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Thyagam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Ulagam Verum

From Thyagam · 1978

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Thyagam
Movie release year
1978
Lyrics added on
18 Jun 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Haeiiiiiiyaaaa
Drrrrr…..
Ulagam verum iruttu
Nee uruppadiyaa yaethikkadaa vilakku
Ulagam verum iruttu
Nee uruppadiyaa yaethikkadaa vilakku
Elaarum pona vazhi naan pogum munnae
Irandil ondru
Ada irandil ondru paarppaenadaa
Endha emanaiyum kaelvi kaetpaenadaa
Ulagam verum iruttu
Nee uruppadiyaa yaethikkadaa vilakku
Thaedum kaasu pana vaettai
Nee ooradicha moottai
Oru kaalam vandhaa thaalam
Thandhina thaanaa
Dumkku dappaa thaghara dappaa
Dumkku dappaa thaghara dappaa
Amkku dappaa thaghara dappaa
Thaghara dappaa yenna velappaa
Thaedum kaasu pana vaettai
Nee ooradicha moottai
Oru kaalam vandhaa thaalam
Thandhina thaanaa
Thirudi chaertha panam nikkaadhudaa
Onnae vekkaadhudaa
Adhu pora vazhi kaagadhu daa
Nalladhu kettadhu ethana vandhadhu
Ethana ninnadhu ethana pochudhu
Suthina kaasukku pathiram pannura daei…
Ulagam verum iruttu
Nee uruppadiyaa yaethikkadaa vilakku
Jaadhi rendunnu sonnadhu
Avvai sonnadhu
Angaeyae ninnadhu angaeyae ninnadhu
Dharmam enna pannudhu
Jaadhi rendunnu sonnadhu
Avvai sonnadhu
Angaeyae ninnadhu dharmam enna pannudhu
Thatthuvathai pazhikkaadhae
Thaengaa chaami
Saadhi baedham paarppadhillae namma saami
Ada amman saami…
Amman saami vaela paaru
Aamaam saami vaelai edhukku
Ulagam verum iruttu
Nee uruppadiyaa yaethikkadaa vilakku
Hoi…hoi hoi..hoi….
Poosai naalu tharam pannu
Nee ezhu tharam thinnu
Nee oor panatha thinnaa vaayila mannu
Poosai naalu tharam pannu
Nee ezhu tharam thinnu
Nee oor panatha thinnaa vaayila mannu
Odambu rapparai pol veenghudhadaa
Boomi thaangudhadaa
Saami eppodhum thaangaadhadaa
Katti mudichavan veettil illadaa
Veettil ullavan kattiyadhalladaa
Ethanai solliyum buthi porakkala daei…
Ulagam verum iruttu
Nee uruppadiyaa yaethikkadaa vilakku
Ellaarum pona vazhi naan pogum munnae
Irandil ondru
Ada irandil ondru paarppaenadaa
Endha emanaiyum kaelvi kaetpaenadaa
Ulagam verum iruttu
Nee uruppadiyaa yaethikkadaa vilakku
Heyyyy-aaah!
Trrrr.....
The world is nothing but darkness,
Light a proper lamp, man!
The world is nothing but darkness,
Light a proper lamp, man!
Before I walk the path everyone has taken,
One of two outcomes,
Hey, I will settle this one way or another!
I will question Yama (god of death) himself!
The world is nothing but darkness,
Light a proper lamp, man!
Chasing and hunting for cash and coins,
A sack of loot stolen from the town!
When the time comes, the rhythm will go,
Thanthina thaana!
Dumku dabba, tin can!
Dumku dabba, tin can!
Amku dabba, tin can!
Hey man, what's the price of a tin can?
Chasing and hunting for cash and coins,
A sack of loot stolen from the town!
When the time comes, the rhythm will go,
Thanthina thaana!
Stolen money will never last, man!
It won't leave you with a single thing!
The path it takes will do no good!
So many good and bad things came,
How many stayed, and how many were lost?
You make legal deeds for swindled cash, hey!
The world is nothing but darkness,
Light a proper lamp, man!
Saying there are only two castes,
Avvai (ancient Tamil poet) said it,
But it stopped right there, it stopped right there!
What is righteousness doing?
Saying there are only two castes,
Avvai (ancient Tamil poet) said it,
It stopped right there, what is righteousness doing?
Don't mock the philosophy,
You coconut swami!
Our God sees no difference in caste!
Oh, Mother Goddess!
Do the work of the Mother Goddess,
Why do you need to be a yes-man?
The world is nothing but darkness,
Light a proper lamp, man!
Hoy... hoy hoy.. hoy....
Do your prayers four times a day,
Eat your meals seven times a day,
But if you swallow public money, your mouth will be filled with dirt!
Do your prayers four times a day,
Eat your meals seven times a day,
But if you swallow public money, your mouth will be filled with dirt!
Your body swells up like rubber,
The earth still bears your weight,
But God will not tolerate it forever!
The one who built the house doesn't live in it,
And the one living inside didn't build it!
No matter how much you're told, you never learn sense, hey!
The world is nothing but darkness,
Light a proper lamp, man!
Before I walk the path everyone has taken,
One of two outcomes,
Hey, I will settle this one way or another!
I will question Yama (god of death) himself!
The world is nothing but darkness,
Light a proper lamp, man!
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Chorus
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Ulagam Verum Iruttu from Thyagam (1978), penned by poet Kannadasan, is a philosophical commentary on human greed, social inequality, and moral blindness. The song portrays the world as a dark place lacking spiritual enlightenment, urging people to ignite the lamp of wisdom. It criticizes those who accumulate wealth through illicit means and hypocrites who perform religious rituals while exploiting society. Kannadasan highlights the transience of material possessions, emphasizing that worldly wealth cannot be carried beyond death. Referencing ancient poet Avvaiyar's philosophy on caste and ethics, the song laments how society ignored true righteousness and fell into caste discrimination while boldly declaring a stance of moral accountability.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Ulagam verum iruttu

Comparing the world directly to complete darkness emphasizes ignorance, corruption, and lack of moral guidance.

Alliteration (Monai)

Ulagam verum iruttu / Nee uruppadiyaa yaethikkadaa vilakku

Repetition of the initial vowel sound 'U' in 'Ulagam' and 'uruppadiyaa' creates internal rhythm.

Onomatopoeia / Rhythm (Adukkuthodar)

Dumkku dappaa thaghara dappaa

Use of rhythmic percussive sounds symbolizing the hollow nature of worldly materialism.

Did you know?

Trivia

Thyagam (1978) stars Sivaji Ganesan and features music composed by Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by Kannadasan. The film is an official Tamil remake of the 1961 Hindi classic Ganga Jamuna.

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