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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thanjai Periya Koil

From Rajaraja Chozhan · 1972

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. R. Mahalingam, Seerkazhi Govindarajan, S. Varalakshmi
Music director
Kunnakudi Vaithiyanathan
Movie name
Rajaraja Chozhan
Movie release year
1972
Lyrics added on
11 Mar 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Nanjai kazhanigalin naayaganae nee vaazhga
Nadanamidum kaveri kaavalanae nee vaazhga
Thanjamena varuvorkku thanjam vazhangukindra
Thanjai peruvudaiya thalaivanae nee vaazhga
Venjamaril vettri kandu
Anjalikkum makkalukkor
Vinnuyar periya koyil thantha
Veera raja raja chozhanae nee vaazhga
Thanjai periya koyil pallaandu vaazhgavae
Thanjai periya koyil pallaandu vaazhgavae
Thanjai periya koyil pallaandu vaazhgavae
Thaaraniyil tamil pola nilai nindru vaazhgavae
Thaaraniyil tamil pola nilai nindru vaazhgavae
Thanjai periya koyil pallaandu vaazhgavae
Moondru nilangalukkum mudi soottinaan
Puvanam muzhuthum puli poriththa kodi naattinaan
Moondru nilangalukkum mudi soottinaan
Puvanam muzhuthum puli poriththa kodi naattinaan
Thondrum idangalil than pugazh naattinaan
Thondrum idangalil than pugazh naattinaan
Endrum chozhar paramparaikkae vazhi kaattinaan
Chozhar paramparaikkae vazhi kaattinaan
Chozhan vazhi kaattinaan…..
Aayakalaigal pala nilai naattinaan
Tamil aalum aringyargalukku sabhai koottinaan
Kanni tamil aallum aringyargalukku sabhai koottinaan
Thooyavarthamar vaazhvil thunai koottinaan
Chozhan thottathaiyellaam ponnaakkinaan
Thottathaiyellaam ponnaakkinaan
Chozhan ponnaakkinaan
Aram kaakka arasaalai uruvaakkinaan
Aa….aa…aa….aa….aa….aa…aa…aa….aa….aa…aa…
Aram kaakka arasaalai uruvaakkinaan
Maram kaakka padaichaalai uruvaakkinaan
Uyar kalvi koodangal uruvaakkinaan
Bakthi valarnthida aalayam uruvaakkinaan
Chozhan uruvaakkinaan…..
Thanjai periya koyil pallaandu vaazhgavae
Thaaraniyil tamil pola nilai nindru vaazhgavae
Thaaraniyil tamil pola nilai nindru vaazhgavae
Thanjai periya koyil pallaandu vaazhgavae
Long live the lord of the fertile fields!
Long live the protector of the dancing River Kaveri!
You who grant refuge to all who come seeking shelter,
Long live, great lord of Thanjavur!
Winning victories in fierce battles,
and giving to the devoted people
a great temple reaching up to the skies,
Long live, heroic Raja Raja Chola!
May the Great Temple of Thanjavur endure for ages!
May the Great Temple of Thanjavur endure for ages!
May the Great Temple of Thanjavur endure for ages!
May it stand forever in this world, just like the Tamil language!
May it stand forever in this world, just like the Tamil language!
May the Great Temple of Thanjavur endure for ages!
He wore the crowns of three kingdoms,
and planted his tiger flag across the world!
He wore the crowns of three kingdoms,
and planted his tiger flag across the world!
Wherever he went, he established his fame!
Wherever he went, he established his fame!
He showed the path for the Chola dynasty forever,
He showed the path for the Chola dynasty,
The Chola showed the way...
He nurtured and established the fine arts,
and gathered assemblies of scholars who mastered Tamil!
He gathered assemblies of scholars who mastered timeless Tamil!
He brought support to the lives of noble souls,
The Chola turned everything he touched into gold!
Turned everything he touched into gold!
The Chola turned it to gold!
To protect justice, he built halls of governance,
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
To protect justice, he built halls of governance,
To uphold valor, he built training halls for his warriors,
He built centers of higher learning,
and raised temples so devotion would flourish!
The Chola built them all...
May the Great Temple of Thanjavur endure for ages!
May it stand forever in this world, just like the Tamil language!
May it stand forever in this world, just like the Tamil language!
May the Great Temple of Thanjavur endure for ages!
Male
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Female
Chorus
Chorus
Chorus
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Female
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Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This grand hymn is a panegyric dedicated to the legendary Chola emperor, Raja Raja Chola I, and his architectural masterpiece, the Brihadisvara Temple (Tanjore Big Temple). It lauds the monarch as a brave warrior, a benevolent patron of arts, education, and righteousness, and the protector of the fertile Chola realm along the Kaveri river. The lyrics wish eternal life and renown to the majestic temple, drawing a direct parallel between the temple's timeless magnificence and the eternal vitality of the Tamil language itself.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethukai (Monorhyme / Second Letter Rhyming)

“Nanjai kazhanigalin naayaganae / Nadanamidum kaveri kaavalanae / Thanjamena varuvorkku / Thanjai peruvudaiya”

In Tamil poetry, Ethukai is the agreement of the second letter in consecutive lines. Here 'Nan-jai', 'Na-danamidum', 'Than-jamena', and 'Than-jai' show second-letter consonantal harmony.

Simile (Upamai)

“Thaaraniyil tamil pola nilai nindru vaazhgavae”

Comparing the endurance and permanence of the Tanjore Big Temple to the timeless existence of the Tamil language.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Aram kaakka arasaalai uruvaakkinaan / Maram kaakka padaichaalai uruvaakkinaan / Uyar kalvi koodangal uruvaakkinaan”

Repetition of identical verb suffixes at the end of consecutive lines to create a rhythmic chant effect.

Did you know?

Trivia

This iconic song belongs to the 1972 historical drama 'Rajaraja Chozhan', which was the first CinemaScope film released in Tamil. Starring Sivaji Ganesan in the title role, the song highlights legendary vocalists T. R. Mahalingam and Seerkazhi Govindarajan in a grand musical praise composed by Kunnakudi Vaithiyanathan.

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