Aalaala Kanda
From Sangamam · 1999
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Hariharan, M. S. Vishwanathan
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Sangamam1999
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Aalaalagandaa…..aaaaa…. | Oh Lord Shiva, who consumed the poison... ahhh... |
| Aaaaa…….aaaa.. | Aaaaa... aaaa.. |
| Chorus | |
| ………………………………………………….. | ... |
| Male | |
| Aalaalagandaa aadalukku thagappaa | Oh Lord Shiva, the father of dance, |
| VanakkamungaChorus :Vanakkamunga | Greetings to you! (Chorus: Greetings to you!) |
| Enna aadaama aattivecha | You made me dance without even moving myself, |
| VanakkamungaChorus :Vanakkamunga | Greetings to you! (Chorus: Greetings to you!) |
| Enna aadaama aattivecha | You made me dance without even moving myself, |
| Vanakkamunga | Greetings to you! |
| Male | |
| Aalaalagandaa aadalukku thagappaa | Oh Lord Shiva, the father of dance, |
| VanakkamungaChorus :Vanakkamunga | Greetings to you! (Chorus: Greetings to you!) |
| Enna aadaama aattivecha | You made me dance without even moving myself, |
| VanakkamungaChorus :Vanakkamunga | Greetings to you! (Chorus: Greetings to you!) |
| Chorus | |
| ………………………………………………….. | ... |
| Male | |
| {En kaalukku salangai itta | {To the one who tied anklet bells to my feet, |
| Unn kaaladikku mudhal vanakkam | My first bow is at your feet. |
| En kaal nadamaadum aiyya | My feet will keep dancing, sir, |
| Unmai kattalainga vellum varaikkum} (2) | Until the decree of truth prevails} (2) |
| Male | |
| Nee undu undu endrapodhum | Whether you say you exist, |
| Nee illai illai endrapodhum | Or whether you say you do not exist, |
| Nee undu undu endrapodhum | Whether you say you exist, |
| Ada illai illai endrapodhum | Ah, or whether you say you do not exist, |
| Sabai aadiya paadham aiyaa | The feet that danced in the royal court, sir, |
| Nikkaathu oru podhum | Will never stop at any time. |
| Male | |
| Vanakkam vanakkamunga | Greetings, greetings to you! |
| Ahaa vanakkam vanakkamunga | Aha, greetings, greetings to you! |
| Vanakkamunga… vanakkamunga | Greetings... greetings to you! |
| Male | |
| Aalaalagandaa aadalukku thagappaa | Oh Lord Shiva, father of dance, |
| Vanakkamunga…haan | Greetings to you... haan |
| Enna aadaama aattivecha | You made me dance without moving myself, |
| Vanakkamunga …hahaha | Greetings to you... hahaha |
| Male | |
| {En kaalukku salangai itta | {To the one who tied anklet bells to my feet, |
| Unn kaaladikku mudhal vanakkam | My first bow is at your feet. |
| En kaal nadamaadum aiyya | My feet will keep dancing, sir, |
| Unmai kattalainga vellum varaikkum} (2) | Until the decree of truth prevails} (2) |
| Male | |
| Aalaalagandaa…aaaa….aaaa…. | Oh Lord Shiva... ahhh... ahhh... |
| Aaaaa….a..aaa…..aaaaa…… | Aaaaa... a... aaa... aaaaa... |
ஆலாலகண்டா ஆஆஆ...
ஆஆஆ ஆஆஆ
Oh Lord Shiva, who consumed the poison... ahhh...
Aaaaa... aaaa..
....................................
...
ஆலாலகண்டா
ஆடலுக்குத் தகப்பா
வணக்கமுங்க குழு :
வணக்கமுங்க
என்ன ஆடாம ஆட்டிவெச்ச
வணக்கமுங்க குழு :
வணக்கமுங்க
என்ன ஆடாம ஆட்டிவெச்ச
வணக்கமுங்க
Oh Lord Shiva, the father of dance,
Greetings to you! (Chorus: Greetings to you!)
You made me dance without even moving myself,
Greetings to you! (Chorus: Greetings to you!)
You made me dance without even moving myself,
Greetings to you!
ஆலாலகண்டா
ஆடலுக்குத் தகப்பா
வணக்கமுங்க குழு :
வணக்கமுங்க
என்ன ஆடாம ஆட்டிவெச்ச
வணக்கமுங்க குழு :
வணக்கமுங்க
Oh Lord Shiva, the father of dance,
Greetings to you! (Chorus: Greetings to you!)
You made me dance without even moving myself,
Greetings to you! (Chorus: Greetings to you!)
....................................
...
{ என் காலுக்கு
சலங்கையிட்ட உன்
காலடிக்கு முதல் வணக்கம்
என் கால் நடமாடும் அய்யா
உண்மை கட்டளைங்க வெல்லும்
வரைக்கும் } (2)
{To the one who tied anklet bells to my feet,
My first bow is at your feet.
My feet will keep dancing, sir,
Until the decree of truth prevails} (2)
நீ உண்டு உண்டு
என்ற போதும் நீ இல்லை
இல்லை என்ற போதும்
நீ உண்டு உண்டு என்ற
போதும் அட இல்லை
இல்லை என்ற போதும்
சபை ஆடிய பாதமய்யா
நிக்காது ஒரு போதும்
Whether you say you exist,
Or whether you say you do not exist,
Whether you say you exist,
Ah, or whether you say you do not exist,
The feet that danced in the royal court, sir,
Will never stop at any time.
