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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kaiyagala Pottukari

From Neer Nilam Neruppu · 1980

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. Susheela
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Neer Nilam Neruppu
Movie release year
1980
Lyrics added on
29 Jun 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Adi kannula kaadhula mookku muzhiyila
Munnazhagula pinnazhagula
Ice-aa size-aa immaa nice-aa
Unna pola oruththi illai rangaa
Adiyae mangaa mangaa mangaa
Kaiyakala pottukkaari
Kazhuththu sulukkunaappula vettukkaari
Pai neraiyaa thuttukkaari
Salem pattu sela kattukkaari
Kaattula mottula kaththiraththilae
Naattula voottula raappagalla
Aattamaattula kaattu voottula
Unna pola naanum pakkala yappaa
Ada en suppaa suppaa suppaa
Chinna kutti voottukkaaraa
Odampa silkka vaikkira saettakkaaraa
Thanthanaththaa paattukkaaraa
Kum kum thillaalangadi aattakkaaraa
Adukku malli thottakkaari
Aala asara vaikkira aattakkaari
Adukku malli thottakkaari
Aala asara vaikkira aattakkaari
Kaattu paththiri sela paththiram
Kootti poraen ottaanchaththiram
Saiyaan sappaan koiyaang kuppaan
Nee enakkadi naan unakkadi singi
Naan katta ponaa puththam pudhu lungi
: Thol kodukkum meesakkaaraa
Enakku thol kodukkum aasaikkaaraa
Thottukka ottikka thullikka allikka
Etti pidichchkka kotti kodththukka
Raiyyaan rappaan pottukka thaalam
Jiyyaan jippaan thattikka melam taeppu
Un dappukku dappaan aattam rompa taappoo
Ad kaiyakala pottukkaari
Kazhuththu sulukkunaappula vettukkaari
Pai neraiyaa thuttukkaari
Salem pattu sela kattukkaari
Thanthanaththaa paattukkaaraa
Kum kum thillaalangadi aattakkaaraa….
Pachcharisi pallukkaari
Vella paagu pola sollukkaari
Pachcharrisi pallukkaari
Vella paagu pola sollukkaari
Adi pappalapala palapalpala
Bharma bajaar kadai theruvula
Thaththalathala thalathala thakkaalipazham
Un urvula kandu naan
Jilppaa graappu vettukkaaraa
Therandu urunda veera kattukkaaraa
Saanthu pottu kamakamakka
Santhanapottu kumukumukka
Jilujilukka kilukilukka kirukirukka
Kaipidikkum raja
Male :Oi
Female: Ingae namma ini pirippathenna lesaaa
Adadadadaa kaiyakala pottukkaari
Kazhuththu sulukkunaappula vettukkaari
Pai neraiyaa thuttukkaari
Salem pattu sela kattukkaari…hei hei….
Jillaathuttu voottukkaaraa
Odampa silkka vaikkira saettakkaaraa
Thanthanaththaa paattukkaaraa
Kum kum thillaalangadi aattakkaaraa
Haei haei haei haei haei haei
Haei haei haei haei
In your eyes, ears, nose, and every glance,
In your beauty from front to back,
So cool, perfectly shaped, and so lovely,
There is no girl like you, I swear to Ranga!
Hey Manga, Manga, Manga!
Girl with a palm-wide bindi on your forehead,
Girl with a sharp, head-turning strut,
Girl with a bag full of money,
Girl draped in a Salem silk saree!
In the woods, among flower buds, in the dark,
In town, at home, day or night,
Among the livestock and in the farm hut,
I have never seen anyone like you, oh man!
Oh, my Subba, Subba, Subba!
Man with that tiny little cottage,
Naughty guy who gives me thrills and chills,
You singer of lively folk tunes,
Clever dancer swaying to the thumping beat!
Girl with a garden of layered jasmine,
Dancer who leaves everyone spellbound,
Girl with a garden of layered jasmine,
Dancer who leaves everyone spellbound,
Watch out for the wild bushes, keep your saree safe,
I am taking you along to Oddanchatram!
Stepping and hopping to a playful beat,
You are mine and I am yours, my dear Singi,
When I put on a brand-new lungi!
Moustached man who offers a shoulder to lean on,
Loving man who gives me your shoulder,
To touch, cling close, bounce, and scoop me up,
