Ullasa Pattu Padi
From Paasavalai · 1956
- Lyricist
- Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Paasavalai1956
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Ullasa paattupaadi | Singing a cheerful, carefree song, |
| Oorengum vaettai aadi | Hunting all across the town, |
| Ellorum thoongum bothu | When everyone else is fast asleep, |
| Kulla podum killaadi | A master of cunning and sly tricks. |
| Female | |
| Needhi nermaiyodu nadanthaalae | If one walks only with justice and honesty, |
| Namakaedhu vaazhvil inbam | Where is the joy or pleasure in our life? |
| Idhupolae | Like this, |
| Paaril kallathanamaai saerum | Silver coins accumulated through deceit in this world, |
| Velli panamae adhai alli | Gathering up all those silver coins, |
| Thanathaai | Making them one's own possession, |
| Seiyum ulla thunivaal | With the sheer inner audacity to do so; |
| Female | |
| Kaasu thaedum kanjar koottam | A group of misers chasing money, |
| Naattilae | In the settled land; |
| Kanna kolai naadum kalvar | A gang of thieves pursuing burglary and murder, |
| Koottam kaatilae | In the forest; |
| Oru eesan thannaiyae thinam | Even worshipping God daily with rituals, |
| Poosai pannudhae | Performing prayers and worship; |
| Bhakthi eesandima illai kaasinidamaa | Is true devotion directed towards God, or towards money? |
உல்லாச பாட்டுப்பாடி
ஊரெங்கும் வேட்டையாடி
எல்லோரும் தூங்கும்போது
குல்லாப் போடும் கில்லாடி.....
Singing a cheerful, carefree song,
Hunting all across the town,
When everyone else is fast asleep,
A master of cunning and sly tricks.
நீதி நேர்மையோடு நடந்தாலே
நமக்கேது வாழ்வில் இன்பம்
இதுபோலே
பாரில் கள்ளத்தனமாய் சேரும்
வெள்ளிப் பணமே அதை அள்ளி
தனதாய்
செய்யும் உள்ளத் துணிவால்
If one walks only with justice and honesty,
Where is the joy or pleasure in our life?
Like this,
Silver coins accumulated through deceit in this world,
Gathering up all those silver coins,
Making them one's own possession,
With the sheer inner audacity to do so;
பெண் குழு :
எல்லோரும் தூங்கும்போது
குல்லாப் போடும் கில்லாடி.....
சம்பா ரம்பா கம்பஞ் சம்பா
ரொம்ப ரொம்ப திம்பாளா
தங்க ரம்பா அங்கஞ் செம்பா
செங்கரும்பா நம்பாளா......
A group of misers chasing money,
In the settled land;
A gang of thieves pursuing burglary and murder,
In the forest;
Even worshipping God daily with rituals,
Performing prayers and worship;
Is true devotion directed towards God, or towards money?
காசு தேடும் கஞ்சர் கூட்டம்
நாட்டிலே
கன்னக்கோலை நாடும் கள்வர்
கூட்டம் காட்டிலே
ஒரு ஈசன் தன்னையே தினம்
பூசை பண்ணுதே
பக்தி ஈசனிடமா இல்லை காசினிடமா
பெண் குழு :
பம்பம் பம்பம்
பம்பம் போலா
போலா போலா போலா........
Ullasa paattupaadi
Singing a cheerful, carefree song,
Oorengum vaettai aadi
Hunting all across the town,
Ellorum thoongum bothu
When everyone else is fast asleep,
Kulla podum killaadi
A master of cunning and sly tricks.
Needhi nermaiyodu nadanthaalae
If one walks only with justice and honesty,
Namakaedhu vaazhvil inbam
Where is the joy or pleasure in our life?
Idhupolae
Like this,
Paaril kallathanamaai saerum
Silver coins accumulated through deceit in this world,
Velli panamae adhai alli
Gathering up all those silver coins,
Thanathaai
Making them one's own possession,
Seiyum ulla thunivaal
With the sheer inner audacity to do so;
Kaasu thaedum kanjar koottam
A group of misers chasing money,
Naattilae
In the settled land;
Kanna kolai naadum kalvar
A gang of thieves pursuing burglary and murder,
Koottam kaatilae
In the forest;
Oru eesan thannaiyae thinam
Even worshipping God daily with rituals,
Poosai pannudhae
Performing prayers and worship;
Bhakthi eesandima illai kaasinidamaa
Is true devotion directed towards God, or towards money?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from the 1956 Tamil film 'Paasavalai', penned by the legendary social-realist lyricist Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram, is a sharp satirical critique on greed, societal dishonesty, and hypocrisy. It contrasts the stealthy actions of thieves in the night with the corrupt desires of misers and criminals who hoard wealth through deceitful means, whether in urban settlements or in wild forests. The lyricist questions the true moral values of society, highlighting how honesty is often abandoned for material gain. In its climactic line, the song delivers a powerful philosophical query: whether humanity's true devotion lies with God or with wealth, exposing the superficial nature of religious rituals when driven by greed.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaibu (Rhyming Ends)
“Naattilae / Koottam kaatilae”
The words 'Naattilae' (in the country) and 'Kaatilae' (in the forest) form an end rhyme creating rhythmic contrast between urban and wilderness corruption.
Edhukai (Second Letter Assonance)
“Ullasa paattupaadi / Ellorum thoongum bothu”
The second consonant 'nn' matches in 'Kanna' and 'Eesan' or 'll' in 'Ullasa' and 'Ellorum', establishing traditional Tamil metric harmony.
Satire / Rhetorical Question
“Bhakthi eesandima illai kaasinidamaa”
The song closes with a sharp rhetorical question challenging the hypocrisy of worshipping God while pursuing money above all else.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film Paasavalai (1956) featured music composed by the iconic duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy. Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram's lyrics in this film were praised for bringing egalitarian philosophy and Marxist-leaning social critiques into mainstream Tamil film music.
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