- Lyricist
- P. B. Srinivas
- Singers
- Jayachandran, Vijayaramani
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Nenjathai Allitha
- Movie release year
- 1984
- Lyrics added on
- 13 Jul 2022
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Nalla kavingan enna kalaingan enna
Arivirunthaal podhumaa
Kavarnthizhukkum azhagillaamal
Kavithai paada thondrumaa
Kambanaagattum periya kompanaagattum
Azhagai paada maranthathillai
Maranthu ponaal kavingan illai
Harae thaekko paiyaa thuniyaa melae
Azhagai kandaa thivaanaa
Chorus :Harae thaekko paiyaa thuniyaa melae
Azhagai kandaa thivaanaa
Aagaathirukkum aathmiyellaam
Achchaa kavingan aavaanaa
Chorus :Aagaathirukkum aathmiyellaam
Achchaa kavingan aavaanaa
Harae thaekko paiyaa thuniyaa melae
Azhagai kandaa thivaanaa
Aa….aa….aa….
Vairan endroru perum kavingan
Iru paarvaiyillaa arungkavingan
Female :Aahaa jamaaikkirainga
Male :Nyaana kannaal azhagai paadinaan
Ketpavar nenjam uruga paadinaan
Arivodu irunthaalae pothum
Female :Adadadaa nallaavae irukku
Male :Arivodu irunthaalae pothum
Vanna azhagellaam mana kannil odum
Azhagodu irnthenna laabam
Female :Nalla arivondrae adhai kaattum dheepam
Azhagodu irnthenna laabam
Nalla arivondrae adhai kaattum dheepam
Arivodu irunthaalae pothum
Thaen kuralil paadgindra thiramiyundu kuyilukku
Thaen kuralil paadgindra thiramiyundu kuyilukku
Aanaalum adhai thazhva aasaiyundo manathukku
Aanaalum adhai thazhva aasaiyundo manathukku
Dhesiya paravaiyendra perumaiyundu mayilukku
Dhesiya paravaiyendra perumaiyundu mayilukku
Dhesamae mayanguthappaa thogai konda azhagukku
Dhesamae mayanguthappaa thogai konda azhagukku
Vellaadu thaadi vaiththaal valluvanaai maaridumo
Haa vellaadu thaadi vaiththaal valluvanaai maaridumo
Karappaan meesai vaiththaal kattabomman aagidumo
Karappaan meesai vaiththaal kattabomman aagidumo
Kaanpatharkku azhagaagum kaangaeyam kaalaithaan
Kaalaiyai adakkuvathu vandikkaaran moolaithaan
Vandikkaaran moolaithaan…..
Moonu roopaai koduththaalae muniyaandi hotel-lilae
Moolai kidaikkaatho peengaan plate-nilae
Azhagukku vilaiyaethu adhai virkkum kadaiyethu
Adhukkullae madhipellaam arivukku kidaiyaathu
Koonal mdhugirukkum kuzhi vizhuntha kannirukkum
Koonal mdhugirukkum kuzhi vizhuntha kannirukkum
Kaakkaa niram polae karuththa pennirukkum
Arivil uyarnthiruppaar avvaiyaar poliruppaar
Adadaa unai thavira avalai yaar manappaar
Avalai yaar manappaar
Kiliyai polae pennirunthaal kalyaanam kattuvaayo
Muththamida ponaalae mookkaalae koththuvaalae
Puththisaali pennirunthaal poomaalae poduvaayo
Purushanai odhukki vachchu puththagaththai anaippaalae
Thannudaiya manaiviyidam ilamai kurainthathendru
Unnudaiyaa thanthaithaan odhukki vaiththathundo
Azhagu azhinthu vidum arivukku azhivethu
Arivulla pennaalthaan kudumpam nadakkirathu
Ada poda somaari puththikketta pemaani
Kaithae kasmaalam oosi pona briyani
Ada aaththaa appan pera kettaa nee isththukkira thoththaa
Vishwanaathaa veliya vaadaa vachchukkiraen
Ada veliya vaadaa vachchukkiraen
Be it a fine poet or a great artist,
is having intelligence alone enough?
Without captivating beauty,
would the urge to compose poetry even arise?
Whether it is Kambar or any great giant of literature,
they have never forgotten to sing of beauty!
If one forgets it, one is no poet at all!
