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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kalaarasiga

From Ambikapathy · 2013

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Sharanya Srinivas, Shweta Mohan
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Ambikapathy2013

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Haa…aaaa… hoi… oi… oi…Haa...aaaa... hoi... oi... oi...
Kalaarasiga… hoi… kalaarasigaOh art lover... hoi... art lover
Ha…aaaa…kalaarasiga…Ha...aaaa...art lover...
Hoi… kalaa….rasiga…..Hoi... art...lover...
Female
Mannilae vinnilae pennayaeThe one who sees a woman
Kaanum kalaarasiga…Everywhere on earth and in the sky, oh art lover...
Chorus :Hoi… kalaarasigaChorus : Hoi... art lover
Female
Kannilae kandathaiWhatever you see with your eyes,
Kayyilae allum kalaarasiga…You scoop up in your hands, oh art lover...
Chorus :Hoi… kalaarasigaChorus : Hoi... art lover
Female
Haa…aaaa… aaaa…Haa...aaaa... aaaa...
Hoi… kalaarasiga…Hoi... art lover...
Hoi… kalaarasigaHoi... art lover
Ha…aaaa..aaaa…aaa…kalaarasiga…Ha...aaaa..aaaa...aaa...art lover...
Female
SaagasakaaraOh adventurous performer,
Oru kaikuttaiyai thanthuGiving a handkerchief,
Selaiyai thirudum sathikaaraAnd stealing the saree, oh schemer!
Female
Kaasiyil vandhuComing to Varanasi,
Sila paavangal seidhuCommitting a few sins,
Punniyam thedum palikaaraAnd seeking merit, oh scapegoat!
Female
Poyyaal evarumBy lies, no one
Vaazhnthathum illaiHas ever truly prospered;
Meyyaal evarumBy truth, no one
Veezhnthathum illaiHas ever truly fallen.
Female
Kaatrinai pidithuCatching the wind
Kaiyirai thirikkumAnd twisting it into a rope,
Kaasi kalaarasigaa…Oh Kashi art lover...
Hoi kaadhal kalaarasigaHoi love art lover
Kaasi kalaarasiga..aa….Kashi art lover..aa....
Female
Polladha kaasi kalaarasigaWicked Kashi art lover
Vaaraai kaadhal kalaarasigaCome, love art lover
Kan paarai kaadhal kalaarasigaLook at me, love art lover
Kan paarai kaadhal kalaarasigaLook at me, love art lover
Kaasi kalaarasigaKashi art lover
Hoi hoi kaadhal kalaarasigaHoi hoi love art lover
Female
Mannilae vinnilae pennayaeThe one who sees a woman
Kaanum kalaarasiga…Everywhere on earth and in the sky, oh art lover...
Chorus :Hoi… kalaarasigaChorus : Hoi... art lover
Female
Kannilae kandathaiWhatever you see with your eyes,
Kayyilae allum kalaarasiga…You scoop up in your hands, oh art lover...
Hoi… kalaarasigaHoi... art lover
Female
Mangaiyin manathaiStealing a young woman's heart,
Thirudum kannanLike Lord Krishna,
Hey ..manthiram thanthiramHey... tricks and magic,
Seivathil mannanHe is the king of performing!
Female
Pengalin kangalilInto the eyes of women,
Mangalai thoovum..kalaarasiga..Throwing magical dust... oh art lover...
Oo.. unmai ennidam solOoh... tell me the truth,
Hey kalaarasiga…Hey art lover...
Aaaaa…aaaaa…..kalaarasigaAaaaa...aaaaa.....art lover
Hoi kalaarasigaHoi art lover
Female
Aasai konda manamaeOh heart filled with desire,
Perum gangaiyai unniru kaigalilThe great river Ganges in your two hands,
Allida paarkindraiYou are trying to gather up.
Female
Veesum minnal oliyaiThe flashing beam of lightning,
Un paijaamavin paikulInside the pocket of your pyjamas,
Olithida paarkindraaiYou are trying to hide.
Female
Vetrigal petravanThe one who wins victories
Boomikku raajaIs the king of the earth;
Vetrilai pottavanThe one who chews betel leaf
Kaasikku raajaIs the king of Kashi!
Kan jaadaiyal pootugal thirpaaiWith a glance of your eye, you unlock all locks,
Kaasi kalaarasiga..Kashi art lover..
Hoi kaadhal kalaarasigaHoi love art lover
Kaadhal kalaarasiga..aaaaaa…aa…Love art lover..aaaaaa...aa...
Female
Polladha kaasi kalaarasigaWicked Kashi art lover
Hoi hoi kaadhal kalaarasigaHoi hoi love art lover
Polladha kaasi kalaarasigaWicked Kashi art lover
Hoi hoi kaadhal kalaarasigaHoi hoi love art lover
Kaasi kalaarasigaKashi art lover
Polladha kaasi kalaarasigaWicked Kashi art lover
Female
Mannilae vinnilae pennayaeThe one who sees a woman
Kaanum kalaarasiga…Everywhere on earth and in the sky, oh art lover...
Hoi… kalaarasigaChorus : Hoi... art lover
Female
Kannilae kandathaiWhatever you see with your eyes,
Kayyilae allum kalaarasiga…You scoop up in your hands, oh art lover...
Hoi… kalaarasigaHoi... art lover
Chorus
Kalaarasiga..Art lover..
Hoi.. kalaarasigaHoi.. art lover
Kalaarasiga..Art lover..
Hoi.. kalaarasiga……Hoi.. art lover......

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song playfully taunts a charismatic, flirtatious artist ('Kalaarasiga') set against the sacred backdrop of Kashi (Varanasi). The lyrics tease his charm, trickery, and romantic pursuits, comparing his charming antics to those of Lord Krishna. Despite his clever tricks and attempts to capture impossible things—like gathering the Ganges in his hands or hiding lightning in his pocket—he is reminded of moral truths about honesty, virtue, and love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethukai (Second-letter Assonance)

Mannilae vinnilae pennayae / Kannilae kandathai

Matching second consonants in adjacent lines like 'Mannilae' and 'Kannilae' creates rhythmic cohesion.

Monnai (First-letter Alliteration)

Poyyaal evarum / Vaazhnthathum illai / Meyyaal evarum / Veezhnthathum illai

Alliteration of the initial letter 'P' in 'Poyyaal' and 'Punniyam' or 'V' in 'Vaazhnthathum' and 'Veezhnthathum'.

Hyperbole (Uruvagaimai / Exaggeration)

Veesum minnal oliyai / Un paijaamavin paikul / Olithida paarkindraai

Exaggerated surreal imagery of twisting wind into a rope or hiding lightning in a pajama pocket to depict impossible desire.

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Trivia

Ambikapathy (2013) is the Tamil dubbed version of the hit Hindi romantic drama film 'Raanjhanaa', starring Dhanush and Sonam Kapoor. The original Hindi soundtrack was composed by A.R. Rahman, with lyrics rewritten in Tamil by Vairamuthu to adapt the rich Benaras cultural backdrop for Tamil audiences.

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