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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Adi Anarkali

From Varushamellam Vasantham · 2002

Lyricist
Ravishankar
Singers
Unnikrishnan, Sujatha
Music director
Sirpy
Details
Varushamellam Vasantham2002

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
………………………………….....
Male
Adi anaargaliOh Anarkali!
Adiyae anaargali..ee…Hey Anarkali!
Kanavu kaatchiyilIn a dream-like vision,
Vandha kaadhal devadhaiThe goddess of love who appeared,
En idhayam enbadhooIs my heart truly
Un vasandha maaligaiYour spring palace?
Male
Adi anaargaliOh Anarkali!
Adiyae anaargali..ee…Hey Anarkali!
Male
Thaen endra soll thithithidumaaDoes the mere word 'honey' taste sweet?
Illai thee endra sol suttuvidumaa…Or does the word 'fire' burn you?
Ada un perai ingu naan solvadhaalYet, just because I speak your name here,
Poo pookkuthae aacharyamaFlowers bloom—isn't it a wonder?
Female
Paal endra soll pongividumaDoes the word 'milk' boil over on its own?
Illai neer endra soll sindhividumaaOr does the word 'water' spill out?
Ada nam kaadhalai nee sonnadhumYet, the moment you spoke of our love,
Naan nanaigiren sandhoshamaI get drenched in happiness!
Male
Vizhigal kadidham podumThe eyes send a letter,
Female :Adhai idhayam padithu rasikkumFemale: Which the heart reads and delights in.
Male :Idhu mouna raagamaMale: Is this a silent melody,
Mayakka vedhamaOr an enchanting spell?
Kaadhal kelvi ketkkumLove asks these questions.
Male
Adi anaargaliOh Anarkali!
Adiyae anaargali..ee…Hey Anarkali!
Female :Kanavu kaatchiyilFemale: In a dream-like vision,
Vandha kaadhal devadhaiThe goddess of love who appeared,
Male :En idhayam enbadhooMale: Is my heart truly
Un vasandha maaligaiYour spring palace?
Male
{Dinakka dhina dhinna dhinna{Rhythmic vocalizations}
Thaa dhinnaChorus :Aaaah… aahaah }(2){Rhythmic chorus beat} (2)
Dinakka dhina dhinna dhinnaRhythmic vocalizations
Thaa dhinna …aaaa…aaa….aaa….Rhythmic vocalizations...
Chorus :Aaaah… aahaah..ahaahChorus vocalizations
Female
Kai regaigalai idaiyil vaithaaiYou placed palm prints on the waist,
Un kan regaigalai hmm.. vaithaayYou placed your eye lines...
Un poraadum idhazh soodaara enSo your struggling lips could cool down,
Kannangalil neendha vaithaaiYou let them swim across my cheeks.
Male
Eeradi varai thangathai vaithaanUp to two feet, Brahma placed gold,
Andha moondradikkuFor the third foot,
Avan sorgaththai vaithaanHe placed heaven,
Pinbu naaladikkum michamThen for the remaining fourth foot,
Aindhadikkum bhrammanAnd the fifth foot, Brahma
Vaan nilavai vaithu unnai seidhaanCreated you using the celestial moon!
Female
Vilakku edharku vendumWhy do we need a lamp?
Male :Naam vilakkam kaana vendumMale: We need to see clarification/illumination.
Female :Ada mannai seravaeFemale: Oh, to reach the ground,
Mazhaikku edharkaiyaaWhy does the rain need
Paalam poda vendumA bridge to be built?
Male
Adi anaargaliOh Anarkali!
Adiyae anaargali..ee…Hey Anarkali!
Female :Kanavu kaatchiyilFemale: In a dream-like vision,
Vandha kaadhal devadhaiThe goddess of love who appeared,
Male :En idhayam enbadhooMale: Is my heart truly
Un vasandha maaligaiYour spring palace?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This romantic song features two lovers expressing their affection through poetic imagery and playful banter. The male lead addresses his beloved as 'Anarkali' and envisions his heart as a spring palace reserved for her presence. He muses on how abstract words normally carry no physical sensation, yet uttering her name magically causes flowers to bloom and mentioning their love drenches him in joy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

En idhayam enbadhoo / Un vasandha maaligai

The lover's heart is directly equated to a 'Vasandha Maaligai' (Spring Palace) built for his beloved.

Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Ani)

Thaen endra soll thithithidumaa / Illai thee endra sol suttuvidumaa…

The lyrics use rhetorical inquiries about whether words themselves possess physical sensations to contrast the tangible magic of her name.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi Ani)

Vaan nilavai vaithu unnai seidhaan

An exaggerated poetic description of the beloved's creation, claiming Lord Brahma crafted her using gold, heaven, and celestial moonbeams.

Wordplay / Pun (Sledai)

Vilakku edharku vendum / Male :Naam vilakkam kaana vendum

A play on the phonetic similarity between 'Vilakku' (Lamp) and 'Vilakkam' (Explanation/Illumination).

Did you know?

Trivia

The song 'Adi Anaargali' is featured in the 2002 Tamil film 'Varushamellam Vasantham', starring Manoj Bharathiraja and Anita Hassanandani. The film's soundtrack was composed by Sirpy, and this particular duet was sung by Unni Menon and Sujatha Mohan with lyrics written by Ravishankar.

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