- Lyricist
- Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam
- Singer
- P. Leela
- Music director
- A. V. Nadarajan
- Movie name
- Ratha Pasam
- Movie release year
- 1954
- Lyrics added on
- 25 Mar 2025
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
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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