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Vaigasi Poranthachu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Inji Idupazhagi

From Vaigasi Poranthachu · 1990

Lyricist
Kalidasan
Singers
Sundar Rajan, Rajan Sakaravarthi
Music director
Deva
Movie name
Vaigasi Poranthachu
Movie release year
1990
Lyrics added on
21 Mar 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Inji iduppazhagi ezhummichai niraththazhagi
Aaa…haan….aaa…..haan
Inji iduppazhagi ezhummichai niraththazhagi
Manjal kezhangu onnu kulichcha
Ava kulichacha
En mansathaan thoondil pottu izhuthaa
Adi maayavaram mayile
Dhinam manjal kulikkum kuyilae
Haa haa haa
Maayavaram mayile
Dhinam manjal kulikkum kuyilae
Namma mannu manakkura
Ponnukku intha
Machchaan vaipaen achcharamthaan
Inji….ee….ee…ee…
Inji iduppazhagi ezhummichai niraththazhagi
Manjal kezhangu onnu kulichcha
Ava kulichacha
En mansathaan thoondil pottu izhuthaa
En mansathaan thoo thoo thoo thoo
Ada thoo…..
Girl with a slender waist and glowing lemon-bright skin,
Aah... haan, aah... haan
Girl with a slender waist and glowing lemon-bright skin,
A girl as golden as fresh turmeric took a bath,
yes, she took a bath,
and hooked my heart, reeling it right in!
Hey, peacock from Mayavaram,
cuckoo who bathes in turmeric every day,
Ha ha ha
Peacock from Mayavaram,
cuckoo who bathes in turmeric every day,
Carrying the sweet scent of our native soil,
to this girl,
this lad will give a token promise of marriage!
Ginger... ee... ee... ee...
Girl with a slender waist and glowing lemon-bright skin,
A girl as golden as fresh turmeric took a bath,
yes, she took a bath,
and hooked my heart, reeling it right in!
My heart, she hoo- hoo- hoo- hooked,
Oh, hooked it right in!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful folk song expresses a young man's vivid fascination with a young woman's natural rural beauty. Using traditional imagery, he compares her waistline to ginger, her fair complexion to lemons, and her golden radiance to turmeric. He playfully describes how she captured his heart effortlessly, like hooking a fish on a bait, and declares his intention to give her a token of commitment for marriage.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai / Uruvagaimai)

Inji iduppazhagi ezhummichai niraththazhagi

Compares the woman's slender waist to a ginger root ('Inji iduppazhagi') and her skin tone to a lemon ('ezhummichai niraththazhagi').

Imagery & Visual Metaphor

Manjal kezhangu onnu kulichcha

Compares the woman to a golden turmeric root ('Manjal kezhangu') taking a bath, highlighting her traditional charm.

Analogy / Metaphor

En mansathaan thoondil pottu izhuthaa

Describes the emotional pull of love as a fishing hook catching and pulling a fish.

Alliteration & Rhyme (Monai / Edhugai)

Maayavaram mayile / Dhinam manjal kulikkum kuyilae

Rhyming words 'mayile' (peacock) and 'kuyilae' (cuckoo) combined with 'Maayavaram' and 'Manjal' form rich auditory rhythm.

Did you know?

Trivia

While the phrase 'Inji Iduppazhagi' is widely remembered from the iconic song in 'Thevar Magan' (1992) composed by Ilaiyaraaja, this earlier folk-style composition set to Deva's music in 'Vaigasi Poranthachu' (1990) showcases lyricist Kalidasan's penchant for rustic Tamil metaphors celebrating village beauty.

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