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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vaanga Ungalaithaan

From Baghdad Perazhagi · 1973

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singer
L. R. Eswari
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Baghdad Perazhagi1973

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Vaanga….Come...
Vaanga ungalaiththaan vaangaCome, it is you I am welcoming, come!
Unga varavu nalvaravuthaangaYour arrival is a welcome one indeed!
Vaanga ungalaiththaan vaangaCome, it is you I am welcoming, come!
Unga varavu nalvaravuthaangaYour arrival is a welcome one indeed!
Female
Paarththaa pasu pola neengaTo look at, you seem as gentle as a cow,
Sathi pannuvathil pulithaanga pongaBut when it comes to plotting treachery, you are a fierce tiger!
Paarththaa pasu pola neengaTo look at, you seem as gentle as a cow,
Sathi pannuvathil pulithaanga pongaBut when it comes to plotting treachery, you are a fierce tiger!
Female
Aah vaanga ungalaiththaan vaangaAh, come, it is you I am welcoming, come!
Unga varavu nalvaravuthaangaYour arrival is a welcome one indeed!
Female
Paarththaal theriyalaiyaa moonaa vilaasamIs it not obvious at first glance that he is third-rate?
Pallaakku selvaakku enna ivar ullaasamLook at his palanquin, influence, and grand luxury!
Paarththaal theriyalaiyaa moonaa vilaasamIs it not obvious at first glance that he is third-rate?
Pallaakku selvaakku enna ivar ullaasamLook at his palanquin, influence, and grand luxury!
Vaatta saattamaaga valarntha udal pollaathathuThis robust, well-built body of his is treacherous,
Moolai onnu mattum ivarukkittae illaathathuYet a brain is the single thing he completely lacks!
Female
………………....
Female
Vaanga ungalaiththaan vaangaCome, it is you I am welcoming, come!
Unga varavu nalvaravuthaangaYour arrival is a welcome one indeed!
Female
Maanam evarkkumae ponaa varaathuOnce self-respect is lost for anyone, it never returns,
Pattaalum kettaalum chinna puththi vidaathuNo matter how much pain or defeat they face, petty nature never leaves!
Maanam evarkkumae ponaa varaathuOnce self-respect is lost for anyone, it never returns,
Pattaalum kettaalum chinna puththi vidaathuNo matter how much pain or defeat they face, petty nature never leaves!
Female
Masthaan veshamellaamAll this disguise of being a holy master,
Kalainjuthaiyyaa paaraa ushaarHas collapsed; look out and stay alert!
Sulthaan aasaiyellaamAll these grand ambitions of becoming a Sultan,
Paranthu vidum nainaa bajaarWill fly away into thin air, my friend!
Female
Vaanga ungalaiththaan vaangaCome, it is you I am welcoming, come!
Unga varavu nalvaravuthaangaYour arrival is a welcome one indeed!
Female
Odhum manthiraththila maangaai vizhaathuMangoes will not fall down just by chanting incantations,
Ponaasai mannaasaiLust for gold and greed for land...
Odhum manthiraththila maangaai vizhaathuMangoes will not fall down just by chanting incantations,
Ponaasai mannaasaiLust for gold and greed for land...
Unnai endrum vidaathuWill never let you go!
Oomai veshamittu ulavarinthaen untha vasamDisguised as a mute, I gathered secret intelligence around you,
Female
Aadum aattamellaamAll the deceptive games you play,
Mudichchu vaippaen allaa kasamI will put an end to them, I swear by Allah!
Allaa kasam allaa kasam allaa kasam aahaaI swear by Allah, by Allah, by Allah, aahaa!
Allaa kasam allaa kasam allaa kasam aahaaI swear by Allah, by Allah, by Allah, aahaa!
Female
Vaanga ungalaiththaan vaangaCome, it is you I am welcoming, come!
Aah unga varavu nalvaravuthaangaAh, your arrival is a welcome one indeed!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This energetic song from 'Baghdad Perazhagi' (1973) features a cunning and sarcastic confrontation disguised as a welcoming dance performance. The singer mockingly welcomes the antagonist while systematically exposing his hypocrisy, greed, lack of intelligence, and treacherous plots. She uses sharp metaphors comparing his innocent outward appearance to a cow, while inside he harbors the ruthlessness of a tiger.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor / Simile (Uvamai)

Paarththaa pasu pola neenga / Sathi pannuvathil pulithaanga ponga

Compares the deceptive person to a cow ('pasu pola') in appearance, but a tiger ('puli') in plotting treachery.

Rhyme / Rhyming pattern (Edhugai & Monai)

Pallaakku selvaakku enna ivar ullaasam

Uses matching internal rhymes such as 'Pallaakku' / 'Selvaakku' and 'Ponaasai' / 'Mannaasai'.

Proverbial / Idiomatic Expression (Pazhamozhi)

Odhum manthiraththila maangaai vizhaathu

Uses the popular Tamil proverb 'Odhum manthiraththil maangaai vizhaathu' (chanting mantras won't make mangoes fall) to mock empty schemes and wishful thinking.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Baghdad Perazhagi' (1973) starred Ravichandran and Jayalalithaa. L. R. Eswari's seductive yet threatening vocal delivery combined with M. S. Viswanathan's Middle-Eastern inspired orchestration made this dance-confrontation track a classic highlight of 1970s Tamil cinema.

Keep listening

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