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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Hawaliya Hawaliya

From Janakiraman · 1997

Lyricist
Pazhani Bharathi
Singers
Sanjeev Adwani, Sowmya Raoh
Music director
Sirpy
Details
Janakiraman1997

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Hawaliya…Hawaliya…
Hey hawaliyaa..hawaliya..Hey Hawaliya… Hawaliya…
PoomeniyaOh tender, flower-like beauty
Dhegam enna poomaalaiyaIs your body a garland of flowers?
Kaalgal enna sevvaalaiyaAre your legs like smooth red bananas?
Female
Hawaliya…Hawaliya…
Hey hawaliyaa….hawaliya..Hey Hawaliya… Hawaliya…
PoomaalaiyaA garland of flowers?
Endhan dhegam poomaalaiyaIs my body a garland of flowers?
Killi paarka nee vanthiya…Did you come just to pinch and check?
Male
Mottu vitta azhagaiThe blossoming beauty
Moodi vaippadethukkuWhy keep it covered up?
Hey hey hey hey hey…Hey hey hey hey hey…
Female
Sottu sottu ennaDrop by drop, squeezing me
Pizhivadhu edhukkuWhy press me like this?
Hey hey hey…hey hey ae….Hey hey hey…hey hey ae…
Male
Kanni vacha azhagaiThis beauty set like a trap
Vittukodu enakku hey hey hey…Surrender it to me, hey hey hey…
Hey hey hey hey hey…Hey hey hey hey hey…
Female
Thotta idam ellamEvery place that is touched
Sulukkuthu enakkuTwitches with desire for me
Hey hey hey hey hey…aeHey hey hey hey hey…ae
Male
Nenaicha inikkumae….Just thinking about it tastes sweet…
Karumbu udambudhan…A sugarcane-like body indeed…
Female
Kidacha podhumae…If I get it, that is enough…
Machaan udumbudhan…My beloved holds on tight like a monitor lizard…
Male
Desingu raajan thedi vachaanaeDid King Desingu seek and keep this
Rajiyam jaichidathaanJust to conquer his kingdom?
Female
Hawaliya…Hawaliya…
Hawaliyaa….hawaliya..Hawaliya… Hawaliya…
PoomaalaiyaA garland of flowers?
Endhan dhegam poomaalaiyaIs my body a garland of flowers?
Killi paarka nee vanthiya…Did you come just to pinch and check?
Male
Udhattukku keezhaeBeneath the lips
Macham irunthaalIf there is a mole
Hey hey hey hey hey…Hey hey hey hey hey…
Female
ThirumanamaagaTo get married
Aasai irukkumThere will be a longing
Hey hey hey hey hey…aeHey hey hey hey hey…ae
Male
Ennidam undhanIf to me, your
Udhattai koduthaalLips are surrendered
Hey hey hey hey hey….Hey hey hey hey hey…
Female
Vidikira podhuWhen dawn breaks
Kaayam irukkumThere will be a love-bite mark left behind
Hey hey hey hey hey…aeHey hey hey hey hey…ae
Male
Iduppu chelaiyae….The saree at the waist…
Nazhuva viduriyae…You let it slip down…
Female
Urugum manasukku….To a melting heart…
Aduppil siru theeyae…It is like a spark of fire on the stove…
Male
Machathai paarthuHaving seen the mole
Michathai paarkka manamdhan yengiyathaeThe heart yearns to see what remains
Female
Heyyy…hawaliya…Heyyy… Hawaliya…
Hawaliyaa….hawaliya..Hawaliya… Hawaliya…
PoomaalaiyaA garland of flowers?
Endhan dhegam poomaalaiyaIs my body a garland of flowers?
Killi paarka nee vanthiya…Did you come just to pinch and check?
Male
Hey hawaliya…Hey Hawaliya…
Hey hawaliyaa….hawaliya..Hey Hawaliya… Hawaliya…
PoomeniyaOh tender, flower-like beauty
Dhegam enna poomaalaiyaIs your body a garland of flowers?
Kaalgal enna sevvaalaiyaAre your legs like smooth red bananas?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Hawaliya' from the 1997 film 'Janakiraman' is a vibrant and playful duet filled with sensual banter between lovers. The lead couple exchanges romantic compliments and teases each other, comparing bodily charm to nature's sweetest elements like flower garlands, red bananas, and sugarcane. The narrative revolves around physical attraction, playful pinching, irresistible longing, and intimate promises lasting until dawn. The emotional tone is lighthearted yet deeply romantic, capturing the glamorous commercial aesthetic of 1990s Tamil cinema dance sequences where metaphors and traditional folk-style phrasing blend into a modern rhythm.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Upamai)

Kaalgal enna sevvaalaiya

Compares smooth, shapely legs directly to red bananas ('sevvaalai') to highlight beauty and soft texture.

Metaphor (Upamai)

Karumbu udambudhan…

Compares the beloved's physique to sweet sugarcane ('karumbu').

Iyaipu (Rhyming end scheme)

Dhegam enna poomaalaiya / Kaalgal enna sevvaalaiya

Both lines end with the matching rhyming sound '-alaiya'.

Simile / Imagery (Udambu / Udumbu)

Machaan udumbudhan…

Uses the tenacious grip of a monitor lizard ('udumbu') as a wordplay with body ('udambu') to signify an unyielding embrace.

Did you know?

Trivia

The movie 'Janakiraman' (1997) features music composed by Sirpy, with lyrics penned by Pazhani Bharathi. Known for producing upbeat dance numbers in the late 90s, Sirpy used catchy folk-pop rhythms in this song to complement the lively screen presence of Sarathkumar and Nagma.

Keep listening

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