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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kadhal Vettukili

From Parasuram · 2003

Lyricist
Kabilan
Singers
Sadhana Sargam, Karthik
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Parasuram2003

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Kaadhal vettukiliThe grasshopper of love
Kannai kadichiruchaeBit the eye
Kannam kuzhiyinilIn the dimple of the cheek
Thulli kudhichiruchaeLeapt and jumped
Female
Idhazhgal kadandhaeCrossing the lips
Idhayam vazhiyaeThrough the heart
Idaiyai thodudhaeTouches the waist
Female
Kaadhal vettukiliThe grasshopper of love
Kannai kadichiruchaeBit the eye
Kannam kuzhiyinilIn the dimple of the cheek
Thulli kudhichiruchaeLeapt and jumped
Aththi pazha udal mattumOnly the fig-fruit body
UzhaichiduchaeLabored hard
Aththai magalukkuFor my aunt's daughter
Pithu pidichiduchaeBecame madly infatuated
Pidichirukku pidichirukkuI like it, I like it
Unnai pidichirukku ohooI like you so much, oh
Male
Kaadhal vettukiliThe grasshopper of love
Kannai kadichiruchooDid it bite the eye?
Kannam kuzhiyinilIn the dimple of the cheek
Thulli kudhichiruchooDid it leap and jump?
Male
Kaadhal vettukiliThe grasshopper of love
Kannai kadichiruchooDid it bite the eye?
Kannam kuzhiyinilIn the dimple of the cheek
Thulli kudhichiruchooDid it leap and jump?
Female
Nee raajaangamYou are the kingdom
Naan por thoduppenI will launch a war
Male :Ohh haiyaiyooMale: Oh my goodness
Nee mei poiyooAre you truth or illusion?
Female
Andha vethalaiyin kodiyilaeOn that betel vine
Pachai kiligalGreen parrots
Nammai thikki thikkiStutteringly about us
Pesudhae yenadiyooAre talking, why oh girl?
Male
Andha aalamara kudisaiyilIn that banyan tree hut
PoonguyilgalSweet cuckoos
Nammai perai solliCalling us by name
Azhaippadhu yenadiyooWhy are they calling, oh girl?
Female
Indha kadhaiyinaiThis story
Yaaridam solvadhuvooTo whom shall I tell?
Pachai koorai tholai pathiThe green thatched roof
YerigiradhaeIs catching fire
Female
Kaadhal vettukiliThe grasshopper of love
Kannai kadichiruchae ohooBit the eye, oh
Male :Kannam kuzhiyinilMale: In the dimple of the cheek
Thulli kudhichiruchaeLeapt and jumped
Female :Kaadhal vettukiliFemale: The grasshopper of love
Kannai kadichiruchae haeBit the eye, hae
Male :Aththai magalukkuMale: For my aunt's daughter
Pithu pidichiduchaeBecame madly infatuated
Male
Nee moondraam paalYou are the third milk
Naan kai kuzhandhaiI am an infant in arms
Female :Nee dheepam dhaanFemale: You are indeed the lamp
Naan thiriyaavenI shall become the wick
Male
Andha ulagathu azhagigalThe world's beautiful women
PuththagamAre like a book
Andha attai padathinilOn that cover page
Un mugamIs your face
Female
Endhan irubadhu nagangalaiMy twenty nails
PaarkirenI am looking at
Adhil therivadhuWhat appears in them
Azhagiya un mugangalAre your beautiful faces
Male
Naam kadarkaraiWe are on the seashore
Manalil nadakkiromWalking on the sand
Kaadhal alai kaalai thottuThe wave of love touches the feet
NanaikkiradhaeAnd drenches them
Female
Kaadhal vettukiliThe grasshopper of love
Kannai kadichiruchaeBit the eye
Kannam kuzhiyinilIn the dimple of the cheek
Thulli kudhichiruchaeLeapt and jumped
Female
Kaadhal vettukiliThe grasshopper of love
Kannai kadichiruchaeBit the eye
Kannam kuzhiyinilIn the dimple of the cheek
Thulli kudhichiruchaeLeapt and jumped
Female
Idhazhgal kadandhaeCrossing the lips
Idhayam vazhiyaeThrough the heart
Idaiyai thodudhaeTouches the waist
Male
Kulandhaiyin dhegam paarthuLooking at the child's body
SirppiyaanenI became a sculptor
Kaakigatha dhegam paarthuLooking at the paper-soft body
Kavingan aanenI became a poet
Thoongiya alagai paarthuLooking at the sleeping beauty
Oviyam aanenI became a painter
Ennai neeyum thottavudanThe moment you touched me
Enna aanenWhat did I become?
Female
Pidichirukku pidichirukkuI like it, I like it
Unnai pidichirukku ohooI like you so much, oh

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful and romantic duet expresses the overwhelming feeling of falling in love using vivid imagery of nature, art, and physical enchantment. The metaphor of a grasshopper representing love jumping from eyes to dimples and lips sets a bouncy, passionate tone. The lovers express their fascination with each other through comparisons to lamps and wicks, sculptors and statues, poets and paper, demonstrating how love transforms their perception of the world and themselves.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uruvagamy (Metaphor)

Kaadhal vettukili

Love is directly metaphorized as a biting, jumping grasshopper ('Kaadhal vettukili').

Moni / Rhyme (Initial Assonance)

Idhazhgal kadandhae / Idhayam vazhiyae / Idaiyai thodudhae

Alliteration and initial rhyme across consecutive lines (Idhazhgal / Idhayam / Idaiyai).

Uvamai (Simile / Comparison)

Nee dheepam dhaan / Naan thiriyaaven

Comparing the lover to a lamp and oneself to the wick ('dheepam' and 'thiri').

Did you know?

Trivia

The song features in the 2003 Tamil action film Parasuram starring Arjun Sarja and Kiran Rathod. The music for Parasuram was composed by A. R. Rahman, featuring energetic rhythms and playful lyrics written by Kabilan.

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