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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ek Butti Aattanaa

From Veettukku Vandha Varalakshmi · 1958

Lyricist
Kuyilan
Singers
Vaidegi, M. Sathiyam
Music director
Pendyala Nageswara Rao
Details
Veettukku Vandha Varalakshmi1958

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Ek butti attanaaOne small bottle for eight annas
Dho butti baranaaTwo small bottles for twelve annas
Avomerae avomeraeCome my dear, come my dear
Dekhko ji marundhu majaaLook sir, at the magic of this medicine
Both :Avomerae avomeraeBoth: Come my dear, come my dear
Dekhko ji marundhu majaaLook sir, at the magic of this medicine
Male
Ek buttiOne small bottle
Female :AttanaaFemale: Eight annas
Male :Dho buttiMale: Two small bottles
Female :BaranaaFemale: Twelve annas
Both :Ek butti attanaaBoth: One small bottle for eight annas
Dho butti baranaaTwo small bottles for twelve annas
Female :Ek butti attanaaFemale: One small bottle for eight annas
Dho butti baranaaTwo small bottles for twelve annas
Male
Pathiyamaedhum illengaThere are no dietary restrictions at all, sir
Baba guru vakkiyanghaThese are the holy words of the Baba guru
Female :Pathiyamaedhum illengaFemale: There are no dietary restrictions at all, sir
Baba guru vakkiyanghaThese are the holy words of the Baba guru
Male :Rotti thinnungaMale: Eat roti
Kappai teayum thinnunghaDrink cup tea as well
Female :Arae paalu thinnunghaFemale: Hey, drink milk
Pazhaiya kanji thinnunghaEat old rice porridge
Male
Mottai thalaikku thadavunghaRub it on a bald head
Indha mottai thalaikku thadavunghaRub this on a bald head
Kottina mayirundaagumFallen hair will grow back
Female :Kannil thappu irundhaaleFemale: If there is defect in your vision
Pannikka sugam idhaaleYou can get relief using this
Male :Mandai baaram jaatha humMale: Heaviness in the head will vanish
Female :Manasu noyi abhi theerumFemale: Mind distress will disappear right away
Male
Paambhu kottiIf a snake bites
Female :Thaelu kuthinaFemale: If a scorpion stings
Male :Erudhu kombaaleMale: Or if gored by a bull horn
Female :Arae etti udhachittaFemale: Or kicked from afar
Male :Vaarewaah thottu theichu paarunghaMale: Wow, just touch and rub it
Sollikittu odungaAnd run away relieved
Female :Kanamenum thaangadhuFemale: The pain won't last even a second
Gunamulla marundhunghaIt is a medicine filled with virtue
Male
Paarungha sir ingae vanghaLook sir, come here
Podungha sir jalthi vaanghiBuy and apply it quickly, sir
Paarungha sir ingae vanghaLook sir, come here
Podungha sir jalthi vaanghiBuy and apply it quickly, sir
Edu paisa nee kondaaBring out your money
Avoo merae pakkathilaeCome near me

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This humorous street-hawker duet from 'Veettukku Vandha Varalakshmi' (1958) depicts salesman-style performers selling a magical 'cure-all' potion. Blending Hindi and Tamil colloquialism, the vendors pitch their miracle balm as an inexpensive remedy requiring no dietary restrictions, claiming it can cure everything from baldness and vision troubles to snakebites, scorpion stings, and heartaches.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Code-Switching / Linguistic Hybridity

Ek butti attanaa Dho butti baranaa

Seamlessly mixes Hindi/Urdu phrases ('Ek butti', 'attanaa', 'Avo merae', 'jaatha hum') with Tamil colloquial grammar ('thaddavungha', 'illenga') to mimic urban street hawker speech.

Hyperbole (Exaggeration)

Kottina mayirundaagum

Uses comical exaggeration, claiming a single oil can instantly regrow hair on bald heads, fix vision problems, and heal snakebites and bull gores.

Iyaibu (Rhyming end scheme)

Rotti thinnunga / Kappai teayum thinnungha

Uses matching end sounds across successive lines ('thinnungha') to maintain a catchy, rhythmic tempo suited for hawking.

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Trivia

This song is a classic example of a 'street-hawker duet' in Tamil cinema of the 1950s. Lyricist Kuyilan employed popular Hindi market-vendor slang (like 'Avo merae' and counting in annas) to create an authentic and comical roadside sales pitch atmosphere.

Keep listening

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