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Parasuram album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kadhal Vettukili

From Parasuram · 2003

Lyricist
Kabilan
Singers
Sadhana Sargam, Karthik
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Parasuram
Movie release year
2003
Lyrics added on
31 Aug 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kaadhal vettukili
Kannai kadichiruchae
Kannam kuzhiyinil
Thulli kudhichiruchae
Idhazhgal kadandhae
Idhayam vazhiyae
Idaiyai thodudhae
Kaadhal vettukili
Kannai kadichiruchae
Kannam kuzhiyinil
Thulli kudhichiruchae
Aththi pazha udal mattum
Uzhaichiduchae
Aththai magalukku
Pithu pidichiduchae
Pidichirukku pidichirukku
Unnai pidichirukku ohoo
Kaadhal vettukili
Kannai kadichiruchoo
Kannam kuzhiyinil
Thulli kudhichiruchoo
Kaadhal vettukili
Kannai kadichiruchoo
Kannam kuzhiyinil
Thulli kudhichiruchoo
Nee raajaangam
Naan por thoduppen
Male :Ohh haiyaiyoo
Nee mei poiyoo
Andha vethalaiyin kodiyilae
Pachai kiligal
Nammai thikki thikki
Pesudhae yenadiyoo
Andha aalamara kudisaiyil
Poonguyilgal
Nammai perai solli
Azhaippadhu yenadiyoo
Indha kadhaiyinai
Yaaridam solvadhuvoo
Pachai koorai tholai pathi
Yerigiradhae
Kaadhal vettukili
Kannai kadichiruchae ohoo
Male :Kannam kuzhiyinil
Thulli kudhichiruchae
Female :Kaadhal vettukili
Kannai kadichiruchae hae
Male :Aththai magalukku
Pithu pidichiduchae
Nee moondraam paal
Naan kai kuzhandhai
Female :Nee dheepam dhaan
Naan thiriyaaven
Andha ulagathu azhagigal
Puththagam
Andha attai padathinil
Un mugam
Endhan irubadhu nagangalai
Paarkiren
Adhil therivadhu
Azhagiya un mugangal
Naam kadarkarai
Manalil nadakkirom
Kaadhal alai kaalai thottu
Nanaikkiradhae
Kaadhal vettukili
Kannai kadichiruchae
Kannam kuzhiyinil
Thulli kudhichiruchae
Kaadhal vettukili
Kannai kadichiruchae
Kannam kuzhiyinil
Thulli kudhichiruchae
Idhazhgal kadandhae
Idhayam vazhiyae
Idaiyai thodudhae
Kulandhaiyin dhegam paarthu
Sirppiyaanen
Kaakigatha dhegam paarthu
Kavingan aanen
Thoongiya alagai paarthu
Oviyam aanen
Ennai neeyum thottavudan
Enna aanen
Pidichirukku pidichirukku
Unnai pidichirukku ohoo
The grasshopper of love
bit my eye,
and into the dimple on my cheek,
it hopped and leaped!
Crossing past my lips,
flowing through my heart,
it touches my waist!
The grasshopper of love
bit my eye,
and into the dimple on my cheek,
it hopped and leaped!
My tender, fig-like body
is worn out with yearning,
and your aunt's daughter
has gone crazy with love!
I like it, I like it,
I really like you, oh!
Did the grasshopper of love
bite your eye?
And into the dimple on your cheek,
did it hop and leap?
Did the grasshopper of love
bite your eye?
And into the dimple on your cheek,
did it hop and leap?
You are a kingdom,
and I shall wage a battle!
Male: Oh dear,
are you real or an illusion?
On that betel vine,
the green parrots
stammer when they speak of us—
why is that, my girl?
In the shelter of the banyan tree,
the sweet cuckoos
call out our names—
why is that, my girl?
This tale of ours,
who do I even tell it to?
Under this green thatched roof,
my skin is burning with desire!
The grasshopper of love
bit my eye, oh!
Male: And into the dimple on your cheek,
it hopped and leaped!
Female: The grasshopper of love
bit my eye, hey!
Male: Your aunt's daughter
has gone crazy with love!
You are sweet milk,
and I am a baby in your arms.
Female: You are the lamp,
and I will be the wick.
In the book of
the world's great beauties,
on the front cover
is your face!
I look down at
my twenty nails,
and reflecting back at me
are your lovely faces!
As we walk together
upon the beach sand,
the wave of love touches our feet
and drenches us!
The grasshopper of love
bit my eye,
and into the dimple on my cheek,
it hopped and leaped!
The grasshopper of love
bit my eye,
and into the dimple on my cheek,
it hopped and leaped!
Crossing past my lips,
flowing through my heart,
it touches my waist!
Seeing a child's tender form,
I became a sculptor.
Looking at a blank page,
I became a poet.
Looking at sleeping beauty,
I became a painter.
The moment you touched me,
what did I become?
I like it, I like it,
I really like you, oh!
Female
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Male
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Female
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Female
Female
Male
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Female
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Female
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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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