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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kalaikal Miguntha

From Asai Magan · 1953

Lyricist
Kuyilan
Singers
P. Leela, M. L. Vasanthakumari
Music director
V. Dakshinamurthy
Details
Asai Magan1953

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Kalaigal migunthaRich in arts,
Engal thamizh vaazhgavaeMay our Tamil language long live!
Kalaigal migunthaRich in arts,
Engal thamizh vaazhgavaeMay our Tamil language long live!
Endrum nilaiyaana mozhiyaeO ever-enduring language,
Un pugazh paaduvaen arumaiI shall sing of your precious glory.
Female
Kalaigal migunthaRich in arts,
Engal thamizh vaazhgavaeMay our Tamil language long live!
Endrum nilaiyaana mozhiyaeO ever-enduring language,
Un pugazh paaduvaen arumaiI shall sing of your precious glory.
Female
Kalaigal migunthaRich in arts,
Engal thamizh vaazhgavaeMay our Tamil language long live!
Endrum nilaiyaana mozhiyaeO ever-enduring language,
Un pugazh paaduvaen arumaiI shall sing of your precious glory.
Female
Kalaigal migunthaRich in arts,
Engal thamizh vaazhgavaeMay our Tamil language long live!
Female
Alai mevum kadal thanthaLike the rare divine nectar yielded
Aaramuthae pol….oo….oo….oo….By the wavy ocean... oo... oo... oo...
Alai mevum kadal thanthaLike the rare divine nectar yielded
Aaramuthae pol….By the wavy ocean...
Alai mevum kadal thanthaLike the rare divine nectar yielded
Aaramuthae pol….By the wavy ocean...
Inaiyae illai enavaeDeclaring there is no equal,
In suvaiyaagavaeWith sweet taste,
Inaiyae illai enavaeDeclaring there is no equal,
In suvaiyaagavae valarumFlourishing with delightful sweetness.
Female
Kalaigal migunthaRich in arts,
Engal thamizh vaazhgavaeMay our Tamil language long live!
Female
Karumbaana kaaviyam kambanin paadalaeKamban's songs are sugarcane-sweet epics,
Thaen vazhinthodum naddhipol nal virunthaagumaeServing as a grand feast like a river overflowing with honey.
Karumbaana kaaviyam kambanin paadalaeKamban's songs are sugarcane-sweet epics,
Thaen vazhinthodum naddhipol nal virunthaagumaeServing as a grand feast like a river overflowing with honey.
Veeran bharathi paadal ahzgaalThrough the beauty of heroic Bharathi's song,
Veeran bharathi paadal ahzgaalThrough the beauty of heroic Bharathi's song,
Veeran bharathi paadal ahzgaal dhesam uyarvaagumae…..Through the beauty of heroic Bharathi's song, the country will rise to greatness...
Female
Ae….ae…ae…ae….Ae... ae... ae... ae...
Karumbaana kaaviyam kambanin paadalaeKamban's songs are sugarcane-sweet epics,
Thaen vazhinthodum naddhipol nal virunthaagumaeServing as a grand feast like a river overflowing with honey.
Female
Valluvan kuralaalae valarntha thaaimozhiThe mother tongue that flourished through Valluvar's Kural,
Ullam kollai kollum ilakkiyam saermozhiAn accumulated language with literature that steals the heart.
Valluvan kuralaalae valarntha thaaimozhiThe mother tongue that flourished through Valluvar's Kural,
Ullam kollai kollum ilakkiyam saermozhiAn accumulated language with literature that steals the heart.
Thellukkavi malargal thedi nidham thanthaDaily seeking and offering clear blossoms of poetry,
Both :Thellukkavi malargal thedi nidham thanthaBoth: Daily seeking and offering clear blossoms of poetry,
Avvaiyum ilangovum yaavarum pottriyaPraised by Avvaiyar, Ilango Adigal, and everyone!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a passionate ode praising the eternal glory, grandeur, and sweetness of the Tamil language. It celebrates Tamil as an immortal language rich in arts and culture, comparing its inherent sweetness to divine nectar born from the ocean waves. The lyrics pay rich tribute to legendary Tamil poets across eras whose literary contributions sculpted the language's richness—including Kamban's epic poetry described as sugarcane and honey, Valluvar's timeless Thirukkural, the fiery patriotic works of Subramania Bharati, and the foundational classical masterpieces of Avvaiyar and Ilango Adigal.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagandhu / Uruvam)

Karumbaana kaaviyam kambanin paadalae

Compares Kamban's poetry directly to sugarcane ('Karumbaana kaaviyam') and literary feasts to honey-flowing rivers ('Thaen vazhinthodum naddhipol').

Simile (Upamai)

Alai mevum kadal thantha Aaramuthae pol

Compares Tamil's sweetness to 'Aaramudhu' (divine nectar) emerging from the churning ocean.

Alliteration (Monai)

Karumbaana kaaviyam kambanin paadalae

Repetition of initial consonant sound 'K' (Karumbaana / Kambanin).

Rhyme (Edhukai)

Valluvan kuralaalae valarntha thaaimozhi

Matching second letter sound 'll' across consecutive lines (Valluvan / Ullam).

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Trivia

This track from the 1953 film 'Aasai Magan' features lyrics by poet Kuyilan (G. S. Somasundaram). It serves as a classic example of the 'Thamizh Mozhi Vaazhthu' (Praise of Tamil Language) song genre popular in 1950s Tamil cinema, heavily influenced by the Dravidian cultural movement that emphasized linguistic pride.

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