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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Azhaikkatuma

From Kanne Kalaimaane · 2018

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Mathichiyam Bala
Music director
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Details
Kanne Kalaimaane2018

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Pacha vaya kaatukullaaInside the lush green fields
Punga maram pooththirukkuThe Indian beech tree has bloomed
Naal vazhi chaalaiyila ..aa…Along the four-lane highway.. aa..
Puliya marangalumae pooththirukkuThe tamarind trees have bloomed as well
Male
Ettu thikku engumIn all eight directions around us
Enga veppa maramum pooththirukkuOur neem trees have also bloomed everywhere
Nee vara pogum neram paarthuWatching for the time of your arrival
Pooththa poovellaam kann mulichuAll the flowers that bloomed have opened their eyes
KaaththirukkuAnd are waiting for you
Male
Aathula vanthavalaeOh Goddess who arrived through the river
Vaigai aathula vanthvalaeOh Goddess who came floating down the Vaigai river
Enga cholavandhaan maariyammaOur Sholavandan Mariyamman
Unna anbodu azhaikattuma …aaa..Shall I call you with love... aaa..
Anbodu azhaikattuma …aaa..Shall I call you with love... aaa..
Male
Azhaikattuma thaaiyaeShall I call you, oh Mother?
AzhaikattumaShall I invoke you?
Andha arugam pullu maala kaariThe one who wears a garland of Bermuda grass
Azhaikattuma thaaiyaeShall I call you, oh Mother?
AzhaikattumaShall I invoke you?
Namma veyilu vandha maariammanaOh Mariyamman who arrived in our harsh summer heat
Azhaikattuma oodiya aaththaShall I call you? Come running, Mother!
Male
Vanni marampizhandhuSplitting open a Vanni tree
En aaththaalukkuFor my mother
Vanni onnu marampizhandhuSplitting open a Vanni tree
En thaaya kondu sellaTo carry my mother
Vaagaana petti senjaanThey crafted a beautiful, fit wooden box
Anthavana pettikullaInside that garden-made box
En anjanamaiyil kaari yeiMy dark peacock-like mother, hey!
Anga andangaatha kova kaariThe fierce goddess who cannot be contained
Male
Enga chozha vandhaanOur Sholavandan
MaariammanaMariyamman
Eppadi adachaan theriyumaaDo you know how she was enclosed within?
Male
Anga machanamaa possakaariThe stylishly grand Goddess adorned with beauty marks
AzhaikattumaShall I invoke you?
Andha marikozhunthu aadakaariThe one who dances wearing sweet marjoram flowers
AzhaikattumaShall I invoke you?
Anga cheppu nalla silai azhagiThe beauty carved like a fine copper statue
AzhaikattumaShall I invoke you?
Andha singaara udai azhagiThe beauty adorned in glorious attire
Azhaikattuma oodiyaa aaththaShall I call you? Come running, Mother!
Male
Naatula panjam pasinnuWhen famine and severe hunger swept the land
Edhum ilaamaWithout anything to eat
Pattiniya kedanthirukkum velaiyilaDuring the time people were starving
Indha makkal ellamWhen all these people
Koodi nirkkum bothuGathered together in distress
Enna seivom endru solliWondering what to do next
Andru yosithu paarkkum bothuAs they pondered back then
Antha anandha mala maaya kannanThat enchanting Krishna residing on the joyful hill
Antha varna bhagavana azhachi doiInvoked the God of Rain, Varuna Bhagavan
Adichu peida mazhainnu solraanHe ordered the rains to pour down heavily
Male
Anga adichadhor puyal mazhaiyaamAnd a stormy rain struck the land
En aaththaal petti mel kilambhaCausing my Mother's box to float up
Antha paal aathu thanniyilaIn that milk-like river water
Antha thaen aathu thanniyilaIn that honey-like river water
Namma cholavandhaan aaththu kullaInto our Sholavandan river
Un pettiyumae odhunguthammaYour wooden box washed ashore, Mother!
Enna idhu petti endruWondering what this mystery box could be
Yerittu paarkkum bothuWhen people stepped up to look closely
En chella maga maariyamma pettiyammaIt was the box of my beloved daughter Mariyamman!
Male
{Pettiyila vandhavalaeOh Goddess who arrived inside the floating box
AzhaikattumaShall I invoke you?
Antha perum pugal pettravalaeOh Goddess who attained eternal fame
Azhaikattuma} (2)Shall I invoke you?
Male
Enga enga chozha vandhaanOh Goddess who arrived inside the floating box
Mariyammma ….Shall I invoke you?
Enga enga chozha vandhaanOh Goddess who attained eternal fame
Mariyammma ….Shall I invoke you?
AzhaikattumaOur own, our own Sholavandan
Enga sornamuththu mariyammmanaMariyamman....
AzhaikattumaOur own, our own Sholavandan
Enga sornamuththu mariyammmanaMariyamman....
Azhaikattuma…aaththaaShall I invoke you?
Male
Petti vanthruchu appaOur Sornamuthu Mariyamman
En makkal ellaam koodiShall I invoke you?
Ninnuruchu appaOur Sornamuthu Mariyamman
Enna idhu petti nu solliShall I invoke you... Mother!
Paakka bhayama irukkunnu solliThe box has arrived, father!
Paarkkum bothuAll my people gathered around
Aahaa pettila thangam irukumoAnd stood there, father!
Vairam irukumooWondering what this box was
Illa yedhoo irukkumnu solliFearing to open or touch it
Yosithu parkkum podhuWhen they looked closely
Namma thaai pettidaAh! Could there be gold inside this box?
Namma chozha vandhaan kaththaCould there be diamonds inside?
Maari petti dannu solliOr wondering what priceless treasure might be inside
Male
Yeduthu namma makkal ellaamAs they contemplated together
Saathisanam ellaam koodi vechuIt is the box of our Mother!
Parkkum pothuThe box of Goddess Mari
Varusha varusham kelarikkuWho came to protect our Sholavandan!
Aathaalukku kozhuvaagaRealizing this, all our people
Amarnthirukkum velaiyilaGathered with all their kith and kin
Indha makkalukellaam eppadiWhen they opened and looked at her
Kaatichi thara theriyumaaFor the annual grand festival
Male
Avalukku 21 deivangalum heiAs she sits royally in state as Goddess
Anga 61 panthigalumDo you know how magnificently
Aththanikkum kaavakaaranShe manifests before all these devotees?
Enga 18am padi karuppanAttended by 21 village deities, hey!
Eppadi kaavakaakuran theiryumaaAnd 61 divine feast offerings
Male
{Anga paakka bhayama irukkuthuAnd as the supreme guardian for all of them
Karuppa saamiStands our 18th-Step Karuppasamy!
Pakkam vanthu pularikkuthu} (2)Do you know how he guards and protects?
Male
{Vella nalla kuthiraiyilaIt looks frightening to behold there
Veecharuvaa kondukittu} (3)Lord Karuppasamy
Velayaadi aadi varaanComes close and manifests with divine power
Velayaadi aadi varaanIt looks frightening to behold there
Kotta karuppa saamiLord Karuppasamy
Paakka paakka paakkaComes close and manifests with divine power
Paakka bhayama irukkuthuRiding upon a fine white horse
Karuppa saamiWielding a massive curved scythe
Pakkam vanthu pularikkuthuRiding upon a fine white horse
Male
Ooodivaaa karuppaaa

