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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Anjam Number

From Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen · 1997

Lyricist
R. Sundarrajan
Singer
Vijay
Music director
Deva
Details
Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen1997

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Anjaam number bussileriI boarded the number five bus
ThandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird
Aaru mugana paakkaponenI went to see Lord Arumugan (or Arumugam)
ThandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird
Male
Anjaam number bussileriI boarded the number five bus
ThandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird
Chorus :Kuyilae thandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird
Male :Aaru mugana paakkaponenI went to see Lord Arumugan
ThandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird
Chorus :Kuyilae thandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird
Male
Sivanandhaa colonyinilAt Sivanandha Colony
Bussu ninnadhuThe bus stopped
Anga bussukaagaThe girl who stood waiting for the bus there
Vandhu ninna ponnu ennadhuShe became mine
Male
Anjaam number bussileriI boarded the number five bus
ThandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird
Chorus :Kuyilae thandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird
Male :Aaru mugana paakkaponenI went to see Lord Arumugan
ThandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird
Chorus :Kuyilae thandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird
Chorus
…………………….
Male
Onnu rendu numberellaamNumbers one and two
Onbadhila mudinjudumEnd at nine
Chorus :Munna pinna potadhunaaIf you put them in different combinations
Latchathukku mela varumIt comes to over a lakh
Chorus
……………………….
Male
Ethanaiyo thalaimuraiWe have property inherited
Soththirukku engalukkuFor many generations
Chorus :Athanaiyum sollanunnuYou do not need to know
Thevai illai ungallukuAll of those details
Male
Aana malai aaru kulamAnamalai, rivers, and ponds
Enga perulaAre in our name
Chorus :Indha akka maga ooruOnly this niece's town
Mattum innum seralaHas not been added yet
Male
Enga ooru aaruThe river of our town
Ellarukkum serumReaches everyone
Chorus :Enga ooru aaruThe river of our town
Engeyum poi serumReaches everywhere
Male :Aathukulla neendhiponaaIf you swim across the river
Akkarai poi serumYou will reach the other shore
Chorus
Anjaam number bussileriI boarded the number five bus
Male :ThandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird
Kuyilae thandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird
Chorus :Aaru mugana paakkaponenI went to see Lord Arumugan
Male :ThandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird
Kuyilae thandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird
Chorus
………………………..
Male
Kannumani ponnumaniMy precious darling
Kandavanga sollumbadiAs those who see us say
Chinnamani sonnapadiJust as the little gem says
Ellamae athupadiEverything is thoroughly known
Chorus
……………………
Male
Suthamadi suthamadiIt is pure and good
Naan solluradhu budhimadhiWhat I am saying is good advice
Budhimadhi illaiyinaaIf you lack wisdom
Pakkam vandhaa kathukka neeCome close and learn it
Chorus
Kathu tharom kathu tharomWe will teach you, we will teach you
KannumanikkuTo my precious darling
Pathu dharam pathu dharamTen times, ten times
ChinnamanikkuTo the little gem
Male
Mundhaanethu madamDay before yesterday, teacher
Sonnanga oru paadamTaught a lesson
Chorus :Mundhaanethu madamDay before yesterday, teacher
Sonnanga oru paadamTaught a lesson
Male
Unga mundhanaiyai mudinjuTie up your saree end
Bus la utkaarunga oramAnd sit at the side on the bus
Male
Anjaam number bussileriI boarded the number five bus
Chorus :ThandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird
Kuyilae thandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird
Male :Aaru mugana paakkaponenI went to see Lord Arumugan
Chorus :ThandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird
Kuyilae thandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird
Male
Sivanandhaa colonyinilAt Sivanandha Colony
Bussu ninnadhuThe bus stopped
Anga bussukaagaThe girl who stood waiting for the bus there
Vandhu ninna ponnu ennadhu haanShe became mine, haan!
Chorus
Anjaam number bussileriI boarded the number five bus
Male :ThandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird
Kuyilae thandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird
Chorus :Aaru mugana paakkaponenI went to see Lord Arumugan
Male :ThandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird
Kuyilae thandhaanakuyilaeOh cuckoo bird, oh cuckoo bird

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Anjaam Number Bussileri is a cheerful folk-style duet/group track from the 1997 Tamil film Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen. The song narrates a romantic encounter starting on a local city bus (Bus No. 5) near Sivanandha Colony in Coimbatore. The protagonist humorously boasts about his family wealth, ancestral lands, and local river, comparing his romantic pursuit to crossing a river and finding his beloved girl waiting at the bus stop. The lighthearted banter includes advice, playful teasing, and folk refrains standard in Tamil cinema rustic duets.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Alliteration)

Anjaam number bussileri

Repetition of initial consonant sounds such as in 'Anjaam' and 'Aaru', or 'Sivanandhaa' and 'Bussu'.

Edhukai (Rhyming second letter)

Kannumani ponnumani

Rhyming second letters across adjacent words or lines, common in traditional Tamil folk metrics.

Refrain / Chorus

Thandhaanakuyilae

The recurring folk refrain 'Thandhaanakuyilae / Kuyilae thandhaanakuyilae' serves as a rhythmic folk filler.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen' stars Vijay and Dimple, with music composed by Deva. Sivanandha Colony and Anamalai mentioned in the lyrics directly reference real landmarks in and around Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

Keep listening

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