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Isaimozhi
Aandavan Kattalai (1964) album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Azhage Vaa

From Aandavan Kattalai (1964) · 1964

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Aandavan Kattalai (1964)
Movie release year
1964
Lyrics added on
1 Feb 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Azhagae vaa… arugae vaa…
Alaiyae vaa… thalaivaa vaa…
Azhagae vaa…
Azhagae vaa… arugae vaa…
Alaiyae vaa… thalaivaa vaa…
Azhagae vaa… vaa vaa
Azhagae vaa…
Azhagae vaa… arugae vaa…
Alaiyae vaa… thalaivaa vaa…
Azhagae vaa… vaa vaa
Azhagae vaa…
Aalaya kalasam aadhavanaalae
Minnudhal polae minnudhu ingae
Aalaya kalasam aadhavanaalae
Minnudhal polae minnudhu ingae
Azhagae vaa… arugae vaa…
Alaiyae vaa… thalaivaa vaa…
Azhagae vaa… vaa vaa
Azhagae vaa…
Oru kelviyai unnidam kettuvitten
Naan kettadhai engae poottuvittaai
Enna thaedugindraai
Engae odugindraai
Undhan thevaigalai yen moodugindraai
Undhan thevaigalai yen moodugindraai
Azhagae vaa… arugae vaa…
Alaiyae vaa… thalaivaa vaa…
Azhagae vaa… vaa vaa
Azhagae vaa…
Inba aattrinil odam odi varum
Andha odathil ulagam koodi varum
Nam munnavargal perum munivarillai
Avar thanithirundhaal
Naam pirappadhillai
Avar thanithirundhaal
Naam pirappadhillai
Azhagae vaa… arugae vaa…
Alaiyae vaa… thalaivaa vaa…
Azhagae vaa… vaa vaa
Azhagae vaa…
Oru mozhi ariyaadha paravaigalum
Inba vazhiariyum indha uravaraiyum
Iru vizhi irundhum nalla mozhi irundhum
Ingu vazhi irundhum
Yen mayangugiraai
Ingu vazhi irundhum
Yen mayangugiraai
Azhagae vaa… arugae vaa…
Alaiyae vaa… thalaivaa vaa…
Azhagae vaa… vaa vaa
Azhagae vaa…
Come, my beauty... come near me...
Come like a wave... come, my beloved...
Come, my beauty...
Come, my beauty... come near me...
Come like a wave... come, my beloved...
Come, my beauty... come, come!
Come, my beauty...
Come, my beauty... come near me...
Come like a wave... come, my beloved...
Come, my beauty... come, come!
Come, my beauty...
Just as the temple pinnacle
gleams in the sunlight, a glow shines here.
Just as the temple pinnacle
gleams in the sunlight, a glow shines here.
Come, my beauty... come near me...
Come like a wave... come, my beloved...
Come, my beauty... come, come!
Come, my beauty...
I asked you a question,
where have you locked away the answer?
What are you searching for?
Where are you running to?
Why do you hide your own desires?
Why do you hide your own desires?
Come, my beauty... come near me...
Come like a wave... come, my beloved...
Come, my beauty... come, come!
Come, my beauty...
A boat floats along the river of joy,
and the whole world gathers aboard that boat.
Our ancestors were not lonely hermits;
if they had stayed all alone,
we would never have been born.
If they had stayed all alone,
we would never have been born.
Come, my beauty... come near me...
Come like a wave... come, my beloved...
Come, my beauty... come, come!
Come, my beauty...
Even the birds that know no language
know the path of joy in this togetherness.
Having two eyes to see and a sweet voice to speak,
with the clear path right before you,
why are you hesitating in confusion?
With the clear path right before you,
why are you hesitating in confusion?
Come, my beauty... come near me...
Come like a wave... come, my beloved...
Come, my beauty... come, come!
Come, my beauty...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

In 'Azhagae Vaa', the heroine playfully and persuasively beckons her beloved to discard his hesitation and embrace love. She uses vivid analogies from nature, history, and animal instincts to demonstrate that romance and union are natural, essential aspects of human existence. From temple spires glowing in sunlight to birds following their romantic instincts without words, she reminds him that human life itself exists because our ancestors chose connection over isolation.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

Aalaya kalasam aadhavanaalae Minnudhal polae minnudhu ingae

Compares the inner radiance of love/passion to the golden spire of a temple glistening under the bright morning sun.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Azhagae vaa… arugae vaa… Alaiyae vaa…

Repetition of the 'A' sound in 'Azhagae' and 'Alaiyae' creates a flowing, rhythmic musical cadence.

Rhetorical Questioning

Undhan thevaigalai yen moodugindraai

Kannadasan employs a series of rhetorical queries ('Enna thaedugindraai', 'Yen moodugindraai', 'Yen mayangugiraai') to gently dismantle the lover's reservations.

Metaphor (Urvagam)

Inba aattrinil odam odi varum

Compares the journey of life and love to a boat sailing on a river of bliss ('Inba aattrinil odam').

Did you know?

Trivia

'Azhagae Vaa' is a classic romantic song from the 1964 movie 'Aandavan Kattalai', composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and rendered by P. Susheela. Featuring Devika and Sivaji Ganesan, the song is celebrated for Kannadasan's philosophical yet playful lyrics arguing that romantic love is a fundamental force of nature.

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