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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ambuliyai kuzhambaaki

From Ambikapathy (Old) · 1957

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Details
Ambikapathy (Old)1957

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics↻ English translation
Male
Ambuliyai kuzhambaakki…Making a fine paste out of the moon...
Ee…ee….ee….ee…[Vocalizing melodic notes]
Aravindha rasamodu amudhum serthu…Blending lotus essence along with divine nectar...
Uuu…uu….uuu…uuu….[Vocalizing melodic notes]
Inba nirai mugamaakki…ee…ee…eeForming a face filled to the brim with joy...
Kayalirandai kannaakki…ee…ee…ee..Making two fish into a pair of eyes...
Mannan eendha paingiliyae ..ae…Oh sweet green parrot gifted by the king...
Paingiliyae…ae…ae…ae…Oh green parrot...
Male
Ayaloruvar kan padumo endranjiFearing that a stranger's evil eye might fall upon you...
Ayaloruvar kan padumo endranjiFearing that a stranger's evil eye might fall upon you...
Bayathodunnai kangalilae kanbadhallaalApart from beholding you anxiously through my eyes...
Kana pozhudhum inai piriyaa…aaa…aa…When will the time come when we never part for even a moment...
Kaalam yendro… o… oo…ooo…ooo..oooOh when will that time be...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This poetic verse uses exquisite classical Tamil imagery to describe the divine beauty of the beloved. The creator is imagined as having liquefied the moon, mixed it with lotus extract and heavenly nectar to craft her joyful face, and shaped two darting fish to form her eyes. The protagonist affectionately addresses her as a precious parrot and expresses deep anxiety that others' envious glances might harm her. The verse concludes with a passionate yearning for a time when the lovers will never be separated, not even for a fleeting second.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uruvam (Metaphor / Imagery)

“Ambuliyai kuzhambaakki… / Kayalirandai kannaakki…”

Composing a face out of the moon, lotus essence, and nectar, and eyes out of fish (Kayal) uses classic Tamil Sangam metaphors to exaggerate facial beauty.

Adhi Monai (Initial Alliteration)

“Aravindha rasamodu amudhum serthu…”

The repetition of the initial vowel sound 'A' in 'Ambuliyai', 'Aravindha', and 'Ayaloruvar' builds a musical and rhythmic cadence.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Inba nirai mugamaakki… Kayalirandai kannaakki…”

The matching endings of 'Mugamaakki' and 'Kannaakki' create an elegant rhyming structure across consecutive lines.

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Trivia

The 1957 classic film 'Ambikapathy' starred Sivaji Ganesan and P. Bhanumathi, with music composed by G. Ramanathan. Lyricist Kannadasan drew heavily from medieval Chola court poetry traditions for these lines, incorporating traditional epithets like comparing a woman's eyes to fish ('Kayal') and her speech/presence to a parrot ('Paingili').

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