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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Naattukku Porutham Naame

From Enga Veettu Mahalaskhmi · 1957

Lyricist
Udumalai Narayanakavi
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, Chorus
Music director
Master Venu
Movie name
Enga Veettu Mahalaskhmi
Movie release year
1957
Lyrics added on
29 Apr 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Uludhundu vaazvaare vaazhvaar
Mattrallaan
Thozhdhundu pin selbavar endrae
Sollum pazhudhattra valluvan
Paindhamil needhi
Vazhi sendru maan baal
Uyarndha naadu namadhu thaai naadu
Naatukku porutham naame nadathum
Koottu pannai vivasayam
Chorus :Naatukku porutham naame nadathum
Koottu pannai vivasayam
Male :Namma naatukku porutham naame nadathum
Koottu pannai vivasayam
Patta paattukku thaguntha aadhayam undu
Pazhaiya kolgaigalai voiduvadhu gyaayam
Chorus :Namma naatukku porutham naame nadathum
Koottu pannai vivasayam
Kattaiyum maettaiyum thottanthodigal
Kazhanigal seivadhu thiramai
Adhanaal kattayam neengum varumai
Kattaiyum maettaiyum thottanthodigal
Kazhanigal seivadhu thiramai
Adhanaal kattayam neengum varumai
Avvai paattiyum paattaal paadi perumai
Paarattiya thozhil muraimai
Idhu parambarai yaai namakkaurimai
Namma naatukku porutham naame nadathum
Koottu pannai vivasayam
Othai kudithanam pathu kaaniyil
Uzhudhu paadupada mudiyaathu
Othai kudithanam pathu kaaniyil
Uzhudhu paadupada mudiyaathu
Oru pathu kudithanam nooru kaaniyil
Paangaai uzhuvadhu thaan thodhu
Namma naatukku porutham naame nadathum
Koottu pannai vivasayam
Paalaiyakaarar raajathi raaja
Padhavigal parakkindra podhu
Naama patatkkal mitta mirasugal jambam
Kattayaamaaga palikkadhu
Naalukku naala kaalam maarudhu
Nadappadhai nenachaa nadukkamaaguthu
Naalukku naala kaalam maarudhu
Nadappadhai nenachaa nadukkamaaguthu
Aaalai yeikka ini mudiyathu
Makkal aatchiyil suyanalam koodadhu
Namma naatukku porutham naame nadathum
Koottu pannai vivasayam
Purushan pondatti pulla kuttingha
Uruppadi kanakkaiyum pottukanum
Sarisamamaaga vigithacharapadi
Saappattu selavukkum vaangikanum
Varumbadi thannai adikamaakanum
Vagi thogaiyaana selavunseiyanum
Varumbadi thannai adikamaakanum
Vagi thogaiyaana selavunseiyanum
Ulagam nammai kandu nadakakvae
Unmaiyodu naam uzhaikkanum
Uyir pizhaikkanum ..
Namma naatukku porutham naame nadathum
Koottu pannai vivasayam
Those who live by the plow are the ones who truly live;
all the rest
merely bow and follow behind others for food—
so says the flawless poet Valluvar
in his pure Tamil wisdom.
Walking along this path of noble honor,
our motherland has risen high!
What suits our country best is running
collective farming on our own!
Chorus: What suits our country best is running
collective farming on our own!
Male: What suits our country best is running
collective farming on our own!
There is fair reward for the labor we put in,
and letting go of old ways is only right.
Chorus: What suits our country best is running
collective farming on our own!
Turning rocky ground and barren mounds
into lush gardens and fertile fields takes skill,
and through this, poverty will surely vanish!
Turning rocky ground and barren mounds
into lush gardens and fertile fields takes skill,
and through this, poverty will surely vanish!
Even Grandmother Avvai praised it in song,
honoring this noble trade of farming;
it is an inheritance that is our birthright!
What suits our country best is running
collective farming on our own!
A single family on ten kani (traditional land measure)
cannot plow and labor all alone.
A single family on ten kani (traditional land measure)
cannot plow and labor all alone.
Ten families joining across a hundred kani
is the easiest and most fitting way to plow!
What suits our country best is running
collective farming on our own!
When the power of feudal lords and kings
and their high titles are blown away,
the boastful pride of wealthy landlords
will certainly never work again!
Day by day, the times are changing,
and the thought of what is happening makes them tremble!
Day by day, the times are changing,
and the thought of what is happening makes them tremble!
No one can cheat ordinary people anymore,
and under people's rule, selfishness must not exist!
What suits our country best is running
collective farming on our own!
Counting husbands, wives, and children,
we must count every single member of each home,
and in fair and equal proportion,
receive our due share for our daily food.
We must increase our total earnings,
and budget our spending wisely within limits.
We must increase our total earnings,
and budget our spending wisely within limits.
So that the whole world follows our lead,
we must labor with true honesty,
and live well together...
What suits our country best is running
collective farming on our own!
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This iconic Tamil social reform song from Enga Veettu Mahalakshmi (1957) promotes cooperative farming and egalitarian agrarian reform. Opening with Thiruvalluvar's famous couplet praising agriculture, the song argues that modern collective farming ('Koottu Pannai Vivasayam') is the most viable path to eradicate rural poverty, boost productivity, and replace outdated feudal practices. Lyricist Udumalai Narayanakavi highlights the historical dignity of farming referenced by ancient poetess Avvaiyar, calling for equal labor participation, democratic transparency, and fair income distribution among farm families.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Alliteration (Monaai)

Kattaiyum maettaiyum thottanthodigal / Kazhanigal seivadhu thiramai / Adhanaal kattayam neengum varumai

Repetition of initial consonant sounds like 'ka' in 'Kattaiyum', 'Kazhanigal', and 'Kattayam' enhances rhythmic flow.

Rhyme (Edhugai)

Uludhundu vaazvaare vaazhvaar... Thozhdhundu pin selbavar endrae

Second-letter agreement in 'Uludhundu', 'Thozhdhundu', reinforcing traditional Tamil verse structure.

Literary Allusion

Uludhundu vaazvaare vaazhvaar Mattrallaan Thozhdhundu pin selbavar endrae

Direct reference to Thirukkural Couplet 1033 by Thiruvalluvar praising farming as the supreme occupation.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by 'Kaviraayar' Udumalai Narayanakavi, known for embedding rationalist, socialist, and Dravidian reformist themes into cinema lyrics. The song reflects post-independence India's push towards agrarian reforms, land redistribution, and cooperative farming movements during the 1950s.

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