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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Azhagaana Chinna Payalae

From Namma Ooru Nalla Ooru · 1986

Lyricist
E. S. N. Ravi
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, S. N. Surendar
Music director
Gangai Amaran
Details
Namma Ooru Nalla Ooru1986

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Azhagaana chinna payalaeHandsome little boy
Unakku achchu vellam vaangi tharuvaenI will buy you jaggery candy
Ada kalangaathae kannu payalaeOh, don't worry, my dear boy
Nee kettathellam vaangi koduppaenI will buy and give you whatever you ask for
Male
Annae achchu vellam vaangi vanthaaBrother, if you bring jaggery candy
Enakku mattum onnae onnuJust one for me alone
Kattayam kodukka venumYou must definitely give me
Onnae onnu onnae onnuJust one, just one
Male
Alaiyaatha yaei alaiyaatha alba payalaeDon't wander around, hey don't wander around, you useless boy
Unakku appuramaa vaangi tharuvaenI will buy it for you later
Kalangaatha kannu payalaeDon't worry, my dear boy
Nee kettathellaam vaangi koduppaenI will buy and give you whatever you ask for
Male
Ammaa sumantha sumaiyaarum sumappathillaNo one carries the burden that a mother carries
Appanukku antha vali eppothum therivathillaA father never understands that pain
Male
Oodaa ozhaichchaa ava noolaa elaichchaaShe worked tirelessly until she became thin as a thread
Ada unnaththaan peththu eduththaaOh, she gave birth to you
Male
Kaappaaththum dheivamThe protecting God
Intha mannil vanthu thaayaachchuCame to this earth as a mother
Male
Kashtaththa thaangi thaangiEnduring hardship after hardship
Kanneer vaththi poyaachchuHer tears have completely dried up
Male
Ponnaanan thaayaarukkuFor a mother precious as gold
Paasam mattum vaththaathuLove alone never dries up
Kannae nee kanneer vittaaMy child, if you shed tears
Peththa manam thaangaathuThe mother's heart cannot bear it
Male
Azhagaana rompa azhagaana chinna payalaeBeautiful, very handsome little boy
Enakku achchu vellam vaangi koduppaaBuy and give me jaggery candy
Male
Ada alaiyaatha thinni payalae unakkuHey gluttonous boy, don't wander around
Appuramaa vaangi tharuvaenI will buy it for you later
Male :PongannaaeMale: Go away, brother!
Chorus
………………................
Male
Paalaaru oodumminnu vote -tu vaangi poyittaangaThey took our votes promising rivers of milk would flow
Paadhaigalai paarththirunthum paalu vanthu saeralaingaEven after watching the paths, no milk has arrived
Paalaaru oodumminnu vote -tu vaangi poyittaangaThey took our votes promising rivers of milk would flow
Paadhaigalai paarththirunthum paalu vanthu saeralaingaEven after watching the paths, no milk has arrived
Male
Yaezhai veedu athu ezhumbukkooduA poor man's house is just a skeleton frame
Adhu eppothum kaanja kaadu….ae….ae….ae….It is always a dried-up forest... ae... ae... ae...
Male
Ingulla saamigalaiThe local gods here
Kettu kettu paaththaachchuWe have asked and prayed repeatedly
Male
Yaemaaththum varkkam mattumOnly the deceitful class
Soththukala saerththaachchuHas accumulated wealth
Male
Yaen naama saeravillaWhy haven't we united?
Solli solli paarththaachchuWe have discussed it again and again
Male
Athu ippo ada idhu ippoThat is now, oh this is now
EnnaththukkannaeWhy my dear?
Achchu vellaththa nee maranthudaathannaeBrother, don't forget the jaggery candy
Male
Aiyaiyayyo alaiyaathaeOh dear, don't wander around
Nee kundu payalaeYou chubby boy
Unakku achchu vellam undu payalaYou will get jaggery candy, boy
Chorus
……………................
Male :HaeiiiiiiMale: Haeiiiiii

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Azhagaana Chinna Payalae from the film Namma Ooru Nalla Ooru (1986) blends lighthearted childhood interactions with profound social and moral commentary. The song opens with promises of buying jaggery candy (achchu vellam) for a young boy, moving into a touching tribute to maternal devotion. It portrays how a mother endures selflessness, pain, and endless hardship to nurture her children, serving as a living deity on earth.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Ammaa sumantha sumaiyaarum sumappathilla

Repetition of initial consonant/vowels sounds across words, such as 'Ammaa sumantha sumaiyaarum' ('su' sound repetition).

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyming)

Paalaaru oodumminnu vote -tu vaangi poyittaanga / Paadhaigalai paarththirunthum paalu vanthu saeralainga

Rhyming second letters in consecutive lines ('Paalaaru' and 'Paadhaigalai').

Metaphor

Yaezhai veedu athu ezhumbukkoodu

Comparing a poor person's home directly to a skeleton ('ezhumbukkoodu') to depict extreme poverty.

Hyperbole

Paalaaru oodumminnu vote -tu vaangi poyittaanga

Exaggerating political promises made during elections as 'rivers of milk flowing'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Namma Ooru Nalla Ooru (1986) stars Ramarajan and Rekha. The film's musical score was composed by Gangai Amaran, and the track features lyrics written by E.S.N. Ravi which cleverly layer socio-political themes beneath innocent folk-style dialogic lyrics.

Keep listening

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