- Lyricist
- Subbu Arumugam
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
- Movie name
- Athisaya Penn
- Movie release year
- 1959
- Lyrics added on
- 10 Aug 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This powerful reformist song questions the prevailing social and economic inequality in society. It highlights the plight of the working class and agricultural laborers whose hard work enriches a privileged few. By contrasting human oppression with the natural freedom enjoyed by birds and fish, the song makes a passionate plea for social justice, egalitarianism, and common ownership of wealth.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question (Vinathal)
“Nilamaiyum sarithaano”
Repeated use of questioning phrases like 'Nilamaiyum sarithaano' (Is this state right?) and 'Manitha needhi idhuthaano' (Is this human justice?) to provoke moral reflection in the listener.
Contrast (Ethir-inai)
“Sila per vaazha pala per uzhaikkum”
Contrasting 'sila per vaazha' (few people living well) with 'pala per uzhaikkum' (many people laboring) to emphasize class divide.
Nature Analogy / Imagery
“Vaanilae paravaigal inamae urimaiyaagavae paranthidum azhaginai paar”
Using birds flying freely in the sky and fish swimming in water as symbols of natural freedom that human society lacks.
Metaphor
“Ezhaiyin vaazhvae selvorin kaiyil iniththidum thinbandamaachchu”
Describing the plight of the poor as a sweet snack ('thinbandam') in the hands of the rich, symbolizing exploitation.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Subbu Arumugam (a renowned Villupattu exponent and lyricist), this song reflects the strong socialist and egalitarian political themes that were widely popularized in Tamil cinema during the late 1950s.
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