Aadalama Nadam Aadalama
From Amuthavalli · 1959
- Lyricist
- Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
- Singers
- P. Leela, T. R. Mahalingam
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Amuthavalli1959
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Anbum amaidhiyum niraindhavalae | Oh one filled with love and peacefulness, |
| Adiyaal mana koyil amarndhavalae | Oh Goddess who resides in the temple of my humble heart, |
| Acham madam naanam payirpendra gunangal | The traditional feminine virtues of fear, ignorance, modesty, and shyness, |
| Athanaiyum marandhu ambalathilae | Forgetting all of those, in the sacred public hall, |
| Female | |
| Aadalaama nadam aadalaama … | Can we dance? Can we perform the divine dance? |
| Aadalaama nadam aadalaama … | Can we dance? Can we perform the divine dance? |
| Thillai aandiyudan serndhu aadalaama | Can we dance together with the mendicant of Thillai? |
| Aandiyudan serndhu aadalaama | Can we dance together with the mendicant? |
| Aadalaama nadam aadalaama …haaa… | Can we dance? Can we perform the divine dance? |
| Female | |
| Thedalaama innum thedalaama…aa.. | Shall we search? Shall we search even more? |
| Thedalaama innum thedalaama | Shall we search? Shall we search even more? |
| Dhesulaavum sundhari deviyae niranthari | Oh radiant beautiful Goddess, eternal one, |
| Female | |
| Maasilla mageswari maunam yen | Oh flawless supreme Goddess, why this silence, |
| Manohari | Oh captivating woman? |
| Maasilla mageswari maunam yen | Oh flawless supreme Goddess, why this silence, |
| Manohari | Oh captivating woman? |
| Thiruvodu yendhum paradhesiyaana gyaaniyodu | With the ascetic sage carrying a begging bowl, |
| Thiyaanam maevum nilaiyudan nadam aadalaama | Can we dance in a state immersed in deep meditation? |
| Male | |
| Naadalaama…aaa… | Shall we seek? |
| Vattradha nadhiyudan valaraadha madhiyudan | With the non-drying river and the non-growing crescent moon, |
| Nadamaadum nada sekara…aaa… | Oh king of dance who performs the cosmic dance... |
| Vanamaalai thangaiyai idabaagam yendhiyae | Holding the sister of Vishnu on your left side, |
| Vaazhndhidum sivasankara…aa… | Oh Lord Sivashankara who resides thus... |
| Male | |
| Naadalaaama manam naadalaaam | Shall the heart seek? Shall we seek? |
| Malai neeliyudan serndhu aadalaama | Shall we dance together with the dark maiden of the mountains? |
| Naadalaaama manam naadalaaam | Shall the heart seek? Shall we seek? |
| Malai neeliyudan serndhu aadalaama | Shall we dance together with the dark maiden of the mountains? |
| Aadalaama nee aadalaama | Can you dance? Can you dance? |
| Aadalaama nee aadalaama | Can you dance? Can you dance? |
| Male | |
| Kannirundhum gnyaayamaa | Is it fair, even though you have eyes? |
| Netri kann irundhum gnyaayamaa | Is it fair, even though you have a third eye on your forehead? |
| Adhanaal kavalai ellaam theeruma | Will all worries be resolved by that? |
| Aaa…kannirundhum gnyaayamaa | Is it fair, even though you have eyes? |
| Adhanaal kavalai ellaam theeruma | Will all worries be resolved by that? |
| Male | |
| Pennai kanda mogama | Is it lust upon seeing a woman? |
| Pithu konda vegamaa | Is it the frenzy of madness? |
| Pennai kanda mogama | Is it lust upon seeing a woman? |
| Pithu konda vegamaa | Is it the frenzy of madness? |
| Kalai gyaanamaevum oliyaana | Oh luminous one endowed with artistic wisdom, |
| Kaalakaalanae unadhu kaalum | Oh conqueror of death, even your feet, |
| Nogum nilaiyudan aadalaama | Can you dance in a state where your feet ache? |
| Nee aadalaama | Can you dance? |
| Aadalaama nee aadalaama | Can you dance? Can you dance? |
அன்பும் அமைதியும் நிறைந்தவளே
அடியாள் மனக் கோயில் அமர்ந்தவளே
அச்சம் மடம் நாணம் பயிற்பென்ற குணங்கள்
அத்தனையும் மறந்து அம்பலத்திலே
Oh one filled with love and peacefulness,
Oh Goddess who resides in the temple of my humble heart,
The traditional feminine virtues of fear, ignorance, modesty, and shyness,
Forgetting all of those, in the sacred public hall,
ஆடலாமா நடம் ஆடலாமா....
