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Kadhal Kavithai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Aalaana Naal Mudhala

From Kadhal Kavithai · 1998

Lyricist
Agathiyan
Singers
Pushpavanam Kuppusamy, Sowmya Raoh
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Kadhal Kavithai
Movie release year
1998
Lyrics added on
19 Mar 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Machaan… aalaana naal mudhalaa
Yaaraiyum nenachadhilla
Maamaa naan ungalukkae vaakkappada
Aasa pattaen
Vaenaannu sollureengalae
Summaa verum vaaya mullureengalae
Aadiyila kattikittaa sithiraikku pulla varum
Aagaadhu aagaadhu machaana
Idhu thodhaana thai maasam machaanae
Aagaadhu aagaadhu machaana
Idhu thodhaana thai maasam machaanae
Unna naan kattikkolla
Eppavum nenachadhilla
Kalla katti thannikkulla munguravan
Yaarum illa
Vaenaandi vittu vidadi
Naan thavichaakkaa thanni kududi
Thaali katti koodikittaa saami kutham aagumunnu
Maelooru kurikaaran sonnaandi
Adi kannaalam namakkulla vaenaandi
Maelooru kurikaaran sonnaandi
Adi kannaalam namakkulla vaenaandi
Aalaana naal mudhalaa
Yaaraiyum nenachadhilla
Maamaa naan ungalukkae vaakkappada
Aasa pattaen
Pullarukka pogaiyilae
Pullanuni thanniyila
Om mugatha paatthuputtae
Voodu vandhu saendhu puttaen
Em paasam theriyaadhu maamaa
Male :Aahaa
Female :Idhu anumaaru nenjilla raamaa
Male :Aahaa
Female :Em paasam theriyaadhu maamaa
Idhu anumaaru nenjilla raamaa
Kollaiyilae maangaa maram
Kothu kothaa kaachirukku
Kaavakkaaran thoongaiylae
Kaiya yetti maambazhatha
Ariyaama parichaa thaan inikkum
Adi anil pulla kadichaa thaan rusikkum
Ariyaama parichaa thaan inikkum
Adi anil pulla kadichaa thaan rusikkum
Pooveduthu maala katti raasaa
Naan koodu katti kudiyirukken raasaa
Unna nenachae porandhen valandhen
Raasaa en raasaa
Yammaa unna naan kattikkolla
Eppavum nenachadhilla
Kalla katti thannikkulla munguravan
Yaarum illa
Kaala kannu vaangi katti
Paal karakka aasa pattae
Kozhi kunju kutti poda koyilukku naendhukittae
Muttaalaa irukkaedi maanae
Adi ottaadhae en vaazhkka thaanae
Romba muttaalaa irukkaedi maanae
Adi ottaadhae en vaazhkka thaanae
Aa haa otthaikkottha sandaiyinnaa
Odi pora aambala nee
Sethu pona paamba paatthae
Satham potta veeranum nee
Male :Ae…i
Female :Nee mattum sari thaanaa maamaa
Male :Aa…
Female :En nenappa thaan nee paaru maamaa
Male :Yekku
Female :Nee mattum sari thaanaa maamaa
En nenappa thaan nee paaru maamaa
On vaaya konjam moodikkadi vaaren
Naan aambala thaan veerattha nee paaren
Naana nenachaa malaiya valaippen
Vaaren naan vaaren
Machaan… aalaana naal mudhalaa
Yaaraiyum nenachadhilla
Unna naan kattikkolla eppavum nenachadhilla
Vaenaannu sollureengalae
Adi vaenaandi vittu vidadi
Thaali katti koodikittaa saami kutham aagumadi
Aagaadhu aagaadhu machaana
Adi kannaalam namakkulla vaenaandi
Aagaadhu aagaadhu machaana
Adi kannaalam namakkulla vaenaandi…
My dear cousin... ever since the day I came of age,
I haven't thought of anyone else.
My dear, to be married only to you
was all I ever wanted.
Yet you keep turning me down,
and just making empty excuses!
If we marry in the month of Aadi, a child will be born in Chithirai,
That won't do, it won't do, cousin!
This month of Thai is just the right time, cousin!
That won't do, it won't do, cousin!
This month of Thai is just the right time, cousin!
As for marrying you,
I have never even thought about it!
Nobody ties a stone to themselves
and dives straight into deep water!
No way, girl, just let it go!
If I'm thirsty, why are you drinking water?!
"If you tie the thali (sacred wedding knot) and marry, it will anger the gods,"
that's what the fortune-teller from Melur told me, girl!
So a marriage between us is totally out!
That's what the fortune-teller from Melur told me, girl!
So a marriage between us is totally out!
Ever since the day I came of age,
I haven't thought of anyone else.
My dear, to be married only to you
was all I ever wanted.
When I went out to cut grass,
in the dewdrop on the tip of a blade,
I saw your face right there,
and came running straight home!
