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IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Aazhakkadalil Neenthi

From Anbulla Athan · 1981

Lyricist: Kannadasan
Singer: P. Susheela
Music director: M. S. Vishwanathan
Details: Anbulla Athan1981

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics	↻ English translation
Female
Azhakkadalil neendhi vandhen	I came swimming across the deep ocean
Aani muthai yendhi vandhen	I came holding a fine, precious pearl
Neendhi varum velaiyilae	While I was swimming along
Neera kudithen paadhiyilae	I ended up swallowing sea water halfway
Female
Kaadhal ennum saedhi sonnen	I conveyed the message of love
Kaagidhathil thoodhu vitten	I sent a messenger through a letter
Aasai veippaan endrirundhen	I hoped he would affectionally hold me dear
Aadharithaan naan magizhndhen	He supported me, and I rejoiced
Female
Azhakkadalil neendhi vandhen	I came swimming across the deep ocean
Aani muthai yendhi vandhen	I came holding a fine, precious pearl
Neendhi varum velaiyilae	While I was swimming along
Neera kudithen paadhiyilae	I ended up swallowing sea water halfway
Female
Maalaikatta kaathirundhen	I waited to weave the wedding garland
Manjalaiyae paarthirundhen	I kept looking at the auspicious turmeric
Maalai katta neram illai	There was no time left to weave the garland
Naanam kettu ponadhamma	Alas, my modesty was lost completely
Female
Chinnamuthu sittumuthu	Little pearl, tiny pearl
Vannamuthu vaasamuthu	Colorful pearl, fragrant pearl
Ennidathil meendum vara	To make it return to me once again
Yaar idathil poyiuraippen	To whom shall I go and plead?
Female
Azhakkadalil neendhi vandhen	I came swimming across the deep ocean
Aani muthai yendhi vandhen	I came holding a fine, precious pearl
Neendhi varum velaiyilae	While I was swimming along
Neera kudithen paadhiyilae	I ended up swallowing sea water halfway
Female
Sippi idhu kettadhudhaan	This mother-of-pearl shell has indeed spoiled
Seer izhandhu ponadhu thaan	It has truly lost its grandeur and status
Appoludhum en manadhai	Even then, my true inner heart
Aandavan pol avan arivaan	He will understand just like God
Aandavan pol avan arivaan	He will understand just like God

Tamil lyrics

English translation

ஆழக்கடல் நீந்தி வந்தேன்

ஆணி முத்தை ஏந்தி வந்தேன்

நீந்தி வரும் வேளையிலே

நீர்க் குடித்தேன் பாதியிலே..

I came swimming across the deep ocean

I came holding a fine, precious pearl

While I was swimming along

I ended up swallowing sea water halfway

காதலென்னும் சேதி சொன்னேன்

காகிதத்தில் தூதுவிட்டேன்

ஆசை வைப்பான் என்றிருந்தேன்

ஆதரித்தான் நான் மகிழ்ந்தேன்

I conveyed the message of love

I sent a messenger through a letter

I hoped he would affectionally hold me dear

He supported me, and I rejoiced

ஆழக்கடல் நீந்தி வந்தேன்

ஆணி முத்தை ஏந்தி வந்தேன்

நீந்தி வரும் வேளையிலே

நீர்க் குடித்தேன் பாதியிலே..

I came swimming across the deep ocean

I came holding a fine, precious pearl

While I was swimming along

I ended up swallowing sea water halfway

மாலைகட்ட காத்திருந்தேன்

மஞ்சளையே பார்த்திருந்தேன்

மாலைகட்ட நேரமில்லை

நாணம் கெட்டுப் போனதம்மா

I waited to weave the wedding garland

I kept looking at the auspicious turmeric

There was no time left to weave the garland

Alas, my modesty was lost completely

சின்னமுத்து சிட்டுமுத்து

வண்ணமுத்து வாசமுத்து

என்னிடத்தில் மீண்டும் வர

யாரிடத்தில் போயுரைப்பேன்

Little pearl, tiny pearl

Colorful pearl, fragrant pearl

To make it return to me once again

To whom shall I go and plead?

ஆழக்கடல் நீந்தி வந்தேன்

ஆணி முத்தை ஏந்தி வந்தேன்

நீந்தி வரும் வேளையிலே

நீர்க் குடித்தேன் பாதியிலே..

I came swimming across the deep ocean

I came holding a fine, precious pearl

While I was swimming along

I ended up swallowing sea water halfway

சிப்பி இது கெட்டதுதான்

சீரிழந்து போனதுதான்

அப்பொழுதும் என் மனதை

ஆண்டவன்போல் அவன் அறிவான்

ஆண்டவன்போல் அவன் அறிவான்.....

This mother-of-pearl shell has indeed spoiled

It has truly lost its grandeur and status

Even then, my true inner heart

He will understand just like God

He will understand just like God

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a deeply melancholic reflection on a woman's emotional and social struggles in love. Using ocean and pearl metaphors, she describes her journey through life's deep waters carrying her precious purity and love. Though she faced mid-journey adversity, lost her modesty, and missed the auspicious moment of formal union, she mourns her fallen state while longing for her lost happiness. Despite feeling like a damaged oyster shell that has lost its status, she holds firm belief that her beloved possesses the divine compassion of God to truly comprehend her innocent heart and suffering.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Azhakkadalil neendhi vandhen / Aani muthai yendhi vandhen”

The lines end with matching rhyming suffixes like 'vandhen' / 'vandhen' and 'velaiyilae' / 'paadhiyilae' to create a melodic rhythm.

Uvamai (Simile)

“Aandavan pol avan arivaan”

The lyricist explicitly compares the hero's understanding and divine empathy to God using the comparative word 'pol'.

Uvagam (Metaphor)

“Sippi idhu kettadhudhaan / Seer izhandhu ponadhu thaan”

Life's vast trials are allegorized as a deep ocean ('Azhakkadal'), and her innocence/virtue/child as a precious pearl ('Aani muthu') inside an oyster shell ('Sippi').

Edugai (Second-letter Rhyming)

“Chinnamuthu sittumuthu / Vannamuthu vaasamuthu”

The second consonant 'nna' rhymes consistently across adjacent phrases to build classical Tamil poetic meter.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by M. S. Vishwanathan with lyrics by Kannadasan, this song stands out as a classic example of Kannadasan using ocean metaphors ('Aani muthu', 'Sippi') to represent feminine modesty, destiny, and life's tragic turns in 1980s Tamil cinema.

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