Vaazhkaiyin Paadam
From Ivan Avanethan · 1960
- Lyricist
- Villiputhan
- Singers
- Thiruchi Loganathan, S. Janaki
- Music director
- M. Ranga Rao
- Details
- Ivan Avanethan1960
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam | The boat that teaches the lessons of life |
| Odum singaaram paar maalai neram | Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time |
| Male | |
| Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam | The boat that teaches the lessons of life |
| Odum singaaram paar maalai neram | Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time |
| Male | |
| Maamalai vaanai thaen muththam eenthu | The great mountain gives a sweet kiss to the sky |
| Maasilaa kadhal pesuthae saernthu | Together, they speak of flawless love |
| Female :Maamalai thedum vaan vegu thooram | Female: The sky that the great mountain seeks is very far |
| Naam athai kana yaethu aadhaaram | What proof do we have to witness that? |
| Male | |
| Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam | The boat that teaches the lessons of life |
| Odum singaaram paar maalai neram | Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time |
| Male | |
| Poongodi neerai thazhuvidum kaatchi | The sight of flowering vines embracing the water |
| Pudhumaiyai paar idhae kadhalar saatchi | Look at this wonder; it stands as a witness to lovers |
| Female : Kilai kanaththaalae neeralai melae | Female: Due to the weight of its branches over the water waves |
| Valaiyum thannaalae paarum kannaalae | It bends naturally, see it with your own eyes |
| Male :Mmm | Male: Mmm |
| Female | |
| Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam | The boat that teaches the lessons of life |
| Odum singaaram paar maalai neram | Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time |
| Male | |
| Kadhalin thaabam thaniththida vendi | In order to quench the thirst of love |
| Karaithanai thaavi varum alai paaraai | Look at the wave leaping towards the shore |
| Female :Thenthisai kaattrin vegaththinaalae | Female: Because of the speed of the southern wind |
| Sirai nathi mothum adhu karai melae | The dammed river crashes against its banks |
| Female | |
| Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam | The boat that teaches the lessons of life |
| Odum singaaram paar maalai neram | Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time |
| Male | |
| Pon vandu poovai thaaviyae odi | The golden beetle leaps towards the flower and runs |
| Pudhu kadhal geedham paaduthae naadi | Seeking it out, singing a new song of love |
| Female :Thaen unda vanduthaan pasi kondu | Female: The beetle that drank honey becomes hungry again |
| Poo malar kandu kaththuthu mandu | Seeing the blooming flower, the foolish bug buzzes loudly |
| Female | |
| Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam | The boat that teaches the lessons of life |
| Odum singaaram paar maalai neram | Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time |
வாழ்க்கையின் பாடம் கூறிடும் ஓடம்
ஓடும் சிங்காரம் பார் மாலை நேரம்
The boat that teaches the lessons of life
Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time
வாழ்க்கையின் பாடம் கூறிடும் ஓடம்
ஓடும் சிங்காரம் பார் மாலை நேரம்.....
The boat that teaches the lessons of life
Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time
மாமலை வானை தேன் முத்தம் ஈந்து
மாசிலா காதல் பேசுதே சேர்ந்து
மாமலை தேடும் வான் வெகு தூரம்
நாம் அதை காண ஏது ஆதாரம்
The great mountain gives a sweet kiss to the sky
Together, they speak of flawless love
Female: The sky that the great mountain seeks is very far
What proof do we have to witness that?
வாழ்க்கையின் பாடம் கூறிடும் ஓடம்
ஓடும் சிங்காரம் பார் மாலை நேரம்.....
The boat that teaches the lessons of life
Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time
பூங்கொடி நீரை தழுவிடும் காட்சி
புதுமையை பார் இதே காதலர் சாட்சி
கிளைக் கணத்தாலே நீரலை மேலே
வளையும் தன்னாலே பாரும் கண்ணாலே
ம்ம்
The sight of flowering vines embracing the water
Look at this wonder; it stands as a witness to lovers
Female: Due to the weight of its branches over the water waves
It bends naturally, see it with your own eyes
Male: Mmm
வாழ்க்கையின் பாடம் கூறிடும் ஓடம்
ஓடும் சிங்காரம் பார் மாலை நேரம்.....
