Sonthangale
From Ini Oru Sudhanthiram · 1987
- Lyricist
- Nagai Swaminathan
- Singer
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Details
- Ini Oru Sudhanthiram1987
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Sondhangale bandhangale | Oh relatives, oh relations, |
| Soga sumai thaangiyae | Bearing the burden of sorrow, |
| Kaalam viraindhodudhu | Time flees rapidly, |
| Thunbangalil neendhiyae | Swimming through afflictions, |
| Indha manam vadudhu | This heart is wilting, |
| Kaneeeerum sogam paaduthu | Even tears sing a song of sadness. |
| Sondhangale bandhangale | Oh relatives, oh relations, |
| Male | |
| Manjalukkum maalaikkum | To the sacred turmeric and garland, |
| Indru enna aanadhu | What has happened today? |
| Nenjil vandha inbamoo | The joy that once filled the heart, |
| Vandha vazhi ponadhu | Has departed the way it came. |
| Male | |
| Oru konjum kili | A sweet lisping parrot, |
| Thananthani kootukkul yengudhu | Yearns alone inside its cage. |
| Than kannirandil vellamena | Like a flood in both eyes, |
| Gangai nadhi pongudhu | The river Ganges overflows. |
| Pona vazhi paadhai theduthu indru | Searching today for the path it once walked, |
| Sondhangale bandhangale | Oh relatives, oh relations, |
| Male | |
| Dhaagam konda maanidan | A thirsty human being, |
| Thannai mattum paarkiraan | Looks only out for himself. |
| Gnyaanam vandha podhilum | Even when wisdom dawns upon him, |
| Kelvi mattum ketkkiraan | He raises only questions. |
| Male | |
| Than pillaikutti vazha mattum | Only for his children to live well, |
| Sothukkalai serkkiraan | He hoards wealth and assets. |
| Thaan ulla mattum oor ulagai | As long as he lives, the surrounding world, |
| Verulagaai paarkkiraan | He views as an alien world. |
| Thanthanaikkum vazhndhu saagiraan ingae | Living self-centeredly for himself, he dies here. |
| Male | |
| Sondhangale bandhangale | Oh relatives, oh relations, |
| Soga sumai thaangiyae | Bearing the burden of sorrow, |
| Kaalam viraindhodudhu | Time flees rapidly, |
| Thunbangalil neendhiyae | Swimming through afflictions, |
| Indha manam vadudhu | This heart is wilting, |
| Kaneeeerum sogam paaduthu | Even tears sing a song of sadness. |
| Male | |
| Sondhangale bandhangale | Oh relatives, oh relations, |
| Soga sumai thaangiyae | Bearing the burden of sorrow, |
| Kaalam viraindhodudhu | Time flees rapidly, |
| Thunbangalil neendhiyae | Swimming through afflictions, |
| Indha manam vadudhu | This heart is wilting. |
சொந்தங்களே பந்தங்களே
சோகச் சுமை தாங்கியே
காலம் கரைந்தோடுது
துன்பங்களில் நீந்தியே இந்த மனம் வாடுது
கண்ணீரும் சோகம் பாடுது
சொந்தங்களே பந்தங்களே....
Oh relatives, oh relations,
Bearing the burden of sorrow,
Time flees rapidly,
Swimming through afflictions,
This heart is wilting,
Even tears sing a song of sadness.
Oh relatives, oh relations,
மஞ்சளுக்கும் மாலைக்கும்
இன்று என்ன ஆனது
நெஞ்சில் வந்த இன்பமோ
வந்த வழி போனது
To the sacred turmeric and garland,
What has happened today?
The joy that once filled the heart,
Has departed the way it came.
ஒரு கொஞ்சும் கிளி
தன்னந்தனி கூட்டுக்குள்ளே ஏங்குது
தன் கண்ணிரெண்டில் வெள்ளமென
கங்கை நதி பொங்குது
போன வழி பாதை தேடுது இன்று
சொந்தங்களே பந்தங்களே....
A sweet lisping parrot,
Yearns alone inside its cage.
Like a flood in both eyes,
The river Ganges overflows.
Searching today for the path it once walked,
Oh relatives, oh relations,
தாகம் கொண்ட மானிடன்
தன்னை மட்டும் பார்க்கிறான்
ஞானம் வந்த போதிலும்
கேள்வி மட்டும் கேட்கிறான்
A thirsty human being,
Looks only out for himself.
Even when wisdom dawns upon him,
He raises only questions.
தன் பிள்ளைக்குட்டி வாழ மட்டும்
சொத்துக்களை சேர்கிறான்
தான் உள்ள மட்டும் ஊர் உலகை
வேறுலகாய் பார்க்கிறான்
தந்தனைக்கும் வாழ்ந்து சாகிறான் இங்கே
Only for his children to live well,
He hoards wealth and assets.
