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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vela Vadivela

From Isakki · 2013

Lyricist
Annamalai
Singer
M. L. R. Karthikeyan
Music director
Srikanth Deva
Details
Isakki2013

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Vela enga vela senthur vadivelaSpear, our spear, the divine spear of Tiruchendur Vadivelan
Chorus :Ama senthur vadivelaChorus: Yes, Vadivelan of Tiruchendur
Male :Muruga enga muragaMale: Muruga, our Muruga
Kaaka venum murugaYou must protect us, Lord Muruga
Chorus :Ama kaaka venum murugaChorus: Yes, you must protect us, Lord Muruga
Male
Heyy vela enga vela senthur vadivelaHey spear, our spear, the divine spear of Tiruchendur Vadivelan
Ama senthur vadivelaYes, Vadivelan of Tiruchendur
Muruga enga muragaMuruga, our Muruga
Kaaka venum murugaYou must protect us, Lord Muruga
Ammadi unmugathilOh dear girl, looking at your face
Kannaadi mugam paarkumEven a mirror looks to admire its reflection
Unnoda vaasathayumTo possess your sweet fragrance
Poovellam varam ketkkumAll the flowers pray to receive a boon
Kaieduthu kummudiromWe fold our hands and worship you
Saami pola neethamaAre you truly like a deity yourself?
Male
Vela enga vela senthur vadivelaSpear, our spear, the divine spear of Tiruchendur Vadivelan
Chorus :Ama senthur vadivelaChorus: Yes, Vadivelan of Tiruchendur
Male :Muruga enga muragaMale: Muruga, our Muruga
Kaaka venum murugaYou must protect us, Lord Muruga
Chorus :Ama kaaka venum murugaChorus: Yes, you must protect us, Lord Muruga
Chorus
Heyy thathom thaga thomHey thathom thaga thom
Thath thom thaga thommThath thom thaga thomm
Heyy thathom thaga thomHey thathom thaga thom
Thath thom thaga thommThath thom thaga thomm
Male
Engooru meenkashiOur town's Meenakshi
Mookuthi minnuthadiHer nose-ring sparkles brightly
Chorus :Ama mookuthi minnuthadiChorus: Yes, her nose-ring sparkles brightly
Male :Namooru kamakshiMale: Our town's Kamakshi
Kammalu minuthadiHer earring shines brilliantly
Chorus :Ama kammalu minuthadiChorus: Yes, her earring shines brilliantly
Male
Inthaooru ponnu manamThe heart of the girl in this village
ThangamaagumIs as pure as pure gold
Gettimela satham inthaThe sound of festive wedding drums
Veetil kekkumWill soon echo in this household
Male
Antha aagassathil minnal varumLightning from the sky will come down
Panthalukku thoranamaTo serve as decorative garlands for the canopy
Selvam ellam thanga venumMay all prosperity dwell
Intha veetil seethanamaIn this house as dowry and blessings
Ennachu ethaachuWhatever happened in the past has passed
Ponnu mogam poovachuThe girl's face has bloomed like a fresh flower
Male
Vela enga vela senthur vadivelaSpear, our spear, the divine spear of Tiruchendur Vadivelan
Chorus :Ama senthur vadivelaChorus: Yes, Vadivelan of Tiruchendur
Male :Muruga enga muragaMale: Muruga, our Muruga
Kaaka venum murugaYou must protect us, Lord Muruga
Chorus :Ama kaaka venum murugaChorus: Yes, you must protect us, Lord Muruga
Chorus
Thaana nannae thanna naanae thanna naaThaana nannae thanna naanae thanna naa
Heyy thaana nannae thanna naanae thanna naaHeyy thaana nannae thanna naanae thanna naa
Naana nannae nanna naaNaana nannae nanna naa
Naana nannae nanna naaNaana nannae nanna naa
Naana nannae nanna naaNaana nannae nanna naa
Naana nanna naaaNaana nanna naaa
Male
Namooru therukoothuOur village's street theatre performance
Engayum illayadaIs unmatched anywhere else
Chorus :Ama engayum illayadaChorus: Yes, unmatched anywhere else
Male :Bombay delhiku ellamMale: Even to Bombay and Delhi
Koothuku povoamadaWe will travel to perform our arts
Chorus :Naama koothuku povomadaChorus: Yes, we will go perform our arts
Male
Mayilaatam oyilaatamPeacock dance, Oyil dance
Nooru aatamA hundred varieties of dance
Karagaatam paaka jenamTo watch the Karagattam performance
Koodum kootamCrowds of people gather together
Thappu aatam pottathillaOur troupe has never made a wrong step
Eppavumae namma kootamOur group stays righteous always
Naathswaram melasathamThe grand notes of Nadaswaram and percussion
Koodavarum kaalathukkumWill accompany us across all generations
Ada namnattu thennattuAh, for the traditional arts of our southern land
Kalaiku eedu verethuIs there anything that can ever equal them?
Male
Heyy vela enga vela senthur vadivelaHey spear, our spear, the divine spear of Tiruchendur Vadivelan
Chorus :Ama senthur vadivelaChorus: Yes, Vadivelan of Tiruchendur
Male :Muruga enga muragaMale: Muruga, our Muruga
Kaaka venum murugaYou must protect us, Lord Muruga
Chorus :Ama kaaka venum murugaChorus: Yes, you must protect us, Lord Muruga
Male
Ammadi unmugathilOh dear girl, looking at your face
Kannaadi mugam paarkumEven a mirror looks to admire its reflection
Unnoda vaasathayumTo possess your sweet fragrance
Poovellam varam ketkkumAll the flowers pray to receive a boon
Kaieduthu kummudiromWe fold our hands and worship you
Saami pola neethamaAre you truly like a deity yourself?
Chorus
Heyy thathom thaga thomHey thathom thaga thom
Thath thom thaga thommThath thom thaga thomm
Heyy thathom thaga thomHey thathom thaga thom
Thath thom thaga thommThath thom thaga thomm
Heyy thathom thaga thomHey thathom thaga thom
Thath thom thaga thommThath thom thaga thomm
Heyy thathom thaga thomHey thathom thaga thom
Thath thom thaga thommThath thom thaga thomm

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a high-energy folk invocation and celebration centered on Lord Murugan and the vibrant cultural heritage of rural Tamil Nadu. It blends religious devotion—invoking the protective spear (Vel) of Lord Murugan of Tiruchendur—with joyful praises for village women, upcoming wedding celebrations, and traditional folk art forms like Therukoothu, Mayilattam, Oyilattam, and Karagattam.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi Ani)

Kannaadi mugam paarkum / Unnoda vaasathayum Poovellam varam ketkkum

Extravagant praise where a mirror looks into the girl's face to see itself, and flowers pray for her fragrance.

Personification

Poovellam varam ketkkum

Attributing human desires to inanimate flowers that pray for a boon of fragrance.

Metaphor (Uvamai Ani)

Inthaooru ponnu manam Thangamaagum

Comparing a pure heart directly to gold (Thangamaagum) and sky's lightning to wedding entrance garlands (Thoranama).

Monai / Ethirai (Rhythmic Assonance & Rhyme)

Mayilaatam oyilaatam / Karagaatam paaka jenam

Repetitive rhythmic end-rhymes standard in Tamil folk tradition (Therukoothu, Mayilaatam, Oyilaatam, Karagaatam).

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is from the 2013 Tamil movie 'Isakki', written by lyricist Annamalai. It heavily utilizes authentic folk rhythm meters ('Konnakol' beats like 'thathom thaga thom') designed for Therukoothu and village festival dance sequences.

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