Panamirukkira Manusan
From Ratha Pasam · 1954
- Lyricist
- Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam
- Singer
- P. Leela
- Music director
- A. V. Nadarajan
- Details
- Ratha Pasam1954
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Hoo o o o o hoo o o | [Vocalizing] Hoo o o o o hoo o o |
| Female | |
| Panam irukkira manushan kitta | With the man who has money, |
| Manamillae nalla gunamillae | There is no heart, no good character. |
| Nalla manamirukkira manushan kitta | With the man who has a good heart, |
| Panamillae …hoo o o | There is no money... hoo o o |
| Manamirukkira manushan kitta panamillae | The man who has a heart has no money. |
| Panam irukkira manushan kitta | With the man who has money, |
| Manamillae | There is no heart. |
| Nalla manamirukkira manushan kitta | With the man who has a good heart, |
| Panamillae .. | There is no money... |
| Female | |
| Maadi melae maadiyundu | There are storeys upon storeys of buildings, |
| Vaasal kakka naayumundu | There is a dog to guard the entrance, |
| Adimai velaikki pala perundu | There are many people working like slaves, |
| Vidhavidhamaaga caar undu ellam irundhum | There are various kinds of cars, yet despite having all this, |
| Female | |
| Panam irukkira manushan kitta | With the man who has money, |
| Manamillae | There is no heart. |
| Nalla manamirukkira manushan kitta | With the man who has a good heart, |
| Panamillae .. | There is no money... |
| Female | |
| Pasi irukkira manushanukku sorillae | The hungry man has no rice, |
| Thingha sorillae | No rice to eat. |
| Kaiyile pasaiyirukkira manushanukku | For the man with money in hand, |
| Pasiyillae vayithu pasiyillae | There is no hunger, no hunger in his stomach. |
| Female | |
| Mannai vetti ponneduthu | Digging the soil to mine gold, |
| Malaiya vetti mani eduthu | Breaking mountains to harvest gems, |
| Kalludaichu kaitheri nenji | Breaking stones, weaving handloom fabric, |
| Viraghu kattai vetti rickshaa vandi iluthu | Cutting logs of firewood, pulling rickshaw carts, |
| Aluthu ponaa | Even after working to point of exhaustion, |
| Female | |
| Pasi irukkira manushanukku sorillae | The hungry man has no rice, |
| Thingha sorillae | No rice to eat. |
| Kaiyile pasaiyirukkira manushanukku | For the man with money in hand, |
| Pasiyillae vayithu pasiyillae | There is no hunger, no stomach hunger. |
| Female | |
| Paadupadum uzhavanukku nilamillae | The hardworking farmer owns no land, |
| Kani nilamillae | Not even a bit of land. |
| Adhai thedi vecha seemn odambhu valaiyalae | The rich man who hoarded it never bent his body to work. |
| Ulagam pora pokku onnum sariyilla | The way this world is going is not right at all, |
| Nilaimai sariyilla | The current state of affairs is not right. |
| Idhai olunghu panni amaichukitta | If we reorganize and fix this system, |
| Azhivillae …yedhum azhivillae | There will be no destruction... no destruction at all. |
| Female | |
| Panam irukkira manushan kitta | With the man who has money, |
| Manamillae nalla gunamillae | There is no heart, no good character. |
| Nalla manamirukkira manushan kitta | With the man who has a good heart, |
| Panamillae …hoo o o | There is no money... hoo o o |
| Manamirukkira manushan kitta panamillae | The man who has a heart has no money. |
ஹோ ஓ ஓ ஓ ஓ ஹோ ஓ ஓ
[Vocalizing] Hoo o o o o hoo o o
பணமிருக்கிற மனுஷன் கிட்ட
மனமில்லே நல்ல குணமில்லே
நல்ல மனமிருக்கிற மனுஷன் கிட்ட
பணமில்லே...ஹோ ஓ ஓ
மனமிருக்கிற மனுஷன் கிட்ட பணமில்லே...
பணமிருக்கிற மனுஷன் கிட்ட
மனமில்லே
நல்ல மனமிருக்கிற மனுஷன் கிட்ட
பணமில்லே...
