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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kanchiyile Oru

From Manipayal · 1973

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singers
L. R. Eswari, Seerkazhi Govindarajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Manipayal1973

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Engal tamil annaiOur Tamil mother
Ethanaiyo thavamirunthuHaving performed so many penances
Thingalaai sengthiraaiAs the moon and as the bright red sun
Thirunaattin oli vilakkaaiAs the shining light of the holy land
Valluvan kural pola vadivamo sirithaagaLike Valluvar's Kural, small in physical stature
Ulamo intha ulaginum perithaagaYet with a heart larger than this entire world
Female
Kanjiyilae oru puththan piranthaanA Buddha was born in Kanchipuram
Konda karunaiyinaal engal nenjil nirainthaanWith his boundless compassion, he filled our hearts
Male
Annaavendrae ellorum azhaikka vanthaarHe came so everyone would call him 'Anna' (elder brother)
Aayiram thalaimurai thazhaikka vanthaarHe came to make a thousand generations flourish
Male
Annaa annaa annaaAnna, Anna, Anna
Engal anbin deivam annaaAnna is our god of love
Male
Edhaiyum thaangum idhayam kondu thannaiBearing a heart that endures everything
Edhirppavar meethu karunai konduShowing mercy even toward his opponents
Vaithavar yaavarum vaazhattum endruWishing that even those who vilified him live well
Vaazhththiya idhyam adhuvallavaaIs that not the heart that blessed everyone?
Female and Male :Female and Male voices:
Adhu valluvan kaattiya vazhiyallavaaIs that not the path demonstrated by Valluvar?
Female
Maattraan thottathu malligaikkumEven the jasmine in an opponent's garden
Nalla manamundu endrae solliyavarHe declared that it too possesses a wonderful fragrance
Kadamai kanniyam kattupaaduthaanDuty, dignity, and discipline
Thaaraga manthiram aakkiyavarHe made them his guiding mantra
Female and Male :Female and Male voices:
Nam thozhvugal ellaam pokkiyavarHe who removed all our hardships and defeats
Male
Annaa annaa annaaAnna, Anna, Anna
Engal anbin deivam annaaAnna is our god of love
Female
Yaezhaigal siriththida arasamaiththaarHe formed a government so the poor could smile
Adhil iraivanai kaanbom ena uraiththaarHe declared that we shall see God in the smile of the poor
Erinthidum kudisaiyil varunthiduvoorkkuFor those suffering in fragile huts
Area veedugal amaithaliththaarHe built and provided concrete housing
Female and Male :Female and Male voices:
Angu eriyum vilakkaai avar irunthaarHe stood as a glowing lamp in those homes
Female
Chennai endroru peyar maattriRenaming the region of Madras
Adhai senthamizh naadena peyar soottiAnd officially naming it the land of pure Tamil (Tamil Nadu)
Male :Bharathi paadiya painthamizh naattaiMale voice: The pure Tamil land celebrated by poet Bharathi
Paarinil meendum kaattiyavarHe showcased its glory to the world once again
Nam pazhigal anaiththaiyum maattriyavarHe who wiped away all our historical slurs
Male
Ellorkkum annanavanHe is an elder brother to everyone
Illaarkku selvamavanHe is wealth to those who have nothing
Female :Nallorgal ullamellaamIn the hearts of all noble people
Naalthorum aalupavanHe rules every single day
Male
Sonnaal manam padhaikkumTo speak of his passing makes the heart shudder
Sollavo vaai padhaikkumTo utter it makes the lips quiver
Thannath thanimaiyilaeIn utter solitude
Thaanuranga ponaanoDid he go to eternal sleep?
Female
Vanga kadal alaiyaeO waves of the Bay of Bengal
Vaai moodi thoongum engalTo our golden son of Tamil who sleeps silently
Thanga tamizh maganaiDid you sing a soothing lullaby?
Thaalaattu paadinaiyoMale voice: Sing, sing that this is the land of pure Tamils
Male :Paadu nee paadu painthamizhar naadendruLet the son who worked tirelessly sleep in peace
Odi uzhaiththa magan urangattum amaithiyilaeLet the son who worked tirelessly sleep in peace
Odi uzhaiththa magan urangattum amaithiyilaeIn peace
AmaithiyilaeAnna, Anna, Anna
Male
Annaa annaa annaaAnna is our god of love
Engal anbin deivam annaa

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from the film 'Manipayal' (1973) is a poignant tribute to C. N. Annadurai (affectionately known as Anna), former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and founder of the DMK. Written by lyricist Pulamaipithan, the song elevates Anna to a saintly political icon who brought dignity, statehood identity, and welfare to the Tamil people. It draws parallels between Anna and great historical figures like Thiruvalluvar and Lord Buddha, highlighting his philosophy of 'Duty, Dignity, Discipline' and his famous axiom 'See God in the smile of the poor'. The song moves from celebrating Anna's political achievements—such as renaming Madras State to Tamil Nadu and providing housing for hut-dwellers—to a deep lament over his untimely passing in 1969. The imagery of the Bay of Bengal's waves singing a lullaby over his memorial at Marina Beach underscores the profound grief felt by the entire Tamil nation, concluding with a prayer for eternal peace for a leader who tirelessly served his people.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Valluvan kural pola vadivamo sirithaaga

Compares Anna's physical form and immense moral character to the Thirukkural ('Valluvan kural pola vadivamo sirithaaga / Ulamo intha ulaginum perithaaga').

Metaphor (Uruvakam)

Kanjiyilae oru puththan piranthaan

Metaphorically compares Anna to Buddha born in Kanchipuram ('Kanjiyilae oru puththan piranthaan').

Personification

Vanga kadal alaiyae ... Thaalaattu paadinaiyo

Personifies the waves of the Bay of Bengal as singing a lullaby to Anna resting at his beach memorial.

Alliteration / Second-letter Rhyme (Etukai)

Ellorkkum annanavan / Illaarkku selvamavan

Tamil poetic etukai where second consonants match, as seen in 'Annaa' / 'Engal' and 'Ellorkkum' / 'Illaarkku'.

Did you know?

Trivia

C. N. Annadurai (Anna) passed away in February 1969, and his funeral held the Guinness World Record for the highest attendance at the time. This song was composed years later in 1973 for 'Manipayal' as an emotional homage, referencing his memorial located right beside the Bay of Bengal on Marina Beach.

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