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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Nandhavanaththilore Aandi

From Arasilangkumari · 1961

Lyricist
Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Details
Arasilangkumari1961

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Nandhavanathilor aandiThere was a mendicant in the flower garden,
Avan vandha idathilor mangaiyai vendiDesiring a maiden at the place he arrived at,
Nandhavanathilor aandiThere was a mendicant in the flower garden,
Avan vandha idathilor mangaiyai vendiDesiring a maiden at the place he arrived at,
Male
Vaarthaiyai kodutthu puttaandiHe gave his solemn word,
Ivan vambaaga maattittuNow he got unnecessarily trapped in trouble,
Thongha poraandiAnd is going to end up in a fix!
Nandhavanathilor aandiThere was a mendicant in the flower garden...
Male
Kaashaayam kattikkittaandiHe attired himself in saffron robes,
Konjam kaadhal kadhaiyilum ottikkittaandiAnd attached himself to a love story as well,
Kaashaayam kattikkittaandiHe attired himself in saffron robes,
Konjam kaadhal kadhaiyilum ottikkittaandiAnd attached himself to a love story as well,
Male
Veshathai maathikkittaandiHe changed his disguise,
Ippo verroru aalaagi veluthu katraandiNow, as a completely different person, he is putting on a grand show!
Veshathai maathikkittaandiHe changed his disguise,
Ippo verroru aalaagi veluthu katraandiNow, as a completely different person, he is putting on a grand show!
Male
Nandhavanathilor aandi…There was a mendicant in the flower garden...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This lighthearted satirical song plays on a classic Tamil philosophical motif to narrate the troubles of a protagonist who assumes disguises and makes promises of love. Donning saffron robes and shifting personas, he finds himself tangled up in unwanted trouble, forced to put on an elaborate act to escape his predicament. Written by the acclaimed poet Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram, the song cleverly adapts traditional folk poetic forms to deliver sharp humor matching the comedic situation in the film's narrative.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Allusion / Parody (இடைச்சொல் / நகைச்சுவை முரண்)

Nandhavanathilor aandi

Direct allusion to the famous philosophical verse by Kaduveli Siddhar ('Nandhavanathil Oor Aandi'), cleverly repurposed into a comical narrative about romance and disguises.

Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme / எதுகை)

Kaashaayam kattikkittaandi / Veshathai maathikkittaandi

Matching second consonants across consecutive lines, such as 'Kaashaayam' and 'Veshathai' or internal rhymes like 'kodutthu' and 'maattittu'.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme / இயைபு)

Vaarthaiyai kodutthu puttaandi / Ivan vambaaga maattittu / Thongha poraandi

Consistent rhythmic end-rhyme suffixing (-aandi) across lines: 'puttaandi', 'poraandi', 'kattikkittaandi', 'katraandi'.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is a humorous parody of Kaduveli Siddhar's mystical poem 'Nandhavanathil Oor Aandi'. In the film Arasilangkumari (1961), starring M. G. Ramachandran, lyricist Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram adapted this well-known spiritual refrain to suit a comedic situation involving disguises. The film's music was composed by G. Ramanathan.

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