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Lyrics & meaning

Yaarai Nondhu Kolvathinge

From Pudhu Vazhvu · 1957

Lyricist
Suratha
Singer
M. K. Thiyagaraja Bagavathar
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Movie name
Pudhu Vazhvu
Movie release year
1957
Lyrics added on
17 Jul 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Yaarai nondhu kolvathingae
Yaarai nondhu kolvathingae
Enadhu murpaava vinaigal irukka
Yaarai nondhu kolvathingae
Enadhu murpaava vinaigal irukka
Yaarai nondhu kolvathingae
Ooraiyum uttraaraiyum marandhen
Pettra thaaiyaiyum thandhaiyaiyum
Thavikka vitten
Naan yaarai nondhu kolvathingae
Dhasanu dhasana irupaar
Dharmarajanai polavae nadappaar
Thiruvasagamae sadha padipaar
Ubadhesangal palavum uraippaar
Indha dhesamae poiyena veruppaar
Unmai nesanai polavae nadippaar
Pinnaal mosamae seiyavae ninaippaar
Kai kaasaiyum paripaar kanneerum viduvaar
Yaarai nondhu kolvathingae
Enadhu murpaava vinaigal irukka
Yaarai nondhu kolvathingae
Naan yaarai nondhu kolvathingae
Whom can I blame here?
Whom can I blame here?
When the sins of my past deeds are with me,
Whom can I blame here?
When the sins of my past deeds are with me,
Whom can I blame here?
I forgot my town and my relatives,
The mother and father who gave me life,
I left behind to suffer in distress.
Whom can I blame here?
They act like the humblest servant of all,
They carry themselves like the righteous Dharmaraja,
They constantly recite the sacred Thiruvasagam hymns,
They preach countless moral sermons,
They shun this entire world as a mere illusion,
They pretend to be a true and loving friend,
Yet in the end, they scheme only to deceive,
They snatch the money from your hands and shed false tears!
Whom can I blame here?
When the sins of my past deeds are with me,
Whom can I blame here?
Whom can I blame here?
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a poignant lamentation of self-reproach and heartbreak. The protagonist reflects on his downfall, acknowledging that his suffering is not the fault of others, but the consequence of his own past karmic deeds (murpaava vinaigal). He feels profound guilt for neglecting his loving parents, relatives, and homeland in pursuit of worldly distractions.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai Ani (Simile)

Dharmarajanai polavae nadappaar

Compares the deceptive person's false righteous demeanor to Lord Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira), the embodiment of virtue.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Dhasanu dhasana irupaar... Dharmarajanai polavae nadappaar... Thiruvasagamae sadha padipaar...

Successive lines end with the rhyming sound 'aar' (irupaar, nadappaar, padipaar, uraippaar, veruppaar, nadippaar, ninaippaar, viduvaar), creating a rhythmic cadence.

Rhetorical Question

Yaarai nondhu kolvathingae

The repeated question 'Whom can I blame here?' emphasizes the singer's acceptance of responsibility and helplessness over his karmic fate.

Did you know?

Trivia

This song features in the 1957 film 'Pudhu Vazhvu' starring M. K. Thiyagaraja Bagavathar (MKT), one of early Tamil cinema's iconic singing superstars. The lyrics were penned by Suratha, fondly celebrated in Tamil literature as 'Uvamaikavinjar' (The Poet of Similes), with music composed by G. Ramanathan.

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