Padatha Paarunga
From Orey Saatchi · 1974
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- B. S. Sasirekha
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Orey Saatchi1974
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga | Look at the pictures and drop your coins carefully. |
| Kudathilitta vilakku pola naanunga | I am like a lamp hidden inside a pot. |
| Edhirkaalamae en thozhilai nampithaanunga | My future relies entirely on my trade. |
| Female | |
| Padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga | Look at the pictures and drop your coins carefully. |
| Female | |
| Thonthi rompa perisu | The belly is very large, |
| Intha pillaiyaarukku | For this Lord Ganesha, |
| Uchi pillaiyaarukku | For this Uchchi Pillaiyar, |
| Varam tharuvaaru thoppukaranam potta perukku | He grants blessings to those who perform thoppukaranam. |
| Neelamayil melirukkum intha saami | This deity resides atop a blue peacock, |
| Dhinam naaviranga vendugindra kandhasami | Lord Kandhasami, whom I pray to daily with my tongue. |
| Female | |
| En padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga | Look at my pictures and drop your coins carefully. |
| Kudathilitta vilakku pola naanunga | I am like a lamp hidden inside a pot. |
| Edhirkaalamae en thozhilai nampithaanunga | My future relies entirely on my trade. |
| Female | |
| Pokka vaai thaathaa nam gandhiyai paaru | Look at our toothless grandfather Gandhi, |
| Mahatmaa gandhiyai paaryu | Look at Mahatma Gandhi. |
| Ivar pakkathilae nikkirathu panditha nehru | Standing right next to him is Pandit Nehru, |
| Jawagar panditha nehru | Jawahar Pandit Nehru. |
| Female | |
| Vellai thaadi vachirukkum ivaru yaaru | Who is this man with a white beard? |
| Jaadhiyai vengaayam endru thallum periyaaru | It is Periyar, who peeled away caste like layers of an onion, |
| Erode-ttu periyaaru | Periyar of Erode. |
| Female | |
| En padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga | Look at my pictures and drop your coins carefully. |
| Kudathilitta vilakku pola naanunga | I am like a lamp hidden inside a pot. |
| Edhirkaalamae en thozhilai nampithaanunga | My future relies entirely on my trade. |
| Female | |
| Yaezhaigalai padikka acha karma veeraru | The selfless worker who built schools for the poor to learn, |
| Ivaru kamarajar | He is Kamarajar. |
| Ivar ennam pola nadakkum namma sivajiyai paaru | Look at our Sivaji who acts according to his vision, |
| Annan sivaajiyai paaru | Look at elder brother Sivaji. |
| Female | |
| Tamizhukellaam uyir kodutha annaavai paaru | Look at Anna who gave life to the Tamil language, |
| Aringar annaavai paaru | Look at scholar Anna. |
| Antha annaa vazhi nadanthu kaattum | Walking along the path shown by that Anna, |
| Mgr ivaru mgr | MGR, this is MGR. |
| Female | |
| Padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga | Look at the pictures and drop your coins carefully. |
| Kudathilitta vilakku pola naanunga | I am like a lamp hidden inside a pot. |
| Edhirkaalamae en thozhilai nampithaanunga | My future relies entirely on my trade. |
| Female | |
| Padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga…. | Look at the pictures and drop your coins carefully.... |
படத்தப் பாருங்க பாத்து பணத்த போடுங்க
குடத்திலிட்ட விளக்கு போல நானுங்க
எதிர்காலமே என் தொழிலை நம்பி தானுங்க
Look at the pictures and drop your coins carefully.
I am like a lamp hidden inside a pot.
My future relies entirely on my trade.
படத்தப் பாருங்க பாத்து பணத்த போடுங்க....
Look at the pictures and drop your coins carefully.
தொந்தி ரொம்ப பெரிசு
இந்த பிள்ளையாருக்கு
உச்சிப் பிள்ளையாருக்கு
வரம் தருவாரு தோப்புக்கரணம் போட்ட பேருக்கு
நீலமயில் மேலிருக்கும் இந்த சாமி
தினம் நாவிறங்க வேண்டுகின்ற கந்தசாமி
The belly is very large,
For this Lord Ganesha,
For this Uchchi Pillaiyar,
He grants blessings to those who perform thoppukaranam.
This deity resides atop a blue peacock,
Lord Kandhasami, whom I pray to daily with my tongue.
என் படத்தப் பாருங்க பாத்து பணத்த போடுங்க
குடத்திலிட்ட விளக்கு போல நானுங்க
எதிர்காலமே என் தொழிலை நம்பி தானுங்க
Look at my pictures and drop your coins carefully.
I am like a lamp hidden inside a pot.
My future relies entirely on my trade.
பொக்க வாய் தாத்தா நம் காந்தியை பாரு
மகாத்மா காந்தியை பாரு
இவர் பக்கத்திலே நிக்கிறது பண்டித நேரு
ஜவஹர் பண்டித நேரு
Look at our toothless grandfather Gandhi,
Look at Mahatma Gandhi.
Standing right next to him is Pandit Nehru,
Jawahar Pandit Nehru.
வெள்ளைத்தாடி வச்சிருக்கும் இவரு யாரு
ஜாதியை வெங்காயம் என்று தள்ளும் பெரியாரு
ஈரோட்டு பெரியாரு.......
Who is this man with a white beard?
It is Periyar, who peeled away caste like layers of an onion,
Periyar of Erode.
என் படத்தப் பாருங்க பாத்து பணத்த போடுங்க
குடத்திலிட்ட விளக்கு போல நானுங்க
எதிர்காலமே என் தொழிலை நம்பி தானுங்க
Look at my pictures and drop your coins carefully.
