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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Iruchi

From Irandam Ulagaporin Kadaisi Gundu · 2019

Lyricist
Uma Devi
Singer
Senthil Ganesh
Music director
Tenma
Details
Irandam Ulagaporin Kadaisi Gundu2019

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kondaa iruchi yamma…aaa…aahOh goddess of the deity Iruchi...
Vedham konda sandai naaduA land of conflict rooted in religious scriptures,
Kulathula mel adukkuHigh hierarchy in social strata,
Kulathula mel adukkuHigh hierarchy in social strata,
Gunathula nee midukkuYet in character, you stand proud and majestic,
Amma gunathula nee midukku..uu…Oh mother, in character, you stand proud and majestic!
Male
Ethana vendinaalum ethana vendinaalumNo matter how many prayers are wished,
Athnaikkum saami unduThere is a deity for every single one of them.
Saadhi pithukala theerpatharkkuTo cure the fanaticism of caste,
Saadhi pithukala theerpatharkkuTo cure the fanaticism of caste,
Nee jenmangondu vaadi yamma..yeiCome, take birth and arrive, oh mother!
Male
Indha naagai mannaOh Nagapattinam land's,
Vagai konda ambigaiyae mariyaathaVictorious goddess Ambigai, Mariyatha!
Enga madhaviyin koodu vaazhnthaOh Manimegalai, who lived as the nest of our Madhavi,
Manimegalaiyae pidariyaathaOh fierce goddess Pidariyatha!
Male
Ammaa…aaa….aa…Oh Mother...
Amma seliyamma oonniyammaOh Mother Seliyamma, Oonniyamma,
Ariyamala pappathiyammaOh Ariyamala, Pappathiyamma,
Theepanchamma murugesan kannagiyaeOh Theepanchamma, Murugesan's Kannagi,
Ilavarasan nayagiyaeThe heroine of Ilavarasan,
Sandai naadu thaandiCrossing the battle-torn land,
Enga thondai naadu vanthavalae…ae….Oh goddess who came to our Thondai land!
Male
Nee vaikkum kaalgalukkuFor the feet that you place,
Amma kaalgalukkuOh mother, for your feet,
Vedha baethamellamAll scriptural discriminations
Posungidummaa thaayae posungidummaaWill be burnt to ashes, oh mother, burnt to ashes!
Male
Amma nee vaikkum kaalgalukkuOh mother, for the feet that you place,
Madha bothayellam thelinjidummaAll religious intoxication will be cleared away!
Thelinjidumma thelinjidummaWill clear away, will clear away!
Etti vaikkum kaalgalukkuFor the feet that step forward,
Aanavangal azhinjidum maArrogance will be destroyed, oh mother,
Azhinjidum ma azhinjidum maWill be destroyed, will be destroyed!
Male
Etti vaikkumStepping forward,
Etti vaikkumStepping forward,
Etti vaikkumStepping forward,
Etti vaikkum kaalgalukkuFor the feet that step forward,
Amma kaalgalukkuOh mother, for your feet,
Mannu ellaam santhanam dhaanAll the soil turns into sacred sandalwood paste,
Thaayae santhanam thaanOh mother, turns into sandalwood!
Nee etti vaikkum kaalgalukkuFor the feet that you step forward with,
Samathuvangal poothidummaEquality will bloom, oh mother,
Poothidumma poothidummaWill bloom, will bloom!
Male
Pethan peru vachaanFather gave a name,
Pethan peru vachaanFather gave a name,
Perumaikku seeru vachaanAnd gave dowry gifts for pride.
Kadala nokki odumRunning towards the sea,
Kadala nokki odumRunning towards the sea,
Kaadhal aatha katti vachaanHe bound and restricted the river of love!
Male
Udanpokku kuthamunnuSaying elopement is a crime,
Udanpokku kuthamunnuSaying elopement is a crime,
Sollilae thean thadaviSmearing honey in words,
Sollaama visham thadaviSecretly smearing poison,
Kollum gumbalathanThat murderous gang,
Kollum gumbalathanThat murderous gang,
Kola nadunga sitharadikaTo scatter them trembling in fear of murder,
Kolusu satham vedi vedikkaWhile the sound of anklets explodes like bombs,
