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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Enna Peru

From Engal Selvi · 1960

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
L. R. Eswari, P. Leela, K. Jamunarani
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Engal Selvi
Movie release year
1960
Lyrics added on
14 Dec 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Enna peru vaikkalaam
Eppadi azhaikkalaam
Chinna chinna kannai kaatti
Sirikkum enga pappaavukku
Enna peru vaikkalaam
Eppadi azhaikkalaam
Annam endru peru vachchaa
Appadiyae nadakkanum
Sornam endru peru vachchaa
Thangam pola jolikkanum
Annam endru peru vachchaa
Appadiyae nadakkanum
Sornam endru peru vachchaa
Thangam pola jolikkanum
Adhanaala enna peru vaikkalaam
Eppadi azhaikkalaam
Chinna chinna kannai kaatti
Sirikkum enga pappaavukku
Azhakaaga seedhaiyinnu idattummaa
Seedhai andru patta kashtamellaam padattumaa
Seedhai andru patta kashtamellaam padattumaa
Female :Aiyyayiyo
Thamayanthinnu peru vachu paattu padikkavaa
Thamayanthinnu peru vachu paattu padikkavaa
En thangaththukkum avalai pola
Saniyan pidikkavaa
En thangaththukkum avalai pola
Saniyan pidikkavaa
Saaviththiri peru vaikkavaa
Saaviththiri peru vaikkavaa
Emadharmanodu sandai podavaa
Emadharmanodu sandai podavaa
Chanthiramathi poruththamaa
Iva thaali melae varuththamaa
Anthari sundhari kamalam bangajam
Azhagi pathmini enbathu pola
Enna peru vaikkalaam
Eppadi azhaikkalaam
Chinna chinna kannai kaatti
Sirikkum enga pappaavukku
Enna peru vaikkalaam
Eppadi azhaikkalaam
Thevarukullae sirantha moovarai
Mayanga vaiththa deviyaval anusayaa
Thevarukullae sirantha moovarai
Mayanga vaiththa deviyaval anusayaa
Antha paavi aval vaazhnaalil
Patta thuyar meththa undu
Pazhangathai ariyaayaa
Paandavar aivarukku
Paththiniyaai vantha antha paanjaaliyin peyar sollu
Bharathththil sandai vara kaaranamaai iruntha
Antha paththiniyai vittu thalli
Veru pazhanthamizh peyar sollu
Bharathththil sandai vara kaaranamaai iruntha
Antha paththiniyai vittu thalli
Veru pazhanthamizh peyar sollu
Enna peru vaikkalaam
Eppadi azhaikkalaam
Chinna chinna kannai kaatti
Sirikkum enga pappaavukku
Enna peru vaikkalaam
Eppadi azhaikkalaam
Kaipidiththa kanavan avan
Kann niraintha seivam endru
Kaalamellaam vaazhntha vantha
Kannagi devi
Needhi kalangaama kandavudan
Kanavanudan saernthu sendra
Karpukkarasi kopperundevi
Aaa….aa…aa….aa…aa…oo…ooo…oo…
Kaipidiththa kanavan avan
Kann niraintha seivam endru
Kaalamellaam vaazhntha vantha
Kannagi devi
Vel pidiththu pormunaiyil
Vettri thedi thantha velnaatchi veera rani
Chorus :Vel pidiththu pormunaiyil
Vettri thedi thantha velnaatchi veera rani
Intha veeramigum maathar magal
Maenmaiyudan vaazhnthiduvaal
Vetri magal tamizhselvi aamaa
Intha veeramigum maathar magal
Maenmaiyudan vaazhnthiduvaal
Vetri magal tamizhselvi aamaa
Tamil selvi engal tamil selvi
Sokka thangaththukku nalla peyar tamil selvi
Tamil selvi engal tamil selvi
Sokka thangaththukku nalla peyar tamil selvi
Tamil selvi tamil selvi tamil selvi
What name shall we give her?
How shall we call her?
Showing her little eyes,
for our smiling baby girl,
What name shall we give her?
How shall we call her?
If we name her Annam (swan),
she must walk gracefully like one.
If we name her Swarnam (gold),
she must shine brightly like gold.
If we name her Annam,
she must walk gracefully like one.
If we name her Swarnam,
she must shine brightly like gold.
So, what name shall we give her?
How shall we call her?
Showing her little eyes,
for our smiling baby girl?
Shall we give her the lovely name Sita?
Should she suffer all the sorrow that Sita suffered back then?
Should she suffer all the sorrow that Sita suffered back then?
Oh no!
Shall I sing giving her the name Damayanti?
Shall I sing giving her the name Damayanti?
Should my precious darling, just like her,
also be struck by misfortune?
Should my precious darling, just like her,
also be struck by misfortune?
Shall we name her Savitri?
Shall we name her Savitri?
Only for her to fight with the God of Death?
Only for her to fight with the God of Death?
Would Chandramathi suit her?