Reach out, hold tight, and pour out your love,
Keep the groove and set the beat,
Strike the drum to the lively rhythm, play the tape!
Matching your beat, your dance is top-notch!
Aha, girl with a palm-wide bindi,
Girl with a sharp, head-turning strut,
Girl with a bag full of money,
Girl draped in a Salem silk saree!
You singer of lively folk tunes,
Clever dancer swaying to the thumping beat...
Girl with pearl-white raw rice teeth,
Girl whose words are sweet like jaggery syrup,
Girl with pearl-white raw rice teeth,
Girl whose words are sweet like jaggery syrup,
Hey, shining dazzlingly bright,
In the shop-lined streets of Burma Bazaar,
Juicy, glowing, and radiant like a fresh tomato,
Seeing that beauty in your look, I...
Man with a stylish, slick cropped haircut,
Strong and sturdy man with a muscular frame,
With the black bindi smelling fragrant,
With the sandalwood bindi giving off a sweet aroma,
Glittering, exciting, and making my head spin,
My king who holds my hand,
Male: Hey!
Female: Can anyone easily separate us now?
Oh my, girl with a palm-wide bindi,
Girl with a sharp, head-turning strut,
Girl with a bag full of money,
Girl draped in a Salem silk saree... hey hey...
Guy with a house full of district wealth,
Naughty guy who gives me thrills and chills,
You singer of lively folk tunes,
Clever dancer swaying to the thumping beat,
Hey hey hey hey hey hey,
Hey hey hey hey!
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Neer Nilam Neruppu (1980) features this energetic, playful folk duet performed by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and P. Susheela, set to music composed by Shankar-Ganesh with lyrics by A. Maruthakasi. The song showcases a lighthearted romantic banter between a couple teasing and admiring each other using colorful colloquial Tamil metaphors, local regional references (like Salem silk sarees and Oddanchatram), and lively folk rhythmic beats. Throughout the track, the male lead praises his partner's beauty, stylish demeanor, and charm, comparing her features to Burma Bazaar finds and ripe tomatoes, while the female lead praises his strength, handsome haircut, and supportive nature. Together, they express their mutual affection and joy, affirming that nothing can separate them as they celebrate their love through dance and song.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ezhugai / Rhyme & Alliteration (Anaphora/Monorhyme)

“Kaiyakala pottukkaari / Kazhuththu sulukkunaappula vettukkaari”

Frequent use of end rhymes and matching suffixes like '-kkaari' (pottukkaari, vettukkaari, thuttukkaari, kattukkaari) creating rhythmic symmetry typical of Tamil folk songs.

Metaphor & Imagery

“Pachcharisi pallukkaari / Vella paagu pola sollukkaari”

Comparing the girl's teeth to raw rice ('pachcharisi pallukkaari') and her words to sweet jaggery syrup ('vella paagu pola sollukkaari'), as well as her skin/form to a plump tomato ('thalathala thakkaalipazham').

Onomatopoeia & Folk Refrains

“Thanthanaththaa paattukkaaraa / Kum kum thillaalangadi aattakkaaraa”

Rhythmic beat sound words and folk chants such as 'Thanthanaththaa', 'Kum kum thillaalangadi', 'Saiyaan sappaan koiyaang kuppaan', and 'Jilujilukka kilukilukka kirukirukka' enhance the folk dance musical mood.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by the musical duo Shankar-Ganesh, this song highlights veteran lyricist A. Maruthakasi's skill in blending traditional folk idiomatic expressions with urban 1980s pop references like 'Bharma bajaar' and 'taeppu' (tape recorder).

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