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Isaimozhi
Amuthavalli album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Aadalama Nadam Aadalama

From Amuthavalli · 1959

Lyricist
Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
Singers
P. Leela, T. R. Mahalingam
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Amuthavalli
Movie release year
1959
Lyrics added on
6 Sept 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Anbum amaidhiyum niraindhavalae
Adiyaal mana koyil amarndhavalae
Acham madam naanam payirpendra gunangal
Athanaiyum marandhu ambalathilae
Aadalaama nadam aadalaama …
Aadalaama nadam aadalaama …
Thillai aandiyudan serndhu aadalaama
Aandiyudan serndhu aadalaama
Aadalaama nadam aadalaama …haaa…
Thedalaama innum thedalaama…aa..
Thedalaama innum thedalaama
Dhesulaavum sundhari deviyae niranthari
Maasilla mageswari maunam yen
Manohari
Maasilla mageswari maunam yen
Manohari
Thiruvodu yendhum paradhesiyaana gyaaniyodu
Thiyaanam maevum nilaiyudan nadam aadalaama
Naadalaama…aaa…
Vattradha nadhiyudan valaraadha madhiyudan
Nadamaadum nada sekara…aaa…
Vanamaalai thangaiyai idabaagam yendhiyae
Vaazhndhidum sivasankara…aa…
Naadalaaama manam naadalaaam
Malai neeliyudan serndhu aadalaama
Naadalaaama manam naadalaaam
Malai neeliyudan serndhu aadalaama
Aadalaama nee aadalaama
Aadalaama nee aadalaama
Kannirundhum gnyaayamaa
Netri kann irundhum gnyaayamaa
Adhanaal kavalai ellaam theeruma
Aaa…kannirundhum gnyaayamaa
Adhanaal kavalai ellaam theeruma
Pennai kanda mogama
Pithu konda vegamaa
Pennai kanda mogama
Pithu konda vegamaa
Kalai gyaanamaevum oliyaana
Kaalakaalanae unadhu kaalum
Nogum nilaiyudan aadalaama
Nee aadalaama
Aadalaama nee aadalaama
You who are filled with love and peace,
You who dwell in the temple of this devotee's heart,
Forgetting all the virtues of fear, innocence, modesty, and reserve,
In the open hall,
Should you dance? Should you perform this dance?
Should you dance? Should you perform this dance?
Should you dance together with the ascetic of Thillai?
Should you dance together with a wandering beggar?
Should you dance? Should you perform this dance? Ha...
Should we seek? Should we search even more?
Should we seek? Should we search even more?
Radiant beauty, eternal goddess,
Spotless supreme goddess, why this silence,
O enchanting one?
Spotless supreme goddess, why this silence,
O enchanting one?
With a wandering sage who carries an alms bowl,
Should you dance in a state of deep meditation?
Should your heart seek this? Ah...
Bearing the never-drying river and the crescent moon on your head,
O crown jewel of dancers!
Holding the sister of garland-wearing Vishnu on your left side,
O Shiva Shankara who lives in glory,
Should the heart desire this? Should it seek this?
Should you dance together with the goddess of the mountains?
Should the heart desire this? Should it seek this?
Should you dance together with the goddess of the mountains?
Should you dance? Should you really dance?
Should you dance? Should you really dance?
Even with eyes to see, is this right?
Even having an eye upon your forehead, is this right?
Will all our worries disappear because of it?
Ah... even having eyes to see, is this right?
Will all our worries disappear because of it?
Is this longing from seeing a woman,
Or the wild frenzy of sudden madness?
Is this longing from seeing a woman,
Or the wild frenzy of sudden madness?
Luminous one filled with the light of art and wisdom,
O conqueror of Time and Death, even until your legs
Ache with pain, should you dance?
Should you dance?
Should you dance? Should you really dance?
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Anbum Amaidhiyum Niraindhavalae from the 1959 Tamil film Amuthavalli is a classical Carnatic dance dialogue depicting a divine musical duel between Lord Shiva (the ascetic dancer of Chidambaram/Thillai) and Goddess Parvati (Maheswari/Sundhari). The lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass weaves philosophical queries with classical iconography, questioning whether divine dance should transcend earthly norms and womanly modesty when performing in the cosmic hall (Ambalam). Rich in Saivite imagery—referencing the Ganges (vattradha nadhi), the crescent moon (valaraadha madhi), the begging bowl (thiruvodu), and the forehead third eye (netri kann)—the song explores the divine play (Thiruvilayadal) and the ecstatic endurance of Lord Nataraja's cosmic dance.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaai (Initial Letter Alliteration)

“Anbum amaidhiyum niraindhavalae”

Consecutive lines begin with the vowel sound 'A' ('Anbum', 'Adiyaal', 'Acham', 'Athanaiyum', 'Aadalaama'), creating a rhythmic phonetic symmetry.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Aadalaama nadam aadalaama …”

The recurring chorus ending with 'aadalaama' creates musical repetition and reinforces the lyrical theme of dancing.

Vinaa Ani (Rhetorical Question)

“Netri kann irundhum gnyaayamaa”

The lyrics use playful rhetorical questions challenging the divine entities ('gnyaayamaa', 'theeruma', 'aadalaama') to highlight divine dialogue.

Urvagani / Iconographic Metaphor

“Thillai aandiyudan serndhu aadalaama”

Refers to Lord Shiva as 'Thillai Aandi' (beggar of Chidambaram carrying a bowl) and Goddess Parvati as 'Vanamaalai thangai' (sister of Vishnu), grounding poetic expression in classical puranic imagery.

Did you know?

Trivia

Amuthavalli (1959), directed by A. S. A. Sami, features a memorable musical score by the iconic duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy. This grand dance sequence highlights the vocal prowess of T. R. Mahalingam and P. Leela, performing high-pitched Carnatic classical improvisations suitable for a cinematic dance competition.

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