Evalo Oru Pennam
From Mayor Meenakshi · 1976
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Mayor Meenakshi1976
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Evalo oru pennaam | She is supposedly some woman, |
| Aval naanillaiyaam | But they say it is not me. |
| Evalo oru pennaam | She is supposedly some woman, |
| Aval naanillaiyaam | But they say it is not me. |
| Idhayam adhu ponnaam | That heart is supposedly golden, |
| Adhil neeyillaiyaam purigindrathaa | But they say you aren't in it, do you understand? |
| Female | |
| Evalo oru pennaam | She is supposedly some woman, |
| Aval naanillaiyaam | But they say it is not me. |
| Female | |
| Karnan endroru thearotti | There was a charioteer named Karna, |
| Kadhal kondaval rajaththi | And a royal princess fell in love with him. |
| Karnan endroru thearotti | There was a charioteer named Karna, |
| Kadhal kondaval rajaththi | And a royal princess fell in love with him. |
| Female | |
| Gouravam paarththaalaa | Did she care about pride and status? |
| Iru kangalai maraiththaalaa illai | Did she cover both her eyes, or |
| Karpinil uyarnthaalaa | Did she elevate herself through virtue? |
| Nee sollu kannaa purigindrathaa | You tell me, Krishna, do you understand? |
| Female | |
| Evalo oru pennaam | She is supposedly some woman, |
| Aval naanillaiyaam | But they say it is not me. |
| Idhayam adhu ponnaam | That heart is supposedly golden, |
| Adhil neeyillaiyaam purigindrathaa | But they say you aren't in it, do you understand? |
| Female | |
| Evalo oru pennaam | She is supposedly some woman, |
| Aval naanillaiyaam | But they say it is not me. |
| Female | |
| Vaanil en nilai paranthaalum | Even if my status flies high in the sky, |
| Vaazhvil unnudan samamandro | In life, am I not your equal? |
| Vaanil en nilai paranthaalum | Even if my status flies high in the sky, |
| Vaazhvil unnudan samamandro | In life, am I not your equal? |
| Female | |
| Gopuram uyarnthaalum | Even if the temple tower rises high, |
| Adhu deivathin veedandro | Isn't it the home of God? |
| Idhu tamil magal naadandro | Isn't this the land of Tamil women? |
| Nee sollu kannaa purigindrathaa | You tell me, Krishna, do you understand? |
| Female | |
| Evalo oru pennaam | She is supposedly some woman, |
| Aval naanillaiyaam | But they say it is not me. |
| Female | |
| Kannil neeyundu nizhalundu | You are in my eyes, along with your shadow, |
| Kayil adhigaaram thaanundu | Authority is in my hands. |
| Kannil neeyundu nizhalundu | You are in my eyes, along with your shadow, |
| Kayil adhigaaram thaanundu | Authority is in my hands. |
| Female | |
| Aayiram valarnthaalum | Even if I grow a thousandfold, |
| En aadhikkam un kaiyil | My command remains in your hands. |
| Idhil thaazhvukku idamaethu | Where is there any room for feeling low in this? |
| Nee sollu kanna purigindrathaa | You tell me, Krishna, do you understand? |
| Female | |
| Evalo oru pennaam | She is supposedly some woman, |
| Aval naanillaiyaam | But they say it is not me. |
| Idhayam adhu ponnaam | That heart is supposedly golden, |
| Adhil neeyillaiyaam purigindrathaa | But they say you aren't in it, do you understand? |
| Female | |
| Evalo oru pennaam | She is supposedly some woman, |
| Aval naanillaiyaam | But they say it is not me. |
எவளோ ஒரு பெண்ணாம்
அவள் நானில்லையாம்
எவளோ ஒரு பெண்ணாம்
அவள் நானில்லையாம்
இதயம் அது பொன்னாம்
அதில் நீயில்லையாம் புரிகின்றதா
She is supposedly some woman,
But they say it is not me.
She is supposedly some woman,
But they say it is not me.
