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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Alanganallur

From Ninnu Vilayadu · 2024

Lyricist
Kavi Arasu
Singer
Senthil Ganesh
Music director
Sathya Dev Uthayasankar
Details
Ninnu Vilayadu2024

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Hey alanganallur jallikattuHey, Alanganallur Jallikattu!
Kaala azhaga varuthu thullikittuThe bull arrives prancing beautifully!
Paalamedu jallikattuPalamedu Jallikattu!
Thamizhan prambaraike kallu vettuA monument carved for Tamil heritage!
Male
Alanganallur jallikattuAlanganallur Jallikattu!
Kaala azhaga vilaiyaadum mallukattuThe bull plays gracefully, engaging in a wrestle!
Male
Yei manju viratu nu vandha pothumHey, when it comes to Manju Virattu (bull taming),
Nanga kanji kooda kudika maatomWe will not even stop to drink rice porridge!
Kaalai poluthu vidiyum varaiUntil the morning light dawns,
Nanga iravu muluthum thoonga matomWe will not sleep for the entire night!
Male
Hey alanganallur jallikattuHey, Alanganallur Jallikattu!
Kaala azhaga varuthu thullikittuThe bull arrives prancing beautifully!
Chorus
Kombu seevuthu kaalaThe bull sharpens its horns,
Thonda urasidu tholaRubbing its neck against its shoulder,
Thota thuvachidum aalaIf you touch it, it will knock you down,
Sikkuna sitharidum moolaIf caught, it will shatter your senses!
Kita kita kita kita varathaDon't come close, close, close, close!
Kita kita kita vanthu sikikidathaDon't come close and get trapped!
Male
Kaiya usathi thunda suthaAs a hand raises and swirls a towel,
Kalathuku kaalai paanju varumThe bull charges fiercely into the arena!
Pathu peru katti ninnalumEven if ten men hold on together,
Kattam katti kalati vidumIt breaks free strategically and shakes them off!
Valavthavan uzhaipa kalathula kaatumIt showcases the caretaker's hard work in the arena,
Vaanathil mithakira santhosatha ootumFilling hearts with a joy that floats in the sky!
Thulli thulli paayurathil killadi daIt is an expert at leaping and bounding!
Endha kombanum nikanum thalladi daAny strong rival will stand staggering in awe!
Male
Namma alanganallur jallikattuOur Alanganallur Jallikattu!
Kaala azhaga varuthu thullikittuThe bull arrives prancing beautifully!
Paalamedu jallikattuPalamedu Jallikattu!
Thamizhan prambaraike kallu vettuA monument carved for Tamil heritage!
Male
Alanganallur jallikattuAlanganallur Jallikattu!
Kaala azhaga varuthu thullikittuThe bull arrives prancing beautifully!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song is an exuberant celebration of Jallikattu, the traditional Tamil bull-taming sport held prominently in Alanganallur and Palamedu. It captures the immense passion, pride, and restless excitement of the locals who stay awake all night leading up to the grand spectacle. Through lively folk rhythms, the lyrics depict the raw power, agility, and majestic demeanor of the bull, along with the valor of the tamer. It emphasizes Jallikattu not merely as a game, but as an irreplaceable monument of ancient Tamil heritage and community pride.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukkuthodar (Repetition for emphasis)

Kita kita kita kita varatha

Repeating words consecutively to build tension and rhythm, emphasizing the danger of coming too close to the bull.

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Thota thuvachidum aala / Sikkuna sitharidum moola

Rhyming the second consonant sound across consecutive poetic lines ('tt' in Kattam/Valavthavan context or 'th' in Thota/Sikkuna).

Hyperbole (Exaggeration)

Vaanathil mithakira santhosatha ootum

Using imaginative exaggeration to describe supreme happiness as floating in the sky.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song celebrates the world-renowned Jallikattu events held annually during the Pongal harvest festival in Alanganallur and Palamedu in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The vocals are delivered by Senthil Ganesh, an acclaimed Tamil folk singer known for his authentic, high-octane performance style.

Keep listening

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