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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Yezhezhu Thalaimuraikkum

From Goa · 2010

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Karthik Raja, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Premgi Amaren
Music director
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Details
Goa2010

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Uluuuuuuu…uluuuuuuuuu…Traditional folk vocalization (Kulavai)
Male
Ezhezhu thalaimuraikkumFor seven generations
Engasaami pakkabalamOur Lord is our pillar of strength
Eduththu vandhom nalla varamWe have brought forth a great boon
Male
Ezhusvaram engalukkuThe seven musical notes, for us
Eppodhumae koodavarumAlways accompany us
Enga puram pannapuramOur native town is Pannapuram
Male
{Mullaiyaaru mudhal mudhalaa{Where the Mullai River, for the very first time
Muththammidum andha idamKisses the land
Ellaigala thaandi vandhaaIf you cross those borders
Enga appan porandha idam } (2)It is the place where our father was born} (2)
Male
Ezhezhu thalaimuraikkumFor seven generations
Engasaami pakkabalamOur Lord is our pillar of strength
Eduththu vandhom nalla varamWe have brought forth a great boon
Chorus
…………………………......................
Male
Veerappaandi maariyammaaGoddess Mariyamma of Veerapandi
Engum ulla kaaliyammaaGoddess Kaliyamma who is everywhere
Thaai sila kaariyammaaMother Sila Kaariyamma
Thandhaa mangalamaaHas bestowed auspiciousness
Male
Paatti chinna thaayi thandhaGiven by grandmother Chinnathayi
Paasamulla paavalaruThe affectionate Pavalar
Kotti eduththuthandhaPouring forth and giving
Paattu pongudhammaaSongs overflow!
Male
Pattikkaatta vittupputtuLeaving behind the countryside
Pattanathil kudipugundhuMoving to the city
Mettukala kattiththandhaComposing musical tunes
Moththa soththum engalukkuThat is our entire wealth!
Male
Aathi enna sollaOh my, what can I say?
Anbukkum panbukkumFor love and culture
Alavu engirukkuWhere is the limit?
Chorus
Apparundhu ippavaraiFrom back then until now
Engalukku enna koraWhat flaw or lacking do we have?
Eppozhudhum makkalukkuAlways to the people
Solvom nandrigalaWe shall express our gratitude
Female
Ezhezhu thalaimuraikkumFor seven generations
Engasaami pakkabalamOur Lord is our pillar of strength
Eduththu vandhom nalla varamWe have brought forth a great boon
Female
Ezhusvaram engalukkuThe seven musical notes, for us
Eppodhumae koodavarumAlways accompany us
Enga puram pannapuramOur native town is Pannapuram
Chorus
Alli oralula nella pottuTake the paddy and put it in the mortar
Azhuthi azhuthi kuthungadiPound it down firmly, girls!
Athaan varatha pathukittuWatching the cousin arrive
Ammuki pudichi kuthungadiHold fast and pound it, girls!
Namma nellu kuthugiraaSeeing the beauty of us
Alaga kandu machaanPounding the paddy, cousin
Nerula varatha parungadiSee him coming in person, girls!
Machan nerula varatha kandaSeeing cousin coming in person
Manam thullugiradha parungadiSee how the heart leaps with joy, girls!
Uluuuuuuuu….uuuuuuuTraditional folk vocalization (Kulavai)
Male
Merku malai saaralilaeIn the drizzle of the Western Ghats
Meinjuvandha megamellaamAll the grazing clouds
Pottu thandha paattu chaththamThe sound of songs they created
Eppodhum kekkumIs heard forever
Male
Naatheduththu nadavu nattuHarvesting saplings and planting crops
Namma sanam paadunadhuWhat our folk sang
Oorariya ketkumbodhuWhen heard by the whole world
Urchaagam aakkumBrings immense enthusiasm
Male
Appanoda arivirukkuWe have our father's wisdom
Annaiyoda aravanaippuOur mother's warm embrace
Saththiyamaa nichayamaaTruly and surely
Asthivaaram engalukkuThis is our strong foundation
Male
Thaayin anbirukkuThere is mother's love
Adhu kodukkudhuWhich gives
Magizhchi ungalukkuHappiness to all of you
Vayalula velainja nelluLike paddy grown in the field
NagaraththedivandhuSeeking out the city
Pasigala theerppadha polTo satisfy hunger
Paaru enga kadhaiLook at our story!
Male
Ezhezhu thalaimuraikkumFor seven generations
Engasaami pakkabalamOur Lord is our pillar of strength
Eduththu vandhom nalla varamWe have brought forth a great boon
Male
Ezhusvaram engalukkuThe seven musical notes, for us
Eppodhumae koodavarumAlways accompany us
Enga puram pannapuramOur native town is Pannapuram
Male
{Mullaiyaaru mudhal mudhalaa{Where the Mullai River, for the very first time
Muththammidum andha idamKisses the land
Ellaigala thaandi vandhaaIf you cross those borders
Enga appan porandha idam } (2)It is the place where our father was born} (2)
Male
Ezhezhu thalaimuraikkumFor seven generations
Engasaami pakkabalamOur Lord is our pillar of strength
Eduththu vandhom nalla varamWe have brought forth a great boon
Male
Ezhusvaram engalukkuThe seven musical notes, for us
Eppodhumae koodavarumAlways accompany us
Enga puram pannapuramOur native town is Pannapuram

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Ezhezhu Thalaimuraikkum' serves as a heartfelt homage to the legendary musical lineage of Pannapuram (the birthplace of Ilaiyaraaja and Gangai Amaran's family). It recounts their rural roots in the foothills of the Western Ghats, attributing their inherent musical gift across seven generations to divine blessings, family elders like grandmother Chinnathayi, and elder brother Pavalar Varadharajan. The lyrics beautifully draw an analogy between rural agriculture and music: just as grain harvested in the villages travels to cities to feed people, the melodies born in rural Pannapuram travel everywhere to satisfy the souls of music lovers.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Mona (Initial Alliteration)

Ezhezhu thalaimuraikkum / Engasaami pakkabalam / Eduththu vandhom nalla varam

Repeated use of the initial 'E' sound across consecutive lines creating a rhythmic oral tradition style.

Personification

Mullaiyaaru mudhal mudhalaa / Muththammidum andha idam

The Mullai river is poetically personified as kissing the ground at the place where their father was born.

Simile / Analogy

Vayalula velainja nellu / Nagaraththedivandhu / Pasigala theerppadha pol

The family's journey from Pannapuram to Chennai to share their musical compositions is compared to paddy grown in rural fields feeding city dwellers.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by Gangai Amaran and composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja for the film 'Goa' (2010), this song pays tribute to the musical dynasty of Pannapuram. The lyrics specifically mention Pavalar Varadharajan (the eldest brother of Ilaiyaraaja and Gangai Amaran) and grandmother Chinnathayi, reflecting the actual roots of India's most famous film music family.

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