Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Nadanthu Kaattu

From Konjum Kumari · 1963

Lyricist
Nalla Thambi
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
S. Vedhachalam
Movie name
Konjum Kumari
Movie release year
1963
Lyrics added on
28 Sept 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Nadanthu kaatu tritriya
Nadanthu kaattu hai haiyaa
Nadanthu kaatu nadanthu kaattu
Enakku munnalae
Naan varuven naan varuven
Unakku pinnalae
Nadanthu kaatu nadanthu kaattu
Enakku munnalae
Naan varuven naan varuven
Unakku pinnalae
Nagathadiyil agapadaamal irukkudhu paaru
Idhu nerunghi vandha poongodiyai verukkudhu paaru
Nagathadiyil agapadaamal irukkudhu paaru
Idhu nerunghi vandha poongodiyai verukkudhu paaru
Idhu merattudhu paaru kanna uruttudhu paaru
Idhu merattudhu paaru kanna uruttudhu paaru
Than manasukulale palavidhama nenaikkudhu paaru
Than manasukulale palavidhama nenaikkudhu paaru
Nadanthu kaatu nadanthu kaattu
Enakku munnalae
Naan varuven naan varuven
Unakku pinnalae
Nadanthu kaatu nadanthu kaattu
Enakku munnalae
Naan varuven naan varuven
Unakku pinnalae
Kudumbam endra vandiyilae pootida venum
Idhai kurukkum nedukkumaaga dhinam ottida venum
Kudumbam endra vandiyilae pootida venum
Idhai kurukkum nedukkumaaga dhinam ottida venum
Edukku pannikitta nalla vaattida venum hae hae
Edukku pannikitta nalla vaattida venum
Naan edhukkum thuninja pombalainnu kaatida venum
Naan edhukkum thuninja pombalainnu kaatida venum
Nadanthu kaatu nadanthu kaattu
Enakku munnalae
Naan varuven naan varuven
Unakku pinnalae
Nadanthu kaatu nadanthu kaattu
Enakku munnalae
Naan varuven naan varuven
Unakku pinnalae
Walk ahead and show me, trit-ri-ya!
Walk ahead and show me, hai hai-ya!
Walk ahead, walk and show me,
Right in front of me!
I will follow, I will come,
Right behind you...
Walk ahead, walk and show me,
Right in front of me!
I will follow, I will come,
Right behind you!
Look at him avoiding the yoke and staying untamed!
Look at him rejecting the flowering vine that drew near!
Look at him avoiding the yoke and staying untamed!
Look at him rejecting the flowering vine that drew near!
Look at how he threatens and rolls his eyes!
Look at how he threatens and rolls his eyes!
Look at how he imagines all kinds of things in his mind!
Look at how he imagines all kinds of things in his mind!
Walk ahead, walk and show me,
Right in front of me!
I will follow, I will come,
Right behind you...
Walk ahead, walk and show me,
Right in front of me!
I will follow, I will come,
Right behind you!
I must harness him to the cart called family life,
And drive him back and forth every single day!
I must harness him to the cart called family life,
And drive him back and forth every single day!
If he acts stubborn, I must tame him thoroughly!
If he acts stubborn, I must tame him thoroughly!
I must prove that I am a woman daring enough for anything!
I must prove that I am a woman daring enough for anything!
Walk ahead, walk and show me,
Right in front of me!
I will follow, I will come,
Right behind you...
Walk ahead, walk and show me,
Right in front of me!
I will follow, I will come,
Right behind you!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Nadanthu Kaatu is a playful and upbeat song from the 1963 film Konjum Kumari, composed by S. Vedhachalam and rendered delightfully by P. Susheela. The song features a bold female protagonist teasingly asking the hero to walk ahead of her so she can follow him. She playfully mocks his stubbornness and aloofness, comparing his hesitation to a timid creature trying to avoid a soft flower-creeper, while pointing out his glaring eyes and inner scheming. As the song progresses, the heroine boldly proclaims her intent to harness his spirit into the 'cart of domestic family life.' She humorously asserts that if he tries to oppose or fight back, she is daring and tough enough to handle him, showing that she is a resolute woman ready to take control of their future together.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani / Metaphor)

Kudumbam endra vandiyilae pootida venum

Family life is directly conceptualized as a cart ('Kudumbam endra vandi') that needs to be yoked and driven daily across life's roads.

Repetition (Adukku Thodar)

Nadanthu kaatu nadanthu kaattu

Words like 'Nadanthu kaatu' and 'Naan varuven' are repeated successively to build rhythm and accentuate playful insistence.

End Rhyme (Eyaipu)

Idhai kurukkum nedukkumaaga dhinam ottida venum

The deliberate end-rhyming suffixes '-ida venum' across consecutive lines (pootida venum, ottida venum, vaattida venum, kaatida venum) create a strong musical cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

Konjum Kumari (1963) is notable for featuring legendary actress Manorama in her first lead role as a courageous, action-oriented heroine alongside R. S. Manohar. The song perfectly highlights the heroine's feisty and independent personality.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Konjum Kumari

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.