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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Chinna Ponnu Purushan

From Idhu Engal Rajyam · 1985

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singer
Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Chandrabose
Details
Idhu Engal Rajyam1985

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Pattikkaattu ragaththilaeIn a rustic village tune
Ittu katti paaduraendaaI am improvising and singing, hey!
Chinna pasangalellaamAll you young boys,
Kaiththaalam podungadaaClap your hands!
Male
Chinna ponnu purushan yaaruWho is the young girl's husband?
VaaththiyaarungaThe school teacher, sir!
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male :Intha neram enna paadamMale: What lesson at this hour
SolluvaarungaWill he teach?
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male
Thaali kattum mukoorththam paarthaenI attended the wedding ceremony timing,
Soru pottaangaThey served a feast!
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male :Shanthi mukoorththam paakka ponaenMale: I went to see the nuptial night ceremony,
Thoraththi puttaangaThey chased me away!
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male
Chinna ponnu purushan yaaruWho is the young girl's husband?
VaaththiyaarungaThe school teacher, sir!
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male :Intha neram enna paadamMale: What lesson at this hour
SolluvaarungaWill he teach?
Chorus :Aamaa aamaaChorus: Yes, yes!
Aamaa aamaa aamaa aamaaYes, yes, yes, yes!
Male
Odukaali paatta ketkkaTo listen to the folk song
Ponnu vanthuchchuThe young girl arrived!
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male :Ulla vachchu sonna paadamMale: The lesson taught inside,
Enna aachchuthuWhat became of it?
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male
: English speach-u paadam doiIt is an English speech lesson, hey!
Oooi oooi oooi….Oooi oooi oooi....
English speach-u paadam doiIt is an English speech lesson, hey!
Ivalukkenga yaerum doiHow will it enter her head, hey?
Male
Vaaththiyaaru paadam angaeThe teacher's lesson over there
Paadhiyilae ninnu pochchuStopped halfway!
Chorus :Aroharaa aroharaaChorus: Aroharaa aroharaa
Meedhi eppo solluvaaruWhen will he teach the rest?
Chorus :Kelungadaa kelungadaaChorus: Ask him, hey, ask him!
Male
Chinna ponnu purushan yaaruWho is the young girl's husband?
VaaththiyaarungaThe school teacher, sir!
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male :Intha neram enna paadamMale: What lesson at this hour
SolluvaarungaWill he teach?
Chorus :Aamaa aamaaChorus: Yes, yes!
Aamaa aamaa aamaa aamaaYes, yes, yes, yes!
Male
Thaavaniya vuttuputtuLeaving behind her half-saree,
Podava kattittaaShe wore a full saree!
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male :Chinna ponnu periya ponnaaMale: Has the young girl become
AagiputtaadaaA full-grown woman?
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male
Vaaththiyaara yaemaaththi vanthuttaadaa rasathiTricking the teacher, the princess came!
Pattanaththu vaaththiyaaruThe city-bred school teacher,
Chorus :Naaraayanaa naaraayanaaChorus: Naaraayanaa naaraayanaa
Male :Koratta pottu thoonguvaaruMale: Snores loudly and sleeps!
Chorus :Naaraayanaa naaraayanaaChorus: Naaraayanaa naaraayanaa
Male :Vidiyarappo ezhuppi viduMale: Wake him up at dawn!
Chorus :Chinna ponnu chinna ponnuChorus: Young girl, young girl!
Male
Chinna ponnu purushan yaaruWho is the young girl's husband?
VaaththiyaarungaThe school teacher, sir!
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male :Intha neram enna paadamMale: What lesson at this hour
SolluvaarungaWill he teach?
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male
Thaali kattum mukoorththam paarthaenI attended the wedding ceremony timing,
Soru pottaangaThey served a feast!
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male :Shanthi mukoorththam paakka ponaenMale: I went to see the nuptial night ceremony,
Thoraththi puttaangaThey chased me away!
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male
Chinna ponnu purushan yaaruWho is the young girl's husband?
VaaththiyaarungaThe school teacher, sir!
Chorus :AamaaChorus: Yes!
Male :Intha neram enna paadamMale: What lesson at this hour
SolluvaarungaWill he teach?
Chorus :Aamaa aamaaChorus: Yes, yes!
Aamaa aamaa aamaa aamaaYes, yes, yes, yes!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a playful and humor-filled folk song set in a village context, featuring a lead singer conversing with a chorus of local villagers. The song playfully teases a young girl who has recently married an educated city schoolmaster. Through comedic call-and-response lyrics, the singer pokes fun at the contrast between the sophisticated urban teacher—who teaches English lessons and snores loudly—and the rustic village culture.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monaipathai (Alliteration / Initial Rhyme)

Pattikkaattu ragaththilae / Ittu katti paaduraendaa

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across lines, such as 'Pattikkaattu' and 'Ittu' or 'Chinna' in consecutive lines.

Folk Colloquial Refrain (Eyalbu / Call-and-Response)

Chorus :Aamaa

Use of rhythmic chorus responses like 'Aamaa' and 'Naaraayanaa' typical of Tamil village folk drama and Oyilattam/Villupattu forms.

Double Entendre / Metaphor (Siledai)

Intha neram enna paadam / Solluvaarunga

Using 'paadam' (lesson) metaphorically to joke about intimate domestic marriage life and formal teaching.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the renowned lyricist Pulamaipithan, this song uses classic Tamil rural dialect (Graamiya Tamizh) mixed with folk performative banter reminiscent of traditional Therukoothu and Villupattu story-telling traditions.

Keep listening

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