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Ivan Avanethan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Devi Jagan Madha

From Ivan Avanethan · 1960

Lyricist
Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
Singers
P. B. Sreenivas, P. Leela
Music director
M. Ranga Rao
Movie name
Ivan Avanethan
Movie release year
1960
Lyrics added on
27 Sept 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Devi Jegan madha
Devi Jegan madha
Unthan thiruvullam irangaathaa
Saran pugunthida malarpaatham arul
Devi Jegan madha
Kaaviya kalaiyae kaninthidum nilaiyae
Vaazhvinil oliveesum valar maamathi
Vanithaamani maraven ini….
Devi Jegan madha
Kaattu poochi pol nee
Veettukkul thannaalae
Kavi kaalaththilum country-yaaga
Vaazhvathu pidikkala
Naagareegamillaa karnadagi
Kaalam therinji
Nilan selai kattanum
Aiyyo kannaadi pol
Udamabai yaenga kaattanum
Male :Kudhirai laadam pol
Shoe-vao maattanum
Edhukku kuthichchu kuthichchu
Vazhukki vizhunthu kaattanum
Saattai pol
Rettai sadai podanum
Female :Tamilnadu-in panbai
Edhukku ippadi kedukkanum
Kannukkeththa mayi
Kaiyikkeththa paiyi
Karuppukeththa dayi
Veliyae kaattidaama vayi
Kaattu poochchu pola nee
Veetukkul thannaalae
Kali kaalaththilum country-yaaga
Vaazhvathu pidikkala
Naagareegamillaa karnadagi
………………..
Kannilaadum oru pennai kandu
Dhinam enni engu raja
Kannilaadum oru pennai kandu
Dhinam enni engu raja
Intha vanna mamayil minnal pola vanthu
Minnum kadhal roja paarai
Kannilaadum oru pennai kandu
Dhinam enni enggum raja
Antha santham un aari
Therina santharaangi neraa
Male :Aahaa
Antha santham un aari
Therina santharaangi neraa
piriyudaa anthu korananu
Aasai theerakkanu vinthulaara
Joraai kannilaadum oru pennai kandu
Dhinam enni engum raja
Maatharai kanni vaikkum raja
………………..
Haji aavo aavo
Dobi vaalae thumko
Meraa naam salaam hai
Aavo aavo
Dobi vaalae thumko
Meraa naam salaam hai
Thumko
Meraa naam salaam hai
Namakki ummel kulaamugai
Dobi vaalae thumko
Meraa naam salaam hai
Thego thego kam kadhal thivaanaa
Male :Vaa meraa bul bul
Thapalaa dekkaamae gaanaa bajaanaa
Thaalam poduraanga paisaa kajaana
Aaa…aa…aa…aa…
Thego thego come kadhal dhivaanaa
Thapalaa dekkaamae gaanaa bajaanaa
Thego thego come kadhal dhivaanaa
Thapalaa dekkaamae gaanaa bajaanaa
Thapalaa dekkaamae gaanaa bajaanaa
Thaalam poduraanga paisaa kajaana
Aavo aavo
Dobi vaalae thumko
Meraa naam salaam hai
Update fashion honymoon season
Hello my dear love-vukethu ration
Hello my dear love-vukethu ration
………………….
O Goddess, Mother of the universe,
O Goddess, Mother of the universe,
Will your sacred heart not take pity?
Bless me with your flower-like feet so I may surrender to you.
O Goddess, Mother of the universe,
O art of poetry, O state of sweet perfection,
O waxing moon shining light upon our lives,
O jewel among women, I will never forget you from now on...
O Goddess, Mother of the universe,
Like a wild insect, you
stay cooped up inside the house all alone;
even in this modern age, being so old-fashioned,
I hate living like this!
You unsophisticated, old-fashioned woman!
Understanding the changing times,
you should wear a modern nylon saree!
Oh dear! Like see-through glass,
why should I show off my body?
Male: Like a horseshoe on hooves,
you should put on high-heeled shoes!
Why should I hop and jump around,
only to slip and fall for everyone to see?
Like a pair of whips,
you should braid your hair into twin plaits!
Female: Tamil Nadu's traditional culture—
why should we spoil it like this?
Kohl to suit the eyes,
a handbag to suit the hands,
hair dye to keep the hair black,
keep it all quietly inside without showing off!
Like a wild insect, you
stay cooped up inside the house all alone;
even in this modern age, being so old-fashioned,
I hate living like this!
You unsophisticated, old-fashioned woman!
...
