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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vaazha Piranthavar

From Digambara Samiyar · 1950

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
Master Subbaiya
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Details
Digambara Samiyar1950

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics↻ English translation
Male
Vaazha piranthavar naameWe are the ones born to live
Ulagaile Vaazha piranthavar naameWe are the ones born to live in this world
Ulagaile Vaazha piranthavar naameWe are the ones born to live in this world
Ulagaile Vaazha piranthavar naameWe are the ones born to live in this world
Vaazha piranthavar naameWe are the ones born to live
Ulagaile Vaazha piranthavar naameWe are the ones born to live in this world
Ulagaile Vaazha piranthavar naameWe are the ones born to live in this world
Male
Vattamittu vattamittu vayalvelyilCircling around and around in the agricultural fields
Valarum yer uzhuvomeWe shall plow with the growing plow
Female chorus :Vaazha piranthavar naameFemale chorus: We are the ones born to live
Ulagaile Vaazha piranthavar naameWe are the ones born to live in this world
Male
Naatukku thevaiyaana porulgalaiThe essential goods required for the nation
Naame payir seiyalaagumeWe ourselves can cultivate them
Naatukku thevaiyaana porulgalaiThe essential goods required for the nation
Naame payir seiyalaagumeWe ourselves can cultivate them
Female chorus :Veetukku veedu aanum pennumaaiFemale chorus: In house after house, both men and women
Paadu pattal nalamagumeIf they work hard, all will be prosperous
Veetukku veedu aanum pennumaaiIn house after house, both men and women
Paadu pattal nalamagumeIf they work hard, all will be prosperous
Male
Eaetu surakaai karikku uthavadhuA bottle gourd written on paper cannot be used for a curry
Eaetu surakaai karikku uthavadhuA bottle gourd written on paper cannot be used for a curry

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This uplifting song celebrates human dignity, self-reliance, and hard work, emphasizing that human beings are meant to thrive in this world through active effort. It highlights the paramount importance of agriculture and local production, urging citizens to cultivate the goods required by their country rather than relying on external help. Furthermore, it advocates for gender equality in labor, noting that when men and women in every household work hard together, societal well-being and prosperity naturally follow. The song concludes with the classic Tamil proverb 'Eattu surakkai karikku uthavadhu', warning that theoretical knowledge alone is useless without practical execution.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukkuthodar (Repetition for Emphasis)

“Vattamittu vattamittu vayalvelyil”

The words 'vattamittu vattamittu' are repeated consecutively to evoke rhythmic movement and continuous work in the fields.

Pazhamozhi (Proverb Usage)

“Eaetu surakaai karikku uthavadhu”

The song uses the classic Tamil idiom 'Eaetu surakaai karikku uthavadhu' (a drawn bottle gourd cannot be cooked into curry) to stress practical labor over bookish theory.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Naame payir seiyalaagume / Paadu pattal nalamagume”

The lines end with harmonizing verbal suffixes such as 'seiyalaagume' and 'nalamagume' to create a flowing, musical cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

Digambara Samiyar (1950) was a famous detective thriller produced by Modern Theatres and directed by T. R. Sundaram. The soundtrack featured early lyrics by legendary poet Kannadasan, who ingeniously incorporated traditional Tamil proverbs and themes of post-independence national self-reliance into mainstream cinema.

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