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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Elay Keechaan

From Kadal · 2012

Lyricist
Madhan Karky
Singers
A. R. Rahman, Chorus
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Kadal2012

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Yei yei yei yeiYei yei yei yei
Chorus
Mmm….mmm….mmm….mm…Mmm… mmm… mmm… mm…
Mmm….mmm….mmm….mm…Mmm… mmm… mmm… mm…
Chorus
Mmm….mmm….mmm….mm…Mmm… mmm… mmm… mm…
Male :Yemaa seela nammaMale: Look at that, our...
Kadalamma allitharaMother Ocean gives abundantly,
Aama seela avaYes indeed, she...
Alai veesi sirikiraSmiles while waving her waves.
Chorus
Mmm….mmm….mmm….mm…Mmm… mmm… mmm… mm…
Male :Yemaa seela nammaMale: Look at that, our...
Kadalamma allitharaMother Ocean gives abundantly,
Aama seela avaYes indeed, she...
Alai veesi sirikiraSmiles while waving her waves.
Male
Elae keechan vanthaachuHey, Keechan has arrived!
Namma susaa ponnum vanthaachuOur girl Soosa has also arrived!
Hey eesaa varam pozhinjachuHey, Lord Jesus has showered His blessings!
Male
Elae keechan vanthaachuHey, Keechan has arrived!
Namma susaa ponnum vanthaachuOur girl Soosa has also arrived!
Hey eesaa varam pozhinjachuHey, Lord Jesus has showered His blessings!
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ohOh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Chorus
Vaa lae konda laeCome on, bring it!
Kattu maram konda leBring the catamaran!
Gundu meena alli varaTo scoop up plump fish,
Konda lae hae ae..Bring it on!
Male
Elae keechan vanthaachuHey, Keechan has arrived!
Namma susaa ponnum vanthaachuOur girl Soosa has also arrived!
Hey eesaa varam pozhinjachuHey, Lord Jesus has showered His blessings!
Male
Yelaa yelaaYelaa yelaa
Paai virichaa aiyooWhen the sail is spread, oh my!
Va va vaasal thedi thediSearching for your doorstep,
Vaaraan keechanKeechan comes!
Un keechan raavoda koovi kittaYour Keechan, calling out through the night,
Kanna keppan raaloda raalodaWill ask for your eyes along with the prawns,
Meesa onna keppan keechanKeechan will ask for a single whisker!
YeleloYelelo
Pulivesam pottuDisguised as a tiger,
YeleloYelelo
Varuvaan… keechan… varuvaanKeechan will come, he will come!
Chorus
Mmm….mmm….mmm….mm…Mmm… mmm… mmm… mm…
Oo…ooo….oo…ooo….oo…Oo… ooo… oo… ooo… oo…
Mmm….mmm….mmm….mm…Mmm… mmm… mmm… mm…
Oo…ooo….oo…ooo….oo…Oo… ooo… oo… ooo… oo…
Male
Hey sada sada sadavenaHey, rustling rhythmically,
Kaathula aadumFluttering in the wind,
En saaram yela un pera paadaathaDoesn't my sarong sing your name?
Oru oru oru oru oru ooOru oru oru oru oru oo
Orutharam orutharam orasaBrushing against each other just once,
Posukkunu usupura usuraYou instantly ignite my soul!
Unakaaga valaiyonnu valaiyonnuFor you, a net... a net...
Virichirukken na thavam irukkenI have cast and am waiting in penance,
Nee vizhuvennu vilakkena uthikkittuHoping you will fall into it, shining like a lamp,
Muzhichirukken na arakirukanI stay awake, half-mad for you!
Nee vena sonna enga engaIf you say no, where...
Povaano thomaWhere will this Thomas go?
Male
Oththa alaiyila midhakuraFloating on a single wave,
Odam pol un nenapulaLike a boat floating in your thoughts,
Na methanthu kedakkurenI lie drifting endlessly,
Ora paravaiyaala sirucha ennaWhy do you laugh like a shore bird?
Male
Elae keechan vanthaachuHey, Keechan has arrived!
Namma susaa ponnum vanthaachuOur girl Soosa has also arrived!
Hey eesaa varam pozhinjachuHey, Lord Jesus has showered His blessings!
Chorus
Hey hey hey heyHey hey hey hey
Vaa lae konda laeCome on, bring it!
Kattu maram konda leBring the catamaran!
Gundu meena alli varaTo scoop up plump fish,
Konda lae hae ae..Bring it on!
Male
Nee thidu thidukkaAs you get startled,
Enna suthivalaikaEncircling me,
Naan vela velakkaAs I clear the way,
Thala kiru kirukkaMaking my head spin!
Male
Nee paatha nodiyaeThe very moment you looked,
Hey pithu pidikkaHey, I was driven crazy!
En thoothukudi yaeOh my Tuticorin town!
Unna thooki izhukka thooki izhukkaPulling you close, pulling you close,
Male
Ethana machamHow many moles,
Hey ethana latchamHey, how many lakhs!
Atha enni mudichaeCounting them all,
Namma thookam tholachomWe lost our sleep!
Male
