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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Adi Kannaathaa

From Siva · 1989

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Siva1989

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Adi kannaatthaa ponnaatthaaHey Kannatha, Ponnatha!
En aatthaa sellaatthaa ellaam vaangadiyoMy mother, my precious ones, come buy everything!
Vaangadiyo vaangadiyo vaangadiyo hooCome buy, come buy, come buy, hoo!
Ada chinnaiyaa ponnaiyaaHey young sir, golden sir!
Veettukkul yennaiyaa veliyaa vaarungadoWhy stay inside the house, sir? Come outside!
Vaarungado vaarungado vaarungado..hooCome out, come out, come out..hoo!
Chorus
Thakathakatham thaka thakathakathamThakathakatham thaka thakathakatham
Thaka thamthaka thamthakaThaka thamthaka thamthaka
Thamthaka thamthaka thamThamthaka thamthaka tham
Thamtham thakathakathamThamtham thakathakatham
Thaka thakathakatham thakaThaka thakathakatham thaka
Thamthaka thamthakaThamthaka thamthaka
Thamthaka thamthaka thamThamthaka thamthaka tham
Male
Haiyaa haiyaa hoiHurrah, hurrah, hoi!
Naan appan aanen doiI have become a father, hey!
Maamaa engae doiWhere is uncle, hey?
Un ponna kondaa doiBring your daughter, hey!
Male
Yaana mela kudhira melaAtop an elephant, atop a horse
Paiyan varuvaan doiThe boy will come, hey!
Nainaavaattam style ah ninnuStanding stylishly like his father
Whistle um adippaan doiHe will whistle, hey!
Un ponna kandaa kannum adippan doiWhen he sees your daughter, he will wink as well, hey!
Thara pampam pampamThara pampam pampam
Male
Haiyaa haiyaa hoiHurrah, hurrah, hoi!
Naan appan aanen doiI have become a father, hey!
Maamaa engae doiWhere is uncle, hey?
Un ponna kondaa doiBring your daughter, hey!
Male
Vaanavillil oru thoranam kattuTie a festoon using the rainbow!
Chorus :Chaangu chakkaa chakaChorus: Chaangu chakkaa chaka
Changchaka chakkaaChangchaka chakkaa
Male :Inba sedhi solli veedhi engumMale: Sharing joyful news across every street
Melam kottaadhoWon't the drums beat loudly?
Onnaa serndhu ninnu paattu solliStanding together and singing songs
Thaalam thattaadhoWon't we clap to the rhythm?
Male
Aasai nenjam adhil aayiram ennamA longing heart filled with a thousand thoughts
Chorus :Chaangu chakkaa chakaChorus: Chaangu chakkaa chaka
Changchaka chakkaaChangchaka chakkaa
Male :Adi aadi vellam pola vandhuMale: Flowing in like the floods of the month of Aadi
Neendha chollaadhoWon't it urge us to swim?
Adhil aattam enna paattam ennaWhat joy in dancing, what joy in singing
Serndhu kollaadhoWon't everyone join in?
Male
Then madhura thamizh chandhamSweet Madurai Tamil rhythm
Vaai thirandhaa vandhu sindhumSpills forth whenever the mouth opens
Then madhura thamizh chandhamSweet Madurai Tamil rhythm
Vaai thirandhaa vandhu sindhumSpills forth whenever the mouth opens
Andha paandi mutthup pola yen pullaMy child is like that precious Pandyan pearl!
Thara pampam pampamThara pampam pampam
Chorus
Haiyaa haiyaa hoiHurrah, hurrah, hoi!
Iva ammaa aanaa doiShe has become a mother, hey!
Maamaa engae doiWhere is uncle, hey?
Un ponna kondaa doiBring your daughter, hey!
Chorus
Thannaana thannaanaThannaana thannaana
Thannaana thaanaaThannaana thaanaa
Thana thannaana thannaanaThana thannaana thannaana
Thannaana thaanaaThannaana thaanaa
Male
Yaaru pulla avan ennuda pullaWhose child is he? He is my child!
Chorus :Chaangu chakkaa chakaChorus: Chaangu chakkaa chaka
Changchaka chakkaaChangchaka chakkaa
Male :Paadu padum thozharukkuMale: To the hard-working comrades
Thola koduppaanHe will lend a supportive shoulder
Oru paadhagattha yaarum senjaaIf anyone commits a wicked deed
Modhi midhippaanHe will clash with and trample them
Male
Ezhai enna ada yeliyavar ennaWhat does it matter if one is poor or humble?
Chorus :Chaangu chakkaa chakaChorus: Chaangu chakkaa chaka
Changchaka chakkaaChangchaka chakkaa
Male :Sama needhi onnae needhi ennumMale: Declaring equal justice as the only true justice
Paadha vaguppaanHe will forge a new path
Avan naattil ulla medu pallamThe societal highs and lows in his land
Yaavum thagarppaanHe will dismantle and destroy them all
Male
Nenjam undu vairam polaeHe possesses a heart strong like a diamond
Panjam enna ini melaeWhat poverty or scarcity could exist hereafter?
Nenjam undu vairam polaeHe possesses a heart strong like a diamond
Panjam enna ini melaeWhat poverty or scarcity could exist hereafter?
Adha solla cholla meesa thudikkumJust speaking of it makes the mustache twitch with pride!
Thara pampam pampamThara pampam pampam
Male
Haiyaa haiyaa hoiHurrah, hurrah, hoi!
Naan appan aanen doiI have become a father, hey!
Maamaa engae doiWhere is uncle, hey?
Un ponna kondaa doiBring your daughter, hey!
Male
Yaana mela kudhira melaAtop an elephant, atop a horse
Paiyan varuvaan doiThe boy will come, hey!
Nainaavaattam style ah ninnuStanding stylishly like his father
Whistle um adippaan doiHe will whistle, hey!
Un ponna kandaa kannum adippan doiWhen he sees your daughter, he will wink as well, hey!
Thara pampam pampamThara pampam pampam
Male
Haiyaa haiyaa hoiHurrah, hurrah, hoi!
Naan appan aanen doiI have become a father, hey!
Maamaa engae doiWhere is uncle, hey?
Un ponna kondaa doiBring your daughter, hey!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This high-energy folk celebration song from the movie Siva (1989) expresses the boundless joy of a new father celebrating the birth of his newborn son. He invites the entire neighborhood to join in the festivities, triumphantly calling out to his brother-in-law (uncle) to reserve his daughter for the newborn boy, jokingly boasting about how stylish and charming the young boy will grow up to be. Written by poet Pulamaipithan, the song elevates beyond simple domestic joy into social idealism. The father envisions his son growing up with egalitarian principles—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with working-class comrades, fighting injustice, flattening social inequalities, and possessing a heart as resilient as a diamond.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uwamai)

