Indiraiyo Ival Sundariyo
From Kadhalan · 1994
- Lyricist
- Thirikudarasappa Kavirayar
- Singers
- Minmini, Sunandha, Kalyani Menon
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Kadhalan1994
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Indiraiyo ival sundariyo | Is she Indrani or a beautiful celestial woman? |
| Deiva rambaiya mohiniyo | Is she divine Rambha or enchanting Mohini? |
| Indiraiyo ival sundariyo | Is she Indrani or a beautiful celestial woman? |
| Deiva rambaiya mohiniyo. | Is she divine Rambha or enchanting Mohini? |
| Female | |
| Manam mundhiyadho | Did her mind move ahead first? |
| Vizhi mundhiyadho | Did her eyes move ahead first? |
| Karam mundhiyadho enavae | Or did her hands move ahead first? |
| Female | |
| Uyar chandira soodar | In the streets of the supreme Lord wearing the moon, |
| Kurumbala eesar | The Lord Shiva of Kutralam, |
| Sangani veedhiyilae | Along the holy temple streets, |
| Female | |
| Mani paindhodii naree | The jeweled woman wearing glittering bangles, |
| Vasandha oyyari | The elegant and graceful Vasantha, |
| Pon pandhu kondadinalae | Playfully bounced a golden ball! |
| Female | |
| Manam mundhiyadho | Did her mind move ahead first? |
| Vizhi mundhiyadho | Did her eyes move ahead first? |
| Karam mundhiyadho enavae | Or did her hands move ahead first? |
இந்திரையோ இவள் சுந்தரியோ
தெய்வ ரம்பைய மோகினியோ
இந்திரையோ இவள் சுந்தரியோ
தெய்வ ரம்பைய மோகினியோ
Is she Indrani or a beautiful celestial woman?
Is she divine Rambha or enchanting Mohini?
Is she Indrani or a beautiful celestial woman?
Is she divine Rambha or enchanting Mohini?
மனம் முந்தியதோ
விழி முந்தியதோ
கரம் முந்தியதோ எனவே
Did her mind move ahead first?
Did her eyes move ahead first?
Or did her hands move ahead first?
உயர் சந்திர சூடர்
குறும்பல ஈசர்
சங்கணி வீதியிலே
In the streets of the supreme Lord wearing the moon,
The Lord Shiva of Kutralam,
Along the holy temple streets,
மணி பைந்தொடி நாரி
வசந்த ஒய்யாரி
பொன் பந்து கொன்டாடினளே
The jeweled woman wearing glittering bangles,
The elegant and graceful Vasantha,
Playfully bounced a golden ball!
மனம் முந்தியதோ
விழி முந்தியதோ
கரம் முந்தியதோ எனவே
Did her mind move ahead first?
Did her eyes move ahead first?
Or did her hands move ahead first?
Indiraiyo ival sundariyo
Is she Indrani or a beautiful celestial woman?
Deiva rambaiya mohiniyo
Is she divine Rambha or enchanting Mohini?
Indiraiyo ival sundariyo
Is she Indrani or a beautiful celestial woman?
Deiva rambaiya mohiniyo.
Is she divine Rambha or enchanting Mohini?
Manam mundhiyadho
Did her mind move ahead first?
Vizhi mundhiyadho
Did her eyes move ahead first?
Karam mundhiyadho enavae
Or did her hands move ahead first?
Uyar chandira soodar
In the streets of the supreme Lord wearing the moon,
Kurumbala eesar
The Lord Shiva of Kutralam,
Sangani veedhiyilae
Along the holy temple streets,
Mani paindhodii naree
The jeweled woman wearing glittering bangles,
Vasandha oyyari
The elegant and graceful Vasantha,
Pon pandhu kondadinalae
Playfully bounced a golden ball!
Manam mundhiyadho
Did her mind move ahead first?
Vizhi mundhiyadho
Did her eyes move ahead first?
Karam mundhiyadho enavae
Or did her hands move ahead first?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic verse, adapted from Thirukudarasappa Kavirayar's 'Kutrala Kuravanji', depicts a graceful woman named Vasantha playing ball in the streets of Kutralam, the sacred abode of Lord Shiva who wears the crescent moon. The narrator wonders if she is a heavenly nymph like Indrani, Rambha, or Mohini. As she plays with a golden ball, her movements are so lightning-fast and elegant that observers are captivated, unable to discern whether her thoughts, her eyes, or her hands moved first in her fluid play.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question / Eyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Indiraiyo ival sundariyo”
The recurring end sound '-o' in 'Indiraiyo', 'sundariyo', and 'mohiniyo' creates a rhythmic series of poetic questions marveling at her divine beauty.
Anaphora / Parallelism
“Manam mundhiyadho”
The repetitive phrasing of 'Manam mundhiyadho', 'Vizhi mundhiyadho', and 'Karam mundhiyadho' emphasizes the rapid speed of her actions, pondering which part of her moved first.
Visual Imagery
“Pon pandhu kondadinalae”
The image of 'pon pandhu' (golden ball) and glittering bangles paints a vivid picture of royal elegance and classical dance grace.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although featured in the 1994 Tamil blockbuster 'Kadhalan' (composed by A. R. Rahman), this poem is actually an excerpt from the renowned 18th-century Tamil classical dance-drama 'Kutrala Kuravanji' composed by Thirukudarasappa Kavirayar.
Keep listening
More from Kadhalan
Kadhalan
Kadhalan
Kadhalan
Kadhalan
Kadhalan
Kadhalan