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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vazhga Kaigal Irandum

From Kanavan Manaivi · 1976

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
V. Kumar
Movie name
Kanavan Manaivi
Movie release year
1976
Lyrics added on
12 Oct 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
………………….
Vaazhga kaigal irandum
Vaazhvil vettrigal kandu
Vaazhga thozhargalae
Vervai nadhiyil vilaiyum selvangal
Kaalam namakkaagavae
Nam kaigal adha kaakkavae
Hae vaazhga kaigal irandum
Vaazhvil vettrigal kandu
Vaazhga thozhargalae
Vervai nadhiyil vilaiyum selvangal
Kaalam namakkaagavae
Nam kaigal adha kaakkavae
Nanayaththil irandu pakkam
Oru pakkam melaagumaa
Chorus :Hae hae hae
Nadagaththil irandu mugam
Oru mugam melaagumaa
Vanaththin melum nam kaal pattathu
Boomiyin keezhum nam kaipattathu
Vizhigal irandu orae kaatchiyae
Naam vendraalum thottaraalum orae kaatchiyae
Hae vaazhga kaigal irandum
Vaazhvil vettrigal kandu
Vaazhga thozhargalae
Vervai nadhiyil vilaiyum selvangal
Kaalam namakkaagavae
Nam kaigal adha kaakkavae
Iraivan avan padaippinile
Ellaamum podhu udamai
Chorus :Hae hae hae
Male :Manaivi makkal uravu mattum
Ellorakkum thani udamai
Nattinai naadi nee thottraal enna
Nanmaiyum naadi namvendraal enna
Inainthae irunthae kondaaduvom
Naam ellaarkkum ellaamum undaakkuvom
Vaazhga kaigal irandum
Vaazhvil vettrigal kandu
Vaazhga thozhargalae
Vervai nadhiyil vilaiyum selvangal
Kaalam namakkaagavae
Nam kaigal adha kaakkavae
………………....
Long live both hands
Achieving victories in life
Long live, my comrades!
We are the treasures grown in the river of sweat
Time itself is for us
And our hands are here to protect it
Hey, long live both hands
Achieving victories in life
Long live, my comrades!
We are the treasures grown in the river of sweat
Time itself is for us
And our hands are here to protect it
A coin has two sides
Can one side be superior to the other?
Chorus: Hey hey hey
A play has two faces
Can one face be superior?
Our feet have stepped even upon the sky
Our hands have touched beneath the earth as well
Both eyes behold the very same view
Whether we win or lose, it is the exact same vision
Hey, long live both hands
Achieving victories in life
Long live, my comrades!
We are the treasures grown in the river of sweat
Time itself is for us
And our hands are here to protect it
In God's creation
Everything is common property
Chorus: Hey hey hey
Male: Only the bond of wife and children
Is private property for everyone
What if you lose while striving for the nation?
What if we win while striving for goodness?
We shall remain united and celebrate
We shall create everything for everyone
Long live both hands
Achieving victories in life
Long live, my comrades!
We are the treasures grown in the river of sweat
Time itself is for us
And our hands are here to protect it
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Vaazhga Kaigal Irandum is an uplifting socialist anthem celebrating hard labor, unity, and brotherhood. Sung dynamically by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam for the film Kanavan Manaivi (1976), the song praises the working class whose sweat produces prosperity. It uses simple yet powerful imagery—like the two sides of a coin and two eyes viewing a single vision—to advocate for absolute equality among people regardless of triumph or defeat. Kannadasan's lyrics express profound philosophical and socialistic values, asserting that nature and wealth belong to everyone in common, with family bonds being the only personal dynamic. The anthem serves as a call to action for collective effort, optimism, and building a world where everyone shares in abundance.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uruvam (Metaphor)

“Vervai nadhiyil vilaiyum selvangal”

Sweat is poetically metaphorized as a flowing river ('Vervai nadhi') from which true wealth yields.

Etugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

“Vaazhga kaigal irandum / Vaazhvil vettrigal kandu”

Rhyming of the second letter 'zh' across consecutive lines ('Vaazhga' and 'Vaazhvil').

Uvamai / Analogy

“Nanayaththil irandu pakkam Oru pakkam melaagumaa / Vizhigal irandu orae kaatchiyae”

Compares human equality to two sides of a coin or two eyes yielding one shared vision.

Antithesis (Eradhirunilai)

“Naam vendraalum thottaraalum orae kaatchiyae”

Juxtaposition of opposites like winning and losing ('vendraalum thottaraalum') to highlight equanimity.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kanavan Manaivi (1976) was directed by A. Bhimsingh and starred R. Muthuraman alongside Jayalalithaa. Music director V. Kumar composed this energetic worker's anthem, which stands out as one of Kannadasan's finest lyricistic takes on egalitarianism and dignity of labor.

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