Don't you see my love for you, cousin?
Male: Aha!
Female: This isn't Hanuman's chest to tear open and show you, Rama!
Male: Aha!
Female: Don't you see my love for you, cousin?
This isn't Hanuman's chest to tear open and show you, Rama!
In the backyard, the mango tree
is loaded with bunches of fruit.
While the watchman is fast asleep,
reaching out your hand for the ripe mango
and plucking it secretly makes it truly sweet!
Girl, it's delicious only when a squirrel nibbles it!
Plucking it secretly is what makes it truly sweet!
Girl, it's delicious only when a squirrel nibbles it!
I strung a garland of fresh flowers, my king,
and made a home in your heart to live in, my king!
I was born and raised thinking only of you,
my king, oh my king!
Oh girl, as for marrying you,
I have never even thought about it!
Tying a stone to oneself and diving into water—
nobody ever does that!
You tied up a bull calf
and wished to milk it!
You prayed at the temple for a chick to give birth!
You're being so foolish, my dear!
Hey, my life will never blend with yours!
You're being completely foolish, my dear!
Hey, my life will never blend with yours!
Aha! In a one-on-one fight,
you're the kind of man who runs away!
Just seeing a dead snake,
you're the brave hero who screamed in fright!
Male: Hey...
Female: Are you really all that great, cousin?
Male: Ah...
Female: Just look at how much I yearn for you, cousin!
Male: What?!
Female: Are you really all that great, cousin?
Just look at how much I yearn for you, cousin!
Just hold your tongue for a bit, here I come!
I am a real man, just watch my courage!
If I set my mind to it, I can bend a mountain!
Here I come, yes, here I come!
My dear cousin... ever since the day I came of age,
I haven't thought of anyone else.
As for marrying you, I have never even thought about it!
Yet you keep turning me down!
Hey, I don't want to, girl, just let it go!
If I tie the thali (sacred wedding knot) and marry you, it will anger the gods, girl!
That won't do, it won't do, cousin!
Hey, no marriage between us, girl!
That won't do, it won't do, cousin!
Hey, no marriage between us, girl...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful duet features a classic Tamil rural romantic banter between a young woman and her cousin (Machaan/Maamaa). The woman expresses her lifelong desire to marry him, attempting to persuade him using traditional metaphors, seasonal references (Aadi vs. Thai months), and romantic hyperbole. She compares her devotion to seeing his face reflected in a drop of dew on grass. The male counterpart playfully rejects her advances, claiming that marrying her would be like jumping into water with a heavy stone tied around his neck or expecting milk from a bull. He cites a fortune-teller's warning as an excuse, while she teases him for being a coward who screams at dead snakes. Ultimately, the song captures the humorous, affectionate, and culturally rooted back-and-forth courtship common in Tamil folk tradition.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Mythological Allusion (புராணக் குறியீடு)

Idhu anumaaru nenjilla raamaa

The female singer references the Ramayana epic, stating that her heart isn't Hanuman's chest that can be ripped open to physically reveal Lord Rama (her love).

Micro-Imagery (நுண் உருவகம்)

Pullanuni thanniyila Om mugatha paatthuputtae

A vivid imagery of seeing her lover's reflection within a microscopic dew drop balancing on the tip of a grass blade.

Alliterative Rhyme / Monai (மோனை)

Kollaiyilae maangaa maram / Kothu kothaa kaachirukku

Repetition of initial consonant sounds ('Ko') across adjacent lines in traditional folk meter.

Hyperbole & Absurdist Metaphor (உயர்arch்நவிற்சி)

Kozhi kunju kutti poda koyilukku naendhukittae

The male singer uses absurd imagery (milking a male calf, expecting a chick to give birth to puppies) to jokingly illustrate how impossible or foolish her demands seem to him.

Keep listening

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