Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kalaikalin Thaaye Thunai

From Abhirami · 1992

Lyricist
Kalidasan
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, Sakthi Shanmugam, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Deva
Details
Abhirami1992

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kalaigalin thaayae thunai varuvaayaeO Mother of arts, please come to my aid!
Aa…aa…aah…aa…aa….aah…aa….Aa…aa…aah…aa…aa….aah…aa….
Thaamthalaangu thakku thanjavur thaviluRhythmic beats of the Tanjore Thavil drum,
Tharigida tharigida paattuththaanIt is indeed a song with 'tharigida tharigida' beats!
Male
Thaalam Jadhiyodu thappaama adippaenI will strike without missing beat or rhythm pattern,
Tharigida tharigida pottuththaanIt is indeed a song with 'tharigida tharigida' beats!
Male
Paadaathae nee dooppuDon't sing, you fake!
Oyaathu en taeppuMy tape plays without stopping!
Thottaalae kulungidumI am the storm of drums,
Maththaala puyal naanThat shakes things up as soon as touched!
Male
ThaamthalaanguThaamthalaangu...
Thaamthalaangu thakku thanjavur thaviluRhythmic beats of the Tanjore Thavil drum,
Tharigida tharigida paattuththaanIt is indeed a song with 'tharigida tharigida' beats!
Male
Thaalam Jadhiyodu thappaama adippaenI will strike without missing beat or rhythm pattern,
Tharigida tharigida pottuththaanIt is indeed a song with 'tharigida tharigida' beats!
Male
Vaanaththa villaa valaippaenI can bend the sky into a bow!
Mannula kayiru thirippaenI can twist sand on earth into a rope!
Naan paadum paadal kettaalIf anyone hears the song I sing,
Naaga paambum aadumaeEven the cobra snake will dance!
Male
Thennaiyilae maangaa parippaenI will pluck mangoes off coconut trees!
Male :HaangMale: Haang!
Male :Thanniyila vennai eduppaenMale: I will churn butter out of plain water!
Ennisaiyai kettaa annanIf he hears my music, even the elder rooster,
Seval muttai podumaeWill end up laying an egg!
Male
Surangalilae sarangal korkkum killaadi naanI am a master craftsman stringing musical notes together!
Male :Shuruthiyilae kittappaa enakku pinnaadithaanMale: In pitch, even SG Kittappa comes behind me!
Male :Isaiyenum kadalaiyum kadainthavanMale: I am the one who churned the ocean of music!
Male :Edhirththu pesaathae thol vaayi naalaaga kizhinthidumMale: Don't talk back, or your mouth skin will rip into four!
Male
Thaamthalaangu thakku thanjavur thaviluRhythmic beats of the Tanjore Thavil drum,
Tharigida tharigida paattuththaanIt is indeed a song with 'tharigida tharigida' beats!
Male :Thaalam Jadhiyodu thappaama adippaenMale: I will strike without missing beat or rhythm pattern,
Tharigida tharigida pottuththaanIt is indeed a song with 'tharigida tharigida' beats!
Male
Kaasillaamal oc veettilLiving rent-free without spending a dime,
Kaalam oottum karung koranguA black monkey passing its time!
Male :Maasam thorum vaadagai yaeththiMale: Raising the rent month after month,
Manusana pudunguthu oru udumbuA monitor lizard snatching a man's peace!
Male
Kaattu boodham unnai inimelYou wild monster, from now on,
Veettukkullae naan vidamaattaenI won't let you inside the house!
Male :Veetta adachchaa court-tukku povenMale: If you lock the house, I will go to court,
Adhuvarai vaadagai tharamattaenUntil then, I won't pay any rent!
Male
Rigarisariga patharisarigaRigarisariga patharisariga (solfège swaras)
Male :Kadhavukku thaappaa illaiyadi pappaMale: There is no latch on the door, baby!
Male :Sanipathariga sanipatharigaMale: Sanipathariga sanipathariga (solfège swaras)
Male :Kenaththula thanni kedaikkala anniMale: There is no water in the well, sister-in-law!
Male
PapapaapanipaniPapapaapanipani (solfège swaras)
