Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Tanka Dunga

From Paruthiveeran · 2007

Lyricist
Snehan
Singers
Kala, Laksmi
Music director
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Details
Paruthiveeran2007

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Vaigai srirangaapurathai serndhaWherever the Oyilattam group members belonging to Vaigai Srirangapuram are,
Oyilaatta kuzhuvinargal engirundhaalumwherever they may be,
Koyil munnbaaga amaindhirukkumin front of the temple,
Pandhalukku varumaaruto the marquee set up,
Thaazhmaiyudan kettukkolgiromwe humbly request you to come.
Aduthpadiyaaga kalkuruchiyai serndhaNext, belonging to Kalkurichi,
Naiyaandi melathaarargalthe Naiyaandi Melam musicians,
Kuzhuvinargal engirundhaalumwherever the group members are,
Vegu seekkiramaagavery quickly,
koyilukku munnbaaga amaindhirukkumin front of the temple,
Pandhalukku varumaaruto the marquee set up,
Miga thaazhmaiyudan kettukkolgiromwe very humbly request you to come.
Male
Yei danga dunga thavuttukkaariHey Danga Dunga bran-seller girl,
Manga sunga mavusukkaariii..aan…Manga Sunga full of style girl... ah...
Yei danga dunga thavuttukkaariHey Danga Dunga bran-seller girl,
Manga sunga mavusukkaariManga Sunga full of style girl,
Madurai town-ukkullaeInside Madurai town,
Yen mavusa konjam keladi pullaeAsk around about my fame/reputation, girl!
Madurai town-ukkullaeInside Madurai town,
Yen mavusa konjam keladi pullaeAsk around about my fame/reputation, girl!
Female
Yei allikeerai mallikeeraiHey water lily greens, jasmine greens,
Achchambaakkam agathikeerai…. aeee…..Achchambaakkam agathi greens... hey...
Male
Eppadi eppadiHow is that? How is that?
Female
Yei allikeerai mallikeeraiHey water lily greens, jasmine greens,
Achchambaakkam agathikeerai….Achchambaakkam agathi greens...
Vakkanaiya… unakku vakkanaiyaaDeliciously... to cook tasty food for you...
Samachchu vaikka…to cook...
Male
Appadiyaa…Is that so...
Female
Ennaiya pakkuvamaa paakkanunga…You must handle/treat me with great care...
Male :Haaannnn…Male: Haaannnn...
Female :Ada vakkanaiya… ada vakkanaiyaaFemale: Oh tastefully... to cook deliciously for you...
Samachchu vaikka…to cook...
Ennaiya pakkuvamaa paakkanunga…You must handle/treat me with care...
Male
Akka magalae sornamSister's daughter Sornam,
Enn pakkam neeyum varanum…. mm..You must come to my side... mm..
Female
Vandhiruvoooom….We will come...
Male
Akka magalae sornamSister's daughter Sornam,
Enn pakkam neeyum varanumYou must come to my side,
Maaman magalae mayilae mayilaeUncle's daughter, my peacock,
Machchaanukku halo solludi oyilae oyilaeSay hello to your cousin, with your graceful moves!
Maaman magalae mayilae mayilaeUncle's daughter, my peacock,
Machchaanukku halo solludi oyilae oyilaeSay hello to your cousin, with your graceful moves!
Female
Enna… engilipish-u thookkuthuWhat's this... English is flowing heavily!
Male :Hann… ellaam unnaiyaMale: Hann... all this happened only after
Paaththathukku appuranthaen….seeing you...
Melaiyum keezhaiyum yeruthu eranguthu…It goes up and down...
Female
Ennathu…What is that?
Male :Moochchuthaan…Male: It is my breath...
Female :Paaththu machchaan…Female: Be careful, cousin...
Moochchu soodaanaaIf your breath gets hot,
Munthi paththikittuthe saree end might catch fire,
Sandhi sirichchirum…and the whole street will mock us!
Unga love-sa ellaam orangattittuPut all your romance aside,
Vanthirukkiravangalukkuand to all the people who have gathered here,
Oru vanakkam sollunga…give a respectful greeting...
Male
Ayya vaarum sabaiyoraeWelcome, respected gathering,
Vayasila periyoraeelders in age,
Vaarum sabaiyoraewelcome, gathering,
Vayasila periyoraeelders in age,
Ayya koodum sabaiyoraeWelcome, gathered audience,
Gunaththula periyoraegreat in good character,
Koodum sabaiyoraegathered audience,
Gunaththula periyoraegreat in good character,
Male
Vanthanaminna vanthanamGreetings mean greetings,
Inga vantha sanamellaam kundhanumall the people who came here should sit down comfortably,
Vanthanaminna vanthanamGreetings mean greetings,
Inga vantha sanamellaam kundhanumall the people who came here should sit down comfortably,
Varumbozhuthu vaangi vanthenWhile coming, I brought along
Manakku naru santhanamfragrant, pure sandalwood powder,
Varumbozhuthu vaangi vanthenWhile coming, I brought along
Manakku naru santhanamfragrant, pure sandalwood powder,
Male
Indha santhanaththaApply this sandalwood,
Poosunga neengaapply it, all of you,
Santhosamaa kelungaand listen happily,
Santhanaththa poosungaApply the sandalwood,
Neenga santhosamaa kelungayou all listen with joy,
Male
Ye veththalathaanae podungaHey, chew the betel leaves,
Visiri irunthaa veesungaif you have a hand fan, fan yourselves,
Veththalathaanae podungaChew the betel leaves,
Visiri irunthaa veesungaif you have a hand fan, fan yourselves,
Male
Ayya veththalanna veththalaSir, betel leaves mean betel leaves,