With the man who has money,
There is no heart, no good character.
With the man who has a good heart,
There is no money... hoo o o
The man who has a heart has no money.
With the man who has money,
There is no heart.
With the man who has a good heart,
There is no money...
மாடி மேலே மாடியுண்டு
வாசல் காக்க நாயுமுண்டு
அடிமை வேலைக்கிப் பல பேருண்டு
விதவிதமாக் காருண்டு எல்லாமிருந்தும்
There are storeys upon storeys of buildings,
There is a dog to guard the entrance,
There are many people working like slaves,
There are various kinds of cars, yet despite having all this,
பணமிருக்கிற மனுஷன் கிட்ட
மனமில்லே
நல்ல மனமிருக்கிற மனுஷன் கிட்ட
பணமில்லே...
With the man who has money,
There is no heart.
With the man who has a good heart,
There is no money...
பசியிருக்கிற மனுஷனுக்கு சோறில்லே
திங்க சோறில்லே
கையிலே பசையிருக்கிற மனுஷனுக்குப்
பசியில்லே வயித்துப் பசியில்லே
The hungry man has no rice,
No rice to eat.
For the man with money in hand,
There is no hunger, no hunger in his stomach.
மண்ணை வெட்டிப் பொன்னெடுத்துப்
மலைய வெட்டி மணி எடுத்து
கல்லுடைச்சு கைத்தறி நெய்ஞ்சு
விறகு கட்டை வெட்டி ரிக்க்ஷா வண்டியிழுத்து
அலுத்துப் போன......
Digging the soil to mine gold,
Breaking mountains to harvest gems,
Breaking stones, weaving handloom fabric,
Cutting logs of firewood, pulling rickshaw carts,
Even after working to point of exhaustion,
பசியிருக்கிற மனுஷனுக்கு சோறில்லே
திங்க சோறில்லே
கையிலே பசையிருக்கிற மனுஷனுக்குப்
பசியில்லே வயித்துப் பசியில்லே
The hungry man has no rice,
No rice to eat.
For the man with money in hand,
There is no hunger, no stomach hunger.
பாடுபடும் உழவனுக்கு நிலமில்லே
காணி நிலமில்லே
அதைத் தேடி வச்ச சீமான் ஒடம்பு வளையலே
உலகம் போற போக்கு ஒண்ணும் சரியில்ல
நிலைமை சரியில்லே
இதை ஒழுங்கு பண்ணி அமைச்சுக் கிட்டா
அழிவில்லே..ஏதும் அழிவில்லே........
The hardworking farmer owns no land,
Not even a bit of land.
The rich man who hoarded it never bent his body to work.
The way this world is going is not right at all,
The current state of affairs is not right.
If we reorganize and fix this system,
There will be no destruction... no destruction at all.
பணமிருக்கிற மனுஷன் கிட்ட
மனமில்லே நல்ல குணமில்லே
நல்ல மனமிருக்கிற மனுஷன் கிட்ட
பணமில்லே...ஹோ ஓ ஓ
மனமிருக்கிற மனுஷன் கிட்ட பணமில்லே...
With the man who has money,
There is no heart, no good character.
With the man who has a good heart,
There is no money... hoo o o
The man who has a heart has no money.
Hoo o o o o hoo o o
[Vocalizing] Hoo o o o o hoo o o
Panam irukkira manushan kitta
With the man who has money,
Manamillae nalla gunamillae
There is no heart, no good character.
Nalla manamirukkira manushan kitta
With the man who has a good heart,
Panamillae …hoo o o
There is no money... hoo o o
Manamirukkira manushan kitta panamillae
The man who has a heart has no money.
Panam irukkira manushan kitta
With the man who has money,
Manamillae
There is no heart.
Nalla manamirukkira manushan kitta
With the man who has a good heart,
Panamillae ..
There is no money...
Maadi melae maadiyundu
There are storeys upon storeys of buildings,
Vaasal kakka naayumundu
There is a dog to guard the entrance,
Adimai velaikki pala perundu
There are many people working like slaves,
Vidhavidhamaaga caar undu ellam irundhum
There are various kinds of cars, yet despite having all this,
Panam irukkira manushan kitta
With the man who has money,
Manamillae
There is no heart.
