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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Nallakalam Varugudhu

From Pudhaiyal · 1957

Lyricist
Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Details
Pudhaiyal1957

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Jaadhigal serudhuCastes are coming together
Sandaigal tholaiyudhuConflicts are disappearing
Solladi solladiTell me, tell me
SakthimakaaliO Goddess Sakthi Mahakali
VedapurathaarukkuTo the residents of Vedapuram
Nalla kuri solluTell a good fortune
Male
Sollu…Tell it...
Female
Indha jeevan oru kariyathaiThis living soul is thinking
Pattri ninaikkudhuAbout a certain task
Adhai pattri kuri solludhuTell a fortune regarding that
Kaariyam vetrikku ariguri ariguri ariguriIt is a sign, a sign, a sign of success for the task
Male
Aaaan..Ah...
Female :Tharkkuri tharkkuri..Female: Illiterate illiterate...
Female
Dharithiram pogudhuPoverty is leaving
Selvam varugudhuWealth is arriving
Padippum valarudhuEducation is growing
Paavam tholaiyudhuSin is disappearing
Male :Paavam tholaiyudhuMale: Sin is disappearing
Female
Dharithiram pogudhuPoverty is leaving
Selvam varugudhuWealth is arriving
Padippum valarudhuEducation is growing
Paavam tholaiyudhuSin is disappearing
Male
Padichavan koorumIf an educated person commits
Paavamum panninaalA sin knowingly
Povaan povaanHe will be destroyed, he will be destroyed
Aiyyoo vendhupovaanAlas, he will burn away in suffering
Male
Padichavan koorumIf an educated person commits
Paavamum panninaalA sin knowingly
Povaan povaanHe will be destroyed, he will be destroyed
Aiyyoo vendhupovaanAlas, he will burn away in suffering
Female
Idho varaaruHere comes
Engappan karunamoorthy..Our father, the merciful lord...
Kuri solludhu kuri solludhuThe fortune is being told, fortune is being told
Kai nazhuvi ponadhuWhat slipped out of your hands
Kattaayam kadaikkumWill definitely be obtained
Kattaayam kadaikkumWill definitely be obtained
Kavalai padaathae..Do not worry...
Male
Ohhoo..ayyaavukkuOh... for the master
Panathondi vizhugudhuA pot of buried treasure appears
Panatthondi vizhugudhuA pot of treasure appears
Female
Indha ayya maathiramIf this master alone
Oru vinaadi thavari pirandhaalWas born missing by even a second
Naragathilae pirappaangaThey would be born in hell
Naragathilae pirappaangaThey would be born in hell
Male
Illae illaeNo no
Nagarathilae pirappaangaThey would be born in the city
Nagarathilae pirappaangaThey would be born in the city
AamaaaYes
Panatthondi panatthondi panatthondiTreasure pot, treasure pot, treasure pot
Female
SaamimaarkkellaamFor all the venerable men
Dhairyam valarudhuCourage is growing
Thoppaya purinjikkittuUnderstanding the situation
Rukkam rukkam vilaiyadhuMoney flows and abounds
Male : Rukkam rukkam vilaiyadhuMale: Money flows and abounds
Female
SaamimaarkkellaamFor all the venerable men
Dhairyam valarudhuCourage is growing
Thoppaya purinjikkittuUnderstanding the situation
Rukkam rukkam vilaiyadhuMoney flows and abounds
Male
Ettu lakshmiyumAll eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi
Yaeri valarudhuAre rising and growing
Bhayam tholaiyudhuFear is disappearing
Paavam tholaiyudhuSin is disappearing
Ettu lakshmiyumAll eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi
Yaeri valarudhuAre rising and growing
Bhayam tholaiyudhuFear is disappearing
Paavam tholaiyudhuSin is disappearing
Female
Naethiram pirakkudhuA new vision/eye is born
Nyaayam theriyudhuJustice is perceived
Pazhaya paithiyamThe old madness
Paleerendru theliyudhuClears up brightly
Female
Naethiram pirakkudhuA new vision/eye is born
Nyaayam theriyudhuJustice is perceived
Pazhaya paithiyamThe old madness
Paleerendru theliyudhuClears up brightly
Male
Veeram varugudhuValor is arriving
Engappaa…Oh my father...
Maenmai kidaikkudhuExcellence and nobility are attained
Female :Veeram varugudhu..Female: Valor is arriving...
Maenmai kidaikkudhuExcellence and nobility are attained

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is adapted from Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar's famous fortune-teller ('Kudukuduppaiyar' / 'Kuri Sollupavar') poem 'Vedapurathaarukku Nalla Kuri Sollu'. Using the persona of a street fortune teller chanting blessings and predictions, Bharathiyar delivers a sharp social critique and a vision of progressive renaissance. The song foretells the end of caste discrimination, eradication of poverty, expansion of education, and the triumph of justice over age-old superstitions.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Emonai / Monai (Alliteration)

Dharithiram pogudhu

Matching initial sounds across lines, such as 'Dharithiram pogudhu' and 'Padippum valarudhu', creating a rhythmic chant.

Edhukai (Second letter rhyming)

Jaadhigal serudhu / Sandaigal tholaiyudhu

The second consonant sound matches across consecutive lines, as in 'Jaadhigal' and 'Sandaigal'.

Anaphora / Repetition

Kuri solludhu kuri solludhu

Rhythmic repetition of fortune-telling refrains like 'Kuri solludhu' and 'Panatthondi' to mimic folk performance rhythm.

Didactic Satire

Padichavan koorum paavamum panninaal / Povaan povaan aiyyoo vendhupovaan

Bharathiyar warns that educated people who commit sins face far harsher moral retribution than the uneducated.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although the original verses were penned by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar as part of his visionary poems early in the 20th century, the song was adapted into the 1957 film Pudhaiyal starring Sivaji Ganesan and Padmini. The soundtrack was composed by the legendary duo Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy, and sung by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Leela.

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