Thangam Vilaiyum
From Edhaiyum Thangum Ithayam · 1962
- Lyricist
- A. Maruthakasi
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- T. R. Pappa
- Details
- Edhaiyum Thangum Ithayam1962
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu | A holy land where gold grows, |
| Indha naadu en thaai naadu | This land is my motherland. |
| Naan thangiyirukkathaan enakkillai | Yet, for me to stay and live, I do not have |
| Ingae oru veedu | A single house here. |
| Male | |
| Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu | A holy land where gold grows, |
| Indha naadu en thaai naadu | This land is my motherland. |
| Naan thangiyirukkathaan enakkillai | Yet, for me to stay and live, I do not have |
| Ingae oru veedu | A single house here. |
| Male | |
| Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu | A holy land where gold grows, |
| Indha naadu en thaai naadu | This land is my motherland. |
| Male | |
| Andhi varaiyilum kanji kavalaiyae | Until dusk, the worry is for basic food, |
| Azhiyaa perungavalai | An eternal, immense worry. |
| Poluthaana pinnalae thalaiyai saaikkavae | Once night falls, to rest my head, |
| Aaradi idangavalai | Finding six feet of space is the struggle. |
| Male | |
| Sandhupondhugal paadhaiyil thoonga | To sleep on the streets and in narrow alleys, |
| Sattam idam thara villai | The law does not allow. |
| Samathuvam enbathu vaarthaiyil irukkum | Equality exists only in spoken words, |
| Vazhkkaiyilae illai | It does not exist in real life. |
| Male | |
| Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu | A holy land where gold grows, |
| Indha naadu en thaai naadu | This land is my motherland. |
| Naan thangiyirukkathaan enakkillai | Yet, for me to stay and live, I do not have |
| Ingae oru veedu | A single house here. |
| Male | |
| Ellorum innaattu mannargal endrae | "Everyone is a king of this nation," thus |
| Maedaiyil muzhangukindraar | They thunder loudly on political stages. |
| Adhai yettilum ezhudhi kaasaakki thanadhu | Writing that in books to turn it into money, |
| Vayittirkku vilungukindrar | They swallow it for their own bellies. |
| Male | |
| En pondra mannargal ethanai kodi | How many crores of "kings" like me suffer, |
| Enbathu theriyadha | Do they not know? |
| Indha unmaiyai moodi maraithaalum | Even if they cover and conceal this truth, |
| Ezhaikku puriyaadha | Will the poor not understand? |
| Male | |
| Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu | A holy land where gold grows, |
| Indha naadu en thaai naadu | This land is my motherland. |
| Naan thangiyirukkathaan enakkillai | Yet, for me to stay and live, I do not have |
| Ingae oru veedu | A single house here. |
தங்கம் விளையும் திருநாடு
இந்த நாடு என் தாய்நாடு
நான் தங்கியிருக்கத்தான் எனக்கில்லை
இங்கே ஒரு வீடு.......
A holy land where gold grows,
This land is my motherland.
Yet, for me to stay and live, I do not have
A single house here.
தங்கம் விளையும் திருநாடு
இந்த நாடு என் தாய்நாடு
நான் தங்கியிருக்கத்தான் எனக்கில்லை
இங்கே ஒரு வீடு.......
A holy land where gold grows,
This land is my motherland.
Yet, for me to stay and live, I do not have
A single house here.
தங்கம் விளையும் திருநாடு
இந்த நாடு என் தாய்நாடு
A holy land where gold grows,
This land is my motherland.
அந்தி வரையிலும் கஞ்சிக் கவலையே
அழியாப் பெருங்கவலை
பொழுதான பின்னாலே தலையை சாய்க்கவே
ஆறடி இடங்கவலை
Until dusk, the worry is for basic food,
An eternal, immense worry.
Once night falls, to rest my head,
Finding six feet of space is the struggle.
சந்துபொந்துகள் பாதையில் தூங்க
சட்டம் இடம் தரவில்லை
சமத்துவம் என்பது வார்த்தையிலிருக்கும்
வாழ்க்கையிலே இல்லை......
To sleep on the streets and in narrow alleys,
The law does not allow.
Equality exists only in spoken words,
It does not exist in real life.
தங்கம் விளையும் திருநாடு
இந்த நாடு என் தாய்நாடு
நான் தங்கியிருக்கத்தான் எனக்கில்லை
இங்கே ஒரு வீடு.......
A holy land where gold grows,
This land is my motherland.
Yet, for me to stay and live, I do not have
A single house here.
எல்லோரும் இந்நாட்டு மன்னர்கள் என்றே
மேடையில் முழங்குகின்றார்
அதை ஏட்டிலும் எழுதி காசாக்கித் தனது
வயறிற்கு விழுங்குகின்றார்
"Everyone is a king of this nation," thus
They thunder loudly on political stages.
