Abinayam Kaattu Nadai
From Vidiyum Varai Kaathiru · 1981
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Haaa..aa…aa..aaa..aa… | Haaa..aa…aa..aaa..aa… |
| Abinayam kattu nadai pottu | Show your expressions as you walk gracefully. |
| Abinayam kattu nadai pottu | Show your expressions as you walk gracefully. |
| Ilaiyaval isaikka enai nee jeyikka | As this young woman creates music, can you win over me? |
| Ilaiyaval isaikka enai nee jeyikka | As this young woman creates music, can you win over me? |
| Abinayam kattu nadai pottu | Show your expressions as you walk gracefully. |
| Female | |
| Maamallan sivagaami marupirappo aa..aaa | Are you the rebirth of Mamallan and Sivagami? Ah... |
| Maamallan sivagaami marupirappo | Are you the rebirth of Mamallan and Sivagami? |
| Maanaaga meenaaga mai ezhudhiya vizhigal malara | As kohl-adorned eyes resemble a deer and a fish blossom, |
| Abinayam kattu nadai pottu | Show your expressions as you walk gracefully. |
| Ilaiyaval isaikka enai nee jeyikka | As this young woman creates music, can you win over me? |
| Abinayam kattu nadai pottu | Show your expressions as you walk gracefully. |
| Female | |
| Kuyil inam naan endru kural valam thaan kandu | Recognizing my rich vocal talent, knowing I belong to the cuckoo species, |
| Ulagamae ariyadhadho | Doesn't the entire world know this? |
| Kuyil inam naan endru kural valam thaan kandu | Recognizing my rich vocal talent, knowing I belong to the cuckoo species, |
| Ulagamae ariyadhadho | Doesn't the entire world know this? |
| Inimai en saariram pudhumai en sangeetham | Sweetness is my voice, novelty is my music, |
| Unnakkidhu puriyadhadho | Do you not understand this? |
| Female | |
| Paatindri yedhamma bharathakalai..aa…aaa.. | What is the art of Bharatanatyam without a song? |
| Paatindri yedhamma bharathakalai | What is the art of Bharatanatyam without a song? |
| Naan paada neeyaadu noolidaiyadhu neliya neliya | As I sing, you dance, with your thread-thin waist flexing gracefully. |
| Abinayam kattu nadai pottu | Show your expressions as you walk gracefully. |
| Female | |
| Pennaada iru kann thanaada | As the woman dances, her two eyes dance along, |
| Paadhangal jadhigalum payila | As her feet practice rhythmic footwork, |
| Sollaadha pudhu sandham solla | Expressing a novel rhythm unsaid before, |
| Thullaadha ilam kangal thulla | Making young eyes leap that had never leaped before, |
| Female | |
| Pudhumaiyaana nadanam thogai aada | As the peacock dances a novel dance, |
| Arumaiyaana geetham paavai paada | As the maiden sings a wonderful song, |
| Oruvar thiramai oruvar ariya udhavattumae | May it help each of us recognize the other's talent! |
| Aadal enbadhnai paadal vellumadi | Song shall conquer dance, my dear! |
| Paadal vellum adhai kaalam sollumadi | Song will conquer, and time shall testify to that! |
| Unadhu manadhu enadhu kalaiyai unarttumae | May your mind comprehend my art, |
| Ilanguyil isaikkaiyilae | When the young cuckoo creates music, |
| Mayangidum iyarkkaigalae | Even nature falls spellbound! |
| Kanmaniayae …ponmaniyae | My precious gemstone... my golden treasure! |
ஹா...ஆஆ..ஆஅ...ஆஅ..ஆஆ...
அபிநயம் காட்டு நடைப் போட்டு
அபிநயம் காட்டு நடைப் போட்டு
இளையவள் இசைக்க எனை நீ ஜெயிக்க
இளையவள் இசைக்க எனை நீ ஜெயிக்க
அபிநயம் காட்டு நடைப் போட்டு......