Male :Current bill-u innum tharala ivanaeMale: He hasn't paid the current bill yet, this guy!
Male :NinininipapaniniMale: Ninininipapanini (solfège swaras)
Male :Kazhuththu puduchchu thallu udanaeMale: Grab him by the neck and push him out immediately!
Male :Rigatigapa kapanithanisaMale: Rigatigapa kapanithanisa (solfège swaras)
Male :Oru jaan idaththilum onbathu kudiththanamMale: Nine families living in a space of one hand-span!
Male :Rigapagapani panisarisaniMale: Rigapagapani panisarisani (solfège swaras)
Male :Idhukko vaadagai koduppathu madaththanamMale: Paying rent for this is sheer foolishness!
Male
SaninisapanigapagarigapanisaSaninisapanigapagarigapanisa (solfège swaras)
Pozhappul kaiya vachchaa odhappaduvaeIf you mess with my livelihood, you'll get kicked!
Male :Sagarisasani panisagariMale: Sagarisasani panisagari (solfège swaras)
Male :Pozhuthukkum engitta midhippaduvaeMale: You will get trampled by me all day long!
Male :Kaakakaaka kaakakaaka rigarigapaaMale: Kaakakaaka kaakakaaka rigarigapaa
Female
……………....
Female
Vaani sarasvathi kalyaaniyae neeO Goddess Saraswathi, embodiment of Kalyani ragam,
Vaa vaa enpaattilaeCome, come into my song!
Annai abhirami ennaalum arulvaalMother Abhirami will shower her grace forever,
Vettrimaalai en tholilaeThe garland of victory will rest on my shoulders!
Oor yaavum paaraatta sangeetham pozhinthidumShowering music praised by the entire town,
Singaara kuyil naanI am a beautiful cuckoo bird!
Female
Vaani sarasvathi kalyaaniyae neeO Goddess Saraswathi, embodiment of Kalyani ragam,
Vaa vaa enpaattilaeCome, come into my song!
Annai abhirami ennaalum arulvaalMother Abhirami will shower her grace forever,
Vettrimaalai en tholilaeThe garland of victory will rest on my shoulders!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a lively musical duel and comic exchange set in a theatrical or neighborhood context. The singers trade boastful insults about their musical skills and exaggerated physical feats, while also squabbling over housing issues like unpaid rent, lack of amenities, and landlord-tenant arguments. Interspersed throughout the comic banter are rapid-fire solfège passages (swaras) mimicking traditional Carnatic and folk performance styles. Despite the lighthearted and competitive banter, the song frames itself with devotional invocations to Goddess Saraswathi (the deity of music and learning) and Mother Abhirami, expressing confidence that divine grace will ultimately bestow success and recognition upon the performer.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Rhyme / Monorhyme (Edugai & Monai)

Thaamthalaangu thakku thanjavur thavilu

Extensive use of Tamil poetic rhyming patterns where second letters match (Edugai) and first letters match (Monai), such as 'Vaanaththa' / 'Mannula' and 'Thaamthalaangu' / 'Tharigida'.

Hyperbole (Exaggeration)

Vaanaththa villaa valaippaen / Mannula kayiru thirippaen

Exaggerated claims used for comic effect, such as bending the sky into a bow, getting butter from water, or making roosters lay eggs.

Onomatopoeia (Sound symbolism)

Tharigida tharigida paattuththaan

Use of rhythmic drum syllables ('Thaamthalaangu', 'Tharigida') to imitate the sound of the Thavil drum and heighten the musical atmosphere.

Metaphor

Maththaala puyal naan

Describing oneself as a 'storm of drums' (Maththaala puyal) and 'beautiful cuckoo' (Singaara kuyil).

Did you know?

Trivia

The song mixes folk drum beats (Thavil) with classical Carnatic swara singing in a comedic format popular in 1990s Tamil cinema. Deva's composition highlights the versatility of Malaysia Vasudevan and K. S. Chithra in delivering fast-paced theatrical vocal exchanges.

Keep listening

More from Abhirami