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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Aasaiyilae Pathi Katti

From Enga Ooru Kavalkaran · 1998

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Enga Ooru Kavalkaran1998

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Thenpaandi cheemaiIn the southern Pandia region,
Thenmaangu paattuA sweet folk song plays,
Pattoda vaazhum en saamiyaeOh my lord who lives in royal silk!
Un pera pottu naan paadum paattuThe song I sing by chanting your name,
Kettaakka vaazhum un bhoomiyaeIf heard, will bring life to your land.
En moochu en pechu nee thaanaiyaaYou are my breath and my speech,
en vaakku nee kettu kaapaathaiyaaListen to my word and protect me, my lord!
Female
Aasaiyilae paaththi kattiPreparing a garden bed out of desire,
Naaththu onnu nattu vaikkaTo plant a single sapling,
Naan poovaayi..I, the flower-like girl, wait...
Female
Aadharavai thaedi oruSeeking your support,
Paattu onnu katti vachenI composed a song,
Naan poovaayi..I, the flower-like girl...
Female
Naanaa paadaliyae..I didn't sing this on my own,
Neethaan paada vachcha..You are the one who made me sing!
Naanaa paadaliyae..I didn't sing this on my own,
Neethaan paada vachcha..You are the one who made me sing!
Female
Aasaiyilae paaththi kattiPreparing a garden bed out of desire,
Naaththu onnu nattu vaikkaTo plant a single sapling,
Naan poovaayi..I, the flower-like girl, wait...
Female
Vaigaiyilae vandha vellamWhy did the flood that rose in the Vaigai river
Nenjilae vanthathennaFlow directly into my heart?
Vanji naan kaetta varamThe boon that I, a maiden, prayed for,
Vanthu nee thanthathennaWhy did you come and grant it to me?
Female
Sinna poo paathuLooking at this little flower,
Sernthathae kaathuThe breeze came and joined it,
Sinthu than paaduthuSinging a folk melody.
Female
Ponnumani theruLook, I have locked and kept
Naan pootti vachen paaruThe precious golden chariot!
Kanni ennai thediSearching for me, the maiden,
Nee anga vanthu seruCome and reach there!
Vithai potten athu vilainjaachuI sowed the seed and it has now yielded harvest,
Nee vaayen vazhi paathuCome along, watching the pathway!
Female
Aasaiyilae paaththi kattiPreparing a garden bed out of desire,
Naaththu onnu nattu vaikkaTo plant a single sapling,
Naan poovaayi..I, the flower-like girl, wait...
Female
Aadharavai thaedi oruSeeking your support,
Paattu onnu katti vachenI composed a song,
Naan poovaayi..I, the flower-like girl...
Female
Kannu than thoonggavillaMy eyes have not slept,
Kaaranam thonavillaI cannot figure out the reason.
Ponnu naan jadhi mullaI am a girl like a jasmine flower,
Poo maalai aagavillaiYet I haven't turned into a wedding garland.
Female
Kanni naan naathuI, the maiden, am a young crop,
Kannan nee kaathuAnd you, my lover, are the breeze,
Vanthu than koodavillaiYet you haven't come to embrace me.
Female
Koorai pattu selaWhen you buy and bring
Nee vaangi varum velaThe bridal silk saree,
Podu oru maalaPlace a garland around me,
Nee sollu antha naalaTell me that blessed day!
Yenjaami naan kaathirukkenOh my lord, I am waiting for you,
Ennai yentha nee thaanaeAren't you the one to embrace and accept me?
Female
Aasaiyilae paaththi kattiPreparing a garden bed out of desire,
Naaththu onnu nattu vaikkaTo plant a single sapling,
Naan poovaayi..I, the flower-like girl, wait...
Female
Aadharavai thaedi oruSeeking your support,
Paattu onnu katti vachenI composed a song,
Naan poovaayi..I, the flower-like girl...
Female
Naanaa paadaliyae..I didn't sing this on my own,
Neethaan paada vachcha..You are the one who made me sing!
Naanaa paadaliyae..I didn't sing this on my own,
Neethaan paada vachcha..You are the one who made me sing!
Female
Aasaiyilae paaththi kattiPreparing a garden bed out of desire,
Naaththu onnu nattu vaikkaTo plant a single sapling,
Naan poovaayi..I, the flower-like girl, wait...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from Enga Ooru Kavalkaran is a heartfelt, rural romantic folk ballad expressing deep devotion, yearning, and love. The heroine compares her emotional world to agricultural life—preparing the soil of desire, planting seeds of hope, and awaiting her beloved lord's arrival to nurture her love into full bloom. She sings of her complete surrender to him, viewing him as her breath, protector, and inspiration. The verses metaphorically intertwine nature's elements like the Vaigai river flood, gentle breezes, and jasmine blossoms with her longing for marriage and union. She waits eagerly for the day he brings the bridal silk saree and garland to claim her, attributing all her song and spirit to his presence in her life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Aasaiyilae paaththi katti / Naaththu onnu nattu vaikka

Comparing the heroine's desire and hope to preparing an agricultural plot ('paaththi katti') and planting a sapling ('naaththu nattu').

Alliteration (Moonaai)

Vaigaiyilae vandha vellam / Nenjilae vanthathenna

Repetition of the 'v' sound at the start of words across connected lines ('Vaigaiyilae', 'Vanthathenna', 'Vanji', 'Vanthu').

Anaphora (Ebuyed Repetition)

Naanaa paadaliyae.. / Neethaan paada vachcha..

Repetition of identical lines ('Naanaa paadaliyae / Neethaan paada vachcha') to emphasize surrender to the lover.

Imagery (Kaatchi Uruvagam)

Koorai pattu sela / Nee vaangi varum vela

Use of traditional Tamil bridal imagery like 'Koorai pattu sela' (bridal silk saree) and 'podu oru maala' (garland exchange) to depict marital longing.

Did you know?

Trivia

Enga Ooru Kavalkaran (1988) features iconic music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by Gangai Amaran. The film was a major commercial hit directed by T. Soorayan, starring Ramarajan and Gautami. The songs from this film cemented Ramarajan's image as the king of rural box office cinema in Tamil Nadu during the late 1980s.

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