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Thanga Kalasam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Rameswaram Parameswaram

From Thanga Kalasam · 1988

Lyricist
London Gopal
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Thanga Kalasam
Movie release year
1988
Lyrics added on
10 May 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Sindhuveli kanda thamizh naaareegamae
Sangam valarththa thamizh perum panpaade
Mootharignarum perum thalaivarum
Periyaar vazhi vantha perarignarum kalaignarum
Puratchi thalaivarum
Kalai valarththu nallaatchchi kanda thamazhagamae…
En thaayagamae idhuthaanaa un kalai mogam…
Rameshwaram parameshwaram
Kudichchaa kaamaeshwaram kama leelaeshwaram
Haan rameshwaram parameshwaram
Kudichchaa kaamaeshwaram kama leelaeshwaram
Ramar kadhai kanda bharatham
Kambaramayanam thantha thaayagam
Ramar kadhai kanda bharatham
Kambaramayanam thantha thaayagam
Rameshwaram parameshwaram
Kudichchaa kaamaeshwaram kama leelaeshwaram
Kooththaanadiya thaandavam parameshwaram
Kudiyan aadiya dancethaan kamaeshvaram
Kooththaanadiya thaandavam parameshwaram
Kudiyan aadiya dancethaan kamaeshvaram
Kooththadippathu naattiyamena kudiththavan solla
Paarththiliththu rasipathenbathu padiththavan seyalaa
Kooththadippathu naattiyamena kudiththavan solla
Paarththiliththu rasipathenbathu padiththavan seyalaa
Thinthaga thinthaga thinthaga thinthaga
Thinthaga thinthaga thinthaga thinthaga
Thinthaga thinthaga thinthaga thinthaga thai thai thaa……
Rameshwaram parameshwaram
Kudichchaa kaamaeshwaram kama leelaeshwaram
Aattakkari aadumpothu
Aadai kazhatti erivaanga
Koottaththodu koodiyirunthu
Kolam paarththu rasippaanga
Naanam achcham madam payirppu
Naalum vittu poyaachchu
Manam eenam panbu perumai
Yeadhum vendaam silarukku
Rameshwaram parameshwaram
Kudichchaa kaamaeshwaram kama leelaeshwaram
Ada….Rameshwaram parameshwaram
Kudichchaa kaamaeshwaram kama leelaeshwaram
………………….
I love you you kiss me
Society hai socity
I love you you kiss me
Society hai socity
Pazhamai panpaadu niraintha kalaiyingu
Rasippathillai adhai virumbavillai
Pazhamai panpaadu niraintha kalaiyingu
Rasippathillai adhai virumpavillai
Meale naattin mogaththil magizhnthiduvar
Pudhumai thempodu aadidanum
Meale naattin mogaththil magizhnthiduvar
Pudhumai thempodu aadidanum
Paalroom dance disco dance break dance
Paalroom dance disco dance break dance
Podu….Rameshwaram parameshwaram
Kudichchaa kaamaeshwaram kama leelaeshwaram
Ada….Rameshwaram parameshwaram
Kudichchaa kaamaeshwaram kama leelaeshwaram…haei….
Oh Tamil civilization born in the Indus Valley!
Oh great Tamil culture nurtured by the Sangam academies!
Wise statesmen and great leaders,
The great scholars and artists following Periyar's path,
And the Revolutionary Leader,
Oh Tamil land that nurtured the arts and saw good governance...
Oh my motherland, is this what your craze for art has become?
Rameswaram, Parameswaram!
When you drink, it is Kameswaram—just games of lust!
Haan, Rameswaram, Parameswaram!
When you drink, it is Kameswaram—just games of lust!
The land of India that saw the story of Rama,
The motherland that gave us the Kamba Ramayanam,
The land of India that saw the story of Rama,
The motherland that gave us the Kamba Ramayanam,
Rameswaram, Parameswaram!
When you drink, it is Kameswaram—just games of lust!
The cosmic dance performed by Shiva is Parameswaram,
The dance a drunkard does is Kameswaram!
The cosmic dance performed by Shiva is Parameswaram,
The dance a drunkard does is Kameswaram!
When a drunkard claims his clowning is classical dance,
Is watching, grinning, and enjoying it the act of an educated mind?
When a drunkard claims his clowning is classical dance,
Is watching, grinning, and enjoying it the act of an educated mind?
Thinthaka thinthaka thinthaka thinthaka,
Thinthaka thinthaka thinthaka thinthaka,
Thinthaka thinthaka thinthaka thinthaka thai thai thaa...
Rameswaram, Parameswaram!
When you drink, it is Kameswaram—just games of lust!
When the dancing girl dances,
They strip off their clothes and throw them away!
Sitting together in the crowd,
They watch the spectacle and enjoy it!
Modesty, fear, innocence, and reserve—
All four virtues are gone!
Self-respect, shame, culture, and pride—
Some people care for none of these!
Rameswaram, Parameswaram!
When you drink, it is Kameswaram—just games of lust!
Ah... Rameswaram, Parameswaram!
When you drink, it is Kameswaram—just games of lust!
...
"I love you, you kiss me!"
Society, high society!
"I love you, you kiss me!"
Society, high society!
The arts here, rich in ancient tradition and culture—
They do not appreciate them, they do not want them!
The arts here, rich in ancient tradition and culture—
They do not appreciate them, they do not want them!
Obsessed with Western ways, they lose themselves in delight,
Demanding, "Dance with modern energy!"
Obsessed with Western ways, they lose themselves in delight,
Demanding, "Dance with modern energy!"
Ballroom dance, disco dance, breakdance!
Ballroom dance, disco dance, breakdance!
Strike it up... Rameswaram, Parameswaram!
When you drink, it is Kameswaram—just games of lust!
Ah... Rameswaram, Parameswaram!
When you drink, it is Kameswaram—just games of lust... hey!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a social satire and lamentation over the decline of traditional Tamil arts, cultural values, and morality under the influence of alcoholism and Westernization. It contrasts the glorious heritage of Tamil Nadu—highlighting its roots in the Indus Valley Civilization, the Sangam era, literature like Kamba Ramayanam, and political icons like Periyar, Anna, Karunanidhi, and MGR—with the contemporary degradation where sacred traditions are corrupted by modern vices.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Kooththaanadiya thaandavam parameshwaram / Kudiyan aadiya dancethaan kamaeshvaram

Matching second consonants across successive lines, such as 'Sindhuveli' and 'Sangam' or 'Kooththaanadiya' and 'Kudiyan'.

Contrast / Antithesis

Kooththaanadiya thaandavam parameshwaram / Kudiyan aadiya dancethaan kamaeshvaram

Contrasting divine cosmic dance (Parameshwaram) with drunkard flailing (Kameshwara), and traditional heritage with modern westernized dance.

Irony and Satire

Kooththadippathu naattiyamena kudiththavan solla / Paarththiliththu rasipathenbathu padiththavan seyalaa

Satirizing society for mistaking drunken vulgarity for art and abandoning rich traditional values for western dance fads.

Enumeration / Literary Allusion

Naanam achcham madam payirppu

Listing traditional Tamil virtues ('Naanam achcham madam payirppu') and historical leaders to emphasize lost pride.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyrics refer to 'Naanam, achcham, madam, payirppu', which are four classic moral attributes ascribed to women in traditional Tamil literature (Tolkappiyam). The song also explicitly references key 20th-century political icons of Tamil Nadu: Periyar, Arignar Anna, Kalaignar Karunanidhi, and Puratchi Thalaivar M.G. Ramachandran.

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