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Ivan Avanethan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Vaazhkaiyin Paadam

From Ivan Avanethan · 1960

Lyricist
Villiputhan
Singers
Thiruchi Loganathan, S. Janaki
Music director
M. Ranga Rao
Movie name
Ivan Avanethan
Movie release year
1960
Lyrics added on
27 Sept 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam
Odum singaaram paar maalai neram
Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam
Odum singaaram paar maalai neram
Maamalai vaanai thaen muththam eenthu
Maasilaa kadhal pesuthae saernthu
Female :Maamalai thedum vaan vegu thooram
Naam athai kana yaethu aadhaaram
Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam
Odum singaaram paar maalai neram
Poongodi neerai thazhuvidum kaatchi
Pudhumaiyai paar idhae kadhalar saatchi
Female : Kilai kanaththaalae neeralai melae
Valaiyum thannaalae paarum kannaalae
Male :Mmm
Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam
Odum singaaram paar maalai neram
Kadhalin thaabam thaniththida vendi
Karaithanai thaavi varum alai paaraai
Female :Thenthisai kaattrin vegaththinaalae
Sirai nathi mothum adhu karai melae
Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam
Odum singaaram paar maalai neram
Pon vandu poovai thaaviyae odi
Pudhu kadhal geedham paaduthae naadi
Female :Thaen unda vanduthaan pasi kondu
Poo malar kandu kaththuthu mandu
Vaazhkkaiyin paadam kooridum odam
Odum singaaram paar maalai neram
A boat that teaches the lesson of life,
Look at its beauty sailing in the evening.
A boat that teaches the lesson of life,
Look at its beauty sailing in the evening.
Giving the sky a sweet kiss, the great mountain
Joins together to speak of pure love.
Female: The sky that the great mountain seeks is so far away,
What proof do we have to see that?
A boat that teaches the lesson of life,
Look at its beauty sailing in the evening.
Look at the flowering vine embracing the water,
See this wonder—it stands as a witness to lovers!
Female: Weighed down by its branches, over the water's waves,
It simply bends on its own—see it with your own eyes!
Male: Mmm...
A boat that teaches the lesson of life,
Look at its beauty sailing in the evening.
Longing to soothe the burning ache of love,
Look at the wave leaping toward the shore!
Female: Driven by the rush of the southern wind,
The captive river merely crashes against the bank.
A boat that teaches the lesson of life,
Look at its beauty sailing in the evening.
Leaping toward the flower, the golden bee
Sings a new song of love, seeking it out.
Female: Having tasted honey, that bee is hungry again,
Seeing a fresh flower, the silly thing just makes noise!
A boat that teaches the lesson of life,
Look at its beauty sailing in the evening.
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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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