Writing that in books to turn it into money,
They swallow it for their own bellies.
என் போன்ற மன்னர்கள் எத்தனை கோடி
என்பது தெரியாதா
இந்த உண்மையை மூடி மறைத்தாலும்
ஏழைக்கு புரியாதா........
How many crores of "kings" like me suffer,
Do they not know?
Even if they cover and conceal this truth,
Will the poor not understand?
தங்கம் விளையும் திருநாடு
இந்த நாடு என் தாய்நாடு
நான் தங்கியிருக்கத்தான் எனக்கில்லை
இங்கே ஒரு வீடு.......
A holy land where gold grows,
This land is my motherland.
Yet, for me to stay and live, I do not have
A single house here.
Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu
A holy land where gold grows,
Indha naadu en thaai naadu
This land is my motherland.
Naan thangiyirukkathaan enakkillai
Yet, for me to stay and live, I do not have
Ingae oru veedu
A single house here.
Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu
A holy land where gold grows,
Indha naadu en thaai naadu
This land is my motherland.
Naan thangiyirukkathaan enakkillai
Yet, for me to stay and live, I do not have
Ingae oru veedu
A single house here.
Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu
A holy land where gold grows,
Indha naadu en thaai naadu
This land is my motherland.
Andhi varaiyilum kanji kavalaiyae
Until dusk, the worry is for basic food,
Azhiyaa perungavalai
An eternal, immense worry.
Poluthaana pinnalae thalaiyai saaikkavae
Once night falls, to rest my head,
Aaradi idangavalai
Finding six feet of space is the struggle.
Sandhupondhugal paadhaiyil thoonga
To sleep on the streets and in narrow alleys,
Sattam idam thara villai
The law does not allow.
Samathuvam enbathu vaarthaiyil irukkum
Equality exists only in spoken words,
Vazhkkaiyilae illai
It does not exist in real life.
Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu
A holy land where gold grows,
Indha naadu en thaai naadu
This land is my motherland.
Naan thangiyirukkathaan enakkillai
Yet, for me to stay and live, I do not have
Ingae oru veedu
A single house here.
Ellorum innaattu mannargal endrae
"Everyone is a king of this nation," thus
Maedaiyil muzhangukindraar
They thunder loudly on political stages.
Adhai yettilum ezhudhi kaasaakki thanadhu
Writing that in books to turn it into money,
Vayittirkku vilungukindrar
They swallow it for their own bellies.
En pondra mannargal ethanai kodi
How many crores of "kings" like me suffer,
Enbathu theriyadha
Do they not know?
Indha unmaiyai moodi maraithaalum
Even if they cover and conceal this truth,
Ezhaikku puriyaadha
Will the poor not understand?
Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu
A holy land where gold grows,
Indha naadu en thaai naadu
This land is my motherland.
Naan thangiyirukkathaan enakkillai
Yet, for me to stay and live, I do not have
Ingae oru veedu
A single house here.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu' from the movie 'Edhaiyum Thangum Ithayam' (1962) is a poignant social commentary on poverty, homelessness, and political hypocrisy. The protagonist reflects on the ironic contrast between his nation's rich heritage and agricultural wealth (where 'gold grows') and his own harsh reality of lacking even a roof over his head. He criticizes politicians and scholars who preach equality and declare every citizen a 'king' on stages and in literature, while profiting off these empty promises while the common poor struggle daily for a single meal and a place to sleep without police harassment. It remains a powerful anthem of economic disparity in post-independence India.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Irony (முரண்)
“Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu... Naan thangiyirukkathaan enakkillai ingae oru veedu”
Pitting the country's immense wealth ('Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu') against the protagonist's severe homelessness ('Naan thangiyirukkathaan enakkillai ingae oru veedu').
Monai / Alliteration (மோனை)
“Thangam vilaiyum thirunaadu”
Repetition of initial consonant sound 'Th' in 'Thangam' and 'Thirunaadu'.
Erhai / Second-letter Rhyme (எதுகை)
“Sattam idam thara villai / Samathuvam enbathu vaarthaiyil irukkum”
The second letter 'th' matches in 'Sattam' and 'Samathuvam'.
Sarcasm / Metaphor (பரியாசம்)
“Ellorum innaattu mannargal endrae / Maedaiyil muzhangukindraar”
Comparing the impoverished masses sarcastically to 'kings' ('mannargal') to mock political speeches that claim all citizens are equal rulers.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is from 'Edhaiyum Thangum Ithayam' (1962), a film written by Dravidian leader and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C. N. Annadurai (Arignar Anna). Lyricist A. Maruthakasi captured Anna's social reformer ideology brilliantly in this track rendered forcefully by T. M. Soundararajan.
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