Haaa..aa…aa..aaa..aa…
Show your expressions as you walk gracefully.
Show your expressions as you walk gracefully.
As this young woman creates music, can you win over me?
As this young woman creates music, can you win over me?
Show your expressions as you walk gracefully.
மாமல்லன் சிவகாமி மறுபிறப்போ ஆ....ஆ...
மாமல்லன் சிவகாமி மறுபிறப்போ
மானாக மீனாக மை எழுதிய விழிகள் மலர
அபிநயம் காட்டு நடைப் போட்டு......
இளையவள் இசைக்க எனை நீ ஜெயிக்க
அபிநயம் காட்டு நடைப் போட்டு......
Are you the rebirth of Mamallan and Sivagami? Ah...
Are you the rebirth of Mamallan and Sivagami?
As kohl-adorned eyes resemble a deer and a fish blossom,
Show your expressions as you walk gracefully.
As this young woman creates music, can you win over me?
Show your expressions as you walk gracefully.
குயிலினம் நானென்று குரல் வளம்தான் கண்டு
உலகமே அறியாததோ
குயிலினம் நானென்று குரல் வளம்தான் கண்டு
உலகமே அறியாததோ
இனிமை என் சாரீரம் புதுமை என் சங்கீதம்
உனக்கிது புரியாததோ
Recognizing my rich vocal talent, knowing I belong to the cuckoo species,
Doesn't the entire world know this?
Recognizing my rich vocal talent, knowing I belong to the cuckoo species,
Doesn't the entire world know this?
Sweetness is my voice, novelty is my music,
Do you not understand this?
பாட்டின்றி ஏதம்மா பரதக்கலை..ஆ...ஆ...
பாட்டின்றி ஏதம்மா பரதக்கலை
நான் பாட நீயாடு நூலிடையது நெளிய நெளிய
அபிநயம் காட்டு நடைப் போட்டு......
What is the art of Bharatanatyam without a song?
What is the art of Bharatanatyam without a song?
As I sing, you dance, with your thread-thin waist flexing gracefully.
Show your expressions as you walk gracefully.
பெண்ணாட இரு கண் தானாட
பாதங்கள் ஜதிகளும் பயில
சொல்லாத புது சந்தம் சொல்ல
துள்ளாத இளம் கண்கள் துள்ள
As the woman dances, her two eyes dance along,
As her feet practice rhythmic footwork,
Expressing a novel rhythm unsaid before,
Making young eyes leap that had never leaped before,
புதுமையான நடனம் தோகை ஆட
அருமையான கீதம் பாவை பாட
ஒருவர் திறமை ஒருவர் அறிய உதவட்டுமே
ஆடல் என்பதனை பாடல் வெல்லுமடி
பாடல் வெல்லும் அதை காலம் சொல்லுமடி
உனது மனது எனது கலையை உணரட்டுமே
இளங்குயில் இசைக்கையிலே
மயங்கிடும் இயற்கைகளே
கண்மணியே........பொன்மணியே.......
As the peacock dances a novel dance,
As the maiden sings a wonderful song,
May it help each of us recognize the other's talent!
Song shall conquer dance, my dear!
Song will conquer, and time shall testify to that!
May your mind comprehend my art,
When the young cuckoo creates music,
Even nature falls spellbound!
My precious gemstone... my golden treasure!
ஸ்வரம் :
...........................
Haaa..aa…aa..aaa..aa…
Haaa..aa…aa..aaa..aa…
Abinayam kattu nadai pottu
Show your expressions as you walk gracefully.
Abinayam kattu nadai pottu
Show your expressions as you walk gracefully.
Ilaiyaval isaikka enai nee jeyikka
As this young woman creates music, can you win over me?
Ilaiyaval isaikka enai nee jeyikka
As this young woman creates music, can you win over me?
Abinayam kattu nadai pottu
Show your expressions as you walk gracefully.
Maamallan sivagaami marupirappo aa..aaa
Are you the rebirth of Mamallan and Sivagami? Ah...
