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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Raaman Kathai Kelungal

From Sippikkul Muthu · 1985

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Sippikkul Muthu1985

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Raaman kadhai kelungalListen to the story of Rama
Raaman kadhai kelungalListen to the story of Rama
Sri ragu raaman kadhai kelungal….Listen to the story of Lord Raghurama...
Male
Raaman kadhai kelungal….Listen to the story of Rama...
Male
Alangaara seedhai azhagarasaalum kodhaiAdorned Sita, the fair maiden ruling with beauty
Vizhi kandu kudi konduSeeing her eyes and settling in her gaze
Aval vizhi kandu kudi konduTaking abode in her eyes
Manamaalai thanthaHe gave her the wedding garland
Male
Raaman kadhai kelungal….Listen to the story of Rama...
Male
Seedhaiyin suyamvaram nichchayikka patta naalilaeOn the day Sita's Swayamvaram was fixed
Janaganin mandapaththil maalai yaenthi vantha janagiyaiIn King Janaka's hall, Janaki arrived holding a garland
Vennilaa mannilaa vanthathu endruIs it the full moon that has descended onto the earth?
Mannavar ellaam paarkkaAs all the kings looked upon her
Sri ramachanthira moorthiWill Lord Ramachandra
Kanneduththu paarkka maattaaroNot turn his eyes to look at her?
Endru kavalai kondaargalaamThus worried anxiously
Seedhaa deviyin chella thozhigalSita Devi's beloved friends
Male
Raaman kadhai kelungalListen to the story of Rama
Raaman kadhai kelungalListen to the story of Rama
Sri ragu raaman kadhai kelungal….Listen to the story of Lord Raghurama...
Male
Raaman kadhai kelungal….Listen to the story of Rama...
Male
Puligalin palam konda purushargal vanthirunthaarMen with the strength of tigers had arrived
Sa ni tha pa ma ga ri saSa Ni Dha Pa Ma Ga Ri Sa
Yaanaiyin palam konda vendhargal angirunthaarKings with the strength of elephants were present there
Sa ga ri ga ma ni th ma ni niSa Ga Ri Ga Ma Ni Dha Ma Ni Ni
Male
Puligalin palam konda purushargal vanthirunthaarMen with the strength of tigers had arrived
Thaa thagitha thagajanu thaaThaa thagitha thagajanu thaa
Yaanaiyin palam konda vendhargal angirunthaarKings with the strength of elephants were present there
Thaga janu thagathimithagaThaga janu thagathimithaga
Tholil malaiyai thookkoya veerar vanthaarWarriors who could lift mountains on their shoulders came
Reethama pa maga reegaRi Dha Ma Pa Ma Ga Ri Ga
Idigalai kaiyil pidippavar palar irunthaar aahaa….Many were there who could grasp thunderbolts in their hands, aha!
Male
Nadanthaal seedhai nadanthaalAs Sita walked, she walked
Vizhi malarnthaal sabai alanthaalHer eyes blossomed, gracing the entire assembly
Varavu kandu aval azhagu kanduSeeing her arrival and seeing her supreme beauty
Siva thanusin naanum veenai pola adhirnthathuEven the string of Shiva's bow vibrated like a veena
Male
Raaman kadhai kelungalListen to the story of Rama
Kadhai kelungalListen to the story
Male
Villodikka angu vantha vendharThe kings who arrived there to break the bow
Tham pallathu udai pada vizhunthaarFell down breaking their own teeth
Silar ezhunthaar thodai thatti ezhunthavargalSome stood up beating their thighs in pride
Mutti theriththu vida sattendru bhoomiyil vizhunthaarTheir knees shattered and they instantly fell to the ground
Male
Villodikka angu vantha vendharThe kings who arrived there to break the bow
Tham pallathu udai pada vizhunthaarFell down breaking their own teeth
Chorus :Silar ezhunthaarChorus: Some stood up
Male :Thodai thatti ezhunthavargalMale: Those who stood up beating their thighs
Mutti theriththu vida sattendru bhoomiyil vizhunthaarTheir knees shattered and they instantly fell to the ground
Chorus :Aahaa sattendru bhoomiyil vizhunthaarChorus: Aha, they instantly fell to the ground
Male
Kaalum noga iru kaym nogaWith feet aching and both hands aching
Tham tholathu nogave azhuthaarThey cried as their shoulders ached
Silar iduppai pidiththa padiSome held onto their hips
Sulukku eduththa padi aasanam thedi amarnthaarSuffering from sprains, they searched for seats to sit
Aahaa veeram illaiyaaAha! Is there no valor left?
Villodikka aangal yaarum illaiyaaIs there no man capable of breaking the bow?
Male
{Aahaa veeram{Aha, valor...
Male and Chorus :IllaiyaaMale and Chorus: Is it gone?
Male :Villodikka aangal yaarumMale: To break the bow, are there any men...
Male and Chorus :Illaiyaa} (2)Male and Chorus: Is there no one?} (2)
Chorus
Raamaayaa raama pathraayaa rama santhiraaya namagaaSalutations to Ramaya, Ramabhadraya, Ramachandraya
Male