Hey oththa beediyaHey, like a single bidi,
Nee mutham koduthaYou gave me a kiss,
En anna madiyaIn Mother Mary's lap,
Enna vaari edutha vaari eduthaShe gathered me up!
Chorus
Yemaa seela nammaLook at that, our...
Kadalamma allitharaMother Ocean gives abundantly,
Aama seela avaYes indeed, she...
Alaiveesi sirikiraSmiles while waving her waves.
Male
Elae keechan vanthaachuHey, Keechan has arrived!
Namma susaa ponnum vanthaachuOur girl Soosa has also arrived!
Hey eesaa varam pozhinjachuHey, Lord Jesus has showered His blessings!
Chorus
Vaa lae konda laeCome on, bring it!
Ela poda konda laeHey, put the leaf and bring it!
Pogum megam meenaThe passing clouds will shower...
Thoovum konda laeFish like rain, bring it on!
Male :Pogum megam meenaMale: The passing clouds will shower...
Thoovum konda laeFish like rain, bring it on!
Chorus
Vaa lae konda laeCome on, bring it!
Ela poda konda laeHey, put the leaf and bring it!
Pogum megam meenaThe passing clouds will shower...
Thoovum konda laeFish like rain, bring it on!
Male :Pogum megam meenaMale: The passing clouds will shower...
Thoovum konda laeFish like rain, bring it on!
Chorus
Vaa lae konda laeCome on, bring it!
Ela poda konda laeHey, put the leaf and bring it!
Pogum megam meenaThe passing clouds will shower...
Thoovum konda laeFish like rain, bring it on!
Male :Pogum megam meenaMale: The passing clouds will shower...
Thoovum konda laeFish like rain, bring it on!
Chorus
{Vaa lae konda lae{Come on, bring it!
Kattu maram konda leBring the catamaran!
Gundu meena alli varaTo scoop up plump fish,
Konda lae hae ae…} (2)Bring it on!} (2)
Male :Yelae keechaanMale: Hey Keechan!
Chorus
{Vaa lae konda lae{Come on, bring it!
Kattu maram konda leBring the catamaran!
Gundu meena alli varaTo scoop up plump fish,
Konda lae hae ae…} (2)Bring it on!} (2)
Male :Vaa lae konda laeMale: Come on, bring it!
Kattu maram konda leBring the catamaran!
Gundu meena alli varaTo scoop up plump fish,
Konda lae hae ae..Bring it on!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Yelae Keechaan' from Mani Ratnam's 'Kadal' (2012) is a vibrant, coastal folk track that captures the spirit, faith, and romantic fervor of the fishing community in southern coastal Tamil Nadu. Set in the Tuticorin region, the song celebrates Mother Ocean ('Kadalamma') providing abundantly for the fishermen while praising divine blessings from Jesus ('Eesaa'). It introduces the protagonist Keechan and his beloved Soosa, celebrating their joyful union among the village folk. The lyrics mix everyday maritime imagery—catamarans, nets, fish, waves, and night boats—with playful romantic banter. Keechan expresses his total infatuation, comparing his drifting thoughts to a boat lost on a wave and describing his waiting for her love as an intense penance. The song stands as an authentic slice of coastal Tamil Christian culture and coastal life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Personification (உருவகப்படுத்துதல்)

Kadalamma allithara... Alai veesi sirikira

Mother Ocean (Kadalamma) is personified as a benevolent mother who bestows fish and smiles through her rolling waves.

Simile (உவமை அணி)

Oththa alaiyila midhakura odam pol un nenapula na methanthu kedakkuren

The protagonist compares his mind drifting in his beloved's thoughts to a small wooden boat floating helplessly on a single wave.

Assonance & Rhyme (எதுகை / மோனை)

Elae keechan vanthaachu / Namma susaa ponnum vanthaachu / Hey eesaa varam pozhinjachu

Rhythmic end-rhyming and line-rhyming common in maritime folk chants (Amba songs) creating enthusiasm.

Hyperbole (உயர்நவிற்சி அணி)

Pogum megam meena thoovum konda lae

An exaggerated poetic expression describing clouds showering fish directly from the sky.

Did you know?

Trivia

Lyricist Madhan Karky spent time interacting with local Christian fisherfolk in Tuticorin to capture their unique dialect, idioms, and terminology (such as 'Eesaa' for Jesus and 'Anna madi' for Mother Mary's lap). Although the song context marks music as unknown, it was composed by A.R. Rahman, who also sang the track alongside Alphonse Joseph.

Keep listening

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