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Lingaa album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Unmai Orunaal Vellum

From Lingaa · 2014

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Haricharan
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Lingaa
Movie release year
2014
Lyrics added on
24 Apr 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Unmai oru naal vellum
Intha ulagam un per sollum
Andru oorae potrum
Manithan neeyae
Neeyada.. neeyada
Poigal puyal pol veesum
Aanaal unmai medhuvaai pesum
Andru neeyae vaazhvil velvaai
Kalangaathae kalangaathae ..kalangaathae…
Karaiyaathae…karaiyaathae
Kalangaathae kalangaathae ..
Raamanum azhuthaan
Dharmanum azhuthaan
Neeyo azhavillai
Unakko azhivillai
Sirithu varum singam undu
Punnagaikkum puligal undu
Uraiyaadi uyir kudikkum
Onaaigal undu
Ponnaadai porthi vittu
Unnaadai avizhpathundu
Poochchendil olinthu nirkum
Poo naagam undu
Pallathil orr yaanai
Veezhnthaalum
Adhan ullathai
Veezhthivida mudiyaathu
Unmai oru naal vellum
Intha ulagam un per sollum
Andru oorae potrum
Manithan neeyae
Neeyada.. neeyada
Poigal puyal pol veesum
Aanaal unmai medhuvaai pesum
Andru neeyae vaazhvil velvaai
Kalangaathae kalangaathae ..kalangaathae…
Karaiyaathae…karaiyaathae
Kalangaathae kalangaathae ..
Suttaalum sangu niram
Eppodhum vellaiyada
Maen makkal ennaalum
Maen makkal thaanae
Kettaalum nam thalaivan
Ippodhum rajan adaa
Veezhndhalum vallal karam
Veezhadhu thaanae
Ponnodu man ellaam
Ponaalum
Avan punnagaiyai
Kollaiyida mudiyaathu
Unmai oru naal vellum
Intha ulagam un per sollum
Andru oorae potrum
Manithan neeyae
Neeyada.. neeyada
Poigal puyal pol veesum
Aanaal unmai medhuvaai pesum
Andru neeyae vaazhvil velvaai
Kalangaathae kalangaathae ..kalangaathae…
Karaiyaathae…karaiyaathae
Kalangaathae kalangaathae ..
Truth will win one day.
This world will speak your name.
On that day, the whole town will praise
the great human you are.
It is you... it is you!
Lies may rage like a storm,
but truth speaks quietly.
On that day, you will triumph in life.
Do not worry, do not worry, do not worry...
Do not lose heart, do not lose heart...
Do not worry, do not worry...
Even Rama wept,
even Dharman (Yudhishthira) wept,
but you did not cry,
and you can never be destroyed.
There are lions that come with a smile,
there are tigers that grin,
and there are wolves that chat sweetly
while draining your very life.
There are those who drape you in a shawl of honour,
only to strip away your dignity.
Hiding inside a bouquet of flowers,
there is a venomous snake.
Even if an elephant
falls into a pit,
its inner spirit
can never be defeated.
Truth will win one day.
This world will speak your name.
On that day, the whole town will praise
the great human you are.
It is you... it is you!
Lies may rage like a storm,
but truth speaks quietly.
On that day, you will triumph in life.
Do not worry, do not worry, do not worry...
Do not lose heart, do not lose heart...
Do not worry, do not worry...
Even when burned in fire, a conch shell
always stays pure white.
Noble people, through all times,
will always remain noble.
Even in downfall, our leader
is still a king!
Even if brought down, a generous giver's hand
will never truly fall.
Even if all the gold and land
are taken away,
his gentle smile
can never be stolen.
Truth will win one day.
This world will speak your name.
On that day, the whole town will praise
the great human you are.
It is you... it is you!
Lies may rage like a storm,
but truth speaks quietly.
On that day, you will triumph in life.
Do not worry, do not worry, do not worry...
Do not lose heart, do not lose heart...
Do not worry, do not worry...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Unmai Oru Naal Vellum is a powerful philosophical and motivational song that encourages perseverance, moral integrity, and resilience in the face of temporary hardship, betrayal, and deceit. The lyrics emphasize that while falsehood may roar loudly like a storm, ultimate truth speaks softly and inevitably triumphs in the end. The song reassures a virtuous leader that temporary setbacks do not diminish true inner greatness.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

“Poigal puyal pol veesum”

Compares the sudden and aggressive nature of lies to a blowing storm using the comparative marker 'pol'.

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

“Sirithu varum singam undu / Punnagaikkum puligal undu / Uraiyaadi uyir kudikkum Onaaigal undu”

Metaphorically compares deceitful friends and backstabbers to smiling lions, tigers, and wolves lurking behind pleasant gestures.

Classical Literary Allusion (Ilakkiya Kurippu)

“Suttaalum sangu niram Eppodhum vellaiyada”

References the famous ancient aphorism from Avvaiyar's Moodurai ('Suttaalum sangu niram paal pol vellaiyam'), stating that true nobility never loses its core virtue regardless of hardship.

Rhyme / Anaphora (Ethugai)

“Raamanum azhuthaan / Dharmanum azhuthaan”

Repetition of sound structure across parallel lines citing mythological figures (Rama and Dharma/Yudhisthira).

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