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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Aalolam Aalolam

From Kathanayaki · 1955

Lyricist
Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
Singers
S. C. Krishnan, Swarnalatha
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Details
Kathanayaki1955

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics↻ English translation
Female
Aalolam….aalolamAalolam....aalolam
Aalolam….aalolamAalolam....aalolam
Aalolam….aalolamAalolam....aalolam
Patti maade kanji thotti maadaeO cattle in the shed, O cow at the rice-gruel tub
Payiraiyellaam spoil pannaathaeDo not spoil all the crops
Female
Aalolam….aalolamAalolam....aalolam
Aalolam….aalolamAalolam....aalolam
Aalolam….aalolamAalolam....aalolam
Female
Ishtam polae vanthu meyaathaeDo not come and graze as you wish
Sense-y illaamal vanthu paayaathaeDo not rush in without any sense
Semmariyaadae thettai podum aadaeO sheep, O goat that leaps around
Jalthi odu vellaiththaadi aadaeRun quickly, O white-bearded goat
Female
Aalolam….aalolamAalolam....aalolam
Aalolam….aalolamAalolam....aalolam
Aalolam….aalolamAalolam....aalolam
Male
Maarkkaththil kandaSeen along the way
Maarkkaththil kanda kandaSeen, seen along the way
Maarkkaththil kanda kanda kandaSeen, seen, seen along the way
Maarkkaththil kanda kanda kanda kandaSeen, seen, seen, seen along the way
Maarkkaththil kanda kanda kanda kanda kandaSeen, seen, seen, seen, seen along the way
En valliyinOf my Valli
Address-ai marakkaamale solladaa…Tell me her address without forgetting...
Male
Maarkkaththil kanda en valliyinOf my Valli seen along the way
Address-ai marakkaamale solladaa…Tell me her address without forgetting...
Kodukka maattaenendruIf she says that she won't give it
Solli vittaaladaaIf she has told you so
Maaru veshaththudan selladaaGo in disguise
Kodukka maattenendruIf she says that she won't give it
Solli vittaaladaaIf she has told you so
Maaru veshaththudan selladaaGo in disguise
Male
Aadu oottum pennaeO girl who grazes the goats
Aadu oottum pennaeO girl who grazes the goats
Aaviyae…yae…yae…yae…O my soul...
Um ambar pottu deviyaeGoddess with an amber pottu
Adiyae un ambar pottu deviyaeHey girl, goddess with an amber pottu
Un jambar vettuThe fit of your blouse
Paavi ennai puththi kettuMaking a sinner like me lose his mind
Kaavi katta solluthadiTells me to renounce the world and wear saffron
Aadu oottum pennaeO girl who grazes the goats
Female
Fraudu seiyyum moodaa podaaGet lost, you fraudulent fool
Fraudu seiyyum moodaa podaaGet lost, you fraudulent fool
Bedhai ennai thaali kattumTo tie the sacred knot to an innocent girl like me
Pedi pola odi vanthuRunning up like a coward
Bodhai meeri pesalaamoIs it right to talk beyond intoxication?
Father varum neramaachchuIt is time for my father to arrive
Female
Fraudu seiyyum vedaa podaa..Get lost, you fraudulent hunter..

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful folk-style song from Kathanayaki (1955) presents a humorous banter between a shepherd girl and a persistent male suitor. The girl initially sings 'Aalolam'—a traditional chant used by farm guards to scare away animals from eating crops—demanding that stray cattle, sheep, and goats leave her field alone. The suitor enters, referencing the mythological story of Lord Murugan pursuing Valli, asking for her 'address' and expressing his willingness to go in disguise if she rejects him. The lyrics combine traditional Tamil folk idioms with humorous contemporary English loanwords (such as 'spoil', 'sense', 'address', 'jambar', 'fraudu', and 'father'), a signature style of lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass. The heroine responds by calling him out on his foolishness and warning him that her father is about to arrive.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Folk Refrain (Aalolam)

“Aalolam….aalolam”

Aalolam is an ancient Tamil pastoral vocalization used by farm wardens to shoo birds and animals away from grain crops.

Incremental Repetition (Climax/Epanalepsis)

“Maarkkaththil kanda kanda kanda kanda kanda”

The phrase 'Maarkkaththil kanda' builds incrementally line by line, adding rhythmic momentum before delivering the key detail of the sentence.

Code-Mixing / Tanglish Parody

“Payiraiyellaam spoil pannaathae”

Blending English words like 'spoil', 'sense', 'address', 'fraudu', and 'father' into a traditional pastoral Tamil setting for comedic effect.

Emonai / Rhyme (Monai and Ethirai)

“Bedhai ennai thaali kattum / Pedi pola odi vanthu”

Assonance and internal rhyming between 'Fraudu' / 'Bedhai' / 'Pedi' / 'Bodhai' creates a bouncy rhythmic structure.

Did you know?

Trivia

Lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass was renowned in 1950s Tamil cinema for introducing early forms of 'Tanglish' in comedy tracks. In this song, he reimagines the classical Valli-Murugan romance through an urbanized comedy lens set to traditional tunes composed by G. Ramanathan.

Keep listening

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