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Lyrics & meaning

Aalaana Naal Mudhala

From Kadhal Kavithai · 1998

Lyricist
Agathiyan
Singers
Pushpavanam Kuppusamy, Sowmya Raoh
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Kadhal Kavithai1998

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Machaan… aalaana naal mudhalaaCousin... ever since I came of age
Yaaraiyum nenachadhillaI have thought of no one else
Maamaa naan ungalukkae vaakkappadaUncle/Cousin, to be wedded to you
Aasa pattaenI longed for it
Vaenaannu sollureengalaeYou keep saying no
Summaa verum vaaya mullureengalaeYou are just rejecting me with empty words
Aadiyila kattikittaa sithiraikku pulla varumIf married in Aadi, a child will be born in Chithirai
Aagaadhu aagaadhu machaanaIt won't work, it won't work, cousin
Idhu thodhaana thai maasam machaanaeThis auspicious Thai month is suitable, cousin
Aagaadhu aagaadhu machaanaIt won't work, it won't work, cousin
Idhu thodhaana thai maasam machaanaeThis auspicious Thai month is suitable, cousin
Male
Unna naan kattikkollaTo marry you
Eppavum nenachadhillaI have never thought of
Kalla katti thannikkulla munguravanOne who jumps into water tied to a stone
Yaarum illaIs nobody (no fool would do that)
Vaenaandi vittu vidadiI don't want it, leave me alone, girl
Naan thavichaakkaa thanni kududiIf I am suffering, drink water yourself, girl
Thaali katti koodikittaa saami kutham aagumunnuIf we marry and live together, it will be a sin against God
Maelooru kurikaaran sonnaandiThe fortune-teller from Melur said so
Adi kannaalam namakkulla vaenaandiHey girl, a marriage between us is not desirable
Maelooru kurikaaran sonnaandiThe fortune-teller from Melur said so
Adi kannaalam namakkulla vaenaandiHey girl, a marriage between us is not desirable
Female
Aalaana naal mudhalaaEver since I came of age
Yaaraiyum nenachadhillaI have thought of no one else
Maamaa naan ungalukkae vaakkappadaUncle/Cousin, to be wedded to you
Aasa pattaenI longed for it
Female
Pullarukka pogaiyilaeWhen I went to cut grass
Pullanuni thanniyilaIn the dew drop on the tip of the grass blade
Om mugatha paatthuputtaeI saw your face
Voodu vandhu saendhu puttaenAnd came back home entranced
Em paasam theriyaadhu maamaaYou don't understand my affection, cousin
Male :AahaaMale: Aha!
Female :Idhu anumaaru nenjilla raamaaFemale: This isn't Hanuman's chest to tear open, Lord Rama!
Male :AahaaMale: Aha!
Female :Em paasam theriyaadhu maamaaFemale: You don't understand my affection, cousin
Idhu anumaaru nenjilla raamaaThis isn't Hanuman's chest to tear open, Lord Rama!
Male
Kollaiyilae maangaa maramIn the backyard, a mango tree
Kothu kothaa kaachirukkuBears fruit in bunches
Kaavakkaaran thoongaiylaeWhen the watchman is sleeping
Kaiya yetti maambazhathaReaching out a hand for the mango
Ariyaama parichaa thaan inikkumStealing it secretly tastes sweet
Adi anil pulla kadichaa thaan rusikkumHey girl, when bitten by a baby squirrel, it tastes even better
Ariyaama parichaa thaan inikkumStealing it secretly tastes sweet
Adi anil pulla kadichaa thaan rusikkumHey girl, when bitten by a baby squirrel, it tastes even better
Female
Pooveduthu maala katti raasaaWeaving a garland of flowers, my king
Naan koodu katti kudiyirukken raasaaI have built a nest and live in it, my king
Unna nenachae porandhen valandhenThinking of you, I was born and grew up
Raasaa en raasaaMy king, my king
Male
Yammaa unna naan kattikkollaGirl, to marry you
Eppavum nenachadhillaI have never wished for
Kalla katti thannikkulla munguravanOne who jumps into water tied to a stone
Yaarum illaIs nobody
Male
Kaala kannu vaangi kattiBuying a bull calf and tying it up
Paal karakka aasa pattaeWishing to milk it
Kozhi kunju kutti poda koyilukku naendhukittaePraying at the temple for a chick to give birth to puppies
Muttaalaa irukkaedi maanaeYou are being so foolish, my dear deer
Adi ottaadhae en vaazhkka thaanaeHey, don't stick to me, it's my life after all
Romba muttaalaa irukkaedi maanaeYou are being extremely foolish, my dear deer
Adi ottaadhae en vaazhkka thaanaeHey, don't stick to me, it's my life after all
Female
Aa haa otthaikkottha sandaiyinnaaAha, if it comes to a one-on-one fight
Odi pora aambala neeYou are the man who runs away
Sethu pona paamba paatthaeSeeing a dead snake
Satham potta veeranum neeYou are the brave warrior who screams
Male :Ae…iMale: Hey...!
Female :Nee mattum sari thaanaa maamaaFemale: Are you really so perfect, cousin?
Male :Aa…Male: Ah...
Female :En nenappa thaan nee paaru maamaaFemale: Just look at my devotion to you, cousin
Male :YekkuMale: Bah!
Female :Nee mattum sari thaanaa maamaaFemale: Are you really so perfect, cousin?
En nenappa thaan nee paaru maamaaJust look at my devotion to you, cousin
Male
On vaaya konjam moodikkadi vaarenShut your mouth for a bit, I am coming
Naan aambala thaan veerattha nee paarenI am a real man, watch my bravery
Naana nenachaa malaiya valaippenIf I set my mind, I can bend a mountain
Vaaren naan vaarenI am coming, I am coming
Female
Machaan… aalaana naal mudhalaaCousin... ever since I came of age
Yaaraiyum nenachadhillaI have thought of no one else
Male
Unna naan kattikkolla eppavum nenachadhillaI have never thought of marrying you
Female
Vaenaannu sollureengalaeYou keep saying no
Male
Adi vaenaandi vittu vidadiHey girl, leave it, just drop it
Thaali katti koodikittaa saami kutham aagumadiIf I tie the knot and live together, it will become a divine sin
Female
Aagaadhu aagaadhu machaanaIt won't work, it won't work, cousin
Male
Adi kannaalam namakkulla vaenaandiHey girl, a marriage between us is not desirable
Female
Aagaadhu aagaadhu machaanaIt won't work, it won't work, cousin
Male
Adi kannaalam namakkulla vaenaandi…Hey girl, a marriage between us is not desirable...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

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.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although listed with unknown metadata in the prompt, the music for 'Kadhal Kavithai' (1998) was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, directed by Agathiyan. The film starred Prashanth and Isha Koppikar, and this specific folk duet showcases Agathiyan's mastery over authentic Tamil rural idioms and playful banter.

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