The boat that teaches the lessons of life
Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time
காதலின் தாபம் தணித்திட வேண்டி
கரைதனை தாவி வரும் அலை பாராய்
தென்திசை காற்றின் வேகத்தினாலே
சிறை நதி மோதும் அது கரை மேலே
In order to quench the thirst of love
Look at the wave leaping towards the shore
Female: Because of the speed of the southern wind
The dammed river crashes against its banks
வாழ்க்கையின் பாடம் கூறிடும் ஓடம்
ஓடும் சிங்காரம் பார் மாலை நேரம்.....
The boat that teaches the lessons of life
Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time
பொன் வண்டு பூவை தாவியே ஒடி
புது காதல் கீதம் பாடுதே நாடி
தேன் உண்ட வண்டுதான் பசிக் கொண்டு
பூ மலர் கண்டு கத்துது மண்டு..
The golden beetle leaps towards the flower and runs
Seeking it out, singing a new song of love
Female: The beetle that drank honey becomes hungry again
Seeing the blooming flower, the foolish bug buzzes loudly
வாழ்க்கையின் பாடம் கூறிடும் ஓடம்
ஓடும் சிங்காரம் பார் மாலை நேரம்.....
The boat that teaches the lessons of life
Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time
Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam
The boat that teaches the lessons of life
Odum singaaram paar maalai neram
Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time
Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam
The boat that teaches the lessons of life
Odum singaaram paar maalai neram
Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time
Maamalai vaanai thaen muththam eenthu
The great mountain gives a sweet kiss to the sky
Maasilaa kadhal pesuthae saernthu
Together, they speak of flawless love
Female :Maamalai thedum vaan vegu thooram
Female: The sky that the great mountain seeks is very far
Naam athai kana yaethu aadhaaram
What proof do we have to witness that?
Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam
The boat that teaches the lessons of life
Odum singaaram paar maalai neram
Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time
Poongodi neerai thazhuvidum kaatchi
The sight of flowering vines embracing the water
Pudhumaiyai paar idhae kadhalar saatchi
Look at this wonder; it stands as a witness to lovers
Female : Kilai kanaththaalae neeralai melae
Female: Due to the weight of its branches over the water waves
Valaiyum thannaalae paarum kannaalae
It bends naturally, see it with your own eyes
Male :Mmm
Male: Mmm
Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam
The boat that teaches the lessons of life
Odum singaaram paar maalai neram
Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time
Kadhalin thaabam thaniththida vendi
In order to quench the thirst of love
Karaithanai thaavi varum alai paaraai
Look at the wave leaping towards the shore
Female :Thenthisai kaattrin vegaththinaalae
Female: Because of the speed of the southern wind
Sirai nathi mothum adhu karai melae
The dammed river crashes against its banks
Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam
The boat that teaches the lessons of life
Odum singaaram paar maalai neram
Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time
Pon vandu poovai thaaviyae odi
The golden beetle leaps towards the flower and runs
Pudhu kadhal geedham paaduthae naadi
Seeking it out, singing a new song of love
Female :Thaen unda vanduthaan pasi kondu
Female: The beetle that drank honey becomes hungry again
Poo malar kandu kaththuthu mandu
Seeing the blooming flower, the foolish bug buzzes loudly
Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam
The boat that teaches the lessons of life
Odum singaaram paar maalai neram
Look at its beautiful movement during the evening time
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic Tamil duet unfolds as a romantic and philosophical conversation between two lovers riding a boat during twilight. The male singer views the surrounding nature through an idealist and poetic lens, interpreting natural phenomena—such as mountains touching the sky, vines touching the water, waves hitting the shore, and beetles visiting flowers—as expressions of pure, romantic love.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam”
The boat journey is used as a metaphor for the journey of human life and its valuable lessons ('Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam').
Personification
“Maamalai vaanai thaen muththam eenthu”
Giving human emotions and actions of affection to non-living nature like the mountain and sky ('giving a sweet kiss').
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Poongodi neerai thazhuvidum kaatchi”
Repetition of initial consonants or vowels across words in the same line, such as 'Poongodi' and 'Pudhumaiyai'.
Edukai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Kilai kanaththaalae neeralai melae / Valaiyum thannaalae paarum kannaalae”
Rhyming of the second letter across consecutive lines ('Kilai' and 'Valaiyum' sharing the 'lai' consonant sound).
Did you know?
Trivia
'Ivan Avanethan' (1960) featured music by M. Ranga Rao, who later established himself as one of the most revered and prolific music directors in Kannada cinema. The song stands out for its clever lyrical contrast between poetic idealism and playful practical realism.
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