ஆடலாமா நடம் ஆடலாமா
தில்லை ஆண்டியுடன் சேர்ந்து ஆடலாமா
ஆண்டியுடன் சேர்ந்து ஆடலாமா
ஆடலாமா நடம் ஆடலாமா....ஹா
Can we dance? Can we perform the divine dance?
Can we dance? Can we perform the divine dance?
Can we dance together with the mendicant of Thillai?
Can we dance together with the mendicant?
Can we dance? Can we perform the divine dance?
தேடலாமா இன்னும் தேடலாமா
தேடலாமா இன்னும் தேடலாமா
தேசுலாவும் சுந்தரி தேவியே நிரந்தரி
Shall we search? Shall we search even more?
Shall we search? Shall we search even more?
Oh radiant beautiful Goddess, eternal one,
மாசில்லா மகேஸ்வரி மௌனமேன்
மனோஹரி
மாசில்லா மகேஸ்வரி மௌனமேன்
மனோஹரி
திருவோடு ஏந்தும் பரதேசியான ஞானியோடு
தியானம் மேவும் நிலையுடன் நடம் ஆடலாமா....
Oh flawless supreme Goddess, why this silence,
Oh captivating woman?
Oh flawless supreme Goddess, why this silence,
Oh captivating woman?
With the ascetic sage carrying a begging bowl,
Can we dance in a state immersed in deep meditation?
நாடலாமா ...ஆஅ....
வற்றாத நதியுடன் வளராத மதியுடன்
நடமாடும் நட சேகரா
வனமாலை தங்கையை இடபாகம் ஏந்தியே
வாழ்ந்திடும் சிவசங்கரா
Shall we seek?
With the non-drying river and the non-growing crescent moon,
Oh king of dance who performs the cosmic dance...
Holding the sister of Vishnu on your left side,
Oh Lord Sivashankara who resides thus...
நாடலாமா மனம் நாடலாமா
மலை நீலியுடன் சேர்ந்து ஆடலாமா
நாடலாமா மனம் நாடலாமா
மலை நீலியுடன் சேர்ந்து ஆடலாமா
ஆடலாமா நீ ஆடலாமா
ஆடலாமா நீ ஆடலாமா
Shall the heart seek? Shall we seek?
Shall we dance together with the dark maiden of the mountains?
Shall the heart seek? Shall we seek?
Shall we dance together with the dark maiden of the mountains?
Can you dance? Can you dance?
Can you dance? Can you dance?
கண்ணிருந்தும் ஞாயமா
நெற்றிக் கண்ணிருந்தும் ஞாயமா
அதனால் கவலையெல்லாம் தீருமா....
ஆஅ....கண்ணிருந்தும் ஞாயமா
அதனால் கவலையெல்லாம் தீருமா....
Is it fair, even though you have eyes?
Is it fair, even though you have a third eye on your forehead?
Will all worries be resolved by that?
Is it fair, even though you have eyes?
Will all worries be resolved by that?
பெண்ணைக் கண்ட மோகமா
பித்துக் கொண்ட வேகமா
பெண்ணைக் கண்ட மோகமா
பித்துக் கொண்ட வேகமா
கலை ஞான மேவும் ஒளியான
காலகாலனே உனது காலும்
நோகும் நிலையுடன் ஆடலாமா......
