Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Adi Aathi Adi Kanne

From Enga Ooru Kannagi · 1981

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
L. R. Eswari, Vani Jairam
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Enga Ooru Kannagi1981

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Adi aathi….adi kannae sokki…..!Oh my goodness... oh my dear Sokki...!
Adi aathi….adi kannae sokki…..!Oh my goodness... oh my dear Sokki...!
Oru manipuraa thanneerilae neendhudhadiA spotted dove is swimming in the water!
Idhu kalikaalama enna kalyaanamoo kalyaanamIs this the Dark Age of Kali, or what kind of marriage is this?
Idhu kalikaalama kalyaanamoo kalyaanamIs this the Dark Age of Kali, or what kind of marriage is this?
Female
Poongodi pol irundhadhadi azhagaana udambhuThat beautiful body was once like a delicate flowering vine,
Ippa poomaram pol aanadhenna aathangarai karumbhuWhy has that riverside sugarcane now turned into a blossoming tree?
Idhu yaarukkaana virundhu……Whose grand feast is this going to be...?
Poongodi pol irundhadhadi azhagaana udambhuThat beautiful body was once like a delicate flowering vine,
Ippa poomaram pol aanadhenna aathangarai karumbhuWhy has that riverside sugarcane now turned into a blossoming tree?
Idhu yaarukkaana virundhu……Whose grand feast is this going to be...?
Female
Adutha jenmam naan porandhaaIf I am born in my next birth,
Aambalaiyaa porappenI will be born as a man!
Nee ippadiyae porandhu vandhaaIf you are born again just as you are now,
Onnaidhaandi manapaenI will definitely marry only you!
Naan un koodavae iruppaenI will stay right by your side always.
Female
Jaathagathil edam irundhaaaIf there is favorable alignment in the horoscope,
Un nenappu nadanthu vidumYour desire will come to pass,
Naanum vaazhndhiruppen kannae sokkaayiiAnd I too will live happily, my dear Sokkaayi!
Jaadhagatha maattri vaippomWe will change what is written in the horoscope,
Sadhagamaa mudithu vaippomWe will make it happen in our favor!
Kaalam thunai irukkum kannae raakkaayi……Time will stand as our ally, my dear Raakkaayi...
Female
Kaakkai kooda jaadhi sollumEven a crow talks about caste differences
Manushanoda saerndhaaOnce it gets associated with human beings!
Adiyae kaathu kooda baedham paarkkumHey girl, even the wind starts showing discrimination
Manushan mela vizhundhaOnce it blows across human beings!
Yaaru nyaayam paarthu nadantha…..!Who has ever truly walked the path of justice...?
Female
Eppa avan ezhudhi vechaanWhen did the Creator ever write down
Inna inna jaathiyinnuThat a person belongs to this or that caste?
Kaalam maarudhadi kannae raakkaayiiTimes are changing, my dear Raakkaayi!
Vandiyilae ponadhellaamThings that once traveled only in bullock carts
Vaanathilae parakkuthadiAre now flying high across the sky!
Naamum parandhu paarppom kannae sokkaayiiLet us also fly high and see, my dear Sokkaayi!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from 'Enga Ooru Kannagi' (1981) is a playful yet thought-provoking folk duet between two rural women, Sokki and Raakkaayi. Through affectionate teasing and witty banter, they reflect on youth, womanhood, and deep friendship, playfully promising to marry each other if reborn as man and woman in the next life. As the song progresses, the dialogue shifts toward sharp social critique. Kannadasan's lyrics highlight the foolishness of human caste discrimination and artificial social barriers, contrasting human bias with the non-discriminatory nature of animals and elements of nature. The song concludes on an optimistic note, celebrating social progress and modern changes, encouraging women to break free from old rigid traditions and aim high.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Poongodi pol irundhadhadi azhagaana udambhu

Compares a woman's slender frame to a flowering vine ('poongodi pol') and a riverside sugarcane ('aathangarai karumbhu').

Personification (Uruvagarn / Personification)

Adiyae kaathu kooda baedham paarkkum

Attributes human prejudice to wind ('kaathu kooda baedham paarkkum'), poetically emphasizing how bias infects everything humans touch.

Contrast / Metaphor

Vandiyilae ponadhellaam / Vaanathilae parakkuthadi

Contrasts slow ground transport ('vandiyilae ponadhellaam') with modern aviation ('vaanathilae parakkuthadi') to symbolize social progress and changing times.

Did you know?

Trivia

The track stands out as a rare, highly energetic folk duet bringing together two legendary playback singers of Tamil cinema, L. R. Eswari and Vani Jayaram, set to the tune of M. S. Vishwanathan and insightful social lyrics by Kannadasan.

Keep listening

More from Enga Ooru Kannagi