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This folk devotional song celebrates Sholavandan Mariyamman, a prominent village deity worshipped in Tamil Nadu. The lyrics vividly describe nature blossoming in anticipation of the Goddess's arrival, framing her emergence through a traditional myth where her sacred idol floats down the Vaigai river inside a crafted wooden box during a time of extreme drought and famine. The villagers gather in wonder and fear, discovering that the box holds their protective mother deity, Sornamuthu Mariyamman.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Imagery (Kaatchi Uruvagamm)

Pooththa poovellaam kann mulichu

Vivid nature imagery of blooming neem, tamarind, and punga trees waiting like open eyes to welcome the Goddess.

Anaphora (Mondai / Edhugai repetition)

Azhaikattuma thaaiyae

Repetition of the invocation 'Azhaikattuma' (Shall I call/invoke you) creates a rhythmic, hypnotic folk chant.

Hyperbole (Uruvagam / Viyappu)

Antha paal aathu thanniyila / Antha thaen aathu thanniyila

Describing river water metaphorically as milk and honey to emphasize sacred abundance upon the deity's arrival.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is a traditional Tamil folk deity invocation song ('Aaththaal Paattu' / 'Karuppasamy Paattu') rendered in the authentic Madurai/Sholavandan regional dialect, dedicated to Sholavandan Mariyamman and Karuppasamy.

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