Why bring distress upon her sacred wedding thread?
Anthari, Sundari, Kamalam, Pankajam,
or names like Azhagi and Padmini?
What name shall we give her?
How shall we call her?
Showing her little eyes,
for our smiling baby girl,
What name shall we give her?
How shall we call her?
Goddess Anasuya, who bewildered
the three greatest of the gods...
Goddess Anasuya, who bewildered
the three greatest of the gods...
Even that poor woman, in her lifetime,
suffered so much grief!
Don't you know the ancient story?
Who became the devoted wife
to the five Pandavas, say the name of Panchali!
She was the cause of the great war of Bharata;
set aside that chaste woman,
and tell an ancient Tamil name instead!
She was the cause of the great war of Bharata;
set aside that chaste woman,
and tell an ancient Tamil name instead!
What name shall we give her?
How shall we call her?
Showing her little eyes,
for our smiling baby girl,
What name shall we give her?
How shall we call her?
Seeing the husband whose hand she took
as the living God before her eyes,
who lived devoted all her life,
goddess Kannagi!
Seeing justice fall before her eyes,
she who passed away along with her husband,
Queen Kopperundevi, the jewel of virtue!
Aah... aa... aa... aa... aa... ooh... oo-ooh... ooh...
Seeing the husband whose hand she took
as the living God before her eyes,
who lived devoted all her life,
goddess Kannagi!
Holding a spear on the battlefield,
the brave queen Velu Nachiyar who won victory!
Holding a spear on the battlefield,
the brave queen Velu Nachiyar who won victory!
Like these brave and noble women,
she will live with great honor,
our daughter of victory, Tamil Selvi! Yes!
Like these brave and noble women,
she will live with great honor,
our daughter of victory, Tamil Selvi! Yes!
Tamil Selvi, our Tamil Selvi!
For our pure golden child, Tamil Selvi is a wonderful name!
Tamil Selvi, our Tamil Selvi!
For our pure golden child, Tamil Selvi is a wonderful name!
Tamil Selvi, Tamil Selvi, Tamil Selvi!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Enna Peru Vaikkalaam' from the movie 'Engal Selvi' (1960) is a playful and culturally rich naming-ceremony track. Family members gather to select the perfect name for a newborn baby girl. As they evaluate traditional mythological heroines such as Seetha, Damayanthi, Savithri, Chandramathi, Anasuya, and Paanjaali (Draupadi), they reject each name because every one of these epic figures endured tragic suffering, misfortune, or war in her life. They want to protect the child from such a fate. Turning away from tragic mythological figures, they seek inspiration in Tamil history and epics—recalling righteous and courageous figures like Kannagi, Queen Kopperundevi, and the warrior queen Velu Nachiyar. Ultimately, they enthusiastically choose the name 'Tamizhselvi' ('Treasure of Tamil'), symbolizing purity, triumph, and cultural pride, wishing the young girl a life filled with dignity, glory, and joy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Enna peru vaikkalaam / Eppadi azhaikkalaam

The lines end with the matching rhyming suffixes '-laam' (vaikkalaam / azhaikkalaam).

Simile (Upamai)

Thangam pola jolikkanum

Compares how bright the child's life should shine to gold ('Thangam pola').

Monai (First-letter Alliteration)

Chinna chinna kannai kaatti

Repetition of the initial 'Ch' sound across adjacent words ('Chinna chinna').

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Sokka thangaththukku nalla peyar tamil selvi

Refers directly to the baby girl as 'sokka thangam' (pure refined gold).

Did you know?

Trivia

'Enna Peru Vaikkalaam' from 'Engal Selvi' (1960) features music composed by the legendary K. V. Mahadevan with lyrics penned by Kaviarasu Kannadasan. Sung as a playful trio by L. R. Eswari, P. Leela, and K. Jamunarani, the song cleverly incorporates Kannadasan's deep knowledge of Indian mythology and Tamil history, contrasting tragic mythological figures against heroic Tamil women to arrive at the child's name, Tamizhselvi.

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