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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Athaiya Mamiya Angaya Ingaya

From Athaiya Mamiya · 1974

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
P. Susheela, L. R. Eswari
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Athaiya Mamiya
Movie release year
1974
Lyrics added on
2 Apr 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aththaiyaa mamiyaa angaeyaa ingaeyaa
Aththaiyaa mamiyaa angaeyaa ingaeyaa
Aththai peththa alliyaa mami peththa kalliyaa
Aththai peththa alliyaa mami peththa kalliyaa
Mamiyaa aththaiyaa ingaeyaa angaeyaa
Mami peththa malliyaa aththai peththa araliyaa
Mami peththa malliyaa aththai peththa araliyaa
Aththai veedu meththai veedu
Mami veedo pattikkaadu
Anju veli manjakaani ingu undu
Eththanaiyo seeru….
: Mami pola mamiyaaru bhoomi melae veru yaaru
Benz Car-u sontha veedu
Ondru alla nooru vagai seeru
Mamiyaa aththaiyaa ingaeyaa angaeyaa
Mami peththa malliyaa aththai peththa araliyaa
Mami peththa malliyaa aththai peththa araliyaa
Naan pesum aangilaththai kettu mayangu
Newyork-kku beauty endru paarththu mayangu
Unathu rani azhagu maeni pudhiya bhaani
Kaveri karai pirantha kanni enakku
Ennaalum thevaiyillai iraval sarakku
Iyarkkai azhagu irukkum enakku
Ivalai polae makeup edharkku
Melai naattu mappillaikku
Ennai pola yaarumillai jodi
Intha pennai paarththa kangal
Veru pennai paarppathillai podi
Aththaiyaa mamiyaa angaeyaa ingaeyaa
Aththai peththa alliyaa mami peththa kalliyaa
Aththai peththa alliyaa mami peththa kalliyaa
Thai masam paaththirukku nalla mukoorththam
Thannaala saernthiruchchu namma poruththam
Thaiyil vanthu aththai magalin kaiyai thoduga
Munnaalae paarththirukku enga mukoorththam
Moonae naalthaan irukku antha mukoorththam
Naalai marunaal neeyum enakku melam kotta….
Is it Athai (paternal aunt) or Mami (maternal aunt)? Over there or right here?
Is it Athai or Mami? Over there or right here?
Is it the sweet lily born to Athai, or the cunning cheat born to Mami?
Is it the sweet lily born to Athai, or the cunning cheat born to Mami?
Is it Mami or Athai? Right here or over there?
Is it the fragrant jasmine born to Mami, or the poisonous oleander born to Athai?
Is it the fragrant jasmine born to Mami, or the poisonous oleander born to Athai?
Athai's house is a grand mansion,
While Mami's house is just a rustic village shack!
We have fertile acres of lush land right here,
And so many wedding gifts to offer!...
Who in this whole world is a mother-in-law like Mami?
A Benz car and a home of our own,
Not just one, but a hundred kinds of wedding gifts!...
Is it Mami or Athai? Right here or over there?...
Is it the fragrant jasmine born to Mami, or the poisonous oleander born to Athai?
Is it the fragrant jasmine born to Mami, or the poisonous oleander born to Athai?
Be charmed listening to the English I speak!
Be enchanted seeing that I am a New York beauty!
Your queen with a gorgeous figure and modern style!
For a girl born on the banks of the Kaveri like me,
There is never any need for borrowed foreign trends!
I have natural beauty of my own,
Why would I ever need makeup like her?
For a bridegroom returned from Western lands,
There is no match for him like me!
The eyes that have laid sight on this girl,
Will never look at any other woman, just go away!
Is it Athai or Mami? Over there or right here?
Is it the sweet lily born to Athai, or the cunning cheat born to Mami?
Is it the sweet lily born to Athai, or the cunning cheat born to Mami?
An auspicious wedding date is set for the month of Thai,
Our match has come together so effortlessly!
Come in Thai and hold your Athai's daughter's hand!
Our wedding date was already set well before yours,
There are only three days left until that auspicious hour!
The day after tomorrow, you will be beating the wedding drums for me!...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful banter song from the movie Athaiya Mamiya (1974) depicts a lively musical duel between two women competing for a eligible groom's hand in marriage. One represents modern Westernized charm, wealth, and high status, boasting of Benz cars, English fluency, and New York fashion sensibilities. The other represents traditional, rooted Tamil virtue, natural beauty from the banks of the Kaveri river, and conventional cultural values.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Aththai peththa alliyaa mami peththa kalliyaa

Rhyming end-syllables comparing two contrasting personalities using floral imagery.

Contrast / Antithesis

Mami peththa malliyaa aththai peththa araliyaa

Contrasting fragrant jasmine (malliyaa) with toxic oleander (araliyaa) to elevate oneself while disparaging the rival.

Ethirai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Aththai veedu meththai veedu

The second letter 'th' rhymes between 'Aththai' and 'meththai'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by Vaali, the song features a popular musical face-off between legendary singers P. Susheela and L. R. Eswari, highlighting their distinct vocal styles representing traditional elegance and modern exuberance respectively.

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