Hey brother, look at this world,
anyone who sees beauty goes crazy over it!
Chorus: Hey brother, look at this world,
anyone who sees beauty goes crazy over it!
Can every good-for-nothing person
become a truly fine poet?
Chorus: Can every good-for-nothing person
become a truly fine poet?
Hey brother, look at this world,
anyone who sees beauty goes crazy over it!
Ah... ah... ah...
There was a great poet named Byron,
an extraordinary poet who lacked sight in both eyes!
Female: Aha! You are rocking it!
Male: Through the eyes of wisdom, he sang of beauty!
He sang so poignantly that the listeners' hearts melted!
Having intelligence alone is enough!
Female: Oh wow, that sounds so good!
Male: Having intelligence alone is enough!
All colorful beauty will dance in the mind's eye!
What is the gain in merely possessing beauty?
Female: Only true intelligence is the lamp that illuminates it!
What is the gain in merely possessing beauty?
Only true intelligence is the lamp that illuminates it!
Having intelligence alone is enough!
The cuckoo bird has the talent to sing in a honey-sweet voice,
The cuckoo bird has the talent to sing in a honey-sweet voice,
yet does the heart ever desire to embrace it?
Yet does the heart ever desire to embrace it?
The peacock has the honor of being the national bird,
The peacock has the honor of being the national bird,
and the entire country swoons over the beauty of its plumage!
And the entire country swoons over the beauty of its plumage!
Just because a goat grows a beard, does it become Valluvar (famed poet-philosopher)?
Ha! Just because a goat grows a beard, does it become Valluvar?
If a cockroach has whiskers, does it become Kattabomman (valiant warrior king)?
If a cockroach has whiskers, does it become Kattabomman?
A Kangayam bull is magnificent to look at,
but it is the cart-driver's brain that subdues the bull!
Only the cart-driver's brain!
If you pay just three rupees at a Muniyandi eatery,
won't you get brain curry served on a ceramic plate?
What price can buy beauty? Which shop sells it?
Intelligence has nowhere near the worth that beauty possesses!
She might have a hunched back and sunken eyes,
She might have a hunched back and sunken eyes,
a woman might be as dark as a crow,
she might be supreme in wisdom, just like Avvaiyar (ancient saint-poetess),
but oh dear, who else but you would marry her?
Who on earth would marry her?
If a girl is pretty like a parrot, would you marry her?
The moment you lean in to kiss her, she will peck you with her beak!
If she is an intelligent woman, would you garland her in marriage?
She will push her husband aside and hug her books instead!
Just because his wife's youth faded over the years,
did your own father ever push her aside?
Beauty perishes, but can wisdom ever be destroyed?
A family runs smoothly only through a wise woman!
Get lost, you lazy bum! You brainless rogue!
You good-for-nothing rascal, you stale, spoiled biryani!
Bringing up parents and crying foul like a sore loser!
Viswanatha, come outside, I will deal with you!
Hey, come outside, I'll teach you a lesson!
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Chorus
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a witty, lighthearted musical debate (Pattimandram) between two sides arguing whether physical beauty (Azhagu) or intellect/wisdom (Arivu) holds greater value in life, poetry, and society. One side asserts that without beauty, true art and poetic inspiration cannot exist, citing examples like peacocks and legendary poets praising beauty. The opposing side counters that beauty is fleeting, while knowledge illuminates life, pointing out humorous analogies like goats growing beards without becoming Tiruvalluvar.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor / Satire
“Vellaadu thaadi vaiththaal valluvanaai maaridumo”
Compares superficial appearances to greatness in a humorous way to disprove that outer appearance equals wisdom.
Edhai (Second letter rhyming / Assonance)
“Karappaan meesai vaiththaal kattabomman aagidumo”
Rhyming of second consonant letters in Tamil lyricism across lines (Vellaadu / Karappaan).
Analogy
“Dhesamae mayanguthappaa thogai konda azhagukku”
Uses the contrasting imagery of a cuckoo (talent without physical splendor) and a peacock (national pride due to visual beauty).
Did you know?
Trivia
Lyricist P. B. Srinivas was himself a legendary playback singer who composed lyrics in multiple languages including Tamil, Kannada, and Urdu. The song utilizes fun Hindi-Tamil hybrid slang popular in Madras street humor, such as 'Harae thaekko paiyaa'.
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