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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Paadinar Kavignar

From Thendral Veesum · 1962

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela, Chorus
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Thendral Veesum
Movie release year
1962
Lyrics added on
1 May 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Humming….
Humming ….
Ohoo paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Chorus :Paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Maan endraar pulli illai
Mayil endraar thogai illai
Thaen endraar meen endraar
Therindhu sonnara
Chorus :Thaen endraar meen endraar
Therindhu sonnara
Chorus :Paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Male :Paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Oho oho padinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Humming….
Humming ….
Ohoo paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Chorus :Paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Kaalai endraar kombum illai
Yaanai endraar thandham illai
Singam endraar veeran endraar
Therindhu sonnara
Chorus :Singam endraar veeran endraar
Therindhu sonnara
Chorus :Paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Female :Paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Oho oho padinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Humming
Kanniyarai panja varna kiligal endraarae
Ahaa kanniyargal kovai pazham thinbathillaiyae
Chorus :Kanniyarai panja varna kiligal endraarae
Ahaa kanniyargal kovai pazham thinbathillaiyae
Aadavarai puligal endru paadi veithaarae
Puli aadu thedi kaadu thedi odavillaiyae
Chorus :Aadavarai puligal endru paadi veithaarae
Puli aadu thedi kaadu thedi odavillaiyae
Anna nadai nadakavillai
Female :Kann irundhum kaanavillai
Male :Kanniyavarkku menmai illai
Female :Sonnavarukku moolai illai
Kaalai endraar kombum illai
Yaanai endraar thandham illai
Singam endraar veeran endraar
Therindhu sonnara
Paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Humming
Atcham illai naanam illai
Adakkam illaiaye
Idhil aangalukkum pengalukkum baedhamillaiyae
Female :Pen kulathai kaeli seidhaal veeram illaiyae
Idhil pengalukkum ungalukkum baedhamillaiyae
Vetri kollum aanmaiyandro
Female :Pettredukkum penmaiyandro
Male :Aanmai yindri penmai illaiyae
Female :Penmaiyindri aanmai illaiyae
Paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Female :Paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
Paadinaar kavinjar paadinaar
(Humming...)
(Humming...)
Oho, the poet sang, the poet sang!
Chorus: The poet sang, the poet sang!
He called her a deer, but she has no spots!
He called her a peacock, but she has no feathers!
He called her honey, he called her a fish,
did he really know what he was saying?
Chorus: He called her honey, he called her a fish,
did he really know what he was saying?
Chorus: The poet sang, the poet sang!
Male: The poet sang, the poet sang!
Oho oho, the poet sang, the poet sang!
(Humming...)
(Humming...)
Oho, the poet sang, the poet sang!
Chorus: The poet sang, the poet sang!
He called him a bull, but he has no horns!
He called him an elephant, but he has no tusks!
He called him a lion, he called him a warrior,
did he really know what he was saying?
Chorus: He called him a lion, he called him a warrior,
did he really know what he was saying?
Chorus: The poet sang, the poet sang!
Female: The poet sang, the poet sang!
Oho oho, the poet sang, the poet sang!
(Humming)
He called young women colorful parrots!
Aha, but young women don't eat ripe kova fruit!
Chorus: He called young women colorful parrots!
Aha, but young women don't eat ripe kova fruit!
He wrote songs calling men fierce tigers!
Yet this tiger doesn't hunt goats or roam the forest!
Chorus: He wrote songs calling men fierce tigers!
Yet this tiger doesn't hunt goats or roam the forest!
She doesn't walk with the grace of a swan!
Female: You have eyes, but you cannot see!
Male: Young women have no gentleness!
Female: The one who said so has no brains!
He called him a bull, but he has no horns!
He called him an elephant, but he has no tusks!
He called him a lion, he called him a warrior,
did he really know what he was saying?
The poet sang, the poet sang!
The poet sang, the poet sang!
The poet sang, the poet sang!
(Humming)
There is no fear, no shyness,
nor any modesty left!
In this, there is no difference between men and women!
Female: Mocking womankind is no show of courage!
In this, there is no difference between women and you!
Isn't winning victories the mark of manhood?
Female: Isn't giving birth the mark of womanhood?
Male: Without manhood, womanhood cannot exist!
Female: Without womanhood, manhood cannot exist!
The poet sang, the poet sang!
Female: The poet sang, the poet sang!
The poet sang, the poet sang!
Female
Chorus
Male
Male
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus
Male
Male
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful duet features a witty battle of sexes where both the male and female leads poke fun at conventional poetic metaphors used by classical Tamil bards. They humorously dismantle clichéd similes—such as comparing women to deer, peacocks, or parrots, and men to bulls, elephants, or tigers—pointing out the literal absurdity of these romantic tropes. As the playful banter escalates into a debate on gender superiority, both sides exchange sharp retorts about virtues like bravery, modesty, and intellect. Ultimately, the song arrives at a harmonious resolution, acknowledging the mutual interdependence and equality of men and women: masculinity and womanhood cannot exist without each other.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor Critique / Hyperbole

“Maan endraar pulli illai, Mayil endraar thogai illai”

Kannadasan satirizes classical Tamil poetic metaphors (Uvamai) by applying literal real-world logic to traditional similes like comparing women to spotted deer or peacocks.

Emona / Rhyme (Ethirai)

“Atcham illai naanam illai / Adakkam illaiaye”

Use of matching second-letter sounds across lines (e.g., 'Atcham', 'Adakkam') creating rhythmic Tamil poetic symmetry.

Antithesis / Parallelism

“Aanmai yindri penmai illaiyae / Penmaiyindri aanmai illaiyae”

Juxtaposition of complementary concepts (Masculinity vs. Womanhood) demonstrating mutual dependence and equality.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track features a delightful musical dialogue crafted by the iconic duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy with lyrics by Kannadasan. Kannadasan was famous for his deep mastery of traditional Tamil literature, making his tongue-in-cheek parody of poetic clichés all the more amusing and sophisticated.

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