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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ethanai Malargal

From Pattampoochi · 1975

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
S. Janaki, T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
P. Srinivasan
Movie name
Pattampoochi
Movie release year
1975
Lyrics added on
20 Feb 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Manam paarththu kann paarththu
Maappillai thaernthavalae
Inam paarththu idam paarththu
Eduththirunthaal kai vidumaa…..kai vidumaa
Eththanai malargal thaavum pattaampoochi
Male :Adhu eththanaiyo thaavumadi anbu meenatchi
Female :Eththanai malargal thaavum pattaampoochi
Male :Adhu eththanaiyo thaavumadi anbu meenatchi
Aadavaril eththanai per pattaampoochi
Aadavaril eththanai per pattaampoochi
Male :Naan aayiram per paarththuvittaen
Anbu meenatchi…….anbu meenatchi….
Eththanai malargal thaavum pattaampoochi
Male :Adhu eththanaiyo thaavumadi anbu meenatchi
Kavithaiyellaam kadhal
Sugam solvathallavaa
Male :Antha kadhalellaam
Tholvi mayam aanathallavaa
Kavithaiyellaam kadhal
Sugam solvathallavaa
Male :Antha kadhalellaam
Tholvi mayam aanathallavaa
Vazhi thavari kadhal seithaal
Kaanbathu enna
Male :Vaazhkkai vazhi thavari povathuthaan
Anbu meenatchi…….anbu meenatchi….
Eththanai malargal thaavum pattaampoochi
Male :Adhu eththanaiyo thaavumadi anbu meenatchi
Aadavaril eththanai per pattaampoochi
Aadavaril eththanai per pattaampoochi
Male :Naan aayiram per paarththuvittaen
Anbu meenatchi…….anbu meenatchi….
Eththanai malargal thaavum pattaampoochi
Male :Adhu eththanaiyo thaavumadi anbu meenatchi
Pennae paarththu thunai
Eduththaal paavamundo
Male :Verum kannae paarththu
Thaervathilae laabamundo
Pennae paarththu thunai
Eduththaal paavamundo
Male :Verum kannae paarththu
Thaervathilae laabamundo
Pettravargal paarpathilae
Perumai ennavo
Male :Avar mattravaiyum paarpathinaal
Nanmaiyallavo….nanmaiyallavo….
Eththanai malargal thaavum pattaampoochi
Male :Adhu eththanaiyo thaavumadi anbu meenatchi
Sakthi sivan seithu konda
Sambantham ondru
Adhu thaai thanthai paarththathalla
Kadhaikalil undu
Aadhimoolam seithu konda
Kaariyam ellaam nam needhi moolam aagaathu
Anbu meenatchi…….anbu meenatchi….
Eththanai malargal thaavum pattaampoochi
Male :Adhu eththanaiyo thaavumadi anbu meenatchi
Aadavaril eththanai per pattaampoochi
Aadavaril eththanai per pattaampoochi
Male :Naan aayiram per paarththuvittaen
Anbu meenatchi…….anbu meenatchi….
Eththanai malargal thaavum pattaampoochi
Male :Adhu eththanaiyo thaavumadi anbu meenatchi
Judging by looks and following your heart,
O woman who chose her groom,
had you chosen after checking family and background,
would he have abandoned you... would he have abandoned you?
How many flowers does a butterfly flutter across?
Male: It flutters over so very many, dear Meenakshi!
Female: How many flowers does a butterfly flutter across?
Male: It flutters over so very many, dear Meenakshi!
How many men are like butterflies?
How many men are like butterflies?
Male: I have seen a thousand such men,
dear Meenakshi... dear Meenakshi...
How many flowers does a butterfly flutter across?
Male: It flutters over so very many, dear Meenakshi!
All poems speak
of the joy of love, don't they?
Male: But hasn't all that love
ended only in failure?
All poems speak
of the joy of love, don't they?
Male: But hasn't all that love
ended only in failure?
If one falls in love by straying from the path,
what does one get?
Male: Life itself simply goes astray,
dear Meenakshi... dear Meenakshi...
How many flowers does a butterfly flutter across?
Male: It flutters over so very many, dear Meenakshi!
How many men are like butterflies?
How many men are like butterflies?
Male: I have seen a thousand such men,
dear Meenakshi... dear Meenakshi...
How many flowers does a butterfly flutter across?
Male: It flutters over so very many, dear Meenakshi!
If a woman chooses her partner
all by herself, is it a sin?
Male: In looking merely with the eyes
and choosing, is there any gain?
If a woman chooses her partner
all by herself, is it a sin?
Male: In looking merely with the eyes
and choosing, is there any gain?
When parents choose,
what is so special about it?
Male: Since they look into everything else too,
isn't it for the best... isn't it for the best?
How many flowers does a butterfly flutter across?
Male: It flutters over so very many, dear Meenakshi!
The marriage that Shakthi and Shiva made,
such an alliance,
was not arranged by parents;
it is found in the ancient stories!
What the Supreme Lord did
cannot become the rule of life for us,
dear Meenakshi... dear Meenakshi...
How many flowers does a butterfly flutter across?
Male: It flutters over so very many, dear Meenakshi!
How many men are like butterflies?
How many men are like butterflies?
Male: I have seen a thousand such men,
dear Meenakshi... dear Meenakshi...
How many flowers does a butterfly flutter across?
Male: It flutters over so very many, dear Meenakshi!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This philosophical duet features a lively debate between love marriage and arranged marriage. The female singer questions the fickle nature of love and men, drawing analogies to butterflies flitting between flowers, while arguing for self-selection based on emotion and mythic precedents like Siva and Sakthi. In response, the male singer advocates for wisdom, social compatibility, and parental guidance, cautioning against superficial attraction and pointing out that divine actions cannot serve as everyday human law. Written by Kannadasan, the song beautifully encapsulates societal debates on romantic love versus traditional matrimony with sharp intellect and rhythmic elegance.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai / Uruvagama)

Eththanai malargal thaavum pattaampoochi

Comparing fickle lovers or men to butterflies hopping from flower to flower ('pattaampoochi').

Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Manam paarththu kann paarththu / Inam paarththu idam paarththu

Matching second letters in consecutive lines ('Manam' / 'Inam').

Rhetorical Question

Kavithaiyellaam kadhal sugam solvathallavaa / Antha kadhalellaam tholvi mayam aanathallavaa

Using opposing questions to argue opposing viewpoints regarding romantic love and practical marriage.

Did you know?

Trivia

Pattampoochi (1975) featured music composed by P. Srinivasan with lyrics penned by Kannadasan. The track stands out as an intellectual musical argument between S. Janaki and T. M. Soundararajan regarding love marriages versus arranged marriages.

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