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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Anbu Kaninthal

From Anni -1951 · 1951

Lyricist
M. S. Subramaniyam
Singers
P. Nageswara Rao, G. Varalakshmi
Music director
Pendyala Nageswara Rao
Details
Anni -19511951

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Anbu kaninthaal poodeviIf love ripens, she is Mother Earth
Thiru arulathu thanthaal srideviIf she bestows her divine grace, she is Goddess Lakshmi
Chorus
Anbu kaninthaal poodeviIf love ripens, she is Mother Earth
Thiru arulathu thanthaal srideviIf she bestows her divine grace, she is Goddess Lakshmi
Pongalumittu poojaiyum seithuBy cooking Pongal and offering prayers
Vaazhnthiduvim jagam meedhinil naamaeWe shall live happily upon this world
Chorus
Anbu kaninthaal poodeviIf love ripens, she is Mother Earth
Thiru arulathu thanthaal srideviIf she bestows her divine grace, she is Goddess Lakshmi
Female
Ooo…pagal iravu mazhaiOoo... day or night, rain
Veyyil paaraathu neeyumWithout minding the scorching heat, you
Ooo…vayalthanilae payilOoo... cultivating crops in the fields
Seithae paadumpattaayaeYou worked hard and labored
Female
Alukkaamal uzhaiththaai neeWithout tiring, you worked tirelessly
Ulakore nalam peravaeSo that the people of the world may prosper
Purinthaai nee uyar sevai puvi meethilaeYou rendered noble service on this earth
Purinthaai nee uyar sevai puvi meethilaeYou rendered noble service on this earth
Female
Anbu kaninthaal poodeviIf love ripens, she is Mother Earth
Thiru arulathu thanthaal srideviIf she bestows her divine grace, she is Goddess Lakshmi
Chorus
Anbu kaninthaal poodeviIf love ripens, she is Mother Earth
Thiru arulathu thanthaal srideviIf she bestows her divine grace, she is Goddess Lakshmi
Pongalumittu poojaiyum seithuBy cooking Pongal and offering prayers
Vaazhnthiduvim jagam meedhinil naamaeWe shall live happily upon this world
Male
Ooo….KalakalavendreyOoo... With a clinking sound
Kai valaiyosai kettathumaeThe moment the jingling of hand bangles is heard
Orr aarvam melaaguthu pennaeA great passion arises, O woman
Naan paadupattaalumEven if I toil and suffer
Un kanintha kanpaarvaiyaalBy your tender and affectionate gaze
Oo….oo….jeevithaa sugamae inbamaaguthae…ae…ae…ae..ae…Oo... oo... the joy of life becomes absolute bliss...
Female
Anbu kaninthaal poodeviIf love ripens, she is Mother Earth
Thiru arulathu thanthaal srideviIf she bestows her divine grace, she is Goddess Lakshmi
Chorus :Pongalumittu poojaiyum seithuChorus: By cooking Pongal and offering prayers
Vaazhnthiduvim jagam meedhinil naamaeWe shall live happily upon this world
Chorus
Anbu kaninthaal poodeviIf love ripens, she is Mother Earth
Thiru arulathu thanthaal srideviIf she bestows her divine grace, she is Goddess Lakshmi
Anbu kaninthaal poodeviIf love ripens, she is Mother Earth
Thiru arulathu thanthaal srideviIf she bestows her divine grace, she is Goddess Lakshmi
Chorus
Anbu kaninthaal poodeviIf love ripens, she is Mother Earth
Thiru arulathu thanthaal srideviIf she bestows her divine grace, she is Goddess Lakshmi
Anbu kaninthaal poodeviIf love ripens, she is Mother Earth
Thiru arulathu thanthaal srideviIf she bestows her divine grace, she is Goddess Lakshmi

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This melodious duet from the 1951 film 'Anni' praises the devotion, hard work, and divine nature of women in agricultural life. The lyricist equates a compassionate woman to Mother Earth (Poodevi) and Goddess Lakshmi (Sridevi), celebrating how her presence brings prosperity and joy to the home and society. The song emphasizes agrarian life, depicting the woman working untiringly in the fields through heat and rain for the well-being of the world. In turn, the husband acknowledges that despite his own physical labor, the sound of her bangles and her affectionate glance refresh his soul, turning life into pure bliss. Together, they celebrate gratitude, togetherness, and ritual worship (such as preparing Pongal) to ensure a happy, harmonious life on Earth.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani / Rupakam)

Anbu kaninthaal poodevi / Thiru arulathu thanthaal sridevi

Directly equating a woman's love and grace to divine figures: Mother Earth ('poodevi') and Goddess Lakshmi ('sridevi').

Onomatopoeia (Erattai Kilavi)

Ooo….Kalakalavendrey / Kai valaiyosai kettathumae

Use of 'Kalakalavendrey', an echoic phrase describing the rhythmic jingling sound of bangles.

End Rhyme (Iyaibu Thodai)

Anbu kaninthaal poodevi / Thiru arulathu thanthaal sridevi

Matching rhyming syllables at the end of adjacent lines ('poodevi' and 'sridevi').

Sensory Imagery

Ooo…pagal iravu mazhai / Veyyil paaraathu neeyum

Evoking vivid imagery of farming, weather conditions (day, night, rain, heat), and domestic rituals (Pongal).

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Anni' (1951) featured music composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao, a renowned composer in South Indian cinema known for his classical rooted melodies. The lyricist M. S. Subramaniyam crafted this song as a tribute to female farming labor and traditional values.

Keep listening

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