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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Maalai Ondru Kaiyil

From Kathanayaki · 1955

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
K. Jamunarani, Radha Jayalakshmi
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Details
Kathanayaki1955

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Maalai ondru kaiyil kondu suzhattriHolding a garland in hand and twirling it
Immandapaththil nindru veesiduvaenI will stand in this hall and throw it
Maalai ondru kaiyil kondu suzhattriHolding a garland in hand and twirling it
Immandapaththil nindru veesiduvaenI will stand in this hall and throw it
Adhu vanthu kazhuththil vizhnthavarai manavaalanaagaWhomever's neck it falls upon, as my bridegroom
Udan kootti selvaenI will immediately take them along
Vanthu kazhuththil vizhnthavarai manavaalanaagaWhomever's neck it falls upon, as my bridegroom
Udan kootti selvaenI will immediately take them along
Female
Maalai ondru kaiyil kondu suzhattriHolding a garland in hand and twirling it
Immandapaththil nindru veesiduvaenI will stand in this hall and throw it
Female
Kalaiyae un idhzh kaanum mudhal paadamaOh Art, is seeing your lips the first lesson?
Inba kalaiyae un idhazh kaanum mudhal paadamaaOh Art of Joy, is seeing your lips the first lesson?
Kadhal kaniyae un vizhi kooda kavi paadumaaOh Fruit of Love, will even your eyes sing poetry?
Female
Kalaiyae un idhzh kaanum mudhal paadamaOh Art, is seeing your lips the first lesson?
Female
Nilavodu vilaiyaadum ezhil thaaraiyaiThe beautiful star playing with the moon
Nilavodu vilaiyaadum ezhil thaaraiyaiThe beautiful star playing with the moon
Pirikka ninaiththaalum evaraalum niraiverumaaEven if someone thinks to separate them, will it succeed?
Female
Kalaiyae un idhzh kaanum mudhal paadamaOh Art, is seeing your lips the first lesson?
Female
Vilaimaathar vizhi mevum visham yaavumeAll the poison residing in the eyes of courtesans
Vilaimaathar vizhi mevum visham yaavumeAll the poison residing in the eyes of courtesans
Inba nilai kaanum anuraaga kalai koodamaaIs it a hall of passionate art experiencing a state of bliss?
Female
Vilaimaathar vizhi mevum visham yaavumeAll the poison residing in the eyes of courtesans
Inba nilai kaanum anuraaga kalai koodamaaIs it a hall of passionate art experiencing a state of bliss?
Female
Ilangkaadhal manam nogum nilaiyaagumaaWill it become a state where young love's heart hurts?
Ilangkaadhal manam nogum nilaiyaagumaaWill it become a state where young love's heart hurts?
Irul mevum en vaazhvil oli veesumaa oli veesumaaWill light shine in my life filled with darkness, will light shine?
Female
Deivame kankanda deivamaeOh God, visible deity
Kaalamellaam en vaazhvinilAll through time in my life
Kankanda deivamaeOh visible deity
Kaalamellaam en vaazhvinilAll through time in my life
Kankanda deivamaeOh visible deity
Female
Aalaiyin karumpaagaLike sugarcane crushed in a mill
Alaipdum thurumpaagaLike a straw tossed about
Aalaiyin karumpaagaLike sugarcane crushed in a mill
Alaipdum thurumpaagaLike a straw tossed about
Amaithiyillaa vaazhvil oli veesa vareerCome to shine light on a life without peace
Naan kanda deivamae…Oh God I have seen...
Amaithiyillaa vaazhvil oli veesa vareerCome to shine light on a life without peace
Naan kanda deivamae…Oh God I have seen...
Female
Kanithu vantha en karunai kadalaeMy ocean of mercy that has ripened
Amuthu unnavaarum swaamiCome to eat nectar, my lord
Amuthu unnavaarum…Come to eat nectar...
Female
Kadan kedaamalae maadhaviyinWithout breaking obligations, Madhavi's
Kadan kedaamalae maadhaviyinWithout breaking obligations, Madhavi's
Amuthunnaen idhen aanaiI ate nectar, this is my pledge
Kannagiyae enthan maanae…Oh Kannagi, my deer...
Female
Kadan kedaamalae maadhaviyinWithout breaking obligations, Madhavi's
Amuthunnaen idhen aanaiI ate nectar, this is my pledge
Kannagiyae enthan maanae…Oh Kannagi, my deer...
Female
Adaikkalamae adaikkalameRefuge! Refuge!
Adaikkalamae adaikkalameRefuge! Refuge!
Adhinaya gunamulla erumai kannagiKannagi, the humble one with modest virtue
Adaikkalamae adaikkalameRefuge! Refuge!
Female
Ungal idaikulam thannil vanthaWho came into your cowherd community
Engalin thaayaeOur mother
Idaikulam thannil vanthaWho came into the cowherd community
Engalin thaayaeOur mother
Ini unaiyallaal kedhi illaiyarivaayaeKnow that there is no refuge other than you anymore
Ini unaiyallaal kedhi illaiyarivaayaeKnow that there is no refuge other than you anymore
Female
Adaikkalamae adaikkalameRefuge! Refuge!
Female
