Inangalile Enna
From Nalla Penmani · 1979
- Lyricist
- Pulamaipithan
- Singers
- K. J. Yesudas, K. Swarna
- Music director
- V. Kumar
- Details
- Nalla Penmani1979
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Inangalilae enna inam penninam | Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood. |
| Inangalilae enna inam penninam | Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood. |
| Female :Mei ezhuthukalil irukkum antha mellinam | Female: That soft class (Mellinam) found among the consonants. |
| Male :Manathukullae irukkum aasai vallinam | Male: The strong, hard class (Vallinam) of desires within the heart. |
| Female :En mannanukku pidithathellam idaiyinam | Female: Everything my king loves belongs to the medium/waist class (Idaiyinam). |
| Male | |
| Inangalilae enna inam penninam | Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood. |
| Female :Mei ezhuthukalil irukkum antha mellinam | Female: That soft class (Mellinam) found among the consonants. |
| Male :Manathukullae irukkum aasai vallinam | Male: The strong, hard class (Vallinam) of desires within the heart. |
| Female :En mannanukku pidithathellam idaiyinam | Female: Everything my king loves belongs to the medium/waist class (Idaiyinam). |
| Male | |
| Neeyae en selva rathinam | You alone are my precious jewel. |
| Nenjamthaan kanji pattinam | My heart is as rich and beautiful as the city of Kanchipuram. |
| Neeyae en selva rathinam | You alone are my precious jewel. |
| Nenjamthaan kanji pattinam | My heart is as rich and beautiful as the city of Kanchipuram. |
| Female | |
| Neeyae en selva rathinam | You alone are my precious jewel. |
| En thalil maeni poovinam | My body, tender from head to toe, is of the flower species. |
| Thoongaatha kangal | Sleepless eyes... |
| Un thunai thedum meeninam | ...are like the species of fish seeking your companionship. |
| Male :Kurunagai muthinam | Male: Your gentle smile is of the pearl species. |
| Kodi idai idhu noolinam | This waist like a creeper belongs to the thread species. |
| Male | |
| Inangalilae enna inam penninam | Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood. |
| Female :Mei ezhuthukalil irukkum antha mellinam | Female: That soft class (Mellinam) found among the consonants. |
| Male :Manathukullae irukkum aasai vallinam | Male: The strong, hard class (Vallinam) of desires within the heart. |
| Female :En mannanukku pidithathellam idaiyinam | Female: Everything my king loves belongs to the medium/waist class (Idaiyinam). |
| Female | |
| Kanna un kadhal tharisanam | Oh Kanna, the sight of your love is divine. |
| Kaiyaal nee poosu santhanam | Apply sandalwood paste on me with your own hands. |
| Kanna un kadhal tharisanam | Oh Kanna, the sight of your love is divine. |
| Kaiyaal nee poosu santhanam | Apply sandalwood paste on me with your own hands. |
| Male | |
| Thenpaangu paadum | Singing in a sweet melody... |
| Un sevvaayo thaeninam | ...your reddish lips belong to the nectar species. |
| Thaen unna vanthaen | I came to taste that nectar... |
| Pon vandodu orinam | ...belonging to the same species as the golden beetle. |
| Female :Vizhi niram anjanam | Female: The color of my eyes is black kohl. |
| Sivanthathu oru noodhanam | Its reddening is a novel phenomenon. |
| Male | |
| Inangalilae enna inam penninam | Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood. |
| Female :Mei ezhuthukalil irukkum antha mellinam | Female: That soft class (Mellinam) found among the consonants. |
| Male :Manathukullae irukkum aasai vallinam | Male: The strong, hard class (Vallinam) of desires within the heart. |
| Female :En mannanukku pidithathellam idaiyinam | Female: Everything my king loves belongs to the medium/waist class (Idaiyinam). |
| Male :Inangalilae enna inam penninam | Male: Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood. |
இனங்களிலே என்ன இனம் பெண்ணினம்
இனங்களிலே என்ன இனம் பெண்ணினம்
மெய் எழுத்துக்களில் இருக்கும் அந்த மெல்லினம்
மனதுக்குள்ளே இருக்கும் ஆசை வல்லினம்
என் மன்னனுக்கு பிடித்ததெல்லாம் இடையினம்
Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood.
Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood.
Female: That soft class (Mellinam) found among the consonants.
Male: The strong, hard class (Vallinam) of desires within the heart.
Female: Everything my king loves belongs to the medium/waist class (Idaiyinam).
இனங்களிலே என்ன இனம் பெண்ணினம்
மெய் எழுத்துக்களில் இருக்கும் அந்த மெல்லினம்
மனதுக்குள்ளே இருக்கும் ஆசை வல்லினம்
என் மன்னனுக்கு பிடித்ததெல்லாம் இடையினம்
Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood.
Female: That soft class (Mellinam) found among the consonants.
Male: The strong, hard class (Vallinam) of desires within the heart.
Female: Everything my king loves belongs to the medium/waist class (Idaiyinam).
நீயே என் செல்வ ரத்தினம்
நெஞ்சம் தான் காஞ்சி பட்டிணம்
நீயே என் செல்வ ரத்தினம்
நெஞ்சம் தான் காஞ்சி பட்டிணம்
You alone are my precious jewel.
My heart is as rich and beautiful as the city of Kanchipuram.
You alone are my precious jewel.
My heart is as rich and beautiful as the city of Kanchipuram.
பெண்
: தாங்காது கண்ணா
என் தளிர் மேனி பூவினம்
தூங்காத கண்கள் உன்
துணை தேடும் மீனினம்
குறுநகை முத்தினம்
கொடி இடை இது நூலினம்
You alone are my precious jewel.
My body, tender from head to toe, is of the flower species.
Sleepless eyes...
...are like the species of fish seeking your companionship.
Male: Your gentle smile is of the pearl species.
This waist like a creeper belongs to the thread species.
இனங்களிலே என்ன இனம் பெண்ணினம்
மெய் எழுத்துக்களில் இருக்கும் அந்த மெல்லினம்
மனதுக்குள்ளே இருக்கும் ஆசை வல்லினம்
என் மன்னனுக்கு பிடித்ததெல்லாம் இடையினம்
Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood.
Female: That soft class (Mellinam) found among the consonants.
Male: The strong, hard class (Vallinam) of desires within the heart.
Female: Everything my king loves belongs to the medium/waist class (Idaiyinam).
கண்ணா உன் காதல் தரிசனம்
கையால் நீ பூசு சந்தனம்
கண்ணா உன் காதல் தரிசனம்
கையால் நீ பூசு சந்தனம்
Oh Kanna, the sight of your love is divine.
Apply sandalwood paste on me with your own hands.
Oh Kanna, the sight of your love is divine.
Apply sandalwood paste on me with your own hands.
தென்பாங்கு பாடும்
உன் செவ்வாயோ தேனினம்
தேன் உண்ண வந்தேன்
பொன் வண்டோடு ஓரினம்
விழி நிறம் அஞ்சனம்
சிவந்தது ஒரு நூதனம்
Singing in a sweet melody...
...your reddish lips belong to the nectar species.
I came to taste that nectar...
...belonging to the same species as the golden beetle.
Female: The color of my eyes is black kohl.
Its reddening is a novel phenomenon.
இனங்களிலே என்ன இனம் பெண்ணினம்
மெய் எழுத்துக்களில் இருக்கும் அந்த மெல்லினம்
மனதுக்குள்ளே இருக்கும் ஆசை வல்லினம்
என் மன்னனுக்கு பிடித்ததெல்லாம் இடையினம்
இனங்களிலே என்ன இனம் பெண்ணினம்...
Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood.
Female: That soft class (Mellinam) found among the consonants.
Male: The strong, hard class (Vallinam) of desires within the heart.
Female: Everything my king loves belongs to the medium/waist class (Idaiyinam).
Male: Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood.
Inangalilae enna inam penninam
Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood.
Inangalilae enna inam penninam
Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood.
Female :Mei ezhuthukalil irukkum antha mellinam
Female: That soft class (Mellinam) found among the consonants.
Male :Manathukullae irukkum aasai vallinam
Male: The strong, hard class (Vallinam) of desires within the heart.
Female :En mannanukku pidithathellam idaiyinam
Female: Everything my king loves belongs to the medium/waist class (Idaiyinam).
Inangalilae enna inam penninam
Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood.
Female :Mei ezhuthukalil irukkum antha mellinam
Female: That soft class (Mellinam) found among the consonants.
