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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Mayilaadum Paraiyila

From Paandi Nattu Thangam · 1989

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Paandi Nattu Thangam1989

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Mayilaadum paarayilaOn the rock where peacocks dance,
Naanga aadirukkomWe have danced.
Madhura maengaattu pottalilaIn the open fields of West Madurai,
Medalu vaangirukkomWe have won medals.
Female
Mayilaadum paarayilaOn the rock where peacocks dance,
Naanga aadirukkomWe have danced.
Madhura maengaattu pottalilaIn the open fields of West Madurai,
Medalu vaangirukkomWe have won medals.
Male
Naanga pogaadhaThere is no town
OorumillaWe haven't visited,
Naanga ippaAnd now there is no fame
Vaangaadha perum illaWe haven't earned.
Female
Naanga pogaadhaThere is no town
OorumillaWe haven't visited,
Naanga ippaAnd now there is no fame
Vaangaadha perum illaWe haven't earned.
Male
Ada mayilaadum paarayilaOh, on the rock where peacocks dance,
Naanga aadirukkomWe have danced.
Female :Madhura maengaattu pottalilaFemale: In the open fields of West Madurai,
Medalu vaangirukkom..ho..We have won medals.. ho..
Female
Thiruchi salem thanjaavoorTo Trichy, Salem, Thanjavur,
Kaanchi pollaachchi ponaenKanchi and Pollachi, I went.
Raani pola naattiyamaadiDancing like a queen,
Perumper aanaenI achieved great renown.
Male
Peru pettra chennayilaIn the famous city of Chennai,
Parisu pala vaangi vandhenI received many prizes and returned.
Female :Periyavanga kaiyiladhaanFemale: Right from the hands of great dignitaries,
Padhakkam pala petru vandhenI received many medals and returned.
Male
Aataam paattaththilaIn dance and in song,
Ennai yaarum jeyikka varalaNobody came forward to beat me.
Female : Koodum koottathilaFemale: In the gathering crowd,
Ennai edhukka yaarum varalaNobody came to challenge me.
Male
Thaala kattukkullaWithin the structure of rhythm,
Raga mettukkullaWithin the tunes of melody,
Ennai edhuththu paadi paaruTry taking my name and singing!
Female
Thaam tha thakida theemThaam tha thakida theem (rhythmic beats)
Thaam tha thakida theemThaam tha thakida theem (rhythmic beats)
Enakku yaaru eedu eeduWho can equal me? Who indeed?
Male
Mayilaadum paarayilaOn the rock where peacocks dance,
Naanga aadirukkomWe have danced.
Madhura maengaattu pottalilaIn the open fields of West Madurai,
Medalu vaangirukkom..haanWe have won medals.. haan.
Female
{Naanga pogaadha{There is no town
OorumillaWe haven't visited,
Naanga ippaAnd now there is no fame
Vaangaadha perum illa} (2)We haven't earned} (2)
Male :Thakita thakitaMale: Thakita thakita
Male
Paadum kuyilu paathaa mayiluA singing cuckoo, a peacock when seen,
Ahaa oyilu apapapapppaaaAha, such grace! Ah-ba-ba-ba-ba!
Abbaa aadum bodhumMy goodness, when dancing
Paadum bodhum adhu oru styleuAnd when singing, it is a unique style!
Female :Hoi hoi hoi hoiiFemale: Hoi hoi hoi hoii
Female
Thaalam yedhum thappavillaThe rhythm has never faltered,
Paadum sudhi vittadhillaThe singing pitch has never slipped.
Male :Melam inum kottavillaMale: The wedding drums haven't beaten yet,
Thaali kodi kattavillaThe sacred thali thread hasn't been tied yet.
Female
Paata katti vachchuHaving composed songs,
Paadi nikkuren kooda nikkurenI stand singing, I stand alongside you.
Male :Naatu chakkaraiyaeMale: Oh sweet jaggery sugar,
Paaththu sokkuren kaaththu nikkurenLooking at you I am entranced, I stand waiting.
Female
Jaadhi malligayaJasmine flowers,
Seththu kaiyiladhaanGathering together in hand,
Soodi edukka naalu paaruFind an auspicious day to wear them!
Male
Thaam tha thakida dheemThaam tha thakida dheem (rhythmic syllabics)
Thaam tha thakida dheemThaam tha thakida dheem (rhythmic syllabics)
Thaalam eduthu paadi paaruTry singing along to the rhythm!
Female
Mayilaadum paarayilaOn the rock where peacocks dance,
Naanga aadirukkomWe have danced.
Madhura maengaattu pottalilaIn the open fields of West Madurai,
Medalu vaangirukkomWe have won medals.
Male
Podu mayilaadum paarayilaStrike a rhythm! On the rock where peacocks dance,
Naanga aadirukkomWe have danced.
Madhura maengaattu pottalilaIn the open fields of West Madurai,
Medalu vaangirukkomWe have won medals.
Female
Naanga pogaadhaThere is no town
OorumillaWe haven't visited,
Naanga ippaAnd now there is no fame
Vaangaadha perum illaWe haven't earned.
Male
Naanga pogaadhaThere is no town
OorumillaWe haven't visited,
Naanga ippaAnd now there is no fame
Vaangaadha perum illa…hoiWe haven't earned…hoi!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Mayilaadum Paarayila' from the film Paandi Nattu Thangam (1989) is a vibrant Tamil folk song celebrating artistic pride, accomplishment, and romantic teasing. The female lead boasts of her artistic prowess in song and dance, recounting her successful stage performances across various major cities in Tamil Nadu like Trichy, Salem, Thanjavur, Chennai, and Madurai, where she earned accolades from esteemed dignitaries.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaal / Alliteration (Moonaal)

Mayilaadum paarayila / Madhura maengaattu pottalila

Repetition of initial consonants or phonetic sounds like 'Ma' across consecutive lines.

Simile (Upamai)

Raani pola naattiyamaadi

Comparing the dancer's posture and elegance to that of royalty using the word 'pola' (like).

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

Naatu chakkaraiyae paaththu sokkuren

Addressing the heroine sweet as unrefined palm sugar ('Naatu chakkarai').

Did you know?

Trivia

The song was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja (though credited as unknown in some song indexes) with lyrics by Gangai Amaran for the movie 'Paandi Nattu Thangam' starring Karthik and Nirosha.

Keep listening

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