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IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Pengale Ulaga Pengale

From Ratha Kanneer · 1954

Lyricist: Udumalai Narayanakavi
Singer: T. S. Bhagavathy
Music director: C. S. Jayaraman
Movie name: Ratha Kanneer
Movie release year: 1954
Lyrics added on: 18 Feb 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics

↻ English translation

Pengalae ulaga pengalae

Pengalae ulaga pengalae

Pizhaigal seipavar aangalandro

Pizhaigal seipavar aangalandro

Azhaivai adaipavar neengalandro

Pengalae ulaga pengalae

Anbu manaviyar thaniththu varunthida

Arumai naayagar piriyalaamo

Andir paravaiyum pettaiyai pirinthaal

Arai nodiyilae uyirvidumo

Ennudamibil naan paathi manaivi paathi

Endru sollum aadavargal

Maru vinaadi thanmaiyilaa kovalangal

Aagindraar enna neethi

Inba unarve uyirin iyarkkai

Idhaiyum marnthaar aadavargal

Ponnai pol manaivi irukkaiyil

Pothu magal thunai naadugindraar

Pengalae ulaga pengalae

Pengalidam karpai edhirpaarkkum aangal

Pengalaiye karpazhiththu thiriyalaamo

Pengalukkum aangalukkum

Karppu podhuvandro

Konda manaiviyar theruvir sendraal

Kobam kondidum aangal yaarum

Kanda pengalai annai endre

Karuthi vaazhvathu kadamaiyandro

Oru pennai ainthu per naaduvathum

Oru paavi arupathaayiram pengal

Urimai parippathum sarithaano

Penninaththai thaazhththum sathiyandro

Irulil ullathu paazhum ulagam

Magalir vedhanai endru vilagum

Paruva maatharin urimai kaaththida

Ariya sevai puriya vendum

Pengalae ulaga pengalae

Pizhaigal seipavar aangalandro

Azhaivai adaipavar neengalandro

Pengalae ulaga pengalae….

Women, oh women of the world!

Women, oh women of the world!

Is it not men who commit the wrongs?

Is it not men who commit the wrongs?

Yet aren't you the ones who end up ruined?

Women, oh women of the world...

While loving wives grieve all alone,

Should their beloved husbands abandon them?

If an andril bird (a legendary devoted lovebird) is separated from its mate,

It gives up its life in half a second!

"I am one half, and my wife is the other,"

So say these men,

Yet the next moment, they turn into unfaithful Kovalans—

What kind of justice is this?

Sharing love and joy is the true nature of life,

Yet men have forgotten even this.

While having a wife as precious as gold at home,

They run after other women.

Women, oh women of the world...

Men who demand purity from women—

Can they go around violating other women?

For both women and men,

Isn't moral fidelity equal to both?

If their wedded wives just step onto the street,

These men flare up with anger;

Shouldn't they view every woman they see as a mother,

And make that their duty in life?

Five men claiming one woman,

And one sinful man stealing away the rights

Of sixty thousand women—is that right?

Isn't this a conspiracy to demean womankind?

This wretched world remains in darkness;

When will the agony of women ever end?

To defend the rights of young women,

Dedicated service must be done!

Women, oh women of the world...

Is it not men who commit the wrongs?

Yet aren't you the ones who end up ruined?

Women, oh women of the world...

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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Pengalae Ulaga Pengalae' is a landmark reformist song from the 1954 Tamil film Ratha Kanneer, composed by C. S. Jayaraman with lyrics by the famous rationalist poet Udumalai Narayanakavi. The song strongly critiques patriarchal double standards, questioning why men demand strict chastity from women while indulging in moral laxity and infidelity themselves. Referencing classical literature such as Silappatikaram (Kovalan) as well as mythological tales, the song forcefully argues that chastity and moral standards must be equal for both men and women. Through poignant rhetorical questions, the lyrics call for a social awakening, demanding an end to female suffering and emphasizing the urgent duty to safeguard women's rights and dignity.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

“Anbu manaviyar thaniththu varunthida / Arumai naayagar piriyalaamo”

Repetition of initial sounds in consecutive lines, such as 'Anbu' and 'Arumai'.

Edugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Pizhaigal seipavar aangalandro / Azhaivai adaipavar neengalandro”

Rhyming of second letters in adjacent lines, a key Tamil prosodic device ('Pizhaigal' and 'Azhaivai').

Rhetorical Question

“Pengalukkum aangalukkum karppu podhuvandro”

Posing direct questions to challenge societal hypocrisy rather than expecting an answer.

Allusion

“Maru vinaadi thanmaiyilaa kovalangal aagindraar enna neethi”

Referencing Kovalan from Silappatikaram to symbolize husbands who abandon devoted wives for courtesans.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by Udumalai Narayanakavi for M. R. Radha's iconic film Ratha Kanneer (1954), this song reflects the Dravidian movement's social reform themes of the 1950s, advocating gender equality, rationalism, and moral accountability for men.

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