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IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Athikaai Kaai

From Bale Pandiya · 1962

Lyricist: Lyricist Not Known
Singers: T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director: Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name: Bale Pandiya
Movie release year: 1962
Lyrics added on: 28 May 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics

↻ English translation

Athikaai

Kaai kaai aalankaai

Vennilavae ithikaai

Kaayadhae ennai pol

Pennallavo

Nee

Ennai pol pennallavo

Athikaai

Kaai kaai aalankaai

Vennilavae ithikaai

Kaayadhae en uyirum

Neeyallavo

En uyirum

Neeyallavo athikaai

Kaai kaai aalankaai

Vennilavae

……………….

{ Kannikaai

Aasaikaai kaadhal

Konda paavaikaai

Angae kaai avaraikaai

Mangai endhan kovaikaai } (2)

Maathulankaai

Aanalum en ullankaai

Aagumo ennai nee

Kayadhae en uyirum neeyallavo

Ithikaai

Kaayadhae ennai pol

Pennallavo

………………..

{ Iravukaai

Uravukaai yengum

Indha ezhaikaai

Neeyum

Kaai nithamum

Kaai neril nirkum ivalai kaai } (2)

Uruvankaai

Aanalum paruvankaai

Aagumo ennai nee

Kaayadhae ennuyirum nee allavo

{ Elakaai

Vaasanai pol engal

Ullam vaazhakaai

Saathikaai

Pettagam pol thanimai

Inbam kaniyakaai } (2)

Sonnathellam

Vilangayo thoothuvazhangai

Vennila ennai nee kaayadhae

Ennuyirum nee allavo

{ Ullamellam

Milagayo ovvoru

Per suraikaayo

Vellarikaai kilarnthadhu

Pol vennilavae sirithaayo } (2)

Kothaienai

Kaayadhae kotravanaikaai

Vennila iruvaraum kaayadhae

Thanimayilenkaai vennila

Like a fig fruit,

shine, oh banyan fruit, shine!

Oh white moon, for this reason,

do not scorch me; like me,

aren't you a woman too?

You,

aren't you a woman like me?

Like a fig fruit,

shine, oh banyan fruit, shine!

Oh white moon, for this reason,

do not scorch me; my very soul,

are you not?

My very soul,

are you not? Like a fig fruit,

shine, oh banyan fruit, shine!

Oh white moon...

...

{ For this maiden,

for this desire, for this

loving girl who lost her heart,

shine over there, for his sake,

for this girl with ivy-gourd red lips! } (2)

Even if it is a pomegranate,

can it match the warmth of my palm?

Do not scorch me,

do not torment me, are you not my very soul?

For this reason,

do not scorch me; like me,

aren't you a woman too?

...

{ For the night,

for intimacy, for this poor soul

who is longing so deeply,

you too,

scorch every day,

tease her who stands right before me! } (2)

Even if her form is still young,

can her blooming youth stay unripe?

Do not scorch me,

do not torment me, are you not my very soul?

{ Like fragrant cardamom,

like its sweet aroma,

may our hearts thrive and flourish;

like a treasure box of nutmeg,

in this sweet solitude,

let our joy ripen into fruit! } (2)

Won't you understand all that I said,

and deliver my loving message?

Oh white moon, do not scorch me,

are you not my very soul?

{ Is your whole heart

fiery like a chili pepper?

Is each person hollow like a gourd?

Like a fresh cucumber sliced open,

did you burst into a smile, oh white moon? } (2)

Do not torment this woman;

scorch her lord instead!

Oh white moon, do not scorch either of us,

shine gently upon our solitude, oh moon!

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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song 'Athikaai Kaai Kaai' from 'Bale Pandiya' (1962) is a brilliant linguistic play on words (Sledai / Yamakam) centered on the Tamil suffix '-kaai' (which means both 'unripe fruit/vegetable' and 'to burn/scorch/shine'). The lovers address the moonlight and various botanical items, weaving vegetable and fruit names into emotional expressions of love, longing, and poetic banter.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Sledai / Yamakam (Puns and Homonyms)

“Athikaai Kaai kaai aalankaai”

Extensive use of the suffix '-kaai' which acts simultaneously as a noun ending for fruits/vegetables (e.g., Athikaai, Avarai, Kovai, Maathulai) and a verb meaning to shine/scorch (Kaayadhae).

Metaphor (Uvamaani / Uvameyain)

“Elakaai Vaasanai pol engal Ullam vaazhakaai”

Comparing human emotions, body parts, and mental states to spices and vegetables like pepper (Milagu), cucumber (Vellarikaai), and cardamom (Elakaai).

Personification

“Kaayadhae ennai pol Pennallavo”

Addressing the moon (Vennila) as a fellow woman ('Pennallavo') and pleading with it not to scorch the longing lovers.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the legendary lyricist Kannadasan and set to music by the duo Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy, this song is famous in Tamil cinema history for cleverly featuring over 15–20 distinct vegetable and fruit names woven seamlessly into romantic, grammatically coherent lyricism.

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