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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vande Mataram

From Ezhuthatha Sattangal · 1984

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singers
P. Jayachandran, Vani Jairam, Chorus
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Ezhuthatha Sattangal1984

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
……………...
Male
Vanthae maatharam enbom…..We shall say Vande Mataram...
Engal maanila thaayai vananguthum enbom…We shall say we bow to our motherland...
Male
Seppu mozhi padhinettudaiyaalShe speaks eighteen languages,
Enil sinthanai ondrudaiyaalYet her mind and thought are one.
Seppu mozhi padhinettudaiyaalShe speaks eighteen languages,
Enil sinthanai ondrudaiyaalYet her mind and thought are one.
Muppathu kodi mugam udaiyaalShe has three hundred million faces,
Uyir moipura ondrudaiyaalYet her soul within is one.
Female
Naan orr velli paniyilI am a girl who prances and leaps
Thulli thiriyum ponnuAmidst the silvery snow.
Inikkum apple pazhamumSweet apple fruit and
Engal mozhiyum onnuOur language are one and the same.
Female
Kashmir mozhi roja senduThe Kashmiri language is a bouquet of roses,
Hassal ennum paadal unduWith songs like the sweet Rouf/Hassal.
Kashmir mozhi roja senduThe Kashmiri language is a bouquet of roses,
Hassal ennum paadal unduWith songs like the sweet Rouf/Hassal.
Female
Naan orr velli paniyilI am a girl who prances and leaps
Thulli thiriyum ponnuAmidst the silvery snow.
Female
Senthamizh enbathu engal mozhiPure Tamil is our language,
Kural thaenmarai thantha mozhiThe language that gave the honey-scripture Thirukkural.
Senthamizh enbathu engal mozhiPure Tamil is our language,
Kural thaenmarai thantha mozhiThe language that gave the honey-scripture Thirukkural.
Vanthavar yaaraenum vaazhththum mozhiA language that welcomes and nurtures anyone who arrives,
Intha vaiyaththin mooththa mozhiThe oldest language in this world.
Male
………………...
Female
Vangaalam singam nethaji thantha perumaiThe pride bestowed by the Lion of Bengal, Netaji,
Engal mozhiyai saarumBelongs directly to our language.
Ulagam pottrum kaviyarasar tagoreThe world-renowned poet laureate Tagore
Oruvan pothum engal peyar sollaIs alone enough to speak our glorious name,
Engal peyar solla engal peyar solla…..To speak our name, to speak our name...
Male
………………...
Female
Kalangal engum konjum engal naadalloIs not our land one where beauty smiles everywhere?
Palaavum thaenum saerththu pesum pechchalloIs not our speech sweet, combining jackfruit and honey?
Malaiyalam engal thaayin thaayalloIs not Malayalam the mother of our motherland?
Ezhuththachchan vanthu achchaaram thanthalloEzhuthachan came and laid the sacred foundation!
Munnae naangal pinnae cheran keralaraayalloWe were one earlier, and later became Chera's Kerala!
Munnae naangal pinnae cheran keralaraayalloWe were one earlier, and later became Chera's Kerala!
Female
Veeraththukku veeran thantha sivaji annai mozhiThe mother tongue of Shivaji, the hero of heroes,
Engal maraathth nejil inikkum maraaththiIs Marathi, which tastes sweet in our brave hearts.
Dhesam thannai kaakka vanthaThe language given by Tilak, who arose to save the nation,
Thilagan thantha mozhi adhuvum maraaththiThat too is Marathi.
Endrum avarai ninainthu paaduvom aaduvomRemembering them forever, we shall sing and dance,
Maenmaiyai pottruvomAnd honor their greatness.
Female
Nalla thaenil seitha osaiA sound crafted from pure sweet honey
Engal telungu ennum paashaiIs our language named Telugu.
Idhu godhavari theeram selvam kozhichchu vanthathaagumWealth flourished along the banks of the Godavari,
Keerthanaiyin naadham ketkkum ennaalumWhere the divine melody of Keerthanas resonates every day,
Keerthi konda engal annai mozhiyaeOur glorious mother tongue.
Female
Kannadam engal mozhiKannada is our language,
Pala kaaviyam thantha mozhiA language that bestowed numerous epics.
Aayiram aandagal aagiyum ilagiyamA language with thousands of years of literature,
Aayiram kanda mozhi engal anbukkuriya mozhiHaving seen millennia, our deeply beloved language.
Rahaventhira saamiyai kandathum thanthathumIt gave us and witnessed Saint Raghavendra Swamy;
Engalin thanga vayal endru paadadi nyaanakuyilSing, O wise cuckoo, of our land of golden fields!
Female
Ondrupattaal undu vaazhvuIf we stand united, there is life and prosperity;
Nammil ottrumai neengil anaivarkkum thaazhvuIf unity leaves us, fall and humiliation await all.
Chorus
Ondrupattaal undu vaazhvuIf we stand united, there is life and prosperity;
Nammil ottrumai neengil anaivarkkum thaazhvuIf unity leaves us, fall and humiliation await all.
Ondrupattaal undu vaazhvuIf we stand united, there is life and prosperity!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This patriotic integration song celebrates the linguistic diversity and cultural unity of India. By weaving together iconic quotes from Mahakavi Subramania Bharati and original verses honoring various Indian states and languages (Kashmiri, Tamil, Bengali, Malayalam, Marathi, Telugu, and Kannada), the song illustrates how distinct mother tongues all contribute to a single national soul. It pays homage to historical and cultural icons like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Guru Raghavendra, concluding with a powerful reminder that national prosperity depends on unity.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Seppu mozhi padhinettudaiyaal / Muppathu kodi mugam udaiyaal

Matching second consonants across lines ('Seppu' / 'Muppathu' or 'Vanthavar' / 'Intha').

Monaai (Alliteration / Initial Rhyme)

Kashmir mozhi roja sendu

Repetition of initial consonant sounds ('Kashmir' / 'Kural' / 'Kannadam').

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

Nalla thaenil seitha osai / Engal telungu ennum paashai

Comparing the sweetness of the Telugu language to sound created from pure honey, and Kashmiri to a bouquet of roses.

Quotative Allusion

Seppu mozhi padhinettudaiyaal / Enil sinthanai ondrudaiyaal

Direct inclusion of Mahakavi Subramania Bharati's famous national unity poems ('Seppu mozhi padhinettudaiyaal' and 'Ondrupattaal undu vaazhvu').

Did you know?

Trivia

This track from 'Ezhuthatha Sattangal' (1984) is a landmark national integration musical suite in Tamil cinema. Lyricist Pulamaipithan cleverly incorporated Mahakavi Subramania Bharati's immortal nationalistic Tamil verses into a musical tour of India's major linguistic regions set to diverse folk and classical tunes by Ilaiyaraaja.

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