Un poo vaasam puyaladikkaWhile the fragrance of your flowers blows like a storm,
Pottu theeyattam analadikkaWhile the bindi blazes with heat like fire,
Theervaaga…aaaa…As the ultimate solution...
Theervaaga vaadi ammaCome as the solution, oh mother!
Theervaaga vaadi ammaCome as the solution, oh mother!
Engalukku theervaaga vaadi ammaCome as the solution for us, oh mother!
Male
Angae idi muzhangudhuThunder rumbles over there,
Sanathanam ellaam norunga pogudhuSanatana orthodoxy is going to shatter into pieces!
Angae idi muzhangudhuThunder rumbles over there,
Sanathanam ellaam norunga pogudhuSanatana orthodoxy is going to shatter into pieces!
Oorae nadu nadunguthuThe whole village trembles with fear,
Iruchi yammaOh goddess Iruchi!
Perae kidu kidunguthuRenown quakes with power!
Male
Ae selaiyaa selai azhaguOh, the beauty of her saree,
Seeru petra kalai azhaguThe artistic beauty graced with honor!
Ae selaiya selai azhaguOh, the beauty of her saree,
Seeru petra kalai azhaguThe artistic beauty graced with honor!
Malaiyae adi nazhuviSlipping down from the foot of the mountain,
Nagarnthu varum ival azhaguHer moving presence is magnificent!
Kangul vidinthu kolluthuThe night breaks into dawn,
Ival kaatum dhisaiyil ulagam selludhuThe world moves in the direction she points!
Kangul vidinthu kolluthuThe night breaks into dawn,
Ival kaatum dhisaiyil ulagam selludhuThe world moves in the direction she points!
Male
Oorin kadhavu thirakkudhuThe doors of the town are opening wide,
Indha poril penmai jeyichu nikkidhuIn this war, womanhood stands victorious!
Oorin kadhavu thirakkudhuThe doors of the town are opening wide,
Indha poril penmai jeyichu nikkidhuIn this war, womanhood stands victorious!
Angam vananga solludhuCommand every body to bow in respect,
Ival nadaiyil singam nadanthu selludhuA lion walks in her stride!
Angam vananga solludhuCommand every body to bow in respect,
Ival nadaiyil singam nadanthu selludhuA lion walks in her stride!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Iruchi' (also known as 'Selaiya Selai Azhagu') from 'Irandam Ulagaporin Kadaisi Gundu' is a powerful anti-caste, feminist anthem written by lyricist Uma Devi. It invokes folk deities, guardian goddesses, and real-life victims of honor killings and caste violence (such as Divya-Ilavarasan) transformed into divine symbols of justice. The song highlights how oppressive social hierarchies and caste fanaticism poison society, calling upon feminine power to shatter regressive traditions and establish equality.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Kadala nokki odum Kaadhal aatha katti vachaan

Comparing love flowing freely to a river running towards the sea ('Kadala nokki odum kaadhal aatha katti vachaan').

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Ae selaiya selai azhagu / Seeru petra kalai azhagu

The second consonant 'l' rhymes across consecutive lines ('Selai' / 'Kalai').

Monaai (Alliteration)

Sollilae thean thadavi / Sollaama visham thadavi

Repetition of initial consonant sounds ('Sollilae' / 'Sollaama').

Imagery & Hyperbole

Kolusu satham vedi vedikka / Un poo vaasam puyaladikka

Visualizing anklet sounds exploding like bombs and flower scent blowing like a storm to illustrate dramatic resistance.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song incorporates names of real-life victims of caste violence in Tamil Nadu, such as Divya and Ilavarasan (the Dharmapuri caste violence case), elevating them alongside folk guardian deities as anti-caste icons of liberation.

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