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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kaiya Idhu

From Pasamulla Pandiyare · 1997

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Anuradha Sriram, Deva
Music director
Deva
Details
Pasamulla Pandiyare1997

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Ombothu kampalaththaTo the nine ruling clans
Uththaravu sollonumYou must give your permission
Thaayae jakkamaaOh Mother Jakkamma
Naavil vanthu sollonumYou must come onto the tongue and speak
Female
Eswari thaayaeOh Mother Eswari
Ketta varam sollonumYou must grant the requested boon
Oru nalvaakku nee sonnaaIf you speak a good prediction
Enga selvaakku koodumammaaOur influence and prosperity will grow, oh mother
Oru thandanittu nanga ninnomWe stand bowing down in reverence
Enga thevaigalai koorumammaaState our needs, oh mother
Female
Kaiyaa idhu kaiyaaIs this a hand? Oh hand!
Meiyaa idhu meiyyaaIs this truth? Oh truth!
Thalaiyil ezhuthu vachchathuWhat was written on destiny's forehead
Kayil regai aanathuBecame the palm lines on the hand
Female
Antha ezhuththa padikkaththaanJust to read and interpret those writings
Enga jaathi irukkuthuOur community exists
Cinimaavum arasiyalumBoth cinema and politics
Engal nambi nadakkuthuDepend on us and function
Female
Kaiyaa idhu kaiyaaIs this a hand? Oh hand!
Meiyaa idhu meiyyaaIs this truth? Oh truth!
Female
Poongodi polaThough having a wife who is like a tender creeper
Pondaatti irunthumA secret second house
Chinna veedu onnuBelongs to you
UnakkullathendruIt exposes
Katti kodukkuthuIt exposes, this palm line does!
Kaaatti kodukkuthu regaithaanFor this girl
Female
Intha ponnukkoruThat a wedding garland will come from a relative
Maalai varuminnu sonthaththilaeThat there is a love affair
Oru kadhal irukkunnuIt tells
Solli kodukkuthuIt tells, this palm line does!
Solli kodukkuthu regaithaanVellaiyamma who reads fortune
Female
Kuri sollum vellaiyammaaVellaiyamma who reads fortune
Kuri sollum vellaiyammaaShe lies
Iva poiyaeHas never spoken, oh mother!
Sonnathu illaiyammaaThis man who sleeps inside a car
Car-ukullae urangum ivaruIs a king in illicit liquor trade, oh mother!
Kallachchaarayaththil mannanammaaSpreading a cloth by the roadside
Female
Thunda virichchu saalai oramWho is that begging there, oh mother?
Pitchai eduppathu yaarammaaHis name in a Swiss bank
Swish bank-il ivaru peruHas an account, do you know?
Kanakku irukku theriyumaaBy closing the palm tight
Female
Ullangaiya moodi moodiThe world tries to hide secrets, but I...
Olagam maraikkuthu naanOpened and looked at the palm
Ullangaiya thoranthu paarththaenAnd the whole world gets revealed!
Ulagam theriyuthuAang... Is this a hand? Oh hand!
Female
Aang…..kaiyaa idhu kaiyaaIs this truth? Oh truth!
Meiyaa idhu meiyyaaHarahara Gnanasundari hey
Male
Harahara nyaanasundari haeGnanasundari Harahara Gnanasundari
Nyaanasundari harahara nyaanasundariIs it a bloomed lotus?
Malarntha sarojamoIs it the fragrance of flowers in dark hair?
Kaarkkuzhal malar vaasamoIs it lotus-like eyes? You with a creeper-like waist
Kamalasulosamo nee kodiyidaiAnd a swan-like walk
Nadai annamoHarahara Gnanasundari hey
Male
Harahara nyaanasundari haeGnanasundari Harahara Gnanasundari
Nyaanasundari harahara nyaanasundariWhile acting in 'Naadodi Mannan'
Female
Naadodi mannannil nadikkumpothuThat MGR would become the Chief Minister
Mgr mudhalvarnnuFinding out by reading his hand
Kaiya pudichchu kandupidichchathuWas us!
NaangathaanThere is no change in our spoken word
Female
Sonna sollil maaththamillaThere is no change in our spoken word
Sonna sollil maaththamillaThere is no scripture greater than our word
Enga sollukku minjina vedhamillaEven if we drink only gruel water
Kanjith thanni kudichchaalumOurs is not a community that tells lies for money
Kaasukku poi sollum jaathiyillaAs you toil with your own hands
Female
Sontha kayil ozhaikka ozhaikkaThe life line will lengthen
Aayul regai koodumungaEven at an advanced age
Kaalam pona vayasil koodaThe love line can still appear
Kadhal regai thonumungaTrusting your hands, we
Female
Unga kaiya nambi naangaHave come to make a living
Pozhaikka vanthongaTrusting our predictions, you
Enga vaakka nambi neengaTry working hard and see!
Ozhachchu paarungaAaah... Is this a hand? Oh hand!
Female
Aaah…..kaiyaa idhu kaiyaaIs this truth? Oh truth!
Meiyaa idhu meiyyaaWhat was written on destiny's forehead
Thalaiyil ezhuthu vachchathuBecame the palm lines on the hand
Kayil regai aanathuJust to read and interpret those writings
Female
Antha ezhuththa padikkaththaanOur community exists
Enga jaathi irukkuthuBoth cinema and politics
Cinimaavum arasiyalumDepend on us and function
Engal nambi nadakkuthuIs this a hand? Oh hand!
Female
Kaiyaa idhu kaiyaaIs this truth? Oh truth!
Meiyaa idhu meiyyaa…..

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Pasamulla Pandiyare' is a lively and satirical folk-based fortune-telling song performed by fortune tellers (Kudukuduppai / Kodangi community) invoking deity Goddess Jakkamma. The song humorously exposes societal hypocrisy, unmasking rich beggars, illicit liquor lords with Swiss bank accounts, and philandering husbands through palmistry, while celebrating the honest labor and predictive skill of the fortune-telling community. The song also features historical pop-culture references, including M. G. Ramachandran's rise to political power predicted through palmistry. Musically arranged by Deva with energetic vocals by Anuradha Sriram and Deva himself, the track blends traditional folk rhythmic tropes with witty socio-political commentary by lyricist Vairamuthu.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Invocation (Kadavul Vaazhthu)

Thaayae jakkamaa / Naavil vanthu sollonum

Opening lines appeal directly to folk deities Mother Jakkamma and Eswari for divine inspiration and accurate predictions.

Rhyme (Ethirhai & Monai)

Cinimaavum arasiyalum / Engal nambi nadakkuthu

Tamil poetic rhyming of initial and second consonants, such as 'Cinimaavum arasiyalum / Engal nambi nadakkuthu'.

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Poongodi pola / Pondaatti irunthum

Comparing a wife's grace to a delicate creeper ('Poongodi pola pondaatti').

Irony & Satire

Car-ukullae urangum ivaru... Swish bank-il ivaru peru

Contrasting a man sleeping in a car who begs on the roadside while holding a Swiss bank account.

Allusion

Naadodi mannannil nadikkumpothu / Mgr mudhalvarnnu

Historical reference to MGR's movie 'Naadodi Mannan' and his eventual political ascension as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song references the legendary Tamil actor-politician M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and his iconic 1958 film 'Naadodi Mannan', humorously claiming that fortune tellers had predicted his future presidency/chief ministership early on through palmistry.

Keep listening

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