Athikaai Kaai
From Bale Pandiya · 1962
- Lyricist
- Lyricist Not Known
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Bale Pandiya1962
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Athikaai | Fig fruit |
| Kaai kaai aalankaai | Shine, shine, banyan fruit |
| Vennilavae ithikaai | Oh white moon, shine on this |
| Kaayadhae ennai pol | Do not scorch me, for like me |
| Pennallavo | Are you not a woman? |
| Female | |
| Nee | You |
| Ennai pol pennallavo | Are you not a woman like me? |
| Male | |
| Athikaai | Fig fruit |
| Kaai kaai aalankaai | Shine, shine, banyan fruit |
| Vennilavae ithikaai | Oh white moon, shine on this |
| Kaayadhae en uyirum | Do not scorch, for my life |
| Neeyallavo | Are you not? |
| Male | |
| En uyirum | My life too |
| Neeyallavo athikaai | Are you not my life, fig fruit? |
| Kaai kaai aalankaai | Shine, shine, banyan fruit |
| Vennilavae | Oh white moon |
| Female | |
| ………………. | ... |
| Female | |
| { Kannikaai | { Maiden fruit |
| Aasaikaai kaadhal | Desire fruit, for the girl |
| Konda paavaikaai | Who fell in love, doll-like fruit |
| Angae kaai avaraikaai | Shine over there, broad bean fruit |
| Mangai endhan kovaikaai } (2) | The young woman, my ivy gourd fruit } (2) |
| Male | |
| Maathulankaai | Pomegranate fruit |
| Aanalum en ullankaai | Yet, can it become my palm |
| Aagumo ennai nee | Will it become so? Do not |
| Kayadhae en uyirum neeyallavo | Scorch me, are you not my life? |
| Female | |
| Ithikaai | This fruit |
| Kaayadhae ennai pol | Do not scorch, like me |
| Pennallavo | Are you not a woman? |
| Female | |
| ……………….. | ... |
| Male | |
| { Iravukaai | { Night fruit |
| Uravukaai yengum | Longing for intimacy |
| Indha ezhaikaai | This poor woman fruit |
| Male | |
| Neeyum | You too |
| Kaai nithamum | Shine daily |
| Kaai neril nirkum ivalai kaai } (2) | Shine on her who stands directly in front } (2) |
| Female | |
| Uruvankaai | Form fruit |
| Aanalum paruvankaai | Yet youth fruit |
| Aagumo ennai nee | Will it become so? Do not |
| Kaayadhae ennuyirum nee allavo | Scorch me, are you not my life too? |
| Female | |
| { Elakaai | { Cardamom fruit |
| Vaasanai pol engal | Like fragrance, our |
| Ullam vaazhakaai | Heart, plantain fruit |
| Female | |
| Saathikaai | Nutmeg fruit |
| Pettagam pol thanimai | Like a treasure box, in solitude |
| Inbam kaniyakaai } (2) | May bliss ripen into fruit } (2) |
| Male | |
| Sonnathellam | Everything that was said |
| Vilangayo thoothuvazhangai | Did you not understand, messenger plantain stem? |
| Vennila ennai nee kaayadhae | Oh white moon, do not scorch me |
| Ennuyirum nee allavo | Are you not my life too? |
| Male | |
| { Ullamellam | { Is the entire heart |
| Milagayo ovvoru | Like black pepper, or every |
| Per suraikaayo | Great bottle gourd? |
| Vellarikaai kilarnthadhu | Like a cucumber opening up |
| Pol vennilavae sirithaayo } (2) | Did you smile like that, oh white moon? } (2) |
| Female | |
| Kothaienai | Me, the maiden |
| Kaayadhae kotravanaikaai | Do not scorch, shine upon the king |
| Vennila iruvaraum kaayadhae | Oh white moon, do not scorch either of us |
| Thanimayilenkaai vennila | Shine upon our solitude, oh white moon |
அத்திக்காய்
காய் காய் ஆலங்காய்
வெண்ணிலவே
இத்திக்காய் காயாதே
என்னைப் போல்
பெண்ணல்லவோ
Fig fruit
Shine, shine, banyan fruit
Oh white moon, shine on this
Do not scorch me, for like me
Are you not a woman?
