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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Unakku Kumbam Vilakki

From Yer Munai · 1992

Lyricist
Chellamuthu
Singer
Chellamuthu
Music director
L. Vaithiya Nathan
Details
Yer Munai1992

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Mmmmmmmm….Mmmmmmmm…
Unakku kumbam vilakkiyalloThe sacred pot ritual was performed for you
Kumbam vilakkiyalloThe pot ritual was performed
Guru poosa naan mudichchenI finished the Guru worship
Guru poosa naan mudichchenI finished the Guru worship
Male :SaamiMale: Oh Lord/Swami
Male
Unakku keragam vilakkiyalloThe karagam ritual was performed for you
Keragam vilakkiyalloThe karagam ritual was performed
Kadaisi poosa naan mudichchenI finished the final worship
Male :SaamiMale: Oh Lord/Swami
Male
Inga kulaththa pulambuthaiyyaaHere the community is weeping, sir
Kulaththa pulambuthaiyyaaThe community is weeping, sir
Kuvalaiyaththil vanthirangiDescend upon this world
Kuvalaiyaththil vanthirangiDescend upon this world
Male :SaamiMale: Oh Lord/Swami
Male
Ingu yaezhai pulambuthaiyyaaHere the poor man is weeping, sir
Yaezhai pulambuthaiyyaa enjaami vanthiranguThe poor man is weeping, my Lord, please descend
Enjaami vanthiranguMy Lord, please descend
Male :SaamiMale: Oh Lord/Swami
Male
Nee vengakkallum maedu vittuLeaving the rocky high ground
Veguthooram vanthiranguDescend from afar
Veguthooram vanthiranguDescend from afar
Male :SaamiMale: Oh Lord/Swami
Male
Nee sennimalaiya vittuLeaving Sennimalai
Seevanmala ella vittuLeaving the borders of Sivanmalai
Seekkiramaa vanthiranguDescend quickly
Male :SaamiMale: Oh Lord/Swami
Male
Angae Naalu kattu veedumappaaOver there is a traditional four-winged house, sir
Nada vachcha santhumappaaThere is an alleyway to walk through, sir
Keezhamelu veedhiyappaaAn east-west running street, sir
Semmanaaru santhumapaaA red soil pathway lane, sir
Male :SaamiMale: Oh Lord/Swami
Male
Angae naalu kaal seevanappaaOver there are four-legged creatures, sir
Nadakkum porulumappaaAnd walking belongings, sir
Paadhaala jodi kannuPair of subterranean eyes
Paaththitturunthu sonnaenI saw and spoke
Male :SaamiMale: Oh Lord/Swami
Male
Adaei…..undunnaa undunnaenHey... if it exists, I said it exists
Illaiyinnaa illaiyinnaaenIf it does not, I said it does not
Male :Ennappaa….kanakku vanthathaaMale: What sir... did the accounting work out?
Male: saami oru pirivu sikkalaiyae saamiMale: Lord, one division is not resolving, Lord
Male :Dei engappan thottaa vedi eduththuMale: Hey, my father takes explosives from the field
Thupaakki kundeduththu vaaraandaa vaarandaaHe comes with gun bullets, he is coming
Male
Ippa kanakku vanthathaaNow did the calculation match?
Male :Saami ippa kanakku vantha maadhuri irukkuMale: Lord, now it seems like the calculation matches
Male :Enna nenachchae sollu paarkkalamMale: Say what you were thinking, let us see
Male :Saami mettu kaattula kenaru vettinaaMale: Lord, if we dig a well in the elevated dry land
Thanni varumaanu kettenI asked if water would come
Male
Adaei naan appan aayaa sonnaendaaHey, did I speak like a mother or father?
Appan aayaa sonnaendaaDid I speak like a mother or father?
Padhaala jodinnu paaththuttu vanthu sonnaenI saw through subterranean vision and told you
Paaththuttu vanthu sonnaenI saw and came to tell you
Male :SaamiMale: Oh Lord/Swami
Male
Ennaiya nenachchu neeyiThinking of me, you
Padhinaaru mozham vettappaaDig sixteen cubits deep, my man
Naan thanniya eduththu thaaraenI will bring up the water for you
Thaagaththa theerththu thaaraenI will quench your thirst
Un thaagaththa theerththu thaaraenI will quench your thirst
Male
Sari saamil intha varusamAlright Lord, this year
Eppa mazha peiyyumWhen will it rain?
Kaveriyil eppa saami thanni varumWhen will water flow in Kaveri, Lord?
Male
Dei ennai vambukku izhukkaathadaaHey, do not drag me into trouble
Vambukku izhukkaathadaaDo not drag me into trouble
Varambu meeri pesaathadaaDo not cross your boundaries while speaking
Male
Naan pala maadum maeikkiravanI am one who grazes many cattle
Pala maadum meikkirvanOne who grazes many cattle
Malai yeari poraendoI am climbing up the mountain and going
Malai yeari poraendoI am climbing up the mountain and going
Arakaraa arakaraa arokaraa……Arokara, Arokara, Arokara...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This dramatic folk-dialogue song from 'Yer Munai' portrays a traditional village scene featuring a local oracle/shaman ('Saami') and villagers seeking divine guidance. The villagers perform sacred rituals (kumbam, karagam, guru poojai) and invite the deity to descend and solve their worldly worries, property distribution dilemmas, and agricultural hardships.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora (Repetition)

Kumbam vilakkiyallo / Keragam vilakkiyallo

Repetition of invocation lines and refrains creates a hypnotic, ritualistic tempo suited for shamanic trance.

Dialectal Register (Vattara Vazhakku)

Nee vengakkallum maedu vittu

Use of specific Kongu Tamil rural vocabulary like 'vengakkallu', 'seevanappaa', and 'padhinaaru mozham' grounds the song in authentic local agricultural lore.

Ethirai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Nee sennimalaiya vittu / Seevanmala ella vittu

Matching second consonants across consecutive lines provides rhythm in spoken dialogue.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song vividly captures the folk practice of 'Sami Aaduval' (deity invocation) and water divining ('Paadhala jodi kannu') widespread in rural Western Tamil Nadu.

Keep listening

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