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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Enga Pillai Thanga Pillai

From Mazhalai Pattalam · 1980

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, B. S. Sasirekha
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Mazhalai Pattalam1980

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Enga pillai thanga pillaiOur child is a golden child
Nalla pillai chellapillaiA good child, a beloved child
Ulagaththa uruttuthappaaIt spins the whole world around, my friend!
Ilangaiyaiyum thottuvidumIt will reach as far as Sri Lanka
London-yum viththu vidumIt will even sell off London
Yaarukku kidaikkumappaa….Who could be so lucky to get such a child, my friend!
Male
Enga pillai thanga pillaiOur child is a golden child
Nalla pillai chellapillaiA good child, a beloved child
Ulagaththa uruttuthappaaIt spins the whole world around, my friend!
Ilangaiyaiyum thottuvidumIt will reach as far as Sri Lanka
London-yum viththu vidumIt will even sell off London
Yaarukku kidaikkumappaa….Who could be so lucky to get such a child, my friend!
Male
Ada anumanthaaHey Anumantha!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :Ada kishkinthaaHey Kishkintha!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :En kannukku rajaKing of my eyes!
Chorus :LaalaaLaalaa
Male :Ada karuppaiyyaaHey Karuppaiyya!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :Ada SevaththaiyyaaHey Sevaththaiyya!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :Pala vannaththil rojaRoses in various colors!
Chorus :LaalaaLaalaa
Female
Enga pillai thanga pillaiOur child is a golden child
Nalla pillai chellapillaiA good child, a beloved child
Ulagaththa uruttuthappaaIt spins the whole world around, my friend!
Ilangaiyaiyum thottuvidumIt will reach as far as Sri Lanka
London-yum viththu vidumIt will even sell off London
Yaarukku kidaikkumappaa….Who could be so lucky to get such a child, my friend!
Chorus
……………….
Male
Palliyil kondu vittaa yaetta kedukkumIf sent to school, it ruins the slate book
Adhu oorukku solli kodukkumYet it teaches wisdom to the whole town
Munnaala suttii pilla Setta nadaththumInitially the mischievous child plays pranks
Aanaa pinnaala naatta nadaththumBut later on, it will rule the nation!
Male
Oorukku nanmai senjaa aaru porakkumIf good is done for the town, a river of virtue flows
Aahaa aarukkum puththi irukkumAha, even a six-year-old child will possess wisdom
Onbathu paththu peththaa vote-uIf you give birth to nine or ten kids
Thaerthalil seettu kedaikkumYou will get an election ticket for votes!
Male
Ada anumanthaaHey Anumantha!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :Ada kishkinthaaHey Kishkintha!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :En kannukku rajaKing of my eyes!
Chorus :LaalaaLaalaa
Male :Ada karuppaiyyaaHey Karuppaiyya!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :Ada SevaththaiyyaaHey Sevaththaiyya!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :Pala vannaththil rojaRoses in various colors!
Chorus :LaalaaLaalaa
Female
Enga pillai thanga pillaiOur child is a golden child
Nalla pillai chellapillaiA good child, a beloved child
Ulagaththa uruttuthappaaIt spins the whole world around, my friend!
Ilangaiyaiyum thottuvidumIt will reach as far as Sri Lanka
London-yum viththu vidumIt will even sell off London
Yaarukku kidaikkumappaa….appaaWho could be so lucky to get such a child, my friend!
Male
Onnoda onna mattum peththu vittaanaDid he give birth to one kid after another?
Veedengum kaththa vittaanaaDid he make the house echo with screaming?
Oorengum maatta polae suththaTo roam around the town like stray cattle
license-ah katti vittaanaaDid he tie a license tag around them?
Male
Calendar paaththu paaththu pilla peththaenaeI gave birth to children while watching the calendar
Aandukku onnu peththaenaeI gave birth to one every single year!
Female :Kadikaaram paaththu soru pottaenaeI fed them food looking at the clock
Gundaaga maaravittaenaeAnd made them grow round like large vessels!
Male
Ada anumanthaaHey Anumantha!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :Ada kishkinthaaHey Kishkintha!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :En kannukku rajaKing of my eyes!
Chorus :LaalaaLaalaa
Male :Ada karuppaiyyaaHey Karuppaiyya!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :Ada SevaththaiyyaaHey Sevaththaiyya!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :Pala vannaththil rojaRoses in various colors!
Chorus :LaalaaLaalaa
Male
Enga pillai thanga pillaiOur child is a golden child
Nalla pillai chellapillaiA good child, a beloved child
Ulagaththa uruttuthappaaIt spins the whole world around, my friend!
Ilangaiyaiyum thottuvidumIt will reach as far as Sri Lanka
London-yum viththu vidumIt will even sell off London
Yaarukku kidaikkumappaa….Who could be so lucky to get such a child, my friend!
Chorus
…………..
Male
Naalaikku mooththa pilla doctor aaganumTomorrow, the eldest child must become a doctor
Ennaikkum nanmai seiyyanumAnd do good deeds forever
Nyaanaththil chinna pillai kavinganaaganumThe younger child, wise in intellect, must become a poet
Aayiram kavithai paadanumAnd sing a thousand poems
Female
Aasaikku onnu rendu pannanum vakkeel aaganumOne or two should study law to become lawyers
Court-il vaadham pannanumAnd argue persuasively in court
Arasiyal katchithanil member aaganumSomeone should become a member of a political party
MLA MBA aaganumAnd become an MLA or an MBA!
Male
A….yae…. ada anumanthaaAh... hey... Hey Anumantha!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :Ada kishkinthaaHey Kishkintha!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :En kannukku rajaKing of my eyes!
Chorus :LaalaaLaalaa
Male :Ada karuppaiyyaaHey Karuppaiyya!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :Ada SevaththaiyyaaHey Sevaththaiyya!
Chorus :LalalallaaLalalallaa
Male :Pala vannaththil rojaRoses in various colors!
Chorus :LaalaaLaalaa
Male
Enga pillai thanga pillaiOur child is a golden child
Nalla pillai chellapillaiA good child, a beloved child
Ulagaththa uruttuthappaaIt spins the whole world around, my friend!
Ilangaiyaiyum thottuvidumIt will reach as far as Sri Lanka
London-yum viththu vidumIt will even sell off London
Yaarukku kidaikkumappaa….Who could be so lucky to get such a child, my friend!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Enga Pillai Thanga Pillai' from the film Mazhalai Pattalam (1980) is a joyous, celebratory song about children, parenting, and family life filled with lighthearted humor and affectionate teasing. Lyricist Kannadasan playfully juxtaposes the chaos and mischief caused by a house full of energetic kids with the immense pride, dreams, and hopes parents attach to their offspring.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Enga pillai thanga pillai / Pala vannaththil roja

Children are metaphorically described as 'golden children' (thanga pillai) and 'roses of various colors' (pala vannaththil roja).

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitci Ani)

London-yum viththu vidum

Playful exaggeration claiming that the child is clever and mischievous enough to sell off London.

Iyaipu (Rhyming end syllables)

Enga pillai thanga pillai / Nalla pillai chellapillai

Repeated end rhymes with 'pillai' across multiple lines create a catchy, rhythmic lullaby-like cadence.

Simile (Uvamai)

Oorengum maatta polae suththa

Compares roaming children to wandering cattle ('maatta polae').

Did you know?

Trivia

Mazhalai Pattalam (1980) was directed by veteran actress Lakshmi in her directorial debut, under the guidance and supervision of legendary filmmaker K. Balachander. The movie centers around two neighboring families with numerous children and features a popular playful score by M. S. Viswanathan.

Keep listening

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