நீ என்னைப்
போல் பெண்ணல்லவோ
You
Are you not a woman like me?
அத்திக்காய்
காய் காய் ஆலங்காய்
வெண்ணிலவே
இத்திக்காய் காயாதே
என்னுயிரும் நீ அல்லவோ
Fig fruit
Shine, shine, banyan fruit
Oh white moon, shine on this
Do not scorch, for my life
Are you not?
என்னுயிரும்
நீ அல்லவோ அத்திக்காய்
காய் காய் ஆலங்காய்
வெண்ணிலவே
My life too
Are you not my life, fig fruit?
Shine, shine, banyan fruit
Oh white moon
.......................
...
{ கன்னிக் காய்
ஆசைக் காய் காதல்
கொண்ட பாவைக் காய்
அங்கே காய் அவரைக்காய்
மங்கை எந்தன் கோவைக்காய் } (2)
{ Maiden fruit
Desire fruit, for the girl
Who fell in love, doll-like fruit
Shine over there, broad bean fruit
The young woman, my ivy gourd fruit } (2)
மாதுளங்காய்
ஆனாலும் என் உள்ளங்காய்
ஆகுமோ என்னை நீ காயாதே
என்னுயிரும் நீ அல்லவோ
Pomegranate fruit
Yet, can it become my palm
Will it become so? Do not
Scorch me, are you not my life?
இத்திக்காய்
காயாதே என்னைப்
போல் பெண்ணல்லவோ
This fruit
Do not scorch, like me
Are you not a woman?
..........................
...
{ இரவுக்காய்
உறவுக்காய் ஏங்கும்
இந்த ஏழைக்காய்
நீயும் காய் நிதமும்
காய் நேரில் நிற்கும்
இவளைக் காய் } (2)
{ Night fruit
Longing for intimacy
This poor woman fruit
உறவங்காய்
ஆனாலும் பருவங்காய்
ஆகுமோ என்னை நீ
காயாதே என்னுயிரும்
நீயல்லவோ
You too
Shine daily
Shine on her who stands directly in front } (2)
ஆண் & பெண் :
அத்திக்காய்
காய் காய் ஆலங்காய்
வெண்ணிலவே இத்திக்காய்
காயாதே என்னுயிரும் நீ
அல்லவோ
Form fruit
Yet youth fruit
Will it become so? Do not
Scorch me, are you not my life too?
ஆண் & பெண் :
...................
{ Cardamom fruit
Like fragrance, our
Heart, plantain fruit
{ ஏலக்காய் வாசனை
போல் எங்கள் உள்ளம்
வாழக் காய் ஜாதிக் காய்
பெட்டகம் போல் தனிமை
இன்பம் கனியக் காய் } (2)
Nutmeg fruit
Like a treasure box, in solitude
May bliss ripen into fruit } (2)
சொன்னதெல்லாம்
விளங்காயோ தூது வழங்காய்
வெண்ணிலா என்னை நீ காயாதே
என்னுயிரும் நீயல்லவோ
Everything that was said
Did you not understand, messenger plantain stem?
Oh white moon, do not scorch me
Are you not my life too?
ஆண் & பெண் :
அத்திக்காய்
காய் காய் ஆலங்காய்
வெண்ணிலவே இத்திக்காய்
காயாதே என்னுயிரும் நீ
அல்லவோ
{ Is the entire heart
Like black pepper, or every
Great bottle gourd?
Like a cucumber opening up
Did you smile like that, oh white moon? } (2)
ஆண் & பெண் :
...................
