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Isaimozhi
Asai Magan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kalaikal Miguntha

From Asai Magan · 1953

Lyricist
Kuyilan
Singers
P. Leela, M. L. Vasanthakumari
Music director
V. Dakshinamurthy
Movie name
Asai Magan
Movie release year
1953
Lyrics added on
24 Sept 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kalaigal miguntha
Engal thamizh vaazhgavae
Kalaigal miguntha
Engal thamizh vaazhgavae
Endrum nilaiyaana mozhiyae
Un pugazh paaduvaen arumai
Kalaigal miguntha
Engal thamizh vaazhgavae
Endrum nilaiyaana mozhiyae
Un pugazh paaduvaen arumai
Kalaigal miguntha
Engal thamizh vaazhgavae
Endrum nilaiyaana mozhiyae
Un pugazh paaduvaen arumai
Kalaigal miguntha
Engal thamizh vaazhgavae
Alai mevum kadal thantha
Aaramuthae pol….oo….oo….oo….
Alai mevum kadal thantha
Aaramuthae pol….
Alai mevum kadal thantha
Aaramuthae pol….
Inaiyae illai enavae
In suvaiyaagavae
Inaiyae illai enavae
In suvaiyaagavae valarum
Kalaigal miguntha
Engal thamizh vaazhgavae
Karumbaana kaaviyam kambanin paadalae
Thaen vazhinthodum naddhipol nal virunthaagumae
Karumbaana kaaviyam kambanin paadalae
Thaen vazhinthodum naddhipol nal virunthaagumae
Veeran bharathi paadal ahzgaal
Veeran bharathi paadal ahzgaal
Veeran bharathi paadal ahzgaal dhesam uyarvaagumae…..
Ae….ae…ae…ae….
Karumbaana kaaviyam kambanin paadalae
Thaen vazhinthodum naddhipol nal virunthaagumae
Valluvan kuralaalae valarntha thaaimozhi
Ullam kollai kollum ilakkiyam saermozhi
Valluvan kuralaalae valarntha thaaimozhi
Ullam kollai kollum ilakkiyam saermozhi
Thellukkavi malargal thedi nidham thantha
Both :Thellukkavi malargal thedi nidham thantha
Avvaiyum ilangovum yaavarum pottriya
Rich in the arts,
Long live our Tamil!
Rich in the arts,
Long live our Tamil!
O eternal language,
I will sing of your glory, O precious one!
Rich in the arts,
Long live our Tamil!
O eternal language,
I will sing of your glory, O precious one!
Rich in the arts,
Long live our Tamil!
O eternal language,
I will sing of your glory, O precious one!
Rich in the arts,
Long live our Tamil!
Like the sweet nectar
brought forth by the ocean's waves... oo... oo... oo...
Like the sweet nectar
brought forth by the ocean's waves...
Like the sweet nectar
brought forth by the ocean's waves...
With nothing to rival it,
in all its delicious sweetness,
With nothing to rival it,
flourishing in delicious sweetness,
Rich in the arts,
Long live our Tamil!
Kamban's epic verse is sweet as sugarcane,
a grand feast like a river flowing with honey!
Kamban's epic verse is sweet as sugarcane,
a grand feast like a river flowing with honey!
Through the beauty of the brave Bharati's songs,
Through the beauty of the brave Bharati's songs,
through the beauty of the brave Bharati's songs, our nation rises high...
Eh... eh... eh... eh...
Kamban's epic verse is sweet as sugarcane,
a grand feast like a river flowing with honey!
A mother tongue that grew through Valluvar's Kural,
a language of literature that steals the heart!
A mother tongue that grew through Valluvar's Kural,
a language of literature that steals the heart!
Seeking and offering clear blossoms of poetry every day,
Both: Seeking and offering clear blossoms of poetry every day,
praised by Avvaiyar, Ilango, and everyone!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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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