Nalla manamirukkira manushan kitta
With the man who has a good heart,
Panamillae ..
There is no money...
Pasi irukkira manushanukku sorillae
The hungry man has no rice,
Thingha sorillae
No rice to eat.
Kaiyile pasaiyirukkira manushanukku
For the man with money in hand,
Pasiyillae vayithu pasiyillae
There is no hunger, no hunger in his stomach.
Mannai vetti ponneduthu
Digging the soil to mine gold,
Malaiya vetti mani eduthu
Breaking mountains to harvest gems,
Kalludaichu kaitheri nenji
Breaking stones, weaving handloom fabric,
Viraghu kattai vetti rickshaa vandi iluthu
Cutting logs of firewood, pulling rickshaw carts,
Aluthu ponaa
Even after working to point of exhaustion,
Pasi irukkira manushanukku sorillae
The hungry man has no rice,
Thingha sorillae
No rice to eat.
Kaiyile pasaiyirukkira manushanukku
For the man with money in hand,
Pasiyillae vayithu pasiyillae
There is no hunger, no stomach hunger.
Paadupadum uzhavanukku nilamillae
The hardworking farmer owns no land,
Kani nilamillae
Not even a bit of land.
Adhai thedi vecha seemn odambhu valaiyalae
The rich man who hoarded it never bent his body to work.
Ulagam pora pokku onnum sariyilla
The way this world is going is not right at all,
Nilaimai sariyilla
The current state of affairs is not right.
Idhai olunghu panni amaichukitta
If we reorganize and fix this system,
Azhivillae …yedhum azhivillae
There will be no destruction... no destruction at all.
Panam irukkira manushan kitta
With the man who has money,
Manamillae nalla gunamillae
There is no heart, no good character.
Nalla manamirukkira manushan kitta
With the man who has a good heart,
Panamillae …hoo o o
There is no money... hoo o o
Manamirukkira manushan kitta panamillae
The man who has a heart has no money.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Panam Irukkira Manushan Kitta' from the 1954 film Ratha Pasam is a poignant social commentary lyricized by Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam. It spotlights the stark socioeconomic paradox of society: wealthy individuals often lack empathy, kindness, and moral character, while warm-hearted and noble-minded people lack financial resources. Despite living in grand mansions with cars, servants, and watchdogs, the affluent remain spiritually impoverished and indifferent to human suffering. The lyrics vividly portray the hardships faced by the laboring class—farmers, miners, stonebreakers, weavers, and rickshaw pullers—who perform backbreaking work to sustain society yet remain impoverished and hungry. In contrast, the rich enjoy abundance without physical exertion. The song concludes with a call to social reform, emphasizing that establishing justice and restructuring society will prevent ultimate destruction and ensure dignity for all.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Antithesis / Muran (Contrast)
“Panam irukkira manushan kitta / Manamillae... Nalla manamirukkira manushan kitta / Panamillae”
Juxtaposes wealth ('Panam') with compassion ('Manam') to highlight societal inequality.
Edhukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Panam irukkira manushan kitta / Manamillae nalla gunamillae”
The second letters of 'Panam' and 'Manam' match in consonant harmony ('na').
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Mannai vetti ponneduthu / Malaiya vetti mani eduthu”
First consonant sound 'M' is repeated across consecutive lines ('Mannai' and 'Malaiya').
Anaphora (Repetition for Emphasis)
“Pasi irukkira manushanukku sorillae... Kaiyile pasaiyirukkira manushanukku pasiyillae”
Repetition of key phrases like 'Panam irukkira' and 'Pasi irukkira' emphasizes the recurring theme of social division.
Did you know?
Trivia
Featured in the 1954 film 'Ratha Pasam' starring T. K. Shanmugam, this track was composed by A. V. Nadarajan and powerfully rendered by P. Leela. The lyrics reflect the strong socialist and reformist philosophical movements that swept Tamil cinema during the 1950s, advocating labor rights and equitable distribution of wealth.
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