- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, S. C. Krishnan
- Music director
- R. Govarthanam
- Movie name
- Orey Vazhi
- Movie release year
- 1959
- Lyrics added on
- 7 Apr 2024
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This satirical song from 'Orey Vazhi' (1959) personifies money ('Panam') as a supreme deity capable of controlling human fate and social dynamics. Kannadasan's lyrics playfully address money as the ultimate ruler that turns the world like a spinning top, uniting lovers, separating families, and granting high status to the uneducated while reducing wise scholars to poverty.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification (உருவகப்படுத்தல்)
“Aandavanai padaithavanae aadhi mudhalva”
Money is directly addressed as a supreme God ('Aandavan', 'Arul naadha', 'Inba guna naadha') capable of granting wishes and deciding human destinies.
Simile (உவமை)
“Ulagai pambaramaai aatti veikkum arul naadha”
Comparing the way money manipulates society to a spinning top ('pambaram').
Repetition / Anaphora (அடுக்குத்தொடர்)
“Odi odi odi varuvaai”
The deliberate repetition of words like 'Odi odi odi' and 'thedi thedi' emphasizes urgency and relentless human pursuit.
Social Satire / Irony (எள்ளல்)
“Tharkurigal pakkathilae nee irundhaal / Avargal saritheerathu verargalaai maari viduvaai”
Highlights the absurd reality where wealth elevates uneducated fools into historical heroes, while scholars without money are reduced to begging.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by legendary poet Kannadasan and set to music by R. Govarthanam, this humorous philosophical track reflects Kannadasan's iconic style of weaving sharp social commentary about wealth, greed, and societal hypocrisy into lighthearted cinema songs.
Keep listening
Songs with a similar feeling
From the same album
More songs from Orey Vazhi
View albumSpot an issue?
Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.