Adi aadi vellam pola vandhu

Compares the flow of joy to the heavy monsoon floods of the Tamil month of Aadi using the word 'pola'.

Simile (Uwamai)

Andha paandi mutthup pola yen pulla

Compares the newborn child to the renowned pearls of the ancient Pandyan kingdom.

Simile (Uwamai)

Nenjam undu vairam polae

Compares the child's strong and resolute heart to a diamond ('vairam polae').

Hyperbole (Udhuyarchik Kurippu)

Vaanavillil oru thoranam kattu

An exaggerated, highly poetic imagery suggesting stringing a festoon out of a rainbow to decorate for the celebration.

Etukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Nenjam undu vairam polae / Panjam enna ini melae

The second consonant 'n' in 'Nenjam' rhymes with the second consonant 'n' in 'Panjam'.

Solkattu / Rhythm Syllables (Santham)

Thakathakatham thaka thakathakatham

Use of rhythmic folk vocalizations ('Thakathakatham', 'Chaangu chakkaa') to build high energy and traditional folk tempo.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although listed in prompt details as 'Unknown', the soundtrack for Siva (1989) starring Rajinikanth was actually composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with vocals performed by S.P. Balasubrahmanyam and K.S. Chithra. The film was a remake of the 1988 Hindi hit 'Kishan Kanhaiya' (and Telugu film 'Ramudu Bheemudu').

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