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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kalidasanin Kavithai

From Ival Oru Pournami · 1987

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singers
Nithyashree Mahadevan, M. S. Rajeswari
Music director
T. K. Ramamoorthy
Details
Ival Oru Pournami1987

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
………………Why did Kalidasa's poetic drama fall apart?
Male
Kalidasanin kavithai naaagamWhy was it dissolved and lost?
Kalainthu ponathennaWhy did the dream palace of the goddess of love
Kadhal devathai kanavu maaligaiCrumble and fall into ruins?
Idinthu ponathennaHow long will the history of Shakuntala continue like this?
Male
Sagunthalai sariththiram edhuvarai thodarnthidumWhat sin did the full moon commit
Kadhal vaanilae vantha pournamiThat appeared in the sky of love?
Seitha paavamennaIs it rain in the eyes or a storm in the heart?
Vizhiyil mazhaiyaa manathil puyalaaIs it fate that makes us dance and earn a living through performance all our life, tell me uncle?
Chorus
Kaalam muzhukkavum aadi pozhaippathuDid the dream of desire turn out to be a lie?
Vithiyaa sol mamaHey, where will desire be fulfilled every day?
Aasai kanave poithaanaaOne must dance to make a living, oho!
Adi aasai engu theerum dhenamWhere will desire be fulfilled every day?
Aadi pizhaikka vendum ohoOne must dance to make a living!
Aasai engu theerum dhenamHo hoi... ho hoi... ho hoi...
Aadi pizhaikka vendumHoiiiiiiiyaa...
Ho hoi….ho hoi….ho hoi…..Fate casts its fishing hook from both sides,
Hoiiiiiiiyaa….A heart languishes like a thrashing fish caught in between.
Male
Iru pakkam thoondil vidhi vanthu podumIf one looks at lust, there is no true love;
Thudikkindra meenaai oru nenjam vaadumIf one looks at love, there is no duty left.
Kaamaiyai paarththaal kadhalum illaiWhich way will the struggling heart go?
Kadhalai paarththaal kadamaiyum illaiWhat decisions lie ahead? Time alone will tell.
Male
Poraadum ullam yaarodu sellumWhat sin did the full moon commit
Ennenna theerppo kaalangal sollumThat appeared in the sky of love?
Kadhal vaanilae vantha pournamiIs this the way, or is this destiny...?
Seitha paavamennaAs the hour approaches that makes the town tremble,
Edhuthaan vazhiyo idhuthaan vidhiyo…The pot split into two, the broken pot broke even further,
Chorus
Ooru nadungidum neram nerungaiyilIt became midnight, and so the rhythm changed,
Paanaiyum rendaachchu ottai paanai odainjaachuOho, it became midnight, and so the rhythm changed!
Nadu saama neramachchu adhanaal thaalam maaripochuHo hoi... ho hoi... ho hoi...
Oho nadu saama neramachchu adhanaal thaalam maaripochuHoiiiiiiiyaa...
Ho hoi….ho hoi….ho hoi…..I kept a garland of flowers, only for a storm to carry it away,
Hoiiiiiiiyaa….I waited here expecting it for a thousand ages.
Female
Puyal kondu poga poocharam vaiththaenLife has become like a riddle,
Aayiram kaalam naaningu paarththaenLike words written without knowing their meaning.
Vidukadhai polae aanathu vaazhkkaiI lived in a prison called agony,
Porulariyaamal ezhuthiya vaarththaiToday I asked fate for my freedom.
Female
Vedhanai ennum siraiyinil vaazhnthaenWhat sin did the full moon commit
Vidhiyidam indru viduthalai kettaenThat appeared in the sky of love?
Kadhal vaanilae vantha pournamiEven the frost falling at night feels scorching,
Seitha paavamennaAs the wind blows, making tender buds bend and fall.
Iravil pozhiyum paniyum eriyumDid God create this haste? Is this hurry right?
Chorus
Adikkira kaaththila arumbugal saainthidaIt is the speed of passing time; who can we blame to gain anything?
Aandavan padaiththaanaa intha avasaram sarithaanaaOho, it is the speed of passing time; who can we blame to gain anything?
Adhu kaalam pora vegam idhil yaarai nonthu laabamHo hoi... ho hoi... ho hoi...
Oho kaalam pora vegam idhil yaarai nonthu laabamHoiiiiiiiyaa...
Ho hoi….ho hoi….ho hoi…..He cast a fishing hook for a fish in the sky,
Hoiiiiiiiyaa….And ended up getting caught in the hook himself.
Male