Dhasaratha ramanthaan thaavi vanthaanDasaratha's son Rama came leaping forward
Villaiyae oru kannaal paarththu nindraanHe stood looking at the bow with one eye
Chorus :Dhasaratha ramanthaan thaavi vanthaanChorus: Dasaratha's son Rama came leaping forward
Male :AamaamMale: Yes
Chorus :Villaiyae oru kannaal paarththu nindraanChorus: He stood looking at the bow with one eye
Male
Seedhaiyai maru kannaal paarththu nindraanHe looked at Sita with his other eye
Seedhaiyai maru kannaal paarththu nindraanHe looked at Sita with his other eye
Maru nodiyil villeduththu ambu thoduththaanThe very next moment, he lifted the bow and notched an arrow
Chorus :Maru nodiyil villeduththu ambu thoduththaanChorus: The very next moment, he lifted the bow and notched an arrow
Male
Pada pada pada pada pada padaWith a sharp snapping sound
Oliyudan murinthathu siva thanusuThe bow of Shiva broke into pieces
Antha oliyudan sirihthathu aval manasuAlong with that sound, her heart smiled happily
Jei jeya raama seedhaiyin raamaVictory to Rama, Sita's Rama
Chorus :Jei jeya raama seedhaiyin raamaChorus: Victory to Rama, Sita's Rama
Male
Dhasaratha raama janagan un mamaDasaratha's Rama, Janaka is your uncle
Chorus :Dhasaratha raama janagan un mamaChorus: Dasaratha's Rama, Janaka is your uncle
Male
Jei jeya rama seedhaiyin raamaVictory to Rama, Sita's Rama
Chorus :Jei jeya rama seedhaiyin raamaChorus: Victory to Rama, Sita's Rama
Male :Dhasaratha raama janagan un mamaMale: Dasaratha's Rama, Janaka is your uncle
Female
Seedhaa kalyaana vaipogamaeThe grand wedding festival of Sita
Sri raama kalyaana vaipogamaeThe grand wedding festival of Lord Rama
Chorus :Seedha kalyaana vaipogamaeChorus: The grand wedding festival of Sita
Sri raama kalyaana vaipogamaeThe grand wedding festival of Lord Rama
Female
Kaana kaana azhagaagumaeIt grows more beautiful as one beholds it
Innum aayiram kann vendumaeOne would need a thousand more eyes to witness it
Female and Chorus :Female and Chorus:
Kaana kaana azhagaagumaeIt grows more beautiful as one beholds it
Innum aayiram kann vendumaeOne would need a thousand more eyes to witness it
Male
Sri raamanae adho paarappaaLook over there at Lord Rama!
Male
Alangaara seedhai azhagarasaalum kodhaiAdorned Sita, the fair maiden ruling with beauty
Vizhi kandu kudi konduSeeing her eyes and settling in her gaze
Aval vizhi kandu kudi konduTaking abode in her eyes
Manamaalai thanthaHe gave her the wedding garland
Male
Raaman kadhai kelungal….Listen to the story of Rama...
Sri ragu raaman kadhai kelungal….Listen to the story of Lord Raghurama...
Male
Raaman kadhai kelungal….Listen to the story of Rama...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Raaman Kadhai Kelungal' from the film Sippikkul Muthu (1985) is a vivid musical story-telling performance narrating the epic episode of Sita's Swayamvaram from the Ramayana. Performed as a street play/folk song within the film narrative, it humorously portrays the arrival of arrogant kings boasting elephantine and tiger-like strength who fail miserably in lifting Lord Shiva's mighty bow (Siva Thanusu), injuring themselves in comical ways. The narrative reaches its crescendo when Dasaratha's son Rama steps forward, gazes at the bow and Sita, effortlessly lifts and snaps the divine bow, and wins Sita's hand in marriage amid grand celebration and festive singing.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Vennilaa mannilaa vanthathu endru

Compares Sita's arrival to the full moon descending onto the earth ('Vennilaa mannilaa vanthathu endru').

Hyperbole (Uvarchirpoo / Adukku Thodar)

Tholil malaiyai thookkoya veerar vanthaar

Exaggerates the strength of competing suitors who could lift mountains or grasp lightning bolts in their hands.

Simile (Uvamai)

Siva thanusin naanum veenai pola adhirnthathu

Compares the subtle vibration of Shiva's bow string upon seeing Sita to the melodic string of a musical veena ('veenai pola adhirnthathu').

Onomatopoeia (Esoliyakkam)

Pada pada pada pada pada pada

Use of rhythmic words 'Pada pada pada' to mimic the sudden snapping sound of Shiva's bow breaking.

Did you know?

Trivia

In the film 'Sippikkul Muthu' (the Tamil dubbed version of K. Viswanath's Telugu classic 'Swathi Muthyam'), Kamal Haasan plays an autistic man who performs this puppet-like folk musical on stage. Composed by Ilaiyaraaja, the song incorporates traditional Carnatic swaras and solkattu rhythmic syllables seamlessly within the storytelling lyricism written by Vairamuthu.

Keep listening

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