Me, the maiden
Do not scorch, shine upon the king
Oh white moon, do not scorch either of us
Shine upon our solitude, oh white moon
{ உள்ளமெல்லாம்
மிளகாயோ ஒவ்வொரு
பேர் சுரைக்காயோ
வெள்ளரிக்காய் கிளர்ந்தது
போல் வெண்ணிலவே
சிரித்தாயோ } (2)
கோதை
என்னை காயாதே
கொற்றவரங்காய்
வெண்ணிலா
இருவரையும் காயாதே
தனிமையிலேங்காய்
வெண்ணிலா
ஆண் & பெண் :
அத்திக்காய்
காய் காய் ஆலங்காய்
வெண்ணிலவே இத்திக்காய்
காயாதே என்னுயிரும் நீ
அல்லவோ
ஆண் & பெண் :
...................
Athikaai
Fig fruit
Kaai kaai aalankaai
Shine, shine, banyan fruit
Vennilavae ithikaai
Oh white moon, shine on this
Kaayadhae ennai pol
Do not scorch me, for like me
Pennallavo
Are you not a woman?
Nee
You
Ennai pol pennallavo
Are you not a woman like me?
Athikaai
Fig fruit
Kaai kaai aalankaai
Shine, shine, banyan fruit
Vennilavae ithikaai
Oh white moon, shine on this
Kaayadhae en uyirum
Do not scorch, for my life
Neeyallavo
Are you not?
En uyirum
My life too
Neeyallavo athikaai
Are you not my life, fig fruit?
Kaai kaai aalankaai
Shine, shine, banyan fruit
Vennilavae
Oh white moon
……………….
...
{ Kannikaai
{ Maiden fruit
Aasaikaai kaadhal
Desire fruit, for the girl
Konda paavaikaai
Who fell in love, doll-like fruit
Angae kaai avaraikaai
Shine over there, broad bean fruit
Mangai endhan kovaikaai } (2)
The young woman, my ivy gourd fruit } (2)
Maathulankaai
Pomegranate fruit
Aanalum en ullankaai
Yet, can it become my palm
Aagumo ennai nee
Will it become so? Do not
Kayadhae en uyirum neeyallavo
Scorch me, are you not my life?
Ithikaai
This fruit
Kaayadhae ennai pol
Do not scorch, like me
Pennallavo
Are you not a woman?
………………..
...
{ Iravukaai
{ Night fruit
Uravukaai yengum
Longing for intimacy
Indha ezhaikaai
This poor woman fruit
Neeyum
You too
Kaai nithamum
Shine daily
Kaai neril nirkum ivalai kaai } (2)
Shine on her who stands directly in front } (2)
Uruvankaai
Form fruit
Aanalum paruvankaai
Yet youth fruit
Aagumo ennai nee
Will it become so? Do not
Kaayadhae ennuyirum nee allavo
Scorch me, are you not my life too?
{ Elakaai
{ Cardamom fruit
Vaasanai pol engal
Like fragrance, our
Ullam vaazhakaai
Heart, plantain fruit
Saathikaai
Nutmeg fruit
Pettagam pol thanimai
Like a treasure box, in solitude
Inbam kaniyakaai } (2)
May bliss ripen into fruit } (2)
Sonnathellam
Everything that was said
Vilangayo thoothuvazhangai
Did you not understand, messenger plantain stem?
Vennila ennai nee kaayadhae
Oh white moon, do not scorch me
Ennuyirum nee allavo
Are you not my life too?
{ Ullamellam
{ Is the entire heart
Milagayo ovvoru
Like black pepper, or every
Per suraikaayo
Great bottle gourd?
Vellarikaai kilarnthadhu
Like a cucumber opening up
Pol vennilavae sirithaayo } (2)
Did you smile like that, oh white moon? } (2)
Kothaienai
Me, the maiden
Kaayadhae kotravanaikaai
Do not scorch, shine upon the king
Vennila iruvaraum kaayadhae
Oh white moon, do not scorch either of us
Thanimayilenkaai vennila
Shine upon our solitude, oh white moon
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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.
Keep listening
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