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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Aathoram Thoppukkulla

From Panchalankuruchi · 1996

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Swarnalatha
Music director
Deva
Details
Panchalankuruchi1996

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Aathoram thoppukullaeInside the grove by the riverbank
Aththaanai sandhikkathanJust to meet my beloved cousin
Aasai vechenI desired
Aalaana saedhi solliTo break the news of coming of age
Adaiyaalam kattathaaneAnd show him the physical signs
Aasai vechenI desired
Female
Kanagambaram eduthuTaking crossandra flowers
Kaiyaala nee thoduthuStringing them with your own hands
Pinnaala vechividaTo place them in my hair from behind
Aasai vechenI desired
Mariyaadhai ellamaWithout any formal hesitation
Machaane unnai pesiSpeaking familiarly to you, my dear cousin
Maaroda mallukattaAnd playfully wrestling against your chest
Aasai vechenI desired
Athanaiyum poiyaachu raasaAll of that turned out to be a lie, my king
Othaiyila nikkuthindha rosaaThis rose stands all alone now
Female
Maaralavula thanniyilaIn chest-deep water
Manja theichu naan kulikkaRubbing turmeric as I bathe
Marainjirunthu neeyum pakkaFor you to hide and watch
Aasai vechenI desired
Female
Pasuva pola mella vandhuApproaching gently like a cow
Kosuvathaiyum nee iluthuPulling the pleats of my saree
Kusumbhu panna venuminnuTo indulge in mischievous romance
Aasai vechenI desired
Female
Kuthaatha mullu kuthiPretending an unpricking thorn pricked me
Kudhikaalu valikkudhunnuSaying my heel hurts
Madi melae kaalai podaTo place my foot on your lap
Aasai vechenI desired
Female
Athanaiyum poiyaachu raasaAll of that turned out to be a lie, my king
Othaiyila nikkuthindha rosaaThis rose stands all alone now
Female
Aathoram thoppukullaeInside the grove by the riverbank
Aththaanai sandhikkathanJust to meet my beloved cousin
Aasai vechenI desired
Aalaana saedhi solliTo break the news of coming of age
Adaiyaalam kattathaaneAnd show him the physical signs
Aasai vechenI desired
Female
Maekattu moolaiyilaIn the western direction
Megam karukkaiyileAs the clouds darken with rain
Sukku thanni vechitharaTo brew dry-ginger herbal tea for you
Aasai vechenI desired
Female
Macham kulirugiraChilling to the very bone
Maargzhi maasathulaIn the cold month of Margazhi
Machaanai thottu thoonghaTo sleep snuggled next to my cousin
Aasai vechenI desired
Female
Maaman kattum vaettiyilaeOn the veshti worn by my man
Manja karai ennadhunnuThat the turmeric stain belongs to me
Mandhaiyila ninnu sollaTo stand in the village square and proudly declare
Aasai vechenI desired
Female
Rettikulam aasarikkuTo the carpenter in Rettikulam
Pottiyila panam koduthuPaying money out of the chest
Rettai thottil seiya sollaTo ask him to craft a twin cradle
Aasai vechenI desired
Female
Athanaiyum poiyaachu raasaAll of that turned out to be a lie, my king
Othaiyila nikkuthindha rosaaThis rose stands all alone now
Female
Athaanin iduppukkuAround my cousin's waist
Annakayiru kattaTo tie the sacred waist-thread
AasaivechenI desired
Narukkaana dhegathukkuFor your well-toned body
Nallennai theichuviduTo massage sesame oil
Aasai vechenI desired
Female
Venneerai kodhikka vechuBoiling hot water for a bath
Machaanai kulikka vechuGiving my cousin a warm wash
Maarappu nanaiyathaanaeGetting my saree pallu drenched in the process
Aasai vechenI desired
Female
Maanthoppil kattilittuPlacing a cot in the mango orchard
Manam pola thottuthottuTouching as our hearts desire
Maaman kooda pesida thanTo talk intimately with my man
Aasai vechenI desired
Female
Athanaiyum poiyaachu raasaAll of that turned out to be a lie, my king
Othaiyila nikkuthindha rosaaThis rose stands all alone now
Female
Aathoram thoppukullaeInside the grove by the riverbank
Aththaanai sandhikkathanJust to meet my beloved cousin
Aasai vechenI desired
Aalaana saedhi solliTo break the news of coming of age
Adaiyaalam kattathaaneAnd show him the physical signs
Aasai vechenI desired

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song expresses the deep longing, unfulfilled romantic desires, and poignant grief of a rural young woman. She reminisces about all the intimate marital and pre-marital moments she had dreamed of sharing with her beloved cousin (athaan)—from breaking the news of her womanhood and sharing innocent playful moments to caring for him, raising a family with twin babies, and growing old together. Every verse builds up a vivid picture of traditional village romance and domestic warmth, ending with the recurring, sorrowful refrain that all her dreams proved false and she is left abandoned like a solitary rose.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Refrain

Aasai vechen

The repetition of 'Aasai vechen' (I desired/longed for) at the end of every short strophe creates a rhythmic beat of relentless longing and heartbreak.

Metaphor

Othaiyila nikkuthindha rosaa

The heroine metaphorically compares herself to a solitary rose standing abandoned ('Othaiyila nikkuthindha rosaa').

Simile

Pasuva pola mella vandhu

The singer compares her gentle approach to that of a docile cow ('Pasuva pola mella vandhu').

Edhukai (Second-letter rhyme)

Aathoram thoppukullae / Aththaanai sandhikkathan

Rhyming of the second consonant sound in Tamil poetry across adjacent lines, such as 'Aathoram' and 'Aththaanai'.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Aasai Vechen' from Panchalankuruchi (1996) is one of composer Deva's most acclaimed emotional folk melodies, sung with deep pathos by Swarnalatha. Lyricist Vairamuthu captured authentic southern Tamil Nadu rural marital customs and imagery, making it an iconic folk-ballad track of the 1990s.

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