வணக்கம் வணக்கமுங்க
ஆஹா வணக்கம் வணக்கமுங்க
வணக்கமுங்க வணக்கமுங்க
Greetings, greetings to you!
Aha, greetings, greetings to you!
Greetings... greetings to you!
ஆலாலகண்டா
ஆடலுக்குத் தகப்பா
வணக்கமுங்க ஹான்
என்ன ஆடாம ஆட்டி
வெச்ச வணக்கமுங்க
ஹாஹாஹா
Oh Lord Shiva, father of dance,
Greetings to you... haan
You made me dance without moving myself,
Greetings to you... hahaha
{ என் காலுக்கு
சலங்கையிட்ட உன்
காலடிக்கு முதல் வணக்கம்
என் கால் நடமாடும் அய்யா
உண்மை கட்டளைங்க வெல்லும்
வரைக்கும் } (2)
{To the one who tied anklet bells to my feet,
My first bow is at your feet.
My feet will keep dancing, sir,
Until the decree of truth prevails} (2)
ஆலாலகண்டா
ஆஆஆ ஆஆஆ ஆஆஆ
ஆஆஆ ஆஆஆ
Oh Lord Shiva... ahhh... ahhh...
Aaaaa... a... aaa... aaaaa...
Aalaalagandaa…..aaaaa….
Oh Lord Shiva, who consumed the poison... ahhh...
Aaaaa…….aaaa..
Aaaaa... aaaa..
…………………………………………………..
...
Aalaalagandaa aadalukku thagappaa
Oh Lord Shiva, the father of dance,
VanakkamungaChorus :Vanakkamunga
Greetings to you! (Chorus: Greetings to you!)
Enna aadaama aattivecha
You made me dance without even moving myself,
VanakkamungaChorus :Vanakkamunga
Greetings to you! (Chorus: Greetings to you!)
Enna aadaama aattivecha
You made me dance without even moving myself,
Vanakkamunga
Greetings to you!
Aalaalagandaa aadalukku thagappaa
Oh Lord Shiva, the father of dance,
VanakkamungaChorus :Vanakkamunga
Greetings to you! (Chorus: Greetings to you!)
Enna aadaama aattivecha
You made me dance without even moving myself,
VanakkamungaChorus :Vanakkamunga
Greetings to you! (Chorus: Greetings to you!)
…………………………………………………..
...
{En kaalukku salangai itta
{To the one who tied anklet bells to my feet,
Unn kaaladikku mudhal vanakkam
My first bow is at your feet.
En kaal nadamaadum aiyya
My feet will keep dancing, sir,
Unmai kattalainga vellum varaikkum} (2)
Until the decree of truth prevails} (2)
Nee undu undu endrapodhum
Whether you say you exist,
Nee illai illai endrapodhum
Or whether you say you do not exist,
Nee undu undu endrapodhum
Whether you say you exist,
Ada illai illai endrapodhum
Ah, or whether you say you do not exist,
Sabai aadiya paadham aiyaa
The feet that danced in the royal court, sir,
Nikkaathu oru podhum
Will never stop at any time.
Vanakkam vanakkamunga
Greetings, greetings to you!
Ahaa vanakkam vanakkamunga
Aha, greetings, greetings to you!
Vanakkamunga… vanakkamunga
Greetings... greetings to you!
Aalaalagandaa aadalukku thagappaa
Oh Lord Shiva, father of dance,
Vanakkamunga…haan
Greetings to you... haan
Enna aadaama aattivecha
You made me dance without moving myself,
Vanakkamunga …hahaha
Greetings to you... hahaha
{En kaalukku salangai itta
{To the one who tied anklet bells to my feet,
Unn kaaladikku mudhal vanakkam
My first bow is at your feet.
En kaal nadamaadum aiyya
My feet will keep dancing, sir,
Unmai kattalainga vellum varaikkum} (2)
Until the decree of truth prevails} (2)
Aalaalagandaa…aaaa….aaaa….
Oh Lord Shiva... ahhh... ahhh...
Aaaaa….a..aaa…..aaaaa……
Aaaaa... a... aaa... aaaaa...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Aalaalagandaa' from the 1999 film 'Sangamam' is a high-energy composition celebrating the art of classical dance and offering reverence to Lord Shiva (Nataraja) as well as the guru. The lyrics convey the absolute devotion of a dancer who considers dance as an intrinsic calling directed by the divine, vowing that their feet will never cease performing until truth and righteousness prevail.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Aalaalagandaa aadalukku thagappaa”
Repetition of the initial vowel sound 'Aa' creates a rhythmic devotional invocation.
Adukkuthodar (Repetition for Emphasis)
“Nee undu undu endrapodhum / Nee illai illai endrapodhum”
Doubling words like 'undu undu' (exist) and 'illai illai' (do not exist) reinforces absolute conviction regardless of skepticism.
Edugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“En kaalukku salangai itta / Unn kaaladikku mudhal vanakkam”
Rhyming of second consonant sounds ('n') between lines establishes rhythmic stability in dance meters.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Sangamam' (1999) featured a soundtrack composed by A.R. Rahman, with lyrics by Vairamuthu. The album won critical acclaim for its blend of Carnatic classical and Tamil folk music traditions, earning Vairamuthu the National Film Award for Best Lyrics.
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