- Lyricist
- Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
- Singers
- J. P. Chandrababu, A. G. Rathnamala
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Mahadevi
- Movie release year
- 1957
- Lyrics added on
- 7 Aug 2022
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This humorous folk song from Mahadevi (1957) depicts a lively battle of wits between a man and a woman. The male singer begins by claiming that while wild animals like rutting elephants and fierce tigers can be trusted, saree-clad women cannot be trusted, as doing so leads a man to destitution and wandering as a folk singer. The female singer retorts that while even venomous snakes can be trusted, trusting an army soldier leads to holding a begging bowl. They playfully exchange taunts questioning each other's virtue and capability. The debate escalates to a philosophical argument about divine superiority—whether the Goddess (representing women) or the Lord (representing men) is supreme. Ultimately, they reach a sweet, harmonious conclusion: when the Goddess and the Lord unite, nothing in the world surpasses that oneness, rendering all their previous arguments and sorrowful folk chants completely unnecessary.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor / Extreme Comparison
“Kolamaam madha yaanaiyai nambalaam”
Compares trusting women or soldiers to trusting wild elephants, tigers, or venomous snakes to highlight extreme skepticism in a comedic fashion.
Folk Refrain (Solkattu)
“Thannananna pattu paadanum”
Uses rhythmic nonsense syllables ('Thannananna', 'Thundananna') characteristic of traditional Tamil street plays (Therukoothu) and folk songs to symbolize wandering minstrelsy.
Onomatopoeia (Anukaranam)
“Adi kinnkini kinnkini kinnkini”
'Kinnkini' mimics the tinkling sound of traditional anklets or small bells worn by dancers.
Iyaibu (Rhyme / Parallel Structure)
“Kodum vengai puliyaiyum nambalaam”
Parallel sentence structures ending with 'nambalaam' create a rhythmic, catchy cadence across stanzas.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by the renowned duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy with lyrics by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass, this iconic comedy track features the vocal talents of J. P. Chandrababu and A. G. Rathinamala. Chandrababu, an accomplished actor, singer, and dancer, brought his unique energetic folk and western-infused theatrical vocal style to this track.
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