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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Anna Saalaiyil

From Roja Kootam · 2002

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Karthik
Music director
Bharathwaj
Details
Roja Kootam2002

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Thank you bhagavaanaeThank you, Oh God
Male
Anna saalayilOn Anna Salai road
Chennai anna saalayilOn Chennai's Anna Salai road
Oru ettu vanna vaanavillai paarthenI saw an eight-colored rainbow
Etti pidikkaTo reach and catch it
Vinnai mutti parandhenI flew touching the sky
Adhu mazhai pattu karainthida verthenFearing it would dissolve in the rain, I broke into a sweat
Male
Vaa vaa vaanavil thaediSearching for that rainbow, come, come
Naa naan alaigindra neramAt the time when I was wandering
Haiyyo thaedi chendraOh my, the rainbow I was searching for
Vaanavillae neril vandhathaeCame right in front of me in person
Male
Anna saalayilOn Anna Salai road
Chennai anna saalayilOn Chennai's Anna Salai road
Oru ettu vanna vaanavillai paarthenI saw an eight-colored rainbow
Etti pidikkaTo reach and catch it
Vinnai mutti parandhenI flew touching the sky
Adhu mazhai pattu karainthida verthenFearing it would dissolve in the rain, I broke into a sweat
Chorus
Oorurururu…(3)Oorurururu...
Male
Aayiram aandugalLearning technology for a thousand years
Thozhilnutpam pazhagiGod practiced and created
Aandavan padaithaanA stunning beauty
Asathidum azhagiSeeing her eyes, just a little
Chorus
Kangal paarthathum konjamThat is only three percent
Adhu moondrae sadha vigithamIf one sees ninety-seven percent
Thonnoothaezhum paarthaalLife leaving the body is a hundred percent certainty
Uyir pogum sadha vigithamEvery girl has one beautiful feature
Male
Ovvoru pennukum ovvondru azhaguFor the girl I saw, every single thing is beautiful
Naan kanda pennuku ovvundrumae azhaguFor the moon in the sky, only its face gives light
Vaan konda nilavukku mugam mattum velichamFor the girl I saw, even her shadow gives light
Naan kanda pennuku nizhal kooda velichamThe street where she lives has no night
Male
Aval vaazhum veedhikku iravae illaiNo night!
Chorus :IllaiLet her look at me, there will be no death for me
Male :Aval ennai paakattum maranam illaiOn Anna Salai road
Male
Anna saalayilOn Chennai's Anna Salai road
Chennai anna saalayilI saw an eight-colored rainbow
Oru ettu vanna vaanavillai paarthenAhaa... aaa...
Ahaa…aaa…To reach and catch it
Etti pidikkaI flew touching the sky
Vinnai mutti parandhenFearing it would dissolve in the rain, I broke into a sweat
Adhu mazhai pattu karainthida verthenLala laa laa lalaa
Female
Lala laa laa lalaaLal lala laa laa lalaa
Lal lala laa laa lalaaLal lala laa laa laalaa laalaa lalaaa
Lal lala laa laa laalaa laalaa lalaaaLaalala laa laa..aa..aa...
Laalala laa laa..aa..aa…Laalala laa laa..aa..aa...
Laalala laa laa..aa..aa…Lala laa laa lalaa
Lala laa laa lalaaLal lala laa laa lalaa
Lal lala laa laa lalaaLal lala laa laa laalaa laalaa lalaaa
Lal lala laa laa laalaa laalaa lalaaaIn outer space, two
Male
Vinveliyil renduPlucking two stars
Natchathiram parithuAnd a champak flower
Senbagapoo ondruGently wiping it clean
Adhai mella thudaithuOh my, oh my, oh my!
Chorus
Adada adada adadaDid He craft her eyes using them?
Aval vizhigal seithaanooWith those rolling eyes
Urulum vizhigal konduDid He harvest this guy's life?
Ivan uyirai koithaanooIf she says yes, I will reside inside her heart
Male
Sari sonnal aval manasukkul iruppenIf she says no, I will lie down near her anklet
Illai endral aval kolusukkul kidappenOne in the spinning sky, and in the maiden's heart
Suttrum vinnil ondru paavayin ullathilAnother one in the depression of her footprint
Innum ondru aval paadhathin pallathilThere is no other woman like her on earth
Male
Avalai pol pennoruthi boomikkillaiNo, there isn't!
Chorus :IllaiEven God has no intention of creating another like her in the future
Male :Inimelum padaikum ennam saamikku illaiOn Anna Salai road
Male
Anna saalayilOn Chennai's Anna Salai road
Chennai anna saalayilI saw an eight-colored rainbow
Oru ettu vanna vaanavillai paarthenYeayyyy...
Yeayyyy…To reach and catch it
Etti pidikkaI flew touching the sky
Vinnai mutti parandhenFearing it would dissolve in the rain, I broke into a sweat
Adhu mazhai pattu karainthida verthenSearching for that rainbow, come, come
Male
Vaa vaa vaanavil thaediAt the time when I was wandering
Naa naan alaigindra neramOh my, the rainbow I was searching for
Haiyyo thaedi chendraCame right in front of me in person
Vaanavillae neril vandhathae

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Anna Saalayil' is an exuberant romantic track from the 2002 Tamil film 'Roja Kootam', composed by Bharathwaj and written by Vairamuthu. The song captures a young man's ecstatic reaction upon encountering a captivating woman on Anna Salai, one of Chennai's most prominent avenues. He poetically compares her to an extraordinarily rare eight-colored rainbow and describes her striking beauty in hyperbolic, playful metaphors.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Hyperbole (Uruvagaimai / Uyharvu Navirtchi)

Oru ettu vanna vaanavillai paarthen

Describing the girl as an 'eight-colored rainbow' (ettukku vanna vaanavil) and claiming God practiced technology for 1000 years to create her.

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Vinveliyil rendu Natchathiram parithu

Comparing her eyes to two plucked stars from space cleaned with a champak flower.

Emona / Rhyme (Monai)

Aayiram aandugal / Aandavan padaithaan

Alliteration of the initial consonant sounds across lines, such as 'Aayiram' and 'Aandavan'.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Roja Kootam' marked Srikanth's debut as a lead actor in Tamil cinema and featured Bhumika Chawla. The film's soundtrack composed by Bharathwaj was a major commercial hit, with 'Anna Saalayil' sung by Unni Krishnan becoming particularly popular among college students.

Keep listening

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