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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thaazhndhirundhom Oru

From Vilaiyattu Pillai · 1970

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Vilaiyattu Pillai1970

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Thaazhndhirundhom oru kaalathilaeWe were poor at one point in time,
Andru serndhirundhom mana kolathilaeOn that day, we were united in holy matrimony.
Thaazhndhirundhom oru kaalathilaeWe were poor at one point in time,
Andru serndhirundhom mana kolathilaeOn that day, we were united in holy matrimony.
Female
Vaazha vandhom vandha selvathilaeWe came to thrive with the wealth that arrived,
Anbu marandhadhamma avar ullathilaeYet love was forgotten in his heart.
Vaazha vandhom vandha selvathilaeWe came to thrive with the wealth that arrived,
Anbu marandhadhamma avar ullathilaeYet love was forgotten in his heart.
Female
Thaazhndhirundhom oru kaalathilaeWe were poor at one point in time,
Andru serndhirundhom mana kolathilaeOn that day, we were united in holy matrimony.
Female
Padupattom andru pasithirundhomWe toiled hard back then and endured hunger,
Andha pasiyilum pasathai anaithirundhomEven amidst that hunger, we embraced deep affection.
Verupattu vaazhndhadhillaiWe never lived divided by discord,
Indru vilagiyum kalangiyum vaazhugindromYet today, we live distant and distressed.
Female
Thaazhndhirundhom oru kaalathilaeWe were poor at one point in time,
Andru serndhirundhom mana kolathilaeOn that day, we were united in holy matrimony.
Female
Manadhiae oru thunbam endraalIf there is grief inside my heart,
Mananthavaridam thaan naan uraippenI would share it only with my husband.
Avaridmae thuyaram endraal naanIf the source of my sorrow is he himself,
Evaridam poyi adhai eduthuraippenTo whom else can I go and confide?
Female
Thaazhndhirundhom oru kaalathilaeWe were poor at one point in time,
Andru serndhirundhom mana kolathilaeOn that day, we were united in holy matrimony.
Vaazha vandhom vandha selvathilaeWe came to thrive with the wealth that arrived,
Anbu marandhadhamma avar ullathilaeYet love was forgotten in his heart.
Female
Thaazhndhirundhom oru kaalathilaeWe were poor at one point in time,
Andru serndhirundhom mana kolathilaeOn that day, we were united in holy matrimony.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This emotional song expresses a wife's grief over her changing marital dynamic as financial fortune replaces affection. She reflects on their early days when they were poor and struggled with hunger, yet remained deeply united through mutual warmth and love. In contrast, the sudden influx of wealth has corrupted her husband's heart, leading him to forget his affection and distance himself emotionally from her.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Emonai / Monai (Alliteration)

Padupattom andru pasithirundhom / Andha pasiyilum pasathai anaithirundhom

Repetition of the 'Pa' consonant sound in 'Padupattom', 'pasithirundhom', 'pasiyilum', and 'pasathai' highlights the relationship between suffering/hunger and love.

Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Thaazhndhirundhom oru kaalathilae / Vaazha vandhom vandha selvathilae

The second consonant 'zh' in 'Thaazhndhirundhom' rhymes with 'r' in 'Vaazha' across stanzas, maintaining rhythm.

Antithesis / Irony (Muran)

Andha pasiyilum pasathai anaithirundhom / Vaazha vandhom vandha selvathilae Anbu marandhadhamma

Contrasts past physical hunger filled with love against present material wealth filled with emotional neglect.

Rhetorical Question

Avaridmae thuyaram endraal naan / Evaridam poyi adhai eduthuraippen

The lyricist uses a poignant rhetorical question to underscore her emotional helplessness and isolation when the spouse himself becomes the tormentor.

Did you know?

Trivia

From the movie Vilaiyattu Pillai (1970) starring Sivaji Ganesan, this song highlights Kannadasan's mastery in translating everyday marital conflicts and emotional paradoxes into simple yet profound classical Tamil lyrics, beautifully rendered by P. Susheela under K. V. Mahadevan's composition.

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