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Lyrics & meaning

Yaarai Enge Vaipadhendru

From Bale Pandiya · 1962

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Bale Pandiya
Movie release year
1962
Lyrics added on
17 Aug 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Yaarai engae vaippadhu endrae
Yaarukkum theriyallae
Yaarai engae vaippadhu endrae
Yaarukkum theriyallae
Ada andangaakkaikkum kuyilgalukkum
Baedham puriyallae
Yaarai engae vaippadhu endrae
Yaarukkum theriyallae
Ada andangaakkaikkum kuyilgalukkum
Baedham puriyallae baedham puriyallae
Pereduthu unmaiyai cholli
Pizhaikka mudiyallae
Ippo beedigalukkum oodhubaththikkum
Baedham theriyallae
Pereduthu unmaiyai cholli
Pizhaikka mudiyallae
Ippo beedigalukkum oodhubaththikkum
Baedham theriyallae baedham theriyallae
Yaarai engae vaippadhu endrae
Yaarukkum theriyallae
Ada andangaakkaikkum kuyilgalukkum
Baedham puriyallae baedham puriyallae
Naan irukkum idathinilae
Avan irukkindraan
Avan irukkum idathinilae
Naan irukkindren
Naalai engae yaar iruppaar
Adhuvum theriyallae
Ippo nallavanukkum kettavanukkum
Baedham theriyallae
Ada ennatha cholvendaa
Thambi ennatha cholvendaa
Thambi oruvan veliyil nindru
Kaasai ennugindraan
Nambi oruvan siraiyil vandhu
Kambi ennugindraan
Unmai ingae koottukkullae
Kalangi nikkudhadaa
Ada uruttum purattum surutti kondu
Veliyil nirkkudhadaa
Ada ennatha cholvendaa
Thambi ennatha cholvendaa
Yaarai engae vaippadhu endrae
Yaarukkum theriyallae
Ada andangaakkaikkum kuyilgalukkum
Baedham puriyallae baedham puriyallae
Moodarukkum manidhar pola
Mugam irukkudhadaa
Mosam naasam veshamellaam
Niraindhirukkudhadaa
Kaalam maarum vesham kalaiyum
Unmai vellumadaa
Kadhavu thirandhu paravai parandhu
Paadi chellumadaa
Ada ennatha cholvendaa
Thambiyoo ennatha cholvendaa
Yaarai engae vaippadhu endrae
Yaarukkum theriyallae
Ada andangaakkaikkum kuyilgalukkum
Baedham puriyallae baedham puriyallae
Who belongs where,
no one seems to know!
Who belongs where,
no one seems to know!
Ah, between a black raven and a sweet cuckoo,
they can't understand the difference!
Who belongs where,
no one seems to know!
Ah, between a black raven and a sweet cuckoo,
they can't tell the difference, can't tell the difference!
By earning a good name and speaking the truth,
you cannot make a living anymore!
Now, between a beedi (crude cigarette) and an incense stick,
they cannot tell the difference!
By earning a good name and speaking the truth,
you cannot make a living anymore!
Now, between a beedi (crude cigarette) and an incense stick,
they cannot tell the difference, cannot tell the difference!
Who belongs where,
no one seems to know!
Ah, between a black raven and a sweet cuckoo,
they can't tell the difference, can't tell the difference!
In the place where I should be,
he is living;
and in the place where he should be,
I am living!
Where anyone will be tomorrow,
no one knows that either!
Now, between a good man and a bad man,
they cannot tell the difference!
Ah, what can I even say?
Brother, what can I even say?
One fellow stands outside,
counting his money;
a trusting soul ends up in prison,
counting the iron bars!
Truth stands locked inside a cage today,
distressed and grieving!
While fraud and deceit pocket everything
and roam freely outside!
Ah, what can I even say?
Brother, what can I even say?
Who belongs where,
no one seems to know!
Ah, between a black raven and a sweet cuckoo,
they can't tell the difference, can't tell the difference!
Fools also have faces,
just like human beings!
Betrayal, ruin, and fake pretenses
are filled everywhere!
Time will change, the disguises will fall away,
and truth will win!
The door will open, and the bird will fly,
singing on its way!
Ah, what can I even say?
Brother, what can I even say?
Who belongs where,
no one seems to know!
Ah, between a black raven and a sweet cuckoo,
they can't tell the difference, can't tell the difference!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

"Yaarai Engae Vaippadhu Endrae" is a iconic philosophical and satirical song from the 1962 Tamil film 'Bale Pandiya'. Lyricist Kannadasan uses everyday metaphors to highlight society's inability or unwillingness to distinguish between moral integrity and deceit, virtue and vice. The song laments how corrupt individuals thrive outside counting money while honest people suffer or end up falsely imprisoned counting iron bars. Despite its sharp critique of moral confusion—where ravens are mistaken for cuckoos and cheap beedis are treated like incense sticks—the song offers a message of ultimate hope. Kannadasan reassures that false disguises will eventually vanish, time will bring justice, and truth will soar freely like a bird released from its cage.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

“Ada andangaakkaikkum kuyilgalukkum / Baedham puriyallae”

Comparing bad/uncouth people to wild ravens (andangaakkai) and righteous/sweet-spoken people to cuckoos (kuyilgal).

Muran (Antithesis / Contrast)

“Kaasai ennugindraan / Kambi ennugindraan”

Contrasts the corrupt brother outside counting money with the innocent brother inside jail counting prison bars.

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Thambi oruvan veliyil nindru / Nambi oruvan siraiyil vandhu”

The second letters of 'Thambi' and 'Nambi' rhyme (the '-m-' sound).

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

“Kaasai ennugindraan / Kambi ennugindraan”

Both lines end with the identical verb phrase 'ennugindraan' (is counting).

Personification

“Unmai ingae koottukkullae kalangi nikkudhadaa”

Truth (Unmai) is personified as a trapped, anxious creature standing confused inside a cage.

Did you know?

Trivia

This famous song from 'Bale Pandiya' (1962) features music composed by the iconic duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and vocals by T. M. Soundararajan (TMS). The movie stars Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan in a triple role. Kannadasan's lyrics in this track became immensely popular for using witty wordplay like 'Kaasai ennugindraan' (counting money) vs 'Kambi ennugindraan' (counting prison bars) to comment on societal injustice.

Keep listening

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