymore! Aha...
There is no seat in the schools,
and even after studying, there is no job.
Yet the bedroom alone
is bustling and bursting with non-stop action!
Throw the blame onto God,
and just rub your empty, starving bellies!
Sing a song, my brother,
let us forget our hunger for a while!
In the capital city of India,
search and hunt, look for a job, brother!
The glorious pride of India—
sing and celebrate it! Who needs food, brother?
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a scathing social satire from the 1980 movie 'Varumayin Niram Sigappu' (The Color of Poverty is Red), portraying the stark contrast between national pride and the grim reality of severe unemployment, poverty, and overpopulation in India. It highlights how highly educated young men and women wander the streets of the nation's capital unable to afford basic meals, while societal hypocrisy glorifies the past instead of addressing present misery.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Irony / Satire (Nindha Stuthi)
“Bhaaradhaththu perumai thannai Paadu paadu soru edhukku thambi…”
Kannadasan sarcastically suggests singing about national glory as a substitute for food to numb the pain of real hunger.
Adukku Thodaru (Repetition for Emphasis)
“Thedu thedu velai thedu thambi…”
Words like 'Thedu thedu', 'Paadu paadu', and 'Suththi suththi' are repeated consecutively to emphasize desperation and continuous effort.
Contrast / Anthesis
“Vatraadha gangai endrum... Aanaalum.. kathaazhai velayudhapooo…”
Contrasts the eternal, life-giving rivers (Ganges and Cauvery) with the harsh reality of barren cactus thorns representing economic dryness.
Keep listening
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