Maamallan sivagaami marupirappo
Are you the rebirth of Mamallan and Sivagami?
Maanaaga meenaaga mai ezhudhiya vizhigal malara
As kohl-adorned eyes resemble a deer and a fish blossom,
Abinayam kattu nadai pottu
Show your expressions as you walk gracefully.
Ilaiyaval isaikka enai nee jeyikka
As this young woman creates music, can you win over me?
Abinayam kattu nadai pottu
Show your expressions as you walk gracefully.
Kuyil inam naan endru kural valam thaan kandu
Recognizing my rich vocal talent, knowing I belong to the cuckoo species,
Ulagamae ariyadhadho
Doesn't the entire world know this?
Kuyil inam naan endru kural valam thaan kandu
Recognizing my rich vocal talent, knowing I belong to the cuckoo species,
Ulagamae ariyadhadho
Doesn't the entire world know this?
Inimai en saariram pudhumai en sangeetham
Sweetness is my voice, novelty is my music,
Unnakkidhu puriyadhadho
Do you not understand this?
Paatindri yedhamma bharathakalai..aa…aaa..
What is the art of Bharatanatyam without a song?
Paatindri yedhamma bharathakalai
What is the art of Bharatanatyam without a song?
Naan paada neeyaadu noolidaiyadhu neliya neliya
As I sing, you dance, with your thread-thin waist flexing gracefully.
Abinayam kattu nadai pottu
Show your expressions as you walk gracefully.
Pennaada iru kann thanaada
As the woman dances, her two eyes dance along,
Paadhangal jadhigalum payila
As her feet practice rhythmic footwork,
Sollaadha pudhu sandham solla
Expressing a novel rhythm unsaid before,
Thullaadha ilam kangal thulla
Making young eyes leap that had never leaped before,
Pudhumaiyaana nadanam thogai aada
As the peacock dances a novel dance,
Arumaiyaana geetham paavai paada
As the maiden sings a wonderful song,
Oruvar thiramai oruvar ariya udhavattumae
May it help each of us recognize the other's talent!
Aadal enbadhnai paadal vellumadi
Song shall conquer dance, my dear!
Paadal vellum adhai kaalam sollumadi
Song will conquer, and time shall testify to that!
Unadhu manadhu enadhu kalaiyai unarttumae
May your mind comprehend my art,
Ilanguyil isaikkaiyilae
When the young cuckoo creates music,
Mayangidum iyarkkaigalae
Even nature falls spellbound!
Kanmaniayae …ponmaniyae
My precious gemstone... my golden treasure!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song revolves around a lively, competitive yet appreciative dialogue between vocal music and classical dance. The singer challenges the dancer to display her best facial expressions (Abhinaya) and footwork, while asserting that Bharatanatyam dance is incomplete without vocal music. Referencing historic literary icons like Sivagami and King Mamallan, the lyrics celebrate the harmony of song and movement. Ultimately, the song emphasizes how both art forms elevate each other, enchanting nature and listeners alike.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile / Metaphor (Upamai)
“Maanaaga meenaaga mai ezhudhiya vizhigal malara”
Compares eyes to a deer ('Maanaaga') and a fish ('Meenaaga') adorned with kohl.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Pennaada iru kann thanaada / Paadhangal jadhigalum payila”
Repetition of 'du'/'da' sound in second position across rhythmic lines to build cadence.
Rhetorical Question
“Paatindri yedhamma bharathakalai”
Challenges the listener on the absolute necessity of song in classical dance.
Monaai (Alliteration)
“Pudhumaiyaana nadanam thogai aada / Arumaiyaana geetham paavai paada”
Repetition of the 'P' consonant sound at the start of words within lines.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja for the 1981 thriller-drama film 'Vidiyum Varai Kaathiru', directed by K. Bhagyaraj. The lyrics by Vaali reference the iconic historical novel 'Sivagamiyin Sabatham' by Kalki Krishnamurthy through the characters Mamallan and Sivagami.
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