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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Nigaredhu Enakku

From Ponnoonjal · 1973

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Ponnoonjal1973

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Nigaryedhu enakku nigar yedhuWho is my equal? Who is equal to me?
Nigaryedhu enakku nigar yedhuWho is my equal? Who is equal to me?
Indha nilam engum paarthaalumNo matter where you look across this land,
Enakeedu kidaiyaadhuThere is no match for me.
Nilam engum paarthaalumWherever you look across the land,
Enakeedu kidaiyaadhuThere is no match for me.
Nigar yedhu enakku nigar yedhuWho is my equal? Who is equal to me?
Female
Dhisai naangum naan aadum medaiyandrooAren't all four directions the stage upon which I dance?
Haaa…aaa..aaHaaa…aaa..aa
Dhisai naangum naan aadum medaiyandrooAren't all four directions the stage upon which I dance?
Alai vilaiyaadum kadal endhan aadaiyandroIsn't the ocean of playing waves my garment?
Alai vilaiyaadum kadal endhan aadaiyandroIsn't the ocean of playing waves my garment?
Azhagaana puvi endhan jaadai androoIsn't this beautiful world just my posture and sign?
En attathai pirar aada mudiyathandroCan anyone else perform the dance moves that I dance?
En attathai pirar aada mudiyathandroCan anyone else perform the dance moves that I dance?
Female
Nigaryedhu enakku nigar yedhuWho is my equal? Who is equal to me?
Female
Malarum vizhiyil indha ulagam muzhuthumBefore my blossoming eyes, doesn't this entire world
Enai mandraadi nindraadumandrooStand begging and dancing around me?
Malarum vizhiyil indha ulagam muzhuthumBefore my blossoming eyes, doesn't this entire world
Enai mandraadi nindraadumandrooStand begging and dancing around me?
Odiyum idaiyil pala kodigal pirandha kalaiThe art born in millions of movements of my slender waist,
Pandhadi pandhadum androDoes it not play and bounce around like a ball?
Odiyum idaiyil pala kodigal pirandha kalaiThe art born in millions of movements of my slender waist,
Pandhadi pandhadum androDoes it not play and bounce around like a ball?
Padai veettu maakaali naanae androAm I not the mighty Mahakali of the battlefield?
Kodi pottu nadaalum maanaeyandroAm I not the graceful doe ruling the land under her flag?
Padai veettu maakaali naanae androAm I not the mighty Mahakali of the battlefield?
Kodi pottu nadaalum maanaeyandroAm I not the graceful doe ruling the land under her flag?
Female
Nigaryedhu enakku nigar yedhuWho is my equal? Who is equal to me?
Male
Sakthi thandavam nettri kannanaiThe cosmic dance of Sakthi can never separate
Vittu povadhu aagathu..haaa..aaa..aa..aaFrom the three-eyed Lord Shiva... haaa…aaa..aa..aa
Sakthi thandavam nettri kannanaiThe cosmic dance of Sakthi can never separate
Vittu povadhu aagathuFrom the three-eyed Lord Shiva.
Thannai pondravar illai endroruThinking 'there is no one equal to me',
Pennin aanavam koodathuA woman's arrogance should never be harbored.
Thannai pondravar illai endroruThinking 'there is no one equal to me',
Pennin aanavam koodathuA woman's arrogance should never be harbored.
Male
Ethikkum kodhikkum nadanamidumIn the furious dance raging across all directions,
Sakthikkum enakkum idaiyil oruBetween Goddess Sakthi and myself,
Ethikkum kodhikkum nadanamidumIn the furious dance raging across all directions,
Sakthikkum enakkum idaiyil oruBetween Goddess Sakthi and myself,
Vegam vara ragam vara thalam varaAs speed, melody, and rhythm arrive,
Baavam vara thudikkumAs expressive emotion twitches to take form,
Male
Aanava penmaiyai adakkumSubduing the arrogant pride of womanhood,
Aayiram nadagam nadathumStaging a thousand dramatic plays,
Aanava penmaiyai adakkumSubduing the arrogant pride of womanhood,
Aayiram nadagam nadathumStaging a thousand dramatic plays,
Sakthikkum padhikkum nadakkum kadhaiyaiThe story unfolding between Sakthi and her Lord Shiva,
Mudikkum oruvan naanI am the one who brings it to its final conclusion.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This track is a classic Indian musical dance-duel (Saval Paattu) that mirrors the mythological cosmic dance competition between Lord Shiva and Goddess Sakthi. The first half is sung from the female perspective (P. Susheela), where she boasts of her peerless beauty, artistic supremacy, and divine grace, claiming the four directions as her dance floor and comparing herself to Mahakali.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Dhisai naangum naan aadum medaiyandroo

The singer metaphorically portrays the four cardinal directions as her personal dance stage.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Alai vilaiyaadum kadal endhan aadaiyandro

The vast ocean with rolling waves is visualised as the garment she wears.

Mythological Allusion

Padai veettu maakaali naanae andro

The singer aligns her power and artistic stance with Goddess Mahakali, invoking traditional Hindu mythology.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Vegam vara ragam vara thalam vara / Baavam vara thudikkum

Repetition of the ending sound '-vara' across consecutive rhythmic phrases creates a musical cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Nigaryedhu Enakku Nigar Yedhu' from Ponnoonjal (1973) is a celebrated 'Saval Paattu' (challenge song) composed by M. S. Vishwanathan and written by Kannadasan. It depicts a musical and philosophical clash between female pride and male supremacy, drawing heavy inspiration from the legendary cosmic dance duel between Shiva and Sakthi in Hindu lore.

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