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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Munthi Munthi Vinayagane

From En Thambi · 1968

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
Sirkazhi Govindarajan, L. R. Eswari
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
En Thambi1968

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Aa… aaaa… aaa..aaa…aaa….Aa… aaaa… aaa..aaa…aaa….
Mundhi mundhi vinayaganaeFirst and foremost, Lord Ganesha
Mukkannanaar than maganaeSon of the three-eyed Lord Shiva
Male
Kandharukku mun pirandhaBorn before Lord Murugan
Ganapathiyae nee arulvaaiOh Ganapathi, bestow your grace upon us
Male
…………………………………………………………
Male
Aa… thekkathi kallanadaa…Ah… I am a thief from the south, man…
Aa…aaa….aaa….aaa…Aa…aaa….aaa….aaa…
Chorus
Kalla… nadaa…A thief… man…
Male
Thekkathi kallanadaaI am a southern thief, man
Then madhurai paandiyan daaI am the Pandyan of Southern Madurai, man
Then naattu singamadaaI am the lion of the southern land, man
Sivaji ganesanadaaI am Sivaji Ganesan, man
Dheeraadhi dheeranadaaI am the bravest of the brave, man
Sooraadhi sooranadaaI am the most heroic of heroes, man
Veeraadhi veeranadaa…I am the ultimate warrior, man…
Aa… aaa… aaa… aehae…Aa… aaa… aaa… aehae…
Male
Naan porandhadhu…I was born…
Ada naan porandhadhuHey, I was born
Thanjaavooru soora kottaiyilaeIn the Soorakkottai of Thanjavur
Valappu mela kottaiyilaeRaised up high in the fort
Iruppu keela kottaiyilaeResiding low in the fort
Chorus
Alek thaa alek thaaAlek thaa alek thaa
Sambo sambo samboSambo sambo sambo
Jumurtha jambagaaJumurtha jambagaa
Ae ayaa ae ayaa ae ayaa ae ayaa ae…Ae ayaa ae ayaa ae ayaa ae ayaa ae…
Male
Aehae naan porandhadhuAehae, I was born
Thanjaavooru soora kottaiyilaeIn the Soorakkottai of Thanjavur
Valappu mela kottaiyilaeRaised up high in the fort
Iruppu keela kottaiyilaeResiding low in the fort
Male
Naan polaikkira polappuThe way I make my living
Indha kaattu pakkathilaeIs near this forest area
Kedaichaa naattu pakkathilaeIf available, in the country side
Adichaa rottu pakkathilaeIf needed, on the roadside
Kottai kothalam… aehae…Fort bastions… aehae…
Kottai kothalam meedhil yeriI climb up the fort bastions
Poottaiyum odaippenI will break the locks too
Odachi veetaiyum adippenI will break and rob houses
Adichi naattaiyum polappenI will rob and survive in the country
Kooda gopura maada maaligaiSpired towers and grand palaces
Yeriyum gudhippenI will climb and jump off them
Periya kottaiya odaippenI will break large fortresses
Endha naattaiyum valaippenI will conquer any kingdom
Male
Veloor jeyilil…In Vellore Jail…
Aa… aa… haaan…Aa… aa… haaan…
Aae veloor jeyilil moonu maasamHey, in Vellore jail for three months
Virundhukku ponenI went as a guest
Pootta thorandhuttu ponenI unlocked it and walked out
Pudichaan parandhuttu ponenWhen they caught me, I flew away
Male
Veloor jeyilil moonu maasamIn Vellore jail for three months
Virundhukku ponenI went as a guest
Pootta thorandhuttu ponenI unlocked it and walked out
Pudichaan parandhuttu ponen aehae…When they caught me, I flew away, aehae…
Male
Aa… thakkaali kannu kuttiAh… red tomato-like calf
Thaayillaadha kannu kuttiCalf without a mother
Thanjaavooru maamanukkuTo the uncle of Thanjavur
Nee thaandi pondaattiYou are the wife, girl!
Chorus
Ae nee thaandi pondaattiHey, you are the wife!
Male
Teeyasaaru thailam pottuApplying T.S. R. hair oil
Cinemaa staaru konda pottuStyling hair like a cinema star bun
Tee vee yessu bassu polaLike a TVS bus
Thaedi vandha chinna kuttiOh little girl who came searching
Chorus
Thaedi vandha chinna kuttiOh little girl who came searching
Male
Dingi dingi aadalaamLet us dance dingi dingi
Konjam dappaankuththu podalaamLet us dance a bit of dappaankuthu
Dingi dingi aadalaamLet us dance dingi dingi
Konjam dappaankuththu podalaam..aan..Let us dance a bit of dappaankuthu..aan..
Male
Nee yaaruWho are you?
Female
Naan oru arasa kumaaranI am a royal prince
Indha kaattula vaettaiyaada vandhurukkenI have come to hunt in this forest
Male
Sandhaegamaa irukkaeIt seems suspicious
Konjam nadandhu kaattuWalk a bit and show me
Male
Un nadaiya paathaaLooking at the way you walk
Pomabalayaa theriyudhuYou look like a woman
Nee aambalaiyaa pombalaiyaaAre you a man or a woman?
Female
Naan aambala thaan…I am indeed a man…
Male
Aahaa…Aahaa…
Male
Aambillai endraalaeIf you are a man
Aaradi koondhalaiSix-foot-long hair
Alli mudichadhu yenadiyoWhy did you tie it up in a bun, girl?
Chorus
YenadiyoWhy did you, girl?
Female
Kaadhu kulirudhuMy ears feel cold
Thaanga mudiyalaI couldn't bear it
Moodi maraichendaa kalla paiyaaSo I covered and hid it, sly boy
Chorus
Kalla paiyaaSly boy
Male
Aahaa thangathai polaeAahaa, like gold
UdhadirukkuAre your lips
Adhil meesai mulaikkaadhadhuWhy hasn't a mustache grown there, girl?
YenadiyoWhy did it not, girl?
Chorus
YenadiyoGrowing mustache by the weight of veesai
Female
Veesai kanakkulaIs not true bravery, little boy..aaa…aa..
Meesai mulaippadhuIf we see men
Veeramillaiyadaa chinna paiya..aaa…aa..We won't spare them
Male
Aambillaigalai kandaaIf we see women
Vida maattomWe will support and send them off
Pombillaigalai kandaaI am a woman indeed, sir
Aadharichu anuppuvomAahaa…
Female
Naan pombala thaanungaHey maiden wearing turmeric and bindi
Male
Aahaa…Oh young girl
Male
Adi manja poosi pottu vachaWhat if we exchange garlands
Chorus
Kanni ponnaeAnd marry? Tell me, darling
Male
Naama maala pottuHey sly boy who works deceitfully
Kondaal ennaLittle boy
Chorus
Sollu kannaeIf you mess with me
Female
Ada vanjam vachu velai seiyumI will give you two slaps
Chorus
Chinna paiyaaWith my bangled hands
Female
Enai vambu seidhaalCome on, my cuckoo
Koduppen renduGet lost, boy
Chorus
Valaiyal kaiyaalMelt your heart
Male
Vaadi kuyilaeYou are a monkey
Female
Podaa payalaeShall I touch you, my deer?
Male
Manadhai iranguYou ruinous useless fellow
Female
Neeyo kuranguYou are my heroine
Male
Thodavaa maanaeYou are a midnight ghost
Female
Keduvaai veenaeHaa haa haa haa
Male
Naayagi neeyaeHaa haa haa haa
Female
Nadu raa peyaeSir jingu jingidi jingu
Male
Haa haa haa haaHaiyaiyaiyaa
Haa haa haa haaMadam jingu jingidi jingu
Aiyaaa jingu jingidi jinguAmmammammaa
Chorus
Haiyaiyaiyaa
Female
Ammaa jingu jingidi jingu
Chorus
Ammammammaa