As long as he lives, the surrounding world,
He views as an alien world.
Living self-centeredly for himself, he dies here.
சொந்தங்களே பந்தங்களே
சோகச் சுமை தாங்கியே
காலம் கரைந்தோடுது
துன்பங்களில் நீந்தியே
இந்த மனம் வாடுது
கண்ணீரும் சோகம் பாடுது
Oh relatives, oh relations,
Bearing the burden of sorrow,
Time flees rapidly,
Swimming through afflictions,
This heart is wilting,
Even tears sing a song of sadness.
சொந்தங்களே பந்தங்களே
சோகச் சுமை தாங்கியே
காலம் கரைந்தோடுது
துன்பங்களில் நீந்தியே
இந்த மனம் வாடுது.....
Oh relatives, oh relations,
Bearing the burden of sorrow,
Time flees rapidly,
Swimming through afflictions,
This heart is wilting.
Sondhangale bandhangale
Oh relatives, oh relations,
Soga sumai thaangiyae
Bearing the burden of sorrow,
Kaalam viraindhodudhu
Time flees rapidly,
Thunbangalil neendhiyae
Swimming through afflictions,
Indha manam vadudhu
This heart is wilting,
Kaneeeerum sogam paaduthu
Even tears sing a song of sadness.
Sondhangale bandhangale
Oh relatives, oh relations,
Manjalukkum maalaikkum
To the sacred turmeric and garland,
Indru enna aanadhu
What has happened today?
Nenjil vandha inbamoo
The joy that once filled the heart,
Vandha vazhi ponadhu
Has departed the way it came.
Oru konjum kili
A sweet lisping parrot,
Thananthani kootukkul yengudhu
Yearns alone inside its cage.
Than kannirandil vellamena
Like a flood in both eyes,
Gangai nadhi pongudhu
The river Ganges overflows.
Pona vazhi paadhai theduthu indru
Searching today for the path it once walked,
Sondhangale bandhangale
Oh relatives, oh relations,
Dhaagam konda maanidan
A thirsty human being,
Thannai mattum paarkiraan
Looks only out for himself.
Gnyaanam vandha podhilum
Even when wisdom dawns upon him,
Kelvi mattum ketkkiraan
He raises only questions.
Than pillaikutti vazha mattum
Only for his children to live well,
Sothukkalai serkkiraan
He hoards wealth and assets.
Thaan ulla mattum oor ulagai
As long as he lives, the surrounding world,
Verulagaai paarkkiraan
He views as an alien world.
Thanthanaikkum vazhndhu saagiraan ingae
Living self-centeredly for himself, he dies here.
Sondhangale bandhangale
Oh relatives, oh relations,
Soga sumai thaangiyae
Bearing the burden of sorrow,
Kaalam viraindhodudhu
Time flees rapidly,
Thunbangalil neendhiyae
Swimming through afflictions,
Indha manam vadudhu
This heart is wilting,
Kaneeeerum sogam paaduthu
Even tears sing a song of sadness.
Sondhangale bandhangale
Oh relatives, oh relations,
Soga sumai thaangiyae
Bearing the burden of sorrow,
Kaalam viraindhodudhu
Time flees rapidly,
Thunbangalil neendhiyae
Swimming through afflictions,
Indha manam vadudhu
This heart is wilting.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Sondhangale Bandhangale' is a poignant reflection on the fragile nature of human relationships, sorrow, loneliness, and societal selfishness. It expresses grief over the breakdown of marital and familial bliss, depicting an innocent soul suffering in isolation like a caged bird while tears overflow like a flooded river. Furthermore, the lyrics serve as a sharp philosophical critique of human nature, pointing out how people live entirely self-centered lives, hoarding wealth solely for their immediate family while remaining detached from the broader world, only to die after a meaningless existence.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile / Uvamai
“Than kannirandil vellamena Gangai nadhi pongudhu”
Compares the continuous flow of tears from both eyes to the overflowing flood of the Ganges river.
Metaphor / Uvamaani
“Oru konjum kili Thananthani kootukkul yengudhu”
Metaphorically compares a lonely, vulnerable person grieving in isolation to a sweet parrot yearning inside a cage.
Edhukai (Tamil Second-letter Rhyme)
“Sondhangale bandhangale”
Rhyming of the second letter ('n') in consecutive lines ('Sondhangale' / 'Bandhangale').
Irony / Paradox
“Gnyaanam vandha podhilum Kelvi mattum ketkkiraan”
Highlights the paradox of human nature where gaining wisdom leads only to perpetual questioning and doubt rather than peace.
Did you know?
Trivia
Ini Oru Sudhanthiram (1987) features deeply philosophical lyrics by Nagai Swaminathan, focusing on social commentary and human relations typical of late 1980s Tamil drama cinema.
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