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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Idhu Kadhal Kadhal

From Vattaram · 2006

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Rajesh Krishnan
Music director
Bharathwaj
Details
Vattaram2006

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Idhu kaathal kaathalIs this love, love?
Kaathal kaathal thaanaIs it truly love, love?
Illai kannil thondriOr is it a sky appearing in the eyes
Kai varaatha vaanaBut out of reach of the hands?
Ithu kaiyil kaiyilIs this a flower spinning
Kaiyil suttrum poovaAround the hand, in the hand?
Illai kaalai kaalaiOr is it a snake wrapping
Kaalai suttrum paambaAround the leg, around the leg?
Male
TheriyavillaiyaeI do not know.
Valiyo kuraiyavillaiyaeThe pain does not lessen either.
Ainthu pulangalumEven the five senses
Sonnaal adangavillaiyaeDo not obey when spoken to.
Poththivaithha vithaiJust like a concealed seed
Mulaiththathu polaeSprouting into life,
Buththi kullae neeyumBecause you exploded
VedithathanaalaeWithin my mind,
Thalai irandaai pilakkirathae…. thozhi..eeMy head splits into two... oh friend.
Male
Sattai meedhu pattaampoochchiThe one who hated a butterfly
Ottum pothu veruthavanWhen it landed on his shirt,
Vittu vilagum pothuWhy does he reach out his fingers
Viral neetti pudippathoTo catch it when it flies away?
Kaathal vanthu kathavai thattaThe one who pretended by closing the door
Kathavai moodi nadithavanWhen love came knocking,
Theruvai thaandi kaathal ponathumWhy does he open it secretly
Theriyaamal thirappathoAfter love has crossed the street?
Male
Irumbil seitha aayutham ellaamAll weapons made of iron
Enmel vizhunthu udainthathaeFell on me and broke.
Karumbil seitha aayutham ondruBut a single weapon made of sugarcane
En uyirai aruththathaeSevered my soul.
Maarbukku naduvilaeIn the middle of my chest,
Iruthayam veguthaeThe heart is burning.
Male
Idhu kaathal kaathalIs this love, love?
Kaathal kaathal thaanaIs it truly love, love?
Illai kannil thondriOr is it a sky appearing in the eyes
Kai varaatha vaanaBut out of reach of the hands?
Ithu kaiyil kaiyilIs this a flower spinning
Kaiyil suttrum poovaAround the hand, in the hand?
Illai kaalai kaalaiOr is it a snake wrapping
Kaalai suttrum paambaAround the leg, around the leg?
Female
Na na na…na na naa….Na na na…na na naa….
Male :Oh oh oh….ohhh…ohhhMale : Oh oh oh….ohhh…ohhh
Male
Unnai thedi unnai thediSearching for you, searching for you,
Ottrai siragil parakkirenI fly on a single wing.
Udainthu pona innor siragaiThe other wing that broke,
Urangaamal thedinenI searched for it sleeplessly.
Netru varaiyil enthan ithayamUntil yesterday, my heart
Moongil kaadaai kidanthathuLay like a bamboo forest.
Mul iruntha kaadu indruThe forest that had thorns today
Mullai kaadaai malarnthathuHas blossomed into a jasmine forest.
Male
Manathu endra aayutham kondaeWith the weapon called mind,
Manitha koottam valarnthathuThe human race grew.
Manathu endra aayutham konduUsing the weapon called mind,
Thannai thaanae vathaithathuIt tortured itself.
Kottai pol ezhugirenI rise like a fortress,
Kumizhi pol udaigirenI shatter like a bubble.
Male
Idhu kaathal kaathalIs this love, love?
Kaathal kaathal thaanaIs it truly love, love?
Illai kannil thondriOr is it a sky appearing in the eyes
Kai varaatha vaanaBut out of reach of the hands?
Ithu kaiyil kaiyilIs this a flower spinning
Kaiyil suttrum poovaAround the hand, in the hand?
Illai kaalai kaalaiOr is it a snake wrapping
Kaalai suttrum paambaAround the leg, around the leg?
Male
TheriyavillaiyaeI do not know.
Valiyo kuraiyavillaiyaeThe pain does not lessen either.
Ainthu pulangalumEven the five senses
Sonnaal adangavillaiyaeDo not obey when spoken to.
Poththivaithha vithaiJust like a concealed seed
Mulaiththathu polaeSprouting into life,
Buththi kullae neeyumBecause you exploded
VedithathanaalaeWithin my mind,
Thalai irandaai pilakkirathae…. thozhi …ee…My head splits into two... oh friend.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song delves deep into the existential turmoil, psychological paradoxes, and overwhelming sensory experience of falling in love. The protagonist questions whether love is a delicate ornament like a flower or a painful entanglement like a snake. The lyricist highlights human hypocrisy in love—how one pushes love away when it approaches, only to desperately seek it once it slips out of reach.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Karumbil seitha aayutham ondru / En uyirai aruththathae

Refers to Manmatha's (Cupid's) bow made of sugarcane as a weapon that wounds the soul more than real iron weapons.

Simile (Upamai)

Poththivaithha vithai / Mulaiththathu polae

Compares sudden internal realization of love to a buried seed exploding into growth.

Antithesis / Contrast (Muran)

Kottai pol ezhugiren / Kumizhi pol udaigiren

Contrasts immense strength (rising like a fortress) with ultimate fragility (shattering like a water bubble).

Did you know?

Trivia

The track is from the 2006 Tamil film 'Vattaram', directed by Saran starring Arya. The music was composed by Bharadwaj, with lyrics written by Vairamuthu. The sugarcane weapon mentioned in the song is an allusion to Hindu mythology, where Manmatha (the God of Love) carries a bow made of sugarcane.

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