Vaazhvinilae enakkethaenum thunbam vanthaalIf any sorrow comes to me in life
Vaiththa adaiyaalam maarividumThe set signs will change
Maangaai azhugividum malligai vaadividumThe mango will rot, the jasmine will wither
Maangaai azhugividum malligai vaadividumThe mango will rot, the jasmine will wither
Thengaai udainthu vidumThe coconut will break
Thiruvilakku anainthu vidumThe sacred lamp will go out
Female
Vaazhvinilae enakkethaenum thunbam vanthaalIf any sorrow comes to me in life
Vaiththa adaiyaalam maarividumThe set signs will change
Female
Silambo….silambuAnklet... anklet
Senthamizh selvi oonjalaadidumWhere the maiden of pure Tamil swings
Senthamizh selvi oonjalaadidumWhere the maiden of pure Tamil swings
Sanga palagaiyilae valar sanga pulavargalaeOh Sangam poets who flourished on the Sangam plank
Female
Silambo….silambuAnklet... anklet
Thanmaanam ulla nalla vanigargalaeOh good merchants with self-respect
Thanmaanam ulla nalla vanigargalaeOh good merchants with self-respect
Dharmam yaedhum thavaraa thanigargalaeOh wealthy citizens who never deviate from righteousness
Female
Sanga palagaiyile valar sanga pulavargalaeOh Sangam poets who flourished on the Sangam plank
Silambo….silambuAnklet... anklet
Female
Nalla kaalam vanthathaiyaa koodave vaangaGood times have come, sir, come along
Summa koodavae vaanga nampikkaiyaaJust come along with confidence
Kaal silamabai ellaa ngaiyilae thaangaHold the anklet in everyone's hand
Solli vachcha maathiriyaa neengaYou, as if promised
Vilaiyai podunga rajaQuote the price, king
Sonna sollai ketpaaru koodavae vaangaHe will listen to the word said, come along
Naan sonna sollai ketpaaru koodavae vaangaHe will listen to the word I said, come along
Female
Vaazhkkaiyin deepam marainthathae swaamiThe lamp of life has vanished, Lord
Vaadaatha malarum ularnthathae swaamiEven the unfading flower has dried up, Lord
Valamaana chozhaiyum vattraatha poigaiyumThe fertile grove and the un-drying pond
Nilaimaari ponathae neethiyum marainthathae swaamiTheir state has changed, and justice has vanished, Lord
Female
Kodunkol aatchiyil uruvamaana kottravaaOh King formed under tyrannical rule
En kanavar kuttramae purinthathundaaHas my husband ever committed a crime?
Kolai paathagam seitha pazhikaara pandiyaaOh blameworthy Pandya who committed the murder crime
Innaattil kuraiyedhum nernthathundaaHas any flaw occurred in this land?
Female
Aaraatchi illaatha mannavaa unnaiyaeOh king without investigation, yourself
Agampaavaththaaal maranthaaiYou forgot due to arrogance
Antho en silampathai paarAlas, look at my anklet
Female
Anthanar aravor aavodu mathanaiyumBrahmins, righteous ones, along with cows
Aandror saandror paththini pennmaarElders, wise ones, chaste women
Anpargal vaazha aneethiyum veezhaFor lovers to live and injustice to fall
Vaa…vaa….akkini deva…Come... come... God of Fire...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This iconic musical sequence from the 1955 film 'Kathanayaki' presents a dramatic dance-drama retelling of the classical Tamil epic 'Silappatikaram'. The narrative transitions through key emotional beats of Kovalan and Kannagi's story: starting with romantic playfulness and Kovalan's infatuation with Madhavi, shifting to Kannagi's devotion and Kovalan's repentance, proceeding to their travel to Madurai, and climaxing with Kannagi's ferocious grief and fury at the Pandya King following Kovalan's unjust execution, culminating in her summoning the God of Fire to destroy Madurai. Lyricist Kannadasan skillfully captures the archaic classical literary tone of Tamil epics while maintaining rhythmic appeal, paired with G. Ramanathan's rich theatrical score.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Aalaiyin karumpaaga / Alaipdum thurumpaaga (Lines 32-33) bowling comparison of distress to sugarcane crushed in a mill and straw tossed in waves.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Karunai kadalae (Line 40) - 'Ocean of mercy' addressing Kovalan / God.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Vaazhkkaiyin deepam marainthathae swaami (Line 86) - 'Lamp of life' representing husband's life.

Second-letter Rhyme (Edhukai)

Maangaai azhugividum / Thengaai udainthu vidum (Lines 63, 65) - matching second syllable sound 'ng' across consecutive lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

This song is a rare extended drama-suite (Isai Nadagam) formatted inside a mid-1950s Tamil feature film. It vividly dramatizes Ilango Adigal's Silappatikaram with dynamic vocal performances by K. Jamuna Rani and Radha Jayalakshmi.

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