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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Golmal Gopal

From Kumbakonam Gopalu · 1998

Lyricist
Vasan
Singers
Karthik Raja, Yuvan Shankar Raja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Kumbakonam Gopalu1998

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Haei golmaalu golmaaluHey, trickery and malpractices!
Kumbakonam gopaaluKumbakonam Gopalu!
Male
Golmaalu golmaaluTrickery and corruption!
Kumbakonam gopaaluKumbakonam Gopalu!
Savaalu savaaluA challenge, a challenge!
Undaa en pol oru aaluIs there anyone like me?
Male
Kaiyil coco colaCoca-Cola in hand,
Vaaya thorandhaa peelaaWhenever I open my mouth, it's just tall tales,
Suthuvenae reelu reelaa…aa….I spin endless reel after reel...
Dup-il tata birlaA duplicate Tata-Birla,
Ellorukkum kullaaHoodwinking everyone,
Koduppen paaru alvaa alvaaLook, I fool everyone by giving them sweet Halwa!
Naan pogira routelaIn the route that I take,
Ada yaaradhu naattula adadadadaaAh, who is there in this country? Oh-ho-ho!
Chorus
………………………….………………………….
Male
Hae katchikkulla koottanikkuHey, for political alliances within a party,
Suitcase maamooluA suitcase bribe is the routine!
Male
Ada seat thandhaa golmaaluAh, if an election seat is given, there is malpractice!
Andha court keertu golmaaluEven in those courts, there is corruption!
Male
Nalla markkil pass aanaalumEven if passed with good marks,
Collge il maamooluA bribe is routine in college!
Male
Hae exam hallil golmaaluHey, malpractice inside the exam hall!
Ada employmentum golmaaluAh, even getting employment involves fraud!
Male
Auto kaattum meter laiyumIn the meters shown by auto-rickshaws,
Naattil bus route laiyumAnd in the country's bus routes,
Male
Auto kaattum meter laiyumIn the meters shown by auto-rickshaws,
Naattil bus route laiyumAnd in the country's bus routes,
Angae ingae golmaaluFraud and corruption are everywhere!
Male
Mathavanga senjaaIf others commit it,
Adha kutham sollum peruPeople blame and call it a crime.
Thappu seiyum podhuBut when they themselves commit wrongdoings,
Adha thatti ketpadhaaruWho is there to confront and question it?
Male
Kettukkappaa olagamListen up, oh world!
MuzhudhumThe whole world,
Golmaal jaakkiradhaiBeware of trickery and deceit!
Male
Kaiyil coco cola ..wowCoca-Cola in hand.. wow!
Vaaya thorandhaa peelaaWhenever I open my mouth, it's tall tales!
Suthuvenae reelu reelaa..aaa…I spin endless reel after reel...
Dup-il tata birla durrrrA duplicate Tata-Birla, durrrr!
Ellorukkum kullaa durrrrHoodwinking everyone, durrrr!
Koduppen paaru alvaa alvaaLook, I fool everyone by giving them sweet Halwa!
Naan pogira routelaIn the route that I take,
Ada yaaradhu naattula adadadadaaAh, who is there in this country? Oh-ho-ho!
Male
Hae thaali katta maappillaikkuHey, for a groom to tie the sacred thread,
Varadhatchinai maamooluDowry is the usual demand!
Male
Hae nikkaadhindha golmaaluHey, this unstoppable corruption,
Idha niruthuven paaru golmaaluLook, I will stop this fraudulent trickery!
Male
Super hit cinema vukkuFor a super hit movie,
Black ticket maamooluBlack market tickets are routine!
Male
Hae Lottery cheettil golmaaluHey, fraud in lottery tickets,
Ada lucky prizeil golmaaluAh, scamming in lucky prizes!
Male
Panjaayathu pallikkoodamIn the village panchayat school,
Pudhusaa vandha saami madamAnd in the newly arrived godman's ashram,
Male
Panjaayathu pallikkoodamIn the village panchayat school,
Pudhusaa vandha saami madamAnd in the newly arrived godman's ashram,
Angae ingae golmaaluDeceit is everywhere!
Male
Pei pidichadha polaLike being possessed by a ghost,
Namma naattu makkala aattumIt shakes up the people of our country.
Golmaal seiya thoondumIt entices people to commit fraud,
Adhu ellaaraiyum vaattumAnd it torments everyone.
Male
Pei pidichaa vittidumGhost possession will eventually leave,
Golmaal pudichu aatti vaikkumBut the passion for scamming grips and controls you forever!
Male
Saani dhamadhani[Swaram singing: Sa-ni dha-ma-dha-ni]
Saani dhamadhani[Swaram singing: Sa-ni dha-ma-dha-ni]
Saasaga sanisani dhanidhama dhamagama[Swaram singing: Sa-a-sa-ga sa-ni-sa-ni dha-ni-dha-ma dha-ma-ga-ma]
Male
Kaiyil coco colaCoca-Cola in hand,
Vaaya thorandhaa peelaaWhenever I open my mouth, it's tall tales,
Suthuvenae reelu reelaa….aaa…I spin endless reel after reel...
Dup-il tata birla durrrA duplicate Tata-Birla, durrrr!
Ellorukkum kullaaHoodwinking everyone,
Koduppen paaru alvaa alvaaLook, I fool everyone by giving them sweet Halwa!
Naan pogira routelaIn the route that I take,
Ada yaaradhu naattula adadadadaaAh, who is there in this country? Oh-ho-ho!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Golmaalu Golmaalu' from the film 'Kumbakonam Gopalu' (1998) is a satirical, high-energy track that scaths systemic corruption, deceit, and social hypocrisy in everyday Indian life. Written by lyricist Vasan, the track uses the persona of a comical street-smart trickster who boasts about his ability to dupe others ('giving halwa', 'spinning reels') to mirror the larger trickery embedded throughout society.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Haei golmaalu golmaalu / Kumbakonam gopaalu / Savaalu savaalu

The line endings rhyme with the repeated '-aalu' sound, creating a rhythmic and catchy folk-pop structure.

Cultural Idiom & Slang (Metaphor)

Koduppen paaru alvaa alvaa / Ellorukkum kullaa

'Alvaa koduthal' (feeding halwa) and 'Kullaa podudhal' (putting a cap) are popular Tamil idioms that mean deceiving or tricking someone.

Simile (Upamai)

Pei pidichadha pola / Namma naattu makkala aattum

The song explicitly compares the widespread habit of corruption ('golmaal') to spirit possession that grips and torments society.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Kumbakonam Gopalu' (1998) is a Tamil comedy film starring Pandiarajan, who is well-known for featuring in satirical, social-commentary songs filled with Chennai/Tamil folk slang.

Keep listening

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