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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vaanam Bhoomi

From Naangu Suvargal · 1971

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
Seerkazhi Govindarajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Naangu Suvargal1971

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Panathukko paal mayakkamFor the wealthy, there is intoxication with luxury milk,
Pasitharvkko koozh mayakkamFor the hungry, there is contentment in simple porridge,
Gunathukko kaalamellaamFor good virtue, throughout all time,
Kuraiyadha madhi mayakkamThere is an undiminishing intoxication of wisdom.
Male
Mayakkam thelindhavargalThose whose illusions are cleared,
Manadhaara ondru pattarUnited together with all their heart.
Vidhi mayakkam theeradhooWill the confusion of fate never come to an end?
Veedondru amaiyaadhooWill a proper home never be established?
Male
Vaanam boomi naduvinil ulagamBetween the sky and the earth lies the world,
Vaazhbavarkellaam naangu suvargalFor everyone who lives in it, there are four walls.
Vaanam boomi naduvinil ulagamBetween the sky and the earth lies the world,
Vaazhbavarkellaam naangu suvargalFor everyone who lives in it, there are four walls.
Male
Pirakkum bodhu manidhargal ondruWhen born, all human beings are equal,
Valarum bodhu maaruvadhunduAs they grow, changes inevitably occur.
Kaalam neram soozhnilaiyaalaeDue to time, opportunity, and circumstances,
Kalvan valarnthaan boomiyin melaeA thief grew up on this earth.
Male
Vaanam boomi naduvinil ulagamBetween the sky and the earth lies the world,
Vaazhbavarkellaam naangu suvargalFor everyone who lives in it, there are four walls.
Male
Vayiru pasithaal nallavan thirudanWhen the stomach hungers, a good man turns into a thief,
Vaazhvai izhandhaal maedhaiyum kurudanWhen life is lost, even a genius becomes blind to truth.
Irandu vargam irukkum varaikkumAs long as two social classes exist,
Irandu gunangalum irundhae theerumThese two opposing human natures will inevitably remain.
Chorus
………………………...
Male
Vaanam boomi naduvinil ulagamBetween the sky and the earth lies the world,
Vaazhbavarkellaam naangu suvargalFor everyone who lives in it, there are four walls.
Chorus
……………………….....
Male
Manidhan vaazhkai megangal polaeHuman life is like passing clouds,
Samuga vaazhvoo sakkaram polaeSocial life moves like a rotating wheel.
Sendra kaalam anubhavam aagumThe time gone by becomes valuable experience,
Serum neram olimayamaagumThe time of coming together will be bright and glorious.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Naangu Suvargal' is a philosophical reflection penned by lyricist Kannadasan on human nature, social inequality, and moral ambiguity. It explores how every human being is born equal, but poverty, hunger, and societal circumstances force individuals onto different paths, sometimes turning inherently good people into thieves. The 'four walls' serve as a powerful metaphor for both the home that provides shelter and the prison walls that restrict freedom. The lyricist highlights that as long as economic divide and class structures persist, human dualities will continue to exist. Ultimately, it offers a message of hope: life is fleeting like clouds and societal status rotates like a wheel, but learning from past experiences and coming together in unity can lead to a bright and harmonious future.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uvamai Ani)

Manidhan vaazhkai megangal polae / Samuga vaazhvoo sakkaram polae

Compares human life to fleeting clouds ('megangal polae') and societal life to a spinning wheel ('sakkaram polae').

Antithesis / Contrast

Panathukko paal mayakkam / Pasitharvkko koozh mayakkam

Contrasts the luxury of the rich ('paal mayakkam') with the basic sustenance of the hungry ('koozh mayakkam').

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Vaazhbavarkellaam naangu suvargal

Uses 'four walls' as a metaphor for the constraints of life, housing, and imprisonment.

Initial Rhyme (Monai)

Vaanam boomi naduvinil ulagam / Vaazhbavarkellaam naangu suvargal

Matching initial consonants ('Vaanam' and 'Vaazhbavarkellaam') across lines for melodic rhythm.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Naangu Suvargal' (1971), directed by K. Balachander, features music composed by K. V. Mahadevan. The title translates to 'Four Walls', metaphorically connecting the boundaries of a home with the walls of a prison cell, reflecting the movie's central theme of reform and crime driven by social circumstances.

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