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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Alangatti Mazhai

From Thenali · 2000

Lyricist
Kalai Kumar
Singers
Kamal Haasan, Srinivas, Sujatha
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Thenali2000

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Alangatti mazhaiHas the hail rain
Thalatta vandhaachchaCome to sing a lullaby?
Du vitta manasuHas the heart that broke off friendship
Pazham vittu serndaachaReconnected through sweet reconciliation?
Male :HaachMale: Achoo!
Female
Samarasam seiyyaTo make peace,
Chandriran vandhaachaHas the moon arrived?
Chinna chinna sandaHave the small fights
SamadhaanamaachaTurned into harmony?
Male :HaachMale: Achoo!
Male
Ippa pazhasa marandhuForgetting the past now,
Kadhaikka vandhachchaaHave you come to chat?
Endra visanam marandhuToday's sorrow is forgotten,
Kaththodu poyaachchuBlown away with the wind!
Male
Thaninna thagadiku thaninnaThaninna thagadiku thaninna (Rhythmic syllables)
Thagadiku thaninnaThagadiku thaninna
Thaana nannaaThaana nannaa
Thaninna thagadiku thaninnaThaninna thagadiku thaninna
Thagadiku thaninna…naaaThagadiku thaninna…naaa
Ho o oo..oooo…oooo…oooooHo o oo..oooo…oooo…ooooo
Male
Kulamkaattum vennilavaiLike the white moon reflected in a pond,
Azhagana nam kudumbamOur beautiful family stands.
Kal ondru vizhuvadhaal kalayalaamaShould it dissolve just because a stone falls?
Female
Kal ondru vizhuvadhinaalBecause a stone falls into the water,
Thanneeril neli neliyaaiShould we not enjoy the wavy artwork
Alaipodum oviyaththai rasikkalaamaeFormed as ripples in the water?
Male
Sithanna vaasal sirppangal pakkamNext to the grand sculptures of Sittannavasal,
Verum paarai ennoWhy stands a plain boulder?
Female :Anbennum uli pattadhaalFemale: When touched by the chisel named love,
Paarai silai aagumaeEven a boulder becomes a beautiful statue.
Male
Pittu kuzhalukkuLike grated coconut flower
Thengaai poova polaFilled inside a steamed rice cake tube,
Hehaaa…Hehaaa…
Onaa kalandhida nenju thudikkudhuMy heart yearns to blend together as one!
Male
Pi pi pi pittu kuzhalukkuLike grated coconut flower
Thengaai poova polaFilled inside a steamed rice cake tube,
Onaa kalandhida nenju thudikkudhuMy heart yearns to blend together as one!
Female
Sondhaththai dhinam sandhikkaTo meet loved ones every day,
Avar nizhal kooda yengudhu..ammaEven their shadow longs for it... mother!
Female
Alangatti mazhaiHas the hail rain
Thalatta vandhaachchaCome to sing a lullaby?
Du vitta manasuHas the heart that broke off friendship
Pazham vittu serndaachaReconnected through sweet reconciliation?
Chorus
Thandhanandhom thandhanandhomThandhanandhom thandhanandhom
Haiyoda haiya haiyoda hai haiHaiyoda haiya haiyoda hai hai
Thandhanandhom thandhanandhomThandhanandhom thandhanandhom
Haiyoda haiya haiyoda hai haiHaiyoda haiya haiyoda hai hai
………………………………………………………..(Musical transition)
Female
Aatroda naanal adhuAs the river reed
Katrodu kai kulukkaShakes hands with the wind,
Natpodu naamum adhaiLet us affectionately
Konjalaam nilAdore it, wait!
Male
Panayil pazham parichchuPicking fruit from a palm tree
Vidhaiyil thenna valarkkaTo grow a coconut tree from its seed,
Aarenum asa pattaalIf anyone desires so,
Aagumo solTell me, is that possible?
Female
Oruvar punnagaiOne person's smile
Matravar mugam adhil pookkumae..ae…Blossoms upon another's face!
Male :Ullankaiyindra regaigalMale: Though palm lines are different,
Palan ondragumaeThe destiny outcome is one and the same!
Female
Anaivarum ingu nadandhidum podhuWhen everyone walks together here,
Oru nizhal mattum therivadhennaWhy does only a single shadow appear?
Male :Kavidhai pol ulla kudumbadhthilMale: In this family that feels like a poem,
Naanum oru varthai aagalaamoMay I also become a single word?
Male
Aaahh…aaa aalangatti mazhaiAaahh... the hail rain
Thalatta vandhutttudhuHas come to lull us to sleep!
Du vitta manasuThe heart that broke off friendship
Pazham vittu serndhittudhuHas reconnected with sweet peace!
Male
Samarasam seiyaTo make a compromise,
Thenaali vandhaanaeThenali himself has arrived!
Chinna chinna sandaiSmall petty fights
Samadhanam thaanaeHave settled into peace!
Female
Thulli gudichchu gudichchuJumping and hopping with joy,
Korayudhu vayasuAge keeps diminishing!
Ippo sirikka sirikkaNow, as we laugh and smile,
Noiyelaam poyaachchuAll ailments have vanished away!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Alangatti Mazhai' from the movie Thenali (2000) is a warm, uplifting track celebrating family reconciliation, affection, and the healing power of togetherness. Through poetic allegories—such as ripples on a pond created by a thrown stone, raw rocks transformed into statues by the chisel of love, and coconut seamlessly blending into pittu—the lyrics convey that minor squabbles should never break the bonds of family. The second half emphasizes unity and mutual happiness, describing how a smile on one person's face brings joy to another and how the family walks so closely together that they cast a single shadow. The protagonist, Thenali, brings innocent humor and warmth, demonstrating that laughter and love can heal past wounds and dispel all worries.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

Pittu kuzhalukku Thengaai poova pola

Compares the blending of hearts in a family to grated coconut filling inside a traditional pittu steamer.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Anbennum uli pattadhaal Paarai silai aagumae

Love is conceptualized as a sculptor's chisel that turns a plain stone boulder into an exquisite statue.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Kavidhai pol ulla kudumbadhthil Naanum oru varthai aagalaamo

Compares the entire family to an exquisite poem, with the speaker asking to be a small word within it.

Second-Letter Rhyme (Edhukai)

Alangatti mazhai / Thalatta vandhaachcha

The second consonant 'la' matches across consecutive lines, creating rhythmic symmetry.

Rhetorical Question

Kal ondru vizhuvadhaal kalayalaama

Asks whether a small stone falling into a pond should destroy the beautiful reflection, encouraging optimism despite disturbances.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although the prompt context mentions 'Music: Unknown', the soundtrack for Thenali (2000) was composed by A. R. Rahman with lyrics written by Kalaikumar. The song features vocals by Kamal Haasan, Srinivas, Sujatha Mohan, and Palakkad Sreeram. In the film narrative, this track serves as a pivotal emotional moment where Kamal Haasan's character attempts to mend broken family relationships through childlike joy and humor.

Keep listening

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