Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kadhal Azhaga

From Paattali · 1999

Lyricist
Kalai Kumar
Singers
Hariharan, Sujatha
Music director
S. A. Rajkumar
Details
Paattali1999

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kaadhal azhaga kaadhal pen azhagaIs love beautiful, or is the loved maiden beautiful?
Kamban maganidam nan ketkindrenI am asking the son of Kamban.
Female
Kangal azhaga kannangal azhagaAre the eyes beautiful, or are the cheeks beautiful?
Kavidhai eluthida nan yenginenI yearned to compose a poem.
Male
En kaadhal kalvettilIn the stone inscription of my love,
Nam per sethukuvenI will engrave our names.
Female
En nenjin velvetilIn the velvet of my heart,
Unnai pathukuvenI will treasure you.
Male
Antha vennilavilae unthanUpon that white moon,
Padathaiyae otti vitu varuven…I will go and paste your picture...
Female
Kaadhal azhaga kaadhal pen azhagaIs love beautiful, or is the loved maiden beautiful?
Kamban maganidam nan ketkindrenI am asking the son of Kamban.
Male
Latcham pookkalA sculpture created
Otti veitha sirppamby assembling a hundred thousand flowers.
Pakkam vanthum kannilEven upon coming close, in your eyes,
Enna vetkkamwhy is there such shyness?
Ennai theendaaiyoWon't you touch me?
Nee ennai theendaaiyooWon't you touch me?
Female
Oosi malli paarvaiA sharp glance like needle-jasmine
Ennai killumpinches me.
Ullam rendum ondraiBoth our hearts
Ondru allumembrace each other as one.
Minnal thondraathooWon't lightning strike?
Vanna minnal thondraathooWon't a colorful lightning strike?
Male
Kaiyodu kai korthaalIf hand joins with hand,
Atcham thaan vilagadhoowon't fear depart?
Female :Ooyaamal nee paathaalFemale: If you stare at me without stopping,
Matcham thaan nagaraadhoowon't even the mole move?
Male :Un kannin meengalaiMale: Having seen the fishes of your eyes,
Paarthu vittadhaal saiva vaazhkai vaazhvenI shall live a purely vegetarian life.
Female
Kaadhal azhaga kaadhal pen azhagaIs love beautiful, or is the loved maiden beautiful?
Kamban maganidam nan ketkindrenI am asking the son of Kamban.
Male
Aaa..kangal azhaga kannangal azhagaAh... are the eyes beautiful, or are the cheeks beautiful?
Kavidhai eluthida nan yenginenI yearned to compose a poem.
Female
Aaa….aaa…..aa….Ah... ah... ah...
Chorus
……………………..[Music / Instrumental]
Male
……………………[Music / Instrumental]
Female
Ennai unnil adaguTo pledge myself within you,
Vaika varuvenI will come.
China china muthaSmall, tiny kisses
Vatti tharuvenI will give as interest.
Kaadhal kadanthaanae ithuHas this transcended love?
Kaadhal kadanthaanaeHas this transcended love?
Male
Ichu ichu sathamThe sound of kisses,
Ennai thaanaeupon me,
Kichu kichu mootatickling me,
Sokki povenI will swoon away.
Kaadhal kadal thaanaeIs this not an ocean of love?
Ithu kaadhal kadal thaanaeThis is indeed an ocean of love.
Female
Un aadai nanaagaTo become your garment,
Kenjithan ketpenaeI will beg and plead.
Male
Udhataalae maruthalumEven if refused by the lips,
Ulloora rasipenaedeep down I will enjoy it.
Female
Ada kadhal paadamthanAh, the lesson of love
Mudinthu ponathae paritchai eluthalamais over, shall we write the exam?
Male
Yae kaadhal azhaga kaadhal pen azhagaHey, is love beautiful, or is the loved maiden beautiful?
Kamban maganidam nan ketkindrenI am asking the son of Kamban.
Female
Kangal azhaga kannangal azhagaAre the eyes beautiful, or are the cheeks beautiful?
Kavidhai eluthida nan yenginenI yearned to compose a poem.
Male
En kaadhal kalvettilIn the stone inscription of my love,
Nam per sethukuvenI will engrave our names.
Female
En nenjin velvetilIn the velvet of my heart,
Unnai pathukuvenI will treasure you.
Male
Antha vennilavilae unthanUpon that white moon,
Padathaiyae otti vitu varuven…I will go and paste your picture...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Kaadhal Azhaga' is a romantic duet expressing deep admiration and playful affection between two lovers. The protagonist poses a poetic dilemma—asking whether abstract love is more beautiful than his beloved, invoking Ambikapathy (the son of legendary Tamil poet Kamban, famous for his romantic epic) to solve this aesthetic puzzle. He celebrates her beauty through vivid, grand imagery, comparing her to a sculpture of flowers and desiring to etch their love on stone inscriptions and project her image onto the moon.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Allusion (இலக்கியக் குறிப்பு)

Kamban maganidam nan ketkindren

Refers to 'Kamban magan' (Ambikapathy), the historic poet known for classic romantic literature in Tamil lore.

Metaphor (உருவகம்)

Un kannin meengalai

Compares her eyes to fishes ('Un kannin meengalai') and her look to sharp needle-jasmine ('Oosi malli paarvai').

Edhugai / Second-letter Rhyme (எதுகை)

En kaadhal kalvettil / En nenjin velvetil

The second consonant sound 'l' rhymes across line endings 'kalvettil' and 'velvetil'.

Monai / Initial Alliteration (மோனை)

Kangal azhaga kannangal azhaga

Initial consonant sounds match across words, such as 'Kangal' and 'kannangal'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although credited as unknown in some song listings, 'Kaadhal Azhaga' from the 1999 Tamil film 'Paattali' was composed by S. A. Rajkumar, written by lyricist Kalai Kumar, and sung by Hariharan and Sujatha Mohan. The movie stars Sarathkumar, Devayani, and Simran.

Keep listening

More from Paattali

No related songs found yet.