நீ ஆடலாமா
ஆடலாமா நீ ஆடலாமா
Is it lust upon seeing a woman?
Is it the frenzy of madness?
Is it lust upon seeing a woman?
Is it the frenzy of madness?
Oh luminous one endowed with artistic wisdom,
Oh conqueror of death, even your feet,
Can you dance in a state where your feet ache?
Can you dance?
Can you dance? Can you dance?
Anbum amaidhiyum niraindhavalae
Oh one filled with love and peacefulness,
Adiyaal mana koyil amarndhavalae
Oh Goddess who resides in the temple of my humble heart,
Acham madam naanam payirpendra gunangal
The traditional feminine virtues of fear, ignorance, modesty, and shyness,
Athanaiyum marandhu ambalathilae
Forgetting all of those, in the sacred public hall,
Aadalaama nadam aadalaama …
Can we dance? Can we perform the divine dance?
Aadalaama nadam aadalaama …
Can we dance? Can we perform the divine dance?
Thillai aandiyudan serndhu aadalaama
Can we dance together with the mendicant of Thillai?
Aandiyudan serndhu aadalaama
Can we dance together with the mendicant?
Aadalaama nadam aadalaama …haaa…
Can we dance? Can we perform the divine dance?
Thedalaama innum thedalaama…aa..
Shall we search? Shall we search even more?
Thedalaama innum thedalaama
Shall we search? Shall we search even more?
Dhesulaavum sundhari deviyae niranthari
Oh radiant beautiful Goddess, eternal one,
Maasilla mageswari maunam yen
Oh flawless supreme Goddess, why this silence,
Manohari
Oh captivating woman?
Maasilla mageswari maunam yen
Oh flawless supreme Goddess, why this silence,
Manohari
Oh captivating woman?
Thiruvodu yendhum paradhesiyaana gyaaniyodu
With the ascetic sage carrying a begging bowl,
Thiyaanam maevum nilaiyudan nadam aadalaama
Can we dance in a state immersed in deep meditation?
Naadalaama…aaa…
Shall we seek?
Vattradha nadhiyudan valaraadha madhiyudan
With the non-drying river and the non-growing crescent moon,
Nadamaadum nada sekara…aaa…
Oh king of dance who performs the cosmic dance...
Vanamaalai thangaiyai idabaagam yendhiyae
Holding the sister of Vishnu on your left side,
Vaazhndhidum sivasankara…aa…
Oh Lord Sivashankara who resides thus...
Naadalaaama manam naadalaaam
Shall the heart seek? Shall we seek?
Malai neeliyudan serndhu aadalaama
Shall we dance together with the dark maiden of the mountains?
Naadalaaama manam naadalaaam
Shall the heart seek? Shall we seek?
Malai neeliyudan serndhu aadalaama
Shall we dance together with the dark maiden of the mountains?
Aadalaama nee aadalaama
Can you dance? Can you dance?
Aadalaama nee aadalaama
Can you dance? Can you dance?
Kannirundhum gnyaayamaa
Is it fair, even though you have eyes?
Netri kann irundhum gnyaayamaa
Is it fair, even though you have a third eye on your forehead?
Adhanaal kavalai ellaam theeruma
Will all worries be resolved by that?
Aaa…kannirundhum gnyaayamaa
Is it fair, even though you have eyes?
Adhanaal kavalai ellaam theeruma
Will all worries be resolved by that?
Pennai kanda mogama
Is it lust upon seeing a woman?
Pithu konda vegamaa
Is it the frenzy of madness?
Pennai kanda mogama
Is it lust upon seeing a woman?
Pithu konda vegamaa
Is it the frenzy of madness?
Kalai gyaanamaevum oliyaana
Oh luminous one endowed with artistic wisdom,
Kaalakaalanae unadhu kaalum
Oh conqueror of death, even your feet,
Nogum nilaiyudan aadalaama
Can you dance in a state where your feet ache?
Nee aadalaama
Can you dance?
Aadalaama nee aadalaama
Can you dance? Can you dance?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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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