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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Nee Thayumillai

From Anbu Magan · 1961

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. Leela
Music director
T. Chalapathi Rao
Details
Anbu Magan1961

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Paal kodutha thanangal sollumThe breasts that gave milk will tell,
Paarthiruntha kangal sollumThe eyes that watched over will tell,
Sollukku porul ariyaarThose who do not know the meaning of words,
Sollivittu odi vittarHave spoken and run away.
Sollivittu odi vittarHave spoken and run away.
Female
Nee thaaiyum illaiyaamThey say you are not his mother,
Avan saeiyum illaiyaamAnd he is not your child.
Nee thaaiyum illaiyaamThey say you are not his mother,
Avan saeiyum illaiyaamAnd he is not your child.
SattathilaeIn the law,
Avar sattathilaeIn their law,
Ungal sondham kaanvillaiyaamYour bond is nowhere to be found.
Nee thaaiyum illaiyaamThey say you are not his mother,
Avan saeiyum illaiyaamAnd he is not your child.
Female
Pasuvai kooda annai endruEven a cow, as a mother,
Paadam solgiraarThey teach in lessons,
Than paal koduthu valarthavalBut the woman who raised him with her own milk,
Thaaiyillai engiraarIs not a mother, they claim.
Pasuvai kooda annai endruEven a cow, as a mother,
Paadam solgiraarThey teach in lessons,
Than paal koduthu valarthavalBut the woman who raised him with her own milk,
Thaaiyillai engiraarIs not a mother, they claim.
Female
Pillai kandru pola kadharum podhuWhen the child cries out like a calf,
Thookki selgiraarThey carry him away.
Ini karpanaiyil maganai kanduNow, to see your son in your imagination,
Pesa solgiraarThey tell you to speak.
Nee thaaiyum illaiyaamThey say you are not his mother,
Avan saeiyum illaiyaamAnd he is not your child.
Female
Nee poovilandhu pottilandhuWhen you lost your flower and vermilion,
Pona naalilaeOn that day that went by,
Unai porumai kolla sonnaThe child who asked you to be patient,
Pillai karuvil irundhaanWas growing in your womb.
Nee poovilandhu pottilandhuWhen you lost your flower and vermilion,
Pona naalilaeOn that day that went by,
Unai porumai kolla sonnaThe child who asked you to be patient,
Pillai karuvil irundhaanWas growing in your womb.
Female
Nee kann thirandhu paartha podhuWhen you opened your eyes and looked,
Kaiyil irundhaanHe was right in your hands.
Andru kandathellam kanavai polaEverything seen that day, like a dream,
Odi marainthaanHas run away and vanished.
Nee thaaiyum illaiyaamThey say you are not his mother,
Avan saeiyum illaiyaamAnd he is not your child.
Female
Anbariyaa manidhar unnaiLoveless people made you,
Aadavum vaithaarDance on stage;
Nee aadum bothu medai yeriWhile you were dancing, they stepped up,
Kaalai murithaarAnd broke your legs.
Anbariyaa manidhar unnaiLoveless people made you,
Aadavum vaithaarDance on stage;
Nee aadum bothu medai yeriWhile you were dancing, they stepped up,
Kaalai murithaarAnd broke your legs.
Female
Nee kannizhandha velaiyilaeWhen you lost your vision,
Kangal koduthaarThey gave you eyes;
Nee kaanum varai paarthirunthuWaiting until you could see clearly,
Kannai parithaarThey snatched your eyes away.
Nee thaaiyum illaiyaamThey say you are not his mother,
Avan saeiyum illaiyaamAnd he is not your child.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This emotional song from 'Anbu Magan' (1961) expresses the grief and injustice experienced by a mother who is forcefully separated from her child due to cold legal technicalities and cruel social circumstances. Kannadasan highlights the hypocrisy of a society that reveres cows as sacred mothers while stripping away maternal rights from a woman who nurtured her child with her own milk. Through poignant imagery, the song reflects on how unfeeling people offer temporary hope only to snatch away happiness, leaving the mother to mourn the loss of her child who is declared legally unrelated to her.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uvamai)

Pillai kandru pola kadharum podhu

Compares the crying child to a helpless calf calling for its mother.

Irony / Contrast

Pasuvai kooda annai endru... Than paal koduthu valarthaval thaaiyillai engiraar

Contrasts the societal lesson of treating cows as mothers with denying a human mother her own son.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Nee kaanum varai paarthirunthu kannai parithaar

Uses the metaphor of granting sight only to snatch it away to portray cruelty and false hope.

Alliteration (Edhukai / Monai)

Nee poovilandhu pottilandhu / Pona naalilae

Rhythmic repetition of initial sound patterns across word pairs.

Did you know?

Trivia

Anbu Magan (1961) featured musical composition by T. Chalapathi Rao and emotive lyrics by Kannadasan. Sung brilliantly by P. Leela, the song captures the heartbreaking theme of maternal separation.

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