Ithu veruganooru veththalathese are special betel leaves from Veruganoor,
Veththalanna veththalaBetel leaves mean betel leaves,
Ithu veruganooru veththalathese are betel leaves from Veruganoor,
Male
Atha vaangi vanthae oththaiyilaBuying them and eating them alone,
Vaaikku kooda paththalait wasn't even enough for one mouth,
Vaangi vanthae oththaiyilaBuying them and eating them alone,
Vaaikku kooda paththalait wasn't even enough for one mouth,
Male
Ayya neenga peththaSir, I am a child born
Pillai naanunga…to you all...
Amma neenga peththaMother, I am a child born
Pillai naanunga…to you all...
Paattil kurai irunthaaIf there are any flaws in our song,
Neenga konjam kandukkraatheenga…please do not mind or take offense...
Thirana thirana thirana thiraanaa…Thirana thirana thirana thiraanaa...
Female
Parama china enga ooruParama and China are our village,
Pakkam vanthu singaporeand near it is Singapore,
Parama china enga ooruParama and China are our village,
Pakkam vanthu singaporeand near it is Singapore,
Paarukku bayanthu naangaFearing the world, we
Vandhadhippo indha ooru…came to this village now...
Paarukku bayanthu naangaFearing the world, we
Vandhadhippo indha ooru…came to this village now...
Female
{Daei-a-maina daei-a-maina{Daei-a-maina daei-a-maina Daei-a-losai...}
Daei-a-maina daei-a-losai{Daei-a-maina daei-a-losai...}
Daei-a-maina daei-a-maina{Daei-a-maina daei-a-maina...}
Daei-a-maina daei-a-losai} (2){Daei-a-maina daei-a-losai...}
Male
Vanakkamaiyaa…Greetings sir...
Male
Unga kadhaiya kekkathaanDid we pay money to bring you here
Kaasu koduththu kottuvanthirukkomaajust to hear your life story?
Male
Yempaa aaduravangaHey dancers,
Konjam thalli thalli ninnu aadungappaa…stand a bit far apart and dance, men!
Idichchikittu vandhu ninneengannaIf you come and stand bumping into us,
Naanga paaduravangalukku epdihow can we singers
Eedu kodutthu aada mudiyummatch your pace and perform?
Male
Enga kula thangoi….Our community's treasure...
Devar kula singoi…The lion of the Devar clan...
Ezhilmuththu raamalingoi…. oooo… ooo…Handsome Muthuramalingam...
Ezhilmuththu raamalingoi….Handsome Muthuramalingam...
Male
Ullam uruga enga thaangoiWith melting hearts, our protector,
Mukkulaththa maavarasingoithe great lion of the Mukkulathor...
Ullam uruga enga thaangoiWith melting hearts, our protector,
Mukkulaththa maavarasingoithe great lion of the Mukkulathor...
Kundrinadiyilae yirundhaarHe stayed at the foothills of the hill,
kumaranaiyae ninaiththirundhaarconstantly thinking of Lord Murugan,
Kundrinadiyilae yirundhaarHe stayed at the foothills of the hill,
Kumaranaiyae ninaiththirundhaarconstantly thinking of Lord Murugan,
Male
Pasumponnai kaakkavaeTo protect Pasumpon,
Paarivallal adainthoi…you attained the glory of Paari Vallal...
Pasumponnai kaakkavaeTo protect Pasumpon,
Paarivallal adainthoi…you attained the glory of Paari Vallal...
Pasumpul thangamaiyyaa… oooo….Oh golden man Pasumpon...
Pasumpul thangamaiyyaa…Oh golden man Pasumpon...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This sequence from 'Paruthiveeran' captures an authentic rural street-play and temple festival performance in the Karagattam/Naiyaandi Melam folk tradition. It opens with formal village announcements requesting troupe members and musicians to gather at the temple marquee. What follows is playful, romantic banter between male and female folk artists, mixing witty rhymes, teasing local slang, and comic interactions with the crowd. As the performance transitions into addressing the audience, the artists perform traditional welcoming verses ('Sabai Alangaaram'), greeting the elders, distributing sandalwood and betel leaves, and asking forgiveness for any flaws in their act. Finally, the performance segues into traditional community songs praising historical icon Pasumpon Muthuramalingam Thevar, reflecting the rich, grassroots cultural setting of rural Madurai.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (End Rhyming)

Ayya vaarum sabaiyorae / Vayasila periyorae

Matching end suffixes ('-orae') in 'sabaiyorae' and 'periyorae' create rhythmic harmony in the audience greeting.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Parama china enga ooru / Pakkam vanthu singapore

Repetition of initial consonant sound 'Pa' in 'Parama' and 'Pakkam'.

Second-letter Rhyming (Ethukai)

Kundrinadiyilae yirundhaar / Kumaranaiyae ninaiththirundhaar

Matching 'ndr' sound in the second syllable of 'Kundrinadiyilae' and 'Kumaranaiyae'.

Folk Refrain / Vocalise

Daei-a-maina daei-a-losai

Rhythmic meaningless vocal syllables used to maintain dance tempo and crowd energy during folk theater.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja with lyrics by Snehan, director Ameer recorded authentic folk artists on location to recreate real 'Naiyaandi Melam' and street theater performance audio, giving 'Paruthiveeran' its celebrated documentary-like realism.

Keep listening

More from Paruthiveeran