Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kummiyadi Song Lyrics – Ghibran

From Album Songs 2021 · 2021

Lyricist
Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
Singers
Suganthi, Amirthavarshini
Music director
Ghibran
Details
Album Songs 20212021

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Thandhana thandha nae thana thaana thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Thandhana thandha nae thana thaana thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Thandhana thandha nae thana thaana thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Thandhana thandha nae thana thaana thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Female
Kummiyadi tamil nadu muzhuvuthumDance the Kummi across the whole of Tamil Nadu,
Kulungida kaikotti kummiyadiClap your hands and dance so that the land shakes!
Nammai piditha pisasugal poyinaThe evil spirits of oppression that possessed us are gone,
Nanmai kandomendru kummiyadiDance the Kummi celebrating that we have attained good fortune!
Female
Kummiyadi tamil nadu muzhuvuthumDance the Kummi across the whole of Tamil Nadu,
Kulungida kaikotti kummiyadiClap your hands and dance so that the land shakes!
Nammai piditha pisasugal poyinaThe evil spirits of oppression that possessed us are gone,
Nanmai kandomendru kummiyadiDance the Kummi celebrating that we have attained good fortune!
Female
Yettaiyum pengal thoduvathu theemaiyendrenniThose who believed that touching a book was evil for women
Irunthavar maaindhu vitaarHave perished and passed away;
Veetukullae pennai pooti vaipomendraThose strange men who claimed they would lock women inside houses
Vindhai manithar thalai kavilndhaarHave hung their heads in shame!
Female
Yettaiyum pengal thoduvathu theemaiyendrenniThose who believed that touching a book was evil for women
Irunthavar maaindhu vitaarHave perished and passed away;
Veetukullae pennai pooti vaipomendraThose strange men who claimed they would lock women inside houses
Vindhai manithar thalaiTheir heads are hung in shame!
Female
Vedham padaikavum needhigal seiyavumTo create holy scriptures and to enact justice,
Vendi vanthomendru kummiyadiDance the Kummi declaring we have come by necessity!
Sadham padaikavum seithiduvom dheivaWe shall cook food, and we shall also accomplish
Sadhi padaikavum seithiduvomDivine deeds and grand achievements!
Female
Vedham padaikavum needhigal seiyavumTo create holy scriptures and to enact justice,
Vendi vanthomendru kummiyadiDance the Kummi declaring we have come by necessity!
Sadham padaikavum seithiduvom dheivaWe shall cook food, and we shall also accomplish
Sadhi padaikavum seithiduvomDivine deeds and grand achievements!
Female
Nalla vilai kondu naaiyai virpaarPeople sell a dog for a good price,
Andha naayidum yosanai ketpenthundoBut does anyone ever seek advice from that dog?
Kolla thunivindri nammaiyum annilaiLacking the courage to kill, they treated us in that same state,
Kootti vaithar pazhi kootti vitaarAccumulating blame and insult upon us!
Female
Nalla vilai kondu naaiyai virpaarPeople sell a dog for a good price,
Andha naayidum yosanai ketpenthundoBut does anyone ever seek advice from that dog?
Kolla thunivindri nammaiyum annilaiLacking the courage to kill, they treated us in that same state,
Kootti vaithar pazhi kootti vitaarAccumulating blame and insult upon us!
Female
Thandhana thandha nae thana thaana thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Thandhana thandha nae thana thaana thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Female
Pattangal aalvathum sattangal seivathumTo hold high offices and to formulate laws,
Paarinil pengal nadatha vanthomWe women have arrived on this earth to govern!
Ettum arivinil aanukingae penIn attainable wisdom, a woman here is not
Illaipullai kaanendru kummiyadiInferior to a man, so clap hands and dance the Kummi!
Female
Pattangal aalvathum sattangal seivathumTo hold high offices and to formulate laws,
Paarinil pengal nadatha vanthomWe women have arrived on this earth to govern!
Ettum arivinil aanukingae penIn attainable wisdom, a woman here is not
Illaipullai kaanendru kummiyadiInferior to a man, so clap hands and dance the Kummi!
Female
Thandha nae thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Thandha nae thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Thandha nae thandha nae thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Thandha nae thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Thandha nae thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Thandha nae thandha nae thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Thandha nae thandha nae thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain
Thandha nae thandha nae thandha naeRhythmic folk refrain

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Penn Viduthalai Kummi' (Women's Liberation Kummi) is a powerful feminist anthem composed by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar, celebrating women's emancipation, education, and social equality. Bharathiyar uses the traditional Tamil folk dance format 'Kummi' (a dance accompanied by rhythmic clapping) to spread a progressive political and social message to the masses. The song rejoices in the defeat of patriarchal attitudes that restricted women to domestic chores and prohibited their education. Bharathiyar boldly asserts that women are fully capable of crafting laws, intellectual works, and spiritual wisdom alongside men. He dismantles the notion of male superiority in intellect, calling on women to step into governance, administrative roles, and social leadership. The song is a celebration of female agency, enlightenment, and equal standing in modern society.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Folk Form (Kummi)

Kummiyadi tamil nadu muzhuvuthum

The song uses the 'Kummi' structure, a traditional Tamil folk performance genre involving group clapping and circle dancing, making complex political ideals accessible to all social strata.

Metaphor

Nammai piditha pisasugal poyina

'Pisasugal' (evil spirits) is used as a metaphor for patriarchal orthodoxy, dark traditions, and ignorance that held women back for centuries.

Ethirai (Second letter rhyme)

Pattangal aalvathum / Ettum arivinil aanukingae pen

Tamil poetic device where the second letter of consecutive lines match in consonant sound ('tt' in Pattangal / Ettum).

Moonaip Probaly (Initial Alliteration)

Kummiyadi tamil nadu muzhuvuthum / Kulungida kaikotti kummiyadi

Matching initial sounds in consecutive words across a line ('Ku' in Kummiyadi / Kulungida).

Did you know?

Trivia

Subramanya Bharathiyar was one of the earliest visionary Tamil poets to champion complete equality and emancipation for women in modern Indian literature. His women-centric poems, including this Kummi, challenged centuries of orthodoxy long before modern institutional reforms took place.

Keep listening

More from Album Songs 2021