Male :Manathukullae irukkum aasai vallinam
Male: The strong, hard class (Vallinam) of desires within the heart.
Female :En mannanukku pidithathellam idaiyinam
Female: Everything my king loves belongs to the medium/waist class (Idaiyinam).
Neeyae en selva rathinam
You alone are my precious jewel.
Nenjamthaan kanji pattinam
My heart is as rich and beautiful as the city of Kanchipuram.
Neeyae en selva rathinam
You alone are my precious jewel.
Nenjamthaan kanji pattinam
My heart is as rich and beautiful as the city of Kanchipuram.
Neeyae en selva rathinam
You alone are my precious jewel.
En thalil maeni poovinam
My body, tender from head to toe, is of the flower species.
Thoongaatha kangal
Sleepless eyes...
Un thunai thedum meeninam
...are like the species of fish seeking your companionship.
Male :Kurunagai muthinam
Male: Your gentle smile is of the pearl species.
Kodi idai idhu noolinam
This waist like a creeper belongs to the thread species.
Inangalilae enna inam penninam
Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood.
Female :Mei ezhuthukalil irukkum antha mellinam
Female: That soft class (Mellinam) found among the consonants.
Male :Manathukullae irukkum aasai vallinam
Male: The strong, hard class (Vallinam) of desires within the heart.
Female :En mannanukku pidithathellam idaiyinam
Female: Everything my king loves belongs to the medium/waist class (Idaiyinam).
Kanna un kadhal tharisanam
Oh Kanna, the sight of your love is divine.
Kaiyaal nee poosu santhanam
Apply sandalwood paste on me with your own hands.
Kanna un kadhal tharisanam
Oh Kanna, the sight of your love is divine.
Kaiyaal nee poosu santhanam
Apply sandalwood paste on me with your own hands.
Thenpaangu paadum
Singing in a sweet melody...
Un sevvaayo thaeninam
...your reddish lips belong to the nectar species.
Thaen unna vanthaen
I came to taste that nectar...
Pon vandodu orinam
...belonging to the same species as the golden beetle.
Female :Vizhi niram anjanam
Female: The color of my eyes is black kohl.
Sivanthathu oru noodhanam
Its reddening is a novel phenomenon.
Inangalilae enna inam penninam
Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood.
Female :Mei ezhuthukalil irukkum antha mellinam
Female: That soft class (Mellinam) found among the consonants.
Male :Manathukullae irukkum aasai vallinam
Male: The strong, hard class (Vallinam) of desires within the heart.
Female :En mannanukku pidithathellam idaiyinam
Female: Everything my king loves belongs to the medium/waist class (Idaiyinam).
Male :Inangalilae enna inam penninam
Male: Among all kinds, what kind is the finest? It is womanhood.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Inangalilae enna inam penninam is a delightful romantic duet from the film Nalla Penmani (1979), composed by V. Kumar with lyrics by Pulamaipithan. The song stands out for its brilliant wordplay built around Tamil grammar concepts, specifically the three phonetic categories of Tamil consonants: Mellinam (soft), Vallinam (hard), and Idaiyinam (medium). Through these grammatical metaphors, the couple expresses affection, romantic desire, and admiration for female beauty. Throughout the track, romantic imagery involving pearls, honey, flowers, and fish adds layers of charm and poetic elegance.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Grammatical Metaphor / Wordplay
“Mei ezhuthukalil irukkum antha mellinam”
Pulamaipithan uses Tamil consonant classifications (Mellinam for softness, Vallinam for hard intense passion, and Idaiyinam for the female waist/middle) as poetic devices to describe love and body features.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Inangalilae enna inam penninam”
Systematic usage of the rhyming suffix '-inam' across consecutive lines (penninam, mellinam, vallinam, idaiyinam, poovinam, meeninam, muthinam, noolinam).
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Un thunai thedum meeninam”
Comparing sleepless restless eyes to fish searching for companionship.
Did you know?
Trivia
Lyricist Pulamaipithan, a renowned scholar of Tamil literature, ingeniously incorporated Tamil grammatical categories—Vallinam, Mellinam, and Idaiyinam—into a romantic duet, making this song an unmatched example of literary cleverness in Tamil film music history.
Keep listening
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