Vaanilulla meenukendru thoondilittaanHe waited for the fig tree to blossom with flowers,
Thoondil thannil thaanae maattikondaanWith deep desire, he waited day after day.
Aththippookkal pookkumendru kaaththirunthaanThere is no flower, nor any fragrance,
Aasai kondu naalum kaaththirunthaanNor is there a day when desire will be satisfied.
Male
Poovum illai vaasam illaiWhere is this path called love leading to?
Aasai theerum naalum illaiWhere will both feet end up reaching?
Kadhal ennum padhai engu pogirathoWhat sin did the full moon commit
Kaalgal rendum engu sendru saernthidumoThat appeared in the sky of love?
Kadhal vaanilae vantha pournamiIs anything real, or is even a dream pleasant?
Seitha paavamennaWhat was thought did not happen, what was sown did not sprout.
Edhuvum nijamo kanavum sugamoInside this dazed heart, what is the medicine for this, child?
Chorus
Nenaichchathu nadakkala vedhachchathu molaikkalaThere is no medicine for this; your mind itself is not right.
Mayakka nenjukkullae idhukku marunthu enna pullaGirl, there is no medicine; your mind itself is not right.
Idhukku marunthu yaedhumilla unnoda mananthaan sariyillaHo hoi... ho hoi... ho hoi...
Adiyae marunthu yaedhumilla unnoda mananthaan sariyillaHoiiiiiiiyaa...
Ho hoi….ho hoi….ho hoi…..In four hearts
Hoiiiiiiiyaa….And in all eyes, what is this sorrow that has arrived?
Male
Nangu nenjilumO loving heart that yearns every day,
Kangal yaavilum vantha sogamennaWhat is the point of the affection you held?
Endru yaengidum anbu nenjamaeTo light a lamp and show the path,
Konda paasam ennaWhat is this heart that throbs... ae... ae...
Dheepam yaettravim paadhai kaattavumTomorrow itself should turn out to be good,
Thudikkum ullamenna…ae….ae….It must happen here.
Male
Naalai enbathae nanmaiyaagavaeAs day breaks, the decision lies with you.
Aaga vendum ingaeIn a life where one dances on a new stage every day,
Vidiyum pozhuthe mudivum unathaeWhat is the ending, uncle? Can you explain it a bit so I understand?
Chorus
Naaloru medaiyil aadidum vaazhkkaiyilHey, which town belongs to tomorrow? What name belongs to this life?
Mudivu enna mama konjam puriya sollalaamaaWhich town belongs to tomorrow? What name belongs to this life?
Adi naalaikendha ooro intha vaazhvukkenna peroWhich town belongs to tomorrow? What name belongs to this life?
Chorus
Naalaikendha ooro intha vaazhvukkenna peroWhich town belongs to tomorrow? What name belongs to this life?
Naalaikendha ooro intha vaazhvukkenna peroWhich town belongs to tomorrow? What name belongs to this life...
Naalaikendha ooro intha vaazhvukkenna peroWhich town belongs to tomorrow? What name belongs to this life...
Naalaikendha ooro intha vaazhvukkenna pero….

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from 'Ival Oru Pournami' (1987) expresses deep existential dread, heartbreak, and the plight of street performers or dancers whose lives are bound to the stage while suffering internal torment. The lyricist Pulamaipithan draws parallels between tragic classical tales—such as Kalidasa's Shakuntala—and the protagonist's own broken dreams, questioning why love and destiny constantly subject innocent hearts to suffering like fish caught on a hook.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile)

Thudikkindra meenaai oru nenjam vaadum

Comparing the struggling heart to a thrashing fish caught on a hook.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Kadhal vaanilae vantha pournami / Vedhanai ennum siraiyinil vaazhnthaen

Comparing the full moon to love in the sky, and life to a riddle or a prison of agony.

Edhugai (Monorep/Second-letter Rhyme)

Kalidasanin kavithai naaagam / Kalainthu ponathenna

Rhyming of second letters across adjacent lines for rhythmic flow (e.g., Kalidasanin / Kalainthu; Kadhal / Idinthu).

Did you know?

Trivia

Music scored by T. K. Ramamoorthy, the legendary composer who was half of the acclaimed Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy duo, making his rare solo composition soundtrack in the late 1980s.

Keep listening

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