That heart is supposedly golden,
But they say you aren't in it, do you understand?
எவளோ ஒரு பெண்ணாம்
அவள் நானில்லையாம்
She is supposedly some woman,
But they say it is not me.
கர்ணன் என்றொரு தேரோட்டி
காதல் கொண்டவள் ராஜாத்தி
கர்ணன் என்றொரு தேரோட்டி
காதல் கொண்டவள் ராஜாத்தி
There was a charioteer named Karna,
And a royal princess fell in love with him.
There was a charioteer named Karna,
And a royal princess fell in love with him.
கௌரவம் பார்த்தாளா
இரு கண்களை மறைத்தாளா இல்லை
கற்பினில் உயர்ந்தாளா
நீ சொல்லு கண்ணா புரிகின்றதா....
Did she care about pride and status?
Did she cover both her eyes, or
Did she elevate herself through virtue?
You tell me, Krishna, do you understand?
எவளோ ஒரு பெண்ணாம்
அவள் நானில்லையாம்
இதயம் அது பொன்னாம்
அதில் நீயில்லையாம் புரிகின்றதா
She is supposedly some woman,
But they say it is not me.
That heart is supposedly golden,
But they say you aren't in it, do you understand?
எவளோ ஒரு பெண்ணாம்
அவள் நானில்லையாம்
She is supposedly some woman,
But they say it is not me.
வானில் என் நிலை பறந்தாலும்
வாழ்வில் உன்னுடன் சமமன்றோ
வானில் என் நிலை பறந்தாலும்
வாழ்வில் உன்னுடன் சமமன்றோ
Even if my status flies high in the sky,
In life, am I not your equal?
Even if my status flies high in the sky,
In life, am I not your equal?
கோபுரம் உயர்ந்தாலும்
அது தெய்வத்தின் வீடன்றோ
இது தமிழ் மகள் நாடன்றோ
நீ சொல்லு கண்ணா புரிகின்றதா...
Even if the temple tower rises high,
Isn't it the home of God?
Isn't this the land of Tamil women?
You tell me, Krishna, do you understand?
எவளோ ஒரு பெண்ணாம்
அவள் நானில்லையாம்
She is supposedly some woman,
But they say it is not me.
கண்ணில் நீயுண்டு நிழலுண்டு
கையில் அதிகாரம் தானுண்டு
கண்ணில் நீயுண்டு நிழலுண்டு
கையில் அதிகாரம் தானுண்டு
You are in my eyes, along with your shadow,
Authority is in my hands.
You are in my eyes, along with your shadow,
Authority is in my hands.
ஆயிரம் வளர்ந்தாலும்
என் ஆதிக்கம் உன் கையில்
இதில் தாழ்வுக்கு இடமேது
நீ சொல்லு கண்ணா புரிகின்றதா...
Even if I grow a thousandfold,
My command remains in your hands.
Where is there any room for feeling low in this?
You tell me, Krishna, do you understand?
எவளோ ஒரு பெண்ணாம்
அவள் நானில்லையாம்
இதயம் அது பொன்னாம்
அதில் நீயில்லையாம் புரிகின்றதா......
She is supposedly some woman,
But they say it is not me.
That heart is supposedly golden,
But they say you aren't in it, do you understand?
எவளோ ஒரு பெண்ணாம்
அவள் நானில்லையாம்
She is supposedly some woman,
But they say it is not me.
Evalo oru pennaam
She is supposedly some woman,
Aval naanillaiyaam
But they say it is not me.
Evalo oru pennaam
She is supposedly some woman,
Aval naanillaiyaam
But they say it is not me.
Idhayam adhu ponnaam
That heart is supposedly golden,
Adhil neeyillaiyaam purigindrathaa
But they say you aren't in it, do you understand?
Evalo oru pennaam
She is supposedly some woman,
Aval naanillaiyaam
But they say it is not me.