Seeing the girl who dances before his eyes,
the king pines and longs for her every day!
Seeing the girl who dances before his eyes,
the king pines and longs for her every day!
This colorful majestic peacock appears like lightning;
look at this glowing rose of love!
Seeing the girl who dances before his eyes,
the king pines and longs for her every day!
With that charming grace of yours,
O moon-faced beauty who understands, coming straight here...
Male: Aha!
With that charming grace of yours,
O moon-faced beauty who understands, coming straight here,
saying, 'My beloved, won't you take me in your arms?'
To satisfy our longing with a feast of joy!
Delightfully, seeing the girl who dances before his eyes,
the king pines and longs for her every day!
The king who wins women's hearts!
...
Yes sir, welcome, welcome!
To you, washerman,
I offer my respectful greetings!
Welcome, welcome!
To you, washerman,
I offer my respectful greetings!
To you,
I offer my respectful greetings!
We are truly your humble servants!
To you, washerman,
I offer my respectful greetings!
Look, look, we are crazy in love!
Male: Come, my sweet nightingale!
Singing and making music to the rhythm of the tabla!
They keep the beat with a treasure of coins!
Ah... ah... ah... ah...
Look, look, we are crazy in love!
Singing and making music to the rhythm of the tabla!
Look, look, we are crazy in love!
Singing and making music to the rhythm of the tabla!
Singing and making music to the rhythm of the tabla!
They keep the beat with a treasure of coins!
Welcome, welcome!
To you, washerman,
I offer my respectful greetings!
Up-to-date fashion in the honeymoon season,
hello my dear, why put a ration on love?
hello my dear, why put a ration on love?
...
Female
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Male
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Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Female
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The soundtrack from 'Ivan Avanethan' (1960) showcases a blend of classical devotion, satirical cultural commentary, and lighthearted cross-cultural musical banter. The track begins with a traditional devotional prayer to the Mother Goddess seeking divine grace and praising feminine virtues with poetic imagery of moonlight and classical art. The song then transitions into a humorous debate between modern Western trends and traditional Tamil modesty, contrasting nylon sarees, high heels, and double braids against traditional values. The final section incorporates a playful mix of Tamil, Hindi/Urdu, and English loanwords, celebrating romance, rhythm, and contemporary urban fashion in a comedic duetting style.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

Kaattu poochi pol nee

Comparison of a person's solitary domestic existence to a wild insect ('Kaattu poochi pol') and transparent clothing to glass ('kannaadi pol').

Ethirai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Kannukkeththa mayi / Kaiyikkeththa paiyi / Karuppukeththa dayi

Consonance across lines matching the second letter 'n' in 'Kannukkeththa', 'Kaiyikkeththa', and 'Karuppukeththa'.

Code-mixing / Linguistic Hybridity

Update fashion honymoon season

Blending Tamil, English ('country', 'update fashion', 'honeymoon season'), and Hindi/Urdu ('Aavo aavo', 'Dobi vaalae', 'bul bul', 'dhivaanaa') for comedic effect.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by M. Ranga Rao with lyrics by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass, this song demonstrates the early Tamil cinema trope of using multi-lingual code-switching (mixing Tamil, Hindi, and English) to satirize Westernization and modern urban trends while keeping the audience entertained with catchy rhythmic beats.

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