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This folk-style comic duet features a theatrical interaction involving thief boasts, playful banter, gender disguise, and rhythmic 'dappaankuthu' dance elements. Initially starting with a traditional invocation to Lord Ganesha, the song transitions into a brag song by a thief boasting of his strength, origin from Thanjavur, and ability to break into forts and escape Vellore jail easily. The song turns into an engaging dialogue between two characters questioning each other's identity and gender, filled with sharp wit, traditional humor, and fast-paced poetic banter. The playful back-and-forth explores themes of pretend romantic advances, comical threats, and lively rhythm variations characteristic of classical Tamil folk theatre.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

Valappu mela kottaiyilae / Iruppu keela kottaiyilae

Matching second consonants across consecutive lines, such as 'Mundhi' and 'Mukkannanaar' (dh/k patterns) or 'Valappu' and 'Iruppu' ('ri'/'la' rhyme scheme).

Monaai (Alliteration)

Thekkathi kallanadaa / Then madhurai paandiyan daa / Then naattu singamadaa

Repetition of initial consonant sound 'Th' across line starts: Thanjavur, Thekkathi, Then.

Repetition / Anaphora

Aiyaaa jingu jingidi jingu / Ammaa jingu jingidi jingu

Rhythmic repetition of phrases like 'Alek thaa', 'Sambo sambo', and 'Jingu jingidi jingu' to generate traditional folk rhythm.

Did you know?

Trivia

This song features iconic Tamil folk theater (Therukoothu) tropes and dappaankuthu rhythms popular in late 1960s Tamil cinema, incorporating contemporary pop culture references of the time like TVS buses, TSR oil, and movie stars.

Keep listening

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