Karnan endroru thearotti
There was a charioteer named Karna,
Kadhal kondaval rajaththi
And a royal princess fell in love with him.
Karnan endroru thearotti
There was a charioteer named Karna,
Kadhal kondaval rajaththi
And a royal princess fell in love with him.
Gouravam paarththaalaa
Did she care about pride and status?
Iru kangalai maraiththaalaa illai
Did she cover both her eyes, or
Karpinil uyarnthaalaa
Did she elevate herself through virtue?
Nee sollu kannaa purigindrathaa
You tell me, Krishna, do you understand?
Evalo oru pennaam
She is supposedly some woman,
Aval naanillaiyaam
But they say it is not me.
Idhayam adhu ponnaam
That heart is supposedly golden,
Adhil neeyillaiyaam purigindrathaa
But they say you aren't in it, do you understand?
Evalo oru pennaam
She is supposedly some woman,
Aval naanillaiyaam
But they say it is not me.
Vaanil en nilai paranthaalum
Even if my status flies high in the sky,
Vaazhvil unnudan samamandro
In life, am I not your equal?
Vaanil en nilai paranthaalum
Even if my status flies high in the sky,
Vaazhvil unnudan samamandro
In life, am I not your equal?
Gopuram uyarnthaalum
Even if the temple tower rises high,
Adhu deivathin veedandro
Isn't it the home of God?
Idhu tamil magal naadandro
Isn't this the land of Tamil women?
Nee sollu kannaa purigindrathaa
You tell me, Krishna, do you understand?
Evalo oru pennaam
She is supposedly some woman,
Aval naanillaiyaam
But they say it is not me.
Kannil neeyundu nizhalundu
You are in my eyes, along with your shadow,
Kayil adhigaaram thaanundu
Authority is in my hands.
Kannil neeyundu nizhalundu
You are in my eyes, along with your shadow,
Kayil adhigaaram thaanundu
Authority is in my hands.
Aayiram valarnthaalum
Even if I grow a thousandfold,
En aadhikkam un kaiyil
My command remains in your hands.
Idhil thaazhvukku idamaethu
Where is there any room for feeling low in this?
Nee sollu kanna purigindrathaa
You tell me, Krishna, do you understand?
Evalo oru pennaam
She is supposedly some woman,
Aval naanillaiyaam
But they say it is not me.
Idhayam adhu ponnaam
That heart is supposedly golden,
Adhil neeyillaiyaam purigindrathaa
But they say you aren't in it, do you understand?
Evalo oru pennaam
She is supposedly some woman,
Aval naanillaiyaam
But they say it is not me.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
In 'Evalo Oru Pennaam' from Mayor Meenakshi (1976), the protagonist—a woman holding high civic authority—expresses her affectionate devotion to her husband while gently dismissing rumors or insecurities about her position distancing her from him. Addressing him playfully and lovingly as 'Kannaa', she challenges the notion that her career, status, or public power makes her any less devoted to her home and marriage.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Vaanil en nilai paranthaalum / Vaazhvil unnudan samamandro”
The second consonant 'aa'/'zh' sound creates a rhythmic Tamil poetic concordance between 'Vaanil' and 'Vaazhvil'.
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Karnan endroru thearotti / Kadhal kondaval rajaththi”
The initial consonant sound 'Ka' is repeated in 'Karnan' and 'Kadhal'.
Metaphor / Classical Allusion
“Gopuram uyarnthaalum / Adhu deivathin veedandro”
Compares her high social position to a temple tower (Gopuram), emphasizing that just as a Gopuram belongs to God, her high status still belongs under her husband's love and shelter.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film *Mayor Meenakshi* (1976) stars K. R. Vijaya and Jaishankar. The song's narrative touches upon a working woman's balance between political/public authority and traditional marital devotion, crafted by lyricist Kannadasan and set to tune by M. S. Viswanathan.
Keep listening
More from Mayor Meenakshi
Mayor Meenakshi
Mayor Meenakshi
Mayor Meenakshi
Mayor Meenakshi