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IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Vaai Thirandhu

From Thanga Padhumai · 1959

Lyricist: Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
Singer: P. Leela
Music director: Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name: Thanga Padhumai
Movie release year: 1959
Lyrics added on: 20 Jul 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics

↻ English translation

Vaai thirandhu sollamma?

Vaai thirandhu sollamma?

Un magalin kadhai kaelamma

Thunbam karai kadanthu pona pinbum maunama?

Needhi murai kadantha neeyum pengal deivamaa

Vaai thirandhu sollamma?

Un magalin kadhai kaelamma

Thunbam karai kadanthu pona pinbum maunama?

Needhi murai kadantha neeyum pengal deivamaa

Vaai thirandhu sollamma?

Madura thirunagaramadhira

Sigarathodu kuralum uyara

Marai kattravar padhara

Pori sidhariya naavengae

Madura thirunagaramadhira

Sigarathodu kuralum uyara

Marai kattravar padhara

Pori sidhariya naavengae

Magara kodiyum

Kottravanin mani pon mudiyum

Kattodu mannil veezha pongiya manamengae

Magara kodiyum

Kottravanin mani pon mudiyum

Kattodu mannil veezha pongiya manamengae

Manamengae manamengae manamengae

Kanniludhirum malar eduthu

Karppu naaril saram thoduthu

Ananiyae un kaal adiyil saattrinen

Kanniludhirum malar eduthu

Karppu naaril saram thoduthu

Ananiyae un kaal adiyil saattrinen

Dhinam aalayathil anbu vilakaettrinen

Unnai nambi nambi endrum pottrinen

Indru oliyilandha kanavarodu nirkkiren

Unnai nambi nambi endrum pottrinen

Indru oliyilandha kanavarodu nirkkiren

Oliyilandha kanavarodu nirkkiren

Oliyilandha kanavarodu nirkkiren

Sembum kallum deivam endru

Nambuvorgal pitharendru

Sithargal uraitha mozhi meithaano?

Sirpigal sedhukki vaitha

Sithira silaigalukkul

Devi vandhirupadhuvum poi thaano?

Thani silambeduthu oorthazharpada

Sinatherindha sakthiyundena padaitha karvamoo?

Manaisugam keduthu kanmani sudarthanai parithu

Vaada vaithal nee valartha dharmamoo?

Amma ..amma..amma…amma….

Open your mouth and speak, mother!

Open your mouth and speak, mother!

Listen to your daughter's story, mother!

Even after sorrow has crossed all limits, why are you silent?

When you ignore justice, are you truly the goddess of women?

Open your mouth and speak, mother!

Listen to your daughter's story, mother!

Even after sorrow has crossed all limits, why are you silent?

When you ignore justice, are you truly the goddess of women?

Open your mouth and speak, mother!

Making the holy city of Madurai tremble,

with your voice rising as high as the mountain peaks,

making scholars of the scriptures shudder in fear,

where is that tongue that showered sparks of fire?

Making the holy city of Madurai tremble,

with your voice rising as high as the mountain peaks,

making scholars of the scriptures shudder in fear,

where is that tongue that showered sparks of fire?

Bringing down the fish-emblem flag

and the king's jeweled golden crown

all crashing to the dust, where is that fiery heart?

Bringing down the fish-emblem flag

and the king's jeweled golden crown

all crashing to the dust, where is that fiery heart?

Where is that heart? Where is that heart? Where is that heart?

Gathering the tears falling like flowers from my eyes,

stringing them into a garland on the thread of faithfulness,

O mother, I laid it at your feet!

Gathering the tears falling like flowers from my eyes,

stringing them into a garland on the thread of faithfulness,

O mother, I laid it at your feet!

Every day in your temple, I lit the lamp of love,

trusting you completely and singing your praise.

Today, I stand beside my husband who has lost his sight.

Trusting you completely, I sang your praise,

yet today, I stand beside my husband who has lost his sight!

I stand beside my husband who has lost his sight!

I stand beside my husband who has lost his sight!

That those who believe copper and stone are gods

are nothing more than fools—

is that saying of the Siddha sages true after all?

Inside the figures carved by sculptors,

within these sculpted stone statues,

is the dwelling of the goddess also a lie?

Raising a single anklet and setting the city ablaze,

is it pride that you hold the power to burn in rage?

Ruining the joy of our home, snatching the light from his eyes,

and leaving us to wither—is this the righteousness you nurtured?

Mother... Mother... Mother... Mother!

Female

Female

Female

Female

Female

Female

Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

In this powerful emotional lament from Thanga Padhumai (1959), the heroine passionately questions Goddess Kannagi (or the divine mother idol) regarding the injustice inflicted upon her sightless husband. She invokes the historic legend of Kannagi, who burned down Madurai in rage when her husband Kovalan was falsely executed, questioning why that legendary divine anger and justice are absent now when a devoted woman stands suffering beside her blind husband. She questions the efficacy of idol worship and whether the Siddhar philosophers were right in calling stone-worship meaningless, pouring out her agonizing disillusionment after a lifetime of devotion.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Madura thirunagaramadhira”

Repetition of the second consonant 'dh' across consecutive lines (Madura / Sigarathodu / Marai).

Metaphor (Uruvam)

“Kanniludhirum malar eduthu / Karppu naaril saram thoduthu”

Comparing tears to flowers ('Kanniludhirum malar') and chastity to a thread ('Karppu naaril').

Rhetorical Question (Sembulam)

“Sithargal uraitha mozhi meithaano?”

Challenging the divinity of the goddess through piercing rhetorical questions regarding idol worship and justice.

Alliteration (Monaai)

“Sirpigal sedhukki vaitha / Sithira silaigalukkul”

Initial sound agreement using 'S' sounds across 'Sirpigal', 'Sedhukki', and 'Sithira'.

Did you know?

Trivia

This song is one of the grand classic Tamil film compositions featuring P. Leela's intense classical vocal capabilities set to Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy's dramatic composition. Lyricist Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram incorporated rationalist arguments popularized by the Dravidian movement into classical Tamil poetry, referencing the legendary Kannagi from the epic Silappatikaram alongside Siddhar philosophy.

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