Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Uzhavanin Viyarvai

From Sumangali – 1959 · 1959

Lyricist
Nadarajan
Singers
Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Chorus
Music director
M. Ranga Rao
Details
Sumangali – 19591959

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Uzhavanin viyarvaiyadaIt is the farmer's sweat
Ulagile peiyum mazhaiThat falls as rain upon the world
Kazhani sennall payirgalellamAll the red paddy crops in the fields
VilaivadhaaleBecause they yield and grow
Indru thana kanavaangal vaazhvadhellamIs why today's rich lords live lavishly
UzhavanaaleOnly because of the farmer
Chorus
Pattikaadu pattikaadu"Rustic village! Rustic village!"
Keli pannuvaanThey mockingly tease
Pattikaadu illattiIf there were no rustic villages
Ennathaan thinnuvaanWhat on earth would they eat?
Male
Paathu podu paathu poduStrike carefully, strike carefully
Paathu podu nee..olakkaiyaStrike carefully with your pestle
Humming :Paathu podu paathu podu(Humming) Strike carefully, strike carefully
Male Chorus :Paathu podu nee..olakkaiya(Male Chorus) Strike carefully with your pestle
Paathu podu paathu poduStrike carefully, strike carefully
Paathu podu nee..Strike carefully, you...
Male
Ullae irukkira arisiSo that the rice inside
Odanju pogaamaDoes not break into pieces
Namakku uyir kodukkura sathuSo that the life-giving nourishment
Madinju pogaamaIs not lost or destroyed
Female
Bayapadathae bayapadathaeDon't be afraid, don't be afraid
Pazhakkapatta kai machaanIt is an experienced hand, brother-in-law
Pazhakkapatta kaiAn experienced hand
Female
Vayalukkullae kanna vechuKeep your eyes on the field
Velaiya pannuDo your work attentively
Endha payalum vandhu nozhaiya poraanLest some scoundrel enters
Olaiya pinnuWeave the palm leaves
Female
MachaanBrother-in-law
Vayalukkullae kanna vechuKeep your eyes on the field
Velaiya pannuDo your work attentively
Endha payalum vandhu nozhaiya poraanLest some scoundrel enters
Olaiya pinnu..machaanWeave the palm leaves... brother-in-law
Male
Marathukku maram yeri pozhaikkumLook at the men making a living
Manushara paaruBy climbing tree to tree
Indha maharaasan gramathilaeIn this king-like grand village
Idhuoru joruThis is quite a sight
Male
Haei marathukku maram yeri pozhaikkumHey, look at the men making a living
Manushara paaruBy climbing tree to tree
Indha maharaasan gramathilaeIn this king-like grand village
Idhuoru joruThis is quite a sight
Male
Aruvadaikku thayaraana payirgala paaruLook at the crops ready for harvest
Haa..aa..aa..aa.Haa..aa..aa..aa.
Aruvadaikku thayaraana payirgala paaruLook at the crops ready for harvest
Adha aruthu aruthu kala parikkiraLook at the beauty of harvesting them
Azhagathaan paaruAnd plucking away the weeds
Female
Nella konjam paathukkodaTake care of the paddy a bit
Thambhi unakkuBrother, for you
Naan pullaiyaar vanangi vandhuI will pray to Lord Ganesha and return
Tharren unakkuTo give it to you
Female
Nella konjam paathukkodaTake care of the paddy a bit
Thambhi unakkuBrother, for you
Naan pullaiyaar vanangi vandhuI will pray to Lord Ganesha and return
Tharren unakkuTo give it to you
Female
Haai kuruvi akkaovHey Kuruvi, sister-in-law
Pullaiyaara kumbida nee pokkkaAs you go to worship Lord Ganesha
Angae kudutha varamBring back the boon
Vaangittu vaakka ..yakkovGranted there, sister-in-law
Pullaiyaara kumbida nee pokkkaAs you go to worship Lord Ganesha
Angae kudutha varamBring back the boon
Vaangittu vaakka ..Granted there...
Male
Pullaiyaarappa periyappaLord Ganesha, elder uncle
Pudhusaa vazhiya sollappaShow me a new path, Lord
Pullaiyaarappa periyappaLord Ganesha, elder uncle
Pudhusaa vazhiya sollappaShow me a new path, Lord
Male
Pullakutti venaam paaI don't need children, Lord
Pondaatti varam thaappaGrant me the boon of getting a wife
Pullakutti venaam paaI don't need children, Lord
Pondaatti varam thaappaGrant me the boon of getting a wife
Male
Pullaiyaarappa ChittappaLord Ganesha, younger uncle
Periyappa maama machaanElder uncle, uncle, brother-in-law
Ellaam enakkau needhaan paaYou are everything to me, Lord
Male
Pullaiyaarappa periyappaLord Ganesha, elder uncle
Pudhusaa vazhiya sollappaShow me a new path, Lord
Pullaiyaarappa periyappaLord Ganesha, elder uncle
Pudhusaa vazhiya sollappaShow me a new path, Lord

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from the 1959 film Sumangali celebrates the dignity of labor and the paramount importance of agriculture. It opens with a powerful social commentary: the luxury enjoyed by elites is made possible only through the relentless hard work and sweat of farmers. It sharply questions city folk who mock rural villages, reminding them that without the countryside's agriculture, no one would have food to eat. The second part transitions into vibrant rural life, portraying villagers performing everyday agricultural chores—carefully pounding rice to preserve its nutrition, harvesting crops, weeding fields, and climbing trees. Interspersed with playful dialogue, folk humor, and innocent prayers to Lord Ganesha (Pullaiyar) for a life partner, the song captures the warmth, community bond, and spiritual simplicity of rural Tamil Nadu.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Uzhavanin viyarvaiyada / Ulagile peiyum mazhai

The farmer's hard work and sweat are poetically equated to rain that gives life and nourishment to the world.

Ethugai & Monai (Tamil Rhyme and Alliteration)

Pattikaadu pattikaadu / Keli pannuvaan / Pattikaadu illatti / Ennathaan thinnuvaan

Rhythmic pairing of initial consonants and matching second letters across phrases, characteristic of traditional Tamil folk song structures.

Familial Personification (Kinship Imagery)

Pullaiyaarappa Chittappa / Periyappa maama machaan

Addressing the deity Lord Ganesha in intimate, informal family terms (Chittappa, Periyappa, Maama, Machaan) reflecting Tamil folk devotional culture.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by M. Ranga Rao and written by Nadarajan, this song features the powerful vocal performance of iconic Tamil singer Seerkazhi Govindarajan along with a chorus. It captures authentic 1950s rural Tamil vernacular idioms such as 'olakkai' (pestle) and colloquial family forms, highlighting the cultural pride of agricultural communities during that era.

Keep listening

More from Sumangali – 1959