I am like a lamp hidden inside a pot.
My future relies entirely on my trade.
ஏழைகளை படிக்க வச்ச கர்ம வீரரு
இவரு காமராஜரு
இவர் எண்ணம் போல நடக்கும் நம்ம சிவாஜியை பாரு
அண்ணன் சிவாஜியை பாரு
The selfless worker who built schools for the poor to learn,
He is Kamarajar.
Look at our Sivaji who acts according to his vision,
Look at elder brother Sivaji.
தமிழுக்கெல்லாம் உயிர் கொடுத்த அண்ணாவை பாரு
அறிஞர் அண்ணாவைப் பாரு
அந்த அண்ணா வழி நடந்து காட்டும்
எம்ஜிஆரு.....இவரு எம்.....ஜி......ஆரு.......
Look at Anna who gave life to the Tamil language,
Look at scholar Anna.
Walking along the path shown by that Anna,
MGR, this is MGR.
படத்தப் பாருங்க பாத்து பணத்த போடுங்க
குடத்திலிட்ட விளக்கு போல நானுங்க
எதிர்காலமே என் தொழிலை நம்பி தானுங்க
Look at the pictures and drop your coins carefully.
I am like a lamp hidden inside a pot.
My future relies entirely on my trade.
படத்தப் பாருங்க பாத்து பணத்த போடுங்க....
Look at the pictures and drop your coins carefully....
Padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga
Look at the pictures and drop your coins carefully.
Kudathilitta vilakku pola naanunga
I am like a lamp hidden inside a pot.
Edhirkaalamae en thozhilai nampithaanunga
My future relies entirely on my trade.
Padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga
Look at the pictures and drop your coins carefully.
Thonthi rompa perisu
The belly is very large,
Intha pillaiyaarukku
For this Lord Ganesha,
Uchi pillaiyaarukku
For this Uchchi Pillaiyar,
Varam tharuvaaru thoppukaranam potta perukku
He grants blessings to those who perform thoppukaranam.
Neelamayil melirukkum intha saami
This deity resides atop a blue peacock,
Dhinam naaviranga vendugindra kandhasami
Lord Kandhasami, whom I pray to daily with my tongue.
En padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga
Look at my pictures and drop your coins carefully.
Kudathilitta vilakku pola naanunga
I am like a lamp hidden inside a pot.
Edhirkaalamae en thozhilai nampithaanunga
My future relies entirely on my trade.
Pokka vaai thaathaa nam gandhiyai paaru
Look at our toothless grandfather Gandhi,
Mahatmaa gandhiyai paaryu
Look at Mahatma Gandhi.
Ivar pakkathilae nikkirathu panditha nehru
Standing right next to him is Pandit Nehru,
Jawagar panditha nehru
Jawahar Pandit Nehru.
Vellai thaadi vachirukkum ivaru yaaru
Who is this man with a white beard?
Jaadhiyai vengaayam endru thallum periyaaru
It is Periyar, who peeled away caste like layers of an onion,
Erode-ttu periyaaru
Periyar of Erode.
En padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga
Look at my pictures and drop your coins carefully.
Kudathilitta vilakku pola naanunga
I am like a lamp hidden inside a pot.
Edhirkaalamae en thozhilai nampithaanunga
My future relies entirely on my trade.
Yaezhaigalai padikka acha karma veeraru
The selfless worker who built schools for the poor to learn,
Ivaru kamarajar
He is Kamarajar.
Ivar ennam pola nadakkum namma sivajiyai paaru
Look at our Sivaji who acts according to his vision,
Annan sivaajiyai paaru
Look at elder brother Sivaji.
Tamizhukellaam uyir kodutha annaavai paaru
Look at Anna who gave life to the Tamil language,
Aringar annaavai paaru
Look at scholar Anna.
Antha annaa vazhi nadanthu kaattum
Walking along the path shown by that Anna,
Mgr ivaru mgr
MGR, this is MGR.
Padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga
Look at the pictures and drop your coins carefully.
Kudathilitta vilakku pola naanunga
I am like a lamp hidden inside a pot.
Edhirkaalamae en thozhilai nampithaanunga
My future relies entirely on my trade.
Padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga….
Look at the pictures and drop your coins carefully....
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is sung from the perspective of a street vendor selling framed pictures of deities and political leaders to earn a living. She describes herself as a hidden lamp inside a pot, expressing that her livelihood and future rely completely on people buying her wares. As she sells her pictures, she cleverly describes each icon pictured: Lord Ganesha, Lord Murugan, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, K. Kamaraj, actor Sivaji Ganesan, C. N. Annadurai (Anna), and M. G. Ramachandran (MGR). The song serves as a cultural snapshot reflecting the revered spiritual and political icons of 1970s Tamil Nadu.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai)
“Kudathilitta vilakku pola naanunga”
Compares the singer's unrecognized talent and precarious life condition to a lamp kept inside a pot ('Kudathilitta vilakku pola').
Alliteration (Moonaai)
“Padaththa paarunga paaththu panatha podunga”
Repetition of the 'Pa' sound creates rhythmic musicality across the opening line.
Metaphor
“Jaadhiyai vengaayam endru thallum periyaaru”
Compares peeling away caste discrimination to peeling an onion ('Jaadhiyai vengaayam endru').
Did you know?
Trivia
This track from Orey Saatchi (1974) features lyricist Vaali cleverly capturing the socio-political pulse of Tamil Nadu by name-checking major political figures of different ideologies (Gandhi, Nehru, Periyar, Kamaraj, Anna, and MGR) alongside major film stars like Sivaji Ganesan, framed as portrait prints sold by a common vendor.
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